FAX: (4) 796487 (part 2)

Christmas Island:
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the
island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888.
Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty
to Australia in 1958. The phosphate mine, closed in 1987, was
reopened four years later, but the need for an alternative industry
has spurred investment in tourism. Old mining areas are being
restored, and almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a
national park.

Clipperton Island:
This isolated island was named for John
CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th
century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897.
Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took
possession in 1935.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
The islands were discovered in 1609, but
remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in
1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955.
The population on the two inhabited islands is split between the
mostly Europeans on West Island and the Malays on Home Island.

Colombia:
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from
the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and
Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian
Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds
from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large
swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the
movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to
overthrow the government. While Bogota continues to try to negotiate
a settlement, neighboring countries worry about the violence
spilling over their borders.

Comoros:
Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups
since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands
of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In
1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He has pledged to
resolve the secessionist crisis through the 2000 Fomboni Accord, a
confederal arrangement that the Organization of African Unity has
yet to recognize.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the:
Since 1994 the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly called Zaire) has been rent by
ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of
refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. The government of
former president MOBUTU Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led by
Laurent KABILA in May 1997; his regime was subsequently challenged
by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from
Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the
Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999, but
sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated in January 2001
and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state. The new president
quickly began overtures to end the war.

Congo, Republic of the:
Upon independence in 1960, the former French
region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter
century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil
war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO.

Cook Islands:
Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770,
the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900,
administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965
residents chose self-government in free association with New
Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and
government deficits are continuing problems.

Coral Sea Islands:
Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers
of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of
Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small
meteorological staff on Willis Island. Automated weather stations,
beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.

Costa Rica:
Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since
the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have
marred its democratic development. Although still a largely
agricultural country, it has achieved a relatively high standard of
living. Land ownership is widespread. Tourism is a rapidly expanding
industry.

Cote d'Ivoire:
Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the
development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment
made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical
African states. Falling cocoa prices and political turmoil, however,
sparked an economic downturn in 1999 and 2000. On 25 December 1999,
a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history -
overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan BEDIE.
Presidential and legislative elections held in October and December
2000 provoked violence due to the exclusion of opposition leader
Alassane OUATTARA. In October 2000, Laurent GBAGBO replaced junta
leader Robert GUEI as president, ending 10 months of military rule.

Croatia:
In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom
known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia
became an independent communist state under the strong hand of
Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from
Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often
bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared
from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision the last Serb-held enclave
in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998.

Cuba:
Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron
rule has held the country together since. Cuba's communist
revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin
America and Africa during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. The country is
now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990,
following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4
billion to $6 billion annually. Havana portrays its difficulties as
the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration
to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, or falsified
visas - is a continuing problem. Some 3,000 Cubans took to the
Straits of Florida in 2000; the US Coast Guard interdicted only
about 35% of these.

Cyprus:
Independence from the UK was approved in 1960 with
constitutional guarantees by the Greek Cypriot majority to the
Turkish Cypriot minority. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to
seize the government was met by military intervention from Turkey,
which soon controlled almost 40% of the island. In 1983, the
Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus", but it is recognized only by Turkey. UN-led talks on the
status of Cyprus resumed in December 1999 to prepare the ground for
meaningful negotiations leading to a comprehensive settlement.

Czech Republic:
After World War II, Czechoslovakia fell within the
Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact
troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize
party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet
demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh
repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989,
Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet
Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet
divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and
Slovakia. Now a member of NATO, the Czech Republic has moved toward
integration in world markets, a development that poses both
opportunities and risks.

Denmark:
Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north
European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation
that is participating in the political and economic integration of
Europe. So far, however, the country has opted out of some aspects
of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the economic
and monetary system (EMU) and issues concerning certain internal
affairs.

Djibouti:
The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became
Djibouti in 1977. A peace accord in 1994 ended a three-year uprising
by Afars rebels.

Dominica:
Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be
colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the
native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763,
which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after
independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and
tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia
CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who
remained in office for 15 years.

Dominican Republic:
A legacy of unsettled, mostly
non-representative, rule for much of the 20th century was brought to
an end in 1996 when free and open elections ushered in a new
government.

Ecuador:
The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries
that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others
being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border
war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.

Egypt:
Nominally independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired
full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan
High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the
time-honored place of the Nile river in the agriculture and ecology
of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab
world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue
to overtax resources and stress society. The government has
struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium through
economic reform and massive investment in communications and
physical infrastructure.

El Salvador:
El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821
and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil
war, which cost the lives of some 75,000 people, was brought to a
close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty
that provided for military and political reforms.

Equatorial Guinea:
Composed of a mainland portion and five inhabited
islands, Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by ruthless leaders who
have badly mismanaged the economy since independence from 190 years
of Spanish rule in 1968. Although nominally a constitutional
democracy since 1991, the 1996 presidential and 1999 legislative
elections were widely seen as being flawed.

Eritrea:
Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a
federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years
later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991
with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was
overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two and a half year
border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN
auspices on 12 December 2000.

Estonia:
After centuries of Swedish and Russian rule, Estonia
attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR
in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the
Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia
has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western
Europe.

Ethiopia:
Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian
monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception
being the Italian occupation of 1936-41. In 1974 a military junta,
the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930)
and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings,
wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was
finally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian
People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. A
constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty
elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with
Eritrea that ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000 has
strengthened the ruling coalition, but has hurt the nation's economy.

Europa Island:
A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily
wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a
weather station.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas):
Although first sighted by an
English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur
until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement
(French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over
to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject
of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then
between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the
islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina
invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an
expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce
fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.

Faroe Islands:
The population of the Faroe Islands is largely
descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The
islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th
century. A high degree of self-government was attained in 1948.

Fiji:
Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a
British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military
coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as
dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers
brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990
constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to
heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic
difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority.
Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable.
Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by
an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May of 2000 ushered in a prolonged
period of political turmoil. New elections are scheduled for August
2001.

Finland:
Ruled by Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and by
Russia from 1809, Finland finally won its independence in 1917.
During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom
and fend off invasions by the Soviet Union and Germany. In the
subsequent half century, the Finns have made a remarkable
transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern
industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western
Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only
Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January
1999.

France:
Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
Europe, including the advent of the euro in January 1999. Presently,
France is at the forefront of European states seeking to exploit the
momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a more unified
and capable European defense and security apparatus.

French Guiana:
First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana
was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European
Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.

French Polynesia:
The French annexed various Polynesian island
groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up
widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll
after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January
1996.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands:
The Southern Lands consist of
two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic
islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent
inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native
fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice
of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in
1840.

Gabon:
Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France
in 1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution
in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral
process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small
population, abundant natural resources, and foreign private
investment have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black
African countries.

Gambia, The:
The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965;
it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal
between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship
and cooperation treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the
president and banned political activity, but a new 1996 constitution
and presidential elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in
1997, have completed a nominal return to civilian rule.

Gaza Strip:
The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13
September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding
five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain
powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which
includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January
1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for
the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4
May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and
in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28
September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997
Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23
October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm
el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain
responsibility during the transitional period for external security
and for internal security and public order of settlements and
Israeli citizens. Permanent status is to be determined through
direct negotiations, which resumed in September 1999 after a
three-year hiatus. An intifadah broke out in September 2000; the
resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
Israel's military response, and instability in the Palestinian
Authority are undermining progress toward a permanent settlement.

Georgia:
Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th
century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the
Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until
the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Russian troops remain garrisoned
at four military bases and as peacekeepers in the separatist regions
of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (but are scheduled to withdraw from
two of the bases by July 2001). Despite a badly degraded
transportation network - brought on by ethnic conflict, criminal
activities, and fuel shortages - the country continues to move
toward a market economy and greater integration with Western
institutions.

Germany:
As Western Europe's richest and most populous nation,
Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political,
and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed the
country in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th
century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied
powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the
advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the
western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German
Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key
Western economic and security organizations, the EC and NATO, while
the communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw
Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed
for German unification in 1990. Since then Germany has expended
considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages up to
western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU
countries formed a common European currency, the euro.

Ghana:
Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold
Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the
first country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long
series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in
1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution,
restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry
RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in
1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a
third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR.

Gibraltar:
Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great
Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison
was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a 1967 referendum,
Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to
remain a British dependency.

Glorioso Islands:
A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso
Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated islands (Ile Glorieuse
and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates
a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Greece:
Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in
1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half
of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and
territories with Greek-speaking populations. Following the defeat of
communist rebels in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military
dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and
forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. Democratic
elections in 1974 and a referendum created a parliamentary republic
and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the European Community or
EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992).

Greenland:
The world's largest island, about 84% ice-capped,
Greenland was granted self-government in 1978 by the Danish
parliament. The law went into effect the following year. Denmark
continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs.

Grenada:
One of the smallest independent countries in the western
hemisphere, Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19
October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and
those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the
ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections
were reinstituted the following year.

Guadeloupe:
Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The
island of Saint-Martin is divided with the Netherlands (whose
southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the
Netherlands Antilles).

Guam:
Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the
Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The
military installation on the island is one of the most strategically
important US bases in the Pacific.

Guatemala:
Guatemala was freed of Spanish colonial rule in 1821.
During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety
of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla
war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally
ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000
people and had created some 1 million refugees.

Guernsey:
The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands
represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy,
which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the
only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.

Guinea:
Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold
democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the
military government) was elected president of the civilian
government. He was reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has
spilled over into Guinea, threatening stability and creating a
humanitarian emergency.

Guinea-Bissau:
In 1994, 20 years after independence from Portugal,
the country's first multiparty legislative and presidential
elections were held. An army uprising that triggered a bloody civil
war in 1998, created hundreds of thousands of displaced persons. The
president was ousted by a military junta in May 1999. An interim
government turned over power in February 2000 when opposition leader
Koumba YALLA took office following two rounds of transparent
presidential elections. Guinea-Bissau's transition back to democracy
will be complicated by a crippled economy devastated by civil war
and the military's predilection for governmental meddling.

Guyana:
Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966 and became
a republic in 1970. In 1989 Guyana launched an Economic Recovery
Program, which marked a dramatic reversal from a state-controlled,
socialist economy towards a more open, free market system. Results
through the first decade have proven encouraging.

Haiti:
One of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti
has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. Over
three decades of dictatorship followed by military rule ended in
1990 when Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of his
term was usurped by a military takeover, but he was able to return
to office in 1994 and oversee the installation of a close associate
to the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE won a second term as president
in 2000, and took office early the following year.

Heard Island and McDonald Islands:
These uninhabited, barren islands
were transferred from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by
large numbers of seal and bird species, the islands have been
designated a nature preserve.

Holy See (Vatican City):
Popes in their secular role ruled much of
the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid
19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly
united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further
circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a
series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three
Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican
City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984,
a concordat between the Vatican and Italy modified certain of the
earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman
Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the
Holy See include the failing health of Pope John Paul II,
interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the adjustment of
church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1
billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.

Honduras:
Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras
became an independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades
of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came
to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for
anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government
and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting against leftist
guerrillas.

Hong Kong:
Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded
by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later
in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and
the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this
agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two
systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
practiced in Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree
of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for
the next 50 years.

Howland Island:
Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the
island was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British
companies mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day
beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially
destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is
named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is
administered by the US Department of the Interior as a National
Wildlife Refuge.

Hungary:
Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire,
which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under communist
rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced
withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military
intervention by Moscow. In the more open GORBACHEV years, Hungary
led the movement to dissolve the Warsaw Pact and steadily shifted
toward multiparty democracy and a market-oriented economy. Following
the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Hungary developed close political
and economic ties to Western Europe. It joined NATO in 1999 and is a
frontrunner in a future expansion of the EU.

Iceland:
Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish)
immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland
boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the
Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland
was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja
volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused
widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the
island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited
home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence
attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion
are first-rate by world standards.

India:
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the
world, goes back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the
northwest invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier
inhabitants created classical Indian culture. Arab incursions
starting in the 8th century and Turkish in 12th were followed by
European traders beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th
century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all
Indian lands. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under
Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence in 1947.
The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the
smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two
countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate
nation of Bangladesh. Fundamental concerns in India include the
ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation,
environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic strife, all
this despite impressive gains in economic investment and output.

Indian Ocean:
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's
five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger
than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important
access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb
(Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of
Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International
Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth
ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean
south of 60 degrees south.

Indonesia:
The world's largest archipelago, Indonesia achieved
independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Current issues include:
implementing IMF-mandated reforms of the banking sector, effecting a
transition to a popularly elected government after four decades of
authoritarianism, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption,
holding the military accountable for human rights violations, and
resolving growing separatist pressures in Aceh and Irian Jaya. On 30
August 1999 a provincial referendum for independence was
overwhelmingly approved by the people of Timor Timur. Concurrence
followed by Indonesia's national legislature, and the name East
Timor was provisionally adopted. The independent status of East
Timor - now under UN administration - has yet to be formally
established.

Iran:
Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in
1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile. Conservative
clerical forces subsequently crushed westernizing liberal elements.
Militant Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4
November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88,
Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq over disputed
territory. The key current issue is how rapidly the country should
open up to the modernizing influences of the outside world.

Iraq:
Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an
independent kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958,
but in actuality a series of military strongmen have ruled the
country since then, the latest being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial
disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war
(1980-1988). In August 1990 Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by
US-led, UN coalition forces during January-February 1991. The
victors did not occupy Iraq, however, thus allowing the regime to
stay in control. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security
Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass
destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification
inspections. UN trade sanctions remain in effect due to incomplete
Iraqi compliance with relevant UNSC resolutions.

Ireland:
A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several
years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence
from the UK for the 26 southern counties; the six northern counties
(Ulster) remained part of Great Britain. In 1948 Ireland withdrew
from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in
1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of
Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A
peace settlement for Northern Ireland, approved in 1998, was
implemented the following year.

Israel:
Following World War II, the British withdrew from their
mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and
Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently,
the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending
the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by
Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country
profile, unless otherwise noted. In keeping with the framework
established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral
negotiations are being conducted between Israel and Palestinian
representatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip)
and Israel and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement. On 25 April
1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979
Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Outstanding territorial and other
disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994
Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. On 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew
unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982.

Italy:
Italy became a nation-state belatedly - in 1861 when the
city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were
united under King Victor EMMANUEL. An era of parliamentary
government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI
established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with
Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic
republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival
followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European
Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European
economic and political unification, joining the European Monetary
Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, the
ravages of organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, and the
low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with
the more prosperous north.

Jamaica:
Jamaica gained full independence within the British
Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the
1970s led to recurrent violence and a dropoff in tourism. Elections
in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office.
Subsequent governments have been open market oriented. Political
violence marred elections during the 1990s.

Jan Mayen:
This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch
whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier
claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters
and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Beerenberg volcano
resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost active volcano on
earth.

Japan:
While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly
absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. After its devastating defeat in World War II, Japan
recovered to become the second most powerful economy in the world
and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne
as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of
powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The
economy experienced a major slowdown in the 1990s following three
decades of unprecedented growth.

Jarvis Island:
First discovered by the British in 1821, the
uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in
1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island
in 1889, but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The
US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World
War II, the island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge
administered by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is
situated near the middle of the west coast.

Jersey:
The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent
the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway
in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil
occupied by German troops in World War II.

Johnston Atoll:
Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed
Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano
deposits until the late 1880s. The US Navy took over the atoll in
1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The
site was used for high altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and
1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage
and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now
complete, and cleanup and closure of the facility is progressing.

Jordan:
For most of its history since independence from British
administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN
(1953-1999). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing
pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab
states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through
several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary
elections and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994
a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the
eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne
following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has
consolidated his power and established his domestic priorities.

Juan de Nova Island:
Named after a famous 15th century Spanish
navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession
since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate.
Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological
station.

Kazakhstan:
Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic
tribes who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely
united as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the
18th century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During
the 1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet
citizens were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern
pastures. This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some
other deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence has caused many of
these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a
cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the
country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;
and continuing to strengthen relations with neighboring states and
other foreign powers.

Kenya:
Revered president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA
led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when current
President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional
succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969
until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made
itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and
external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The
ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power
in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and
fraud, but are viewed as having generally reflected the will of the
Kenyan people. The country faces a period of political uncertainty
because MOI is constitutionally required to step down at the next
elections that have to be held by early 2003.

Kingman Reef:
The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon
served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa
flights during the late 1930s. There is no flora on the reef, which
is frequently awash, but it does support an abundant and diverse
marine fauna. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef were
designated a National Wildlife Refuge.

Kiribati:
The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in
1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of
Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited
Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with
Kiribati.

Korea, North:
Following World War II, Korea was split into a
northern, communist half and a southern, Western-oriented half. KIM
Chong-il has ruled North Korea since his father and the country's
founder, president KIM Il-song, died in 1994. After decades of
mismanagement, the North relies heavily on international food aid to
feed its population, while continuing to expend resources to
maintain an army of about 1 million. North Korea's long-range
missile development and research into nuclear and chemical weapons
are of major concern to the international community.

