Z (part 6)

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular
vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members;
members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later
than NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%;
seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats
or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP
[Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization;
Women's Association

International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau)

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

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

Flag description:
two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a
three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging
from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Economy Gibraltar

Economy - overview:
Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore
banking, and its position as an international conference center. The
British military presence has been sharply reduced and now
contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in
1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in
1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also
generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and
tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts
for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major
structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but
changes in government spending still have a major impact on the
level of employment.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 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):
1.5% (1998)

Labor force:
14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL%

Unemployment rate:
2% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $307 million
expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
100 million kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
93 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
42,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
none

Exports:
$81.1 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%,
other 8%

Exports - partners:
UK 27.7%, Switzerland 14.3%, Germany 12%, France 6.9%, Spain 6.1%,
Turkmenistan 5%, Ukraine 4.6% (2002)

Imports:
$492 million c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Germany 27.3%, Spain 21.8%, UK 12.1%, Italy 8% (2002)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA; note - if an agreement between Spain and the UK is reached,
could receive 50 million euros from the EU

Currency:
Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code:
GIP

Exchange rates:
Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),
0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Gibraltar
pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Gibraltar

Telephones - main lines in use:
19,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,620 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and
adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities
international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Radios:
37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Gibraltar

Highways: total: 29 km paved: 29 km unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Waterways:
none

Pipelines:
0 km

Ports and harbors:
Gibraltar

Merchant marine:
total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,008,140 GRT/1,435,595 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, France 2, Germany 55, Greece 6,
Ireland 1, Monaco 2, Norway 3, United Kingdom 13 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 58, chemical tanker 14, container 20,
multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker
13, roll on/roll off 2

Airports:
1 (2002)

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

Military Gibraltar

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; British Army, Royal Navy,
Royal Air Force

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Gibraltar

Disputes - international:
Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against
"total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and
UK to change 300-year rule over colony

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Glorioso Islands

Introduction Glorioso Islands

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

Geography Glorioso Islands

Location:
Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of
Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
11 30 S, 47 20 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 5 sq km
note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock,
and South Rock
water: 0 sq km
land: 5 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
35.2 km

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

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Natural resources: guano, coconuts

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system

People Glorioso Islands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few
meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2003 est.)

Government Glorioso Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Glorioso Islands
local short form: Iles Glorieuses
local long form: none

Dependency status:
possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
Republic, resident in Reunion

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (possession of France)

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Glorioso Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Glorioso Islands

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Glorioso Islands

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
1 (2002)

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

Military Glorioso Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Glorioso Islands

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Greece

Introduction Greece

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

Geography Greece

Location:
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 131,940 sq km
water: 1,140 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries:
total: 1,228 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 246 km

Coastline:
13,676 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 6 NM

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

Terrain:
mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas
or chains of islands

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 22.12% permanent crops: 8.47% other: 69.41% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
14,220 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, 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
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic
Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach
to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago
of about 2,000 islands

People Greece

Population:
10,665,989 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.7% (male 811,080; female 761,728)
15-64 years: 67% (male 3,578,320; female 3,557,800)
65 years and over: 18.3% (male 866,425; female 1,090,636) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.8 years
male: 38.6 years
female: 41 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.19% (2003 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.12 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 6.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.89 years
male: 76.32 years
female: 81.65 years (2003 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
8,800 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups:
Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in
Greece

Religions:
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages:
Greek 99% (official), English, French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.6%
female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Government Greece

Country name:
conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece
local short form: Ellas or Ellada
former: Kingdom of Greece
local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia

Government type:
parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December
1974

Capital:
Athens

Administrative divisions:
51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*;
Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis,
Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos,
Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis,
Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria,
Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades,
Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella,
Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia,
Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Independence:
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Constitution:
11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Legal system:
based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
criminal, and administrative courts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS
(since 10 March 1995)
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA February
2005); prime minister appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19
January 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president;
percent of Parliament vote - 90%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are
elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held by NA
May 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%,
KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party -
PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6;
note - seats by party as of January 2002 - PASOK 156, ND 122, KKE
11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6, independents 5

Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges
appointed for life by the president after consultation with a
judicial council

Political parties and leaders:
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos
KONSTANTOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA];
New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS];
Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU,
EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryious SAVVAIDES
consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
FAX: (202) 939-1324
telephone: (202) 939-1300
chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. MILLER embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 101 60 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: (210) 721-2951 FAX: (210) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description:
nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there
is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white
cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established
religion of the country

Economy Greece

Economy - overview:
Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector
accounting for half of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the
leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants
make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs.
Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of GDP.
The economy has improved steadily with economic growth averaging 4%
since 1997, exceeding EU growth by more than 1 percentage point.
Remaining challenges include the reduction of the public debt,
inflation, and unemployment; and further restructuring of the
economy, including privatizing several state enterprises,
undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing bureaucratic
inefficiencies. The Olympic Games will be held in Athens in mid-2004.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $203.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $19,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.1%
industry: 22.3%
services: 69.3% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.7 (1993)

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

Labor force:
4.37 million (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
industry 20%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10.3% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $45 billion
expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Industries:
tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal
products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:
7% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
49.79 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.5% hydro: 3.8% other: 1.7% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
48.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.062 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
3.562 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
5,992 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
405,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
468,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
4.5 million bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Exports: $12.6 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products,
chemicals, textiles

Exports - partners:
Germany 10.4%, Italy 8.5%, UK 6.3%, Bulgaria 5.4%, US 5.3%, Cyprus
4.7% (2002)

Imports:
$31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Germany 12.2%, Italy 11.5%, Russia 7.4%, South Korea 6%, France
5.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, US 4.7%, Belgium 4.3%, UK 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
$63.4 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$5.4 billion from EU

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), 365.4 (2000),
305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998)
note: in January 2001, the drachma became a participating currency
within the Eurosystem, and the euro market rate became applicable to
all transactions

