Chapter 4
Electronic Version (part 4)
Telecommunications: fully automatic domestic telephone network; 127,000 telephones; stations—10 AM, 17 FM, 8 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; 3 coaxial submarine cables
- Defense Forces
Branches: Jamaica Defense Force (includes Coast Guard and Air Wing)
Military manpower: males 15-49, 620,400; 440,967 fit for military service; no conscription; 27,014 reach minimum volunteer age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 1.1% of GDP (1987) —————————————————————————— Country: Jan Mayen (territory of Norway) - Geography Total area: 373 km2; land area: 373 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 124.1 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 10 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 4 nm
Disputes: Denmark has challenged Norway's maritime claims beween
Greenland and Jan Mayen
Climate: arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog
Terrain: volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers; Beerenberg is the highest peak, with an elevation of 2,277 meters
Natural resources: none
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: barren volcanic island with some moss and grass; volcanic activity resumed in 1970
Note: located 590 km north-northwest of Iceland between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea north of the Arctic Circle
- People
Population: no permanent inhabitants
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: territory of Norway
Note: administered by a governor (sysselmann) resident in Longyearbyen
(Svalbard)
- Economy Overview: Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on the island.
Electricity: 15,000 kW capacity; 40 million kWh produced,
NA kWh per capita (1989)
- Communications
Airports: 1 with runway 1,220 to 2,439 m
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
Telecommunications: radio and meteorological station
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of Norway
——————————————————————————
Country: Japan
- Geography
Total area: 377,835 km2; land area: 374,744 km2; includes Bonin Islands
(Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okinotori-shima,
Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
Comparative area: slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 29,751 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm (3 nm in international straits—La Perouse or
Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western channels of the Korea or
Tsushima Strait)
Disputes: Habomai Islands, Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan Islands occupied by Soviet Union since 1945, claimed by Japan; Kuril Islands administered by Soviet Union; Liancourt Rocks disputed with South Korea; Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands) claimed by China and Taiwan
Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous
Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish
Land use: 13% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures; 67% forest and woodland; 18% other; includes 9% irrigated
Environment: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; subject to tsunamis
Note: strategic location in northeast Asia
- People
Population: 123,642,461 (July 1990), growth rate 0.4% (1990)
Birth rate: 11 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 5 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 76 years male, 82 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Japanese (sing., pl.); adjective—Japanese
Ethnic divisions: 99.4% Japanese, 0.6% other (mostly Korean)
Religion: most Japanese observe both Shinto and Buddhist rites; about 16% belong to other faiths, including 0.8% Christian
Language: Japanese
Literacy: 99%
Labor force: 63,330,000; 54% trade and services; 33% manufacturing, mining, and construction; 7% agriculture, forestry, and fishing; 3% government (1988)
Organized labor: about 29% of employed workers; 76.4% public service, 57.9% transportation and telecommunications, 48.7% mining, 33.7% manufacturing, 18.2% services, 9.3% wholesale, retail, and restaurant
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Tokyo
Administrative divisions: 47 prefectures (fuken, singular and plural);
Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma,
Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima,
Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki,
Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga,
Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama,
Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
Independence: 660 BC, traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu; 3 May 1947, constitutional monarchy established
Constitution: 3 May 1947
Legal system: civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: Birthday of the Emperor, 23 December (1933)
Executive branch: emperor, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Diet (Kokkai) consists of an upper house or
House of Councillors (Sangi-in) and a lower house or House of Representatives
(Shugi-in)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State—Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Toshiki KAIFU (since 9 August 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),
Toshiki Kaifu, president; Japan Socialist Party (JSP), T. Doi, chairman;
Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), Keigo Ouchi, chairman; Japan
Communist Party (JCP), K. Miyamoto, Presidium chairman; Komeito (Clean
Government Party, CGP), Koshiro Ishida, chairman
Suffrage: universal at age 20
Elections: House of Councillors—last held on 23 July 1989 (next to be held 23 July 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(252 total, 100 elected) LDP 109, JSP 67, CGP 21, JCP 14, others 33;
House of Representatives—last held on 18 February 1990 (next to be held by February 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(512 total) LDP 275, JSP 136, CGP 45, JCP 16, JDSP 14, other parties 5, independents 21; note—nine independents are expected to join the LDP, five the JSP
Communists: about 470,000 registered Communist party members
Member of: ADB, ASPAC, CCC, Colombo Plan, DAC, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB—Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ISO, ITC, ITU,
IWC—International Whaling Commission, IWC—International Wheat Council, OECD,
UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Nobuo MATSUNAGA; Chancery at 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-6700; there are Japanese Consulates General in Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland (Oregon), and a Consulate in Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands); US—Ambassador Michael H. ARMACOST; Embassy at 10-1, Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku (107), Tokyo (mailing address is APO San Francisco 96503); telephone (3) 224-5000; there are US Consulates General in Naha, Osaka-Kobe, and Sapporo and a Consulate in Fukuoka
Flag: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center
- Economy Overview: Although Japan has few natural resources, since 1971 it has become the world's third-largest industrial economy, ranking behind only the US and the USSR. Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, and a comparatively small defense allocation have helped Japan advance rapidly, notably in high-technology fields. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. Self-sufficent in rice, Japan must import 50% of its requirements for other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the total global catch. Overall economic growth has been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1989 strong investment and consumption spending helped maintain growth at nearly 5%. Inflation remains low at 2.1% despite high oil prices and a somewhat weaker yen. Japan continues to run a huge trade surplus, $60 billion in 1989, which supports extensive investment in foreign properties.
GNP: $1,914.1 billion, per capita $15,600; real growth rate 4.8% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 2.3% (1989)
Budget: revenues $392 billion; expenditures $464 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY89)
Exports: $270 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities—manufactures 97% (including machinery 38%, motor vehicles 17%, consumer electronics 10%); partners—US 34%, Southeast Asia 22%, Western Europe 21%, Communist countries 5%, Middle East 5%
Imports: $210 billion (c.i.f., 1989); commodities—manufactures 42%, fossil fuels 30%, foodstuffs 15%, nonfuel raw materials 13%; partners—Southeast Asia 23%, US 23%, Middle East 15%, Western Europe 16%, Communist countries 7%
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate 9.0% (1989)
Electricity: 191,000,000 kW capacity; 700,000 million kWh produced, 5,680 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: metallurgy, engineering, electrical and electronic, textiles, chemicals, automobiles, fishing
Agriculture: accounts for 3% of GNP; highly subsidized and protected sector, with crop yields among highest in world; principal crops—rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; animal products include pork, poultry, dairy and eggs; about 50% self-sufficient in food production; shortages of wheat, corn, soybeans; world's largest fish catch of 11.8 million metric tons in 1987
Aid: donor—ODA and OOF commitments (1970-87), $57.5 billion
Currency: yen (plural—yen); 1 yen (Y) = 100 sen
Exchange rates: yen (Y) per US$1—145.09 (January 1990), 137.96 (1989), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987), 168.52 (1986), 238.54 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications Railroads: 27,327 km total; 2,012 km 1.435-meter standard gauge and 25,315 km predominantly 1.067-meter narrow gauge; 5,724 km doubletrack and multitrack sections, 9,038 km 1.067-meter narrow-gauge electrified, 2,012 km 1.435-meter standard-gauge electrified (1987)
Highways: 1,098,900 km total; 718,700 km paved, 380,200 km gravel, crushed stone, or unpaved; 3,900 km national expressways, 46,544 km national highways, 43,907 km principal local roads, 86,930 km prefectural roads, and 917,619 other (1987)
Inland waterways: about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas
Pipelines: crude oil, 84 km; refined products, 322 km; natural gas, 1,800 km
Ports: Chiba, Muroran, Kitakyushu, Kobe, Tomakomai, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo,
Yokkaichi, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Niigata, Fushiki-Toyama, Shimizu, Himeji,
Wakayama-Shimozu, Shimonoseki, Tokuyama-Shimomatsu
Merchant marine: 1,088 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,597,688 GRT/36,655,266 DWT; includes 7 passenger, 57 short-sea passenger, 4 passenger cargo, 108 cargo, 44 container, 27 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 135 refrigerated cargo, 117 vehicle carrier, 237 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 21 chemical tanker, 42 liquefied gas, 12 combination ore/oil, 3 specialized tanker, 272 bulk, 1 combination bulk, 1 multifunction large-load carrier
Civil air: 341 major transport aircraft
Airports: 165 total, 156 usable; 128 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 27 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 55 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: excellent domestic and international service; 64,000,000 telephones; stations—318 AM, 58 FM, 12,350 TV (196 major—1 kw or greater); satellite earth stations—4 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT; submarine cables to US (via Guam), Philippines, China, and USSR
- Defense Forces
Branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (army), Japan Maritime
Self-Defense Force (navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (air force), Maritime
Safety Agency (coast guard)
Military manpower: males 15-49, 32,181,866; 27,695,890 fit for military service; 1,004,052 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 1.0% of GNP at market prices (1989 est.) —————————————————————————— Country: Jarvis Island (territory of the US) - Geography Total area: 4.5 km2; land area: 4.5 km2
Comparative area: about 7.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 8 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; lacks fresh water; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats
Note: 2,090 km south of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, just south of the Equator, about halfway between Hawaii and the Cook Islands
- People
Population: uninhabited
Note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators
- Government
Long-form name: none (territory of the US)
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System
- Economy
Overview: no economic activity
- Communications Ports: none; offshore anchorage only—one boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island
Note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually
by the US Coast Guard
——————————————————————————
Country: Jersey
(British crown dependency)
- Geography
Total area: 117 km2; land area: 117 km2
Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 70 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Natural resources: agricultural land
Land use: NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures;
NA% forest and woodland; NA% other; about 58% of land under cultivation
Environment: about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
Note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; 27 km from France
- People
Population: 83,609 (July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 7 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Channel Islander(s); adjective—Channel Islander
Ethnic divisions: UK and Norman-French descent
Religion: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
Methodist, Presbyterian
Language: English and French (official), with the Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy: NA%, but probably high
Labor force: NA
Organized labor: none
- Government
Long-form name: Bailiwick of Jersey
Type: British crown dependency
Capital: Saint Helier
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system: English law and local statute
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Executive branch: British monarch, lieutenant governor, bailiff
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States
Judicial branch: Royal Court
Leaders:
Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government—Lieutenant Governor Adm. Sir William PILLAR (since NA 1985); Bailiff Peter CRILL (since NA)
Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA
Elections: Assembly of the States—last held NA (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(56 total, 52 elected) 52 independents
Communists: probably none
Diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency)
Flag: white with the diagonal red cross of St. Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag
- Economy Overview: The economy is based largely on financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EC countries. In 1986 the finance sector overtook tourism as the main contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of the island's output. In recent years the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs.
GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate 8% (1987 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $308.0 million; expenditures $284.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985)
Exports: $NA; commodities—light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles; partners—UK
Imports: $NA; commodities—machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals; partners—UK
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 50,000 kW standby capacity (1989); power supplied by France
Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy
Agriculture: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; dairy and cattle farming
Aid: none
Currency: Jersey pound (plural—pounds); 1 Jersey pound (LJ) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (LJ) per US$1—0.6055 (January 1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications
Ports: Saint Helier, Gorey, St. Aubin
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m (St. Peter)
Telecommunications: 63,700 telephones; stations—1 AM, no FM, 1
TV; 3 submarine cables
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK —————————————————————————— Country: Johnston Atoll (territory of the US) - Geography Total area: 2.8 km2; land area: 2.8 km2
Comparative area: about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 10 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly flat with a maximum elevation of 4 meters
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until about 1890)
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: some low-growing vegetation
Note: strategic location 1,328 km west-southwest of Honolulu in the North
Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way between Hawaii and the Marshall
Islands; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands; North Island
(Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral
dredging; closed to the public; former nuclear weapons test site
- People Population: 1,203 (December 1989); all US government personnel and contractors
- Government
Long-form name: none (territory of the US)
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Defense
Nuclear Agency (DNA) and managed cooperatively by DNA and the Fish and Wildlife
Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife
Refuge system
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)
Flag: the flag of the US is used
- Economy
Overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to
US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All
food and manufactured goods must be imported.
- Communications
Ports: Johnston Island
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 2,743 m
Telecommunications: excellent system including 60-channel submarine cable, Autodin/SRT terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), and a (receive only) commercial satellite television system
Note: US Coast Guard operates a LORAN transmitting station
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the US —————————————————————————— Country: Jordan (see separate West Bank entry) Note: The war between Israel and the Arab states in June 1967 ended with Israel in control of the West Bank. As stated in the 1978 Camp David Accords and reaffirmed by President Reagan's 1 September 1982 peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, their relationship with their neighbors, and a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties. The Camp David Accords further specify that these negotiations will resolve the location of the respective boundaries. Pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has yet to be determined.
- Geography
Total area: 91,880 km2; land area: 91,540 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: 1,586 km total; Iraq 134 km, Israel 238 km,
Saudi Arabia 742 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Coastline: 26 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Disputes: differences with Israel over the location of the 1949 Armistice Line which separates the two countries
Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west;
Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil
Land use: 4% arable land; 0.5% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures; 0.5% forest and woodland; 94% other; includes 0.5% irrigated
Environment: lack of natural water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
- People
Population: 3,064,508 (July 1990), growth rate 3.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 42 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 55 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 71 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 6.2 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Jordanian(s); adjective—Jordanian
Ethnic divisions: 98% Arab, 1% Circassian, 1% Armenian
Religion: 92% Sunni Muslim, 8% Christian
Language: Arabic (official); English widely understood among upper and middle classes
Literacy: 71% (est.)
Labor force: 572,000 (1988); 20% agriculture, 20% manufacturing and mining (1987 est.)
Organized labor: about 10% of labor force
Note: 1.5-1.7 million Palestinians live on the East Bank (55-60% of the population), most are Jordanian citizens
- Government
Long-form name: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Amman
Administrative divisions: 8 governorates (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah); Al Balqa, Al Karak, Al Mafraq, Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa, Irbid, Maan
Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration; formerly Trans-Jordan)
Constitution: 8 January 1952
Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Majlis al Umma) consists of an upper house or House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayaan) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Majlis al-Nuwwab); note—the House of Representatives was dissolved by King Hussein on 30 July 1988 as part of Jordanian disengagement from the West Bank and in November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held, with no seats going to Palestinians on the West Bank
Judicial branch: Court of Cassation
Leaders:
Chief of State—King HUSSEIN Ibn Talal I (since 11 August 1952);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Mudar BADRAN (since 4 December 1989)
Political parties and leaders: none; after 1989 parliamentary elections, King Hussein promised to allow the formation of political parties
Suffrage: universal at age 20
Elections: House of Representatives—last held 8 November 1989 (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(80 total) percent of vote NA
Communists: party actively repressed, membership less than 500 (est.)
Member of: ACC, Arab League, CCC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IDB—Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Hussein A. HAMMAMI; Chancery at 3504 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 966-2664; US—Ambassador Roscoe S. SUDDARTH; Embassy on Jebel Amman, Amman (mailing address is P. O. Box 354, Amman, or APO New York 09892); telephone (6) 644371 through 644376
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran
- Economy Overview: Jordan was a secondary beneficiary of the oil boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when its GNP growth averaged 10-12%. Recent years, however, have witnessed a sharp reduction in cash aid from Arab oil-producing countries and in worker remittances, with growth averaging 1-2%. Imports—mainly oil, capital goods, consumer durables, and foodstuffs—have been outstripping exports by roughly $2 billion annually, the difference being made up by aid, remittances, and borrowing. In 1989 the government pursued policies to encourage private investment, curb imports of luxury goods, promote exports, reduce the budget deficit, and, in general, reinvigorate economic growth. Success will depend largely on exogenous forces, such as the absence of drought and a pickup in outside support. Down the road, the completion of the proposed Unity Dam on the Yarmuk is vital to meet rapidly growing requirements for water.
GNP: $5.2 billion, per capita $1,760; real growth rate 0% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 35% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9-10% (December 1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $0.92 billion; expenditures $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $540 million (1989 est.)
Exports: $0.910 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities—fruits and vegetables, phosphates, fertilizers; partners—Iraq, Saudi Arabia, India, Kuwait, Japan, China, Yugoslavia, Indonesia
Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1989 est.); commodities—crude oil, textiles, capital goods, motor vehicles, foodstuffs; partners—EC, US, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Turkey, Romania, China, Taiwan
External debt: $8.3 billion (December 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate - 7.8% (1988 est.)
Electricity: 981,000 kW capacity; 3,500 million kWh produced, 1,180 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing
Agriculture: accounts for only 5% of GDP; principal products are wheat, barley, citrus fruit, tomatoes, melons, olives; livestock—sheep, goats, poultry; large net importer of food
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $1.7 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.2 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.5 billion; Communist countries (1970-88), $44 million
Currency: Jordanian dinar (plural—dinars); 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1—0.6557 (January 1990), 0.5704 (1989), 0.3715 (1988), 0.3387 (1987), 0.3499 (1986), 0.3940 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Railroads: 619 km 1.050-meter gauge, single track
Highways: 7,500 km; 5,500 km asphalt, 2,000 km gravel and crushed stone
Pipelines: crude oil, 209 km
Ports: Al Aqabah
Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,635 GRT/44,618
DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 2 bulk cargo
Civil air: 19 major transport aircraft
Airports: 19 total, 16 usable; 14 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: adequate system of radio relay, cable, and radio; 81,500 telephones; stations—4 AM, 3 FM, 24 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT, 1 domestic TV receive-only; coaxial cable and radio relay to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria; radio relay to Lebanon is inactive; a microwave network linking Syria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Jordan
- Defense Forces
Branches: Jordan Arab Army, Royal Jordanian Air Force, Royal Jordanian
Coast Guard
Military manpower: males 15-49, 726,736; 519,972 fit for military service; 38,730 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 11% of GNP, or $570 million (1990 est.)