Korea, South:
After World War II, a republic was set up in the
southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a communist-style
government was installed in the north. The Korean War (1950-53) had
US and other UN forces intervene to defend South Korea from North
Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was signed in
1953 splitting the peninsula at the 38th parallel known as the DMZ.
Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per
capita income rising to 13 times the level of North Korea. In 1997,
the nation suffered a severe financial crisis from which it
continues to make a solid recovery. South Korea has also maintained
its commitment to democratize its political processes. In June 2000,
a historic first south-north summit took place between the south's
President KIM Dae-jung and the north's leader KIM Chong-il. In
December 2000, President KIM Dae-jung won the Noble Peace Prize for
his lifeling committment to democracy and human rights in Asia. He
is the first Korean to win a Nobel Prize.

Kuwait:
Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990.
Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition
began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that completely liberated
Kuwait in four days. Kuwait has spent more than $5 billion to repair
oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91.

Kyrgyzstan:
A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and
proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864;
it achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Current
concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises,
expansion of democracy and political freedoms, inter-ethnic
relations, and terrorism.

Laos:
In 1975 the communist Pathet Lao took control of the
government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties
to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to
private enterprise, an easing of foreign investment laws, and the
admission into ASEAN in 1997.

Latvia:
After a brief period of independence between the two World
Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its
independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the
Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to
Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual
integration into various Western European political and economic
institutions.

Lebanon:
Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political
institutions and regaining its national sovereignty since 1991 and
the end of the devastating 16-year civil war. Under the Ta'if Accord
- the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese have
established a more equitable political system, particularly by
giving Muslims a greater say in the political process while
institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the
end of the war, the Lebanese have conducted several successful
elections, most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded, and
the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended central government
authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, the
radical Shi'a party, retains its weapons. Syria maintains about
25,000 troops in Lebanon based mainly in Beirut, North Lebanon, and
the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was legitimized by the
Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if Accord.
Damascus justifies its continued military presence in Lebanon by
citing the continued weakness of the LAF, Beirut's requests, and the
failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the
constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from
its security zone in southern Lebanon in May of 2000, however, has
emboldened some Lebanese Christians and Druze to demand that Syria
withdraw its forces as well.

Lesotho:
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon
independence from the UK in 1966. Constitutional government was
restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule.

Liberia:
Seven years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1996
when free and open presidential and legislative elections were held.
President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real
political opposition. The years of fighting coupled with the flight
of most businesses have disrupted formal economic activity. A still
unsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process of
rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn
country.

Libya:
Since he took power in a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu
Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system - a
combination of socialism and Islam - which he calls the Third
International Theory. Viewing himself as a revolutionary leader, he
used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology
outside Libya, even supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to
hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. Libyan military adventures
failed, e.g., the prolonged foray of Libyan troops into the Aozou
Strip in northern Chad was finally repulsed in 1987. Libyan support
for terrorism decreased after UN sanctions were imposed in 1992.
Those sanctions were suspended in April 1999.

Liechtenstein:
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established
within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in
1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria,
but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced
Liechtenstein to conclude a customs and monetary union with
Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained
neutral) the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic
growth. However, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have
resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for
money laundering.

Lithuania:
Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was
annexed by the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the
first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this
proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991
(following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops
withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its
economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions.

Luxembourg:
Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815
and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than
half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger
measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun
by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when
it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO
the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six
founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the
European Union) and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Macau:
Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was
the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an
agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau
became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20
December 1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two
systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
practiced in Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of
autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs.

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:
International
recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM)
independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's
objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic
name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995,
and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, despite
continued disagreement over FYROM's use of "Macedonia." FYROM's
large Albanian minority and the de facto independence of neighboring
Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension.

Madagascar:
Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a
French colony in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During
1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were
held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997 in the second
presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and
1980s, was returned to the presidency.

Malawi:
Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland
became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades
of one-party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994
under a provisional constitution, which took full effect the
following year. National multiparty elections were held again in
1999.

Malaysia:
Malaysia was created in 1963 through the merging of Malaya
(independent in 1957) and the former British Singapore, both of
which formed West Malaysia, and Sabah and Sarawak in north Borneo,
which composed East Malaysia. The first three years of independence
were marred by hostilities with Indonesia. Singapore separated from
the union in 1965.

Maldives:
The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and
then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three
years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on
the archipelago.

Mali:
The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France
in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a
few months, the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by
dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a transitional
government, and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic presidential
election was held. Since his reelection in 1997, President KONARE
has continued to push through political and economic reforms and to
fight corruption. In 1999 he indicated he would not run for a third
term.

Malta:
Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814.
The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
decade later Malta became a republic. Over the last 15 years, the
island has become a major freight transshipment point, financial
center, and tourist destination. It is an official candidate for EU
membership.

Man, Isle of:
Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until
the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under
the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the
almost extinct Manx Celtic language.

Marshall Islands:
After almost four decades under US administration
as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a
Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a
result of US nuclear testing on some of the islands between 1947 and
1962.

Martinique:
Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently
remained a French possession except for three brief periods of
foreign occupation.

Mauritania:
Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the
southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in
1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the
Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory.
Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in
1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely
seen as being flawed; Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party
state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between
its black minority population and the dominant Maur (Arab-Berber)
populace.

Mauritius:
Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was
subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before
independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular
free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has
attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of
Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and
declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth leading to some
protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Mayotte:
Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other Comoros in
1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974
to retain its link with France and forgo independence.

Mexico:
The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came
under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence
early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994
threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession
in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive
recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real
wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population,
inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities
for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern
states.

Micronesia, Federated States of:
In 1979 the Federated States of
Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a
constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of
Free Association with the United States. Present concerns include
large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Midway Islands:
The US took formal possession of the islands in
1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through
the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and
1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights.
The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was
one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to
serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are
a wildlife refuge open to the public.

Moldova:
Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the
Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from
the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan
territory east of the Nistru (Dnister) River supporting the Slavic
majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have
proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in
Europe and plagued by a moribund economy, in 2001 Moldova became the
first former Soviet state to elect a communist as its president.

Monaco:
Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century
with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since
then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and
gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and
recreation center.

Mongolia:
Long a province of China, Mongolia won its independence in
1921 with Soviet backing. A communist regime was installed in 1924.
During the early 1990s, the ex-communist Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power.
In 1996, the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) defeated the MPRP in a
national election. Over the next four years the Coalition
implemented a number of key reforms to modernize the economy and
institutionalize democratic reforms. However, the former communists
were a strong opposition that stalled additional reforms and made
implementation difficult. In 2000, the MPRP won 72 of the 76 seats
in Parliament and completely reshuffled the government. While it
continues many of the reform policies, the MPRP is focusing on
social welfare and public order priorities.

Montserrat:
Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds
of the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the
Soufriere Hills volcano that began on 18 July 1995.

Morocco:
Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended
in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to
the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western
Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of
the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the
1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in
1997.

Mozambique:
Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a
close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites,
economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a
prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling
party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the
following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market
economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement with rebel forces ended the
fighting in 1992.

Namibia:
South Africa occupied the German colony of Sud-West Afrika
during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after
World War II when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist
South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group
launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named
Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end
its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire
region. Independence came in 1990.

Nauru:
Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the
20th century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied
by Australian forces in World War I. Upon achieving independence in
1968, Nauru became the smallest independent republic in the world;
it joined the UN in 1999.

Navassa Island:
This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in
1857 for its guano, and mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The
lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration
of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department
of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island
described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the
following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge.

Nepal:
In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of
rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of
government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy
within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. The refugee issue
of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of these
displaced persons are housed in seven United Nations Offices of the
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.

Netherlands:
The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In
1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands
remained neutral in World War I but suffered a brutal invasion and
occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized
nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural
products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EC, and
participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Netherlands Antilles:
Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade,
the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in
1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in
the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to
service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of
Sint Maarten is shared with France; its northern portion is named
Saint Martin and is part of Guadeloupe.

New Caledonia:
Settled by both Britain and France during the first
half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in
1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864.
Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to
have dissipated.

New Zealand:
The British colony of New Zealand became an independent
dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.
New Zealand withdrew from a number of defense alliances during the
1970s and 1980s. In recent years the government has sought to
address longstanding native Maori grievances.

Nicaragua:
Settled as a colony of Spain in the 1520s, Nicaragua
gained its independence in 1821. Violent opposition to governmental
manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and
resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist
Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist
rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista
contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990
and again in 1996 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has
slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by
Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Niger:
Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did
Niger hold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord
ended a five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and
1999 were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation
Council that effected a transition to civilian rule in December 1999.

Nigeria:
Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new
constitution was adopted in 1999 and a peaceful transition to
civilian government completed. The new president faces the daunting
task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have
been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and
institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the OBASANJO
administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious
tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth
and political stability.

Niue:
Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic
differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest
of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered.
The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200
in 1966 to 2,100 in 2000) with substantial emigration to New Zealand.

Norfolk Island:
Two British attempts at establishing the island as a
penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In
1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of
the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Northern Mariana Islands:
Under US administration as part of the UN
Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana
Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to
forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status
began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political
union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and
constitution went into effect in 1978.

Norway:
Despite its neutrality, Norway was not able to avoid
occupation by Germany in World War II. In 1949, neutrality was
abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and
gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic
fortunes. The current focus is on containing spending on the
extensive welfare system and planning for the time when petroleum
reserves are depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway
rejected joining the EU.

Oman:
In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has
ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has
opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a
long-standing political and military relationship with the UK.
Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain
good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.

Pacific Ocean:
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five
oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern
Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways
include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and
Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic
Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the
Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60
degrees south.

Pakistan:
The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim
state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely
Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved. A third war between
these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and
becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state
of Kashmir is ongoing. In response to Indian nuclear weapons
testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998.

Palau:
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.

Palmyra Atoll:
The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and
the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the
archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not
include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature
Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature
preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical
mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and
Wildlife service and designated a National Wildlife Refuge in
January 2001.

Panama:
With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and
promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction
of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of
the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by
the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September
1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal
from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the
Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over
in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was
deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the
Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by
or on 31 December 1999.

Papua New Guinea:
The eastern half of the island of New Guinea -
second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north)
and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to
Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World
War I and continued to administer the combined areas until
independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island
of Bougainville ended in 1997, after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Paracel Islands:
This archipelago is surrounded by productive
fishing grounds and potentially large oil reserves. In 1932, French
Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on
Prattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor Vietnam.
China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops
captured a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands.
However, the islands are still claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

Paraguay:
In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70),
Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its
territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In
the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were
won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo
STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in
political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular
presidential elections have been held since then.

Peru:
After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to
democratic leadership in 1980. In recent years, bold reform programs
and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity and drug
trafficking have resulted in solid economic growth.

Philippines:
The Philippines were ceded by Spain to the US in 1898
following the Spanish-American War. They attained their independence
in 1946 after being occupied by the Japanese in World War II. The
21-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986 when a widespread
popular rebellion forced him into exile. In 1992, the US closed down
its last military bases on the islands. The Philippines has had two
electoral presidential transitions since Marcos' removal by "people
power." In January 2001, the Supreme Court declared Joseph ESTRADA
unable to rule in view of mass resignations from his government and
administered the oath of office to Vice President Gloria
MACAPAGAL-ARROYO as his constitutional successor. The government
continues to struggle with ongoing Muslim insurgencies in the south.

Pitcairn Islands:
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.

Poland:
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.

Portugal:
Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and
16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
decades repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing
military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year
Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies.
Portugal entered the EC in 1985.

Puerto Rico:
Discovered by Columbus in 1493, the island was ceded by
Spain to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. A
popularly elected governor has served since 1948. In plebiscites
held in 1967 and 1993, voters chose to retain commonwealth status.

Qatar:
Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar
transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for
pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural
gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari
economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum
revenues by the amir who had ruled the country since 1972. He was
overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani,
in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its
longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil
and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income
not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe.

Reunion:
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.

Romania:
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.

Russia:
The defeat of the Russian Empire in World War I led to the
seizure of power by the communists and the formation of the USSR.
The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1924-53) strengthened Russian
dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of
lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following
decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91)
introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an
attempt to modernize communism, but his initiatives inadvertently
released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15
independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its
efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to
replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the
communist period.

Rwanda:
In 1959, three years before independence, the majority
ethnic group, the Hutus overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the
next several years thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000
driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these
exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)
and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political
and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions culminating in
April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate
Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and ended the
killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu refugees -
many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring Burundi,
Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire, now called the Democratic Republic of
the Congo (DROC). Since then most of the refugees have returned to
Rwanda. Despite substantial international assistance and political
reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 -
the country continues to struggle to boost investment and
agricultural output and to foster reconciliation. A series of
massive population displacements, a nagging Hutu extremist
insurgency, and Rwandan involvement in two wars over the past four
years in the neighboring DROC continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts.

Saint Helena:
Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in
1502, St. Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th
century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's
exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a
port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.
Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield;
Gough Island has a meteorological station.

Saint Kitts and Nevis:
First settled by the British in 1623, the
islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in
1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in
1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998,
a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell
short of the two-thirds majority needed.

Saint Lucia:
The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries,
was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and
early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally
ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and
independence in 1979.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon:
First settled by the French in the early
17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of
France's once vast North American possessions.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
Disputed between France and Great
Britain in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter
in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969, and independence in 1979.

Samoa:
New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa
at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer
the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962,
when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish
independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"
from its name in 1997.

San Marino:
The third smallest state in Europe (after The Holy See
and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According
to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marinus
in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of
Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track
closely with those of its larger neighbor.

Sao Tome and Principe:
Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the
late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to
coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation
slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century.
Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were
not instituted until the late 1980s. The first free elections were
held in 1991.

Saudi Arabia:
In 1902 Abdul al-Aziz Ibn SAUD captured Riyadh and set
out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian peninsula. In the
1930s, the discovery of oil transformed the country. Following
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti
royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab
troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the
following year. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an
economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all
major governmental concerns.

Senegal:
Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The
Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982.
However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never
carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace
talks, a southern separatist group sporadically has clashed with
government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of
participating in international peacekeeping.

Seychelles:
A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for
the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter.
Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close
with a new constitution and free elections in 1993.

Sierra Leone:
Since 1991, civil war between the government and the
Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands
of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well
over one-third of the population) many of whom are now refugees in
neighboring countries. A peace agreement, signed in July 1999,
collapsed in May 2000 after the RUF took over 500 UN peacekeepers
hostage. The RUF stepped up attacks on Guinea in December 2000,
despite a cease-fire that it signed with the Freetown government one
month earlier. As of late 2000, up to 13,000 UN peacekeepers were
protecting the capital and key towns in the south. A UK force of 750
was helping to reinforce security and train the Sierra Leone army.

Singapore:
Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, Singapore
joined Malaysia in 1963, but withdrew two years later and became
independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most
prosperous countries, with strong international trading links (its
port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita GDP above
that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

Slovakia:
In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to
form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II,
Czechoslovakia became a communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern
Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once
more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate
peacefully on 1 January 1993. Historic, political, and geographic
factors have caused Slovakia to experience more difficulty in
developing a modern market economy than some of its Central European
neighbors.

Slovenia:
In 1918 the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in
forming a new nation, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War
II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which
though communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied
with the exercise of power of the majority Serbs, the Slovenes
succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991. Historical
ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy
make Slovenia a leading candidate for future membership in the EU
and NATO.

Solomon Islands:
The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon
Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II
occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and
independence two years later. Current issues include government
deficits, deforestation, and malaria control.

Somalia:
A SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil,
factional fighting, and anarchy followed for nine years. In May of
1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland
which now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi
Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any
government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by
the overwhelming dominance of the ruling clan and economic
infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American
military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal
comprise a neighboring self-declared Republic of Puntland, which has
also made strides towards reconstructing legitimate, representative
government. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort
(primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions,
but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant
casualties, order still had not been restored. A Transitional
National Government (TNG) was created in October 2000 in Arta,
Djibouti which was attended by a broad representation of Somali
clans. The TNG has a three-year mandate to create a permanent
national Somali government. The TNG does not recognize Somaliland or
Puntland as independent republics but so far has been unable to
reunite them with the unstable regions in the south; numerous
warlords and factions are still fighting for control of Mogadishu
and the other southern regions.

South Africa:
After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in
1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found
their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold
(1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the
subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British
encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The
resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid
- the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to
apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:
The islands lie
approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands. Grytviken, on
South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station.
The famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route
to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned
some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and
arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off
the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition
and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses a small
military garrison. The islands have large bird and seal populations
and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in
adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing
zone from 12 miles to 200 miles around each island.

Southern Ocean:
A decision by the International Hydrographic
Organization in the spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean -
the Southern Ocean - from the southern portions of the Atlantic
Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends
from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude
which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean
is now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the
Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the
Arctic Ocean).

