Z (part 9)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials,
vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods

Imports - partners:
France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2000)

Debt - external:
$180 million (1994)

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

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 1.06 euros per US dollar - 1.0626 (2002),
1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US
dollar - 5.8995 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Martinique

Telephones - main lines in use:
170,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
15,000 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
domestic: NA
international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and
Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
66,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
5,000 (2000)

Transportation Martinique

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,105 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2000)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Fort-de-France, La Trinite

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Martinique

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (Army, Navy,
Air Force), Gendarmerie

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Martinique

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and
Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Mauritania

Introduction Mauritania

Background:
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
flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were
generally free and open. 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.

Geography Mauritania

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km
water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 5,074 km
border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,
Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline:
754 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain:
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 m

Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Land use: arable land: 0.48% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and
April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought
are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh
water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial
river

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and
Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the
country

People Mauritania

Population:
2,912,584 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 671,080; female 668,408)
15-64 years: 51.8% (male 743,573; female 764,358)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 26,669; female 38,496) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.9 years
male: 16.6 years
female: 17.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.91% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
13.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 73.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 70.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 76.62 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.93 years
male: 49.78 years
female: 54.13 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,600 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
610 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups:
mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%

Religions:
Muslim 100%

Languages:
Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (official),
French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.7%
male: 51.8%
female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritania

Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania
local short form: Muritaniyah
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Nouakchott

Administrative divisions:
12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*;
Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh
Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris
Zemmour, Trarza

Independence:
28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution:
12 July 1991

Legal system:
a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12
December 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'BARECK (since 6
July 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected
for a third term with 60.8% of the vote

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh
(56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years;
members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and
the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2002 (next to be held NA
April 2004); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001
(next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PRDS 54, RFD 1, UNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%;
seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Political parties and leaders:
Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for
Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE]; Democratic and Social
Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Maaouya Ould Sid
Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for Renewal and Concorde or PMRC
[Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National Union for Democracy and
Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality and
Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould
CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress Alliance or APP [Mohamed El
Hafed Ould ISMAEL]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD
[Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force Union or UFP [Mohamed
Ould MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould
DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI
BABA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002;
parties legalized by constitution ratified 12 July 1991, however,
politics continue to be tribally based

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Arab nationalists; Ba'athists; General Confederation of Mauritanian
Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general];
Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory
Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely
Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending
member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM,
OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamedou Ould MICHEL
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: (202) 319-2623
telephone: (202) 232-5700

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON
embassy: Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish
Embassy), Nouakchott
mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott
telephone: 25-26-60, 25-26-63, 25-11-41, 25-11-45
FAX: 25-25-92

Flag description:
green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal
crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent,
star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Mauritania

Economy - overview:
Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for
a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers
were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and
1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account
for nearly 40% of total exports. The decline in world demand for
this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's
coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but
overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue.
The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986.
In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a
buildup of foreign debt. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for
debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor
and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. In
2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated
potential extraction at current world oil prices. A new investment
code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct
foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve
problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. Substantial oil
production and exports probably will not begin until 2005.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $4.891 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
786,000 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 50%, services 40%, industry 10% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
21% (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $421 million
expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154
million (2002 est.)

Industries:
fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
157.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 85.9% hydro: 14.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
146.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep

Exports:
$355 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Exports - partners:
Italy 14.3%, France 14%, Spain 11.7%, Germany 10.9%, Belgium 9.9%,
Japan 7.1% (2002)

Imports:
$360 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods,
foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
France 18.5%, Belgium 7.8%, China 7%, Spain 5.9%, Germany 5.2%
(2002)

Debt - external:
$2.5 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$220 million (2000)

Currency:
ouguiya (MRO)

Currency code:
MRO

Exchange rates:
ouguiyas per US dollar - ouguiyas per US dollar - 254.350 (December
2001), 238.923 (2000), 209.514 (1999), 188.476 (1998), 151.853
(1997), 137.222 (1996)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mauritania

Telephones - main lines in use:
26,500 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
35,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines,
minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications
stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
regional capitals
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
410,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
98,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
.mr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
7,500 (2001)

Transportation Mauritania

Railways: 717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 7,720 km paved: 830 km unpaved: 6,890 km (2000)

Waterways:
note: ferry traffic on the Senegal River

Ports and harbors:
Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Merchant marine:
none (2002)

Airports:
26 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Military Mauritania

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard,
National Police, Presidential Guard

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 665,112 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 322,288 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$37.11 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mauritania

Disputes - international: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Mauritius

Introduction Mauritius

Background:
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.

Geography Mauritius

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

Geographic coordinates:
20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 2,040 sq km
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
Brandon), and Rodrigues
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,030 sq km

Area - comparative:
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
177 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

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

Terrain:
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling
central plateau

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Natural resources:
arable land, fish

Land use: arable land: 49.26% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 47.78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs
that may pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues:
water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of
volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs

People Mauritius

Population:
1,210,447 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.1% (male 153,401; female 150,399)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 413,660; female 415,534)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 30,673; female 46,780) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 29.8 years
male: 29.1 years
female: 30.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.84% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
16.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 18.98 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.8 years
male: 67.82 years
female: 75.85 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
700 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective: Mauritian

Ethnic groups:
Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian
2%

Religions:
Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%),
Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Languages:
English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka,
Bhojpuri

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.6%
male: 88.6%
female: 82.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritius

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Port Louis

Administrative divisions:
9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River,
Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses,
Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Independence:
12 March 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Constitution:
12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system:
based on French civil law system with elements of English common
law in certain areas

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October
2003) and Vice President (vacant; a new Vice President will be
determined by assembly elections on NA December 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002
(next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister
appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN
elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly -
NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN and Raouf BUNDHUN stepped down on 30
September 2003

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote,
4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political
parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held by
September 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD
36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP
[Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul
BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat Party
or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or
MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or MR
[Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR
[Serge CLAIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
various labor unions

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH
FAX: (202) 966-0983
telephone: (202) 244-1491, 1492
chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE
embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US
mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington,
DC 20521-2450
telephone: 202-4400
FAX: 208-9534

Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Economy Mauritius

Economy - overview:
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a
low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income
diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist
sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order
of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more
equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered
infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is
grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25%
of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on
foreign investment. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore
entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and
investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion.
Mauritius, with its strong textile sector and responsible fiscal
management, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa
Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The government is encouraging
foreign investment in the information technology field.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $12.15 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $10,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 33% services: 61% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
10% (2001 est.)

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37 (1987 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
514,000 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
8.8% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.1 billion
expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Industries:
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing;
chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical
machinery; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.311 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 9.2% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
1.219 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
21,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish

Exports:
$1.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Exports - partners:
UK 27.7%, France 25.5%, US 16.4%, Madagascar 6.2%, Belgium 5% (2002)

Imports:
$1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum
products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
France 18.4%, South Africa 13.5%, India 7.8%, China 4.5%, UK 4.2%
(2002)

Debt - external:
$2.4 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$42 million (1997)

Currency:
Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Currency code:
MUR

Exchange rates:
Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 29.96 (2002), 29.13 (2001), 26.25
(2000), 25.19 (1999), 23.99 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Mauritius

Telephones - main lines in use:
280,900 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
180,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);
new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several
countries

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
420,000 (1997)

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

Televisions:
258,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
158,000 (2002)

Transportation Mauritius

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 1,926 km
paved: 1,868 km (including 44 km of expressways)
unpaved: 58 km (2000)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Port Louis

Merchant marine:
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,455 GRT/27,102 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, combination bulk 4, passenger/cargo 1,
refrigerated cargo 2
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience:, Belgium 1, India 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
5 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Mauritius

Military branches:
National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile
Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 341,029 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 171,556 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9.712 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mauritius

Disputes - international:
Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British
Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside
chiefly in Mauritius, but were granted UK citizenship and the right
to repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs:
minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia;
small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant
offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering,
but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears
generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Mayotte

Introduction Mayotte

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

Geography Mayotte

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half
of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
12 50 S, 45 10 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 374 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 374 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
185.2 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

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

Terrain:
generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
cyclones during rainy season

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

People Mayotte

Population:
178,437 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.5% (male 41,632; female 41,301)
15-64 years: 51.8% (male 50,373; female 42,118)
65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,502; female 1,511) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.9 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 15.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
4.25% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
42.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
8.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
7.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 65.98 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 72.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.6 years
male: 58.49 years
female: 62.78 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran

Ethnic groups:
NA

Religions:
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Languages:
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by
35% of the population

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Mayotte

Country name:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte

Dependency status:
territorial collectivity of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Mamoutzou

Administrative divisions:
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Independence:
none (territorial collectivity of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Jacques BROT (since 3 July 2002)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council
elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term
head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa
BAMANA (since NA 1977)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last
held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results
- percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also
elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election on NA June
2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF
44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement
or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR [Mansour
KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar
SALIM]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti
Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF
[Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
FZ

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Mayotte

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector,
including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not
self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food
requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development
of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,
an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an
obstacle to the development of tourism.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $85 million (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $600 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%

Labor force:
48,800 (2000)

Unemployment rate:
38% (1999)

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

Industries:
newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Agriculture - products:
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Exports:
$3.44 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee,
cinnamon

Exports - partners:
France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000)

Imports:
$141.3 million f.o.b. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals,
chemicals

Imports - partners:
France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (1995)

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854
(2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998),
5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mayotte

Telephones - main lines in use:
12,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: small system administered by French Department
of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA
international: microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone
communications to Comoros (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
3 (2001)

Televisions:
3,500 (1994)

Internet country code:
.yt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Mayotte

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Dzaoudzi

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Mayotte

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French
forces stationed on the island

Transnational Issues Mayotte

Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Mexico

Introduction Mexico

Background:
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.
Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910
Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in
government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX
of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000
as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Geography Mexico

Location:
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico,
between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
between Guatemala and the US

Geographic coordinates:
23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references:
North America

Area:
total: 1,972,550 sq km
land: 1,923,040 sq km
water: 49,510 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Coastline: 9,330 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
varies from tropical to desert

Terrain:
high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 13.2% permanent crops: 1.1% other: 85.7% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
65,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Environment - current issues:
scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban
migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in
north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme
southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in
urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;
deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in
the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land
subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
note: the government considers the lack of clean water and
deforestation national security issues

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of
the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in
Mexico

People Mexico

Population:
104,907,991 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.3% (male 17,298,964; female 16,617,728)
15-64 years: 63.1% (male 32,217,513; female 33,932,603)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 2,145,252; female 2,695,931) (2003
est.)

