FAX: (2) 23-30-44

Flag description: same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Moldova Economy

Economy - overview: Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. Yet these efforts could not offset the impact of political and economic difficulties, both internal and regional. In 1998, the economic troubles of Russia, by far Moldova's leading trade partner, were a major cause of the 8.6% drop in GDP. In 1999, GDP fell again, by 4.4%, the fifth drop in the past seven years; exports were down, and energy supplies continued to be erratic. GDP declined slightly in 2000, with a serious drought hurting agriculture. Growth should turn positive in 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.3 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1.5% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 31%

industry: 35%

services: 34% (1998)

Population below poverty line: 75% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 25.8% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 32% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 1.7 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry 14%, other 46% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 1.9% (includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers) (November 2000)

Budget: revenues: $536 million

expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 4.155 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.62%

hydro: 6.38%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 5.78 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 1.916 billion kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Exports: $500 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: foodstuffs 57%, wine, tobacco; textiles and footwear, machinery (1999)

Exports - partners: Russia 41%, Romania 9%, Germany 8%, Ukraine 7%,
Italy, Belarus (1999)

Imports: $761 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: mineral products and fuel 38%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (1999)

Imports - partners: Russia 21%, Romania 16%, Ukraine 14%, Germany 12%, Italy 6%, Belarus (1999)

Debt - external: $900 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $100.8 million (1995); note - $547 million from the IMF and World Bank (1992-99)

Currency: Moldovan leu (MDL)

Currency code: MDL

Exchange rates: lei per US dollar - 12.3728 (January 2001), 12.4342 (2000), 10.5158 (1999), 5.3707 (1998), 4.6236 (1997), 4.6045 (1996); note - lei is the plural form of leu

Fiscal year: calendar year

Moldova Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 627,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,200 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau, some effort to modernize is under way

domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced

international: service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 3.22 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.26 million (1997)

Internet country code: .md

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)

Internet users: 15,000 (2000)

Moldova Transportation

Railways: total: 1,328 km

broad gauge: 1,328 km 1.520-m gauge (1992)

Highways: total: 20,000 km

paved: 13,900 km (these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather)

unpaved: 6,100 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Waterways: 424 km (1994)

Pipelines: natural gas 310 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 30 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 14 (2000 est.)

Moldova Military

Military branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces,
Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,164,018 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 921,210 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 42,268 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY99)

Moldova Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: separatist Transnistria region, comprising the area between the Nistru (Dniester) River and Ukraine, has its own de facto government, dominated by Moldovan Slavs

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US

@Monaco

Monaco Introduction

Background: Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center.

Monaco Geography

Location: Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 24 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 1.95 sq km

land: 1.95 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 4.4 km

border countries: France 4.4 km

Coastline: 4.1 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain: hilly, rugged, rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 0%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 100% (urban area)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: second smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban

Monaco People

Population: 31,842 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.32% (male 2,503; female 2,375)

15-64 years: 62.23% (male 9,731; female 10,083)

65 years and over: 22.45% (male 2,921; female 4,229) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.46% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 9.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 7.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.98 years

male: 75.04 years

female: 83.12 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.76 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: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)

adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups: French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%

Languages: French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy: definition: NA

total population: 99%

male: NA%

female: NA%

Monaco Government

Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Monaco

conventional short form: Monaco

local long form: Principaute de Monaco

local short form: Monaco

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Monaco

Administrative divisions: none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Independence: 1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National holiday: National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19
November

Constitution: 17 December 1962

Legal system: based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch (born 14 March 1958)

head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERQUE (since 5 January 2000)

cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government

Legislative branch: unicameral National Council or Conseil National (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 1 and 8 February 1998 (next to be held NA January 2003)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UND 18

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders: National and Democratic Union or UND [leader NA]; National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM [leader NA]; Rally for the Monegasque Family [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ECE, IAEA, ICAO,
ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW,
OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Monaco does not have an embassy in the US