Spain:
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent
failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused
the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic
and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,
but suffered through a devastating Civil War (1936-39). In the
second half of the 20th century, it has played a catch-up role in
the western international community. Continuing concerns are
large-scale unemployment and the Basque separatist movement.

Spratly Islands:
Rich fishing grounds and the potential for gas and
oil deposits have caused this archipelago to be claimed in its
entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed
by Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties have occupied
certain islands or reefs, and occasional clashes have occurred
between Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces

Sri Lanka:
Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the
Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in
1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed
in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil
separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands
have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.

Sudan:
Military dictatorships promulgating an Islamic government
have mostly run the country since independence from the UK in 1956.
Over the past two decades, a civil war pitting black Christians and
animists in the south against the Arab-Muslims of the north has cost
at least 1.5 million lives in war- and famine-related deaths, as
well as the displacement of millions of others.

Suriname:
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.

Svalbard:
First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century,
the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th
and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920;
five years later it officially took over the territory.

Swaziland:
Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed
by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted
1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the
monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow
political reform and greater democracy.

Sweden:
A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
elements has recently been undermined by high unemployment, rising
maintenance costs, and a declining position in world markets.
Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic
integration of Europe caused Sweden not to join the EU until 1995,
and to forgo the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Switzerland:
Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long
been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not
involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic
integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as
Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, may
be rendering obsolete the country's concern for neutrality.

Syria:
Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War
I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946.
In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to
Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon,
ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and
Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan
Heights.

Tajikistan:
Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government
and a five-year civil war since it gained independence in 1991 from
the USSR. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997,
and implementation reportedly completed by late 1999. Part of the
agreement required the legalization of opposition political parties
prior to the 1999 elections, which occurred, but such parties have
made little progress in successful participation in government.
Random criminal and political violence in the country remains a
complication impairing Tajikistan's ability to engage
internationally.

Tanzania:
Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged
to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an
end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country
since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular
opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which
the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of
voting irregularities.

Thailand:
A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th
century; it was known as Siam until 1939. Thailand is the only
southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European
power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional
monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand
became a US ally following the conflict.

Togo:
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.

Tokelau:
Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding
island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate
in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in
1925. According to a UN report, these low-lying islands will
disappear in the 21st century, if global warming continues to raise
sea levels.

Tonga:
The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a
Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in
1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its
independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of
Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Trinidad and Tobago:
The islands came under British control in the
19th century; independence was granted in 1962. The country is one
of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum
and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in
Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.

Tromelin Island:
First explored by the French in 1776, the island
came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it
serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important
meteorological station.

Tunisia:
Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib
BOURGIUBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the
country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and
establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In
recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in
its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to diffuse rising
pressure for a more open political society.

Turkey:
Turkey was created in 1923 from the Turkish remnants of the
Ottoman Empire. Soon thereafter the country instituted secular laws
to replace traditional religious fiats. In 1945 Turkey joined the UN
and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. Turkey occupied the northern
portion of Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island;
relations between the two countries remain strained. Periodic
military offensives against Kurdish separatists have dislocated part
of the population in southeast Turkey and have drawn international
condemnation.

Turkmenistan:
Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan
became a Soviet republic in 1925. It achieved its independence upon
the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains
absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated.
Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to
this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects can
be worked out.

Turks and Caicos Islands:
The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican
colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown
colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas
oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the
islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence
was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands
are presently a British overseas territory.

Tuvalu:
In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Uganda:
Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The
dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the
deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights
abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed another 100,000 lives.
During the 1990s the government promulgated non-party presidential
and legislative elections.

Ukraine:
Richly endowed in natural resources, Ukraine has been
fought over and subjugated for centuries; its 20th-century struggle
for liberty is not yet complete. A short-lived independence from
Russia (1917-1920) was followed by brutal Soviet rule that
engineered two artificial famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which
over 8 million died, and World War II, in which German and Soviet
armies were responsible for some 7 million more deaths. Although
independence was attained in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR,
true freedom remains elusive as many of the former Soviet elite
remain entrenched, stalling efforts at economic reform,
privatization, and civic liberties.

United Arab Emirates:
The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast
granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th
century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman,
Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to
form the UAE. They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's
per capita GDP is not far below those of the leading West European
nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign
policy stance have allowed it to play a vital role in the affairs of
the region.

United Kingdom:
Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime
power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing
parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At
its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the
earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's
strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half
witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself
into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five
permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of
NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to
foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its
integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to
remain outside of the European Monetary Union for the time being.
Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK.
Regional assemblies with varying degrees of power opened in
Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in 1999.

United States:
The United States became the world's first modern
democracy after its break with Great Britain (1776) and the adoption
of a constitution (1789). During the 19th century, many new states
were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the
North American continent and acquired a number of overseas
possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's
history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the
1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the
Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful
nation-state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low
unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Uruguay:
A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros,
launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to
military control of his administration in 1973. By the end of the
year the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to
expand its hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not
restored until 1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are
among the freest on the continent.

Uzbekistan:
Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century.
Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually
suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1925. During the
Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain
led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,
which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain
rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to
gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its
mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include insurgency
by Islamic militants based in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, a
non-convertible currency, and the curtailment of human rights and
democratization.

Vanuatu:
The British and French who settled the New Hebrides in the
19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which
administered the islands until independence in 1980.

Venezuela:
Venezuela was one of the three countries that emerged
from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being
Colombia and Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th
century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military
strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social
reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since
1959. Current concerns include: drug-related conflicts along the
Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption,
overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price
fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are
endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Vietnam:
France occupied all of Vietnam by 1884. Independence was
declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule until
1954 when they were defeated by communist forces under Ho Chi MINH,
who took control of the north. US economic and military aid to South
Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the
government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a
cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later North Vietnamese
forces overran the south. Economic reconstruction of the reunited
country has proven difficult as aging Communist Party leaders have
only grudgingly initiated reforms necessary for a free market.

Virgin Islands: During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Wake Island:
The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station.
An important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In
December 1941 the island was captured by the Japanese and held until
the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as
a stopover and refueling site for military and commercial aircraft
transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's airstrip has been
used by the US military and some commercial cargo planes, as well as
for emergency landings. There are over 700 landings a year on the
island.

Wallis and Futuna:
Although discovered by the Dutch and the British
in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the French who declared a
protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of
the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.

West Bank:
The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13
September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding
five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain
powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which
includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January
1996, as part of interim self-governing arrangements in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for
the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4
May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and
in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28
September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997
Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23
October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm
el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain
responsibility during the transitional period for external security
and for internal security and public order of settlements and
Israeli citizens. Permanent status is to be determined through
direct negotiations, which resumed in September 1999 after a
three-year hiatus. An intifadah broke out in September 2000; the
resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
Israel's military response, and instability in the Palestinian
Authority are undermining progress toward a permanent settlement.

Western Sahara:
Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of
Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of
the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A
guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's
sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status
has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at
least 2002.

World:
Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating
world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of
vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology,
from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to
the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western
alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living
standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased
concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages
of energy and water, the drop in biological diversity, and air
pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate
emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's
population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2
billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in
1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued
exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes
(e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even
more lethal weapons of war).

Yemen:
North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918.
The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern
port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became
South Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a
Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of
Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of
hostility between the states. The two countries were formally
unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist
movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and
Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.

Yugoslavia:
The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in
1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Occupation by Nazi
Germany in 1941 was resisted by various partisan bands that fought
themselves as well as the invaders. The group headed by Marshal TITO
took full control upon German expulsion in 1945. Although communist
in name, his new government successfully steered its own path
between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a
half decades. In the early 1990s, post-TITO Yugoslavia began to
unravel along ethnic lines: Slovenia, Croatia, and The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia all declared their independence in
1991; Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992. The remaining republics of
Serbia and Montenegro declared a new "Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia" in 1992 and, under President Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia
led various military intervention efforts to unite Serbs in
neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." All of these efforts
were ultimately unsuccessful. In 1999, massive expulsions by Serbs
of ethnic Albanians living in the autonomous republic of Kosovo
provoked an international response, including the NATO bombing of
Serbia and the stationing of NATO and Russian peacekeepers in
Kosovo. Blatant attempts to manipulate presidential balloting in
October of 2000 were followed by massive nationwide demonstrations
and strikes that saw the election winner, Vojislav KOSTUNICA,
replace MILOSEVIC.

Zambia:
The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the
South Africa Company from 1891 until takeover by the UK in 1923.
During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development
and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in
1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a
prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end
to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant
harassment of opposition parties.

Zimbabwe:
The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa
Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated to keep whites
in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its
independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded
voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then
called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led
to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980.
Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the
country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the
country's political system since independence.

Taiwan:
In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to
Japan, however it reverted to Chinese control after World War II.
Following the communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million
Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the
1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five
decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and
incorporated the native population within its governing structure.
Throughout this period, the island has prospered to become one of
East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issue
continues to be the relationship between Taiwan and China and the
question of eventual reunification.

@Birth rate

Afghanistan:
41.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Albania:
19.01 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Algeria:
22.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

American Samoa:
24.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Andorra:
10.29 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Angola:
46.54 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Anguilla:
15.17 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda:
19.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Argentina:
18.41 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Armenia:
11.47 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Aruba:
12.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Australia:
12.86 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Austria:
9.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan:
18.44 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The:
19.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bahrain:
20.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bangladesh:
25.3 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Barbados:
13.47 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Belarus:
9.57 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Belgium:
10.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Belize:
31.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Benin:
44.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bermuda:
12.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bhutan:
35.73 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bolivia:
27.27 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina:
12.86 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Botswana:
28.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Brazil:
18.45 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands:
15.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Brunei:
20.45 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bulgaria:
8.06 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso:
44.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Burma:
20.13 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Burundi:
40.13 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cambodia:
33.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cameroon:
36.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Canada:
11.21 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cape Verde:
28.71 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands:
13.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Central African Republic:
37.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Chad:
48.28 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Chile:
16.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

China:
15.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Christmas Island:
NA births/1,000 population

Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
NA births/1,000 population

Colombia:
22.41 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Comoros:
39.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 46.02 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the:
38.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Costa Rica:
20.27 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire:
40.38 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Croatia:
12.82 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cuba:
12.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cyprus:
13.08 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Czech Republic:
9.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Denmark:
11.96 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Djibouti:
40.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Dominica:
17.81 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Dominican Republic:
24.77 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ecuador:
25.99 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Egypt:
24.89 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

El Salvador:
28.67 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea:
37.72 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Eritrea:
42.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Estonia:
8.7 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethiopia:
44.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas):
NA births/1,000 population

Faroe Islands:
13.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Fiji:
23.33 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Finland:
10.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

France:
12.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

French Guiana:
22.02 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

French Polynesia:
18.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Gabon:
27.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Gambia, The:
41.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip:
42.48 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Georgia:
11.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Germany:
9.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ghana:
28.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Gibraltar:
11.25 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Greece:
9.83 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Greenland:
16.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Grenada:
23.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guadeloupe:
16.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guam:
25.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guatemala:
34.61 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guernsey:
9.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guinea:
39.78 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau:
39.29 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guyana:
17.92 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Haiti:
31.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Honduras:
31.94 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Hong Kong:
11.13 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Hungary:
9.32 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Iceland:
14.62 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

India:
24.28 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Indonesia:
22.26 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Iran:
17.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Iraq:
34.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ireland:
14.57 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Israel:
19.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Italy:
9.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Jamaica:
18.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Japan:
10.04 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Jersey:
11.28 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Jordan:
25.44 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan:
17.3 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Kenya:
28.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Kiribati:
31.98 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Korea, North:
19.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Korea, South:
14.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Kuwait:
21.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan:
26.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Laos:
37.84 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Latvia:
8.03 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Lebanon:
20.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Lesotho:
31.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Liberia:
46.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Libya:
27.67 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein:
11.53 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Lithuania:
10 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Luxembourg:
12.25 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Macau:
12.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: 13.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Madagascar:
42.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Malawi:
37.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Malaysia:
24.75 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Maldives:
38.15 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mali:
48.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Malta:
12.75 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Man, Isle of:
11.58 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Marshall Islands:
45.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Martinique:
15.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mauritania:
42.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mauritius:
16.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mayotte:
44.39 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mexico:
22.77 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Moldova:
13.35 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Monaco:
9.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mongolia:
21.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Montserrat:
17.43 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Morocco:
24.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mozambique:
37.2 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Namibia:
34.71 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Nauru:
27.22 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Nepal:
33.4 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Netherlands:
11.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles:
16.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

New Caledonia:
20.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

New Zealand:
14.28 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Nicaragua:
27.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Niger:
50.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Nigeria:
39.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Niue:
NA births/1,000 population

Norfolk Island:
NA births/1,000 population

Northern Mariana Islands:
20.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Norway:
12.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Oman:
37.96 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Pakistan:
31.21 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

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

Panama:
19.06 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea:
32.15 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Paraguay:
30.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Peru:
23.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Philippines:
27.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Pitcairn Islands:
NA births/1,000 population

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

Portugal:
11.51 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico:
15.26 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Qatar:
15.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

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

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

Russia:
9.35 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Rwanda:
33.97 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saint Helena:
13.49 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis:
18.78 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia:
21.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon:
15.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 17.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Samoa:
15.59 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

San Marino:
10.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe:
42.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia:
37.34 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Senegal:
37.46 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Seychelles:
17.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sierra Leone:
45.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Singapore:
12.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Slovakia:
10.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Slovenia:
9.32 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands:
34.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Somalia:
47.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

South Africa:
21.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Spain:
9.26 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka:
16.58 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sudan:
37.89 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

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

Svalbard:
NA births/1,000 population

Swaziland:
40.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sweden:
9.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Switzerland:
10.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Syria:
30.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Tajikistan:
33.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Tanzania:
39.65 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Thailand:
16.63 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

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

Tokelau:
NA births/1,000 population

Tonga:
23.59 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago:
13.73 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Tunisia:
17.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Turkey:
18.31 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan:
28.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands:
24.89 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Tuvalu:
21.56 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Uganda:
47.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ukraine:
9.31 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates:
18.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

United Kingdom:
11.54 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

United States:
14.2 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Uruguay:
17.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan:
26.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Vanuatu:
25.4 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Venezuela:
20.65 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Vietnam:
21.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Virgin Islands:
15.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Wallis and Futuna:
NA births/1,000 population

West Bank:
35.83 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

World:
21.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Yemen:
43.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Yugoslavia:
12.61 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Zambia:
41.46 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe:
24.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Taiwan:
14.31 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

@Budget

Afghanistan: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Albania:
revenues: $393 million

expenditures: $676 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Algeria:
revenues: $15.8 billion

expenditures: $16 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.3
billion (2001 est.)

American Samoa:
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and
63% in US grants)

expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY96/97)

Andorra:
revenues: $385 million

expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997)

Angola:
revenues: $928 million

expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963
million (1992 est.)

Anguilla:
revenues: $20.4 million

expenditures: $23.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.8
million (1997 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda:
revenues: $122.6 million

expenditures: $141.2 million, including capital expenditures of
$17.3 million (1997 est.)

Argentina:
revenues: $44 billion

expenditures: $48 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Armenia:
revenues: $360 million

expenditures: $566 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Aruba:
revenues: $NA

expenditures: $541 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Australia:
revenues: $94 billion

expenditures: $103 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Austria:
revenues: $56.3 billion

expenditures: $60.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Azerbaijan:
revenues: $777 million

expenditures: $995 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Bahamas, The:
revenues: $766 million

expenditures: $845 million, including capital expenditures of $97
million (FY97/98)

Bahrain:
revenues: $1.8 billion

expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

Bangladesh:
revenues: $4.9 billion

expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY99/00 est.)

Barbados:
revenues: $725.5 million

expenditures: $750.6 million, including capital expenditures of
$126.3 million (FY97/98 est.)

Belarus:
revenues: $4 billion

expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180
million (1997 est.)

Belgium:
revenues: $114.8 billion

expenditures: $117 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6
billion (1999)

Belize:
revenues: $157 million

expenditures: $279 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Benin:
revenues: $299 million

expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $14
million (1995 est.)

Bermuda:
revenues: $504.6 million

expenditures: $537 million, including capital expenditures of $75
million (FY97/98)

Bhutan:
revenues: $146 million

expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY95/96 est.)

note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of
Bhutan's budget expenditures

Bolivia:
revenues: $2.7 billion

expenditures: $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998)

Bosnia and Herzegovina:
revenues: $1.9 billion

expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Botswana:
revenues: $1.6 billion

expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $560
million (FY96)

Brazil:
revenues: $151 billion

expenditures: $149 billion, including capital expenditures of $36
billion (1998)

British Virgin Islands:
revenues: $121.5 million

expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997)

Brunei:
revenues: $2.5 billion

expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35
billion (1997 est.)

Bulgaria:
revenues: $4.85 billion

expenditures: $4.92 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Burkina Faso:
revenues: $277 million

expenditures: $492 million, including capital expenditures of $233
million (1995 est.)