Median age: total: 23.8 years male: 22.9 years female: 24.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.43% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
21.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 20.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 26.78 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.3 years
male: 69.26 years
female: 75.49 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
150,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,200 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mexican(s)
adjective: Mexican

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly
Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Languages:
Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous
languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.2%
male: 94%
female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Government Mexico

Country name:
conventional long form: United Mexican States
conventional short form: Mexico
local short form: Mexico
local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Administrative divisions:
31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*
(distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California
Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima,
Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco,
Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca,
Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,
Yucatan, Zacatecas

Independence:
16 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution:
5 February 1917

Legal system:
mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial
review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
election results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent of
vote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa
(PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of
attorney general requires consent of the Senate
head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the
Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular
vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of
each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or
Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200
members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote,
also for three-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 15, PVEM 5, PT 1, CD 1; Chamber of
Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 224,
PAN 153, PRD 95, other 28
elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next
to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003
(next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
appointed by the president with consent of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders:
Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro];
Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Dulce Maria SAURI
Riancho]; Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio
GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO
Mena]; Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Amalia GARCIA
Medina]; Party of the Nationalist Society or PSN [Gustavo RIOJAS
Santana]; Social Alliance Party or PAS [Guillermo CALDERON
Dominguez]; Workers Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX;
Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of
Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National Chambers of
Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business
Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and
Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industries
or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; National Union
of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or
CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC;
Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation:
APEC, BCIE, BIS, Caricom (observer), CDB, CE (observer), EBRD,
ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM
(observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Jose BREMER Martino
FAX: (202) 728-1698
consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico
(California), Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas
(Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis
(Indiana), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), Omaha,
Orlando, Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon),
Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Saint Louis, Salt Lake City, San
Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona)
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San
Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: (202) 728-1600

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA
embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,
Distrito Federal
mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900
telephone: (55) 5080-2000
FAX: (55) 5080-2005, 5080-2834
consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;
the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its
beak) is centered in the white band

Economy Mexico

Economy - overview:
Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and
outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the
private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in
seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity, natural gas
distribution, and airports. Income distribution remains highly
unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the
implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Following 6.9% growth in 2000, real
GDP fell 0.3% in 2001, recovering to only a plus 1% in 2002, with
the US slowdown the principal cause. Mexico implemented free trade
agreements with Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and the European
Free Trade Area in 2001, putting more than 90% of trade under free
trade agreements. Foreign direct investment reached $25 billion in
2001, of which $12.5 billion came from the purchase of Mexico's
second-largest bank, Banamex, by Citigroup.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $924.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 26% services: 69% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 41.1% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
53.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
39.8 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 20%, industry 24%, services 56% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
urban - 3% plus considerable underemployment (2002)

Budget:
revenues: $136 billion
expenditures: $140 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

Industries:
food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum,
mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,
tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
4.9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
198.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.7% hydro: 14.2% other: 2.9% (2001) nuclear: 4.2%

Electricity - consumption:
186.7 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
77 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
2.068 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
3.59 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.507 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
1.881 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
374,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
25.03 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
36.87 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
38.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
254 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2.967 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
969.2 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Exports: $158.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:
US 82.7%, Canada 5.4%, Japan 1.1% (2002)

Imports:
$168.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery,
electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor
vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners:
US 70.6%, Germany 3.5%, Japan 2.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
$150 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$1.166 billion (1995)

Currency:
Mexican peso (MXN)

Currency code:
MXN

Exchange rates:
Mexican pesos per US dollar - 9.66 (2002), 9.34 (2001), 9.46
(2000), 9.56 (1999), 9.14 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mexico

Telephones - main lines in use:
12.332 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.02 million (1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: low telephone density with about 12 main lines
per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to
competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development
domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with
120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;
considerable use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile
cellular service
international: satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad
(giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America,
and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications),
numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to Central American
Microwave System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2
fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands,
Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 851, FM 598, shortwave 16 (2000)

Radios:
31 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
25.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.mx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
51 (2000)

Internet users:
3.5 million (2002)

Transportation Mexico

Railways: total: 19,510 km standard gauge: 19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
total: 329,532 km
paved: 108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways)
unpaved: 221,445 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
2,900 km
note: navigable rivers and coastal canals

Pipelines:
crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas
13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km

Ports and harbors:
Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas, La Paz,
Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz,
Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Merchant marine:
total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 636,271 GRT/933,686 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, combination
ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 26, roll on/roll off 8,
short-sea passenger 3
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Canada 2, Denmark 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
1,823 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 231
over 3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 82
under 914 m: 27 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 83

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,592
under 914 m: 1,067 (2002)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 454
1,524 to 2,437 m: 69

Heliports:
2 (2002)

Military Mexico

Military branches:
National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) (including Army and Air
Force), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)

Military manpower - military age:
18 years of age
note: starting in 2000, females were allowed to volunteer for
military service (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 27,751,539 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 20,123,970 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,093,752 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Mexico

Disputes - international: prolonged regional drought in the border region with the US has strained water-sharing arrangements

Illicit drugs:
illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 - 4,400
hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of
cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts
have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of
heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine
to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for
US-bound cocaine from South America; major drug syndicates control
majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; growing
producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering
center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Micronesia, Federated States of

Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of

Background:
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 US. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment,
overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Geography Micronesia, Federated States of

Location:
Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
6 55 N, 158 15 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 702 sq km
note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands,
and Kosrae (Kosaie)
water: 0 sq km (fresh water only)
land: 702 sq km

Area - comparative:
four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
6,112 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

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

Terrain:
islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low,
coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Natural resources:
forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Land use:
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 45.71%
other: 48.58% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues:
overfishing, climate change, pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People Micronesia, Federated States of

Population:
108,143 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.4% (male 21,163; female 20,335)
15-64 years: 58.5% (male 31,746; female 31,477)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 1,558; female 1,864) (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.04% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
26.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
-20.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 32.39 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 35.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 28.97 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.13 years
male: 67.39 years
female: 70.95 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Ethnic groups:
nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups

Religions:
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

Languages:
English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese,
Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 91%
female: 88% (1980 est.)

Government Micronesia, Federated States of

Country name:
conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: FSM
former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the
Pacific Islands)

Government type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986;
economic provisions of the Compact are being renegotiated

Capital:
Palikir

Administrative divisions:
4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Independence:
3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution:
10 May 1979

Legal system:
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003);
Vice President Redley KILLION; note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May
2003); Vice President Redley KILLION; note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from
among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last
held 11 May 2003 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - a proposed
constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for
president and vice president failed
election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of
Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent
of Congress vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress (14 seats; members elected by popular vote;
four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms; and 10
- elected from single-member districts delineated by population to
serve two-year terms)
elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003
(next to be held NA March 2007); elections for two-year term seats
last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
no formal parties

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS (associate),
IMF, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU telephone: (202) 223-4383 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam) FAX: (202) 223-4391 chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry M. DINGER embassy: address NA, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: 320-2187 FAX: 320-2186

Flag description:
light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars
are arranged in a diamond pattern

Economy Micronesia, Federated States of

Economy - overview:
Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and
fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting,
except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist
industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate
facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. In
November 2002, the country experienced a further reduction in future
revenues from the Compact of Free Association - the agreement with
the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion in financial and
technical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001. The country's
medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the
reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the
private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed
infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $277 million
note: $277 million $277 million GDP is supplemented by grant aid,
averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 4% services: 46% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
26.7%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
two-thirds are government employees

Unemployment rate:
16% (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants)
expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Industries:
tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture,
craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% hydro: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Agriculture - products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens

Exports:
$22 million (f.o.b.) (FY 99/00 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Exports - partners:
Japan, US, Guam (2000)

Imports:
$149 million f.o.b. (FY 99/00 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Imports - partners:
US, Australia, Japan (2000)

Debt - external:
$53.1 million (FY 02/03 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3
billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used 1

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Micronesia, Federated States of

Telephones - main lines in use:
11,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
newly installed in Pohnpei and Yap

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used
mostly for government purposes)
international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
(2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
9,400 (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
2,800 (1999)

Internet country code:
.fm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
2,000 (2000)

Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen

Merchant marine:
none
note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
convenience: US 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
7 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Micronesia, Federated States of

Military - note:
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing
state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on
the US for its defense

Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Midway Islands

Introduction Midway Islands

Background:
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 national
wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to the
public. It is now temporarily closed.

Geography Midway Islands

Location:
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the
way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Geographic coordinates:
28 13 N, 177 22 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 6.2 sq km
note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island
water: 0 sq km
land: 6.2 sq km

Area - comparative:
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
15 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain:
low, nearly level

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the
public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife
observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba
diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for reorganization at
present (2003)

People Midway Islands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the
staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services cooperator
living at the atoll (July 2003 est.)