——————————————————————————
Country: Juan de Nova Island
(French possession)
- Geography
Total area: 4.4 km2; land area: 4.4 km2
Comparative area: about 7.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 24.1 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claimed by Madagascar
Climate: tropical
Terrain: undetermined
Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 90% forest and woodland; 10% other
Environment: subject to periodic cyclones; wildlife sanctuary
Note: located in the central Mozambique Channel about halfway between Africa and Madagascar
- People
Population: uninhabited
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic
Daniel CONSTANTIN, resident in Reunion
- Economy
Overview: no economic activity
- Communications
Railroads: short line going to a jetty
Airports: 1 with nonpermanent-surface runway less than 1,220 m
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
Note: one weather station
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
——————————————————————————
Country: Kenya
- Geography
Total area: 582,650 km2; land area: 569,250 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
Land boundaries: 3,477 km total; Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km,
Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
Coastline: 536 km
Maritime claims:
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: international boundary and Administrative Boundary with Sudan; possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis
Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
Terrain: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift
Valley; fertile plateau in west
Natural resources: gold, limestone, diotomite, salt barytes, magnesite, feldspar, sapphires, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife
Land use: 3% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 7% meadows and pastures; 4% forest and woodland; 85% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; glaciers on Mt. Kenya
Note: Kenyan Highlands one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa
- People
Population: 24,639,261 (July 1990), growth rate 3.8% (1990)
Birth rate: 45 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 60 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 62 years male, 67 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Kenyan(s); adjective—Kenyan
Ethnic divisions: 21% Kikuyu, 14% Luhya, 13% Luo, 11% Kalenjin, 11% Kamba, 6% Kisii, 6% Meru, 1% Asian, European, and Arab
Religion: 38% Protestant, 28% Roman Catholic, 26% indigenous beliefs, 6% Muslim
Language: English and Swahili (official); numerous indigenous languages
Literacy: 59.2%
Labor force: 9,003,000; 78% agriculture, 22% nonagriculture (1987 est.)
Organized labor: 390,000 (est.)
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Kenya
Type: republic
Capital: Nairobi
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast,
Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North-Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
Independence: 12 December 1963 (from UK; formerly British East Africa)
Constitution: 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, and 1988
Legal system: based on English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment in 1982 made Kenya a de jure one-party state
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President Daniel Teroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); Vice President George SAITOTI (since 10 May 1989)
Political parties and leaders: only party—Kenya African National
Union (KANU), Daniel T. arap Moi, president
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President—last held on 21 March 1988 (next to be held
February 1993);
results—President Daniel T. arap Moi was reelected;
National Assembly—last held on 21 March 1988 (next to be held March 1993); results—KANU is the only party; seats—(202 total, 188 elected) KANU 200
Communists: may be a few Communists and sympathizers
Other political or pressure groups: labor unions; exile opposition—Mwakenya and other groups
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU,
IWC—International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, UN, UNDP, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Denis Daudi AFANDE; Chancery at 2249 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-6101; there are Kenyan Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York; US—Ambassador Smith HEMPSTONE; Embassy at the corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi (mailing address is P. O. Box 30137, Nairobi or APO New York 09675); telephone (2) 334141; there is a US Consulate in Mombasa
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center
- Economy Overview: A serious underlying economic problem is Kenya's 3.8% annual population growth rate—one of the highest in the world. In the meantime, GDP growth in the near term has kept slightly ahead of population—annually averaging 5.2% in the 1986-88 period. Undependable weather conditions and a shortage of arable land hamper long-term growth in agriculture, the leading economic sector.
GDP: $8.5 billion, per capita $360; real growth rate 4.9% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.3% (1988)
Unemployment rate: NA%, but there is a high level of unemployment and underemployment
Budget: revenues $2.3 billion; expenditures $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $0.71 billion (FY87)
Exports: $1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—coffee 20%, tea 18%, manufactures 15%, petroleum products 10% (1987); partners—Western Europe 45%, Africa 22%, Far East 10%, US 4%, Middle East 3% (1987)
Imports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—machinery and transportation equipment 36%, raw materials 33%, fuels and lubricants 20%, food and consumer goods 11% (1987); partners—Western Europe 49%, Far East 20%, Middle East 19%, US 7% (1987)
External debt: $6.2 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 4.8% (1987 est.)
Electricity: 587,000 kW capacity; 2,250 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural processing, oil refining, cement, tourism
Agriculture: most important sector, accounting for 30% of GDP, about 80% of the work force, and over 50% of exports; cash crops—coffee, tea, sisal, pineapple; food products—corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables, dairy products; food output not keeping pace with population growth
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis used mostly for domestic consumption; widespread cultivation of cannabis and qat on small plots; transit country for heroin and methaqualone en route from Southwest Asia to West Africa, Western Europe, and the US
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $771 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $6.0 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $74 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $83 million
Currency: Kenyan shilling (plural—shillings); 1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Kenyan shillings (KSh) per US$1—21.749 (December 1989), 20.572 (1989), 17.747 (1988), 16.454 (1987), 16.226 (1986), 16.432 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
- Communications
Railroads: 2,040 km 1.000-meter gauge
Highways: 64,590 km total; 7,000 km paved, 4,150 km gravel, remainder improved earth
Inland waterways: part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of
Kenya; principal inland port is at Kisumu
Pipelines: refined products, 483 km
Ports: Mombasa, Lamu
Civil air: 14 major transport aircraft
Airports: 247 total, 211 usable; 18 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 45 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: in top group of African systems; consists of radio relay links, open-wire lines, and radiocommunication stations; 260,000 telephones; stations—11 AM, 4 FM, 4 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTLESAT
- Defense Forces
Branches: Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, Air Force; paramilitary General
Service Unit
Military manpower: males 15-49, 5,240,551; 3,235,557 fit for military service; no conscription
Defense expenditures: 1.0% of GDP, or $100 million (1989 est.) —————————————————————————— Country: Kingman Reef (territory of the US) - Geography Total area: 1 km2; land area: 1 km2
Comparative area: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 3 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds
Terrain: low and nearly level with a maximum elevation of about 1 meter
Natural resources: none
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; wet or awash most of the time
Note: located 1,600 km south-southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa; maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes this a navigational hazard; closed to the public
- People
Population: uninhabited
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Navy
- Economy
Overview: no economic activity
- Communications
Airports: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and
American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the US —————————————————————————— Country: Kiribati - Geography Total area: 717 km2; land area: 717 km2; includes three island groups—Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
Comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 1,143 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Land use: NEGL% arable land; 51% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 3% forest and woodland; 46% other
Environment: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited
Note: Banaba or Ocean Island is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific (the others are Makatea in French Polynesia and Nauru)
- People
Population: 70,012 (July 1990), growth rate 1.7% (1990)
Birth rate: 34 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 5 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 65 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 57 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 4.3 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Kiribatian(s); adjective—Kiribati
Ethnic divisions: Micronesian
Religion: 48% Roman Catholic, 45% Protestant (Congregational), some Seventh-Day Adventist and Baha'i
Language: English (official), Gilbertese
Literacy: 90%
Labor force: 7,870 economically active (1985 est.)
Organized labor: Kiribati Trades Union Congress—2,500 members
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Kiribati
Type: republic
Capital: Tarawa
Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix
Islands; note—a new administrative structure of 6 districts (Banaba, Central
Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) may have
been changed to 20 island councils (one for each of the inhabited islands) named
Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kiritimati, Kuria,
Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana,
Tarawa, Teraina
Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands)
Constitution: 12 July 1979
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President Ieremia T. TABAI (since 12 July 1979); Vice President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 20 July 1979)
Political parties and leaders: Gilbertese National Party; Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro Tito, secretary; essentially not organized on basis of political parties
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President—last held on 12 May 1987 (next to be held May 1991);
results—Ieremia T. Tabai 50.1%, Tebruroro Tito 42.7%, Tetao
Tannaki 7.2%;
National Assembly—last held on 19 March l987 (next to be held March 1991); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA
Member of: ACP, ADB, Commonwealth, ESCAP (associate member), GATT (de facto), ICAO, IMF, SPF, WHO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador (vacant) lives in Tarawa (Kiribati);
US—none
Flag: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean
- Economy Overview: The country has few national resources. Phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Real GDP declined about 8% in 1987, as the fish catch fell sharply to only one-fourth the level of 1986 and copra production was hampered by repeated rains. Output rebounded strongly in 1988, with real GDP growing by 17%. The upturn in economic growth came from an increase in copra production and a good fish catch. Following the strong surge in output in 1988, GDP remained about the same in 1989.
GDP: $34 million, per capita $500; real growth rate 0% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (1988)
Unemployment rate: 2% (1985); considerable underemployment
Budget: revenues $22.0 million; expenditures $12.7 million, including capital expenditures of $9.7 million (1988)
Exports: $5.1 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—fish 55%, copra 42%; partners—EC 20%, Marshall Islands 12%, US 8%, American Samoa 4% (1985)
Imports: $21.5 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities—foodstuffs, fuel, transportation equipment; partners—Australia 39%, Japan 21%, NZ 6%, UK 6%, US 3% (1985)
External debt: $2.0 million (December 1987 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 13 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: fishing, handicrafts
Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP (including fishing); copra and fish contribute 95% to exports; subsistence farming predominates; food crops—taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; not self-sufficient in food
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $245 million
Currency: Australian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1—1.2784 (January 1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)
Fiscal year: NA
- Communications
Highways: 640 km of motorable roads
Inland waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands
Ports: Banaba and Betio (Tarawa)
Civil air: 2 Trislanders; no major transport aircraft
Airports: 22 total; 21 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: 1,400 telephones; stations—1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces
Branches: NA
Military manpower: NA
Defense expenditures: NA
——————————————————————————
Country: Korea, North
- Geography
Total area: 120,540 km2; land area: 120,410 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Mississippi
Land boundaries: 1,671 km total; China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km,
USSR 17 km
Coastline: 2,495 km
Maritime claims:
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm;
Military boundary line: 50 nm (all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned)
Disputes: short section of boundary with China is indefinite;
Demarcation Line with South Korea
Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
Terrain: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower
Land use: 18% arable land; 1% permanent crops; NEGL% meadows and pastures; 74% forest and woodland; 7% other; includes 9% irrigated
Environment: mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated; late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding
Note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and USSR
- People
Population: 21,292,649 (July 1990), growth rate 1.7% (1990)
Birth rate: 22 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 27 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 75 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Korean(s); adjective—Korean
Ethnic divisions: racially homogeneous
Religion: Buddhism and Confucianism; religious activities now almost nonexistent
Language: Korean
Literacy: 95% (est.)
Labor force: 9,615,000; 36% agricultural, 64% nonagricultural; shortage of skilled and unskilled labor (mid-1987 est.)
Organized labor: 1,600,000 members; single-trade union system coordinated by the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea under the Central Committee
- Government
Long-form name: Democratic People's Republic of Korea; abbreviated DPRK
Type: Communist state; one-man rule
Capital: P'yongyang
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and
3 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural); Chagang-do,
Hamgyong-namdo, Hamgyong-bukto, Hwanghae-namdo, Hwanghae-bukto,
Kaesong-si*, Kangwon-do, Namp'o-si*, P'yongan-bukto,
P'yongan-namdo, P'yongyang-si*, Yanggang-do
Independence: 9 September 1948
Constitution: adopted 1948, revised 27 December 1972
Legal system: based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 9 September (1948)
Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, premier, nine vice premiers, State Administration Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (Choe Ko In
Min Hoe Ui)
Judicial branch: Central Court
Leaders:
Chief of State—President KIM Il-song (since 28 December 1972);
Designated Successor KIM Chong-Il (son of President, born 16 February 1942);
Head of Government—Premier YON Hyong-muk (since NA December 1988)
Political parties and leaders: only party—Korean Workers' Party
(KWP); Kim Il-song, General Secretary, and his son, Kim Chong-Il,
Secretary, Central Committee
Suffrage: universal at age 17
Elections:
President—last held 29 December 1986 (next to be held December
1990);
results—President Kim Il Song was reelected without opposition;
Supreme People's Assembly—last held on 2 November 1986 (next to be held November 1990, but the constitutional provision for elections every four years is not always followed); results—KWP is the only party; seats—(655 total) KWP 655; the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition
Communists: KWP claims membership of about 2 million, or about one-tenth of population
Member of: ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, IMO, IPU, ITU, NAM, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO, UNIDO, WMO; official observer status at UN
Diplomatic representation: none
Flag: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star
- Economy Overview: More than 90% of this command economy is socialized; agricultural land is collectivized; and state-owned industry produces 95% of manufactured goods. State control of economic affairs is unusually tight even for a Communist country because of the small size and homogeneity of the society and the strict one-man rule of Kim. Economic growth during the period 1984-89 has averaged approximately 3%. Abundant natural resources and hydropower form the basis of industrial development. Output of the extractive industries includes coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals. Manufacturing emphasis is centered on heavy industry, with light industry lagging far behind. The use of high-yielding seed varieties, expansion of irrigation, and the heavy use of fertilizers have enabled North Korea to become largely self-sufficient in food production. North Korea, however, is far behind South Korea in economic development and living standards.
GNP: $28 billion, per capita $1,240; real growth rate 3% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: officially none
Budget: revenues $15.6 billion; expenditures $15.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
Exports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural products, manufactures; partners—USSR, China, Japan, FRG, Hong Kong, Singapore
Imports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—petroleum, machinery and equipment, coking coal, grain; partners—USSR, Japan, China, FRG, Hong Kong, Singapore
External debt: $2.5 billion hard currency (1989)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 6,440,000 kW capacity; 40,250 million kWh produced, 1,740 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: machine building, military products, electric power, chemicals, mining, metallurgy, textiles, food processing
Agriculture: accounts for about 25% of GNP and 36% of work force; principal crops—rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; livestock and livestock products—cattle, hogs, pork, eggs; not self-sufficient in grain; fish catch estimated at 1.7 million metric tons in 1987
Aid: Communist countries (1970-88), $1.3 billion
Currency: North Korean won (plural—won); 1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon
Exchange rates: North Korean won (Wn) per US$1—2.3 (December 1989), 2.13 (December 1988), 0.94 (March 1987), NA (1986), NA (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 4,535 km total operating in 1980; 3,870 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 665 km 0.762-meter narrow gauge, 159 km double track; 3,175 km electrified; government owned
Highways: about 20,280 km (1980); 98.5% gravel, crushed stone, or earth surface; 1.5% concrete or bituminous
Inland waterways: 2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only
Pipelines: crude oil, 37 km
Ports: Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam, Namp'o, Wonsan, Songnim, Najin
Merchant marine: 65 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 437,103 GRT/663,835 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger, 1 passenger-cargo, 56 cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 3 bulk, 1 combination bulk
Airports: 50 total, 50 usable; about 30 with permanent-surface runways; fewer than 5 with runways over 3,659 m; 20 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 30 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: stations—18 AM, no FM, 11 TV; 200,000 TV sets; 3,500,000 radio receivers; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces Branches: Ministry of People's Armed Forces (consists of the army, navy, and air force)
Military manpower: males 15-49, 6,054,774; 3,699,088 fit for military service; 223,087 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 22% of GNP (1987)
——————————————————————————
Country: Korea, South
- Geography
Total area: 98,480 km2; land area: 98,190 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Indiana
Land boundary: 238 km with North Korea
Coastline: 2,413 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 12 nm (3 nm in the Korea Strait)
Disputes: Demarcation Line with North Korea; Liancourt Rocks claimed by Japan
Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south
Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower
Land use: 21% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures; 67% forest and woodland; 10% other; includes 12% irrigated
Environment: occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; earthquakes in southwest; air pollution in large cities
Notes: strategic location along the Korea Strait, Sea of Japan, and
Yellow Sea
- People
Population: 43,045,098 (July 1990), growth rate 0.8% (1990)
Birth rate: 20 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 1 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 73 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Korean(s); adjective—Korean
Ethnic divisions: homogeneous; small Chinese minority (about 20,000)
Religion: strong Confucian tradition; vigorous Christian minority (28% of the total population); Buddhism; pervasive folk religion (Shamanism); Chondokyo (religion of the heavenly way), eclectic religion with nationalist overtones founded in 19th century, claims about 1.5 million adherents
Language: Korean; English widely taught in high school
Literacy: over 90%
Labor force: 16,900,000; 52% services and other; 27% mining and manufacturing; 21% agriculture, fishing, forestry (1987)
Organized labor: about 10% of nonagricultural labor force in government-sanctioned unions
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Korea; abbreviated ROK
Type: republic
Capital: Seoul
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and
6 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural); Cheju-do,
Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto,
Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-jikhalsi*, Kangwon-do,
Kwangju-jikhalsi, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto,
Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-jikhalsi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*,
Taegu-jikhalsi*, Taejon-jikhalsi
Independence: 15 August 1948
Constitution: 25 February 1988
Legal system: combines elements of continental European civil law systems,
Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 August (1948)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
State Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State—President ROH Tae Woo (since 25 February 1988);
Head of Government—Prime Minister KANG Young Hoon (since 5 December 1988); Deputy Prime Minister CHO Soon (since 5 December 1988)
Political parties and leaders: major party is government's Democratic
Justice Party (DJP), Roh Tae Woo, president, and Park Tae Chun, chairman;
opposition parties are Peace and Democracy Party (PPD), Kim Dae Jung; Korea
Reunification Democratic Party (RPD), Kim Young Sam; New Democratic Republican
Party (NDRP), Kim Jong Pil; several smaller parties
Suffrage: universal at age 20
Elections:
President—last held on 16 December 1987 (next to be held December 1992);
results—Roh Tae Woo (DJP) 35.9%, Kim Young Sam (RDP) 27.5%,
Kim Dae Jung (PPD) 26.5%, other 10.1%;
National Assembly—last held on 26 April 1988 (next to be held April 1992); results—DJP 34%, RPD 24%, PPD 19%, NDRP 15%, others 8%; seats—(299 total) DJP 125, PPD 71, RPD 59, NDRP 35, others 9
Communists: Communist party activity banned by government
Other political or pressure groups: Korean National Council of Churches; large, potentially volatile student population concentrated in Seoul; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Veterans' Association; Federation of Korean Industries; Korean Traders Association
Member of: ADB, AfDB, ASPAC, CCC, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77,
GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, IMF,
IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, IWC—International Whaling
Commission, IWC—International Wheat Council, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO,
UNICEF, UNIDO, UN Special Fund, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO;
official observer status at UN
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Tong-Jin PARK; Chancery at 2320 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-5600; there are Korean Consulates General in Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle; US—Ambassador Donald GREGG; Embassy at 82 Sejong-Ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul (mailing address is APO San Francisco 96301); telephone (2) 732-2601 through 2618; there is a US Consulate in Pusan
Flag: white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field
- Economy Overview: The driving force behind the economy's dynamic growth has been the planned development of an export-oriented economy in a vigorously entrepreneurial society. GNP increased almost 13% in both 1986 and 1987 and 12% in 1988 before slowing to 6.5% in 1989. Such a rapid rate of growth was achieved with an inflation rate of only 3% in the period 1986-87, rising to 7% in 1988 and 5% in 1989. Unemployment is also low, and some labor bottlenecks have appeared in several processing industries. While the South Korean economy is expected to grow at more than 5% annually during the 1990s, labor unrest—which led to substantial wage hikes in 1987-89—threatens to undermine noninflationary growth.