Burma:
revenues: $7.9 billion

expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7
billion (FY96/97)

Burundi:
revenues: $125 million

expenditures: $176 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Cambodia:
revenues: $363 million

expenditures: $532 million, including capital expenditures of $225
million (2000 est.)

Cameroon:
revenues: $2.1 billion

expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY00/01 est.)

Canada:
revenues: $126.1 billion

expenditures: $125.3 billion, including capital expenditures of
$14.8 billion (2000)

Cape Verde:
revenues: $188 million

expenditures: $228 million, including capital expenditures of $116
million (1996)

Cayman Islands:
revenues: $265.2 million

expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997)

Central African Republic:
revenues: $638 million

expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $888
million (1994 est.)

Chad:
revenues: $198 million

expenditures: $218 million, including capital expenditures of $146
million (1998 est.)

Chile:
revenues: $16 billion

expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

China:
revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Christmas Island: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Colombia:
revenues: $22 billion

expenditures: $24 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Comoros:
revenues: $48 million

expenditures: $53 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the:
revenues: $269 million

expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24
million (1996 est.)

Congo, Republic of the:
revenues: $870 million

expenditures: $970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Cook Islands:
revenues: $25 million

expenditures: $23 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY 99/00)

Costa Rica:
revenues: $1.95 billion

expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire:
revenues: $1.5 billion

expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $420
million (2000 est.)

Croatia:
revenues: $6 billion

expenditures: $4.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Cuba:
revenues: $13.5 billion

expenditures: $14.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Cyprus:
revenues: Greek Cypriot area - $2.9 billion (2000 est.);
Turkish Cypriot area - $294 million (2000 est.)

expenditures: Greek Cypriot area - $3.2 billion, including capital
expenditures of $324 million (2000 est.); Turkish Cypriot $495
million, including capital expenditures of $60 million (2000 est.)

Czech Republic:
revenues: $16.7 billion

expenditures: $18 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

Denmark:
revenues: $52.9 billion

expenditures: $51.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
million (2001 est.)

Djibouti:
revenues: $133 million

expenditures: $187 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Dominica:
revenues: $72 million

expenditures: $79.9 million, including capital expenditures of
$11.5 million (FY97/98)

Dominican Republic:
revenues: $2.3 billion

expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $867
million (1999 est.)

Ecuador:
revenues: planned $5.1 billion (not including revenue from
potential privatizations)

expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999)

Egypt:
revenues: $22.6 billion

expenditures: $26.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY99)

El Salvador:
revenues: $1.8 billion

expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Equatorial Guinea:
revenues: $47 million

expenditures: $43 million, including capital expenditures of $7
million (1996 est.)

Eritrea:
revenues: $283.9 million

expenditures: $351.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Estonia:
revenues: $1.37 billion

expenditures: $1.37 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Ethiopia:
revenues: $1 billion

expenditures: $1.48 billion, including capital expenditures of $415
million (FY96/97)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas):
revenues: $66.2 million

expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of
$23.2 million (FY98/99 est.)

Faroe Islands:
revenues: $488 million

expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21
million (1999)

Fiji:
revenues: $610 million

expenditures: $501 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Finland:
revenues: $36.1 billion

expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

France:
revenues: $210 billion

expenditures: $240 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

French Guiana:
revenues: $225 million

expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1996)

French Polynesia:
revenues: $1 billion

expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185
million (1996)

Gabon:
revenues: $1.5 billion

expenditures: $1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $302
million (1996 est.)

Gambia, The:
revenues: $90.5 million

expenditures: $80.9 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1
million (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip:
revenues: $1.6 billion

expenditures: $1.73 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA

note: includes West Bank (1999 est.)

Georgia:
revenues: $437 million

expenditures: $626 million, including capital expenditures of $60
million (1999)

Germany:
revenues: $996 billion

expenditures: $1.036 trillion, including capital expenditures of
$NA (1999 est.)

Ghana:
revenues: $1.39 billion

expenditures: $1.47 billion, including capital expenditures of $370
million (1996 est.)

Gibraltar:
revenues: $307 million

expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY00/01 est.)

Greece:
revenues: $45 billion

expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Greenland:
revenues: $646 million

expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85
million (1999)

Grenada:
revenues: $85.8 million

expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28
million (1997)

Guadeloupe:
revenues: $225 million

expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1996)

Guam:
revenues: $605.3 million

expenditures: $654.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000)

Guatemala:
revenues: $2.2 billion

expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

Guernsey:
revenues: $381.3 million

expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Guinea:
revenues: $NA

expenditures: $417.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
million (2000 est.)

Guinea-Bissau:
revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Guyana:
revenues: $220.1 million

expenditures: $286.4 million, including capital expenditures of
$86.6 million (1998)

Haiti:
revenues: $317 million

expenditures: $362 million, including capital expenditures of $84
million (FY99/00 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City):
revenues: $209.6 million

expenditures: $198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997)

Honduras:
revenues: $607 million

expenditures: $411.9 million, including capital expenditures of
$106 million (1999 est.)

Hong Kong:
revenues: $20.8 billion

expenditures: $24.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY99/00)

Hungary:
revenues: $13 billion

expenditures: $14.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Iceland:
revenues: $3.5 billion

expenditures: $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $467
million (1999)

India:
revenues: $44.3 billion

expenditures: $73.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY00/01 est.)

Indonesia:
revenues: $26 billion

expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Iran:
revenues: $27 billion

expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999)

Iraq:
revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Ireland:
revenues: $25.7 billion

expenditures: $19.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $2
billion (2000)

Israel:
revenues: $40 billion

expenditures: $42.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Italy:
revenues: $488 billion

expenditures: $501 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Jamaica:
revenues: $2.23 billion

expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of
$232.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Japan:
revenues: $441 billion

expenditures: $718 billion, including capital expenditures (public
works only) of about $84 billion (FY01/02 est.)

Jersey:
revenues: $601 million

expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98
million (2000 est.)

Jordan:
revenues: $2.8 billion

expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Kazakhstan:
revenues: $3.1 billion

expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Kenya:
revenues: $2.91 billion

expenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Kiribati:
revenues: $33.3 million

expenditures: $47.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
million (1996 est.)

Korea, North:
revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Korea, South:
revenues: $81.8 billion

expenditures: $94.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $6.1
billion (1999)

Kuwait:
revenues: $11.5 billion

expenditures: $17.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY01/02)

Kyrgyzstan:
revenues: $207.4 million

expenditures: $238.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Laos:
revenues: $211 million

expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY98/99 est.)

Latvia:
revenues: $1.33 billion

expenditures: $1.27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Lebanon:
revenues: $3.31 billion

expenditures: $5.55 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Lesotho:
revenues: $76 million

expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15
million (FY99/00 est.)

Liberia:
revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Libya:
revenues: $6.85 billion

expenditures: $4.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Liechtenstein:
revenues: $424.2 million

expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Lithuania:
revenues: $1.5 billion

expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Luxembourg:
revenues: $5.6 billion

expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Macau:
revenues: $1.26 billion

expenditures: $1.22 billion, including capital expenditures of $175
million (1999 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:
revenues: $1.06 billion

expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $107
million (1996 est.)

Madagascar:
revenues: $553 million

expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Malawi:
revenues: $490 million

expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY99/00 est.)

Malaysia:
revenues: $16.4 billion

expenditures: $17.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $43
billion (2000 est.)

Maldives:
revenues: $166 million (excluding foreign grants)

expenditures: $192 million, including capital expenditures of $80
million (1999 est.)

Mali:
revenues: $730 million

expenditures: $770 million, including capital expenditures of $320
million (1997 est.)

Malta:
revenues: $1.6 billion

expenditures: $1.73 billion, including capital expenditures of
$265.4 million (1999)

Man, Isle of:
revenues: $485 million

expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY00/01 est.)

Marshall Islands:
revenues: $80.1 million

expenditures: $77.4 million, including capital expenditures of
$19.5 million (FY95/96 est.)

Martinique:
revenues: $900 million

expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140
million (1996)

Mauritania:
revenues: $329 million

expenditures: $265 million, including capital expenditures of $75
million (1996 est.)

Mauritius:
revenues: $1.1 billion

expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Mayotte:
revenues: $NA

expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1991 est.)

Mexico:
revenues: $125 billion

expenditures: $130 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of: revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants)

expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Moldova:
revenues: $536 million

expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Monaco:
revenues: $518 million

expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995)

Mongolia:
revenues: $262 million

expenditures: $328 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Montserrat:
revenues: $31.4 million

expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4
million (1997 est.)

Morocco:
revenues: $9.6 billion

expenditures: $8.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1
billion (2001 est.)

Mozambique:
revenues: $466.9 million

expenditures: $1.004 billion, including capital expenditures of
$502.5 million (2000 est.)

Namibia:
revenues: $883 million

expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998)

Nauru:
revenues: $23.4 million

expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY95/96)

Nepal:
revenues: $536 million

expenditures: $818 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY96/97 est.)

Netherlands:
revenues: $134 billion

expenditures: $134 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles:
revenues: $710.8 million

expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

New Caledonia:
revenues: $861.3 million

expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52
million (1996 est.)

New Zealand:
revenues: $19.2 billion

expenditures: $19.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Nicaragua:
revenues: $734 million

expenditures: $836 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Niger:
revenues: $377 million, including $146 million from foreign
sources

expenditures: $377 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1999 est.)

Nigeria:
revenues: $3.4 billion

expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Niue:
revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Norfolk Island:
revenues: $4.6 million

expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY92/93)

Northern Mariana Islands:
revenues: $221 million

expenditures: $213 million, including capital expenditures of $17.7
million (1996)

Norway:
revenues: $71.7 billion

expenditures: $57.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Oman:
revenues: $4.7 billion

expenditures: $5.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $490
million (1999)

Pakistan:
revenues: $8.9 billion

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

Palau:
revenues: $57.7 million

expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of
$17.1 million (FY98/99 est.)

Panama:
revenues: $2.8 billion

expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $471
million (2000 est.)

Papua New Guinea:
revenues: $1.6 billion

expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Paraguay:
revenues: $1.3 billion

expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
million (1999 est.)

Peru:
revenues: $8.5 billion

expenditures: $9.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $2
billion (1996 est.)

Philippines:
revenues: $14.5 billion

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

Pitcairn Islands:
revenues: $729,884

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

Poland:
revenues: $49.6 billion

expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999)

Portugal:
revenues: $48.6 billion

expenditures: $50.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.7
billion (2000 est.)

Puerto Rico:
revenues: $6.7 billion

expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY99/00)

Qatar:
revenues: $3.9 billion

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

Reunion:
revenues: NA

expenditures: NA

Romania:
revenues: $11.7 billion

expenditures: $12.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Russia:
revenues: $40 billion

expenditures: $33.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Rwanda:
revenues: $198 million

expenditures: $411 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Saint Helena:
revenues: $11.2 million

expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY92)

Saint Kitts and Nevis:
revenues: $64.1 million

expenditures: $73.3 million, including capital expenditures of
$10.4 million (1997 est.)

Saint Lucia:
revenues: $141.2 million

expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of
$25.1 million (FY97/98 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon:
revenues: $70 million

expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24
million (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
revenues: $85.7 million

expenditures: $98.6 million, including capital expenditures of
$25.7 million (1997 est.)

Samoa:
revenues: $74.8 million

expenditures: $81.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

San Marino:
revenues: $400 million

expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe:
revenues: $58 million

expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54
million (1993 est.)

Saudi Arabia:
revenues: $66 billion

expenditures: $66 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Senegal:
revenues: $885 million

expenditures: $885 million, including capital expenditures of $125
million (1996 est.)

Seychelles:
revenues: $249 million

expenditures: $262 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Sierra Leone:
revenues: $96 million

expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Singapore:
revenues: $18.1 billion

expenditures: $17.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.5
billion (FY99/00 est.)

Slovakia:
revenues: $5.2 billion

expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999)

Slovenia:
revenues: $8.11 billion

expenditures: $8.32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Solomon Islands:
revenues: $147 million

expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Somalia:
revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

South Africa:
revenues: $31.1 billion

expenditures: $34.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
billion (FY01/02)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:
revenues: $291,777

expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988
est.)

Spain:
revenues: $105 billion

expenditures: $109 billion, including capital expenditures of $12.8
billion (2000 est.)

Sri Lanka:
revenues: $3 billion

expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Sudan:
revenues: $1.2 billion

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

Suriname:
revenues: $393 million

expenditures: $403 million, including capital expenditures of $34
million (1997 est.)

Svalbard:
revenues: $11.5 million

expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Swaziland:
revenues: $400 million

expenditures: $450 million, including capital expenditures of $115
million (FY96/97)

Sweden:
revenues: $133 billion

expenditures: $125.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Switzerland:
revenues: $32.66 billion

expenditures: $34.89 billion, including capital expenditures of
$2.3 billion (1998 est.)

Syria:
revenues: $2.25 billion

expenditures: $5.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Tajikistan:
revenues: $146 million

expenditures: $196 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Tanzania:
revenues: $1.21 billion

expenditures: $1.36 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Thailand:
revenues: $19 billion

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

Togo:
revenues: $232 million

expenditures: $252 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Tokelau:
revenues: $430,830

expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of
$37,300 (1987 est.)

Tonga:
revenues: $49 million

expenditures: $120 million, including capital expenditures of $75
million (FY96/97 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago:
revenues: $1.54 billion

expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of
$117.3 million (1998)

Tunisia:
revenues: $7.5 billion

expenditures: $8.1 billion, including capital expenditures to $1.6
billion (2000 est.)

Turkey:
revenues: $54.5 billion

expenditures: $75.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.3
billion (2000)

Turkmenistan:
revenues: $588.6 million

expenditures: $658.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands:
revenues: $47 million

expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997-1998 est.)

Tuvalu:
revenues: $6.2 million

expenditures: $6.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Uganda:
revenues: $959 million

expenditures: $1.04 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY98/99 est.)

Ukraine:
revenues: $8.3 billion

expenditures: $8.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

United Arab Emirates:
revenues: $6.5 billion

expenditures: $7.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

United Kingdom:
revenues: $555.2 billion

expenditures: $510.8 billion, including capital expenditures of
$37.7 billion (FY00)

United States:
revenues: $1.828 trillion

expenditures: $1.703 trillion, including capital expenditures of
$NA (1999)

Uruguay:
revenues: $4 billion

expenditures: $4.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
million (2000 est.)

Uzbekistan:
revenues: $4 billion

expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Vanuatu:
revenues: $94.4 million

expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of
$30.4 million (1996 est.)

Venezuela:
revenues: $26.4 billion

expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Vietnam:
revenues: $5.3 billion

expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8
billion (1999 est.)

Virgin Islands:
revenues: $364.4 million

expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1990 est.)

Wallis and Futuna:
revenues: $20 million

expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

West Bank:
revenues: $1.6 billion

expenditures: $1.73 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA

note: includes Gaza Strip (1999 est.)

Western Sahara: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Yemen:
revenues: $3 billion

expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

Yugoslavia:
revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Zambia:
revenues: $900 million

expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
million (1999 est.)

Zimbabwe:
revenues: $2.5 billion

expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $279
million (FY96/97 est.)