Government Midway Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from
Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering
Command, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationally
closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October 1996, through a
presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of the
atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
system

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Midway Islands

Economy - overview:
The economy is based on providing support services for the national
wildlife refuge activities located on the islands. All food and
manufactured goods must be imported.

Transportation Midway Islands

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways:
none

Pipelines:
7.8 km

Ports and harbors:
Sand Island

Airports:
2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Military Midway Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Midway Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Moldova

Introduction Moldova

Background:
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 Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population,
mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria"
republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the
first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in
2001.

Geography Moldova

Location:
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 33,843 sq km
water: 472 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain:
rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Land use: arable land: 54.08% permanent crops: 12.1% other: 33.82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Environment - current issues:
heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides
such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil
erosion from poor farming methods

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and
minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

People Moldova

Population:
4,439,502 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.1% (male 477,063; female 459,992)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 1,465,248; female 1,584,402)
65 years and over: 10.2% (male 168,068; female 284,729) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 32 years
male: 29.8 years
female: 34.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.13% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
14.31 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
12.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 38.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 44.81 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.88 years
male: 60.63 years
female: 69.35 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 300 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups:
Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%,
Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Religions:
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

Languages:
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language),
Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.6%
female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Government Moldova

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova
local short form: none
former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia
local long form: Republica Moldova

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Chisinau

Administrative divisions:
9 counties (judetele, singular - judetul), 1 municipality*
(municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala
autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti,
Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei,
Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni

Independence:
27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Constitution:
new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet
constitution of 1979

Legal system:
based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of
legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is
unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts
many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) documents

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April
2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since NA 2002),
Deputy Prime Minister Stefan ODAGIU (since NA 2002)
cabinet: selected by prime minister, subject to approval of
Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term;
election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note -
presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July
2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's
failure to chose a new president in December 2000 led to early
parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated
by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within
15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request
a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work
program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001,
cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001
election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary
votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CHRISTEA
3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of
confidence - 75 of 101

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and
electoral blocs, as well as independent candidates, elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 50.1%, Braghis
Alliance 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCM
71, Braghis Alliance 19, PPCD 11

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for
constitutional judicature)

Political parties and leaders:
Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Communist Party or PCM
[Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic
Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Social Democratic Union (composed of
Braghis Alliance and the Democratic Party of Moldova) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU,
OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI FAX: (202) 667-1204 telephone: (202) 667-1130 chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela Hyde SMITH embassy: 103 Alexei Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (2) 23-37-72 FAX: (2) 23-30-44

Flag description:
same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue
(hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a
Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons
carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its
right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast
is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox
head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Economy Moldova

Economy - overview:
Moldova remains a very poor country despite recent progress from
its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate and good
farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy
depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine,
and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal,
and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed
to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union
in 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a
convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential
credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization,
removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government
entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote
growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth,
of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 5.3% in 2003.
Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces
backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to
higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of
foreign investors.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $11.51 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 23% services: 49% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.6 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
1.7 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002
est.)

Budget:
revenues: $536 million
expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Industries:
food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment,
refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar,
vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.394 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
3.216 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
60 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Exports:
$590 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners:
Russia 35%, Italy 11.7%, Germany 8.8%, Ukraine 8.5%, Romania 5.7%,
US 5.2%, Belarus 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
$980 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
textiles (2000)

Imports - partners:
Russia 23.9%, Ukraine 13.4%, Germany 12.6%, Italy 8.3%, Romania
8.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
$1.3 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$100 million (2000)

Currency:
Moldovan leu (MDL)

Currency code:
MDL

Exchange rates:
lei per US dollar - NA (2002), 12.87 (2001), 12.43 (2000), 10.52
(1999), 5.37 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Moldova

Telephones - main lines in use:
627,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,200 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside
Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way
domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile
cellular telephone service being introduced
international: service through Romania and Russia via landline;
satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
3.22 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
1.26 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.md

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (1999)

Internet users:
15,000 (2000)

Transportation Moldova

Railways: total: 1,300 km broad gauge: 1,300 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 12,657 km paved: 11,012 km unpaved: 1,645 km (1999)

Waterways:
424 km (1994)

Pipelines:
gas 606 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
36 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 28
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Military Moldova

Military branches:
Ground Forces (includes Air and Air Defense Forces), Republic
Security Forces (includes paramilitary Internal Troops and Border
Troops)

Military manpower - military age:
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,180,874 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 936,629 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 44,084 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$6.4 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Moldova

Disputes - international:
difficulties with the Transnistria region complicate border
crossing and customs with Ukraine, facilitating smuggling, arms
transfers, and other illegal activities

Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS
consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest
Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the
US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Monaco

Introduction Monaco

Background:
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.

Geography Monaco

Location:
Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern
coast of France, near the border with Italy

Geographic coordinates:
43 44 N, 7 24 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 1.95 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1.95 sq km

Area - comparative:
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km

Coastline:
4.1 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 NM

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

Terrain:
hilly, rugged, rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See);
almost entirely urban

People Monaco

Population:
32,130 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,551; female 2,445)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,814; female 10,130)
65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,937; female 4,253) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 45 years
male: 43 years
female: 47 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.44% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
9.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
12.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
7.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.27 years
male: 75.37 years
female: 83.37 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups:
French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%

Languages:
French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Monaco

Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco
local short form: Monaco
local long form: Principaute de Monaco

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Monaco

Administrative divisions:
none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers,
singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville,
Monte-Carlo

Independence:
1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National holiday:
National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Constitution:
17 December 1962

Legal system:
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir
Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch
(born 14 March 1958)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state
appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national
candidates presented by the French Government
cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERCQ (since 5
January 2000)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16
members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional
representation; to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
UNAM 21, UND 3
elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held NA February
2008)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch
on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders:
National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; Union
for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco
or UNAM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ECE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS,
IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in
Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the
flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is
white (top) and red

Economy Monaco

Economy - overview:
Monaco, situated on the French Mediterranean coast, is a popular
resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In
2001, a major new construction project will extend the pier used by
cruise ships in the main harbor. The principality has successfully
sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added,
nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low
business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who
have established residence and for foreign companies that have set
up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number
of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal
service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in
prosperous French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish
national income figures; the estimates below are extremely rough.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%

Labor force:
30,540 (January 1994)

Unemployment rate:
3.1% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $518 million
expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995)

Industries:
tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - imports:
NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by France

Agriculture - products:
none

Exports:
$NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
system through customs union with France

Imports:
$NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
system through customs union with France

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854
(2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Monaco

Telephones - main lines in use:
31,027 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into
the French communications system

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios:
34,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (1998)

Televisions:
25,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Monaco

Railways: total: 1.7 km standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Monaco

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
none; linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter service
(2002)

Heliports:
1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice,
France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2002)

Military Monaco

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Monaco

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Mongolia

Introduction Mongolia

Background:
The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Genghis KHAN
they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the empire
was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke
apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their
original steppe homelands and came under Chinese rule. 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 to the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which
defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Over the next four
years, the DUC put forward a number of key reforms to modernize the
economy and to democratize the political system. The former
Communists were a strong opposition that stalled additional
restructuring and made implementation difficult. In 2000, the MPRP
won an overwhelming victory in the legislature - with 72 of the 76
seats - and completely reshuffled the government. While it continues
many of the reform policies, the MPRP has focused on social welfare
and public order priorities.

Geography Mongolia

Location:
Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 1.565 million sq km
water: 9,600 sq km
land: 1,555,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 8,162 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,485 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

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

Terrain:
vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west
and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources:
oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel,
zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate

Land use: arable land: 0.84% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.16% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
840 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud", which
is harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies
of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and
industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the
burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of
environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar;
deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to
agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;
desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on
the environment

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

People Mongolia

Population:
2,712,315 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.7% (male 423,081; female 408,119)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 890,482; female 892,140)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 42,292; female 56,201) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.5 years
male: 23.2 years
female: 23.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.42% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
21.39 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 57.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 53.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 60.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.81 years
male: 61.63 years
female: 66.09 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Mongolian(s)
adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups:
Mongol (predominantly Khalkha) 85%, Turkic (of which Kazakh is the
largest group) 7%, Tungusic 4.6%, other (including Chinese and
Russian) 3.4% (1998)

Religions:
Tibetan Buddhist Lamaism 96%, Muslim (primarily in the southwest),
Shamanism, and Christian 4% (1998)

Languages:
Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.2%
female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Mongolia

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Mongolia
local short form: Mongol Uls
former: Outer Mongolia
local long form: none

Government type:
parliamentary

Capital:
Ulaanbaatar

Administrative divisions:
21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality*
(singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan
Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber,
Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge,
Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Independence:
11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday:
Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution:
12 February 1992

Legal system:
blend of Soviet, German, and US systems of law that combines
aspects of a parliamentary system with some aspects of a
presidential system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 26 July
2000)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation
with the president
elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural
and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held
20 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2005); following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is
usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural; election
last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president; percent
of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 58.13%, Radnaasumbereliyn
GONCHIGDORJ (DP) 36.58%, Luvsandamba DASHNYAM (CWP) 3.54%, other
1.75%; Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected prime minister by a vote in the
State Great Hural of 68 to 3

Legislative branch:
unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
MPRP 72, other 4

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial
courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are
nominated by the General Council of Courts for approval by the
president)

Political parties and leaders:
Citizens' Will Party or CWP (also called Civil Will Party or Civil
Courage Party) [Sanjaasurengyn OYUN]; Democratic Party or DP [D.
DORLIGJAN]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn
ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or MNSDP [B.
ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIHAN]
note: the MPRP is the ruling party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP (provisional),
EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
MONUC, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD
chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: (202) 298-9227
telephone: (202) 333-7117

