FAX: 488 4298

FAX: (202) 237-0061

consulate(s) general: Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Elizabeth Davenport MCKUNE

embassy: 22 February Road, Doha

mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha

telephone: 488 4101

note: workweek is Saturday-Wednesday

Flag description: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side

Qatar Economy

Economy - overview: Oil accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 66% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore petroleum and the diversification of the economy. In 2000, Qatar posted its highest ever trade surplus of $6 billion, due mainly to high oil prices and increased natural gas exports.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $15.1 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,300 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1%

industry: 49%

services: 50% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2000)

Labor force: 233,000 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $3.9 billion

expenditures: $4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 9 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%

hydro: 0%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 8.37 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Exports: $9.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners: Japan 52%, Singapore 9%, South Korea 8%, US, UAE (1998)

Imports: $3.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners: UK 10%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, US 6%, Italy 6% (1998)

Debt - external: $13.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Qatari rial (QAR)

Currency code: QAR

Exchange rates: Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.6400 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Qatar Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 142,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 43,476 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system centered in Doha

domestic: NA

international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 256,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus three repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 230,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .qa

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 45,000 (2000)

Qatar Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,230 km

paved: 1,107 km

unpaved: 123 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km

Ports and harbors: Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id)

Merchant marine: total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 677,992 GRT/1,049,447 DWT

ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 6 (2000 est.)

Airports: 4 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2

over 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2000 est.)

Qatar Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 312,116

note: includes non-nationals (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 163,642 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 6,797 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $723 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 10% (FY00/01)

Qatar Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: in March of 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar Islands to Bahrain and adjusted its maritime boundary with Qatar; a final border resolution was agreed to with Saudi Arabia in March of 2001

@Reunion

Reunion Introduction

Background: The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route.

Reunion Geography

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 21 06 S, 55 36 E

Map references: World

Area: total: 2,512 sq km

land: 2,502 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 207 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m

Natural resources: fish, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 17%

permanent crops: 2%

permanent pastures: 5%

forests and woodland: 35%

other: 41% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April);
Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Environment - current issues: NA

Reunion People

Population: 732,570 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.07% (male 120,259; female 114,669)

15-64 years: 62.25% (male 224,347; female 231,698)

65 years and over: 5.68% (male 16,892; female 24,705) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.57% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 21.26 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 5.52 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: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.93 years

male: 69.53 years

female: 76.49 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.58 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: Reunionese (singular and plural)

adjective: Reunionese

Ethnic groups: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Religions: Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)

Languages: French (official), Creole widely used

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

total population: 79%

male: 76%

female: 80% (1982 est.)

Reunion Government

Country name: conventional long form: Department of Reunion

conventional short form: Reunion

local long form: none

local short form: Ile de la Reunion

former: Bourbon Island

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Saint-Denis

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Robert POMMIES (since NA 1996)

head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)

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 the Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council (47 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections: General Council - last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA 2000); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 12, PS 12, UDF 11, RPR 5, others 7; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 7, UDF 8, PS 6, RPR 4, various right-wing candidates 15, various left-wing candidates 5

note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate; elections last held 14 April 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1, PCR 2; Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May and 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 3, PS 1, and RPR-UDF 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Reunion or PCR
[Paul VERGES]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice
PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for
French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert GERARD]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: FZ, InOC, WFTU

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

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

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Reunion Economy

Economy - overview: The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to more than 40% of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.4 billion (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.8% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,800 (1998 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: 261,000 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 42.8% (1998)

Budget: revenues: NA

expenditures: NA

Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.1 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 54.55%

hydro: 45.45%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 1.023 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn

Exports: $214 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities: sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993)

Exports - partners: France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (1994)

Imports: $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products

Imports - partners: France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (1994)

Debt - external: $NA

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

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

Currency code: FRF; EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.06594 (January 2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Reunion Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 236,500 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 85,000 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis

domestic: modern open wire and microwave radio relay network

international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 173,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 22 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 127,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .re

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 10,000 (2000)

Reunion Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,724 km

paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane road)

unpaved: 1,424 km

note: 370 km of road are maintained by national authorities, 754 km by departmental authorities and 1600 km by local authorities (1994)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Le Port, Pointe des Galets

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,264
GRT/44,885 DWT

ships by type: chemical tanker 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

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

Reunion Military

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

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 190,846 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 97,497 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 6,243 (2001 est.)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Reunion Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

@Romania

Romania Introduction

Background: Soviet occupation following World War II led to the formation of a communist "peoples republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of President Nicolae CEAUSESCU became increasingly draconian through the 1980s. He was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Much economic restructuring remains to be carried out before Romania can achieve its hope of joining the EU.

Romania Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
Bulgaria and Ukraine

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 237,500 sq km

land: 230,340 sq km

water: 7,160 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 2,508 km

border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Yugoslavia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km

Coastline: 225 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

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

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Terrain: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Natural resources: petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 41%

permanent crops: 3%

permanent pastures: 21%

forests and woodland: 29%

other: 6% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 31,020 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides

Environment - current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands

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

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

Romania People

Population: 22,364,022 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.95% (male 2,054,323; female 1,959,196)

15-64 years: 68.51% (male 7,605,751; female 7,715,434)

65 years and over: 13.54% (male 1,255,880; female 1,773,438) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.21% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 10.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 12.28 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.6 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: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 19.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.16 years

male: 66.36 years

female: 74.19 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.35 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 350 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Romanian(s)

adjective: Romanian

Ethnic groups: Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 7.1%, Roma 1.8%, German 0.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, other 0.8% (1992)

Religions: Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 3%, Uniate Catholic 3%, Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%

Languages: Romanian, Hungarian, German

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

total population: 97%

male: 98%

female: 95% (1992 est.)

Romania Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Romania

local long form: none

local short form: Romania

Government type: republic

Capital: Bucharest

Administrative divisions: 40 counties (judete, singular - judet) and
1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor,
Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau,
Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj,
Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi,
Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,
Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Independence: 1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)

National holiday: Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1
December (1918)

Constitution: 8 December 1991

Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20
December 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Adrian NASTASE (since 29 December 2000)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 November 2000, with runoff between the top two candidates held 10 December 2000 (next to be held NA November/December 2004); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: percent of vote - Ion ILIESCU 66.84%, Corneliu Vadim TUDOR 33.16%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (140 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (345 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDSR 37.1%, PRM 21.0%, PD 7.6%, PNL 7.5%, UDMR 6.9%; seats by party - PDSR 65, PRM 37, PD 13, PNL 13, UDMR 12; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PDSR 36.6%, PRM 19.5%, PD 7.0%, PNL, 6.9%, UDMR 6.8%; seats by party - PDSR 155, PRM 84, PD 31, PNL 30, UDMR 27, ethnic minorities 18

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or PD [Petre ROMAN];
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO];
National Liberal Party or PNL [Mircea IONESCU-QUINTUS]; Party of
Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR [Adrian NASTASE]; Romania Mare
Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; The
Democratic Convention or CDR [Ion DIACONESCU]

Political pressure groups and leaders: various human rights and professional associations

International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group,
BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA
(observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE,
PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO,
ZC

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

chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851