Taiwan:
revenues: $42.74 billion

expenditures: $48.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

@Capital

Afghanistan:
Kabul

Albania:
Tirana

Algeria:
Algiers

American Samoa:
Pago Pago

Andorra:
Andorra la Vella

Angola:
Luanda

Anguilla:
The Valley

Antigua and Barbuda:
Saint John's

Argentina:
Buenos Aires

Armenia:
Yerevan

Aruba:
Oranjestad

Australia:
Canberra

Austria:
Vienna

Azerbaijan:
Baku (Baki)

Bahamas, The:
Nassau

Bahrain:
Manama

Bangladesh:
Dhaka

Barbados:
Bridgetown

Belarus:
Minsk

Belgium:
Brussels

Belize:
Belmopan

Benin:
Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of
government

Bermuda:
Hamilton

Bhutan:
Thimphu

Bolivia:
La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat
of judiciary)

Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Sarajevo

Botswana:
Gaborone

Brazil:
Brasilia

British Virgin Islands:
Road Town

Brunei:
Bandar Seri Begawan

Bulgaria:
Sofia

Burkina Faso:
Ouagadougou

Burma:
Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)

Burundi:
Bujumbura

Cambodia:
Phnom Penh

Cameroon:
Yaounde

Canada:
Ottawa

Cape Verde:
Praia

Cayman Islands:
George Town

Central African Republic:
Bangui

Chad:
N'Djamena

Chile:
Santiago

China:
Beijing

Christmas Island:
The Settlement

Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
West Island

Colombia:
Bogota

Comoros:
Moroni

Congo, Democratic Republic of the:
Kinshasa

Congo, Republic of the:
Brazzaville

Cook Islands:
Avarua

Costa Rica:
San Jose

Cote d'Ivoire:
Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been
the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the administrative
center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in
Abidjan

Croatia:
Zagreb

Cuba:
Havana

Cyprus:
Nicosia

Czech Republic:
Prague

Denmark:
Copenhagen

Djibouti:
Djibouti

Dominica:
Roseau

Dominican Republic:
Santo Domingo

Ecuador:
Quito

Egypt:
Cairo

El Salvador:
San Salvador

Equatorial Guinea:
Malabo

Eritrea:
Asmara (formerly Asmera)

Estonia:
Tallinn

Ethiopia:
Addis Ababa

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas):
Stanley

Faroe Islands:
Torshavn

Fiji:
Suva

Finland:
Helsinki

France:
Paris

French Guiana:
Cayenne

French Polynesia:
Papeete

Gabon:
Libreville

Gambia, The:
Banjul

Georgia:
T'bilisi

Germany:
Berlin

Ghana:
Accra

Gibraltar:
Gibraltar

Greece:
Athens

Greenland:
Nuuk (Godthab)

Grenada:
Saint George's

Guadeloupe:
Basse-Terre

Guam:
Hagatna (Agana)

Guatemala:
Guatemala

Guernsey:
Saint Peter Port

Guinea:
Conakry

Guinea-Bissau:
Bissau

Guyana:
Georgetown

Haiti:
Port-au-Prince

Holy See (Vatican City):
Vatican City

Honduras:
Tegucigalpa

Hungary:
Budapest

Iceland:
Reykjavik

India:
New Delhi

Indonesia:
Jakarta

Iran:
Tehran

Iraq:
Baghdad

Ireland:
Dublin

Israel:
Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital
in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its
Embassy in Tel Aviv

Italy:
Rome

Jamaica:
Kingston

Japan:
Tokyo

Jersey:
Saint Helier

Jordan:
Amman

Kazakhstan:
Astana; note - the government moved from Almaty to
Astana in December 1998

Kenya:
Nairobi

Kiribati:
Tarawa

Korea, North:
P'yongyang

Korea, South:
Seoul

Kuwait:
Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan:
Bishkek

Laos:
Vientiane

Latvia:
Riga

Lebanon:
Beirut

Lesotho:
Maseru

Liberia:
Monrovia

Libya:
Tripoli

Liechtenstein:
Vaduz

Lithuania:
Vilnius

Luxembourg:
Luxembourg

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:
Skopje

Madagascar:
Antananarivo

Malawi:
Lilongwe

Malaysia:
Kuala Lumpur

Maldives:
Male

Mali:
Bamako

Malta:
Valletta

Man, Isle of:
Douglas

Marshall Islands:
Majuro

Martinique:
Fort-de-France

Mauritania:
Nouakchott

Mauritius:
Port Louis

Mayotte:
Mamoutzou

Mexico:
Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of:
Palikir

Moldova:
Chisinau

Monaco:
Monaco

Mongolia:
Ulaanbaatar

Montserrat:
Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity;
interim government buildings have been built at Brades, in the
Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)

Morocco:
Rabat

Mozambique:
Maputo

Namibia:
Windhoek

Nauru:
no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Nepal:
Kathmandu

Netherlands:
Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Netherlands Antilles:
Willemstad

New Caledonia:
Noumea

New Zealand:
Wellington

Nicaragua:
Managua

Niger:
Niamey

Nigeria:
Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was
officially transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government
offices have now made the move to Abuja

Niue:
Alofi

Norfolk Island:
Kingston

Northern Mariana Islands:
Saipan

Norway:
Oslo

Oman:
Muscat

Pakistan:
Islamabad

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

Panama:
Panama

Papua New Guinea:
Port Moresby

Paraguay:
Asuncion

Peru:
Lima

Philippines:
Manila

Pitcairn Islands:
Adamstown

Poland:
Warsaw

Portugal:
Lisbon

Puerto Rico:
San Juan

Qatar:
Doha

Reunion:
Saint-Denis

Romania:
Bucharest

Russia:
Moscow

Rwanda:
Kigali

Saint Helena:
Jamestown

Saint Kitts and Nevis:
Basseterre

Saint Lucia:
Castries

Saint Pierre and Miquelon:
Saint-Pierre

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
Kingstown

Samoa:
Apia

San Marino:
San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe:
Sao Tome

Saudi Arabia:
Riyadh

Senegal:
Dakar

Seychelles:
Victoria

Sierra Leone:
Freetown

Singapore:
Singapore

Slovakia:
Bratislava

Slovenia:
Ljubljana

Solomon Islands:
Honiara

Somalia:
Mogadishu

South Africa:
Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center
and Bloemfontein the judicial center

Spain:
Madrid

Sri Lanka:
Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the
legislative capital

Sudan:
Khartoum

Suriname:
Paramaribo

Svalbard:
Longyearbyen

Swaziland:
Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative
capital

Sweden:
Stockholm

Switzerland:
Bern

Syria:
Damascus

Tajikistan:
Dushanbe

Tanzania:
Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been
transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital;
the National Assembly now meets there on regular basis

Thailand:
Bangkok

Togo:
Lome

Tokelau:
none; each atoll has its own administrative center

Tonga:
Nuku'alofa

Trinidad and Tobago:
Port-of-Spain

Tunisia:
Tunis

Turkey:
Ankara

Turkmenistan:
Ashgabat

Turks and Caicos Islands:
Cockburn Town (on Grand Turk)

Tuvalu:
Funafuti

Uganda:
Kampala

Ukraine:
Kiev (Kyyiv)

United Arab Emirates:
Abu Dhabi

United Kingdom:
London

United States:
Washington, DC

Uruguay:
Montevideo

Uzbekistan:
Tashkent (Toshkent)

Vanuatu:
Port-Vila

Venezuela:
Caracas

Vietnam:
Hanoi

Virgin Islands:
Charlotte Amalie

Wallis and Futuna:
Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

Western Sahara:
none

Yemen:
Sanaa

Yugoslavia:
Belgrade

Zambia:
Lusaka

Zimbabwe:
Harare

Taiwan:
Taipei

@Climate

Afghanistan:
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Albania:
mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry
summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Algeria:
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers
along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high
plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in
summer

American Samoa:
tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds;
annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to
April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature
variation

Andorra:
temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Angola:
semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool,
dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Anguilla:
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Antarctica:
severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation,
and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West
Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has
the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January
along the coast and average slightly below freezing

Antigua and Barbuda:
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature
variation

Arctic Ocean:
polar climate characterized by persistent cold and
relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized
by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and
clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and
foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Argentina:
mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in
southwest

Armenia:
highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Aruba:
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands:
tropical

Atlantic Ocean:
tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast
of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea;
hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent
from August to November

Australia:
generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east;
tropical in north

Austria:
temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent
rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional
showers

Azerbaijan:
dry, semiarid steppe

Bahamas, The:
tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf
Stream

Bahrain:
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Baker Island:
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Bangladesh:
tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid
summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Barbados:
tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Bassas da India:
tropical

Belarus:
cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between
continental and maritime

Belgium:
temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Belize:
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to
November); dry season (February to May)

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

Bermuda:
subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in
winter

Bhutan:
varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot
summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in
Himalayas

Bolivia:
varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and
semiarid

Bosnia and Herzegovina: hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast

Botswana:
semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Bouvet Island:
antarctic

Brazil:
mostly tropical, but temperate in south

British Indian Ocean Territory:
tropical marine; hot, humid,
moderated by trade winds

British Virgin Islands:
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated
by trade winds

Brunei:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Bulgaria:
temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Burkina Faso:
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Burma:
tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers
(southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall,
mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,
December to April)

Burundi:
equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude
variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual
temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade
but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m;
average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February
to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to
August and December to January

Cambodia:
tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry
season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Cameroon:
varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid
and hot in north

Canada:
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in
north

Cape Verde:
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and
very erratic

Cayman Islands:
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to
October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)

Central African Republic:
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot,
wet summers

Chad:
tropical in south, desert in north

Chile:
temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region;
cool and damp in south

China:
extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Christmas Island:
tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade
winds

Clipperton Island:
tropical, humid, average temperature 20-32
degrees C, rains May-October

Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
pleasant, modified by the southeast trade
winds for about nine months of the year; moderate rainfall

Colombia:
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in
highlands

Comoros:
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October

Congo, Republic of the: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Cook Islands:
tropical; moderated by trade winds

Coral Sea Islands:
tropical

Costa Rica:
tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to
April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Cote d'Ivoire:
tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three
seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to
May), hot and wet (June to October)

Croatia:
Mediterranean and continental; continental climate
predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry
summers along coast

Cuba:
tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to
April); rainy season (May to October)

Cyprus:
temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool,
winters

Czech Republic:
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Denmark:
temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool
summers

Djibouti:
desert; torrid, dry

Dominica:
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy
rainfall

Dominican Republic:
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature
variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

Ecuador:
tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher
elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Egypt:
desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

El Salvador:
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season
(November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Equatorial Guinea:
tropical; always hot, humid

Eritrea:
hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and
wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually);
semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during
June-September except in coastal desert

Estonia:
maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Ethiopia:
tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Europa Island:
tropical

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate

Faroe Islands:
mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy,
windy

Fiji:
tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Finland:
cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively
mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,
Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

France:
generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters
and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold,
dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

French Guiana:
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature
variation

French Polynesia:
tropical, but moderate

French Southern and Antarctic Lands:
antarctic

Gabon:
tropical; always hot, humid

Gambia, The:
tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler,
dry season (November to May)

Gaza Strip:
temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Georgia:
warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Germany:
temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and
summers; occasional warm foehn wind

Ghana:
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast;
hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Gibraltar:
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Glorioso Islands:
tropical

Greece:
temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Greenland:
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Grenada:
tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Guadeloupe:
subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high
humidity

Guam:
tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by
northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season
from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation

Guatemala:
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Guernsey:
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of
days are overcast

Guinea:
generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June
to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guinea-Bissau:
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type
rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season
(December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guyana:
tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds;
two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)

Haiti:
tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Heard Island and McDonald Islands:
antarctic

Holy See (Vatican City): temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)

Honduras:
subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Hong Kong:
tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy
from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Howland Island:
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning
sun

Hungary:
temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Iceland:
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
winters; damp, cool summers

India:
varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Indian Ocean:
northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest
monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June
and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and
January/February in the southern Indian Ocean

Indonesia:
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Iran:
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Iraq:
mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless
summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish
borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that
melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in
central and southern Iraq

Ireland:
temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current;
mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half
the time

Israel:
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Italy:
predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in
south

Jamaica:
tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Jan Mayen:
arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Japan:
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Jarvis Island:
tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Jersey:
temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Johnston Atoll:
tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast
trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation

Jordan:
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Juan de Nova Island:
tropical

Kazakhstan:
continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and
semiarid

Kenya:
varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Kingman Reef:
tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds

Kiribati:
tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Korea, North:
temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Korea, South:
temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Kuwait:
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Kyrgyzstan:
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical
in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Laos:
tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
(December to April)

Latvia:
maritime; wet, moderate winters

Lebanon:
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry
summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Lesotho:
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Liberia:
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to
cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Libya:
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Liechtenstein:
continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow
or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Lithuania:
transitional, between maritime and continental; wet,
moderate winters and summers

Luxembourg:
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Macau:
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall

Madagascar:
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Malawi:
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season
(May to November)

Malaysia:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and
northeast (October to February) monsoons

Maldives:
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to
March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Mali:
subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy,
humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Malta:
Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Man, Isle of:
cool summers and mild winters; temperate; overcast
about one-third of the time

Marshall Islands:
wet season from May to November; hot and humid;
islands border typhoon belt

Martinique:
tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June
to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every
eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid

Mauritania:
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Mauritius:
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry
winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Mayotte:
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during
northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to
November)

Mexico:
varies from tropical to desert

Micronesia, Federated States of:
tropical; heavy year-round
rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern
edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

Midway Islands:
subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly
winds

Moldova:
moderate winters, warm summers

Monaco:
Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Mongolia:
desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature
ranges)

Montserrat:
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Morocco:
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Mozambique:
tropical to subtropical

Namibia:
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Nauru:
tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)

Navassa Island:
marine, tropical

Nepal:
varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to
subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Netherlands:
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Netherlands Antilles:
tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

New Caledonia:
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot,
humid

New Zealand:
temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Nicaragua:
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Niger:
desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Nigeria:
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in
north

Niue:
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Norfolk Island:
subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature
variation

Northern Mariana Islands:
tropical marine; moderated by northeast
trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season
December to June, rainy season July to October

Norway:
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current;
colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers
causing glaciers to grow; rainy year-round on west coast

Oman:
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong
southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Pacific Ocean:
planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind
patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade
winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by
seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south
of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central
America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much
less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same
latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is
monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when
moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry
season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian
landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike
southeast and east Asia from May to December

Pakistan:
mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in
north

Palau:
wet season May to November; hot and humid

Palmyra Atoll:
equatorial, hot, and very rainy

Panama:
tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy
season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Papua New Guinea:
tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March),
southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature
variation

Paracel Islands:
tropical

Paraguay:
subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the
eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Peru:
varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate
to frigid in Andes

Philippines:
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April);
southwest monsoon (May to October)

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

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

Portugal:
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and
drier in south

Puerto Rico:
tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature
variation

Qatar:
desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer

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

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

Russia:
ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental
in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate
in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to
frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool
along Arctic coast

Rwanda:
temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to
January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Saint Helena:
Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by
trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by
trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Saint Kitts and Nevis:
tropical tempered by constant sea breezes;
little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Saint Lucia:
tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry
season from January to April, rainy season from May to August

Saint Pierre and Miquelon:
cold and wet, with much mist and fog;
spring and autumn are windy

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
tropical; little seasonal
temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Samoa:
tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to
October)

San Marino:
Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Sao Tome and Principe:
tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season
(October to May)

Saudi Arabia:
harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature

Senegal:
tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has
strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by
hot, dry, harmattan wind

Seychelles:
tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast
monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest
monsoon (March to May)

Sierra Leone:
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to
December); winter dry season (December to April)

Singapore:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons
- Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern
monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon
and early evening thunderstorms

Slovakia:
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Slovenia:
Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate
with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and
valleys to the east

Solomon Islands:
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and
weather

Somalia:
principally desert; December to February - northeast
monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May
to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the
south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili)
between monsoons

South Africa:
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny
days, cool nights

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:
variable, with mostly
westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of
calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Southern Ocean:
sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius
to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the
continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature
contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about
latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average
winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward
to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees
south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures
well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense
persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline
ice-free throughout the winter

Spain:
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and
cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy
and cool along coast

Spratly Islands:
tropical

Sri Lanka:
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March);
southwest monsoon (June to October)

Sudan:
tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season (April
to October)

Suriname:
tropical; moderated by trade winds

Svalbard:
arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool
summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and
north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most
of the year

Swaziland:
varies from tropical to near temperate

Sweden:
temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool,
partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Switzerland:
temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy,
rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with
occasional showers

Syria:
mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and
mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather
with snow or sleet periodically hitting Damascus

Tajikistan:
midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters;
semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Tanzania:
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Thailand:
tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May
to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);
southern isthmus always hot and humid

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

Tokelau:
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Tonga:
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to
May), cool season (May to December)

Trinidad and Tobago:
tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Tromelin Island:
tropical

Tunisia:
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry
summers; desert in south

Turkey:
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher
in interior

Turkmenistan:
subtropical desert

Turks and Caicos Islands:
tropical; marine; moderated by trade
winds; sunny and relatively dry

Tuvalu:
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to
November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Uganda:
tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to
February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Ukraine:
temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern
Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest
in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from
cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm
across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

United Arab Emirates:
desert; cooler in eastern mountains

United Kingdom:
temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds
over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are
overcast

United States:
mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida,
arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the
Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low
winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in
January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
of the Rocky Mountains

Uruguay:
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Uzbekistan:
mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild
winters; semiarid grassland in east

Vanuatu:
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds

Venezuela:
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Vietnam:
tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy
season (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October
to mid-March)

Virgin Islands:
subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds,
relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation;
rainy season May to November

Wake Island:
tropical

Wallis and Futuna:
tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April);
cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year
(80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C

West Bank:
temperate, temperature and precipitation vary with
altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Western Sahara:
hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air
currents produce fog and heavy dew

World:
two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather
narrow temperate zones from a wide equatorial band of tropical to
subtropical climates

Yemen:
mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in
western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot,
dry, harsh desert in east

Yugoslavia:
in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot,
humid summers with well distributed rainfall); central portion,
continental and Mediterranean climate; to the south, Adriatic
climate along the coast, hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively
cold winters with heavy snowfall inland

Zambia:
tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to
April)

Zimbabwe:
tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to
March)

Taiwan:
tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon
(June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

@Coastline

Afghanistan:
0 km (landlocked)

Albania:
362 km

Algeria:
998 km

American Samoa:
116 km

Andorra:
0 km (landlocked)

Angola:
1,600 km

Anguilla:
61 km

Antarctica:
17,968 km

Antigua and Barbuda:
153 km

Arctic Ocean:
45,389 km

Argentina:
4,989 km

Armenia:
0 km (landlocked)

Aruba:
68.5 km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands:
74.1 km

Atlantic Ocean:
111,866 km

Australia:
25,760 km

Austria:
0 km (landlocked)

Azerbaijan:
0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian
Sea (800 km, est.)