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. Slutz
embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: (11) 329095
FAX: (11) 320776

Flag description:
three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red;
centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem
("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric
representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang
symbol)

Economy Mongolia

Economy - overview:
Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and
breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits;
copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a
large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its
height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990-1991
at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was driven
into deep recession, prolonged by the Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious
economic reform. The Democratic Coalition (DC) government embraced
free-market economics, eased price controls, liberalized domestic
and international trade, and attempted to restructure the banking
system and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization programs
were undertaken, as well as the fostering of foreign investment
through international tender of the oil distribution company, a
leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back by the
ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability
brought about through four successive governments under the DC.
Economic growth picked up in 1997-1999 after stalling in 1996 due to
a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper
and cashmere. In August and September 1999, the economy suffered
from a temporary Russian ban on exports of oil and oil products, and
Mongolia remains vulnerable in this sector. Mongolia joined the
World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor
community pledged over $300 million per year at the Consultative
Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999. The MPRP
government, elected in July 2000, is anxious to improve the
investment climate; it must also deal with a heavy burden of
external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly primary sector
exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and adverse effects
of weather on agriculture in early 2000 and 2001 restrained real GDP
growth in 2000-2001. Despite drought problems in 2002, GDP rose
4.0%, followed by a solid 5.0% increase in 2003. The first
applications under the land privatization law have been marked by a
number of disputes over particular sites. Russia claims Mongolia
owes it $11 billion from the old Soviet period; any settlement could
substantially increase Mongolia's foreign debt burden.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $5.06 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32% industry: 23% services: 45% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 24.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.2 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
1.4 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
primarily herding/agricultural

Unemployment rate:
20% (2000)

Budget:
revenues: $386 million
expenditures: $427 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2002 est.)

Industries:
construction materials, mining (coal, copper, molybdenum,
fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages, processing of animal
products

Industrial production growth rate:
4.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
2.225 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
2.194 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
25 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
196 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses

Exports: $501 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Exports - partners:
China 43.8%, US 33.6%, Russia 9.6% (2002)

Imports:
$659 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer
goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Imports - partners:
Russia 32%, China 19.4%, South Korea 12.1%, US 9.1%, Germany 4.7%,
Japan 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
$913 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$208.7 million (1999 est.)

Currency:
togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Currency code:
MNT

Exchange rates:
togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,134 (2002), 1,097.7 (2001),
1,076.67 (2000), 1,021.87 (1999), 840.83 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mongolia

Telephones - main lines in use:
104,100 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
110,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each
thousand persons
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian
Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
155,900 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
168,800 (1999)

Internet country code:
.mn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
40,000 (2002)

Transportation Mongolia

Railways: 1,815 km broad gauge: 1,815 km 1.524-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 49,250 km paved: 1,724 km unpaved: 47,526 km (2000)

Waterways:
400 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
50 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 40 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Military Mongolia

Military branches:
Mongolian Armed Forces (includes General Purpose Forces, Air and
Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense Troops); note - Border Troops are
under Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs in peacetime

Military manpower - military age:
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 796,449 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 516,502 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 32,529 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$23.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mongolia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Montserrat

Introduction Montserrat

Background:
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.

Geography Montserrat

Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
16 45 N, 62 12 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 102 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
40 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic
complex) 914 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere
Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)

Environment - current issues:
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geography - note:
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active
volcanoes

People Montserrat

Population:
8,995
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the
resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
(July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.4% (male 1,062; female 1,041)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 2,805; female 3,066)
65 years and over: 11.4% (male 537; female 484) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.8 years
male: 27.7 years
female: 27.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
4.5% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
17.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
7.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
34.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.36 years
male: 76.24 years
female: 80.59 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups:
black, white

Religions:
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day
Adventist, other Christian denominations

Languages:
English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97% (1970 est.)

Government Montserrat

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

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

Administrative divisions:
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

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

Constitution:
present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Legal system:
English common law and statutory law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Anthony LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party usually becomes chief minister
head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the
finance secretary

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected;
members serve five-year terms)
note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney
general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members
elections: last held NA April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single
constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NPLM 7, NPP 2

Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of
the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
High Court)

Political parties and leaders:
National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's
Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS

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

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

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow
harp with her arm around a black cross

Economy Montserrat

Economy - overview:
Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a
damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June
1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and
social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the
island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited
the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the
lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops.
Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation
to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK
has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help
reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain
uninhabitable for another decade.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 13.6%
services: 81% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
6% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4
million (1997 est.)

Industries:
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
2.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
2.325 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products

Exports: $700,000 (2001)

Exports - commodities: electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle

Exports - partners:
US, Antigua and Barbuda

Imports:
$17 million (2001)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured
goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Imports - partners:
US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada

Debt - external:
$8.9 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending
$122.8 million in British budgetary assistance

Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since
1976)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Montserrat

Telephones - main lines in use:
4,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
70 (1994)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
3,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ms

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Montserrat

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 227 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the
road system (2003)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing),
Carr's Bay

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
none; only airport was destroyed by volcanic activity; a helicopter
service to Antigua is used (2002)

Military Montserrat

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Montserrat

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
US and Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Morocco

Introduction Morocco

Background:
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.

Geography Morocco

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:
32 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 446,550 sq km
land: 446,300 sq km
water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 2,017.9 km
border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain
(Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:
1,835 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Terrain:
northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of
bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use: arable land: 20.12% permanent crops: 2.05% other: 77.83% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
12,910 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from
farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation);
water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs;
oil pollution of coastal waters

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People Morocco

Population:
31,689,265 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.2% (male 5,360,666; female 5,162,168)
15-64 years: 62% (male 9,766,222; female 9,876,647)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 676,357; female 847,205) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 23 years
male: 22.5 years
female: 23.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.64% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 44.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 40.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 48.76 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.04 years
male: 67.77 years
female: 72.41 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Moroccan(s)
adjective: Moroccan

Ethnic groups:
Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions:
Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages:
Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of
business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.7%
male: 64.1%
female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Government Morocco

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short form: Morocco
local short form: Al Maghrib
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Rabat

Administrative divisions:
37 provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni
Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El
Kelaa des Sraghna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim,
Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache,
Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi,
Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata,
Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit; three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued
Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan and
Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara
note: as part of a 1997 decentralization/regionalization law passed
by the legislature 16 new regions (provided below) were created
although full details and scope of the reorganization are limited :
Casablanca, Chaouia-Ourdigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulmane,
Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia
El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental,
Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa,
Tadla-Azilal, Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate

Independence:
2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:
Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July
(1999)

Constitution:
10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create
bicameral legislature) September 1996

Legal system:
based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of
Supreme Court

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Executive branch:
chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October
2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of
Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils,
professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year
terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a
lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; members
elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15 September 2000 (next
to be held NA 2003); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27
September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - NA; Chamber of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI
41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, FFD 12, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, MDS 7, PSD
6, Al Ahd 5, ADL 4, GSU 3, PML 3, PRD 3, FC 2, PDI 2, PED 2, CNI 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the
Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or
ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF];
Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN];
Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives
for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC
[Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI
[Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud
ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI];
Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development
Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD
[Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas
El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party (formerly the
Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement) or PJD [Abdelkrim EL
KHATIB]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National
Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi
Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular
Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents
or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP
[Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI,
chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI];
Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the
Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular
Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or
PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen
MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abderrahman
EL-YOUSSOUFI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General
Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan
Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union
of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or
UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM,
OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: (202) 265-0161
telephone: (202) 462-7979 through 7982
chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ms. Margaret TUTWILER embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 90718 telephone: (37) 76 22 65 FAX: (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag description:
red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as
Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional
color of Islam

Economy Morocco

Economy - overview:
Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries -
restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private
activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic
growth. Following structural adjustment programs supported by the
IMF, World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is now fully
convertible for current account transactions, and reforms of the
financial sector have been implemented. Droughts depressed activity
in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy
in 1999 and 2000. During that time, however, Morocco reported large
foreign exchange inflows from the sale of a mobile telephone license
and partial privatization of the state-owned telecommunications
company. Favorable rainfall in 2001 led to a growth of 6.5%. Good
harvest conditions continued to support GDP growth in 2002.
Formidable long-term challenges include: servicing the external
debt; modernizing the industrial sector; preparing the economy for
freer trade with the EU and US; and improving education and
attracting foreign investment to boost living standards and job
prospects for Morocco's youth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $121.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 33% services: 52% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 19% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.5 (1998-99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
11 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 50%, services 35%, industry 15% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
19% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $13.8 billion
expenditures: $14.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1
billion (2001 est.)

Industries:
phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather
goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
0.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
13.35 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.4% hydro: 4.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
14.61 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
2.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
167,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
900,000 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
665.4 million cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Exports:
$7.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals,
fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits,
vegetables

Exports - partners:
France 26.5%, Spain 14.3%, UK 7.9%, Germany 5.8%, Italy 5.6%, US
4.8% (2002)

Imports:
$10.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment,
wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Imports - partners:
France 20.9%, Spain 12.6%, Italy 6.3%, Germany 5.5%, US 4.6%, UK
4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
$17.7 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$565.6 million (1995)

Currency:
Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code:
MAD

Exchange rates:
Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.02 (2002), 11.3 (2001), 10.63
(2000), 9.8 (1999), 9.6 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Morocco

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
116,645 (1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities;
however density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each
100 persons
domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and
microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;
principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national
network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural
service employs microwave radio relay
international: 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to
Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave
radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable
link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios:
6.64 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ma

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
400,000 (2002)

Transportation Morocco

Railways: total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
total: 57,707 km
paved: 32,547 km (including 481 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,160 km (2000)

Waterways:
none

Pipelines:
gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia,
Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and
Melilla

Merchant marine:
total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 247,591 GRT/268,356 DWT
ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 7, container 6, petroleum
tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea
passenger 2
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Germany 1, Hong Kong 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 2 (2002
est.)