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Greece

Telephones - main lines in use:
5.431 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
937,700 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good
mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1
Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
5.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US
Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Televisions:
2.54 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.gr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
27 (2000)

Internet users:
1.4 million (2002)

Transportation Greece

Railways:
total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified)
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail
system) (2002)

Highways:
total: 117,000 km
paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,594 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
80 km
note: system consists of three coastal canals including the Corinth
Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the
Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage
from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also
three unconnected rivers

Pipelines:
gas 1,531 km; oil 108 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra,
Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus),
Thessaloniki, Volos

Merchant marine:
total: 813 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,173,608 GRT/51,184,723 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Ireland 1, Japan 1, Liberia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2,
Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 289, cargo 59, chemical tanker 32, combination
bulk 6, combination ore/oil 4, container 47, liquefied gas 7,
passenger 14, petroleum tanker 281, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
on/roll off 18, short-sea passenger 49, specialized tanker 4,
vehicle carrier 2

Airports:
79 (note - new Athens airport at Spata opened in March 2001) (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 9 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Heliports: 7 (2002)

Military Greece

Military branches:
Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, Police, National
Guard

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,662,208 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,026,409 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 74,650 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$6.12 billion (FY99/00 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.91% (FY99/00 est.)

Transnational Issues Greece

Disputes - international:
Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their complex
maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea;
Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia over its name

Illicit drugs:
a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin
from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor
chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is
consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and
organized crime

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Greenland

Introduction Greenland

Background:
The world's largest non-continental island, about 81% ice-capped,
Greenland was granted self-government in 1978 by the Danish
parliament. The law went into effect the following year. Denmark
continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs.

Geography Greenland

Location:
Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates:
72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 2,166,086 sq km
land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km
ice-covered) (2000 est.)

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
44,087 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain:
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources:
zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium,
fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

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

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues:
protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit
traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note:
dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe;
sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but
close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk;
world's second largest ice cap

People Greenland

Population:
56,385 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 7,463; female 7,161)
15-64 years: 68.3% (male 20,885; female 17,605)
65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,508; female 1,763) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 33.1 years
male: 34.3 years
female: 31.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.01% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69 years
male: 65.44 years
female: 72.65 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100 (1999)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups:
Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and
others 12% (January 2000)

Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:
Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper

Government Greenland

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
local long form: none

Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Government type:
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative divisions:
3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu
(Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
note: foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but
Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating
to Greenland

National holiday:
June 21 (longest day)

Constitution:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:
Danish

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
1972), represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS (since NA
1995)
note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit
election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December
2002)
cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament
(Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed
by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the
leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002
(next to be held NA December 2006)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected
by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than
November 2005); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit
Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%,
Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit
8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1
elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA
December 2006)

Judicial branch:
High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret
or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)

Political parties and leaders:
Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a
conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark)
[Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit
or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete
independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT];
Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit
(Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with no
official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social
democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and
greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
NC, NIB

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk
slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is
red, the bottom half is white

Economy Greenland

Economy - overview:
The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and
substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about
half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly
owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in
the economy. Despite several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals
exploration activities, it will take several years before production
can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term
potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high
costs.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $20,000 (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):
1.6% (1999 est.)

Labor force:
24,500 (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $646 million
expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85
million (1999)

Industries:
fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts,
hides and skins, small shipyards, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
245 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil
fuel to hydropower production (2001)
hydro: 0%
other: 0%
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
227.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
3,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish

Exports:
$364 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Exports - partners:
Denmark 60.3%, Japan 15.5%, US 6%, Thailand 5%, Germany 4% (2002)

Imports:
$403 million c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
petroleum products

Imports - partners:
Denmark 74.6%, Norway 14.2%, Russia 2.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
$25 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
$380 million subsidy from Denmark

Currency:
Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:
DKK

Exchange rates:
Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.8947 (2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083
(2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Greenland

Telephones - main lines in use:
25,617 (yearend 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
12,676 (yearend 1999)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate domestic and international service
provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally
digitalized in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
international: satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2
Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
30,000 (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations:
1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three
AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Televisions:
30,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:
.gl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2002)

Transportation Greenland

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq,
Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab),
Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq (March 2001)

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, passenger 1
note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
convenience: Denmark 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
14 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Greenland

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Greenland

Disputes - international: uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Grenada

Introduction Grenada

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

Geography Grenada

Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean,
north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 344 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 344 sq km

Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
121 km

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

Climate:
tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Land use: arable land: 5.88% permanent crops: 26.47% other: 67.65% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to
November

Environment - current issues:
NA

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

Geography - note:
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

People Grenada

Population:
89,258 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.1% (male 15,840; female 15,492)
15-64 years: 61.3% (male 28,941; female 25,735)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 1,502; female 1,748) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.5 years
male: 21 years
female: 20 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.08% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-14.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.52 years
male: 62.74 years
female: 66.31 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.45 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: Grenadian(s)
adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups:
black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian
5% , and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Religions:
Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Languages:
English (official), French patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government Grenada

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

Government type:
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Capital:
Saint George's

Administrative divisions:
6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*,
Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark,
Saint Patrick

Independence:
7 February 1974 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution:
19 December 1973

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June
1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice 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 the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10
appointed by the government and three by the leader of the
opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by NA
November 2008)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

Judicial branch:
West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge
resides in Grenada)

Political parties and leaders:
Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Herbert PREUDHOMME]; National
Democratic Congress or NDC [leader vacant]; New National Party or
NNP [George McGUIRE]; People Labor Movement or PLM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE consulate(s) general: New York FAX: (202) 265-2468 telephone: (202) 265-2561 chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: the ambassador to Barbados is accredited to
Grenada
embassy: Point Salines, Saint George's
mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies
telephone: (473) 444-1173 through 1176
FAX: (473) 444-4820