Bahamas, The:
3,542 km

Bahrain:
161 km

Baker Island:
4.8 km

Bangladesh:
580 km

Barbados:
97 km

Bassas da India:
35.2 km

Belarus:
0 km (landlocked)

Belgium:
66 km

Belize:
386 km

Benin:
121 km

Bermuda:
103 km

Bhutan:
0 km (landlocked)

Bolivia:
0 km (landlocked)

Bosnia and Herzegovina:
20 km

Botswana:
0 km (landlocked)

Bouvet Island:
29.6 km

Brazil:
7,491 km

British Indian Ocean Territory:
698 km

British Virgin Islands:
80 km

Brunei:
161 km

Bulgaria:
354 km

Burkina Faso:
0 km (landlocked)

Burma:
1,930 km

Burundi:
0 km (landlocked)

Cambodia:
443 km

Cameroon:
402 km

Canada:
243,791 km

Cape Verde:
965 km

Cayman Islands:
160 km

Central African Republic:
0 km (landlocked)

Chad:
0 km (landlocked)

Chile:
6,435 km

China:
14,500 km

Christmas Island:
138.9 km

Clipperton Island:
11.1 km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
2.6 km

Colombia:
3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean
1,448 km)

Comoros:
340 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the:
37 km

Congo, Republic of the:
169 km

Cook Islands:
120 km

Coral Sea Islands:
3,095 km

Costa Rica:
1,290 km

Cote d'Ivoire:
515 km

Croatia:
5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Cuba:
3,735 km

Cyprus:
648 km

Czech Republic:
0 km (landlocked)

Denmark:
7,314 km

Djibouti:
314 km

Dominica:
148 km

Dominican Republic:
1,288 km

Ecuador:
2,237 km

Egypt:
2,450 km

El Salvador:
307 km

Equatorial Guinea:
296 km

Eritrea:
2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in
Red Sea 1,083 km

Estonia:
3,794 km

Ethiopia:
0 km (landlocked)

Europa Island:
22.2 km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas):
1,288 km

Faroe Islands:
1,117 km

Fiji:
1,129 km

Finland:
1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)

France:
3,427 km

French Guiana:
378 km

French Polynesia:
2,525 km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands:
1,232 km

Gabon:
885 km

Gambia, The:
80 km

Gaza Strip:
40 km

Georgia:
310 km

Germany:
2,389 km

Ghana:
539 km

Gibraltar:
12 km

Glorioso Islands:
35.2 km

Greece:
13,676 km

Greenland:
44,087 km

Grenada:
121 km

Guadeloupe:
306 km

Guam:
125.5 km

Guatemala:
400 km

Guernsey:
50 km

Guinea:
320 km

Guinea-Bissau:
350 km

Guyana:
459 km

Haiti:
1,771 km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands:
101.9 km

Holy See (Vatican City):
0 km (landlocked)

Honduras:
820 km

Hong Kong:
733 km

Howland Island:
6.4 km

Hungary:
0 km (landlocked)

Iceland:
4,988 km

India:
7,000 km

Indian Ocean:
66,526 km

Indonesia:
54,716 km

Iran:
2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Iraq:
58 km

Ireland:
1,448 km

Israel:
273 km

Italy:
7,600 km

Jamaica:
1,022 km

Jan Mayen:
124.1 km

Japan:
29,751 km

Jarvis Island:
8 km

Jersey:
70 km

Johnston Atoll:
10 km

Jordan:
26 km

Juan de Nova Island:
24.1 km

Kazakhstan:
0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral
Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian
Sea (1,894 km)

Kenya:
536 km

Kingman Reef:
3 km

Kiribati:
1,143 km

Korea, North:
2,495 km

Korea, South:
2,413 km

Kuwait:
499 km

Kyrgyzstan:
0 km (landlocked)

Laos:
0 km (landlocked)

Latvia:
531 km

Lebanon:
225 km

Lesotho:
0 km (landlocked)

Liberia:
579 km

Libya:
1,770 km

Liechtenstein:
0 km (landlocked)

Lithuania:
99 km

Luxembourg:
0 km (landlocked)

Macau:
40 km

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:
0 km (landlocked)

Madagascar:
4,828 km

Malawi:
0 km (landlocked)

Malaysia:
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia
2,607 km)

Maldives:
644 km

Mali:
0 km (landlocked)

Malta:
196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Man, Isle of:
160 km

Marshall Islands:
370.4 km

Martinique:
350 km

Mauritania:
754 km

Mauritius:
177 km

Mayotte:
185.2 km

Mexico:
9,330 km

Micronesia, Federated States of:
6,112 km

Midway Islands:
15 km

Moldova:
0 km (landlocked)

Monaco:
4.1 km

Mongolia:
0 km (landlocked)

Montserrat:
40 km

Morocco:
1,835 km

Mozambique:
2,470 km

Namibia:
1,572 km

Nauru:
30 km

Navassa Island:
8 km

Nepal:
0 km (landlocked)

Netherlands:
451 km

Netherlands Antilles:
364 km

New Caledonia:
2,254 km

New Zealand:
15,134 km

Nicaragua:
910 km

Niger:
0 km (landlocked)

Nigeria:
853 km

Niue:
64 km

Norfolk Island:
32 km

Northern Mariana Islands:
1,482 km

Norway:
21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413
km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations
16,093 km)

Oman:
2,092 km

Pacific Ocean:
135,663 km

Pakistan:
1,046 km

Palau:
1,519 km

Palmyra Atoll:
14.5 km

Panama:
2,490 km

Papua New Guinea:
5,152 km

Paracel Islands:
518 km

Paraguay:
0 km (landlocked)

Peru:
2,414 km

Philippines:
36,289 km

Pitcairn Islands:
51 km

Poland:
491 km

Portugal:
1,793 km

Puerto Rico:
501 km

Qatar:
563 km

Reunion:
207 km

Romania:
225 km

Russia:
37,653 km

Rwanda:
0 km (landlocked)

Saint Helena:
60 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis:
135 km

Saint Lucia:
158 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon:
120 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
84 km

Samoa:
403 km

San Marino:
0 km (landlocked)

Sao Tome and Principe:
209 km

Saudi Arabia:
2,640 km

Senegal:
531 km

Seychelles:
491 km

Sierra Leone:
402 km

Singapore:
193 km

Slovakia:
0 km (landlocked)

Slovenia:
46.6 km

Solomon Islands:
5,313 km

Somalia:
3,025 km

South Africa:
2,798 km

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:
NA km

Southern Ocean:
17,968 km

Spain:
4,964 km

Spratly Islands:
926 km

Sri Lanka:
1,340 km

Sudan:
853 km

Suriname:
386 km

Svalbard:
3,587 km

Swaziland:
0 km (landlocked)

Sweden:
3,218 km

Switzerland:
0 km (landlocked)

Syria:
193 km

Tajikistan:
0 km (landlocked)

Tanzania:
1,424 km

Thailand:
3,219 km

Togo:
56 km

Tokelau:
101 km

Tonga:
419 km

Trinidad and Tobago:
362 km

Tromelin Island:
3.7 km

Tunisia:
1,148 km

Turkey:
7,200 km

Turkmenistan:
0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea
(1,768 km)

Turks and Caicos Islands:
389 km

Tuvalu:
24 km

Uganda:
0 km (landlocked)

Ukraine:
2,782 km

United Arab Emirates:
1,318 km

United Kingdom:
12,429 km

United States:
19,924 km

Uruguay:
660 km

Uzbekistan:
0 km; note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of
the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Vanuatu:
2,528 km

Venezuela:
2,800 km

Vietnam:
3,444 km (excludes islands)

Virgin Islands:
188 km

Wake Island:
19.3 km

Wallis and Futuna:
129 km

West Bank:
0 km (landlocked)

Western Sahara:
1,110 km

World:
356,000 km

Yemen:
1,906 km

Yugoslavia:
199 km

Zambia:
0 km (landlocked)

Zimbabwe:
0 km (landlocked)

Taiwan:
1,566.3 km

@Communications - note

Bouvet Island: automatic meteorological station

Coral Sea Islands: there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland

Europa Island:
1 meteorological station

Glorioso Islands:
1 meteorological station

Juan de Nova Island:
1 meteorological station

Saint Helena:
Gough Island has a meteorological station

Tromelin Island:
important meteorological station

@Constitution

Afghanistan:
none

Albania:
a new constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28
November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the
vote

Algeria:
19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3
November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996; note -
referendum approving the revisions of 28 November 1996 was signed
into law 7 December 1996

American Samoa:
ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Andorra:
Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991;
approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993

Angola:
11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6
March 1991, and 26 August 1992

Anguilla:
Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Antigua and Barbuda:
1 November 1981

Argentina:
1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Armenia:
adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Aruba:
1 January 1986

Australia:
9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Austria:
1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Azerbaijan:
adopted 12 November 1995

Bahamas, The:
10 July 1973

Bahrain:
adopted late December 2000 (new constitution calls for a
partially elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an
independent judiciary)

Bangladesh:
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended
following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended
many times

Barbados:
30 November 1966

Belarus:
30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24
November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and
became effective 27 November 1996

Belgium:
7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament
approved a constitutional package creating a federal state

Belize:
21 September 1981

Benin:
December 1990

Bermuda:
8 June 1968, amended 1989

Bhutan:
no written constitution or bill of rights; note - Bhutan
uses 1953 Royal decree for the Constitution of the National
Assembly; on 7 July 1998, a Royal edict was ratified giving the
National Assembly additional powers

Bolivia:
2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Bosnia and Herzegovina:
the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December
1995, included a new constitution now in force

Botswana:
March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Brazil:
5 October 1988

British Virgin Islands:
1 June 1977

Brunei:
29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State
of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1
January 1984)

Bulgaria:
adopted 12 July 1991

Burkina Faso:
2 June 1991 approved by referendum; 11 June 1991
formally adopted

Burma:
3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national
convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution;
progress has since been stalled

Burundi:
13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural
political system; supplanted on 6 June 1998 by a Transitional
Constitution which enlarged the National Assembly and created two
vice presidents

Cambodia:
promulgated 21 September 1993

Cameroon:
20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally
adopted; revised January 1996

Canada:
17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery
of the government was set up in the British North America Act of
1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs

Cape Verde:
new constitution came into force 25 September 1992;
underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially
increasing the powers of the president

Cayman Islands:
1959, revised 1972 and 1992

Central African Republic: passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995

Chad:
passed by referendum 31 March 1995

Chile:
11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July
1989, 1993, and 1997

China:
most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Christmas Island:
Christmas Island Act of 1958

Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955

Colombia:
5 July 1991

Comoros:
20 October 1996

Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978, amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; in November 1998, a draft constitution was approved by former President Laurent KABILA but it has not been ratified by a national referendum

Congo, Republic of the: Draft constitution approved by transitional parliament in September 2000

Cook Islands:
4 August 1965

Costa Rica:
7 November 1949

Cote d'Ivoire:
3 November 1960; has been amended numerous times,
last time 27 July 1998

Croatia:
adopted on 22 December 1990

Cuba:
24 February 1976, amended July 1992

Cyprus:
16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new
or revised constitution to govern the island and to better relations
between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in
1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing
bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which was
renamed the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" in 1983; a new
constitution for the Turkish Cypriot area passed by referendum on 5
May 1985

Czech Republic:
ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993

Denmark:
1849 was the original constitution; there was a major
overhaul 5 June 1953, allowing for a unicameral legislature and a
female chief of state

Djibouti:
multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September
1992

Dominica:
3 November 1978

Dominican Republic:
28 November 1966

Ecuador:
10 August 1998

Egypt:
11 September 1971

El Salvador:
23 December 1983

Equatorial Guinea:
approved by national referendum 17 November 1991;
amended January 1995

Eritrea:
the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was
replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet
implemented

Estonia:
adopted 28 June 1992

Ethiopia:
ratified December 1994; effective 22 August 1995

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Faroe Islands:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Fiji:
10 October 1970 (suspended 1 October 1987); a new constitution
was proposed on 23 September 1988 and promulgated on 25 July 1990;
amended 25 July 1997 to allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in
government and to make multiparty government mandatory; entered into
force 28 July 1998; note - the May 1999 election was the first test
of the amended constitution and introduced open voting - not
racially prescribed - for the first time at the national level

Finland:
17 July 1919

France:
28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president
in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of EC Maastricht Treaty
in 1992; amended to tighten immigration laws 1993

French Guiana:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

French Polynesia:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Gabon:
adopted 14 March 1991

Gambia, The:
24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and
approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished in
January 1997

Georgia:
adopted 17 October 1995

Germany:
23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the
united German people 3 October 1990

Ghana:
new constitution approved 28 April 1992

Gibraltar:
30 May 1969

Greece:
11 June 1975; amended March 1986

Greenland:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Grenada:
19 December 1973

Guadeloupe:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Guam:
Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Guatemala:
31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended
25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993
following ouster of president; amended November 1993

Guernsey:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Guinea:
23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Guinea-Bissau:
16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26
February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996

Guyana:
6 October 1980

Haiti:
approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articles
reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be
observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October
1994

Holy See (Vatican City):
Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1
March 1968)

Honduras:
11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Hong Kong:
Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National
People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Hungary:
18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April
1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals
and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
amendment streamlined the judicial system

Iceland:
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

India:
26 January 1950

Indonesia:
August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949
and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959

Iran:
2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the
presidency and eliminate the prime ministership

Iraq:
22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional
constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted

Ireland:
29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite

Israel:
no formal constitution; some of the functions of a
constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948),
the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli
citizenship law

Italy:
1 January 1948

Jamaica:
6 August 1962

Japan:
3 May 1947

Jersey:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Jordan:
8 January 1952

Kazakhstan:
adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first
post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993

Kenya:
12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with
amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1997

Kiribati:
12 July 1979

Korea, North:
adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972,
revised again in April 1992 and September 1998

Korea, South:
25 February 1988

Kuwait:
approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Kyrgyzstan:
adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by
President AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 10 February
1996 significantly expands the powers of the president at the
expense of the legislature

Laos:
promulgated 14 August 1991

Latvia:
the 1991 Constitutional Law which supplements the 1922
constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms

Lebanon:
23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently
Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Taif Accord) of October
1989

Lesotho:
2 April 1993

Liberia:
6 January 1986

Libya:
11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Liechtenstein:
5 October 1921

Lithuania:
adopted 25 October 1992

Luxembourg:
17 October 1868, occasional revisions

Macau:
Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National
People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:
adopted 17 November
1991, effective 20 November 1991

note: Democratic Party for Albanians (DPA), which is now a member party of the government, is calling for a rewrite of the constitution to declare ethnic Albanians a constituent national group and allow for greater regional autonomy

Madagascar:
19 August 1992 by national referendum

Malawi:
18 May 1994

Malaysia:
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Maldives:
adopted January 1998

Mali:
adopted 12 January 1992

Malta:
1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974

Man, Isle of:
unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act,
1961, does not embody the Manx Constitution

Marshall Islands:
1 May 1979

Martinique:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Mauritania:
12 July 1991

Mauritius:
12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Mayotte:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Mexico:
5 February 1917

Micronesia, Federated States of:
10 May 1979

Moldova:
new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet
constitution of 1979

Monaco:
17 December 1962

Mongolia:
12 February 1992

Montserrat:
present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Morocco:
10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create
bicameral legislature) September 1996

Mozambique:
30 November 1990

Namibia:
ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Nauru:
29 January 1968

Nepal:
9 November 1990

Netherlands:
adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February
1983

Netherlands Antilles:
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the
Netherlands, as amended

New Caledonia:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

New Zealand:
consists of a series of legal documents, including
certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The
Constitution Act 1986 which is the principal formal charter

Nicaragua:
9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000

Niger:
the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national
referendum on 12 May 1996 and again by referendum on 18 July 1999

Nigeria:
NA 1999 new constitution adopted

Niue:
19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Norfolk Island:
Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Northern Mariana Islands:
Covenant Agreement effective 4 November
1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978

Norway:
17 May 1814, modified in 1884

Oman:
none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal
decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things,
clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars
ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with
the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees
basic civil liberties for Omani citizens

Pakistan:
10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with
amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999

