FAX: (202) 667-2406

Diplomatic representation from the US: US officials at the US Embassy in Khartoum were moved for security reasons in February 1996 and have been relocated to the US Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Cairo, Egypt, from where they make periodic visits to Khartoum; the US Embassy in Khartoum is located on Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue; mailing address - P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829; telephone - (11) 774611 or 774700; FAX - (11) 774137; the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya is located in the Interim Office Building on Mombasa Road, Nairobi; mailing address - P. O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831; telephone - (2) 751613; FAX - (2) 743204; the US Embassy in Cairo, Egypt is located at (North Gate) 8, Kamel El-Din Salah Street, Garden City, Cairo; mailing address - Unit 64900, APO AE 09839-4900; telephone - (2) 3557371; FAX - (2) 3573200

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Sudan Economy

Economy - overview: Sudan is buffeted by civil war, chronic instability, adverse weather, weak world agricultural prices, a drop in remittances from abroad, and counterproductive economic policies. The private sector's main areas of activity are agriculture (which employs 80% of the work force), trading, and light industry which is mostly processing of agricultural goods. Most of the 1990s were characterized by sluggish economic growth as the IMF suspended lending, declared Sudan a non-cooperative state, and threatened to expel Sudan from the IMF. Starting in 1997, Sudan began implementing IMF macroeconomic reforms which have successfully stabilized inflation at 10% or less. Sudan continues to have limited international credit resources as over 75% of Sudan's debt of $24.9 billion is in arrears and Khartoum's continued prosecution of the civil war works to isolate Sudan. In 1999, Sudan began exporting oil and in 1999-2000 had recorded its first trade surpluses. Current oil production stands at 185,000 barrels per day, of which about 70% is exported and the rest refined for domestic consumption. Despite its many infrastructure problems, Sudan's increased oil production, the return of regular rainfall, and recent investments in irrigation schemes should allow the country to achieve economic growth of 6% in 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $35.7 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39%

industry: 17%

services: 44% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 11 million (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 10%, government 6%, unemployed 4% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.2 billion

expenditures: $1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments

Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.76 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 42.05%

hydro: 57.95%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 1.637 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, cassara, mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: oil and petroleum products, cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar

Exports - partners: Saudi Arabia 16%, Italy 10%, Germany 5%, France 3%, Thailand 3% (1999)

Imports: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles

Imports - partners: China 14.7%, Libya 14.7%, Saudi Arabia 8.9%, UK 8.7%, France 6.7% (1999)

Debt - external: $24.9 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $187 million (1997)

Currency: Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Currency code: SDD

Exchange rates: Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 257.44 (January 2001), 257.12 (2000), 252.55 (1999), 200.80 (1998), 157.57 (1997), 125.08 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Sudan Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 400,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 20,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially

domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations

international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 7.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)

Televisions: 2.38 million (1997)

Internet country code: .sd

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 10,000 (2000)

Sudan Transportation

Railways: total: 5,311 km

narrow gauge: 4,595 km 1.067-m gauge; 716 km 1.6096-m gauge plantation line

note: the main line linking Khartoum to Port Sudan carries over two-thirds of Sudan's rail traffic

Highways: total: 11,900 km

paved: 4,320 km

unpaved: 7,580 km (1996)

Waterways: 5,310 km

Pipelines: refined products 815 km

Ports and harbors: Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port
Sudan, Sawakin

Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 38,093
GRT/49,727 DWT

ships by type: cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.)

Airports: 61 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 12

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 49

1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 9 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2000 est.)

Sudan Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force
Militia

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 8,436,732 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,194,862 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 398,294 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $550 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Sudan Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: administrative boundary with Kenya does not coincide with international boundary; Egypt asserts its claim to the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km under partial Sudanese administration that is defined by an administrative boundary which supersedes the treaty boundary of 1899

@Suriname

Suriname Introduction

Background: Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally brought about a democratic election. In 1989, the military overthrew the civilian government, but a democratically elected government returned to power in 1991.

Suriname Geography

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic
Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 163,270 sq km

land: 161,470 sq km

water: 1,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,707 km

border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m

highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 0%

forests and woodland: 96%

other: 4% (1993 est.)

note: there are 94,927 hectares of arable land, 7,195 hectares of permanent crops, and 15,000 hectares of permanent pastures

Irrigated land: 600 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population, most of which lives along the coast

Suriname People

Population: 433,998 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.62% (male 70,314; female 66,924)

15-64 years: 62.71% (male 138,969; female 133,193)

65 years and over: 5.67% (male 11,194; female 13,404) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.6% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 20.53 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.87 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: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.63 years

male: 68.97 years

female: 74.42 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.26% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 210 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Surinamer(s)

adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups: Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%,
Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%

Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

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

total population: 93%

male: 95%

female: 91% (1995 est.)

Suriname Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Suriname

conventional short form: Suriname

local long form: Republiek Suriname

local short form: Suriname

former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital: Paramaribo

Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system: based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald
VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar
AJODHIA (since 12 August 2000); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate receives a constitutional majority vote in the National Assembly after two votes, by the larger People's Assembly (869 representatives from the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms; election last held 6 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)

note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the calling of elections a year early

election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN elected president; percent of legislative vote - 72.5; National Assembly elected the president - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (New Front) 37 votes, Rashied DOEKHIE (NDP) 10 votes

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NF 33, MC 10, DNP 2000 3, DA '91 2, PVF 2, PALU 1

note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the calling of elections a year early

Judicial branch: Court of Justice (justices are nominated for life)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Alternative '91 or DA '91
(a coalition of the Alternative Forum or AF and Party for
Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP, formed in January 1991)
[S. RAMKHELAWAN]; Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP 2000
(coalition of two parties, Democratic Party and Democrats of the
21st Century) [Jules WIJDENBOSCH]; Independent Progressive
Democratic Alternative or OPDA [Joginder RAMKHILAWAN]; Millennium
Combination or MC (a coalition of three parties, Democratic
Alternative, Party for National Unity and Solidarity, and National
Democratic Party) [leader NA]; National Democratic Party or NDP
[Desire BOUTERSE]; Naya Kadam or NK [leader NA]; Party for Renewal
and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN]; Party of National Unity and
Solidarity or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA]; Pertjaja Luhur [Paul
SOMOHARDJO]; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers' Union or PALU
[Ir Iwan KROLIS]; The New Front or NF (a coalition of four parties
Suriname National Party or NPS, Progressive Reform Party or VHP,
Suriname Labor Party or SPA, and Pertjaja Luhur) [Ronald R.
VENETIAAN]; The Progressive Development Alliance (a combination of
three parties, Renewed Progressive Party or HPP, Party of the
Federation of Land Workers or PVF, and Suriname Progressive People's
Party or PSV) [Harry KISOENSINGH]

Political pressure groups and leaders: General Liberation and
Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; Mandela Bushnegro
Liberation Movement [Leendert ADAMS]; Tucayana Amazonica [Alex
JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO]; Union for Liberation and Democracy [Kofi
AFONGPONG]

International organization participation: ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS,
OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO

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

chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 244-7488