Flag description:
a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and
bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red
border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars
with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the
bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center
of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side
triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg,
after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative
divisions

Economy Grenada

Economy - overview:
Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange,
especially since the construction of an international airport in
1985. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing,
together with the development of an offshore financial industry,
have also contributed to growth in national output.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $440 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.7% industry: 23.9% services: 68.4% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
32% (2000)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
42,300 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 62%, agriculture 24%, industry 14% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
12.5% (2000)

Budget:
revenues: $85.8 million
expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28
million (1997)

Industries:
food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism,
construction

Industrial production growth rate:
0.7% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
138 million kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
128.3 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: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Exports:
$78 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports - partners:
Germany 14%, US 13.6%, Bangladesh 9.7%, Netherlands 8.6%, Saint
Lucia 6.4%, Antigua and Barbuda 4.3%, France 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
$270 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports - partners:
US 30.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 27.3%, UK 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
$196 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$8.3 million (1995)

Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7
(2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Grenada

Telephones - main lines in use:
27,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
976 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
international: new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago
and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
33,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gd

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
14 (2000)

Internet users:
5,200 (2002)

Transportation Grenada

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 638 km unpaved: 402 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Grenville, Saint George's

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
3 (2002)

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

Military Grenada

Military branches:
Royal Grenada Police Force, Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA%

Transnational Issues Grenada

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for
marijuana and cocaine to US

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Guadeloupe

Introduction Guadeloupe

Background:
Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of
Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is
named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its
northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe

Geography Guadeloupe

Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 1,780 sq km
note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands,
including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade,
Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and
Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin)
water: 74 sq km
land: 1,706 sq km

Area - comparative:
10 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Coastline: 306 km

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

Climate:
subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Terrain:
Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains;
Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other
islands are volcanic in origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m

Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 10.65% permanent crops: 4.14% other: 85.21% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active
volcano

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into
two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller,
eastern Grande-Terre

People Guadeloupe

Population:
440,189 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.7% (male 55,521; female 53,137)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 144,764; female 147,449)
65 years and over: 8.9% (male 16,443; female 22,875) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 31 years
male: 30.2 years
female: 31.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.15 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: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.53 years
male: 74.37 years
female: 80.84 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.92 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: Guadeloupian(s)
adjective: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups:
black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less
than 5%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%

Languages:
French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90%
male: 90%
female: 90% (1982 est.)

Government Guadeloupe

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
conventional short form: Guadeloupe
local short form: Guadeloupe
local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe

Dependency status:
overseas department of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Basse-Terre

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French legal system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since 6 August 2002)
election results: NA
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 Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT
(since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Lucette
MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the
unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 22 March 1998 (next to be
held by NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next
to be held NA 2004)
note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
2004); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS
1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National
Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held
NA 2007); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 2, PS
1, different right parties 1
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6,
right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council - percent of
vote by party - RPR 48.03%, PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 24.49%, PCG
5.29%, diverse right parties 5.73%; seats by party - RPR 25,
PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 12, PCG 2, diverse right parties 2

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe,
French Guiana, and Martinique

Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS [Dominique
LARIFLA]; Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Rally
for the Republic or RPR (may have become UMP) [Lucette
MICHAUX-CHEVRY]; Socialist Party or PS [Georges LOUISOR]; Union for
French Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG;
General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of
Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or
MPGI

International organization participation:
FZ, WCL, WFTU

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Guadeloupe

Economy - overview:
The Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light
industry, and services. It also depends on France for large
subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists
from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the
islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by
other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export
earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops
are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still
dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry
features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel
are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.
Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 17%
services: 68% (1997 est.)

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:
125,900 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
27.8% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1996)

Industries:
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
1.155 billion kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
1.074 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats

Exports:
$140 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
bananas, sugar, rum

Exports - partners:
France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1999)

Imports:
$1.7 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods,
construction materials

Imports - partners:
France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2%
(1999)

Debt - external:
$NA

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

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

Currency code:
EUR; FRF

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 Guadeloupe

Telephones - main lines in use:
171,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and
Martinique

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
113,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
118,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
4,000 (2000)

Transportation Guadeloupe

Railways:
NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines

Highways: total: 2,467 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1998)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT
ships by type: passenger 1
note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
convenience: France 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
9 (2002)

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

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

Military Guadeloupe

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces, Gendarmerie

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Guadeloupe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Guam

Introduction Guam

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

Geography Guam

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

Geographic coordinates:
13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 549 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 549 sq km

Area - comparative:
three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
125.5 km

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

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

Terrain:
volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in
center, mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources:
fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Land use:
arable land: 10.91%
permanent crops: 10.91%
other: 78.18% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but
potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Environment - current issues:
extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of
the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Geography - note:
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago;
strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

People Guam

Population:
163,941 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.1% (male 30,334; female 27,264)
15-64 years: 58.4% (male 50,258; female 45,538)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,269; female 5,278) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.2 years
male: 25.6 years
female: 24.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.89% (2003 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 6.62 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.27 years
male: 75.96 years
female: 80.9 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.62 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: Guamanian(s)
adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups:
Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean,
and other 27%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Languages:
English, Chamorro, Japanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)

Government Guam

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam
local long form: Guahan

Dependency status:
organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations
between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of
Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Hagatna (Agana)

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US)

Independence:
none (territory of the US)

National holiday:
Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution:
Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system:
modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US
presidential elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of
vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A.
UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor
elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term;
election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)
head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January
2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with
the consent of the Guam legislature

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
2004)
note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of
Representatives; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held
NA November 2004); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party)
was elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party
64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6

Judicial branch:
Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);
Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by
the governor)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party (controls the legislature) [speaker, Vicente (Ben)
PANGELINAN]; Republican Party (party of Governor CAMACHO) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

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

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

Flag description:
territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four
sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse
containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree
with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the
national flag

Economy Guam

Economy - overview:
The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the
export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and
procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20
years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a
construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones.
More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry has
recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese
slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists.
Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem
of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of
military downsizing.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 15% services: 78% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
23% (2001 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0% (1999 est.)