GNP: $200 billion, per capita $4,600; real growth rate 6.5% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 3% (1989)
Budget: revenues $33.6 billion; expenditures $33.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1990)
Exports: $62.3 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities—textiles, clothing, electronic and electrical equipment, footwear, machinery, steel, automobiles, ships, fish; partners—US 33%, Japan 21%
Imports: $61.3 billion (c.i.f., 1989); commodities—machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains; partners—Japan 28%, US 25% (1990)
External debt: $30.5 billion (September 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 3.5% (1989)
Electricity: 20,500,000 kW capacity; 80,000 million kWh produced, 1,850 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing, chemicals, steel, electronics, automobile production, ship building
Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GNP and employs 21% of work force (including fishing and forestry); principal crops—rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; livestock and livestock products—cattle, hogs, chickens, milk, eggs; self-sufficient in food, except for wheat; fish catch of 2.9 million metric tons, seventh-largest in world
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-85), $3.9 billion
Currency: South Korean won (plural—won); 1 South Korean won (W) = 100 chon (theoretical)
Exchange rates: South Korean won (W) per US$1—683.43 (January 1990), 671.46 (1989), 731.47 (1988), 822.57 (1987), 881.45 (1986), 870.02 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 3,106 km operating in 1983; 3,059 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 47 km 0.610-meter narrow gauge, 712 km double track, 418 km electrified; government owned
Highways: 62,936 km total (1982); 13,476 km national highway, 49,460 km provincial and local roads
Inland waterways: 1,609 km; use restricted to small native craft
Pipelines: 294 km refined products
Ports: Pusan, Inchon, Kunsan, Mokpo, Ulsan
Merchant marine: 423 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,006,481 GRT/11,658,104 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 130 cargo, 41 container, 11 refrigerated cargo, 11 vehicle carrier, 49 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 8 chemical tanker, 10 liquefied gas, 10 combination ore/oil, 143 bulk, 7 combination bulk, 1 multifunction large-load carrier
Civil air: 93 major transport aircraft
Airports: 112 total, 105 usable; 61 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 17 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: adequate domestic and international services; 4,800,000 telephones; stations—79 AM, 46 FM, 256 TV (57 of 1 kW or greater); satellite earth stations—2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps
Military manpower: males 15-49, 12,792,426; 8,260,886 fit for military service; 445,320 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 5% of GNP, or $10 billion (1989 est.)
——————————————————————————
Country: Kuwait
- Geography
Total area: 17,820 km2; land area: 17,820 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: 462 km total; Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
Coastline: 499 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: not specific;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: ownership of Warbah and Bubiyan islands disputed by Iraq; ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim Islands disputed by Saudi Arabia
Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Land use: NEGL% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 8% meadows and pastures; NEGL% forest and woodland; 92% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide most of water; air and water pollution; desertification
Note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
- People
Population: 2,123,711 (July 1990), growth rate 3.8% (1990)
Birth rate: 29 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 2 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 11 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 15 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 76 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.7 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Kuwaiti(s); adjective—Kuwaiti
Ethnic divisions: 27.9% Kuwaiti, 39% other Arab, 9% South Asian, 4%
Iranian, 20.1% other
Religion: 85% Muslim (30% Shia, 45% Sunni, 10% other), 15% Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other
Language: Arabic (official); English widely spoken
Literacy: 71% (est.)
Labor force: 566,000 (1986); 45.0% services, 20.0% construction, 12.0% trade, 8.6% manufacturing, 2.6% finance and real estate, 1.9% agriculture, 1.7% power and water, 1.4% mining and quarrying; 70% of labor force is non-Kuwaiti
Organized labor: labor unions exist in oil industry and among government personnel
- Government
Long-form name: State of Kuwait
Type: nominal constitutional monarchy
Capital: Kuwait
Administrative divisions: 4 governorates (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, Hawalli; note—there may be a new governorate of Farwaniyyah
Independence: 19 June 1961 (from UK)
Constitution: 16 November 1962 (some provisions suspended since 29
August 1962)
Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Day, 25 February
Executive branch: amir, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: National Assembly (Majlis al Umma) dissolved 3 July 1986
Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal
Leaders: Chief of State—Amir Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al SABAH (since 31 December 1977);
Head of Government—Prime Minister and Crown Prince Sad Abdallah al-Salim Al SABAH (since 8 February 1978)
Political parties and leaders: none
Suffrage: adult males who resided in Kuwait before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21; note—out of all citizens, only 8.3% are eligible to vote and only 3.5% actually vote
Elections: National Assembly—dissolved 3 July 1986 and no elections are planned
Communists: insignificant
Other political or pressure groups: large (350,000) Palestinian community; several small, clandestine leftist and Shia fundamentalist groups are active
Member of: Arab League, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IDB—Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
IPU, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Shaikh Saud Nasir AL-SABAH;
Chancery at 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 966-0702;
US—Ambassador W. Nathaniel HOWELL; Embassy at Bneid al-Gar (opposite the
Hilton Hotel), Kuwait City (mailing address is P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat,
Kuwait City); telephone 242-4151 through 4159
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side
- Economy Overview: The oil sector dominates the economy. Of the countries in the Middle East, Kuwait has oil reserves second only to those of Saudi Arabia. Earnings from hydrocarbons generate over 90% of both export and government revenues and contribute about 40% to GDP. Most of the nonoil sector is dependent upon oil-derived government revenues to provide infrastructure development and to promote limited industrial diversification. The economy is heavily dependent upon foreign labor—Kuwaitis account for less than 20% of the labor force. The early years of the Iran-Iraq war pushed Kuwait's GDP well below its 1980 peak; however, during the period 1986-88, GDP increased each year, rising to 5% in 1988.
GDP: $20.5 billion, per capita $10,500; real growth rate 5.0% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1988)
Unemployment rate: 0%
Budget: revenues $7.1 billion; expenditures $10.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (FY88)
Exports: $7.1 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—oil 90%; partners—Japan, Italy, FRG, US
Imports: $5.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—food, construction material, vehicles and parts, clothing; partners—Japan, US, FRG, UK
External debt: $7.2 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 3% (1988)
Electricity: 8,287,000 kW capacity; 21,500 million kWh produced, 10,710 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, salt, construction
Agriculture: virtually none; dependent on imports for food; about 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported
Aid: donor—pledged $18.3 billion in bilateral aid to less developed countries (1979-89)
Currency: Kuwaiti dinar (plural—dinars); 1 Kuwaiti dinar (KD) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1—0.2915 (January 1990), 0.2937 (1989), 0.2790 (1988), 0.2786 (1987), 0.2919 (1986), 0.3007 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
- Communications Highways: 3,000 km total; 2,500 km bituminous; 500 km earth, sand, light gravel
Pipelines: crude oil, 877 km; refined products, 40 km; natural gas, 165 km
Ports: Ash Shuwaykh, Ash Shuaybah, Mina al Ahmadi
Merchant marine: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over), totaling 1,862,010 GRT/2,935,007 DWT; includes 18 cargo, 5 container, 5 livestock carrier, 18 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 5 liquefied gas
Civil air: 19 major transport aircraft
Airports: 8 total, 4 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: excellent international, adequate domestic facilities; 258,000 telephones; stations—3 AM, 2 FM, 3 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT; 1 INMARSAT, 1 ARABSAT; coaxial cable and radio relay to Iraq and Saudi Arabia
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Guard
Military manpower: males 15-49, about 688,516; about 411,742 fit for military service; 18,836 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 5.8% of GDP, or $1.2 billion (FY89)
——————————————————————————
Country: Laos
- Geography
Total area: 236,800 km2; land area: 230,800 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Utah
Land boundaries: 5,083 km total; Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
Coastline: none—landlocked
Maritime claims: none—landlocked
Disputes: boundary dispute with Thailand
Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
(December to April)
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Land use: 4% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures; 58% forest and woodland; 35% other; includes 1% irrigated
Environment: deforestation; soil erosion; subject to floods
Note: landlocked
- People
Population: 4,023,726 (July 1990), growth rate 2.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 37 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 15 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 126 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 48 years male, 51 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Lao (sing., Lao or Laotian); adjective—Lao or Laotian
Ethnic divisions: 50% Lao, 15% Phoutheung (Kha), 20% tribal Thai, 15% Meo,
Hmong, Yao, and other
Religion: 85% Buddhist, 15% animist and other
Language: Lao (official), French, and English
Literacy: 85%
Labor force: 1-1.5 million; 85-90% in agriculture (est.)
Organized labor: Lao Federation of Trade Unions is subordinate to the
Communist party
- Government
Long-form name: Lao People's Democratic Republic
Type: Communist state
Capital: Vientiane
Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural)
and 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo,
Bolikhamsai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louang Namtha, Louangphrabang,
Oudomxai, Phongsali, Saravan, Savannakhet, Sekong, Vientiane,
Vientiane*, Xaignabouri, Xiangkhoang
Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)
Constitution: draft constitution under discussion since 1976
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Day (proclamation of the Lao People's
Democratic Republic), 2 December (1975)
Executive branch: president, chairman and five vice chairmen of the
Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: Supreme People's Assembly
Judicial branch: Central Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State—Acting President PHOUMI VONGVICHIT (since 29 October 1986);
Head of Government—Chairman of the Council of Ministers General
KAYSONE PHOMVIHAN (since 2 December 1975)
Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party
(LPRP), Kaysone Phomvihan, party chairman; includes Lao Patriotic
Front and Alliance Committee of Patriotic Neutralist Forces; other
parties moribund
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: Supreme People's Assembly—last held on 26 March 1989 (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(79 total) number of seats by party NA
Other political or pressure groups: non-Communist political groups moribund; most leaders have fled the country
Member of: ADB, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD,
ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, Mekong Committee, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: First Secretary, Charge d'Affaires ad interim
DONE SOMVORACHIT; Chancery at 2222 S Street NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 332-6416 or 6417;
US—Charge d'Affaires Charles B. SALMON; Embassy at Rue
Bartholonie, Vientiane (mailing address is B. P. 114, Vientiane, or
Box V, APO San Francisco 96346); telephone 2220, 2357, 2384
Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band
- Economy Overview: One of the world's poorest nations, Laos has had a Communist centrally planned economy with government ownership and control of productive enterprises of any size. Recently, however, the government has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise. Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure, that is, it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, limited external and internal telecommunications, and electricity available in only a limited area. Subsistence agriculture is the main occupation, accounting for over 60% of GDP and providing about 85-90% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend for its survival on foreign aid—from CEMA, IMF, and other international sources.
GDP: $585 million, per capita $150; real growth rate 3% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 35% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $71 million; expenditures $198 million, including capital expenditures of $132 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $57.5 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities— electricity, wood products, coffee, tin; partners—Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, USSR, US
Imports: $219 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.); commodities—food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures; partners—Thailand, USSR, Japan, France, Vietnam
External debt: $964 million (1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 8% (1989 est.)
Electricity: 176,000 kW capacity; 900 million kWh produced, 225 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tin mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing
Agriculture: accounts for 60% of GDP and employs most of the work force; subsistence farming predominates; normally self-sufficient; principal crops—rice (80% of cultivated land), potatoes, vegetables, coffee, sugarcane, cotton
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and opium poppy for the international drug trade; production of cannabis increased in 1989; marijuana and heroin are shipped to Western countries, including the US
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $276 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $468 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $895 million
Currency: new kip (plural—kips); 1 new kip (NK) = 100 at
Exchange rates: new kips (NK) per US$1—700 (December 1989), 725 (1989), 350 (1988), 200 (1987), 108 (1986), 95 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
- Communications Highways: about 27,527 km total; 1,856 km bituminous or bituminous treated; 7,451 km gravel, crushed stone, or improved earth; 18,220 km unimproved earth and often impassable during rainy season mid-May to mid-September
Inland waterways: about 4,587 km, primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional kilometers are sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m
Pipelines: 136 km, refined products
Ports: none
Airports: 64 total, 50 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: service to general public considered poor; radio network provides generally erratic service to government users; 7,390 telephones (1986); stations—10 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 satellite earth station
- Defense Forces Branches: Lao People's Army (LPA, which consists of an army with naval, aviation, and militia elements), Air Force, National Police Department
Military manpower: males 15-49, 967,047; 517,666 fit for military service; 44,176 reach military age (18) annually; conscription age NA
Defense expenditures: 3.8% of GDP (1987)
——————————————————————————
Country: Lebanon
- Geography
Total area: 10,400 km2; land area: 10,230 km2
Comparative area: about 0.8 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: 454 km total; Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: separated from Israel by the 1949 Armistice Line; Israeli troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982; Syrian troops in northern Lebanon since October 1976
Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers
Terrain: narrow coastal plain; Al Biqa (Bekaa Valley) separates
Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt; water-surplus state in a water-deficit region
Land use: 21% arable land; 9% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures; 8% forest and woodland; 61% other; includes 7% irrigated
Environment: rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, ethnicity; deforestation; soil erosion; air and water pollution; desertification
Note: Nahr al Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary
- People
Population: 3,339,331 (July 1990), growth rate 1.3% (1990)
Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 8 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 49 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 70 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.7 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Lebanese (sing., pl.); adjective—Lebanese
Ethnic divisions: 93% Arab, 6% Armenian, 1% other
Religion: 75% Islam, 25% Christian, NEGL% Judaism; 17 legally recognized
sects—4 Orthodox Christian (Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Nestorean,
Syriac Orthodox), 7 Uniate Christian (Armenian Catholic, Caldean, Greek
Catholic, Maronite, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Syrian Catholic), 5 Islam
(Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Ismailite, Shia, Sunni), and 1 Jewish
Language: Arabic and French (both official); Armenian, English
Literacy: 75%
Labor force: 650,000; 79% industry, commerce, and services, 11% agriculture, 10% goverment (1985)
Organized labor: 250,000 members (est.)
- Government Note: Between early 1975 and late 1976 Lebanon was torn by civil war between its Christians—then aided by Syrian troops—and its Muslims and their Palestinian allies. The cease-fire established in October 1976 between the domestic political groups generally held for about six years, despite occasional fighting. Syrian troops constituted as the Arab Deterrent Force by the Arab League have remained in Lebanon. Syria's move toward supporting the Lebanese Muslims and the Palestinians and Israel's growing support for Lebanese Christians brought the two sides into rough equilibrium, but no progress was made toward national reconciliation or political reforms—the original cause of the war.
Continuing Israeli concern about the Palestinian presence in Lebanon led to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June 1982. Israeli forces occupied all of the southern portion of the country and mounted a summer-long siege of Beirut, which resulted in the evacuation of the PLO from Beirut in September under the supervision of a multinational force (MNF) made up of US, French, and Italian troops.
Within days of the departure of the MNF, Lebanon's newly elected president, Bashir Gemayel, was assassinated. In the wake of his death, Christian militiamen massacred hundreds of Palestinian refugees in two Beirut camps. This prompted the return of the MNF to ease the security burden on Lebanon's weak Army and security forces. In late March 1984 the last MNF units withdrew.
Lebanese Parliamentarians met in Taif, Saudi Arabia in late 1989 and concluded a national reconciliation pact that codified a new power-sharing formula, specifiying a Christian president but giving Muslims more authority. Rene Muawad was subsequently elected president on 4 November 1989, ending a 13-month period during which Lebanon had no president and rival Muslim and Christian governments. Muawad was assassinated 17 days later, on 22 November; on 24 November Elias Harawi was elected to succeed Muawad.