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red

Monaco Economy

Economy - overview: Monaco, situated on the French Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. The Principality has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates below are extremely rough.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 30,540 (January 1994)

Unemployment rate: 3.1% (1998)

Budget: revenues: $518 million

expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Industries: tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - imports: NA kWh

note: electricity supplied by France (1999)

Agriculture - products: none

Exports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

Imports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

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

Monaco Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 31,027 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: modern automatic telephone system

domestic: NA

international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios: 34,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1998)

Televisions: 25,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Monaco Transportation

Railways: total: 1.7 km

standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways: total: 50 km

paved: 50 km

unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Monaco

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)

Airports: linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter service

Heliports: 1 (shuttle service between the international airport at
Nice, France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille)

Monaco Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Monaco Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

@Mongolia

Mongolia Introduction

Background: Long a province of China, Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power. In 1996, the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) defeated the MPRP in a national election. Over the next four years the Coalition implemented a number of key reforms to modernize the economy and institutionalize democratic reforms. However, the former communists were a strong opposition that stalled additional reforms and made implementation difficult. In 2000, the MPRP won 72 of the 76 seats in Parliament and completely reshuffled the government. While it continues many of the reform policies, the MPRP is focusing on social welfare and public order priorities.

Mongolia Geography

Location: Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 1.565 million sq km

land: 1.565 million sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 8,161.9 km

border countries: China 4,676.9 km, Russia 3,485 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain: vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m

highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources: oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate

Land use: arable land: 5.7%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 81%

forests and woodland: 11.4%

other: 1.9% (2000 est.)

Irrigated land: 800 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: dust and snow storms, grassland and forest fires, drought and "zud", which is a combination of drought followed by harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; policies of the former communist regime promoting rapid urbanization and industrial growth have raised concerns about their negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws have severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, the converting of virgin land to agricultural production have increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities have also had a deleterious effect on the environment

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

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and
Russia

Mongolia People

Population: 2,654,999 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.99% (male 445,252; female 430,758)

15-64 years: 63.13% (male 837,771; female 838,384)

65 years and over: 3.88% (male 44,436; female 58,398) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.47% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 21.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

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

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 53.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.26 years

male: 62.14 years

female: 66.5 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.39 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Mongolian(s)

adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups: Mongol (predominantly Khalkha) 85%, Turkic (of which
Kazakh is the largest group) 7%, Tungusic 4.6%, other (including
Chinese and Russian) 3.4% (1998)

Religions: Tibetan Buddhist Lamaism 96%, Muslim (primarily in the southwest), Shamanism, and Christian 4% (1998)

Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

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

total population: 97%

male: 98%

female: 97.5% (2000)

Mongolia Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Mongolia

local long form: none

local short form: Mongol Uls

former: Outer Mongolia

Government type: parliamentary

Capital: Ulaanbaatar

Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag)
and 3 municipalities* (hotuud, singular - hot); Arhangay,
Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan*, Dornod, Dornogovi,
Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Erdenet*, Govi-Altay, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol,
Omnogovi, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

note: there may be a new province named Gobi-Sumber; further, there may now be 21 provinces and 1 capital city instead of 18 provinces and 3 municipalities

Independence: 11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday: Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution: 12 February 1992

Legal system: blend of Russian, Chinese, Turkish, and Western systems of law that combines aspects of a parliamentary system with some aspects of a presidential system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)

head of government: Prime Minister Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 26 July 2000)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation with the president

elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural; election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president; percent of vote - NA%; Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected prime minister by a vote in the State Great Hural of 68 to 3

Legislative branch: unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2004)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MPRP 72, other 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts, but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts for approval by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Citizens' Will Party or CWP (also
called Civil Will Party) [Sanjaasurengyn OYUN]; Democratic Party or
DP [D. DORLIGAN]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP
[Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian Democratic New Socialist Party or
MDNSP [B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B.
JARGALSAIHAN]

note: the MPRP is the ruling party

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ARF (dialogue partner),
AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CCC, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Jalbuugiyn CHOINHOR

chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: (202) 333-7117