Airports:
63 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 37 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 14

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Morocco

Military branches:
Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie,
Auxiliary Forces

Military manpower - military age:
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 8,595,797 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,411,846 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 351,671 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.4 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Morocco

Disputes - international:
claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains
unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since
September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and
parties thus far have rejected other proposals; Morocco protests
Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and
Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and
Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected
Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary
Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and
refugee interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish
temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill
soiled Spanish fishing grounds

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of hashish; trafficking increasing for both
domestic and international drug markets; shipments of hashish mostly
directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South
America destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Mozambique

Introduction Mozambique

Background:
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. Heavy flooding in both 1999 and 2000 severely hurt the
economy. Political stability and sound economic policies have
encouraged recent foreign investment.

Geography Mozambique

Location:
South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between
South Africa and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:
18 15 S, 35 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 801,590 sq km
water: 17,500 sq km
land: 784,090 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
total: 4,571 km
border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland
105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Coastline:
2,470 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
tropical to subtropical

Terrain:
mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in
northwest, mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Natural resources:
coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

Land use: arable land: 3.98% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 95.73% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
1,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central
and southern provinces

Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part
of the country

People Mozambique

Population:
17,479,266
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997
Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2003
est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.1% (male 3,634,173; female 3,725,396)
15-64 years: 55.3% (male 4,712,891; female 4,945,123)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 189,778; female 271,905) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 19 years
male: 18.7 years
female: 19.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.82% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
38.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
30.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 199 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 180.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 216.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 31.3 years
male: 30.98 years
female: 31.63 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.87 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
13% 12.6 to 16.4%, estimates vary (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.1 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
60,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mozambican(s)
adjective: Mozambican

Ethnic groups:
indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe, Manyika, Sena,
Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians
0.08%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 47.8%
male: 63.5%
female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mozambique

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
conventional short form: Mozambique
local short form: Mocambique
former: Portuguese East Africa
local long form: Republica de Mocambique

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Maputo

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city*; Cabo
Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Maputo City*, Nampula,
Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Independence:
25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Constitution:
30 November 1990

Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6
November 1986); note - before being popularly elected, CHISSANO was
elected president by Frelimo's Central Committee on 4 November 1986
(reelected by the Committee 30 July 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since 17
December 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO reelected president;
percent of vote - Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO 52.29%, Afonso DHLAKAMA
47.71%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret
ballot to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 48.54%,
Renamo-UE 38.81%; seats by party - Frelimo 133, Renamo-UE 117
note: Renamo-UE ran as a multiparty coalition; none of the other
opposition parties received the 5% required to win parliamentary
seats; in September 2000, Renamo-UE member Raul DOMINGOS was
expelled from the party; he continues to hold his parliamentary seat
as an independent

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional
judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the
Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs
courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
note: although the constitution provides for the creation of a
separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in
its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders:
Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de
Mocambique) or Frelimo [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO, president];
Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional
Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA,
president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia)
or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa,
chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e
Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos
Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and
Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia
FRANCO, secretary general]

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE FAX: (202) 835-0245 telephone: (202) 293-7146 chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON
embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
telephone: (1) 492797
FAX: (1) 490448

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with
a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is
edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed
star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an
open white book

Economy Mozambique

Economy - overview:
At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest
countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from
1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarked
on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the
economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with
political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have
led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation
was brought to single digits during the late 1990s although it
returned to double digits in 2000-02. Fiscal reforms, including the
introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service,
have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In
spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign
assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the
population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture
continues to employ the vast majority of the country's workforce. A
substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the
MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment
project to date has increased export earnings. Additional investment
projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment
manufacturing should further close the import/export gap.
Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through
forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a
manageable level.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $19.52 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22% industry: 23% services: 55% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
9.2 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
21% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $393.1 million
expenditures: $1.025 billion, including capital expenditures of
$479.4 million (2001 est.)

Industries:
food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum,
petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
3.4% (2000)

Electricity - production:
7.193 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
1.39 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
5.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
500 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
8,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
63.71 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn,
coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers;
beef, poultry

Exports:
$680 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk
electricity

Exports - partners:
Belgium 24.3%, South Africa 9.1%, Germany 6.2% (2002)

Imports:
$1.18 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products,
foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
South Africa 27.5%, France 8.9%, US 7%, Australia 6.9%, Japan 6%,
Malaysia 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
$966 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$632.8 million (2001)

Currency:
metical (MZM)

Currency code:
MZM

Exchange rates:
meticais per US dollar - 23,678 (2002), 20,703.6 (2001), 15,447.1
(2000), 13,028.6 (1999), 12,110.2 (1998)
note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as the
weighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of all
transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mozambique

Telephones - main lines in use:
90,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
287,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system but not available generally
(telephone density is only 16 telephones for each 1,000 persons)
domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk
connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic
Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios:
730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
67,600 (2000)

Internet country code:
.mz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2002)

Internet users:
22,500 (2000)

Transportation Mozambique

Railways: total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
3,750 km (navigable routes)

Pipelines:
gas 189 km; refined products 292 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT
ships by type: cargo 3
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Belgium 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
165 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 143 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 91 (2002)

Military Mozambique

Military branches:
Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Special Forces,
Militia

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,142,449 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,373,444 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$35.1 million (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (2000 est.)

Transnational Issues Mozambique

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish, South Asian
heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the
European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local
consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa);
corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system
vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed
financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Namibia

Introduction Namibia

Background:
South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa 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 following multi-party elections and the establishment
of a constitution. President NUJOMA is currently serving his third
term as president.

Geography Namibia

Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 825,418 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 825,418 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries:
total: 3,936 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
967 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline:
1,572 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain:
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in
east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources:
diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc,
salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use:
arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.01% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
70 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the
environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is
protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

People Namibia

Population:
1,927,447
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.5% (male 414,559; female 404,346)
15-64 years: 54% (male 517,469; female 522,549)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 30,038; female 38,486) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.3 years
male: 17.9 years
female: 18.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.49% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
34.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
19.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 68.44 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 65.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 71.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 42.77 years
male: 44.27 years
female: 41.22 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
22.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
230,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
13,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups:
black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%
to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara
7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Religions:
Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs
10% to 20%

Languages:
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the
population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84%
male: 84.4%
female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Government Namibia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
conventional short form: Namibia
former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Windhoek

Administrative divisions:
13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,
Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Independence:
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Constitution:
ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March
1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Theo-Ben GURIRAB (since 28 August
2002)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held NA
2004)
election results: Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA elected president; percent
of vote - Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA 77%

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats;
two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year
terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to
determine members of the National Council, held 30 November-1
December 1998 (next to be held by December 2004); National Assembly
- last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held by December
2004)
note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - SWAPO 21, DTA 4, UDF 1; National Assembly - percent
of vote by party - SWAPO 76%, COD 10%, DTA 9%, UDF 3%, MAG 1%, other
1%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 7, DTA 7, UDF 2, MAG 1,

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle
Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; Monitor
Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa People's
Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic
Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: (202) 986-0443 telephone: (202) 986-0540

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: (61) 221601 FAX: (61) 229792

Flag description:
a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left
section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right
section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is
contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Economy Namibia

Economy - overview:
The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing
of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Rich
alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for
gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of
nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of
uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,
silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the
population while about half of the population depends on subsistence
agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%
of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a
major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the
region, hides the great inequality of income distribution; nearly
one-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1400 in
constant 1994 dollars, according to a 1993 study. The Namibian
economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar
pegged to the South African rand. Privatization of several
enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign
investment.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $13.15 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 28% services: 61% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8% (2001)

Labor force:
725,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
35% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $883 million
expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998)

Industries:
meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond,
lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
26.95 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
603.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
578 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
31.15 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Exports:
$1.21 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed
fish, karakul skins

Exports - partners:
EU 79%, US 4% (2001)

Imports:
$1.38 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment,
chemicals

Imports - partners:
US 50%, EU 31% (2001)

Debt - external:
$517 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $160 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
NAD; ZAR

Exchange rates:
Namibian dollars per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94
(2000), 6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Namibia

Telephones - main lines in use:
110,200 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
82,000 (2000 est.)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100
persons
domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio
relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are
by open wire; 100% digital
international: fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio
relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries;
connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine
cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
(2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
232,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
60,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.na

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
45,000 (2002)

Transportation Namibia

Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 66,467 km paved: 9,172 km unpaved: 57,285 km (2000)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
135 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 114
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 71
under 914 m: 19 (2002)

Military Namibia

Military branches:
National Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing), Police

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 459,474 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 274,015 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$73.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Namibia

Disputes - international:
commission established with Botswana to resolve small residual
disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands
along the Linyanti River; Botswana residents protest Namibia's
planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on Popa
Falls; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the
boundary in the Orange River; dormant dispute remains where
Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundaries converge; Angolan
rebels and refugees still reside in Namibia

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Nauru

Introduction Nauru

Background:
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. Nauru achieved independence in
1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest
independent republic.