Labor force:
60,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: federal and territorial government 26%, private 74% (trade 24%, other services 40%, industry 10%) (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
15% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $340 million
expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Industries:
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,
concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
830 million kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
771.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Exports:
$75.7 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)

Exports - commodities:
mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction
materials, fish, food and beverage products

Exports - partners:
Japan 81.7%, South Korea 6.1%, Canada 2.4% (2002)

Imports:
$203 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
Singapore 40.5%, South Korea 21.7%, Japan 21.6%, Hong Kong 4.9%
(2002)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury
($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise
taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam
Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes
paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Guam

Telephones - main lines in use:
84,134 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
55,000 (1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities
for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
and local access to the Internet
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific
Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific
communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the
US and Asia)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios:
221,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (1997)

Televisions:
106,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
20 (2000)

Internet users:
5,000 (2000)

Transportation Guam

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 885 km
paved: 675 km
unpaved: 210 km
note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public,
including roads located on federal government installations

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Apra Harbor

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
5 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

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

Military Guam

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Guam

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Guatemala

Introduction Guatemala

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

Geography Guatemala

Location:
Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El
Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean
Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Geographic coordinates:
15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 108,890 sq km
water: 460 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline:
400 km

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

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

Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone
plateau (Peten)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 12.54% permanent crops: 5.03% other: 82.43% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
1,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent
earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and
other tropical storms

Environment - current issues:
deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

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

Geography - note:
no natural harbors on west coast

People Guatemala

Population:
13,909,384 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.9% (male 3,052,658; female 2,908,428)
15-64 years: 53.8% (male 3,779,688; female 3,706,315)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 215,653; female 246,642) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.3 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 18.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.66% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-1.71 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 37.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 37.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 38.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.23 years
male: 64.31 years
female: 66.21 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
67,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,200 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups:
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated Amerindian - in
local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%, Amerindian or
predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and others 2%

Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Languages:
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized
Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,
Garifuna, and Xinca)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.6%
male: 78%
female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Government Guatemala

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form: Guatemala
local short form: Guatemala
local long form: Republica de Guatemala

Government type:
constitutional democratic republic

Capital:
Guatemala

Administrative divisions:
22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta
Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,
Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa
Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May
1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following
ouster of president; amended November 1993

Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces
may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (since
14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez (since
14 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera
(since 14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez
(since 14 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 7 November 1999; runoff held 26 December 1999
(next to be held NA November 2003)
election results: Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera elected
president; percent of vote - Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG)
68%, Oscar BERGER Perdomo (PAN) 32%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica
(140 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held NA November
2007)
note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional
seats increased to 140 from 113
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
GANA 49, FRG 42, UNE 33, PAN 16

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (thirteen
members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of
the Court each year from among their number; the president of the
Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the
country, who are named to five-year terms); Constitutional Court or
Corte de Constitutcionalidad (five judges are elected for concurrent
five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of
the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by
the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one
elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala,
and one by Colegio de Abogados)

Political parties and leaders:
Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democratic
Union or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National Alliance or GANA
[leader NA]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES Garcis-Salaz];
Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo];
Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Secretary General
Alba ESTELA Maldonado]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain
RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU [Jacobo ARBENZ
Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values or MPV [Francisco
BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Secretary General
Leonel LOPEZ Rodas]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvarado COLOM
Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN, formed by an alliance of
DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom subsequently
defected [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth Varenca MONTENEGRO
Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot
Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZ Molina]; Progressive
Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES Molina]; Reform Movement
or MR [Secretary General Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE]; Unionista Party
[leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI;
Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of
Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or
CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio Fernando ARENALES Forno chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco FAX: (202) 745-1908 telephone: (202) 745-4952

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John Randle HAMILTON embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: 331-1541/55 FAX: 334-8477

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and
light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the
coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird)
and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE
1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed
on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed
by a wreath

Economy Guatemala

Economy - overview:
The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP,
two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar,
and bananas are the main products. Former President ARZU (1996-2000)
worked to implement a program of economic liberalization and
political modernization. President PORTILLO has continued the
liberalization program but with more sporadic results. The 1996
signing of the peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war,
removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but numerous
corruption scandals associated with the PORTILLO administration have
dampened investor confidence. The distribution of income remains
highly unequal, with perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty
line. Ongoing challenges include increasing the government revenues,
negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading
both government and private financial operations, and narrowing the
trade deficit. A free trade agreement between the US and Central
American countries promises greater access to US and neighboring
markets.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $53.2 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2002 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 20% services: 57% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 75% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
55.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
4.2 million (1999 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
7.5% (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.3 billion
expenditures: $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $750
million (2002 est.)

Industries:
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum,
metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
4.1% (1999)

Electricity - production:
6.237 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.9% hydro: 35.2% other: 12.9% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
5.559 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
336 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
95 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
21,080 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
61,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
263 million bbl (37257)

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

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens

Exports: $2.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity

Exports - partners:
US 58.7%, El Salvador 9.3%, Nicaragua 3.1% (2002)

Imports:
$5.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
grain, fertilizers, electricity

Imports - partners:
US 33.2%, Mexico 9.9%, South Korea 8.2%, El Salvador 5.7%, China 4%
(2002)

Debt - external:
$4.9 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$250 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Currency code:
GTQ; USD

Exchange rates:
quetzales per US dollar - 7.82 (2002), 7.86 (2001), 7.76 (2000),
7.39 (1999), 6.39 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guatemala

Telephones - main lines in use:
665,061 (June 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
663,296 (September 2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of
Guatemala
domestic: NA
international: connected to Central American Microwave System;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Radios:
835,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
1.323 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.gt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)

Internet users:
200,000 (2002)

