FAX: (2) 738-8845

Flag description: 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

Korea, South Economy

Economy - overview: As one of the Four Dragons of East Asia, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth. Three decades ago GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. Today its GDP per capita is seven times India's, 16 times North Korea's, and comparable to the lesser economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s was achieved by a system of close government/business ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed certain longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. By 1999 GDP growth had recovered, reversing the substantial decline of 1998. Seoul has pressed the country's largest business groups to restructure and to strengthen their financial base. Growth in 2001 likely will be a more sustainable rate of 5%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $764.6 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 9% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,100 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.6%

industry: 41.4%

services: 53% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 24.3% (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2000)

Labor force: 22 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: services 68%, industry 20%, agriculture 12% (1999)

Unemployment rate: 4.1% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $81.8 billion

expenditures: $94.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $6.1 billion (1999)

Industries: electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 17% (2000)

Electricity - production: 250.287 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 59.22%

hydro: 1.64%

nuclear: 39.12%

other: 0.02% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 232.767 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Exports: $172.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: electronic products, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, steel, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear; fish

Exports - partners: US 20.5%, Japan 11%, China 9.5%, Hong Kong 6.3%,
Taiwan 4.4% (1999)

Imports: $160.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains

Imports - partners: US 20.8%, Japan 20.2%, China 7.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, Australia 3.9% (1999)

Debt - external: $137 billion (November 2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code: KRW

Exchange rates: South Korean won per US dollar - 1,271.89 (January 2001), 1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999), 1,401.44 (1998), 951.29 (1997), 804.45 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Korea, South Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 24 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 27 million (June 2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international services

domestic: NA

international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the
Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat
(Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 106, FM 97, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios: 47.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 121 (plus 850 repeater stations and the eight-channel American Forces Korea Network) (1999)

Televisions: 15.9 million (1997)

Internet country code: .kr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2000)

Internet users: 15.3 million (2000)

Korea, South Transportation

Railways: total: 6,240 km

standard gauge: 6,240 km 1.435-m gauge (525 km electrified) (1998 est.)

Highways: total: 87,534 km

paved: 65,388 km (including 1,996 km of expressways)

unpaved: 22,146 km (1999)

Waterways: 1,609 km

note: restricted to small native craft

Pipelines: petroleum products 455 km; note - additionally, there is a parallel petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) pipeline being completed

Ports and harbors: Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang,
Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu

Merchant marine: total: 496 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,421,993 GRT/8,757,034 DWT

ships by type: bulk 105, cargo 168, chemical tanker 38, combination bulk 5, container 49, liquefied gas 16, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 70, refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 5 (2000 est.)

Airports: 102 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 68

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 21 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 32 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 203 (2000 est.)

Korea, South Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National
Maritime Police (Coast Guard)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,148,552 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 8,979,778 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 394,397 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $12 billion (2000)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.2% (FY98/99)

Korea, South Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: Demarcation Line with North Korea;
Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) disputed with Japan

@Kuwait

Kuwait Introduction

Background: Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that completely liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait has spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91.

Kuwait Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and
Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 17,820 sq km

land: 17,820 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 464 km

border countries: Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline: 499 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 8%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 92% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April; they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping

Geography - note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Kuwait People

Population: 2,041,961

note: includes 1,159,913 non-nationals (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.76% (male 299,080; female 288,125)

15-64 years: 68.82% (male 897,839; female 507,527)

65 years and over: 2.42% (male 31,843; female 17,547) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.38% (2001 est.)

note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates

Birth rate: 21.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 2.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 14.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1.51 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.27 years

male: 75.42 years

female: 77.15 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.2 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (1999 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Kuwaiti(s)

adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups: Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions: Muslim 85% (Sunni 45%, Shi'a 40%), Christian, Hindu,
Parsi, and other 15%

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 78.6%

male: 82.2%

female: 74.9% (1995 est.)

Kuwait Government

Country name: conventional long form: State of Kuwait

conventional short form: Kuwait

local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt

local short form: Al Kuwayt

Government type: nominal constitutional monarchy

Capital: Kuwait

Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli

Independence: 19 June 1961 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21

note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time

Executive branch: chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al
Sabah (since 31 December 1977)

head of government: Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978); First Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamud Al Sabah (since NA) and MUHAMMAD KHALID al-Hamed Al Sabah (since NA)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 3 July 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly

Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: none; formation of political parties is illegal

Political pressure groups and leaders: several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 966-0702