FAX: (2) 522-4361

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star

Philippines Economy

Economy - overview: In 1998 the Philippine economy - a mixture of agriculture, light industry, and supporting services - deteriorated as a result of spillover from the Asian financial crisis and poor weather conditions. Growth fell to about -0.5% in 1998 from 5% in 1997, but recovered to about 3% in 1999 and 3.6% in 2000. The government has promised to continue its economic reforms to help the Philippines match the pace of development in the newly industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, moving toward further deregulation and privatization of the economy, and increasing trade integration with the region.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $310 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.6% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20%

industry: 32%

services: 48% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: 41% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.5%

highest 10%: 39.3% (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 48.1 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 39.8%, government and social services 19.4%, services 17.7%, manufacturing 9.8%, construction 5.8%, other 7.5% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (2000)

Budget: revenues: $14.5 billion

expenditures: $12.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 40.745 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.03%

hydro: 18.68%

nuclear: 0%

other: 20.29% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 37.893 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish

Exports: $38 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments, coconut products

Exports - partners: US 34%, Japan 14%, Netherlands 8%, Singapore 6%,
UK 6%, Hong Kong 4% (1998)

Imports: $35 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, consumer goods, fuels

Imports - partners: US 22%, Japan 20%, South Korea 8%, Singapore 6%,
Taiwan 5%, Hong Kong 4% (1998 est.)

Debt - external: $52 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $1.1 billion (1998)

Currency: Philippine peso (PHP)

Currency code: PHP

Exchange rates: Philippine pesos per US dollar - 50.969 (January 2001), 44.192 (2000), 39.089 (1999), 40.893 (1998), 29.471 (1997), 26.216 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Philippines Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.9 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.959 million (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate

domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations

international: 9 international gateways; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan

Radio broadcast stations: AM 366, FM 290, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios: 11.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 31 (1997)

Televisions: 3.7 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ph

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 33 (2000)

Internet users: 500,000 (2000)

Philippines Transportation

Railways: total: 492 km (an additional 405 km are not in operation)

narrow gauge: 492 km 1.067-m gauge (1996)

Highways: total: 199,950 km

paved: 39,590 km

unpaved: 160,360 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 3,219 km

note: limited to vessels with a draft of less than 1.5 m

Pipelines: petroleum products 357 km

Ports and harbors: Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras
Island, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto
Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga

Merchant marine: total: 459 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,653,062 GRT/8,512,326 DWT

ships by type: bulk 149, cargo 123, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 10, container 5, liquefied gas 13, livestock carrier 10, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 42, refrigerated cargo 21, roll on/roll off 17, short-sea passenger 31, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 16

note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Hong Kong 5, Japan 14, Netherlands 1, Singapore 1, UK 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: 288 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 76

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 28

914 to 1,523 m: 28

under 914 m: 11 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 212

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 81

under 914 m: 129 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2000 est.)

Philippines Military

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard and Marine
Corps), Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 21,220,191 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 14,942,363 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 848,181 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $995 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY98)

Philippines Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: involved in a complex dispute over the
Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly
Brunei; claim to Malaysia's Sabah State has not been fully revoked

Illicit drugs: exports locally produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin and crystal methamphetamine

@Pitcairn Islands

Pitcairn Islands Introduction

Background: Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to about 50 today.

Pitcairn Islands Geography

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Peru to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 06 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 47 sq km

land: 47 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 51 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical, hot, humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain: rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Natural resources: miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish

note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore

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 (especially November to March)

Environment - current issues: deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Pitcairn Islands People

Population: 47 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA%

15-64 years: NA%

65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: -2.08% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years

male: NA years

female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)

adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their
Tahitian wives

Religions: Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Languages: English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Pitcairn Islands Government

Country name: conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands

conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: Adamstown

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in
June (1926)

Constitution: 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Legal system: local island by-laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Martin WILLIAMS (since NA May 1998); Commissioner (nonresident) Leon SALT (since NA; is the liaison person between the governor and the Island Council)

head of government: Island Magistrate and Chairman of the Island Council Jay WARREN (since NA)

cabinet: NA

elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island magistrate elected every three years in December by popular vote for a three-year term; last election held NA December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2002)

election results: Lea BROWN elected island magistrate; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 6 elected by popular vote, 1 appointed by the 6 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor, and 1 seat for the Island Secretary; members serve one-year terms)

elections: take place each December; last held NA December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2001)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Judicial branch: Island Court (island magistrate presides over the court and is elected every three years)