Progress toward lasting political compromise in Lebanon has been stalled by opposition from Christian strongman Gen. Michel Awn. Awn—appointed acting Prime Minister by outgoing president Amin Gemayel in September 1988—called the national reconciliation accord illegitimate and has refused to recognize the new Lebanese Government.
Lebanon continues to be partially occupied by Syrian troops. Syria augmented its troop presence during the weeks following Muawad's assassination. Troops are deployed in West Beirut and its southern suburbs, in Al Biqa, and in northern Lebanon. Iran also maintains a small contingent of revolutionary guards in Al Biqa, from which it supports Lebanese Islamic fundamentalist groups.
Israel withdrew the bulk of its forces from the south in 1985, although it still retains troops in a 10-km-deep security zone north of its border with Lebanon. Israel arms and trains the Army of South Lebanon (ASL), which also occupies the security zone and is Israel's first line of defense against attacks on its northern border.
The following description is based on the present constitutional and
customary practices of the Lebanese system.
Long-form name: Republic of Lebanon; note—may be changed to
Lebanese Republic
Type: republic
Capital: Beirut
Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah); Al Biqa, Al Janub, Ash Shamal, Bayrut, Jabal Lubnan
Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration)
Constitution: 26 May 1926 (amended)
Legal system: mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet; note—by custom, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the president of the legislature is a Shia Muslim
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Arabic—Majlis
Alnuwab, French—Assemblee Nationale)
Judicial branch: four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases)
Leaders:
Chief of State—Elias HARAWI (since 24 November 1989);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Salim AL-HUSS (since 24
November 1989)
Political parties and leaders: political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations; most parties have well-armed militias, which are still involved in occasional clashes
Suffrage: compulsory for all males at age 21; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education
Elections: National Assembly—elections should be held every four years but security conditions have prevented elections since May 1972
Communists: the Lebanese Communist Party was legalized in 1970; members and sympathizers estimated at 2,000-3,000
Member of: Arab League, CCC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IDB—Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
IPU, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, NAM, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WSG, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Suleiman RASSI; note—the former Lebanese Ambassador, Dr. Abdallah Bouhabib, is loyal to Gen. Awn and has refused to abandon his residence or relinquish his post; Chancery at 2560 28th Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-6300; there are Lebanese Consulates General in Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles; US—Ambassador John T. MCCARTHY; Embassy at Avenue de Paris, Beirut (mailing address is P. O. Box 70-840, Beirut); telephone 417774 or 415802, 415803, 402200, 403300
Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band
- Economy Overview: Severe factional infighting in 1989 has been destroying physical property, interrupting the established pattern of economic affairs, and practically ending chances of restoring Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. The ordinary Lebanese citizen struggles to keep afloat in an environment of physical danger, high unemployment, and growing shortages. The central government's ability to collect taxes has suffered greatly from militia control and taxation of local areas. As the civil strife persists, the US dollar has become more and more the medium of exchange. Transportation, communications, and other parts of the infrastructure continue to deteriorate. Family remittances, foreign political money going to the factions, international emergency aid, and a small volume of manufactured exports help prop up the battered economy. Prospects for 1990 are grim, with expected further declines in economic activity and living standards.
GDP: $2.3 billion, per capita $700; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 60% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 33% (1987 est.)
Budget: revenues $50 million; expenditures $650 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)
Exports: $1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1987); commodities—agricultural products, chemicals, textiles, precious and semiprecious metals and jewelry, metals and metal products; partners—Saudi Arabia 16%, Switzerland 8%, Jordan 6%, Kuwait 6%, US 5%
Imports: $1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1987); commodities—NA; partners—Italy 14%, France 12%, US 6%, Turkey 5%, Saudi Arabia 3%
External debt: $935 million (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 1,381,000 kW capacity; 3,870 million kWh produced, 1,170 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: banking, food processing, textiles, cement, oil refining, chemicals, jewelry, some metal fabricating
Agriculture: accounts for about one-third of GDP; principal products—citrus fruits, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco, hemp (hashish), sheep, and goats; not self-sufficient in grain
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; opium poppy production in Al Biqa is increasing; most hashish production is shipped to Western Europe
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $356 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $509 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $962 million; Communist countries (1970-86), $9 million
Currency: Lebanese pound (plural—pounds); 1 Lebanese pound (LL) = 100 piasters
Exchange rates: Lebanese pounds (LL) per US$1—474.21 (December 1989), 496.69 (1989), 409.23 (1988), 224.60 (1987), 38.37 (1986), 16.42 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 378 km total; 296 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 82 km 1.050-meter gauge; all single track; system almost entirely inoperable
Highways: 7,370 km total; 6,270 km paved, 450 km gravel and crushed stone, 650 km improved earth
Pipelines: crude oil, 72 km (none in operation)
Ports: Beirut, Tripoli, Ras Silata, Juniyah, Sidon, Az Zahrani, Tyre, Shikka (none are under the direct control of the Lebanese Government); northern ports are occupied by Syrian forces and southern ports are occupied or partially quarantined by Israeli forces; illegal ports scattered along the central coast are owned and operated by various Christian, Druze, and Shia militias
Merchant marine: 67 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 325,361 GRT/494,319 DWT; includes 43 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 2 vehicle carrier, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 container, 7 livestock carrier, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 6 bulk, 1 combination bulk
Civil air: 15 major transport aircraft
Airports: 9 total, 8 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m; none under the direct control of the Lebanese Government
Telecommunications: rebuilding program disrupted; had fair system of radio relay, cable; 325,000 telephones; stations—5 AM, 3 FM, 15 TV; 1 inactive Indian Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth station; 3 submarine coaxial cables; radio relay to Jordan and Syria, inoperable
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 702,961; 434,591 fit for military service; about 44,625 reach military age (18) yearly
Defense expenditures: NA
——————————————————————————
Country: Lesotho
- Geography
Total area: 30,350 km2; land area: 30,350 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundary: 909 km with South Africa
Coastline: none—landlocked
Maritime claims: none—landlocked
Climate: temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain: mostly highland with some plateaus, hills, and mountains
Natural resources: some diamonds and other minerals, water, agricultural and grazing land
Land use: 10% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 66% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 24% other
Environment: population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, soil exhaustion; desertification
Note: surrounded by South Africa; Highlands Water Project will control, store, and redirect water to South Africa
- People
Population: 1,754,664 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 37 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 80 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 59 years male, 62 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 4.9 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Mosotho (sing.), Basotho (pl.); adjective—Basotho
Ethnic divisions: 99.7% Sotho; 1,600 Europeans, 800 Asians
Religion: 80% Christian, rest indigenous beliefs
Language: Sesotho (southern Sotho) and English (official); also Zulu and
Xhosa
Literacy: 59% (1989)
Labor force: 689,000 economically active; 86.2% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 60% of active male labor force works in South Africa
Organized labor: there are two trade union federations; the government favors formation of a single, umbrella trade union confederation
- Government
Long-form name: Kingdom of Lesotho
Type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Maseru
Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe,
Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qachas Nek, Quthing,
Thaba-Tseka
Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK; formerly Basutoland)
Constitution: 4 October 1966, suspended January 1970
Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Executive branch: monarch, chairman of the Military Council, Military
Council, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: a bicameral Parliament consisting of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or National Assembly was dissolved in January 1970; following the military coup of 20 January 1986, legislative powers were vested in the monarch
Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State—King MOSHOESHOE II (Paramount Chief from 1960 until
independence on 4 October 1966, when he became King); Heir Apparent Letsie
David SEEISO (son of the King);
Head of Government—Chairman of the Military Council Maj. Gen. Justin
Metsing LEKHANYA (since 24 January 1986)
Political parties and leaders: Basotho National Party (BNP),
position vacant; Basutoland Congress Party (BCP), Ntsu Mokhehle; Basotho
Democratic Alliance (BDA), A. S. Nqojane; National Independent Party (NIP),
A. C. Manyeli; Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), S. H. Mapheleba; United
Democratic Party, C. D. Mofeli
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections:
National Assembly —dissolved following the military coup in
January 1986; no date set for national elections
Communists: small Lesotho Communist Party
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD,
ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, Southern African
Customs Union, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador W. T. VAN TONDER; Chancery at 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 797-5 534; US—Ambassador (vacant): Deputy Chief of Mission Howard F. JETER; Embassy at address NA, Maseru (mailing address is P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100); telephone 312666
Flag: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner
- Economy Overview: Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho has no important natural resources other than water. Its economy is based on agriculture, light manufacturing, and remittances from laborers employed in South Africa. Subsistence farming is the principal occupation for about 86% of the domestic labor force and accounts for about 20% of GDP. Manufacturing depends largely on farm products to support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries; other industries include textile, clothing, and light engineering. Industry's share of total GDP rose from 6% in 1982 to 10.5% in 1987. During the period 1985-87 real GDP growth averaged 2.9% per year, only slightly above the population growth rate. In FY89 per capita GDP was only $245 and nearly 25% of the labor force was unemployed.
GDP: $412 million, per capita $245; real growth rate 8.2% (FY89 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15.0% (FY89 est.)
Unemployment rate: 23% (1988)
Budget: revenues $159 million; expenditures $224 million, including capital expenditures of $68 million (FY89 est.)
Exports: $55 million (f.o.b., FY89 est.); commodities—wool, mohair, wheat, cattle, peas, beans, corn, hides, skins, baskets; partners—South Africa 87%, EC 10%, (1985)
Imports: $526 million (f.o.b., FY89 est.); commodities—mainly corn, building materials, clothing, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum, oil, and lubricants; partners—South Africa 95%, EC 2% (1985)
External debt: $235 million (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate 10.3% (1988 est.)
Electricity: power supplied by South Africa
Industries: tourism
Agriculture: exceedingly primitive, mostly subsistence farming and livestock; principal crops are corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $252 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $714 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $4 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $14 million
Currency: loti (plural—maloti); 1 loti (L) = 100 lisente
Exchange rates: maloti (M) per US$1—2.5555 (January 1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2685 (1986), 2.1911 (1985); note—the Basotho loti is at par with the South African rand
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications
Railroads: 1.6 km; owned, operated, and included in the statistics of
South Africa
Highways: 5,167 km total; 508 km paved; 1,585 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil; 946 km improved earth, 2,128 km unimproved earth
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Airports: 28 total, 28 usable; 2 with permanent surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: modest system consisting of a few land lines, a small radio relay system, and minor radiocommunication stations; 5,920 telephones; stations—2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Air Wing, Police Department
Military manpower: males 15-49, 381,015; 205,499 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: 8.6% of GDP, or $35 million (1989 est.)
——————————————————————————
Country: Liberia
- Geography
Total area: 111,370 km2; land area: 96,320 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: 1,585 km total; Guinea 563 km, Ivory Coast 716 km,
Sierra Leone 306 km
Coastline: 579 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold
Land use: 1% arable land; 3% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures; 39% forest and woodland; 55% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: West Africa's largest tropical rain forest, subject to deforestation
- People
Population: 2,639,809 (July 1990), growth rate 3.4% (1990)
Birth rate: 45 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 14 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 126 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 58 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 6.6 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Liberian(s); adjective—Liberian
Ethnic divisions: 95% indigenous African tribes, including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella; 5% descendants of repatriated slaves known as Americo-Liberians
Religion: 70% traditional, 20% Muslim, 10% Christian
Language: English (official); more than 20 local languages of the
Niger-Congo language group; English used by about 20%
Literacy: 35%
Labor force: 510,000, including 220,000 in the monetary economy; 70.5% agriculture, 10.8% services, 4.5% industry and commerce, 14.2% other; non-African foreigners hold about 95% of the top-level management and engineering jobs; 52% of population of working age
Organized labor: 2% of labor force
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Liberia
Type: republic
Capital: Monrovia
Administrative divisions: 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa,
Grand Cape Mount, Grand Jide, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado,
Nimba, Rivercess, Sino
Independence: 26 July 1847
Constitution: 6 January 1986
Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Gen. Dr. Samuel Kanyon
DOE (since 12 April 1980); Vice President Harry F. MONIBA (since 6 January
1986)
Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Party of Liberia
(NDPL), Augustus Caine, chairman; Liberian Action Party (LAP), Emmanuel
Koromah, chairman; Unity Party (UP), Carlos Smith, chairman; United
People's Party (UPP), Gabriel Baccus Matthews, chairman
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: President—last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held October 1991); results—Samuel Kanyon Doe (NDPL) 50.9%, Jackson Doe (LAP) 26.4%, others 22.7%;
Senate—last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held 15 October 1991); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(26 total) NDPL 21, LAP 3, UP 1, LUP 1;
House of Representatives—last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held October 1991); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(64 total) NDPL 51, LAP 8, UP 3, LUP 2
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, Mano River Union, NAM,
OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Eugenia A. WORDSWORTH-STEVENSON; Chancery at 5201 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20011; telephone (202) 723-0437 through 0440; there is a Liberian Consulate General in New York; US—Ambassador James K. BISHOP; Embassy at 111 United Nations Drive, Monrovia (mailing address is P. O. Box 98, Monrovia, or APO New York 09155); telephone 222991 through 222994
Flag: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
- Economy Overview: In 1988 and 1989 the Liberian economy posted its best two years in a decade, thanks to a resurgence of the rubber industry and rapid growth in exports of forest products. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia is a producer and exporter of basic products. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, is small in scope. Liberia imports primarily machinery and parts, transportation equipment, petroleum products, and foodstuffs. Persistent budget deficits, the flight of capital, and deterioration of transport and other infrastructure continue to hold back economic progress.
GDP: $988 million, per capita $395; real growth rate 1.5% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 43% urban (1988)
Budget: revenues $242.1 million; expenditures $435.4 million, including capital expenditures of $29.5 million (1989)
Exports: $550 million (f.o.b., 1989); commodities—iron ore 61%, rubber 20%, timber 11%, coffee; partners—US, EC, Netherlands
Imports: $335 million (c.i.f., 1989); commodities—rice, mineral fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, other foodstuffs; partners—US, EC, Japan, China, Netherlands, ECOWAS
External debt: $1.7 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 1.5% in manufacturing (1987)
Electricity: 400,000 kW capacity; 730 million kWh produced, 290 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: rubber processing, food processing, construction materials, furniture, palm oil processing, mining (iron ore, diamonds)
Agriculture: accounts for about 40% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); principal products—rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava, palm oil, sugarcane, bananas, sheep, and goats; not self-sufficient in food, imports 25% of rice consumption
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $634 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $793 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $25 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $77 million
Currency: Liberian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1—1.00 (fixed rate since 1940); unofficial parallel exchange rate of L$2.5 = US$1, January 1989
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 480 km total; 328 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 152 km 1.067-meter narrow gauge; all lines single track; rail systems owned and operated by foreign steel and financial interests in conjunction with Liberian Government
Highways: 10,087 km total; 603 km bituminous treated, 2,848 km all weather, 4,313 km dry weather; there are also 2,323 km of private, laterite-surfaced roads open to public use, owned by rubber and timber companies
Ports: Monrovia, Buchanan, Greenville, Harper (or Cape Palmas)
Merchant marine: 1,379 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 48,655,666 DWT/ 90,005,898 DWT; includes 11 passenger, 148 cargo, 26 refrigerated cargo, 18 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 42 vehicle carrier, 42 container, 4 barge carrier, 436 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 100 chemical, 63 combination ore/oil, 41 liquefied gas, 6 specialized tanker, 413 bulk, 2 multifunction large-load carrier, 26 combination bulk; note—a flag of convenience registry; all ships are foreign owned; the top four owning flags are US 17%, Hong Kong 13%, Japan 10%, and Greece 10%; China owns at least 20 ships and Vietnam owns 1
Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft
Airports: 76 total, 60 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: telephone and telegraph service via radio relay network; main center is Monrovia; 8,500 telephones; stations—3 AM, 4 FM, 5 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
- Defense Forces
Branches: Armed Forces of Liberia, Liberia National Coast Guard
Military manpower: males 15-49, 627,519; 335,063 fit for military service; no conscription
Defense expenditures: 2.4% of GDP (1987)
——————————————————————————
Country: Libya
- Geography
Total area: 1,759,540 km2; land area: 1,759,540 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries: 4,383 km total; Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline: 1,770 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 12 nm;
Gulf of Sidra closing line: 32o 30' N
Disputes: claims and occupies a small portion of the Aozou Strip in northern Chad; maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; Libya claims about 19,400 km2 in northern Niger; Libya claims about 19,400 km2 in southeastern Algeria
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, gypsum
Land use: 1% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 8% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 91% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; desertification; sparse natural surface-water resources
Note: the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
- People
Population: 4,221,141 (July 1990), growth rate 3.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 37 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 64 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 70 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.2 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Libyan(s); adjective—Libyan
Ethnic divisions: 97% Berber and Arab; some Greeks, Maltese, Italians,
Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians
Religion: 97% Sunni Muslim
Language: Arabic; Italian and English widely understood in major cities
Literacy: 50-60%
Labor force: 1,000,000, includes about 280,000 resident foreigners; 31% industry, 27% services, 24% government, 18% agriculture
Organized labor: National Trade Unions' Federation, 275,000 members;
General Union for Oil and Petrochemicals; Pan-Africa Federation of Petroleum
Energy and Allied Workers
- Government
Long-form name: Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses); in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship
Capital: Tripoli
Administrative divisions: 46 municipalities (baladiyat,
singular—baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al Abyar, Al Aziziyah,
Al Bayda, Al Jufrah, Al Jumayl, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, Al Marj,
Al Qarabulli, Al Qubbah, Al Ujaylat, Ash Shati,
Awbari, Az Zahra, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Bani Walid,
Bin Jawwad, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Ghat, Jadu, Jalu,
Janzur, Masallatah, Misratah, Mizdah, Murzuq, Nalut,
Qaminis, Qasr Bin Ghashir, Sabha, Sabratah, Shahhat,
Surman, Surt, Tajura, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq,
Tukrah, Yafran, Zlitan, Zuwarah; note—the number of municipalities may
have been reduced to 13 named Al Jabal al-Akhdar, Al Jabal al-Gharbi,
Al Jabal al-Khums, Al Batnam, Al Kufrah, Al Marqab, Al Marzuq, Az Zawiyah,
Banghazi, Khalij Surt, Sabha, Tripoli, Wadi al-Hayat
Independence: 24 December 1951 (from Italy)
Constitution: 11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977
Legal system: based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
Executive branch: revolutionary leader, chairman of the General
People's Committee, General People's Committee (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State—Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969);
Head of Government—Chairman of the General People's Committee (Premier)
Umar Mustafa al-MUNTASIR (since 1 March 1987)
Political parties and leaders: none
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of revolutionary committees
Flag: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)
- Economy Overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes virtually all export earnings and over 50% to GNP. Since 1980, however, the sharp drop in oil prices and resulting decline in export revenues has adversely affected economic development. In 1986 per capita GNP was the highest in Africa at $5,410, but it had been $2,000 higher in 1982. Severe cutbacks in imports over the past five years have led to shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs, although the reopening of the Libyan-Tunisian border in April 1988 and the Libyan-Egyptian border in December 1989 have somewhat eased shortages. Austerity budgets and a lack of trained technicians have undermined the government's ability to implement a number of planned infrastructure development projects. The nonoil industrial and construction sectors, which account for about 15% of GNP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Although agriculture accounts for less than 5% of GNP, it employs 20% of the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, requiring Libya to import about 75% of its food requirements.