Palau:
1 January 1981

Panama:
11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983 and 1994

Papua New Guinea:
16 September 1975

Paraguay:
promulgated 20 June 1992

Peru:
31 December 1993

Philippines:
2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

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

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

Portugal:
25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, 5
November 1992, and 3 September 1997

Puerto Rico:
ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July
1952; effective 25 July 1952

Qatar:
provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999
Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent
constitution

Reunion:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Romania:
8 December 1991

Russia:
adopted 12 December 1993

Rwanda:
on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted as
Fundamental Law the constitution of 18 June 1991, provisions of the
1993 Arusha peace accord, the July 1994 Declaration by the Rwanda
Patriotic Front, and the November 1994 multiparty protocol of
understanding

Saint Helena:
1 January 1989

Saint Kitts and Nevis:
19 September 1983

Saint Lucia:
22 February 1979

Saint Pierre and Miquelon:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
27 October 1979

Samoa:
1 January 1962

San Marino:
8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the
functions of a constitution

Sao Tome and Principe:
approved March 1990; effective 10 September
1990

Saudi Arabia:
governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic
Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities
was introduced in 1993

Senegal:
3 March 1963, revised 1991

Seychelles:
18 June 1993

Sierra Leone:
1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Singapore:
3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State
of Singapore Constitution)

Slovakia:
ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993;
changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president;
amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU
membership

Slovenia:
adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Solomon Islands:
7 July 1978

Somalia:
25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

note: the Transitional National Government formed in October 2000
has a mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections within
three years

South Africa:
10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified
by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then
President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3
February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:
adopted 3 October 1985

Spain:
6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Sri Lanka:
adopted 16 August 1978

Sudan:
12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985;
interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of
30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially
suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR

Suriname:
ratified 30 September 1987

Swaziland:
none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12
April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but
was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more
outlines for a constitution have been compiled under the
Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), but so far none have been
accepted

Sweden:
1 January 1975

Switzerland:
29 May 1874

Syria:
13 March 1973

Tajikistan:
6 November 1994

Tanzania:
25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Thailand:
new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October
1997

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

Tokelau:
administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as
amended in 1970

Tonga:
4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Trinidad and Tobago:
1 August 1976

Tunisia:
1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988

Turkey:
7 November 1982

Turkmenistan:
adopted 18 May 1992

Turks and Caicos Islands: introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988

Tuvalu:
1 October 1978

Uganda:
8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member
Constituent Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution
that had been proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was
dissolved upon the promulgation of the constitution in October 1995

Ukraine:
adopted 28 June 1996

United Arab Emirates:
2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

United Kingdom:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and
practice

United States:
17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Uruguay:
27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27
June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980;
two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989
and 7 January 1997

Uzbekistan:
new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Vanuatu:
30 July 1980

Venezuela:
30 December 1999

Vietnam:
15 April 1992

Virgin Islands:
Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Wallis and Futuna:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Yemen:
16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Yugoslavia:
27 April 1992

Zambia:
2 August 1991

Zimbabwe:
21 December 1979

Taiwan:
1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 1999

@Country name

Afghanistan:
conventional long form: Islamic State of Afghanistan;
note - the self-proclaimed Taliban government refers to the country
as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

conventional short form: Afghanistan

local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan

local short form: Afghanestan

former: Republic of Afghanistan

Albania: conventional long form: Republic of Albania

conventional short form: Albania

local long form: Republika e Shqiperise

local short form: Shqiperia

former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Algeria:
conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of
Algeria

conventional short form: Algeria

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah

local short form: Al Jaza'ir

American Samoa: conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa

conventional short form: American Samoa

abbreviation: AS

Andorra: conventional long form: Principality of Andorra

conventional short form: Andorra

local long form: Principat d'Andorra

local short form: Andorra

Angola: conventional long form: Republic of Angola

conventional short form: Angola

local long form: Republica de Angola

local short form: Angola

former: People's Republic of Angola

Anguilla: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Anguilla

Antarctica: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Antarctica

Antigua and Barbuda: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina: conventional long form: Argentine Republic

conventional short form: Argentina

local long form: Republica Argentina

local short form: Argentina

Armenia: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia

conventional short form: Armenia

local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun

local short form: Hayastan

former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic

Aruba: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands: conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands

conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Australia: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form: Australia

Austria: conventional long form: Republic of Austria

conventional short form: Austria

local long form: Republik Oesterreich

local short form: Oesterreich

Azerbaijan: conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan

conventional short form: Azerbaijan

local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi

local short form: none

former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Bahamas, The: conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas

conventional short form: The Bahamas

Bahrain: conventional long form: State of Bahrain

conventional short form: Bahrain

local long form: Dawlat al Bahrayn

local short form: Al Bahrayn

former: Dilmun

Baker Island: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Baker Island

Bangladesh: conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh

conventional short form: Bangladesh

former: East Pakistan

Barbados: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Barbados

Bassas da India: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bassas da India

Belarus: conventional long form: Republic of Belarus

conventional short form: Belarus

local long form: Respublika Byelarus'

local short form: none

former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Belgium: conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium

conventional short form: Belgium

local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Belize: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Belize

former: British Honduras

Benin: conventional long form: Republic of Benin

conventional short form: Benin

local long form: Republique du Benin

local short form: Benin

former: Dahomey

Bermuda: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bermuda

former: Somers Islands

Bhutan: conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan

conventional short form: Bhutan

Bolivia: conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia

conventional short form: Bolivia

local long form: Republica de Bolivia

local short form: Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina

local long form: none

local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina

Botswana: conventional long form: Republic of Botswana

conventional short form: Botswana

former: Bechuanaland

Bouvet Island: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Brazil: conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil

conventional short form: Brazil

local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil

local short form: Brasil

British Indian Ocean Territory: conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory

conventional short form: none

abbreviation: BIOT

British Virgin Islands: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: British Virgin Islands

abbreviation: BVI

Brunei: conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam

conventional short form: Brunei

Bulgaria: conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria

conventional short form: Bulgaria

Burkina Faso: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Burkina Faso

former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Burma: conventional long form: Union of Burma

conventional short form: Burma

local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar)

local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw

former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma

Burundi: conventional long form: Republic of Burundi

conventional short form: Burundi

local long form: Republika y'u Burundi

local short form: Burundi

former: Urundi

Cambodia: conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia

conventional short form: Cambodia

local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea

local short form: Kampuchea

former: Khmer Republic, Kampuchea Republic

Cameroon: conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon

conventional short form: Cameroon

former: French Cameroon

Canada: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Canada

Cape Verde: conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde

conventional short form: Cape Verde

local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde

local short form: Cabo Verde

Cayman Islands: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Central African Republic: conventional long form: Central African Republic

conventional short form: none

local long form: Republique Centrafricaine

local short form: none

former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire

abbreviation: CAR

Chad: conventional long form: Republic of Chad

conventional short form: Chad

local long form: Republique du Tchad

local short form: Tchad

Chile: conventional long form: Republic of Chile

conventional short form: Chile

local long form: Republica de Chile

local short form: Chile

China: conventional long form: People's Republic of China

conventional short form: China

local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo

local short form: Zhong Guo

abbreviation: PRC

Christmas Island: conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island

conventional short form: Christmas Island

Clipperton Island: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Clipperton Island

local long form: none

local short form: Ile Clipperton

former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Cocos (Keeling) Islands: conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Colombia: conventional long form: Republic of Colombia

conventional short form: Colombia

local long form: Republica de Colombia

local short form: Colombia

Comoros:
conventional long form: Federal Islamic Republic of the
Comoros

conventional short form: Comoros

local long form: Republique Federale Islamique des Comores

local short form: Comores

Congo, Democratic Republic of the: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo

conventional short form: none

local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo

local short form: none

former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire

abbreviation: DROC

Congo, Republic of the: conventional long form: Republic of the Congo

conventional short form: none

local long form: Republique du Congo

local short form: none

former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Cook Islands: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Cook Islands

former: Harvey Islands

Coral Sea Islands: conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory

conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Costa Rica: conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica

conventional short form: Costa Rica

local long form: Republica de Costa Rica

local short form: Costa Rica

Cote d'Ivoire: conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire

conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire

local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

local short form: Cote d'Ivoire

former: Ivory Coast

Croatia: conventional long form: Republic of Croatia

conventional short form: Croatia

local long form: Republika Hrvatska

local short form: Hrvatska

Cuba: conventional long form: Republic of Cuba

conventional short form: Cuba

local long form: Republica de Cuba

local short form: Cuba

Cyprus: conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus

conventional short form: Cyprus

note: the Turkish Cypriot area refers to itself as the "Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Czech Republic:
conventional long form: Czech Republic

conventional short form: Czech Republic

local long form: Ceska Republika

local short form: Ceska Republika

Denmark: conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark

conventional short form: Denmark

local long form: Kongeriget Danmark

local short form: Danmark

Djibouti: conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti

conventional short form: Djibouti

former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Dominica: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica

conventional short form: Dominica

Dominican Republic: conventional long form: Dominican Republic

conventional short form: none

local long form: Republica Dominicana

local short form: none

Ecuador: conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador

conventional short form: Ecuador

local long form: Republica del Ecuador

local short form: Ecuador

Egypt: conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt

conventional short form: Egypt

local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

local short form: Misr

former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

El Salvador: conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador

conventional short form: El Salvador

local long form: Republica de El Salvador

local short form: El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea: conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea

conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea

local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial

local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial

former: Spanish Guinea

Eritrea: conventional long form: State of Eritrea

conventional short form: Eritrea

local long form: Hagere Ertra

local short form: Ertra

former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Estonia: conventional long form: Republic of Estonia

conventional short form: Estonia

local long form: Eesti Vabariik

local short form: Eesti

former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Ethiopia:
conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of
Ethiopia

conventional short form: Ethiopia

local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik

local short form: Ityop'iya

former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa

abbreviation: FDRE

Europa Island: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Europa Island

local long form: none

local short form: Ile Europa

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Faroe Islands: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Faroe Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Foroyar

Fiji: conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands

conventional short form: Fiji

Finland: conventional long form: Republic of Finland

conventional short form: Finland

local long form: Suomen Tasavalta

local short form: Suomi

France: conventional long form: French Republic

conventional short form: France

local long form: Republique Francaise

local short form: France

French Guiana: conventional long form: Department of Guiana

conventional short form: French Guiana

local long form: none

local short form: Guyane

French Polynesia: conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia

conventional short form: French Polynesia

local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise

local short form: Polynesie Francaise

former: French Colony of Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands: conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands

local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Gabon: conventional long form: Gabonese Republic

conventional short form: Gabon

local long form: Republique Gabonaise

local short form: Gabon

Gambia, The: conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia

conventional short form: The Gambia

Gaza Strip: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Gaza Strip

local long form: none

local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Georgia: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Georgia

local long form: none

local short form: Sak'art'velo

former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Germany: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany

conventional short form: Germany

local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland

local short form: Deutschland

former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich

Ghana: conventional long form: Republic of Ghana

conventional short form: Ghana

former: Gold Coast

Gibraltar: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Glorioso Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Iles Glorieuses

Greece: conventional long form: Hellenic Republic

conventional short form: Greece

local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia

local short form: Ellas or Ellada

former: Kingdom of Greece

Greenland: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Greenland

local long form: none

local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Grenada: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Grenada

Guadeloupe: conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe

conventional short form: Guadeloupe

local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe

local short form: Guadeloupe

Guam: conventional long form: Territory of Guam

conventional short form: Guam

Guatemala: conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala

conventional short form: Guatemala

local long form: Republica de Guatemala

local short form: Guatemala

Guernsey: conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey

conventional short form: Guernsey

Guinea: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea

conventional short form: Guinea

local long form: Republique de Guinee

local short form: Guinee

former: French Guinea

Guinea-Bissau: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau

conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau

local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau

local short form: Guine-Bissau

former: Portuguese Guinea

Guyana: conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana

conventional short form: Guyana

former: British Guiana

Haiti: conventional long form: Republic of Haiti

conventional short form: Haiti

local long form: Republique d'Haiti

local short form: Haiti

Heard Island and McDonald Islands: conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands

conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Holy See (Vatican City): conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)

conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)

local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)

local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Honduras: conventional long form: Republic of Honduras

conventional short form: Honduras

local long form: Republica de Honduras

local short form: Honduras

Hong Kong:
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region

conventional short form: Hong Kong

local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu

local short form: Xianggang

abbreviation: HK

Howland Island: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Howland Island

Hungary: conventional long form: Republic of Hungary

conventional short form: Hungary

local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag

local short form: Magyarorszag

Iceland: conventional long form: Republic of Iceland

conventional short form: Iceland

local long form: Lyoveldio Island

local short form: Island

India: conventional long form: Republic of India

conventional short form: India

Indonesia: conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia

conventional short form: Indonesia

local long form: Republik Indonesia

local short form: Indonesia

former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies

Iran: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran

conventional short form: Iran

local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran

local short form: Iran

former: Persia

Iraq: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq

conventional short form: Iraq

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah

local short form: Al Iraq

Ireland: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Ireland

Israel: conventional long form: State of Israel

conventional short form: Israel

local long form: Medinat Yisra'el

local short form: Yisra'el

Italy: conventional long form: Italian Republic

conventional short form: Italy

local long form: Repubblica Italiana

local short form: Italia

former: Kingdom of Italy

Jamaica: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Jamaica

Jan Mayen: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Japan: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Japan

Jarvis Island: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Jarvis Island

Jersey: conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey

conventional short form: Jersey

Johnston Atoll: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Johnston Atoll

Jordan: conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

conventional short form: Jordan

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah

local short form: Al Urdun

former: Transjordan

Juan de Nova Island: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island

local long form: none

local short form: Ile Juan de Nova

Kazakhstan: conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan

conventional short form: Kazakhstan

local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy

local short form: none

former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Kenya: conventional long form: Republic of Kenya

conventional short form: Kenya

former: British East Africa

Kingman Reef: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Kingman Reef

Kiribati: conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati

conventional short form: Kiribati

note: pronounced kir-ih-bahss

former: Gilbert Islands

Korea, North:
conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic
of Korea

conventional short form: North Korea

local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk

local short form: none

note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country

abbreviation: DPRK

Korea, South: conventional long form: Republic of Korea

conventional short form: South Korea

local long form: Taehan-min'guk

local short form: none

note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han-guk" to refer to their country

abbreviation: ROK

Kuwait: conventional long form: State of Kuwait

conventional short form: Kuwait

local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt

local short form: Al Kuwayt

Kyrgyzstan: conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic

conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan

local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy

local short form: none

former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Laos: conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic

conventional short form: Laos

local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

local short form: none

Latvia: conventional long form: Republic of Latvia

conventional short form: Latvia

local long form: Latvijas Republika

local short form: Latvija

former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Lebanon: conventional long form: Lebanese Republic

conventional short form: Lebanon

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

local short form: Lubnan

Lesotho: conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form: Lesotho

former: Basutoland

Liberia: conventional long form: Republic of Liberia

conventional short form: Liberia

Libya:
conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya

conventional short form: Libya

local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma

local short form: none

Liechtenstein: conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein

conventional short form: Liechtenstein

local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein

local short form: Liechtenstein

Lithuania: conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania

conventional short form: Lithuania

local long form: Lietuvos Respublika

local short form: Lietuva

former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Luxembourg: conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

conventional short form: Luxembourg

local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg

local short form: Luxembourg

Macau: conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region

conventional short form: Macau

local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)

local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

conventional short form: none

local long form: Republika Makedonija

local short form: Makedonija

abbreviation: FYROM

Madagascar: conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar

conventional short form: Madagascar

local long form: Republique de Madagascar

local short form: Madagascar

former: Malagasy Republic

Malawi: conventional long form: Republic of Malawi

conventional short form: Malawi

former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
Protectorate, Nyasaland

Malaysia:
conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Malaysia

former: Federation of Malaysia

Maldives: conventional long form: Republic of Maldives

conventional short form: Maldives

local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Mali: conventional long form: Republic of Mali

conventional short form: Mali

local long form: Republique de Mali

local short form: Mali

former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

Malta: conventional long form: Republic of Malta

conventional short form: Malta

local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta

local short form: Malta

Man, Isle of: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Isle of Man

Marshall Islands: conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands

conventional short form: Marshall Islands

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

Martinique:
conventional long form: Department of Martinique

conventional short form: Martinique

local long form: Departement de la Martinique

local short form: Martinique

Mauritania: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania

conventional short form: Mauritania

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

local short form: Muritaniyah

Mauritius: conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius

conventional short form: Mauritius

Mayotte: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte

conventional short form: Mayotte

Mexico: conventional long form: United Mexican States

conventional short form: Mexico

local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos

local short form: Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of: conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia

conventional short form: none

former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

abbreviation: FSM

Midway Islands: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Midway Islands

