FAX: (2) 254-1171

FAX: (202) 944-3611

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Richard E. HECKLINGER

embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok

mailing address: APO AP 96546

telephone: (2) 205-4000

consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Flag description: five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red

Thailand Economy

Economy - overview: After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 - averaging almost 9% annually - increased speculative pressure on Thailand's currency in 1997 led to a crisis that uncovered financial sector weaknesses and forced the government to float the baht. Long pegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached its lowest point of 56 to the dollar in January 1998 and the economy contracted by 10.2% that same year. Thailand entered a recovery stage in 1999, expanding 4.2% and grew about the same amount in 2000, largely due to strong exports - which increased about 20% in 2000. An ailing financial sector and the slow pace of corporate debt restructuring, combined with a softening of global demand, is likely to slow growth in 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $413 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13%

industry: 40%

services: 47% (1999)

Population below poverty line: 12.5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 37.1% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 32.6 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry 15%, services 31% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 3.7% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $19 billion

expenditures: $21 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism; textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing, such as jewelry; electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics; world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer

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

Electricity - production: 89.431 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.17%

hydro: 3.81%

nuclear: 0%

other: 5.02% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 83.991 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 200 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 1.02 billion kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Exports: $68.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: computers and parts, textiles, integrated circuits, rice

Exports - partners: US 22%, Japan 14%, Singapore 9%, Hong Kong 5%,
Netherlands 4%, Malaysia 4%, UK 4% (1999)

Imports: $61.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

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

Imports - partners: Japan 26%, US 14%, Singapore 6%, China 5%,
Malaysia 5%, Taiwan 5% (1999)

Debt - external: $90 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $131.5 million (1998 est.)

Currency: baht (THB)

Currency code: THB

Exchange rates: baht per US dollar - 43.078 (January 2001), 40.112 (2000), 37.814 (1999), 41.359 (1998), 31.364 (1997), 25.343 (1996)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Thailand Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 5.4 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.3 million (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network

domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed

international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios: 13.96 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 15.19 million (1997)

Internet country code: .th

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 15 (2000)

Internet users: 1 million (2000)

Thailand Transportation

Railways: total: 3,940 km

narrow gauge: 3,940 km 1.000-m gauge (99 km double track)

Highways: total: 64,600 km

paved: 62,985 km

unpaved: 1,615 km (1996)

Waterways: 4,000 km

note: 3,701 km are navigable throughout the year by boats with drafts up to 0.9 meters; numerous minor waterways serve shallow-draft native craft

Pipelines: petroleum products 67 km; natural gas 350 km

Ports and harbors: Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip,
Si Racha, Songkhla

Merchant marine: total: 294 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,845,972 GRT/2,923,914 DWT

ships by type: bulk 36, cargo 133, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 14, liquefied gas 20, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 61, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 5 (2000 est.)

Airports: 110 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 59

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 11

1,524 to 2,437 m: 21

914 to 1,523 m: 17

under 914 m: 4 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 51

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 16

under 914 m: 34 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2000 est.)

Thailand Military

Military branches: Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal
Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force, Paramilitary Forces

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 17,717,268 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 10,646,818 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 567,659 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.775 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY00)

Thailand Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: parts of the border with Laos are indefinite; parts of border with Cambodia are indefinite; sporadic border hostilities with Burma over border alignment and ethnic Shan rebels operating in cross-border region

Illicit drugs: a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transit point for heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in amphetamine production for regional consumption; increasing indigenous abuse of methamphetamine

@Togo

Togo Introduction

Background: French Togoland became Togo in 1960. General Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections that resulted in EYADEMA's victory in 1993, the government continues to be dominated by the military. In addition, Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. Most bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen.

Togo Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between
Benin and Ghana

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 1 10 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 56,785 sq km

land: 54,385 sq km

water: 2,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,647 km

border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Coastline: 56 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 30 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain: gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Natural resources: phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Land use: arable land: 38%

permanent crops: 7%

permanent pastures: 4%

forests and woodland: 17%

other: 34% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 70 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Togo People

Population: 5,153,088

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.63% (male 1,179,650; female 1,171,748)

15-64 years: 51.92% (male 1,302,197; female 1,373,247)

65 years and over: 2.45% (male 54,651; female 71,595) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.6% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 37.04 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 11.24 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

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

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

Infant mortality rate: 70.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.35 years

male: 52.38 years

female: 56.38 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.32 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5.98% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 130,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 14,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Togolese (singular and plural)

adjective: Togolese

Ethnic groups: native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 59%, Christian 29%, Muslim 12%

Languages: French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)

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

total population: 51.7%

male: 67%

female: 37% (1995 est.)

Togo Government

Country name: conventional long form: Togolese Republic

conventional short form: Togo

local long form: Republique Togolaise

local short form: none

former: French Togoland

Government type: republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Capital: Lome

Administrative divisions: 5 regions (regions, singular - region); De
La Kara, Des Plateaux, Des Savanes, Du Centre, Maritime

Independence: 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Constitution: multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Legal system: French-based court system

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14 April 1967)

head of government: Prime Minister Agbeyome KODJO (since 29 August 2000)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1998 (next to be held NA 2003); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent of vote - Gnassingbe EYADEMA 52.13%, Gilchrist OLYMPIO 34.12%, other 13.75%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next due to be held NA October 2001)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPT 79, independents 2

note: Togo's main opposition parties boycotted the election because of EYADEMA's alleged manipulation of 1998 presidential polling; in March of 1999, opposition parties entered into negotiations with the president over the establishment of an independent electoral commission and a new round of legislative elections, now scheduled for October 2001

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or
Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Action Committee for Renewal or CAR
[Yawovi AGBOYIBO]; Coordination des Forces Nouvelles or CFN [Joseph
KOFFIGOH]; Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA [Leopold
GNININVI]; Party for Democracy and Renewal or PDR [Zarifou AYEVA];
Patriotic Pan-African Convergence or CPP [Edem KODJO]; Rally of the
Togolese People or RPT [President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA]; Union of
Forces for Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO (in exile), Jeane-Pierre
FABRE, general secretary in Togo]; Union of Independent Liberals or
ULI [Jacques AMOUZO]

note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President EYADEMA, was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was legalized 12 April 1991

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB,
WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Akoussoulelov BODJONA

chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 234-4212