GNP: $20 billion, per capita $5,410; real growth rate 0% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2% (1988 est.)
Budget: revenues $6.4 billion; expenditures $11.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.6 billion (1986 est.)
Exports: $6.1 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities—petroleum, peanuts, hides; partners—Italy, USSR, FRG, Spain, France, Belgium/Luxembourg, Turkey
Imports: $5.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities—machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods; partners—Italy, USSR, FRG, UK, Japan
External debt: $2.1 billion, excluding military debt (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 4,580,000 kW capacity; 13,360 million kWh produced, 3,270 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Agriculture: 5% of GNP; cash crops—wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus fruits, peanuts; 75% of food is imported
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $242 million
Currency: Libyan dinar (plural—dinars); 1 Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirhams
Exchange rates: Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1—0.2896 (January 1990), 0.2922 (1989), 0.2853 (1988), 0.2706 (1987), 0.3139 (1986), 0.2961 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Highways: 32,500 km total; 24,000 km bituminous and bituminous treated, 8,500 km gravel, crushed stone and earth
Pipelines: crude oil 4,383 km; natural gas 1,947 km; refined products 443 km (includes 256 km liquid petroleum gas)
Ports: Tobruk, Tripoli, Banghazi, Misratah, Marsa el Brega
Merchant marine: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 816,546 GRT/1,454,874 DWT; includes 3 short-sea passenger, 11 cargo, 4 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 11 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker
Civil air: 59 major transport aircraft
Airports: 130 total, 122 usable; 53 with permanent-surface runways; 7 with runways over 3,659 m; 30 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 44 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: modern telecommunications system using radio relay, coaxial cable, tropospheric scatter, and domestic satellite stations; 370,000 telephones; stations—18 AM, 3 FM, 13 TV; satellite earth stations— 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and 14 domestic; submarine cables to France and Italy; radio relay to Tunisia; tropospheric scatter to Greece; planned ARABSAT and Intersputnik satellite stations
- Defense Forces
Branches: Armed Forces of the Libyan Arab Jamahariya includes
People's Defense (Army), Arab Air Force and Air Defense Command, Arab
Navy
Military manpower: males 15-49, 991,368; 584,512 fit for military service; 50,379 reach military age (17) annually; conscription now being implemented
Defense expenditures: 11.1% of GNP (1987)
——————————————————————————
Country: Liechtenstein
- Geography
Total area: 160 km2; land area: 160 km2
Comparative area: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 78 km total; Austria 37 km, Switzerland 41 km
Coastline: none—landlocked
Maritime claims: none—landlocked
Climate: continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Terrain: mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
Natural resources: hydroelectric potential
Land use: 25% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 38% meadows and pastures; 19% forest and woodland; 18% other
Environment: variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
Note: landlocked
- People
Population: 28,292 (July 1990), growth rate 0.7% (1990)
Birth rate: 13 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 5 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 81 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Liechtensteiner(s); adjective—Liechtenstein
Ethnic divisions: 95% Alemannic, 5% Italian and other
Religion: 82.7% Roman Catholic, 7.1% Protestant, 10.2% other
Language: German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy: 100%
Labor force: 12,258; 5,078 foreign workers (mostly from Switzerland and Austria); 54.4% industry, trade, and building; 41.6% services; 4.0% agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture
Organized labor: NA
- Government
Long-form name: Principality of Liechtenstein
Type: hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital: Vaduz
Administrative divisions: 11 communes (gemeinden, singular—gemeinde);
Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg,
Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence: 23 January 1719, Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established
Constitution: 5 October 1921
Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: St. Joseph's Day, 19 March
Executive branch: reigning prince, hereditary prince, prime minister, deputy prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral Diet (Landtag)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for criminal cases and Superior Court (Obergericht) for civil cases
Leaders: Chief of State—Prince HANS ADAM von und zu Liechtenstein (since 13 November 1989; assumed executive powers 26 August 1984);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Hans BRUNHART (since 26 April 1978);
Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Herbert WILLE (since 2 February 1986)
Political parties and leaders: Fatherland Union (VU), Dr. Otto Hasler;
Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP), Dr. Herbert Batliner; Christian Social Party,
Fritz Kaiser
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: Diet—last held on 5 March 1989 (next to be held by March 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(25 total) VU 13, FBP 12
Communists: none
Member of: Council of Europe, EFTA, IAEA, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UNICEF, UPU, WIPO; considering UN membership; has consultative status in the EC
Diplomatic representation: in routine diplomatic matters, Liechtenstein
is represented in the US by the Swiss Embassy;
US—the US has no diplomatic or consular mission in Liechtenstein, but the
US Consul General at Zurich (Switzerland) has consular accreditation at Vaduz
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
- Economy Overview: The prosperous economy is based primarily on small-scale light industry and some farming. Industry accounts for 54% of total employment, the service sector 42% (mostly based on tourism), and agriculture and forestry 4%. The sale of postage stamps to collectors is estimated at $10 million annually and accounts for 10% of revenues. Low business taxes (the maximum tax rate is 20%) and easy incorporation rules have induced about 25,000 holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein. Such companies, incorporated solely for tax purposes, provide an additional 30% of state revenues. The economy is tied closely to that of Switzerland in a customs union, and incomes and living standards parallel those of the more prosperous Swiss groups.
GNP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1987 est.)
Unemployment rate: 0.1% (December 1986)
Budget: revenues $171 million; expenditures $189 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1986)
Exports: $807 million; commodities—small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery; partners—EC 40%, EFTA 26% (Switzerland 19%) (1986)
Imports: $NA; commodities—machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles; partners—NA
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 23,000 kW capacity; 150 million kWh produced, 5,340 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism
Agriculture: livestock, vegetables, corn, wheat, potatoes, grapes
Aid: none
Currency: Swiss franc, franken, or franco (plural—francs, franken, or franchi); 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1—1.5150 (January 1990), 1.6359 (1989), 1.4633 (1988), 1.4912 (1987), 1.7989 (1986), 2.4571 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 18.5 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, electrified; owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways
Highways: 130.66 km main roads, 192.27 km byroads
Civil air: no transport aircraft
Airports: none
Telecommunications: automatic telephone system; 25,400 telephones; stations—no AM, no FM, no TV
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is responsibility of Switzerland
——————————————————————————
Country: Luxembourg
- Geography
Total area: 2,586 km2; land area: 2,586 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 359 km total; Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, FRG 138 km
Coastline: none—landlocked
Maritime claims: none—landlocked
Climate: modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
Terrain: mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle floodplain in the southeast
Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited)
Land use: 24% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 20% meadows and pastures; 21% forest and woodland; 34% other
Environment: deforestation
Note: landlocked
- People
Population: 383,813 (July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1989)
Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 9 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 80 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Luxembourger(s); adjective—Luxembourg
Ethnic divisions: Celtic base, with French and German blend; also guest and worker residents from Portugal, Italy, and European countries
Religion: 97% Roman Catholic, 3% Protestant and Jewish
Language: Luxembourgish, German, French; many also speak English
Literacy: 100%
Labor force: 161,000; one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and FRG; 48.9% services, 24.7% industry, 13.2% government, 8.8% construction, 4.4% agriculture (1984)
Organized labor: 100,000 (est.) members of four confederated trade unions
- Government
Long-form name: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Luxembourg
Administrative divisions: 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
Independence: 1839
Constitution: 17 October 1868, occasional revisions
Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Day (public celebration of the Grand Duke's birthday), 23 June (1921)
Executive branch: grand duke, prime minister, vice prime minister,
Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes); note—the Council of State (Conseil d'Etat) is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies
Judicial branch: Superior Court of Justice (Cour Superieure de de Justice)
Leaders:
Chief of State—Grand Duke JEAN (since 12 November 1964);
Heir Apparent Prince HENRI (son of Grand Duke Jean, born 16 April 1955);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Jacques SANTER (since 21 July 1984);
Deputy Prime Minister Jacques F. POOS (since 21 July 1984)
Political parties and leaders: Christian Social Party (CSV),
Jacques Santer; Socialist Workers Party (LSAP), Jacques Poos; Liberal (DP),
Colette Flesch; Communist (KPL), Rene Urbany; Green Alternative (GAP),
Jean Huss
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections: Chamber of Deputies—last held on 18 June 1989 (next to be held by June 1994); results—CSV 31.7%, LSAP 27.2%, DP 16.2%, Greens 8.4%, PAC 7.3%, KPL 5.1%, others 4%; seats—(60 total) CSV 22, LSAP 18, DP 11, Greens 4, PAC 4, KPL 1, others 4
Communists: 500 party members (1982)
Other political or pressure groups: group of steel industries representing
iron and steel industry, Centrale Paysanne representing agricultural producers;
Christian and Socialist labor unions; Federation of Industrialists; Artisans and
Shopkeepers Federation
Member of: Benelux, BLEU, CCC, Council of Europe, EC, EIB, EMS, FAO, GATT,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IPU,
ITU, NATO, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Andre PHILIPPE; Chancery at 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-4171; there are Luxembourg Consulates General in New York and San Francisco; US—Ambassador Jean B. S. GERARD; Embassy at 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, 2535 Luxembourg City (mailing address is APO New York 09132); telephone 460123
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France
- Economy Overview: The stable economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and negligible unemployment. Agriculture is based on small but highly productive family-owned farms. The industrial sector, until recently dominated by steel, has become increasingly more diversified, particularly toward high-technology firms. During the past decade growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking, account for a growing proportion of the economy. Luxembourg participates in an economic union with Belgium on trade and most financial matters and is also closely connected economically with the Netherlands.
GDP: $6.3 billion, per capita $17,200; real growth rate 4% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.0% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1.6% (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $2.5 billion; expenditures $2.3 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1988)
Exports: $4.7 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass, aluminum, other industrial products; partners—EC 75%, US 6%
Imports: $5.9 billion (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities—minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods; partners—FRG 40%, Belgium 35%, France 15%, US 3%
External debt: $131.6 million (1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 5% (1989 est.)
Electricity: 1,500,000 kW capacity; 1,163 million kWh produced, 3,170 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum
Agriculture: accounts for less than 3% of GDP (including forestry); principal products—barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; cattle raising widespread
Aid: none
Currency: Luxembourg franc (plural—francs); 1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1—35.468 (January 1990), 39.404 (1989), 36.768 (1988), 37.334 (1987), 44.672 (1986), 59.378 (1985); note—the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: Luxembourg National Railways (CFL) operates 270 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; 162 km double track; 162 km electrified
Highways: 5,108 km total; 4,995 km paved, 57 km gravel, 56 km earth; about 80 km limited access divided highway
Inland waterways: 37 km; Moselle River
Pipelines: refined products, 48 km
Ports: Mertert (river port)
Merchant marine: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,138 GRT/9,373 DWT; includes 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 2 chemical tanker
Civil air: 13 major transport aircraft
Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways less than 1,220 m; 1 with runways over 3,659 m
Telecommunications: adequate and efficient system, mainly buried cables; 230,000 telephones; stations—2 AM, 4 FM, 6 TV; 2 communication satellite earth stations operating in EUTELSAT and domestic systems
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army
Military manpower: males 15-49, 99,734; 83,237 fit for military service; 2,368 reach military age (19) annually
Defense expenditures: 1.2% of GDP, or $76 million (1989 est.) —————————————————————————— Country: Macau (overseas territory of Portugal) - Geography Total area: 16 km2; land area: 16 km2
Comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundary: 0.34 km with China
Coastline: 40 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm;
Territorial sea: 6 nm
Disputes: scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China in 1999
Climate: subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Terrain: generally flat
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: essentially urban; one causeway and one bridge connect the two islands to the peninsula on mainland
Note: 27 km west southwest of Hong Kong on the southeast coast of
China
- People
Population: 441,691 (July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 16 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 75 years male, 79 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Macanese (sing. and pl.); adjective—Macau
Ethnic divisions: 95% Chinese, 3% Portuguese, 2% other
Religion: mainly Buddhist; 17,000 Roman Catholics, of whom about half are
Chinese
Language: Portuguese (official); Cantonese is the language of commerce
Literacy: almost 100% among Portuguese and Macanese; no data on Chinese population
Labor force: 180,000 (1986)
Organized labor: none
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: overseas territory of Portugal; scheduled to revert to China in 1999
Capital: Macau
Administrative divisions: 2 districts (concelhos, singular—concelho);
Ilhas, Macau
Independence: none (territory of Portugal); Portugal signed an agreement with China on 13 April 1987 to return Macau to China on 20 December 1999; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Macau's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle for 50 years after transition
Constitution: 17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau
Legal system: Portuguese civil law system
National holiday: Day of Portugal, 10 June
Executive branch: president of Portugal, governor, Consultative Council, (cabinet)
Legislative branch: Legislative Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State—President (of Portugal) Mario Alberto SOARES (since 9 March 1986);
Head of Government—Governor Carlos MELANCIA (since 3 July 1987)
Political parties and leaders: Association to Defend the Interests of
Macau; Macau Democratic Center; Group to Study the Development of Macau; Macau
Independent Group
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: Legislative Assembly—last held on 9 November 1988 (next to be held November 1991); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(17 total; 6 elected by universal suffrage, 6 by indirect suffrage) number of seats by party NA
Other political or pressure groups: wealthy Macanese and Chinese representing local interests, wealthy pro-Communist merchants representing China's interests; in January 1967 the Macau Government acceded to Chinese demands that gave China veto power over administration
Member of: Multifiber Agreement
Diplomatic representation: as Chinese territory under Portuguese administration, Macanese interests in the US are represented by Portugal; US—the US has no offices in Macau and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong
Flag: the flag of Portugal is used
- Economy Overview: The economy is based largely on tourism (including gambling), and textile and fireworks manufacturing. Efforts to diversify have spawned other small industries—toys, artificial flowers, and electronics. The tourist sector has accounted for roughly 25% of GDP, and the clothing industry has provided about two-thirds of export earnings. Macau depends on China for most of its food, fresh water, and energy imports. Japan and Hong Kong are the main suppliers of raw materials and capital goods.