Geography Nauru

Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall
Islands

Geographic coordinates:
0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 21 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
30 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)

Terrain:
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with
phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect
rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination
plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly
by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of
Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

People Nauru

Population:
12,570 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.9% (male 2,517; female 2,368)
15-64 years: 59.3% (male 3,681; female 3,779)
65 years and over: 1.8% (male 116; female 109) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.6 years
male: 19.3 years
female: 20 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
26.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
7.08 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 13 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.95 years
male: 58.41 years
female: 65.66 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan

Ethnic groups:
Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

Religions:
Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Languages:
Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English
widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and
commercial purposes

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Nauru

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru
former: Pleasant Island

Government type:
republic

Capital:
no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Administrative divisions:
14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada,
Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Independence:
31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN
trusteeship)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution:
29 January 1968

Legal system:
acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law

Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Rene HARRIS (since 8 August 2003) note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;
election last held 29 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)
note: Ludwig SCOTTY was removed from the presidency in a
no-confidence vote 8 August 2003; Rene HARRIS became president
election results: Ludwig SCOTTY elected president 29 May 2003;
Ludwig SCOTTY 10 parliamentary votes, Kinza CLODUMAR 7
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of Parliament
head of government: President Rene HARRIS (since 8 August 2003) note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May
2006)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Nauru First Party
3, independents 15

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru
Party (informal) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party [leader
NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW,
Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN office
at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone:
(212) 937-0074
consulate(s): Hagatna (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji
is accredited to Nauru

Flag description:
blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and
a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side;
the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator
(the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original
tribes of Nauru

Economy Nauru

Economy - overview:
Revenues of this tiny island have come from exports of phosphates,
but reserves are expected to be exhausted within a few years.
Phosphate production has declined since 1989, as demand has fallen
in traditional markets and as the marginal cost of extracting the
remaining phosphate increases, making it less internationally
competitive. While phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest
per capita incomes in the Third World, few other resources exist
with most necessities being imported, including fresh water from
Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of
income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In
anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits,
substantial amounts of phosphate income have been invested in trust
funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's
economic future. The government has been borrowing heavily from the
trusts to finance fiscal deficits. To cut costs the government has
called for a freeze on wages, a reduction of over-staffed public
service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies,
and closure of some overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has
encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations. Tens
of billions of dollars have been channeled through their accounts.
Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with
estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $60 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-3.6% (1993)

Labor force - by occupation: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation

Unemployment rate:
0%

Budget:
revenues: $23.4 million
expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY 95/96)

Industries:
phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
30 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
27.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts

Exports:
$27 million f.o.b. (1995)

Exports - commodities:
phosphates

Exports - partners:
India 46.1%, South Korea 18.3%, Australia 10.6%, New Zealand 7.8%,
Netherlands 5.6% (2002)

Imports:
$33 million c.i.f. (1995)

Imports - commodities:
food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners:
Australia 59.3%, US 10.1%, Ireland 7.6%, Malaysia 6% (2002)

Debt - external:
$33.3 million

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)

Currency:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2641 (2002) 1.9320 (2001),
1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Nauru

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
450 (1994)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone
communication provided via Australian facilities
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

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

Radios:
7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
500 (1997)

Internet country code:
.nr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Nauru

Railways:
total: 5 km
note: gauge unknown; used to haul phosphates from the center of the
island to processing facilities on the southwest coast (2001)

Highways:
total: 30 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Nauru

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Nauru

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,190 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,762 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA%

Military - note:
Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement,
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Nauru

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
broad-based money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Navassa Island

Introduction Navassa Island

Background:
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.

Geography Navassa Island

Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of the way
from Haiti to Jamaica

Geographic coordinates:
18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 5.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 5.2 sq km

Area - comparative:
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
8 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
marine, tropical

Terrain:
raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by
vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources:
guano

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat
herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

People Navassa Island

Population:
uninhabited
note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
(July 2003 est.)

Government Navassa Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior;
in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance
of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern
side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced
against the island

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Navassa Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Navassa Island

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Military Navassa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Navassa Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Nepal

Introduction Nepal

Background:
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. A Maoist
insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening
to bring down the regime. In 2001, the Crown Prince massacred ten
members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and then
took his own life. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime
minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the
parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of
the ongoing insurgency. The country is now governed by the king and
his appointed cabinet, which has negotiated a cease-fire with the
Maoist insurgents, until elections can be held at some unspecified
future date.

Geography Nepal

Location:
Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:
28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 140,800 sq km
water: 4,000 sq km
land: 136,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical
summers and mild winters in south

Terrain:
Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill
region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999)

Natural resources:
quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of
lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 20.27% permanent crops: 0.49% other: 79.24% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
11,350 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine
depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer
monsoons

Environment - current issues:
deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives);
contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural
runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular
emissions

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains
eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the
world's tallest - on the border with China

People Nepal

Population:
26,469,569 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.7% (male 5,424,396; female 5,080,171)
15-64 years: 56.7% (male 7,692,134; female 7,320,059)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 468,697; female 484,112) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.7 years
male: 19.6 years
female: 19.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.26% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
32.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
9.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 70.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 72.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 68.95 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59 years
male: 59.36 years
female: 58.63 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.39 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
58,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,400 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups:
Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa,
Tharu, and others (1995)

Religions:
Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%
note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)

Languages:
Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen
other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in
government and business also speak English (1995)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 45.2%
male: 62.7%
female: 27.6% (2003 est.)

Government Nepal

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal
conventional short form: Nepal

Government type:
parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Kathmandu

Administrative divisions:
14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,
Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,
Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence:
1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

National holiday:
Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)

Constitution:
9 November 1990

Legal system:
based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the
throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King DIPENDRA
Bir Bikram Shah)
head of government: Prime Minister Surya Bahadur THAPA (since 4 June
2003); note - Prime Minister CHAND resigned 30 May 2003
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at
the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most
of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is
believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally
wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while
still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three
days later and was succeeded by his uncle

Legislative branch:

: bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) note: Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002 election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1 elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next election NA)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by
the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the
other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav
Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP
(also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA,
chairman]; National People's Front (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra
Bahadur, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri
Prasad MANDAL, acting party president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants
Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; Nepali
Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president; Sushil
KOIRALA, general secretary]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila Mani
POKHAREL, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL also known as
Prahanda, chairman; and chief negotiator, Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI,
from Communist Party of Nepal/Maoist]; numerous small, left-leaning
student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese
antimonarchist groups

International organization participation:
AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTSO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Jai Pratap RANA
FAX: (202) 667-5534
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: (202) 667-4550
chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. MALINOWSKI
embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: (1) 411179
FAX: (1) 419963

Flag description:
red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping
right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized
moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Economy Nepal

Economy - overview:
Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the
world with 42% of its population living below the poverty line.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood
for over 80% of the population and accounting for 40% of GDP.
Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural
produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Textile and
carpet production, accounting for about 80% of foreign exchange
earnings in recent years, contracted in 2001-02 due to the overall
slowdown in the world economy and pressures by Maoist insurgents on
factory owners and workers. Security concerns in the wake of the
Maoist conflict and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the
US have led to a decrease in tourism, another key source of foreign
exchange. Since 1991, the government has been moving forward with
economic reforms, e.g., by reducing business licenses and
registration requirements to simplify investment procedures,
reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off
civil servants. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its
potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign
investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in
other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size
of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its
landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural
disaster. The international community's role of funding more than
60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total
budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of
growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $37.32 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 20% services: 40% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 42% (1995-96)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.7 (FY 95/96)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 10 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3%

Unemployment rate:
47% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $665 million
expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY 99/00 est.)

Industries:
tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed
mills; cigarette; cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate:
8.7% (FY 99/00)

Electricity - production:
1.755 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.5% hydro: 91.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
1.764 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
95 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
227 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Exports:
$720 million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border trade
with India (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners:
India 47.5%, US 27.6%, Germany 7.5% (2002)

Imports:
$1.6 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners:
India 21.2%, China 13%, UAE 11.1%, Singapore 8.5%, Hong Kong 5.9%,
Saudi Arabia 4.9%, Kuwait 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
$2.55 billion (FY 00/01)

Economic aid - recipient:
$424 million (FY 00/01)

Currency:
Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Currency code:
NPR

Exchange rates:
Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 77.88 (2002), 74.95 (2001), 71.09
(2000), 68.24 (1999), 65.98 (1998)

Fiscal year:
16 July - 15 July

Communications Nepal

Telephones - main lines in use:
236,816 (January 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone
network
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to
India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Radios:
840,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
130,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.np

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
60,000 (2002)

Transportation Nepal

Railways: total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 13,223 km paved: 4,073 km unpaved: 9,150 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
45 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 28 (2002)

Military Nepal

Military branches:
Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service),
Nepalese Police Force

Military manpower - military age:
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,674,014 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,467,511 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 303,222 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$57.22 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Nepal

Disputes - international:
joint border commission continues to work on small disputed
sections of boundary with India; India has instituted a stricter
border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international
drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the
West

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Netherlands

Introduction Netherlands

Background:
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 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 (now the EU), and
participated in the introduction of the Economic and Monetary Union
(EMU) in 1999.