Moldova: conventional long form: Republic of Moldova

conventional short form: Moldova

local long form: Republica Moldova

local short form: none

former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia

Monaco: conventional long form: Principality of Monaco

conventional short form: Monaco

local long form: Principaute de Monaco

local short form: Monaco

Mongolia: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Mongolia

local long form: none

local short form: Mongol Uls

former: Outer Mongolia

Montserrat: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Montserrat

Morocco: conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco

conventional short form: Morocco

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

local short form: Al Maghrib

Mozambique: conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique

conventional short form: Mozambique

local long form: Republica de Mocambique

local short form: Mocambique

former: Portuguese East Africa

Namibia: conventional long form: Republic of Namibia

conventional short form: Namibia

former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Nauru: conventional long form: Republic of Nauru

conventional short form: Nauru

former: Pleasant Island

Navassa Island: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Navassa Island

Nepal: conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal

conventional short form: Nepal

Netherlands: conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands

conventional short form: Netherlands

local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

local short form: Nederland

Netherlands Antilles: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles

local long form: none

local short form: Nederlandse Antillen

former: Curacao and Dependencies

New Caledonia:
conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia
and Dependencies

conventional short form: New Caledonia

local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

New Zealand: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: New Zealand

abbreviation: NZ

Nicaragua: conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua

conventional short form: Nicaragua

local long form: Republica de Nicaragua

local short form: Nicaragua

Niger: conventional long form: Republic of Niger

conventional short form: Niger

local long form: Republique du Niger

local short form: Niger

Nigeria: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria

conventional short form: Nigeria

Niue: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Niue

former: Savage Island

Norfolk Island: conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island

conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Northern Mariana Islands: conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands

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

Norway:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway

conventional short form: Norway

local long form: Kongeriket Norge

local short form: Norge

Oman: conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman

conventional short form: Oman

local long form: Saltanat Uman

local short form: Uman

former: Muscat and Oman

Pakistan: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan

conventional short form: Pakistan

former: West Pakistan

Palau: 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)

Palmyra Atoll: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll

Panama: conventional long form: Republic of Panama

conventional short form: Panama

local long form: Republica de Panama

local short form: Panama

Papua New Guinea: conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea

conventional short form: Papua New Guinea

former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea

abbreviation: PNG

Paracel Islands: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Paraguay: conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay

conventional short form: Paraguay

local long form: Republica del Paraguay

local short form: Paraguay

Peru: conventional long form: Republic of Peru

conventional short form: Peru

local long form: Republica del Peru

local short form: Peru

Philippines: conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines

conventional short form: Philippines

local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas

local short form: Pilipinas

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

conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Poland: conventional long form: Republic of Poland

conventional short form: Poland

local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska

local short form: Polska

Portugal: conventional long form: Portuguese Republic

conventional short form: Portugal

local long form: Republica Portuguesa

local short form: Portugal

Puerto Rico: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Qatar: conventional long form: State of Qatar

conventional short form: Qatar

local long form: Dawlat Qatar

local short form: Qatar

note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Reunion:
conventional long form: Department of Reunion

conventional short form: Reunion

local long form: none

local short form: Ile de la Reunion

former: Bourbon Island

Romania: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Romania

local long form: none

local short form: Romania

Russia: conventional long form: Russian Federation

conventional short form: Russia

local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya

local short form: Rossiya

former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Rwanda: conventional long form: Rwandese Republic

conventional short form: Rwanda

local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda

local short form: Rwanda

former: Ruanda

Saint Helena: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Saint Helena

Saint Kitts and Nevis: conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis

conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis

former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Saint Lucia: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Saint Pierre and Miquelon: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon

local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa: conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa

conventional short form: Samoa

former: Western Samoa

San Marino: conventional long form: Republic of San Marino

conventional short form: San Marino

local long form: Repubblica di San Marino

local short form: San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe

local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe

local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Saudi Arabia: conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

conventional short form: Saudi Arabia

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Senegal: conventional long form: Republic of Senegal

conventional short form: Senegal

local long form: Republique du Senegal

local short form: Senegal

Seychelles: conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles

conventional short form: Seychelles

Sierra Leone: conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone

conventional short form: Sierra Leone

Singapore: conventional long form: Republic of Singapore

conventional short form: Singapore

Slovakia: conventional long form: Slovak Republic

conventional short form: Slovakia

local long form: Slovenska Republika

local short form: Slovensko

Slovenia: conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia

conventional short form: Slovenia

local long form: Republika Slovenija

local short form: Slovenija

Solomon Islands: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Solomon Islands

former: British Solomon Islands

Somalia: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Somalia

former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

South Africa: conventional long form: Republic of South Africa

conventional short form: South Africa

former: Union of South Africa

abbreviation: RSA

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

conventional short form: none

Spain: conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain

conventional short form: Spain

local short form: Espana

Spratly Islands: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Sri Lanka:
conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of
Sri Lanka

conventional short form: Sri Lanka

former: Serendib, Ceylon

Sudan: conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan

conventional short form: Sudan

local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan

local short form: As-Sudan

former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Suriname: conventional long form: Republic of Suriname

conventional short form: Suriname

local long form: Republiek Suriname

local short form: Suriname

former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Svalbard:
conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as
Spitzbergen)

Swaziland:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland

conventional short form: Swaziland

Sweden: conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden

conventional short form: Sweden

local long form: Konungariket Sverige

local short form: Sverige

Switzerland: conventional long form: Swiss Confederation

conventional short form: Switzerland

local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)

local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
(Italian)

Syria:
conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic

conventional short form: Syria

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

local short form: Suriyah

former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Tajikistan: conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan

conventional short form: Tajikistan

local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston

local short form: none

former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Tanzania: conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania

conventional short form: Tanzania

former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Thailand: conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand

conventional short form: Thailand

former: Siam

Togo: conventional long form: Togolese Republic

conventional short form: Togo

local long form: Republique Togolaise

local short form: none

former: French Togoland

Tokelau: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Tokelau

Tonga: conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga

conventional short form: Tonga

former: Friendly Islands

Trinidad and Tobago: conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Tromelin Island: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Tromelin Island

local long form: none

local short form: Ile Tromelin

Tunisia: conventional long form: Republic of Tunisia

conventional short form: Tunisia

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

local short form: Tunis

Turkey: conventional long form: Republic of Turkey

conventional short form: Turkey

local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti

local short form: Turkiye

Turkmenistan: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Turkmenistan

local long form: none

local short form: Turkmenistan

former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Turks and Caicos Islands: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Tuvalu: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Tuvalu

former: Ellice Islands

Uganda: conventional long form: Republic of Uganda

conventional short form: Uganda

Ukraine: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Ukraine

local long form: none

local short form: Ukrayina

former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian
Soviet Socialist Republic

United Arab Emirates:
conventional long form: United Arab Emirates

conventional short form: none

local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah

local short form: none

former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States

abbreviation: UAE

United Kingdom:
conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland

conventional short form: United Kingdom

abbreviation: UK

United States: conventional long form: United States of America

conventional short form: United States

abbreviation: US or USA

Uruguay: conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay

conventional short form: Uruguay

local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay

local short form: Uruguay

former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

Uzbekistan: conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan

conventional short form: Uzbekistan

local long form: Uzbekiston Respublikasi

local short form: none

former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Vanuatu: conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu

conventional short form: Vanuatu

former: New Hebrides

Venezuela: conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

conventional short form: Venezuela

local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

local short form: Venezuela

Vietnam: conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam

conventional short form: Vietnam

local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam

local short form: Viet Nam

abbreviation: SRV

Virgin Islands: conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands

conventional short form: Virgin Islands

former: Danish West Indies

Wake Island: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Wake Island

Wallis and Futuna: conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands

conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna

local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna

local short form: Wallis et Futuna

West Bank: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: West Bank

Western Sahara: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Western Sahara

former: Spanish Sahara

Yemen: conventional long form: Republic of Yemen

conventional short form: Yemen

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah

local short form: Al Yaman

Yugoslavia: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

conventional short form: Yugoslavia

local long form: Savezna Republika Jugoslavija

local short form: Jugoslavija

Zambia: conventional long form: Republic of Zambia

conventional short form: Zambia

former: Northern Rhodesia

Zimbabwe: conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe

conventional short form: Zimbabwe

former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

Taiwan: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Taiwan

local long form: none

local short form: T'ai-wan

former: Formosa

@Currency

Afghanistan:
afghani (AFA)

Albania:
lek (ALL)

Algeria:
Algerian dinar (DZD)

American Samoa:
US dollar (USD)

Andorra:
French franc (FRF); Spanish peseta (ESP); euro (EUR)

Angola:
kwanza (AOA)

Anguilla:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Antigua and Barbuda:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Argentina:
Argentine peso (ARS)

Armenia:
dram (AMD)

Aruba:
Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Australia:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Austria:
Austrian schilling (ATS); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Austria at a fixed rate of 13.7603 Austrian shillings per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Azerbaijan:
Azerbaijani manat (AZM)

Bahamas, The:
Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Bahrain:
Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Bangladesh:
taka (BDT)

Barbados:
Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Belarus:
Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Belgium:
Belgian franc (BEF); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Belgium at a fixed rate of 40.3399 Belgian francs per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Belize:
Belizean dollar (BZD)

Benin:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Bermuda:
Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Bhutan:
ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Bolivia:
boliviano (BOB)

Bosnia and Herzegovina:
marka (BAM)

Botswana:
pula (BWP)

Brazil:
real (BRL)

British Virgin Islands:
US dollar (USD)

Brunei:
Bruneian dollar (BND)

Bulgaria:
lev (BGL)

Burkina Faso:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Burma:
kyat (MMK)

Burundi:
Burundi franc (BIF)

Cambodia:
riel (KHR)

Cameroon:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Canada:
Canadian dollar (CAD)

Cape Verde:
Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Cayman Islands:
Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Central African Republic:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
(XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central
African States

Chad:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Chile:
Chilean peso (CLP)

China:
yuan (CNY)

Christmas Island:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Colombia:
Colombian peso (COP)

Comoros:
Comoran franc (KMF)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the:
Congolese franc (CDF)

Congo, Republic of the:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF);
note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African
States

Cook Islands:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Costa Rica:
Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Cote d'Ivoire:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Croatia:
kuna (HRK)

Cuba:
Cuban peso (CUP)

Cyprus:
Greek Cypriot area: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot
area: Turkish lira (TRL)

Czech Republic:
Czech koruna (CZK)

Denmark:
Danish krone (DKK)

Djibouti:
Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Dominica:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Dominican Republic:
Dominican peso (DOP)

Ecuador:
US dollar (USD)

Egypt:
Egyptian pound (EGP)

El Salvador:
Salvadoran colon (SVC); US dollar (USD)

Equatorial Guinea:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note
- responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Eritrea:
nakfa (ERN)

Estonia:
Estonian kroon (EEK)

Ethiopia:
birr (ETB)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas):
Falkland pound (FKP)

Faroe Islands:
Danish krone (DKK)

Fiji:
Fijian dollar (FJD)

Finland:
markka (FIM); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Finland at a fixed rate of 5.94573 markkaa per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

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

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in France at a fixed rate of 6.55957 French francs per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

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

French Polynesia:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Gabon:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Gambia, The:
dalasi (GMD)

Gaza Strip:
new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Georgia:
lari (GEL)

Germany:
deutsche mark (DEM); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Germany at a fixed rate of 1.95583 deutsche marks per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Ghana:
cedi (GHC)

Gibraltar:
Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Greece:
drachma (GRD); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Greece (which entered the European Monetary Union on 1 January 2001) at a fixed rate of 340.750 drachmae per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Greenland:
Danish krone (DKK)

Grenada:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

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

Guam:
US dollar (USD)

Guatemala:
quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Guernsey:
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Guinea:
Guinean franc (GNF)

Guinea-Bissau:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African
States; previously the Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used

Guyana:
Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Haiti:
gourde (HTG)

Holy See (Vatican City):
Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR)

Honduras:
lempira (HNL)

Hong Kong:
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Hungary:
forint (HUF)

Iceland:
Icelandic krona (ISK)

India:
Indian rupee (INR)

Indonesia:
Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Iran:
Iranian rial (IRR)

Iraq:
Iraqi dinar (IQD)

Ireland:
Irish pound (IEP); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Ireland at a fixed rate of 0.787564 Irish pounds per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Israel:
new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Italy:
Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.27 Italian lire per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Jamaica:
Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Japan:
yen (JPY)

Jersey:
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

Jordan:
Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Kazakhstan:
tenge (KZT)

Kenya:
Kenyan shilling (KES)

Kiribati:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Korea, North:
North Korean won (KPW)

Korea, South:
South Korean won (KRW)

Kuwait:
Kuwaiti dinar (KWD)

Kyrgyzstan:
Kyrgyzstani som (KGS)

Laos:
kip (LAK)

Latvia:
Latvian lat (LVL)

Lebanon:
Lebanese pound (LBP)

Lesotho:
loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Liberia:
Liberian dollar (LRD)

Libya:
Libyan dinar (LYD)

Liechtenstein:
Swiss franc (CHF)

Lithuania:
litas (LTL)

Luxembourg:
Luxembourg franc (LUF); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Luxembourg at a fixed rate of 40.3399 Luxembourg francs per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Macau:
pataca (MOP)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:
Macedonian denar (MKD)

Madagascar:
Malagasy franc (MGF)

Malawi:
Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Malaysia:
ringgit (MYR)

Maldives:
rufiyaa (MVR)

Mali:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Malta:
Maltese lira (MTL)

Man, Isle of:
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound

Marshall Islands:
US dollar (USD)

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

Mauritania:
ouguiya (MRO)

Mauritius:
Mauritian rupee (MUR)

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

Mexico:
Mexican peso (MXN)

Micronesia, Federated States of:
US dollar (USD)

Moldova:
Moldovan leu (MDL)

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

Mongolia:
togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Montserrat:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Morocco:
Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Mozambique:
metical (MZM)

Namibia:
Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Nauru:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Nepal:
Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Netherlands:
Netherlands guilder (NLG); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common
currency that is now being used by financial institutions in the
Netherlands at a fixed rate of 2.20371 Netherlands guilders per euro
and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Netherlands Antilles:
Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

New Caledonia:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

New Zealand:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Nicaragua:
gold cordoba (NIO)

Niger:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Nigeria:
naira (NGN)

Niue:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Norfolk Island:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Northern Mariana Islands:
US dollar (USD)

Norway:
Norwegian krone (NOK)

Oman:
Omani rial (OMR)

Pakistan:
Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Palau:
US dollar (USD)

Panama:
balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Papua New Guinea:
kina (PGK)

Paraguay:
guarani (PYG)

Peru:
nuevo sol (PEN)

Philippines:
Philippine peso (PHP)

Pitcairn Islands:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Poland:
zloty (PLN)

Portugal:
Portuguese escudo (PTE); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common
currency that is now being used by financial institutions in
Portugal at a fixed rate of 200.482 Portuguese escudos per euro and
will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Puerto Rico:
US dollar (USD)

Qatar:
Qatari rial (QAR)

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

Romania:
leu (ROL)

Russia:
Russian ruble (RUR)

Rwanda:
Rwandan franc (RWF)

Saint Helena:
Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Saint Kitts and Nevis:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Lucia:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon:
French franc (FRF); euro (EUR)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Samoa:
tala (WST)

San Marino:
Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR)

Sao Tome and Principe:
dobra (STD)

Saudi Arabia:
Saudi riyal (SAR)

Senegal:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Seychelles:
Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Sierra Leone:
leone (SLL)

Singapore:
Singapore dollar (SGD)

Slovakia:
Slovak koruna (SKK)

Slovenia:
tolar (SIT)

Solomon Islands:
Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Somalia:
Somali shilling (SOS)

South Africa:
rand (ZAR)

Spain:
Spanish peseta (ESP); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Spain at a fixed rate of 166.386 Spanish pesetas per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Sri Lanka:
Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Sudan:
Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Suriname:
Surinamese guilder (SRG)

Svalbard:
Norwegian krone (NOK)

Swaziland:
lilangeni (SZL)

Sweden:
Swedish krona (SEK)

Switzerland:
Swiss franc (CHF)

Syria:
Syrian pound (SYP)

Tajikistan:
somoni

Tanzania:
Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Thailand:
baht (THB)

Togo:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Tokelau:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Tonga:
pa'anga (TOP)

Trinidad and Tobago:
Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Tunisia:
Tunisian dinar (TND)

Turkey:
Turkish lira (TRL)

Turkmenistan:
Turkmen manat (TMM)

Turks and Caicos Islands:
US dollar (USD)

Tuvalu:
Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan
dollar

Uganda:
Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Ukraine:
hryvnia (UAH)

United Arab Emirates:
Emirati dirham (AED)

United Kingdom:
British pound (GBP)

United States:
US dollar (USD)

Uruguay:
Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Uzbekistan:
Uzbekistani sum (UZS)

Vanuatu:
vatu (VUV)

Venezuela:
bolivar (VEB)

Vietnam:
dong (VND)

Virgin Islands:
US dollar (USD)

Wallis and Futuna:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

West Bank:
new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Western Sahara:
Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Yemen:
Yemeni rial (YER)