GDP: $2.7 billion, per capita $6,300; real growth rate 5% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 2% (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $305 million; expenditures $298 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
Exports: $1.7 billion (1989 est.); commodities—textiles, clothing, toys; partners—US 33%, Hong Kong 15%, FRG 12%, France 10% (1987)
Imports: $1.6 billion (1989 est.); commodities—raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods; partners—Hong Kong 39%, China 21%, Japan 10% (1987)
External debt: $91 million (1985)
Industrial production: NA
Electricity: 179,000 kW capacity; 485 million kWh produced, 1,110 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: clothing, textiles, toys, plastic products, furniture, tourism
Agriculture: rice, vegetables; food shortages—rice, vegetables, meat; depends mostly on imports for food requirements
Aid: none
Currency: pataca (plural—patacas); 1 pataca (P) = 100 avos
Exchange rates: patacas (P) per US$1—8.03 (1989), 8.044 (1988), 7.993 (1987), 8.029 (1986), 8.045 (1985); note—linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Highways: 42 km paved
Ports: Macau
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: none; 1 seaplane station
Telecommunications: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services; 52,000 telephones; stations—4 AM, 3 FM, no TV; 75,000 radio receivers (est.); international high-frequency radio communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces
Military manpower: males 15-49, 166,956; 93,221 fit for military service
Note: defense is responsibility of Portugal
——————————————————————————
Country: Madagascar
- Geography
Total area: 587,040 km2; land area: 581,540 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 4,828 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 150 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,
Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island (all administered by France)
Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Natural resources: graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish
Land use: 4% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 58% meadows and pastures; 26% forest and woodland; 11% other; includes 2% irrigated
Environment: subject to periodic cyclones; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Note: world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
- People
Population: 11,800,524 (July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 47 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 15 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 97 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 50 years male, 54 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 6.9 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Malagasy (sing. and pl.); adjective—Malagasy
Ethnic divisions: basic split between highlanders of predominantly Malayo-Indonesian origin (Merina 1,643,000 and related Betsileo 760,000) on the one hand and coastal tribes, collectively termed the Cotiers, with mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry (Betsimisaraka 941,000, Tsimihety 442,000, Antaisaka 415,000, Sakalava 375,000), on the other; there are also 11,000 European French, 5,000 Indians of French nationality, and 5,000 Creoles
Religion: 52% indigenous beliefs; about 41% Christian, 7% Muslim
Language: French and Malagasy (official)
Literacy: 67.5%
Labor force: 4,900,000; 90% nonsalaried family workers engaged in subsistence agriculture; 175,000 wage earners—26% agriculture, 17% domestic service, 15% industry, 14% commerce, 11% construction, 9% services, 6% transportation, 2% other; 51% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: 4% of labor force
- Government
Long-form name: Democratic Republic of Madagascar
Type: republic
Capital: Antananarivo
Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (plural—NA, singular—faritanin);
Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France; formerly Malagasy Republic)
Constitution: 21 December 1975
Legal system: based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Executive branch: president, Supreme Council of the Revolution, prime minister, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral Popular National Assembly (Assemblee
Nationale Populaire)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), High Constitutional
Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle)
Leaders:
Chief of State—President Adm. Didier RATSIRAKA (since 15 June 1975);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Lt. Col. Victor RAMAHATRA (since 12 February 1988)
Political parties and leaders: seven parties are now allowed limited
political activity under the national front and are represented on the Supreme
Revolutionary Council: Advance Guard of the Malagasy Revolution (AREMA), Didier
Ratsiraka; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence (AKFM);
Congress Party for Malagasy Independence-Revival (AKFM-R), Pastor Richard
Andriamanjato; Movement for National Unity (VONJY), Dr. Marojama Razanabahiny;
Malagasy Christian Democratic Union (UDECMA), Norbert Andriamorasata; Militants
for the Establishment of a Proletarian Regime (MFM), Manandafy Rakotonirina;
National Movement for the Independence of Madagascar (MONIMA), Monja Jaona;
Socialist Organization Monima (VSM, an offshoot of MONIMA), Tsihozony
Maharanga
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: President—last held on 12 March 1989 (next to be held March 1996); results—Didier Ratsiraka (AREMA) 62%, Manandafy Rakotonirina (MFM/MFT) 20%, Dr. Jerome Marojama Razanabahiny (VONJY) 15%, Monja Jaona (MONIMA) 3%;
People's National Assembly—last held on 28 May 1989 (next to be held May 1994); results—AREMA 88.2%, MFM 5.1%, AKFM 3.7%, VONJY 2.2%, others 0.8%; seats—(137 total) AREMA 120, MFM 7, AKFM 5, VONJY 4, MONIMA 1, independent 1
Communists: Communist party of virtually no importance; small and vocal group of Communists has gained strong position in leadership of AKFM, the rank and file of which is non-Communist
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, EAMA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU,
OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Pierrot Jocelyn RAJAONARIVELO; Chancery at 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-5525 or 5526; there is a Malagasy Consulate General in New York; US—Ambassador Howard K. WALKER; Embassy at 14 and 16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo (mailing address is B. P. 620, Antananarivo); telephone 212-57, 209-56, 200-89, 207-18
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
- Economy Overview: Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. During the period 1980-85 it had a population growth of 3% a year and a - 0.4% GDP growth rate. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the mainstay of the economy, accounting for over 40% of GDP, employing about 85% of the labor force, and contributing more than 70% to export earnings. Industry is confined to the processing of agricultural products and textile manufacturing; in 1988 it contributed only 16% to GDP and employed 3% of the labor force. Industrial development has been hampered by government policies that have restricted imports of equipment and spare parts and put strict controls on foreign-owned enterprises. In 1986 the government introduced a five-year development plan that stresses self-sufficiency in food (mainly rice) by 1990, increased production for exports, and reduced energy imports.
GDP: $1.7 billion, per capita $155; real growth rate 2.2% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 17.0% (1988)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $337 million; expenditures $245 million, including capital expenditures of $163 million (1988)
Exports: $284 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—coffee 45%, vanilla 15%, cloves 11%, sugar, petroleum products; partners—France, Japan, Italy, FRG, US
Imports: $319 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—intermediate manufactures 30%, capital goods 28%, petroleum 15%, consumer goods 14%, food 13%; partners—France, FRG, UK, other EC, US
External debt: $3.6 billion (1989)
Industrial production: growth rate - 3.9 % (1988)
Electricity: 119,000 kW capacity; 430 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: agricultural processing (meat canneries, soap factories, brewery, tanneries, sugar refining), light consumer goods industries (textiles, glassware), cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum
Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP; cash crops—coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa; food crops—rice, cassava, beans, bananas, peanuts; cattle raising widespread; not self-sufficient in rice and wheat flour
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $118 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.6 billion; Communist countries (1970-88), $491 million
Currency: Malagasy franc (plural—francs); 1 Malagasy franc (FMG) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1—1,531.0 (January 1990), 1603.4 (1989), 1,407.1 (1988), 1,069.2 (1987), 676.3 (1986), 662.5 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Railroads: 1,020 km 1.000-meter gauge
Highways: 40,000 km total; 4,694 km paved, 811 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil, 34,495 km improved and unimproved earth (est.)
Inland waterways: of local importance only; isolated streams and small portions of Canal des Pangalanes
Ports: Toamasina, Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toliara
Merchant marine: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 58,126 GRT/79,420 DWT; includes 8 cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas
Civil air: 5 major transport aircraft
Airports: 147 total, 115 usable; 30 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 43 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: above average system includes open-wire lines, coaxial cables, radio relay, and troposcatter links; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations—1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT; over 38,200 telephones; stations—14 AM, 1 FM, 7 (30 repeaters) TV
- Defense Forces Branches: Popular Army, Aeronaval Forces (includes Navy and Air Force), paramilitary Gendarmerie
Military manpower: males 15-49, 2,550,775; 1,519,084 fit for military service; 116,438 reach military age (20) annually
Defense expenditures: 2.2% of GDP, or $37 million (1989 est.)
——————————————————————————
Country: Malawi
- Geography
Total area: 118,480 km2; land area: 94,080 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: 2,881 km total; Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km,
Zambia 837 km
Coastline: none—landlocked
Maritime claims: none—landlocked
Disputes: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa
(Lake Malawi)
Climate: tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to
November)
Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
Natural resources: limestone; unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land use: 25% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 20% meadows and pastures; 50% forest and woodland; 5% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: deforestation
Note: landlocked
- People
Population: 9,157,528 (July 1990), growth rate 1.8% (1990)
Birth rate: 52 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 18 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 16 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 130 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 48 years male, 50 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 7.7 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Malawian(s); adjective—Malawian
Ethnic divisions: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni,
Ngonde, Asian, European
Religion: 55% Protestant, 20% Roman Catholic, 20% Muslim; traditional indigenous beliefs are also practiced
Language: English and Chichewa (official); other languages important regionally
Literacy: 41.2%
Labor force: 428,000 wage earners; 43% agriculture, 16% manufacturing, 15% personal services, 9% commerce, 7% construction, 4% miscellaneous services, 6% other permanently employed (1986)
Organized labor: small minority of wage earners are unionized
Note: there are 800,000 Mozambican refugees in Malawi (1989 est.)
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Malawi
Type: one-party state
Capital: Lilongwe
Administrative divisions: 24 districts; Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu,
Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Kasupe, Lilongwe, Mangochi, Mchinji,
Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ncheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhota Kota, Nsanje, Ntchisi,
Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba
Independence: 6 July 1964 (from UK; formerly Nyasaland)
Constitution: 6 July 1964; republished as amended January 1974
Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1964)
Executive branch: president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly
Judicial branch: High Court, Supreme Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Dr. Hastings Kamuzu
BANDA (since 6 July 1966; sworn in as President for Life 6 July 1971)
Political parties and leaders: only party—Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Maxwell Pashane, administrative secretary; John Tembo, treasurer general; top party position of secretary general vacant since 1983
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections: President—President Banda sworn in as President for Life on 6 July 1971;
National Assembly—last held 27-28 May 1987 (next to be held by May 1992); results—MCP is the only party; seats—(133 total, 112 elected) MCP 133
Communists: no Communist party
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, EC (associated member), FAO,
G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO,
ITU, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Robert B. MBAYA; Chancery at 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 797-1007; US—Ambassador George A. TRAIL, III; Embassy in new capital city development area, address NA (mailing address is P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe); telephone 730-166
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band; similar to the flag of Afghanistan which is longer and has the national coat of arms superimposed on the hoist side of the black and red bands
- Economy Overview: A landlocked country, Malawi ranks among the world's least developed with a per capita GDP of $180. The economy is predominately agricultural and operates under a relatively free enterprise environment, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for 40% of GDP and 90% of export revenues. After two years of weak performance, economic growth improved significantly in 1988 as a result of good weather and a broadly based economic adjustment effort by the government. The closure of traditional trade routes through Mozambique continues to be a constraint on the economy.
GDP: $1.4 billion, per capita $180; growth rate 3.6% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 31.5% (1988)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $246 million; expenditures $390 million, including capital expenditures of $97 million (FY88 est.)
Exports: $292 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts; partners—US, UK, Zambia, South Africa, FRG
Imports: $402 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities—food, petroleum, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment; partners—South Africa, Japan, US, UK, Zimbabwe
External debt: $1.4 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 6.4% (1988)
Electricity: 181,000 kW capacity; 535 million kWh produced, 60 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: agricultural processing (tea, tobacco, sugar), sawmilling, cement, consumer goods
Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP; cash crops—tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, and corn; subsistence crops—potatoes, cassava, sorghum, pulses; livestock—cattle and goats
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $182 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.8 billion
Currency: Malawian kwacha (plural—kwacha); 1 Malawian kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala
Exchange rates: Malawian kwacha (MK) per US$1—2.6793 (January 1990), 2.7595 (1989), 2.5613 (1988), 2.2087 (1987), 1.8611 (1986), 1.7191 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications
Railroads: 789 km 1.067-meter gauge
Highways: 13,135 km total; 2,364 km paved; 251 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil; 10,520 km earth and improved earth
Inland waterways: Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Shire River, 144 km
Ports: Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, and Nkotakota—all on Lake
Nyasa (Lake Malawi)
Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft
Airports: 48 total, 47 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: fair system of open-wire lines, radio relay links, and radio communication stations; 36,800 telephones; stations—8 AM, 4 FM, no TV; satellite earth stations—1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT
Note: a majority of exports would normally go through Mozambique on the Beira or Nacala railroads, but now most go through South Africa because of insurgent activity and damage to rail lines
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Army Air Wing, Army Naval Detachment, paramilitary
Police Mobile Force Unit, paramilitary Young Pioneers
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,904,445; 967,032 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: 1.6% of GDP, or $22 million (1989 est.)
——————————————————————————
Country: Malaysia
- Geography
Total area: 329,750 km2; land area: 328,550 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries: 2,669 km total; Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782,
Thailand 506 km
Coastline: 4,675 km total (2,068 km Peninsular Malaysia, 2,607 km East Malaysia)
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation, specified boundary in the South China Sea;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with
China, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam; state of Sabah claimed by the
Philippines; Brunei may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides
Brunei into two parts
Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
(October to February) monsoons
Terrain: coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Natural resources: tin, crude oil, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use: 3% arable land; 10% permanent crops; NEGL% meadows and pastures; 63% forest and woodland; 24% other; includes 1% irrigated
Environment: subject to flooding; air and water pollution
Note: strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern
South China Sea
- People
Population: 17,510,546 (July 1990), growth rate 2.3% (1990)
Birth rate: 29 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 30 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 71 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Malaysian(s); adjective—Malaysian
Ethnic divisions: 59% Malay and other indigenous, 32% Chinese, 9% Indian
Religion: Peninsular Malaysia—Malays nearly all Muslim, Chinese predominantly Buddhists, Indians predominantly Hindu; Sabah—38% Muslim, 17% Christian, 45% other; Sarawak—35% tribal religion, 24% Buddhist and Confucianist, 20% Muslim, 16% Christian, 5% other
Language: Peninsular Malaysia—Malay (official); English, Chinese dialects, Tamil; Sabah—English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate among Chinese; Sarawak—English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages
Literacy: 65.0% overall, age 20 and up; Peninsular Malaysia—80%;
Sabah—60%; Sarawak—60%
Labor force: 6,800,000; 30.8% agriculture, 17% manufacturing, 13.6% government, 5.8% construction, 4.3% finance, 3.4% business services, transport and communications, 0.6% mining, 24.5% other (1989 est.)
Organized labor: 660,000, 10% of total labor force (1988)
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963; constitutional monarchy nominally headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament composed of a 58-member Senate and a 177-member House of Representatives; Peninsular Malaysian states—hereditary rulers in all but Penang and Melaka, where governors are appointed by Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by federal Constitution; Sabah—self-governing state, holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak—self-governing state within Malaysia, holds 24 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions: 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular—negeri) and 2 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular—wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*
Independence: 31 August 1957 (from UK)
Constitution: 31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963 when
Federation of Malaya became Federation of Malaysia
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Day, 31 August (1957)
Executive branch: paramount ruler, deputy paramount ruler, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlimen) consists of an upper house or Senate (Dewan Negara) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State—Paramount Ruler AZLAN Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Sultan
Yusof Izzudin (since 26 April 1989); Deputy Paramount Ruler JA'AFAR ibni Abdul
Rahman (since 26 April 1989);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister Abdul GHAFAR Baba (since 7 May 1986)
Political parties and leaders: Peninsular
Malaysia—National Front, a confederation of 14 political parties
dominated by United Malays National Organization Baru (UMNO Baru),
Mahathir bin Mohamad; Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), Ling Liong Sik;
Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, Datuk Lim Keng Yaik; Malaysian Indian Congress
(MIC), Datuk Samy Vellu;
Sabah—Berjaya Party, Datuk Haji Mohamed Noor Mansoor; Bersatu Sabah
(PBS), Joseph Pairin Kitingan; United Sabah National Organizaton (USNO),
Tun Datuk Mustapha;
Sarawak—coalition Sarawak National Front composed of the Party
Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Haji Abdul Taib
Mahmud; Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Datuk Amar Stephen Yong
Kuat Tze; Sarawak National Party (SNAP), Datuk James Wong; Parti Bansa
Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), Datuk Leo Moggie; major opposition parties are
Democratic Action Party (DAP), Lim Kit Siang and Pan-Malaysian Islamic
Party (PAS), Fadzil Noor
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections: House of Representatives—last held 2-3 August 1986 (next to be held by August 1991); results—National Front 57.4%, DAP 20.8%, PAS 15.6%, independents 3.3%, others 2.9%; note—within the National Front, UMNO got 35% and MCA 14% of the vote; seats—(177 total) National Front 148, DAP 24, PAS 1, independents 4; note—within the National Front, UMNO got 83 seats and MCA 17 seats
Communists: Peninsular Malaysia—about 1,000 armed insurgents on
Thailand side of international boundary and about 200 full time inside
Malaysia surrendered on 2 December 1989; only about 100 Communist
insurgents remain in North Kalimantan and Sabah
Member of: ADB, ANRPC, ASEAN, Association of Tin Producing Countries,
CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IDB—Islamic Development Bank, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC,
ITC, ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Albert S. TALALLA; Chancery at 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 328-2700; there are Malaysian Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York; US—Ambassador Paul M. CLEVELAND; Embassy at 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur (mailing address is P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur); telephone (03) 248-9011
Flag: fourteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US
- Economy Overview: In 1988-89 booming exports helped Malaysia continue to recover from the severe 1985-86 recession. Real output grew by 8.7% in 1988 and about 7.7% in 1989, helped by vigorous growth in manufacturing output and further increases in foreign direct investment, particularly from Japanese and Taiwanese firms facing higher costs at home. Malaysia has become the world's third-largest producer of semiconductor devices (after the US and Japan) and the world's largest exporter of semiconductor devices. Inflation remained low as unemployment stood at about 8% of the labor force and as the government followed prudent fiscal/monetary policies. The country is not self-sufficient in food, and a majority of the rural population subsists at the poverty level. Malaysia's high export dependence (merchandise exports are 63% of GDP) leaves it vulnerable to a recession in the OECD countries or a fall in world commodity prices.
GDP: $37.9 billion, per capita $2,270; real growth rate 7.7% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7.9% (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $8.8 billion; expenditures $11.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.5 billion (1989 est.)