Transportation Guatemala

Railways: total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
total: 14,118 km
paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,247 km (1999)

Waterways:
990 km
note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable
during highwater season

Pipelines:
oil 480 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas
de Castilla

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
466 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 455
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 115
under 914 m: 330 (2002)

Military Guatemala

Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,320,077 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,167,270 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 151,294 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$120 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Guatemala

Disputes - international:
Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in Belize border region;
OAS brokered Differendum in 2002 creating small adjustment to land
boundary, large Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, joint
ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and substantial US-UK
financial package, but agreement was not brought to popular
referendum leaving Guatemalan claim to southern half of Belize intact

Illicit drugs:
major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer of
illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic consumption;
proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs
(cocaine and heroin shipments); money laundering is a serious
problem; corruption is a major problem

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Guernsey

Introduction Guernsey

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

Geography Guernsey

Location:
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:
49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 78 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
smaller islands
water: 0 sq km
land: 78 sq km

Area - comparative:
about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
50 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM

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

Terrain:
mostly level with low hills in southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Natural resources: cropland

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People Guernsey

Population:
64,818 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.8% (male 5,216; female 5,061)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 21,433; female 21,835)
65 years and over: 17.4% (male 4,705; female 6,568) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.2 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 41.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.34% (2003 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.04 years
male: 77.04 years
female: 83.14 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.37 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: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:
UK and Norman-French descent

Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational,
Methodist

Languages:
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

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

Government Guernsey

Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey

Dependency status:
British crown dependency

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Saint Peter Port

Administrative divisions:
none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale,
Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, Saint
Martin, Saint Andrew

Independence:
none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:
English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal
Court

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor
appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch
head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt.
Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff de Vic Graham CAREY
(since NA 1999)
cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of
the States

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the States; consists of the bailiff, 10
Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 people's deputies
elected by popular vote, 2 representatives from Alderney, Her
Majesty's Procureur (Attorney General), Her Majesty's Comptroller
(Solicitor General) and Her Majesty's Greffier (Court Recorder and
Registrar General); note - Alderney and Sark have their own
parliaments
elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:
Royal Court

Political parties and leaders:
none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:
white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England)
extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of
William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Economy Guernsey

Economy - overview:
Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. -
account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island
economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes
and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties
make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration
of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game under which
Guernsey operates.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.7% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10%
services: 87% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.99% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
31,322 (2000)

Unemployment rate:
0.5% (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $381.3 million
expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Industries:
tourism, banking

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

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Agriculture - products:
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit;
Guernsey cattle

Exports:
$NA

Exports - commodities:
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other
vegetables

Exports - partners:
UK (regarded as internal trade)

Imports:
$NA

Imports - commodities:
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:
UK (regarded as internal trade)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency:
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Currency code:
GBP

Exchange rates:
Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),
0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Guernsey
pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guernsey

Telephones - main lines in use:
44,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
12,000 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine cable

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

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.gg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Guernsey

Railways: 5 km

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

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
2 (2002)

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

Military Guernsey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Guernsey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Guinea

Introduction Guinea

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

Geography Guinea

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 245,857 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 245,857 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

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

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

Terrain:
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish

Land use: arable land: 3.6% permanent crops: 2.44% other: 93.96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
950 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
season

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;
desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,
overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to
environmental damage

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

Geography - note:
the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources
in the Guinean highlands

People Guinea

Population:
9,030,220 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,027,970; female 1,986,300)
15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,358,566; female 2,372,384)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 124,382; female 160,618) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.7 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.37% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is
host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees
(2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 87.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 98.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.54 years
male: 48.28 years
female: 50.83 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.54% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
55,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:
Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Religions:
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Languages:
French (official), each ethnic group has its own language

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35.9%
male: 49.9%
female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Government Guinea

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
conventional short form: Guinea
local short form: Guinee
former: French Guinea
local long form: Republique de Guinee

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Conakry

Administrative divisions:
33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa,
Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah,
Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia,
Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,
Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele,
Tougue, Yomou

Independence:
2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Constitution:
23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system:
based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal
codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military
government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Lamine SIDIME (since 8 March 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected
president; election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA
December 2003); the prime minister is appointed by the president
election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote
- Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56.1%, Mamadou Boye BA (UPR) 24.6%, Alpha
CONDE (RPG) 16.6%,

Legislative branch:
unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,
other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El
Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress or
UNP [Paul Louis FABER]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana
CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea or PPG
[Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE];
Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for
Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general];
Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY FAX: (202) 478-3010 telephone: (202) 986-4300 chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: 41 15 22

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea

Economy - overview:
Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural
resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country
possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the
second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for
about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government
fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if
the country is to move out of poverty. The government made
encouraging progress in budget management in 1997-99, and reform
progress was praised in the World Bank/IMF October 2000 assessment.
However, fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders has
caused major economic disruptions. In addition to direct defense
costs, the violence has led to a sharp decline in investor
confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff,
while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local
markets. Multilateral aid - including Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) debt relief - and single digit inflation permitted
moderate 3.7% growth in 2002. Growth should strengthen in 2003
because of a slowly improving security situation and increased
investor confidence.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $18.69 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 37% services: 38% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (1994 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.3 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Budget:
revenues: $395.7 million
expenditures: $472.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
million (2000 est.)

