FAX: (51) 2276427

FAX: (202) 387-0484

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
William B. MILAM

embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad

mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200

telephone: (51) 2080-0000

consulate(s) general: Karachi

consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar

Flag description: green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Pakistan Economy

Economy - overview: Pakistan is a poor, heavily populated country, suffering from internal political disputes, lack of foreign investment, and a costly confrontation with neighboring India. Pakistan's economic outlook continues to be marred by its weak foreign exchange position, which relies on international creditors for hard currency inflows. The MUSHARRAF government will face an estimated $21 billion in foreign debt coming due in 2000-03, despite having rescheduled nearly $2 billion in debt with Paris Club members. Foreign loans and grants provide approximately 25% of government revenue, but debt service obligations total nearly 50% of government expenditure. Although Pakistan successfully negotiated a $600 million IMF Stand-By Arrangement, future loan installments will be jeopardized if Pakistan misses critical IMF benchmarks on revenue collection and the fiscal deficit. MUSHARRAF has complied largely with IMF recommendations to raise petroleum prices, widen the tax net, privatize public sector assets, and improve the balance of trade. However, Pakistan's economic prospects remain uncertain; too little has changed despite the new administration's intentions. Foreign exchange reserves hover at roughly $1 billion, GDP growth hinges on crop performance, the import bill has been hammered by high oil prices, and both foreign and domestic investors remain wary of committing to projects in Pakistan.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $282 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.8% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25.4%

industry: 24.9%

services: 49.7% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1%

highest 10%: 27.7% (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.2% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 40 million

note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 44%, industry 17%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6% (FY99/00 est.)

Budget: revenues: $8.9 billion

expenditures: $11.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Industries: textiles, food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 62.078 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 63.38%

hydro: 36.51%

nuclear: 0.11%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 57.732 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs

Exports: $8.6 billion (f.o.b., FY99/00)

Exports - commodities: textiles (garments, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, other agricultural products

Exports - partners: US 24%, Hong Kong 7%, UK 7%, Germany 6%, UAE 6%
(FY99/00)

Imports: $9.6 billion (f.o.b., FY99/00)

Imports - commodities: machinery, petroleum, petroleum products, chemicals, transportation equipment, edible oils, grains, pulses, flour

Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 8%, UAE 8%, US 6%, Japan 6%,
Malaysia 4% (FY99/00)

Debt - external: $38 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $2 billion (FY99/00)

Currency: Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Currency code: PKR

Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 59.152 (January 2001), 52.814 (2000), 49.118 (1999), 44.943 (1998), 40.918 (1997), 35.909 (1996)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Pakistan Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 2.861 million (March 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 158,000 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in part because major businesses have established their own private systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the national telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily available to the majority of the rural population

domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks

international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Radios: 13.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code: .pk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 30 (2000)

Internet users: 1.2 million (2000)

Pakistan Transportation

Railways: total: 8,163 km

broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified; 1,037 km double track)

narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (1996 est.) (2000)

Highways: total: 247,811 km

paved: 141,252 km (including 339 km of expressways)

unpaved: 106,559 km (1998)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 885 km; natural gas 4,044 km (1987)

Ports and harbors: Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Merchant marine: total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 240,605 GRT/367,040 DWT

ships by type: cargo 13, container 3, petroleum tanker 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: 117 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 82

over 3,047 m: 12

2,438 to 3,047 m: 21

1,524 to 2,437 m: 32

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 17 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 8 (2000 est.)

Pakistan Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces,
National Guard

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 35,770,928 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 21,897,366 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,657,723 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.435 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.9% (FY99/00)

Pakistan Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: status of Kashmir with India; water-sharing problems with India over the Indus River (Wular Barrage)

Illicit drugs: key transit area for Southwest Asian heroin moving to
Western markets; narcotics still move from Afghanistan into
Balochistan Province

@Palau

Palau Introduction

Background: After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands opted for independent status in 1978 rather than join the Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered into force the following year when the islands gained their independence.

Palau Geography

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 7 30 N, 134 30 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 458 sq km

land: 458 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,519 km

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

exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM

extended fishing zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid

Terrain: varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Ngerchelchauus 242 m

Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Land use: arable land: NA%

permanent crops: NA%

permanent pastures: NA%

forests and woodland: NA%

other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues: inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain

Palau People

Population: 19,092 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.88% (male 2,641; female 2,491)

15-64 years: 68.46% (male 7,128; female 5,943)

65 years and over: 4.66% (male 420; female 469) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.69% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 19.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 7.23 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.89 years

male: 65.77 years

female: 72.19 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.47 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: Palauan(s)

adjective: Palauan

Ethnic groups: Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70%, Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.)

Religions: Christian (Catholics, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's
Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission, and
Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the population
observes this religion which is indigenous to Palau)

Languages: English and Palauan official in all states except
Sonsoral (Sonsorolese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and
English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are
official)

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

total population: 92%

male: 93%

female: 90% (1980 est.)

Palau Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Palau

conventional short form: Palau

local long form: Beluu er a Belau

local short form: Belau

former: Palau District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Capital: Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror

Administrative divisions: 18 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur,
Hatobohei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong,
Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Palau Island,
Peleliu, Sonsoral, Tobi

Independence: 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN
Trusteeship)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Constitution: 1 January 1981

Legal system: based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and Vice President Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and Vice President Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet

elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)

election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU Jr. elected president; percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU Jr. 53%, Peter SUGIYAMA 46%; Sandra PIERANTOZZI elected vice president; percent of vote - Sandra PIERANTOZZI 52%, Alan SEID 45%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the Senate (16 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004); House of Delegates - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; House of Delegates - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Political parties and leaders: Palau Nationalist Party [Johnson
TORIBIONG]; Ta Belau Party [Kuniwo NAKAMURA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Hersey KYOTA

chancery: 1150 18th Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: (202) 452-6814