Exports: $24 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities—natural rubber, palm oil, tin, timber, petroleum, electronics, light manufactures; partners—Singapore, Japan, USSR, EC, Australia, US
Imports: $20 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities—food, crude oil, consumer goods, intermediate goods, capital equipment, chemicals; partners—Japan, Singapore, FRG, UK, Thailand, China, Australia, US
External debt: $16.3 billion (1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 13.6% (1988)
Electricity: 5,600,000 kW capacity; 16,500 million kWh produced, 990 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: Peninsular Malaysia—rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah—logging, petroleum production; Sarawak—agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging
Agriculture: Peninsular Malaysia—natural rubber, palm oil, rice;
Sabah—mainly subsistence; main crops—rubber, timber, coconut, rice;
Sarawak—main crops—rubber, timber, pepper; there is a deficit of rice
in all areas; fish catch of 608,000 metric tons in 1987
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-84), $170 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $3.8 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $42 million
Currency: ringgit (plural—ringgits); 1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen
Exchange rates: ringgits (M$) per US$1—2.7038 (January 1990), 2.7087 (1989), 2.6188 (1988), 2.5196 (1987), 2.5814 (1986), 2.4830 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: Peninsular Malaysia—1,665 km 1.04-meter gauge; 13 km double track, government owned; Sabah—136 km 1.000-meter gauge
Highways: Peninsular Malaysia—23,600 km (19,352 km hard surfaced, mostly bituminous-surface treatment, and 4,248 km unpaved); Sabah—3,782 km; Sarawak—1,644 km
Inland waterways: Peninsular Malaysia—3,209 km; Sabah—1,569 km;
Sarawak—2,518 km
Ports: Tanjong, Kidurong, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Pasir Gudang, Penang,
Port Kelang, Sandakan, Tawau
Merchant marine: 159 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,525,635 GRT/2,216,215 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 71 cargo, 21 container, 2 vehicle carrier, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 livestock carrier, 28 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 6 liquefied gas, 1 specialized tanker, 1 passenger-cargo, 22 bulk, 1 passenger
Civil air: 53 major transport aircraft
Pipelines: crude oil, 1,307 km; natural gas, 379 km
Airports: 126 total, 121 usable; 32 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 8 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 19 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: good intercity service provided to peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave relay, adequate intercity radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; international service good; good coverage by radio and television broadcasts; 994,860 telephones (1984); stations—28 AM, 3 FM, 33 TV; submarine cables extend to India and Sarawak; SEACOM submarine cable links to Hong Kong and Singapore; satellite earth stations—1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT, and 2 domestic
- Defense Forces
Branches: Royal Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air
Force, Royal Malaysian Police Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 4,499,495; 2,744,743 fit for military service; 178,923 reach military age (21) annually
Defense expenditures: 3.8% of GDP, or $1.4 billion (1990 est.)
——————————————————————————
Country: Maldives
- Geography
Total area: 300 km2; land area: 300 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 644 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: about 100 nm (defined by geographic coordinates);
Extended economic zone: 37-310 nm (segment of zone coincides with maritime boundary with India);
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to
March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain: flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters
Natural resources: fish
Land use: 10% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures; 3% forest and woodland; 84% other
Environment: 1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls
Note: archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
- People
Population: 217,945 (July 1990), growth rate 3.7% (1990)
Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 76 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 60 years male, 65 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 6.6 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Maldivian(s); adjective—Maldivian
Ethnic divisions: admixtures of Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, and black
Religion: Sunni Muslim
Language: Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic); English spoken by most government officials
Literacy: 36%
Labor force: 66,000 (est.); 80% engaged in fishing industry
Organized labor: none
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Maldives
Type: republic
Capital: Male
Administrative divisions: 19 district (atolls); Aliff, Baa, Daalu, Faafu,
Gaafu
Aliff, Gaafu Daalu, Haa Aliff, Haa Daalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Laviyani, Meemu,
Naviyani, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Waavu
Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)
Constitution: 4 June 1964
Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Executive branch: president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Citizens' Council (Majlis)
Judicial branch: High Court
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since since 11 November 1978)
Political parties and leaders: no organized political parties; country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections:
President—last held 23 September 1988 (next to be held September
1994);
results—President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom reelected;
Citizens' Council—last held on 7 December 1984 (next to be held 7 December 1989); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(48 total, 40 elected)
Communists: negligible
Member of: ADB, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth (special member), ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB—Islamic Development Bank, IFAD,
IFC, IMF, IMO, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Maldives does not maintain an embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York; US—the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there; US Consular Agency, Mahduedurage, Violet Magu, Henveru, Male; telephone 2581
Flag: red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag
- Economy Overview: The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and shipping. Agriculture is limited to the production of a few subsistence crops that provide only 10% of food requirements. Fishing is the largest industry, employing 80% of the work force and accounting for over 60% of exports; it is also an important source of government revenue. During the 1980s tourism has become one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1988 industry accounted for about 14% of GDP. Real GDP is officially estimated to have increased by about 10% annually during the period 1974-86, and GDP estimates for 1988 show a further growth of 9% on the strength of a record fish catch and an improved tourist season.
GDP: $136 million, per capita $670; real growth rate 9.2% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $51 million; expenditures $50 million, including capital expenditures of $25 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $47.0 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities—fish 57%, clothing 39%; partners—Thailand, Western Europe, Sri Lanka
Imports: $90.0 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities— intermediate and capital goods 47%, consumer goods 42%, petroleum products 11%; partners—Japan, Western Europe, Thailand
External debt: $70 million (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate 3.9% (1988 est.)
Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 10 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts
Agriculture: accounts for almost 30% of GDP (including fishing); fishing more important than farming; limited production of coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; most staple foods must be imported
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $28 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $84 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $14 million
Currency: rufiyaa (plural—rufiyaa); 1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laaris
Exchange rates: rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1—9.3043 (January 1990), 9.0408 (1989), 8.7846 (1988), 9.2230 (1987), 7.1507 (1986), 7.0981 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Highways: Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city
Ports: Male, Gan
Merchant marine: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,066 GRT/112,480 DWT; includes 12 cargo, 1 container, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 2 bulk
Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft
Airports: 2 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications: minimal domestic and international facilities; 2,325 telephones; stations—2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces
Branches: no military force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 49,261; 27,519 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: $1.8 million (1984 est.)
——————————————————————————
Country: Mali
- Geography
Total area: 1,240,000 km2; land area: 1,220,000 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: 7,243 km total; Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Ivory Coast 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km
Coastline: none—landlocked
Maritime claims: none—landlocked
Disputes: the disputed international boundary between Burkina and Mali was submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October 1983 and the ICJ issued its final ruling in December 1986, which both sides agreed to accept; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger
Climate: subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast
Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium; bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
Land use: 2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 25% meadows and pastures; 7% forest and woodland; 66% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; desertification
Note: landlocked
- People
Population: 8,142,373 (July 1990), growth rate 2.3% (1990)
Birth rate: 51 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 21 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 7 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 116 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 45 years male, 47 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 7.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Malian(s); adjective—Malian
Ethnic divisions: 50% Mande (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole), 17% Peul, 12%
Voltaic, 6% Songhai, 5% Tuareg and Moor, 10% other
Religion: 90% Muslim, 9% indigenous beliefs, 1% Christian
Language: French (official); Bambara spoken by about 80% of the population; numerous African languages
Literacy: 18%
Labor force: 2,666,000 (1986 est.); 80% agriculture, 19% services, 1% industry and commerce (1981); 50% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: National Union of Malian Workers (UNTM) is umbrella organization for over 13 national unions
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Mali
Type: republic; single-party constitutional government
Capital: Bamako
Administrative divisions: 7 regions (regions, singular—region); Gao, Kayes, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou; note—there may be a new capital district of Bamako
Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France; formerly French Sudan)
Constitution: 2 June 1974, effective 19 June 1979; amended September 1981 and March 1985
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Section of Court of State; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22 September (1960)
Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemble Nationale)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President Gen. Moussa TRAORE (since 6 December 1968)
Political parties and leaders: only party—Democratic Union of
Malian People (UDPM)
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections: President—last held on 9 June 1985 (next to be held June 1991); results—General Moussa Traore was reelected without opposition;
National Assembly—last held on 26 June 1988 (next to be held June 1991); results—UDPM is the only party; seats—(82 total) UDPM 82
Communists: a few Communists and some sympathizers (no legal Communist party)
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto),
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB—Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, NAM, Niger River Commission, OAU,
OIC, OMVS (Organization for the Development of the Senegal River
Valley), UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO,
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Alhousseyni TOURE; Chancery
at 2130 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-2249 or
939-8950;
US—Ambassador Robert M. PRINGLE; Embassy at Rue Testard and
Rue Mohamed V., Bamako (mailing address is B. P. 34, Bamako); telephone 225834
Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
- Economy Overview: Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with about 80% of its land area desert or semidesert. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population lives as nomads and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities.
GDP: $1.94 billion, per capita $220; real growth rate - 0.9% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% (1987)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $338 million; expenditures $559 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987)
Exports: $260 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities—livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, skins; partners—mostly franc zone and Western Europe
Imports: $493 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities—textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery, sugar, cereals; partners—mostly franc zone and Western Europe
External debt: $2.1 billion (December 1988 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 92,000 kW capacity; 165 million kWh produced, 20 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: small local consumer goods and processing, construction, phosphate, gold, fishing
Agriculture: accounts for 50% of GDP; most production based on small subsistence farms; cotton and livestock products account for over 70% of exports; other crops—millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; livestock—cattle, sheep, and goats
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $313 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.4 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $92 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $190 million
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural—francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1—287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 642 km 1.000-meter gauge; linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes
Highways: about 15,700 km total; 1,670 km bituminous, 3,670 km gravel and improved earth, 10,360 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 1,815 km navigable
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: 37 total, 29 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 7 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service with radio relay, wire, and radio communications stations; expansion of radio relay in progress; 11,000 telephones; stations—2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Air Force; paramilitary, Gendarmerie,
Republican Guard, National Guard
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,585,878; 913,000 fit for military service; no conscription
Defense expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (1987)
——————————————————————————
Country: Malta
- Geography
Total area: 320 km2; land area: 320 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 140 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
Natural resources: limestone, salt
Land use: 38% arable land; 3% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 59% other; includes 3% irrigated
Environment: numerous bays provide good harbors; fresh water very scarce—increasing reliance on desalination
Note: strategic location in central Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily, 290 km north of Libya
- People
Population: 353,465 (July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 15 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 78 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.0 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Maltese (sing. and pl.); adjective—Maltese
Ethnic divisions: mixture of Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian,
English
Religion: 98% Roman Catholic
Language: Maltese and English (official)
Literacy: 83%
Labor force: 125,674; 30% services, 24% manufacturing, 21% government (except job corps), 8% construction, 5% utilities and drydocks, 4% agriculture (1987)
Organized labor: about 40% of labor force
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Malta
Type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Valletta
Administrative divisions: none (administration directly from Valletta)
Independence: 21 September 1964 (from UK)
Constitution: 26 April 1974, effective 2 June 1974
Legal system: based on English common law and Roman civil law; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: Freedom Day, 31 March
Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court and Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State—President Vincent (Censu) TABONE (since 4 April 1989);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Dr. Edward (Eddie) FENECH ADAMI (since 12 May 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Guido DE MARCO (since 14 May 1987)
Political parties and leaders: Nationalist Party, Edward Fenech Adami;
Malta Labor Party, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: House of Representatives—last held on 9 May 1987 (next to be held by May 1992); results—NP 51.1%, MLP 48.9%; seats—(usually 65 total, but additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority; current total 69) MLP 34, NP 31 before popular vote adjustment; MLP 34, NP 35 after adjustment
Communists: fewer than 100 (est.)
Member of: CCC, Commonwealth, Council of Europe, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD,
ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council,
NAM,UN, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Salvatore J. STELLINI; Chancery at 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 462-3611 or 3612; there is a Maltese Consulate General in New York; US—Ambassador Sally J. NOVETZKE; Embassy at 2nd Floor, Development House, St. Anne Street, Floriana, Valletta (mailing address is P. O. Box 535, Valletta); telephone 623653 or 620424, 623216
Flag: two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red
- Economy Overview: Significant resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited freshwater supplies, and has no domestic energy sources. Consequently, the economy is highly dependent on foreign trade and services. Manufacturing and tourism are the largest contributors to the economy. Manufacturing accounts for about 30% of GDP, with the textile and clothing industry a major contributor. In 1988 inflation was held to a low 0.9%. Per capita GDP at $5,100 places Malta in the middle-income range of the world's nations.
GDP: $1.9 billion, per capita $5,100; real growth rate 7.1% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.9% (1988)
Unemployment rate: 4.4% (1987)
Budget: revenues $844 million; expenditures $938 million, including capital expenditures of $226 million (1989 est.)
Exports: $710 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—clothing, textiles, footwear, ships; partners—FRG 31%, UK 14%, Italy 14%
Imports: $1,360 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities—food, petroleum, nonfood raw materials; partners—FRG 19%, UK 17%, Italy 17%, US 11%
External debt: $90 million, medium and long-term (December 1987)
Industrial production: growth rate 6.2% (1987)
Electricity: 328,000 kW capacity; 1,110 million kWh produced, 2,990 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism, ship repair yard, clothing, construction, food manufacturing, textiles, footwear, clothing, beverages, tobacco
Agriculture: overall, 20% self-sufficient; main products—potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers, hogs, poultry, eggs; generally adequate supplies of vegetables, poultry, milk, pork products; seasonal or periodic shortages in grain, animal fodder, fruits, other basic foodstuffs
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $172 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $332 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $76 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $48 million
Currency: Maltese lira (plural—liri); 1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Maltese liri (LM) per US$1—0.3332 (January 1990), 0.3483 (1989), 0.3306 (1988), 0.3451 (1987), 0.3924 (1986), 0.4676 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications Highways: 1,291 km total; 1,179 km paved (asphalt), 77 km crushed stone or gravel, 35 km improved and unimproved earth
Ports: Valletta, Marsaxlokk
Merchant marine: 314 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,677,797 GRT/6,357,733 DWT; includes 3 passenger, 4 short-sea passenger, 127 cargo, 2 container, 1 passenger-cargo, 13 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 vehicle carrier, 6 refrigerated cargo, 7 chemical tanker, 4 combination ore/oil, 1 specialized tanker, 61 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 72 bulk, 11 combination bulk; note—a flag of convenience registry; China owns 1 ship, Cuba owns 8, and Vietnam owns 1
Civil air: 8 major transport aircraft
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications: modern automatic system centered in Valletta; 153,000 telephones; stations—9 AM, 3 FM, 2 TV; 1 submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces
Branches: Armed Forces, Police, Paramilitary Dejima Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 92,610; 74,256 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: 1.3% of GDP, or $25 million (1989 est.)
——————————————————————————
Country: Man, Isle of
(British crown dependency)
- Geography
Total area: 588 km2; land area: 588 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 113 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: cool summers and mild winters; humid; overcast about half the time
Terrain: hills in north and south bisected by central valley
Natural resources: lead, iron ore
Land use: NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures;
NA% forest and woodland; NA% other; extensive arable land and forests
Environment: strong westerly winds prevail
Note: located in Irish Sea equidistant from England, Scotland, and Ireland
- People
Population: 64,859 (July 1990), growth rate 0.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 11 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 15 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 5 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Manxman, Manxwoman, adjective—Manx
Ethnic divisions: native Manx of Norse-Celtic descent; British
Religion: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian,
Society of Friends
Language: English, Manx Gaelic
Literacy: NA%, but compulsory education between ages of 5 and 15
Labor force: 25,864 (1981)
Organized labor: 22 labor unions patterned along British lines
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: British crown dependency
Capital: Douglas
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
Constitution: 1961, Isle of Man Constitution Act
Legal system: English law and local statute
National holiday: Tynwald Day, 5 July
Executive branch: British monarch, lieutenant governor, prime minister,
Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Tynwald) consists of an upper house or Legislative Council and a lower house or House of Keys
Judicial branch: High Court of Justice
Leaders: Chief of State—Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Maj. Gen. Laurence NEW (since 1985);
Head of Government—President of the Legislative Council J. C. NIVISON (since 1985)
Political parties and leaders: there is no party system and members sit as independents
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections: House of Keys—last held in 1986 (next to be held 1991); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(24 total) independents 24
Communists: probably none
Diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency)
Flag: red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used
- Economy Overview: Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government's policy of offering incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GNP. Banking now contributes over 20% to GNP and manufacturing about 15%. Trade is mostly with the UK.
GNP: $490 million, per capita $7,573; real growth rate NA% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: 1.5% (1988)
Budget: revenues $130.4 million; expenditures $114.4 million, including capital expenditures of $18.1 million (FY85 est.)
Exports: $NA; commodities—tweeds, herring, processed shellfish meat; partners—UK
Imports: $NA; commodities—timber, fertilizers, fish; partners—UK
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 61,000 kW capacity; 190 million kWh produced, 2,930 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: an important offshore financial center; financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
Agriculture: cereals and vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
Aid: NA
Currency: Manx pound (plural—pounds); 1 Manx pound (LM) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Manx pounds (LM) per US$1—0.6055 (January 1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985); the Manx pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications
Railroads: 36 km electric track, 24 km steam track
Highways: 640 km motorable roads
Ports: Douglas, Ramsey, Peel
Merchant marine: 77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,656,216 GRT/2,984,047 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 8 cargo, 5 container, 6 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 32 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 5 chemical tanker, 2 combination ore/oil, 6 liquefied gas, 12 bulk; note—a captive register of the United Kingdom, although not all ships on the register are British-owned
Airports: 2 total; 1 usable with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: 24,435 telephones; stations—1 AM, 4 FM, 4 TV
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK —————————————————————————— Country: Marshall Islands - Geography Total area: 181.3 km2; land area: 181.3 km2; includes the atolls of Bikini, Eniwetak, and Kwajalein
Comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 370.4 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claims US-administered Wake Island
Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt
Terrain: low coral limestone and sand islands
Natural resources: phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Land use: 0% arable land; 60% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 40% other
Environment: occasionally subject to typhoons; two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands
Note: located 3,825 km southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and Papua New Guinea; Bikini and Eniwetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range
- People
Population: 43,417 (July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 39 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 1 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 43 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 75 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.9 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Marshallese; adjective—Marshallese
Ethnic divisions: almost entirely Micronesian
Religion: predominantly Christian, mostly Protestant
Language: English universally spoken and is the official language; two major Marshallese dialects from Malayo-Polynesian family; Japanese
Literacy: 90%
Labor force: 4,800 (1986)
Organized labor: none
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of the Marshall Islands
Type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986
Capital: Majuro
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship; formerly the Marshall Islands District of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Constitution: 1 May 1979
Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
National holiday: Proclamation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1 May (1979)
Executive branch: president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Nitijela)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Amata KABUA (since 1979)
Political parties and leaders: no formal parties; President Kabua is chief political (and traditional) leader
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: President—last held NA November 1987 (next to be held November 1991); results—President Amata Kabua was reelected;
Parliament—last held NA November 1987 (next to be held November 1991); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(33 total)
Communists: none
Member of: SPF, ESCAP (associate)
Diplomatic representation: Representative Wilfred I. KENDALL; Representative Office at Suite 1004, 1901 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20006; telephone (202) 223-4952; US—Representative Samuel B. THOMSEN; US Office at NA address (mailing address is P. O. Box 680, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960); telephone 692-9-3348
Flag: blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner—orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes
- Economy Overview: Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the economy. Agricultural production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit. A few cattle ranches supply the domestic meat market. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, fish processing, and copra. The tourist industry is the primary source of foreign exchange and employs about 10% of the labor force. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. In 1987 the US Government provided grants of $40 million out of the Marshallese budget of $55 million.