Industries:
bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and
agricultural processing industries

Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (1994)

Electricity - production:
790.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 45.5% hydro: 54.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
735.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
8,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Exports: $835 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural
products

Exports - partners:
South Korea 17.8%, Spain 10.1%, Cameroon 9.7%, Belgium 9.6%, US
9.2%, Ireland 8.6%, France 7.1%, Russia 6.8%, Germany 5% (2002)

Imports:
$670 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,
textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
France 18.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, Italy 8.9%, US 8.2%, Belgium 7.6%,
China 5.6%, UK 5.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
$3.4 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$359.2 million (1998)

Currency:
Guinean franc (GNF)

Currency code:
GNF

Exchange rates:
Guinean francs per US dollar - NA (2002), 1,950.56 (2001), 1,746.87
(2000), 1,387.4 (1999), 1,236.83 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:
37,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
21,567 (1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small
radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay
system
domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave
3 (2001)

Radios:
357,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
6 low-power stations (2001)

Televisions:
85,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2001)

Internet users:
15,000 (2002)

Transportation Guinea

Railways:
total: 1,115 km
standard gauge: 311 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 804 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
total: 30,500 km
paved: 5,033 km
unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft)

Ports and harbors:
Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
15 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Guinea

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard,
paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete
National)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,056,520 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,038,428 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$154 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.3% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Guinea

Disputes - international:
domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups in Guinea, Liberia,
and Sierra Leone have created skirmishes, deaths, and refugees in
border areas

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Guinea-Bissau

Introduction Guinea-Bissau

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

Geography Guinea-Bissau

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

Geographic coordinates:
12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 36,120 sq km
water: 8,120 sq km
land: 28,000 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Coastline: 350 km

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

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

Terrain:
mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the
country 300 m

Natural resources:
fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Land use: arable land: 10.67% permanent crops: 1.78% other: 87.55% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
170 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
season; brush fires

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

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

Geography - note:
this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying
further inland

People Guinea-Bissau

Population:
1,360,827 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.9% (male 284,150; female 285,370)
15-64 years: 55.2% (male 358,891; female 392,703)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,285; female 22,428) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.8 years
male: 18.2 years
female: 19.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.02% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-1.6 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: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 110.29 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 99.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 120.99 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.97 years
male: 45.09 years
female: 48.91 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
17,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,200 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:
African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%,
Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Languages:
Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.4%
male: 58.1%
female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Government Guinea-Bissau

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
local short form: Guine-Bissau
local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
former: Portuguese Guinea

Government type:
republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Capital:
Bissau

Administrative divisions:
9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau,
Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have
been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Independence:
24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10
September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Constitution:
16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993,
9 June 1993, and 1996

Legal system:
NA

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim; since 28
September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrough the
elected government of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA
served as interim president from 14 to 28 September 2003
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be
held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president after
consultation with party leaders in the legislature
note: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the elected
government of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General Verissimo
Correia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003
until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment of
a caretaker government
election results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote,
second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%
cabinet: NA
head of government: Prime Minister Artur SANHA (since 28 September
2003)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional
Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a
maximum of four years); note - President YALA dissolved the National
People's Assembly in November 2002, elections for a new legislature
were scheduled to fall in February 2003 but were then postponed to
April, then July, and were last scheduled to occur in September 2003
elections: last held 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA September
2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PRS 37, RGB 27, PAIGC 25, 11 remaining seats went to 5 of the
remaining 10 parties that fielded candidates

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine
justices who are appointed by the president and serve at his
pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases);
Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals
for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases
valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not
necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and
misdemeanor criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders:
African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde
or PAIGC [Francisco BENANTE]; Front for the Liberation and
Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY]; Guinea-Bissau
Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz LOPES]; Guinean
Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; International League for
Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president];
National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE,
secretary general]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor
MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Union for
Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary
general]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Victor Sau'de
MARIA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique
Adriano DA SILVA
chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005
FAX: (202) 347-3954
telephone: (202) 347-3950

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of
violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and
military-led junta; for the time being, US embassy Dakar is
responsible for covering Guinea-Bissau: telephone - 823-4296;
FAX - 822-5903

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a
vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed
star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors
of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea-Bissau

Economy - overview:
One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends
mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased
remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in
cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with
small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the
major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between
Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed
much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to
the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that
year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade
reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the
country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The
tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private
sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high
costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral
resources is not a near-term prospect. However, unexploited offshore
oil reserves could provide much-needed revenue in the long run. The
inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the
world. The government and international donors continue to work out
plans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base.
Government drift and indecision, however, have resulted in low
growth in 2002 and dim prospects for 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $901.4 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-4.3% (2002 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 62%
industry: 12%
services: 26% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
480,000

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 82% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries:
agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate:
2.6% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
55 million kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
51.15 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
2,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Exports:
$71 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Exports - partners:
India 51.5%, Uruguay 19.5%, Thailand 19.4% (2002)

Imports:
$59 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
Senegal 19.6%, Portugal 19.1%, India 15.3%, Taiwan 5.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
$941.5 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$115.4 million (1995)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States; previously
the Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used

Currency code:
XOF; GWP

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99
(2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)
note: as of 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted the XOF franc as the
national currency; since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged to
the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guinea-Bissau

Telephones - main lines in use:
10,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: small system
domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,
radiotelephone, and cellular communications
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
49,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.gw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2002)

Internet users:
4,000 (2002)

Transportation Guinea-Bissau

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
several rivers are accessible to coastal shipping

Ports and harbors:
Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
28 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Military Guinea-Bissau

Military branches:
People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and
Air Force), paramilitary force

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 318,711 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 181,318 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$5.6 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Guinea-Bissau

Disputes - international:
separatist war in Senegal's Casamance region results in refugees
and cross-border raids, arms smuggling and other illegal activities,
and political instability in Guinea-Bissau

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Guyana

Introduction Guyana

Background:
Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had
become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black
settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants
from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide
has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved
independence from the UK in 1966, but until the early 1990s it was
ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi
JAGAN was elected president, in what is considered the country's
first free and fair election since independence. Upon his death five
years later, he was succeeded by his wife Janet, who resigned in
1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was
reelected in 2001.

