FAX: 247-4012

FAX: (202) 232-3236

consulate(s) general: Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Joan M. PLAISTED

embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro

mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379

telephone: 247-4011

Flag description: 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

Marshall Islands Economy

Economy - overview: US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. Agricultural production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, fish processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provides roughly $65 million in annual aid. Negotiations were underway in 1999 for an extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, and the decline in tourism and foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties caused GDP to fall in 1996-98.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $105 million (1998 est.), supplemented by approximately $65 million annual US aid

GDP - real growth rate: -5% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,670 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15%

industry: 13%

services: 72% (1995)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1997)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services
NA%

Unemployment rate: 16% (1991 est.)

Budget: revenues: $80.1 million

expenditures: $77.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.5 million (FY95/96 est.)

Industries: copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls, offshore banking (embryonic)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA%

hydro: NA%

nuclear: NA%

other: NA%

Agriculture - products: coconuts, tomatoes, melons, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Exports: $28 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports - commodities: fish, coconut oil, trochus shells

Exports - partners: US, Japan, Australia

Imports: $58 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners: US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Guam, Singapore

Debt - external: $125 million (FY96/97 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: approximately $65 million annually from the US

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Marshall Islands Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 3,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 365 (1996)

Telephone system: general assessment: telex services

domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)

international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 3 (of which two are US military stations) (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .mh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 500 (2000)

Marshall Islands Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km

paved: NA km

unpaved: NA km

note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Majuro

Merchant marine: total: 212 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,768,406 GRT/16,242,699 DWT

ships by type: bulk 63, cargo 9, chemical tanker 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 29, liquefied gas 10, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 87, vehicle carrier 1

note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 1, Germany 1, Japan 1, US 6 (2000 est.)

Airports: 16 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Marshall Islands Military

Military branches: no regular military forces (a coast guard may be established); Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Marshall Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: claims US territory of Wake Island

@Martinique

Martinique Introduction

Background: Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation.

Martinique Geography

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 61 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 1,100 sq km

land: 1,060 sq km

water: 40 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than six times the size of
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 350 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid

Terrain: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m

Natural resources: coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Land use: arable land: 8%

permanent crops: 8%

permanent pastures: 17%

forests and woodland: 44%

other: 23% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years)

Environment - current issues: NA

Martinique People

Population: 418,454 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.1% (male 49,016; female 47,653)

15-64 years: 66.77% (male 139,106; female 140,291)

65 years and over: 10.13% (male 18,893; female 23,495) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.93% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 15.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 6.39 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.41 years

male: 79.11 years

female: 77.69 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)

adjective: Martiniquais

Ethnic groups: African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Chinese less than 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%

Languages: French, Creole patois

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

total population: 93%

male: 92%

female: 93% (1982 est.)

Martinique Government

Country name: conventional long form: Department of Martinique

conventional short form: Martinique

local long form: Departement de la Martinique

local short form: Martinique

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Fort-de-France

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of
France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Jean-Francois CORDET (since NA)

head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)

cabinet: NA

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 15 March 1998 (next to be held by March 2004)

election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - the PPM won a plurality; Regional Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR-UDF 14, MIM 13, PPM 7, left parties 4, PMS 3

note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1998 (next to be held September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1, independent 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Martinique Independence Movement or
MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM
[Camille DARSIERES]; Martinique Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest
WAN-AJOUHU]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Union
for French Democracy or UDF (replaced by Martinique Forces of
Progress) [Jean MAREN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Association for the
Protection of Martinique's Heritage (ecologist) [Garcin MALSA];
Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for
Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle;
League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP;
Socialist Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]

International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of
France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of
France)

Flag description: a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Martinique Economy

Economy - overview: The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports are increasing, 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.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.39 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6%

industry: 11%

services: 83% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1990)

Labor force: 170,000 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 27.2% (1998)

Budget: revenues: $900 million

expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140 million (1996)

Industries: construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.1 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%

hydro: 0%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 1.023 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane

Exports: $250 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities: refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples

Exports - partners: France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (1997)

Imports: $2 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports - commodities: petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods

Imports - partners: France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%,
US 3% (1997)

Debt - external: $180 million (1994)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA; note - substantial annual aid from
France

Currency: French franc (FRF); euro (EUR)

Currency code: FRF; EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Martinique Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 170,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 15,000 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate

domestic: NA

international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 66,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 5,000 (2000)

Martinique Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,105 km (2000)

paved: NA km

unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Fort-de-France, La Trinite

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)

Airports: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Martinique Military

Military branches: French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Martinique Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe

@Mauritania

Mauritania Introduction

Background: Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as being flawed; Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between its black minority population and the dominant Maur (Arab-Berber) populace.

Mauritania Geography

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,030,700 sq km

land: 1,030,400 sq km

water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than three times the size of New
Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 5,074 km

border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline: 754 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain: mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m

highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 m

Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 38%

forests and woodland: 4%

other: 58% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 490 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal which is the only perennial river

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

Mauritania People

Population: 2,747,312 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.14% (male 634,940; female 632,654)

15-64 years: 51.59% (male 698,433; female 718,883)

65 years and over: 2.27% (male 25,840; female 36,562) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.93% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 42.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 13.65 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 76.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.14 years

male: 49.06 years

female: 53.29 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.22 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.8% (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 6,600 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 610 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mauritanian(s)

adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups: mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%

Religions: Muslim 100%

Languages: Hasaniya Arabic (official), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (official), French

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

total population: 46.7%

male: 53.4%

female: 40% (1998 est.)

Mauritania Government

Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania

conventional short form: Mauritania

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

local short form: Muritaniyah

Government type: republic

Capital: Nouakchott

Administrative divisions: 12 regions (regions, singular - region)
and 1 capital district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou,
Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri,
Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution: 12 July 1991

Legal system: a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid
Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984)

head of government: Prime Minister Cheik El Avia Ould Mohamed KHOUNA (since 17 November 1998)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 12 December 1997 (next to be held NA December 2003); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected with 90.9% of the vote

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; 17 up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (79 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 17 April 1998 (next to be held NA 2001); National Assembly - last held 11 and 18 October 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRDS 71, AC 1, independents and other 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Political parties and leaders: Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould
BOULKHEIR]; Assembly for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI
BABA]; Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party)
[President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for
Renewal and Concorde or PMRC [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National
Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party
for Liberty, Equality and Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA];
Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress
Alliance or APP [Mohamed El Hafed Ould ISMAEL]; Popular Social and
Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force
Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould MOLOUD]; Union for Progress and Democracy
or UNDD [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]

note: parties legalized by constitution ratified 12 July 1991; however, politics continue to be tribally based

Political pressure groups and leaders: Arab nationalists;
Ba'athists; General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM
[Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent
Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE];
Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould
BRAHIM, secretary general]

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT (associate),
ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending
member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Ahmed Ben Khalifa BEN JIDOU

chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 232-5700