GDP: $63 million, per capita $1,500; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.6% (1981)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $55 million; expenditures NA, including capital expenditures of NA (1987 est.)
Exports: $2.5 million (f.o.b., 1985); commodities—copra, copra oil, agricultural products, handicrafts; partners—NA
Imports: $29.2 million (c.i.f., 1985); commodities—foodstuffs, beverages, building materials; partners—NA
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 12,000 kW capacity; 10 million kWh produced, 240 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: copra, fish, tourism; craft items from shell, wood, and pearl; offshore banking (embryonic)
Agriculture: coconuts, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits, copra; pigs, chickens
Aid: under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US is to provide approximately $40 million in aid annually
Currency: US currency is used
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
- Communications Highways: macadam and concrete roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks
Ports: Majuro
Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 475,968 GRT/949,888 DWT; includes 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 bulk carrier; note—a flag of convenience registry
Airports: 5 total, 5 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: telephone network—570 lines (Majuro) and 186 (Ebeye); telex services; islands interconnected by shortwave radio (used mostly for government purposes); stations—1 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV, 1 shortwave; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the US —————————————————————————— Country: Martinique (overseas department of France) - Geography Total area: 1,100 km2; land area: 1,060 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 290 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to
October)
Terrain: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
Natural resources: coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land
Land use: 10% arable land; 8% permanent crops; 30% meadows and pastures; 26% forest and woodland; 26% other; includes 5% irrigated
Environment: subject to hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity that result in an average of one major natural disaster every five years
Note: located 625 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea
- People
Population: 340,381 (July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 19 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 11 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 77 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Martiniquais (sing. and pl.); adjective—Martiniquais
Ethnic divisions: 90% African and African-Caucasian-Indian mixture, 5%
Caucasian, less than 5% East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic, 5% Hindu and pagan African
Language: French, Creole patois
Literacy: over 70%
Labor force: 100,000; 31.7% service industry, 29.4% construction and public works, 13.1% agriculture, 7.3% industry, 2.2% fisheries, 16.3% other
Organized labor: 11% of labor force
- Government
Long-form name: Department of Martinique
Type: overseas department of France
Capital: Fort-de-France
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French legal system
National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch: government commissioner
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional
Council
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State—President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981);
Head of Government—Government Commissioner Jean Claude ROURE (since 5 May 1989); President of the General Council Emile MAURICE (since NA 1988)
Political parties: Rally for the Republic (RPR), Stephen Bago;
Union of the Left composed of the Progressive Party of Martinique (PPM),
Aime Cesaire; Socialist Federation of Martinique, Michael Yoyo; and the
Communist Party of Martinique (PCM), Armand Nicolas; Union for French Democracy
(UDF), Jean Maran
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: General Council—last held on NA October 1988 (next to be held by March 1991); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(44 total) number of seats by party NA;
Regional Assembly—last held on 16 March 1986 (next to be held by March 1992); results—UDF/RPR coalition 49.8%, PPM/FSM/PCM coalition 41.3%, others 8.9%; seats—(41 total) PPM/FSM/PCM coalition 21, UDF/RPR coalition 20;
French Senate—last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(2 total) UDF 1, PPM 1;
French National Assembly—last held on 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(4 total) PPM 1, FSM 1, RPR 1, UDF 1
Communists: 1,000 (est.)
Other political or pressure groups: Proletarian Action Group (GAP);
Alhed Marie-Jeanne Socialist Revolution Group (GRS), Martinique Independence
Movement (MIM), Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance (ARC), Central Union for
Martinique Workers (CSTM), Marc Pulvar; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of
Workers and Peasants
Member of: WFTU
Diplomatic representation: as an overseas department of France,
Martiniquais interests are represented in the US by France;
US—Consul General Ray ROBINSON; Consulate General at 14 Rue Blenac,
Fort-de-France (mailing address is B. P. 561, Fort-de-France);
telephone 63-13-03
Flag: the flag of France is used
- Economy Overview: The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 7% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 10%. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports are increasing, however, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from France. Tourism has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange. The majority of the work force is employed in the service sector and in administration. In 1984 the annual per capita income was relatively high at $3,650. During 1985 the unemployment rate was between 25% and 30% and was particularly severe among younger workers.
GDP: $1.3 billion, per capita $3,650; real growth rate NA% (1984)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (1986)
Unemployment rate: 25-30% (1985)
Budget: revenues $223 million; expenditures $223 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987 est.)
Exports: $209 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities—refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples; partners—France 65%, Guadeloupe 26% (1986)
Imports: $879 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities—petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods; partners—France 64% (1986)
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 108,000 kW capacity; 330 million kWh produced, 990 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism
Agriculture: accounts for about 7% of GDP; principal crops—pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, and sugarcane for rum; dependent on imported food, particularly meat and vegetables
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $9.8 billion
Currency: French franc (plural—francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1—5.7598 (January 1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Highways: 1,680 km total; 1,300 km paved, 380 km gravel and earth
Ports: Fort-de-France
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: 2 total; 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways less than 2,439 m
Telecommunications: domestic facilities are adequate; 68,900 telephones; interisland radio relay links to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and St. Lucia; stations—1 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
——————————————————————————
Country: Mauritania
- Geography
Total area: 1,030,700 km2; land area: 1,030,400 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries: 5,074 km total; Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km
Coastline: 754 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: armed conflict in Western Sahara; boundary with Senegal
Climate: desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain: mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate
Land use: 1% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 38% meadows and pastures; 5% forest and woodland; 56% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; desertification; only perennial river is the Senegal
- People
Population: 1,934,549 (July 1990), growth rate 3.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 49 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 18 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 96 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 44 years male, 49 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 7.3 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Mauritanian(s); adjective—Mauritanian
Ethnic divisions: 40% mixed Maur/black, 30% Maur, 30% black
Religion: nearly 100% Muslim
Language: Hasaniya Arabic (national); French (official); Toucouleur, Fula,
Sarakole, Wolof
Literacy: 17%
Labor force: 465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980); 47% agriculture, 29% services, 14% industry and commerce, 10% government; 53% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: 30,000 members claimed by single union, Mauritanian
Workers' Union
- Government
Long-form name: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Type: republic; military first seized power in bloodless coup 10 July 1978; a palace coup that took place on 24 December 1984 brought President Taya to power
Capital: Nouakchott
Administrative divisions: 12 regions (regions, singular—region);
Adrar, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, El Acaba, Gorgol, Guidimaka,
Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza;
note—there may be a new capital district of Nouakchott
Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France)
Constitution: 20 May 1961, abrogated after coup of 10 July 1978; provisional constitution published 17 December 1980 but abandoned in 1981; new constitutional charter published 27 February 1985
Legal system: based on Islamic law
National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Executive branch: president, Military Committee for National
Salvation (CMSN), Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale), dissolved after 10 July 1978 coup; legislative power resides with the CMSN
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Col. Maaouiya Ould
SidAhmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984)
Political parties and leaders: suspended
Suffrage: none
Elections: none; last presidential election August 1976; National Assembly dissolved 10 July 1978; no national elections are scheduled
Communists: no Communist party, but there is a scattering of Maoist sympathizers
Member of: ACP, AfDB, AIOEC, Arab League, CCC, CEAO, CIPEC (associate),
EAMA, EIB (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB—Islamic
Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM,
OAU, OIC, OMVS (Organization for the Development of the Senegal River Valley),
UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Abdellah OULD DADDAH; Chancery at 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-5700; US—Ambassador William H. TWADDELL; Embassy at address NA, Nouakchott (mailing address is B. P. 222, Nouakchott); telephone [2222] 52660 or 52663
Flag: green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
- Economy Overview: A majority of the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though most of the nomads and many subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent drought in 1983. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore that account for almost 50% of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production in recent years. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986.
GDP: $1.0 billion, per capita $520; real growth rate 3.6% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: 50% (1988 est.)
Budget: revenues $358 million; expenditures $334 million, including capital expenditures of $79 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $424 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—iron ore, processed fish, small amounts of gum arabic and gypsum, unrecorded but numerically significant cattle exports to Senegal; partners—EC 57%, Japan 39%, Ivory Coast 2%
Imports: $365 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities—foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods; partners—EC 79%, Africa 5%, US 4%, Japan 2%
External debt: $2.3 billion (December 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 4.4% (1988 est.)
Electricity: 189,000 kW capacity; 136 million kWh produced, 70 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: fishing, fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Agriculture: accounts for 29% of GDP (including fishing); largely subsistence farming and nomadic cattle and sheep herding except in Senegal river valley; crops—dates, millet, sorghum, root crops; fish products number-one export; large food deficit in years of drought
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $160 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $490 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $277 million
Currency: ouguiya (plural—ouguiya); 1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums
Exchange rates: ouguiya (UM) per US$1—83.838 (January 1990), 83.051 (1989), 75.261 (1988), 73.878 (1987), 74.375 (1986), 77.085 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 670 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, single track, owned and operated by government mining company
Highways: 7,525 km total; 1,685 km paved; 1,040 km gravel, crushed stone, or otherwise improved; 4,800 km unimproved roads, trails, tracks
Inland waterways: mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River
Ports: Nouadhibou, Nouakchott
Merchant marine: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,272 GRT/ 1,840 DWT
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Airports: 30 total, 29 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 17 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor radio relay links, and radio communications stations; 5,200 telephones; stations—2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 2 ARABSAT, with a third planned
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, paramilitary
National Guard, paramilitary National Police, paramilitary Presidential Guard,
paramilitary Nomad Security Guards
Military manpower: males 15-49, 410,153; 200,212 fit for military service; conscription law not implemented
Defense expenditures: 4.2% of GDP (1987)
——————————————————————————
Country: Mauritius
- Geography
Total area: 1,860 km2; land area: 1,850 km2; includes Agalega
Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (St. Brandon) and Rodrigues
Comparative area: slightly less than 10.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 177 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claims Chagos Archipelago, which includes the island of
Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims
French-administered Tromelin Island
Climate: tropical modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter
(May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Terrain: small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
Natural resources: arable land, fish
Land use: 54% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures; 31% forest and woodland; 7% other; includes 9% irrigated
Environment: subject to cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs
Note: located 900 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean
- People
Population: 1,070,005 (July 1990), growth rate 1.8% (1990)
Birth rate: 21 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 4 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 20 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 73 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.0 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Mauritian(s); adjective—Mauritian
Ethnic divisions: 68% Indo-Mauritian, 27% Creole, 3% Sino-Mauritian, 2%
Franco-Mauritian
Religion: 51% Hindu, 30% Christian (mostly Roman Catholic with a few
Anglicans), 17% Muslim, 2% other
Language: English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka,
Bojpoori
Literacy: 82.8%
Labor force: 335,000; 29% government services, 27% agriculture and fishing, 22% manufacturing, 22% other; 43% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: 35% of labor force in more than 270 unions
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Port Louis
Administrative divisions: 5 urban councils and 3 district councils*;
Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Curepipe, Moka-Flacq*, North*, Port Louis, Quatre
Bornes, South*, Vacoas-Phoenix; note—there may now be 4 urban councils
and 9 district councils* named Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Black River*,
Curepipe, Flacq*, Grand Port*, Moka*, Pamplemousses*, Plaine Wilhems*,
Port Louis*, Quartre Bornes, Riviere du Rempart*, Savanne*, and
Vacoas-Phoenix
Independence: 12 March 1968 (from UK)
Constitution: 12 March 1968
Legal system: based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Veerasamy RINGADOO (since 17 January 1986);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12 June 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Satcam BOOLELL (since 15 August 1988)
Political parties and leaders: the government is currently controlled by a coalition composed of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), A. Jugnauth, and the Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), S. Boolell; the main opposition union consists of the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Prem Nababsing; Socialist Workers Front, Sylvio Michel; Democratic Labor Movement, Anil Baichoo; Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), G. Duval
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: Legislative Assembly—last held on 30 August 1987 (next to be held 30 August 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(70 total, 62 elected) MSM 24, MMM 21, MLP 10, PMSD 5, others 10
Communists: may be 2,000 sympathizers; several Communist organizations;
Mauritius Lenin Youth Organization, Mauritius Women's Committee, Mauritius
Communist Party, Mauritius People's Progressive Party, Mauritius Young Communist
League, Mauritius Liberation Front, Chinese Middle School Friendly Association,
Mauritius/USSR Friendship Society
Other political or pressure groups: various labor unions
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU,
IWC—International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING; Chancery at Suite 134, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-1491 or 1492; US—Ambassador Penne KORTH; Embassy at 4th Floor, Rogers Building, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis; telephone 082347
Flag: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
- Economy Overview: The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing (mainly textiles), and tourism. Despite significant expansion in other sectors over the past decade, sugarcane remains dominant and is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area, accounting for 40% of export earnings. The government's development strategy is centered on industrialization (with a view to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in 1988 was impressive, with 6.3% real growth rate and low unemployment.
GDP: $1.9 billion, per capita $1,910; real growth rate 6.3% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.2% (1988)
Unemployment rate: 3.6% (1988)
Budget: revenues $351 million; expenditures $414 million, including capital expenditures of $76 million (FY87 est.)
Exports: $1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—textiles 44%, sugar 40%, light manufactures 10%; partners—EC and US have preferential treatment, EC 77%, US 15%
Imports: $1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities—manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7%; partners—EC, US, South Africa, Japan
External debt: $670 million (December 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 12.9% (FY87)
Electricity: 233,000 kW capacity; 420 million kWh produced, 375 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel, chemical and chemical products, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
Agriculture: accounts for 14% of GDP; about 90% of cultivated land in sugarcane; other products—tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses, cattle, goats, fish; net food importer, especially rice and fish
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $72 million; Western (non-US) countries (1970-87), $538 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $54 million
Currency: Mauritian rupee (plural—rupees); 1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1—15.033 (January 1990), 15.250 (1989), 13.438 (1988), 12.878 (1987), 13.466 (1986), 15.442 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
- Communications
Highways: 1,800 km total; 1,640 km paved, 160 km earth
Ports: Port Louis
Merchant marine: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 143,029 GRT/ 248,754 DWT; includes 1 passenger-cargo, 3 cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 3 bulk
Civil air: 4 major transport aircraft
Airports: 5 total, 4 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications: small system with good service; new microwave link to Reunion; high-frequency radio links to several countries; 48,000 telephones; stations—2 AM, no FM, 4 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces Branches: paramilitary Special Mobile Force, Special Support Units, regular Police Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 297,975; 153,130 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: NA —————————————————————————— Country: Mayotte (territorial collectivity of France) - Geography Total area: 375 km2; land area: 375 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 185.2 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claimed by Comoros
Climate: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
Terrain: generally undulating with ancient volcanic peaks, deep ravines
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other
Environment: subject to cyclones during rainy season
Note: part of Comoro Archipelago; located in the Mozambique Channel about halfway between Africa and Madagascar
- People
Population: 72,186 (July 1990), growth rate 3.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 51 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 89 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 58 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 6.8 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Mahorais (sing., pl.); adjective—Mahoran
Religion: 99% Muslim; remainder Christian, mostly Roman Catholic
Language: Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French
Literacy: NA%, but probably high
Labor force: NA
Organized labor: NA
- Government
Long-form name: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
Type: territorial collectivity of France
Capital: Dzaoudzi
Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France)
Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law
National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch: government commissioner
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council (Conseil General)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)
Leaders:
Chief of State President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981);
Head of Government Government Commissioner Akli KHIDER (since 1983);
President of the General Council Youssouf BAMANA (since 1976)
Political parties and leaders: Mahoran Popular Movement (MPM), Zna
M'Oere; Party for the Mahoran Democratic Rally (PRDM), Daroueche Maoulida;
Mahoran Rally for the Republic (RMPR), Abdoul Anizizi; Union of the
Center (UDC)
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: General Council—last held NA June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(17 total) MPM 9, RPR 6, others 2;
French Senate—last held on 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(1 total) MPM 1;
French National Assembly—last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(1 total) UDC 1
Communists: probably none
Diplomatic representation: as a territorial collectivity of France,
Mahoran interests are represented in the US by France
Flag: the flag of France is used
- Economy Overview: Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island is heavily dependent on French financial assistance.