Geography Guyana

Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Suriname and Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:
5 00 N, 59 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 214,970 sq km
water: 18,120 sq km
land: 196,850 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline:
459 km

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

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

Terrain:
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use: arable land: 2.44% permanent crops: 0.08% other: 97.48% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
1,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and
Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories
are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

People Guyana

Population:
702,100
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: 27% (male 96,775; female 93,077)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 240,305; female 236,378)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 15,755; female 19,810) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.7 years
male: 25.2 years
female: 26.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.44% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-4.16 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 37.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 33.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 41.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.09 years
male: 60.51 years
female: 65.79 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
18,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,300 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups:
East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and
mixed 7%

Religions:
Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Languages:
English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Government Guyana

Country name:
conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
conventional short form: Guyana
former: British Guiana

Government type:
republic within the Commonwealth

Capital:
Georgetown

Administrative divisions:
10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East
Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice,
Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper
Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Independence:
26 May 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution:
6 October 1980

Legal system:
based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch
law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999);
note - assumed presidency after resignation of President JAGAN
head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December
1997)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,
responsible to the legislature
elections: president elected by the majority party in the National
Assembly following legislative elections, which must be held at
least every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next to
be held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of
legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular vote,
1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting members
appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or GLP and
Working People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]; Guyana
Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP [leader
NA]; People's National Congress or PNC/R [Robert Herman Orlando
CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO];
Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United Force or
TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert
ROOPNARAINE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of Indian
Organizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUC
note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not well
organized

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL,
OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL
chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: (202) 232-1297
telephone: (202) 265-6900

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald D. GODARD
embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
telephone: 225-4900 through 4909
FAX: 225-8497

Flag description:
green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)
superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black
border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border
between the yellow and the green

Economy Guyana

Economy - overview:
The Guyanese economy has exhibited moderate economic growth in
2001-02, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors,
a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more
realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued
support of international organizations. Chronic problems include a
shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The
government is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent
need for expanded public investment. The bauxite mining sector
should benefit in the near term by restructuring and partial
privatization.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.628 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 35%
industry: 21%
services: 44% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
418,000 (2001 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
9.1% (understated) (2000)

Budget:
revenues: $227 million
expenditures: $235.2 million, including capital expenditures of
$93.4 million (2000)

Industries:
bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
7.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
852 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
792.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish (shrimp)

Exports:
$500 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber

Exports - partners:
Canada 21.1%, US 17.9%, Netherlands Antilles 12.9%, UK 10.4%,
Jamaica 5.3%, Portugal 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
$575 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports - partners:
US 23.7%, Netherlands Antilles 20.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 15.2%,
Italy 6.3%, UK 5.1%, Cuba 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC)
$253 million (1997)

Currency:
Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Currency code:
GYD

Exchange rates:
Guyanese dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), 187.32 (2001), 182.43
(2000), 178 (1999), 150.52 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guyana

Telephones - main lines in use:
70,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6,100 (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system for long-distance calling
domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
international: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)

Televisions:
46,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
95,000 (2002)

Transportation Guyana

Railways:
total: 187 km
standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge
note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)

Highways:
total: 7,970 km
paved: 590 km
unpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
5,900 km (total length of navigable waterways)
note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by
oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively

Ports and harbors:
Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,929 GRT/4,507 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
51 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Military Guyana

Military branches:
Guyana Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air
Corps), Guyana Police Force, Guyana People's Militia, Guyana
National Service

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 207,890 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 156,174 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA%

Transnational Issues Guyana

Disputes - international:
all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) claimed by Venezuela;
Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and
Courantyne/Kutari [Koetari] rivers (all headwaters of the
Courantyne); territorial sea boundary with Suriname is in dispute

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily
Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Haiti

Introduction Haiti

Background:
The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island of
Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were
virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the
early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,
and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the
island - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and
sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the
Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves
and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th
century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint
L'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first black
republic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plagued
by political violence for most of its history since then, and it is
now one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Over
three decades of dictatorship followed by military rule ended in
1990 when Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of his
term was usurped by a military takeover, but he was able to return
to office in 1994 and oversee the installation of a close associate
to the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE won a second term as president
in 2000, and took office early in 2001. However, a political crisis
stemming from fraudulent legislative elections in 2000 has not yet
been resolved.

Geography Haiti

Location:
Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between
the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the
Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:
19 00 N, 72 25 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 27,750 sq km
land: 27,560 sq km
water: 190 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Coastline: 1,771 km

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

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

Terrain:
mostly rough and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Natural resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 20.32% permanent crops: 12.7% other: 66.98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is
being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;
inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western
one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

People Haiti

Population:
7,527,817
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: 42.7% (male 1,637,853; female 1,575,893)
15-64 years: 53.6% (male 1,962,975; female 2,073,353)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 131,784; female 145,959) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.9 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 18.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.67% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-4.03 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: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 76.01 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 70.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 81.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.61 years
male: 50.36 years
female: 52.92 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
250,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
30,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian

Ethnic groups:
black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%,
Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
note: roughly half of the population also practices Voodoo

Languages:
French (official), Creole (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 52.9%
male: 54.8%
female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Government Haiti

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
conventional short form: Haiti
local short form: Haiti
local long form: Republique d'Haiti

Government type:
elected government

Capital:
Port-au-Prince

Administrative divisions:
9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite,
Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Independence:
1 January 1804 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Constitution:
approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articles
reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be
observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October
1994