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the
UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor

Pitcairn Islands Economy

Economy - overview: The inhabitants of this tiny economy exist on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA

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: 12 able-bodied men (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $729,884

expenditures: $878,119, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)

Industries: postage stamps, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered generator

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: wide variety of fruits and vegetables, goats, chickens

Exports: $NA

Exports - commodities: fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Exports - partners: NA

Imports: $NA

Imports - commodities: fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs

Imports - partners: NA

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code: NZD

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.2502 (January 2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Pitcairn Islands Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line) (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: only party line telephone service is available for this small, closely related community

domestic: party line service only

international: radiotelephone

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .pn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Pitcairn Islands Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 6.4 km

paved: 0 km

unpaved: 6.4 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Bounty Bay

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)

Airports: none

Pitcairn Islands Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Pitcairn Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

@Poland

Poland Introduction

Background: Poland gained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite country following the war, but one that was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, boosting hopes for acceptance to the EU. Poland joined the NATO alliance in 1999.

Poland Geography

Location: Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 312,685 sq km

land: 304,465 sq km

water: 8,220 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,888 km

border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 428 km

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers

Terrain: mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Raczki Elblaskie -2 m

highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, arable land

Land use: arable land: 47%

permanent crops: 1%

permanent pastures: 13%

forests and woodland: 29%

other: 10% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by postcommunist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

Poland People

Population: 38,633,912 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.39% (male 3,640,451; female 3,463,604)

15-64 years: 69.17% (male 13,288,471; female 13,434,753)

65 years and over: 12.44% (male 1,836,816; female 2,969,817) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.03% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 10.2 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 9.98 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

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

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.42 years

male: 69.26 years

female: 77.82 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.37 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Pole(s)

adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups: Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%,
Byelorussian 0.5% (1990 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern
Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%

Languages: Polish

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

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 98% (1978 est.)

Poland Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Poland

conventional short form: Poland

local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska

local short form: Polska

Government type: republic

Capital: Warsaw

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular -
wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie,
Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie,
Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie,
Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie

Independence: 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Constitution: 16 October 1997; adopted by the National Assembly 2
April 1997; passed by national referendum 23 May 1997

Legal system: mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts although under the new constitution, the Constitutional Tribunal ruling will become final as of October 1999; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995)

head of government: Prime Minister Jerzy BUZEK - Solidarity
Electoral Union - (since 31 October 1997), Deputy Prime Ministers
Janusz STEINHOFF (since 12 June 2000), Longin KOMOLOWSKI (since 19
October 1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm

election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president; percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzj OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe consists of the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) and the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms)

elections: Sejm elections last held 21 September 1997 (next to be held by NA September 2001); Senate - last held 21 September 1997 (next to be held by NA September 2001)

election results: Sejm - percent of vote by party - AWS 33.8%, SLD 27.1%, UW 13.4%, PSL 7.3%, ROP 5.6%, MNSO 0.4%, other 12.4%; seats by party - AWS 201, SLD 164, UW 60, PSL 27, ROP 6, MNSO 2; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - AWS 51, SLD 28, UW 8, ROP 5, PSL 3, independents 5; note - seats by party in the Sejm as of February 2001: AWS 175, SLD 161, UW 49, PSL 26, PP 6, KdP 7, ROP-PC 4, independents 31, one seat vacant

note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders: Coalition for Poland or KdP [first
name unknown GRABOWSKI]; Confederation for an Independent
Poland-Patriotic Camp or KPN-OP (KPN-Fatherland or KPN-O is a small
group within the KPN-OP) [Michal JANISZEWSKI]; Democratic Left
Alliance or SLD (Social Democracy of Poland) [Leszek MILLER];
Freedom Union or UW [Bronislaw GEREMEK]; German Minority of Lower
Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Movement for the Reconstruction of
Poland or ROP-PC [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan
LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Jaroslaw KALINOWSKI];
Polish Socialist Party or PPS [Piotr IKONOWICZ]; Solidarity
Electoral Action or AWS (includes RS-AWS and Solidarity) [Marian
KRZAKLEWSKI]; Social Movement-Solidarity Electoral Action or RS-AWS
[Jerzy BUZEK]

Political pressure groups and leaders: All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union); Roman Catholic Church; Solidarity (trade union)

International organization participation: ACCT (observer), Australia
Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP,
UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI

chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: (202) 234-3800 through 3802