Geography Netherlands

Location:
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates:
52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 41,526 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km
land: 33,883 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline: 451 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in
southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 26.53%
other: 72.44% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 1.03%

Irrigated land:
5,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding

Environment - current issues:
water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and
nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from
vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or
Meuse, and Schelde)

People Netherlands

Population:
16,150,511 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.2% (male 1,501,127; female 1,436,453)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,576,141; female 5,389,764)
65 years and over: 13.9% (male 929,087; female 1,317,939) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.6 years
male: 37.7 years
female: 39.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
11.31 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
8.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.26 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.74 years
male: 75.85 years
female: 81.76 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
17,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
110 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups:
Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-western origin mainly
Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese and Indonesians) (1999 est.)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%,
unaffiliated 40% (1998)

Languages:
Dutch (official language), Frisian (official language)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (2000 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government Netherlands

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
conventional short form: Netherlands
local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
local short form: Nederland

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe,
Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant,
Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland

Dependent areas:
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence:
1579 (from Spain); note - the northern provinces of the Low Country
concluded the Union of Utrecht, but it was 1648 before Spain finally
recognized their independence

National holiday:
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:
adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February 1983

Legal system:
civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution
does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent
WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22
July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May
2003) and Thom DE GRAAF (since 27 May 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second
Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch
note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir
apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the prime
minister on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch:
bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First
Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the
country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second
Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held NA
May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be
held NA January 2007)
election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist
Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -
CDA 28.6%, PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim
Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party - CDA 44,
PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim Fortuyn 8, Green Party
8, D66 6, other 5

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the
monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Maxime Jacques Marcel
VERHAGEN]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or
D66 [Boris DITTRICH]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or
PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Mat HERBEN]; People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Gerrit ZALM]; Socialist
Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; a host of minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising
Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union;
Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations;
Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the
nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Boudewijn J. VAN EENENNAAM
consulate(s): Boston
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
FAX: (202) 362-3430
telephone: (202) 244-5300
chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL
embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
telephone: (70) 310-9209
FAX: (70) 361-4688
consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar
to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer;
one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with William I,
Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century

Economy Netherlands

Economy - overview:
The Netherlands is a prosperous and open economy depending heavily
on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial
relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current
account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation
hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing,
chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly
mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labor
force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry
and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners,
began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country
continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting
foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed considerably in
2001-03, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four
years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the
EU average. The government is wrestling with a deteriorating budget
position, and is moving toward the EU 3% limit.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $437.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 25.7%
services: 71.2% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.6 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
7.2 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 73%, industry 23%, agriculture 4% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
3% (2002 est.)

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

Industries:
agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical
machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction,
microelectronics, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
0% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
88.32 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.9% hydro: 0.1% other: 5.7% (2001) nuclear: 4.3%

Electricity - consumption:
99.42 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
4.209 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
21.49 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
46,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
895,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
2.284 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
88.06 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
77.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
49.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
49.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
20.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.693 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Exports:
$243.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
Germany 25.1%, Belgium 12.7%, UK 10.7%, France 10.2%, Italy 6%, US
4.6% (2002)

Imports:
$201.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs,
clothing

Imports - partners:
Germany 17.8%, Belgium 9.7%, US 9.1%, UK 6.9%, France 5.5%, China
5.1%, Japan 4% (2002)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $3.5 billion (2000 est.)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Netherlands

Telephones - main lines in use:
9,132,400 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
4,081,891 (April 1999)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
domestic: the existing system of multi-conductor cables is gradually
being replaced by fiber-optic cables; the density of cellular
telephone traffic is rapidly increasing and further modernization of
the system is expected in 2001, with the introduction of the third
generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (1996)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 58, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
15.3 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
8.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.nl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
52 (2000)

Internet users:
9.73 million (2002)

Transportation Netherlands

Railways: total: 2,808 km standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
total: 116,500 km
paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)
unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)

Waterways:
5,046 km (of which 3,745 km are canals)
note: 47% of total route length is usable by craft of
1,000-metric-ton capacity or larger

Pipelines:
condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined products 716
km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem,
IJmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen

Merchant marine:
total: 616 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,664,711 GRT/5,226,912 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Belgium 1, Canada 1, Denmark 5, Finland 5, Germany 55,
Ireland 12, Norway 12, Sweden 17, UK 33, US 12 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 371, chemical tanker 51, container 70,
liquefied gas 13, livestock carrier 1, multi-functional large-load
carrier 15, passenger 10, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo
34, roll on/roll off 16, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 6

Airports:
28 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 21 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Heliports:
1 (2002)

Military Netherlands

Military branches:
Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (including Naval Air
Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal
Constabulary

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (note - age 17 for cadets and midshipmen) (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,071,891 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,536,586 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 94,034
note: Netherlands has an all-volunteer, 74,100 force in 2001 (2003
est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$6.5 billion (FY00/01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (FY00/01 est.)

Transnational Issues Netherlands

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
major European producer of illicit amphetamine and other synthetic
drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering
Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector
vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Netherlands Antilles

Introduction Netherlands Antilles

Background:
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 Saint Martin is
shared with France; its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and
is part of Guadeloupe, and its southern portion is named Sint
Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles.

Geography Netherlands Antilles

Location:
Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes
Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other is east of the
Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates:
12 15 N, 68 45 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 960 sq km
note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint
Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
water: 0 sq km
land: 960 sq km

Area - comparative:
more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km

Coastline: 364 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are
rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are
subject to hurricanes from July to October

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided
geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint
Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern)
group (Bonaire and Curacao)

People Netherlands Antilles

Population:
216,226 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.7% (male 27,383; female 26,122)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 69,233; female 75,956)
65 years and over: 8.1% (male 7,244; female 10,288) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 31.8 years
male: 30.3 years
female: 33.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.9% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
15.76 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.38 years
male: 73.16 years
female: 77.7 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.04 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups:
mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian

Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages:
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English
dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.7%
male: 96.7%
female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

Government Netherlands Antilles

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
local long form: none
former: Curacao and Dependencies
local short form: Nederlandse Antillen

Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal
affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense
and foreign affairs

Government type:
parliamentary

Capital:
Willemstad

Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government

Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as
amended

Legal system:
based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law
influence

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April
1980), represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1
July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Mirna LOUISA-GODETT (since 11
August 2003)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,
the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister
by the Staten; election last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held
by NA 2006)
note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten

Legislative branch:
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
FOL 5, PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP-St.M 2, UPB 2, DP 1, MAN 1, PDB 1,
WIPM 1
note: the government of Prime Minister Mirna LOUISA-GODETT is a
coalition of several parties; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3,
FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4
elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch:
Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Miguel POURIER]; C 93
[Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];
Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic
Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic
Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS];
Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric
LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA];
National People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New
Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of
Bonaire or UPB [Ramon BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or
SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.]; People's Party or PAPU [Richard Hodi]; Pro
Curacao Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor
Movement [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St.
Eustatius Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative
People's Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS
[Benny DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will
JOHNSTON]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald
LAK, Editha WRIGHT]
note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO
(associate), WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Deborah A. BOLTON
consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: (9) 4613066
FAX: (9) 4616489

Flag description:
white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on
a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars
are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the
five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao,
Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

Economy Netherlands Antilles

Economy - overview:
Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays
of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world.
Although GDP has declined or remained even in each of the past six
years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a
well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the
region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US
and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate
water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
89,000

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
15% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $710.8 million
expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Industries:
tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining
(Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire),
light manufacturing (Curacao)

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
1.061 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
986.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Exports:
$553 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum products

Exports - partners:
US 20.9%, Guatemala 12%, Venezuela 10.5%, Guyana 6.6%, Singapore
4.4%, Cuba 4% (2002)

Imports:
$1.43 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners:
Venezuela 60.8%, Mexico 11.7%, US 9.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
$1.35 billion (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:
IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its
support with $40 million

Currency:
Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

Currency code:
ANG

Exchange rates:
Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79
(2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999), 1.79 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Netherlands Antilles

Telephones - main lines in use:
76,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
13,977 (1996)

Telephone system:
general assessment: generally adequate facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
217,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997)

Televisions:
69,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.an

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6

Internet users:
2,000 (2000)

Transportation Netherlands Antilles

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 600 km paved: 300 km unpaved: 300 km

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad

Merchant marine:
total: 147 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,122,189 GRT/1,398,649 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 56, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk
1, combination ore/oil 3, container 27, liquefied gas 5,
multi-functional large-load carrier 15, passenger 1, refrigerated
cargo 27, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 1
note: includes foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Belgium 3, Denmark 2, Germany 43, Monaco 8, Netherlands
52, New Zealand 1, Norway 3, Peru 1, Spain 1, Sweden 3, UK 5 (2002
est.)

Airports:
5 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2038 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Netherlands Antilles

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Netherlands Navy,
Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police
Force

Military manpower - military age:
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 55,155 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 30,840 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,643 (2003 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and
Europe; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@New Caledonia

Introduction New Caledonia

Background:
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.

Geography New Caledonia

Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 19,060 sq km
water: 485 sq km
land: 18,575 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
2,254 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain:
coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use: arable land: 0.38% permanent crops: 0.33% other: 99.29% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
160 sq km (1991)

Natural hazards:
cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues:
erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note:
consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in
the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous
small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

People New Caledonia

Population:
210,798 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.7% (male 31,990; female 30,695)
15-64 years: 64.2% (male 68,093; female 67,205)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 6,016; female 6,799) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.9 years
male: 26.7 years
female: 27.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.38% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
19.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 8.76 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.52 years
male: 70.57 years
female: 76.62 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.39 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups:
Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%,
Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Languages:
French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91%
male: 92%
female: 90% (1976 est.)

Government New Caledonia

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
conventional short form: New Caledonia
local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

Dependency status:
overseas territory of France since 1956

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Noumea

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud

Independence:
none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on
independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is
scheduled for 2014

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the
islands; formerly under French law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel CONSTANTIN (since 3
July 2002)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note
- last election held 28 November 2002 when Pierre FROGIER was
reelected
head of government: President of the Government Pierre FROGIER
(since 5 April 2001)
cabinet: Consultative Committee

Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats;
members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees
Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie
3, LKS 1
note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections
last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007);
results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New
Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly;
elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held by June
2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
UMP 2

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce
Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Federation des
Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois
BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation
Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National
Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM);
Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie
POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independent) or
RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI
[Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE
has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA;
Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy New Caledonia

Economy - overview:
New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources.
Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and
food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel,
substantial financial support from France - equal to more than
one-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the
economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined
with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic
outlook for the next several years.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $14,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 30%
services: 65% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.6% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
79,395 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
19% (1996)

Budget:
revenues: $861.3 million
expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52
million (1996 est.)

Industries:
nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.6% (1996)

Electricity - production:
1.613 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 76.3% hydro: 23.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
1.5 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

Exports:
$400 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities:
ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners:
Japan 20.6%, France 20.4%, Taiwan 16.3%, South Africa 11.3%, Spain
7.7%, South Korea 5.4%, Australia 5.4%, Italy 5.3% (2002)

Imports:
$1 billion f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
France 52.8%, Australia 12.7%, Singapore 9.8% (2002)

Debt - external:
$79 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$880 million annual subsidy from France

Currency:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the
euro in 2003

Currency code:
XPF

Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04
(January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25
(1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications New Caledonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
47,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
13,040 (1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
52,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.nc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
24,000 (2001)

Transportation New Caledonia

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,825 km paved: 2,287 km unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Mueo, Noumea, Thio

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1
note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
convenience: Malaysia 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
30 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Heliports: 5 (2002)

Military New Caledonia

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces
(including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$192.3 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
5.3% (FY96)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues New Caledonia

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@New Zealand

Introduction New Zealand

Background:
The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In
1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the
Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen
Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the
British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of
land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native
peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent
dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.
New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances
lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to
address longstanding Maori grievances.

Geography New Zealand

Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 268,680 sq km
note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,
Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
water: NA sq km
land: NA sq km

Area - comparative:
about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
15,134 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain:
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold,
limestone

Land use: arable land: 5.8% permanent crops: 6.44% other: 87.76% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
2,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by
species introduced from outside

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the
southernmost national capital in the world

People New Zealand

Population:
3,951,307 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.9% (male 443,837; female 423,118)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,318,751; female 1,307,796)
65 years and over: 11.6% (male 199,722; female 258,083) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 33.1 years
male: 32.4 years
female: 33.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.09% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
14.14 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
4.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.32 years
male: 75.34 years
female: 81.44 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: New Zealander(s)
adjective: New Zealand

Ethnic groups:
New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%,
Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%

Religions:
Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%,
Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986)

Languages:
English (official), Maori (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government New Zealand

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: New Zealand
abbreviation: NZ

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Wellington

Administrative divisions:
16 regions; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawke's
Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki,
Tasman, Waikato, Manawatu-Wanganui, Wellington, West Coast

Dependent areas:
Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Independence:
26 September 1907 (from UK)

National holiday:
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty
over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:
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

Legal system:
based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts
for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4
April 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December
1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament
(120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member
constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional
seats chosen from party lists, all to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 27 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NZLP 52, NP 27, NZFP 13, ACT New Zealand 9, Green Party 9, UF 8,
other 2

Judicial branch:
High Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
ACT New Zealand [Richard PREBBLE]; Alliance (a coalition of the New
Labor Party, Democratic Party, New Zealand Liberal Party, and Mana
Motuhake) [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS
and Rod DONALD]; National Party or NP [Don BRASH]; New Zealand First
Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP
[Helen CLARK]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August
1986), APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
Australia Group, C, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD,
OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador L. John WOOD consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York FAX: (202) 667-5227 telephone: (202) 328-4800 chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS
embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP
96531-1034
telephone: (4) 462-6000
FAX: (4) 472-3478
consulate(s) general: Auckland

Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with
four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer
half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross
constellation

Economy New Zealand

Economy - overview:
Since 1984 the government has accomplished major economic
restructuring, transforming New Zealand from an agrarian economy
dependent on concessionary British market access to a more
industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This
dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (but left behind many at the
bottom of the ladder), broadened and deepened the technological
capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary
pressures. While per capita incomes have been rising, however, they
remain below the level of the four largest EU economies, and there
is some government concern that New Zealand is not closing the gap.
New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade - particularly in
agricultural products - to drive growth, and it has been affected by
the global economic slowdown and the slump in commodity prices. Thus
far the New Zealand economy has been relatively resilient, although
growth may slow to 2.5% in 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $78.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $20,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 23%
services: 69% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1991 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
1.92 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 65%, industry 25%, agriculture 10% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
5.3% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $29.2 billion
expenditures: $31.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2002)

Industries:
food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery,
transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
37.51 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 31.6% hydro: 57.8% other: 10.7% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
34.88 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
42,160 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
132,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
30,220 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
119,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
89.62 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
58.94 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef, dairy products; fish

Exports:
$15 billion (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery

Exports - partners:
Australia 20.3%, US 15.5%, Japan 11.5%, UK 4.8%, China 4.6%, South
Korea 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
$12.5 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum,
electronics, textiles, plastics

Imports - partners:
Australia 22.1%, US 13.6%, Japan 12%, China 8%, Germany 5.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
$33 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $99.7 million

Currency:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
NZD

Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.16 (2002), 2.38 (2001), 2.2
(2000), 1.89 (1999), 1.87 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications New Zealand

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.92 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.2 million (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems
domestic: NA
international: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
3.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
1.926 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.nz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
36 (2000)

Internet users:
2.06 million (2002)

Transportation New Zealand

Railways: total: 3,898 km narrow gauge: 3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
total: 92,053 km
paved: 57,809 km (including at least 190 km of expressways)
unpaved: 34,244 km (2000)

Waterways:
1,609 km
note: of little importance in satisfying total transportation
requirements

Pipelines:
gas 2,213 km; liquid petroleum gas 79 km; oil 160 km; refined
products 304 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington

Merchant marine:
total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 69,685 GRT/106,627 DWT
note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
convenience: Australia 1 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 2, container 1, petroleum tanker 2,
roll on/roll off 1

Airports:
113 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 5 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 67 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 39 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military New Zealand

Military branches:
New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air
Force

Military manpower - military age:
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,021,770 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 859,505 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 26,803 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$605.7 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues New Zealand

Disputes - international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Nicaragua

Introduction Nicaragua

Background:
The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from
Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was
declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in
1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the
19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in
subsequent decades. 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, 1996, and again in 2001
saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its
economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in
1998.

Geography Nicaragua

Location:
Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 129,494 sq km
water: 9,240 sq km
land: 120,254 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the state of New York

Land boundaries: total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Coastline: 910 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: natural prolongation territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate:
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain:
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior
mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources:
gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Land use: arable land: 20.24% permanent crops: 2.38% other: 77.38% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
880 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely
susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater
body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

People Nicaragua

Population:
5,128,517 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.7% (male 984,719; female 949,282)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 1,510,352; female 1,527,991)
65 years and over: 3% (male 68,332; female 87,841) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.4 years
male: 20 years
female: 20.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.03% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
26.29 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 31.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 27.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 35.08 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.68 years
male: 67.68 years
female: 71.79 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
400 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%,
Amerindian 5%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant

Languages:
Spanish (official)
note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.5%
male: 67.2%
female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Government Nicaragua

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua
local short form: Nicaragua
local long form: Republica de Nicaragua

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Managua

Administrative divisions:
15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2
autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region
autonomista); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo,
Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,
Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000

Legal system:
civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts

Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January
2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January
2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November
2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president -
56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PC)
1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93 seats;
members are elected by proportional representation to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance
(ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN
36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party - Liberal
Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PC 1,
PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year
terms by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Dr. Fernando AGUERO Rocha];
Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Virgilio GODOY]; Liberal Alliance
(ruling alliance including Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC, New
Liberal Party or PALI, Independent Liberal Party for National Unity
or PLIUN, and Central American Unionist Party or PUCA) [leader NA];
National Conservative Party or PC [Pedro SOLARZANO, Noel VIDAURRE];
National Project or PRONAL [Benjamin LANZAS]; Nicaraguan Party of
the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ];
Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista
National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra];
Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Sergio RAMIREZ]; Unity
Alliance or AU [Alejandro SERRANO]; Union Nacional Opositora 96 or
UNO-96 [Alfredo CESAR Aguirre]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of
eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or ATC,
Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs
Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National
Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of
Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG,
Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of
Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an
umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including -
Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of
Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor
or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan
Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior
Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of
business groups

International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5 December
2003)
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New
York
FAX: (202) 939-6542
telephone: (202) 939-6570
chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE embassy: Apartado Postal 327, Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: APO AA 34021 telephone: 266-6010, 266-2298, 266-6013 FAX: 266-9074

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE
NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to
the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by
the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in
the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five
blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Economy Nicaragua

Economy - overview:
Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per
capita income, flagging socio-economic indicators, and huge external
debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the
globe. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic
stability over the past few years, a banking crisis and scandal has
shaken the economy. Nicaragua will continue to be dependent on
international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) initiative. Donors have made aid conditional on the
openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and
human rights. Nicaragua met the conditions for additional debt
service relief in December 2000. Growth should move up moderately in
2003 because of increased private investment and exports.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $11.16 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 26% services: 44% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 48.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
60.3 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
1.7 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
24% plus considerable underemployment (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $726 million
expenditures: $908 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Industries:
food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles,
clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear,
wood

Industrial production growth rate:
4.4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
2.549 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.9% hydro: 7.7% other: 8.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
2.388 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
17 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
24,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products

Exports:
$637 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas, beef, sugar,
gold

Exports - partners:
US 59.4%, El Salvador 7.5%, Honduras 4.8% (2002)

Imports:
$1.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products,
consumer goods

Imports - partners:
US 23.7%, Costa Rica 10.3%, Venezuela 10.1%, Guatemala 7.8%, Mexico
6.7%, El Salvador 6%, South Korea 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
$5.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
Substantial foreign support

Currency:
gold cordoba (NIO)

Currency code:
NIO

Exchange rates:
gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.25 (2002), 13.37 (2001), 12.68
(2000), 11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Nicaragua

Telephones - main lines in use:
140,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,911 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign
investment
domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being
expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic
Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
320,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ni

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2000)

Transportation Nicaragua

Railways: total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)