Legal system:
based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February
2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Yvon NEPTUNE (since 4 March
2002); note - former Prime Minister CHERESTAL resigned in January
2002
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National
Assembly
election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent
of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the
Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year
terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of
Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000,
with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seats
still disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November
2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21
May 2000, with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; one
vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1,
vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH
[Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or
RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convergence (opposition coalition composed of
ESPACE, OPL, and MOCHRENA) [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES, Evans PAUL, Luc
MESADIEU, Victor BENOIT]; Democratic Consultation Group coalition or
ESPACE [Evans PAUL, Victor BENOIT] composed of the following
parties: National Congress of Democratic Movements or KONAKOM,
National Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA, Generation 2004,
and Haiti Can; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH
[Marie-France CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEM [Clark
PARENT]; Lavalas Family or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]; Mobilization
for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for
National Reconstruction or MRN [Rene THEODORE]; Movement for the
Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; Movement
for the Organization of the Country or MOP [Gesner COMEAU and Jean
MOLIERE]; National Cooperative Action Movement or MKN [Volrick Remy
JOSEPH]; National Front for Change and Democracy or FNCD [Evans PAUL
and Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or
MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate or PLB [Renaud BERNARDIN];
Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Autonomous Haitian Workers or CATH; Confederation of Haitian
Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; National
Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP; Popular
Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chief of Mission Harry
Frantz LEO
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan
(Puerto Rico)
FAX: (202) 745-7215
telephone: (202) 332-4090
chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James B. Foley embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: 222-0354, 222-0368, 222-0200, 222-0612 FAX: 223-1641

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered
white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree
flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto
L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Economy Haiti

Economy - overview:
About 80% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of
all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly
of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds of
the economically active work force. Following legislative elections
in May 2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors -
including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The
economy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001 and an estimated 0.9% in
2002. The contraction will likely intensify in 2003 unless a
political agreement with donors is reached on economic policy.
Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500 million
at the start of 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.6 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 20% services: 50% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
80% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.9% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%

Unemployment rate:
widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds
of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $273 million
expenditures: $361 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly
industries based on imported parts

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
580 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.3% hydro: 39.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
539.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood

Exports:
$298 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa

Exports - partners:
US 83.9%, Dominican Republic 6.6%, Canada 2.4% (2002)

Imports:
$1.14 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,
raw materials

Imports - partners:
US 53.4%, Dominican Republic 5.3%, Colombia 3.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
$120 million (FY02)

Currency:
gourde (HTG)

Currency code:
HTG

Exchange rates:
gourdes per US dollar - 29.25 (2002), 24.43 (2001), 21.17 (2000),
16.94 (1999), 16.77 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Haiti

Telephones - main lines in use:
60,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
over 180,000 (January 2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
international facilities slightly better
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios:
415,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Televisions:
38,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ht

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
30,000 (2002)

Transportation Haiti

Railways:
total: 40 km
narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge; single-track
note: privately owned industrial line; closed in early 1990s (2001
est.)

Highways:
total: 4,160 km
paved: 1,011 km
unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
NEGL; less than 100 km navigable

Ports and harbors:
Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane,
Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
12 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Military Haiti

Military branches:
Haitian National Police (HNP)
note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been
demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are
constitutionally abolished

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,735,845 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 944,474 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 94,349 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$50 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Haiti

Disputes - international:
despite efforts to control illegal migration, destitute Haitians
continue to cross into Dominican Republic; claims US-administered
Navassa Island

Illicit drugs:
major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US
and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian
narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial
transactions; pervasive corruption

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Introduction Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Background:
These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred
from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal
and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Geography Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Location:
islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from
Madagascar to Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:
53 06 S, 72 31 E

Map references:
Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 412 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 412 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
101.9 km

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

Climate:
antarctic

Terrain:
Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by
a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak);
McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m

Natural resources: fish

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

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Environment - current issues:
NA

People Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Population: uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Government Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald
Islands
conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment
and Heritage

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used

Economy Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Economy - overview:
No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Government
allows limited fishing around the islands.

Communications Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Internet country code: .hm

Transportation Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Military Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conducts
fisheries patrols

Transnational Issues Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Holy See (Vatican City)

Introduction Holy See (Vatican City)

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

Geography Holy See (Vatican City)

Location:
Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:
41 54 N, 12 27 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 0.44 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry
summers (May to September)

Terrain:
low hill

Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Natural resources: none

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

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state;
outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo
(the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights

People Holy See (Vatican City)

Population:
911 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.01% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: none
adjective: none

Ethnic groups:
Italians, Swiss, other

Religions:
Roman Catholic

Languages:
Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Holy See (Vatican City)

Country name:
conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)
local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)

Government type:
ecclesiastical

Capital:
Vatican City

Administrative divisions:
none

Independence:
11 February 1929 (from Italy)
note: on 11 February 1929, three treaties were signed with Italy
which, among other things, recognized the full sovereignty of the
Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin
of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably
in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century

National holiday:
Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978)

Constitution:
Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)

Legal system:
based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it

Suffrage:
limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch:
chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since
2 December 1990)
cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;
election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death
of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope

Legislative branch:
unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch:
there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal
matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues
pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius
XII on 1 May 1946

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

International organization participation: CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO FAX: (202) 337-4036 telephone: (202) 333-7121 chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador R. James "Jim" NICHOLSON embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: (06) 4674-3428 FAX: (06) 5758346

Flag description:
two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the
crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the
white band

Economy Holy See (Vatican City)

Economy - overview:
This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an
annual tax on Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world, as well
as by special collections (known as Peter's Pence); the sale of
postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; fees for
admission to museums; and the sale of publications. Investments and
real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue.
The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to
those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
essentially services with a small amount of industry; note -
dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live
outside the Vatican

Budget:
revenues: $173.5 million
expenditures: $176.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001)

Industries:
printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a small
amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and
financial activities

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh

Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Economic aid - recipient:
none

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.1324 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854
(2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Holy See (Vatican City)

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system
international: uses Italian system

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1996)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.va

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Holy See (Vatican City)

Railways:
total: 0.86 km
standard gauge: 0.86 km 1.435-m gauge
note: a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint
Peter's station (2001 est.)

Highways:
none; all city streets

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
none (2002)

Heliports:
1 (2002)

Military Holy See (Vatican City)

Military branches:
Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are
posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and
protect the Pope

Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City)

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Honduras

Introduction Honduras

Background:
Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an
independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades of mostly
military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in
1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista
contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally to
Salvadoran Government forces fighting against leftist guerrillas.
The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed
about 5,600 people and caused almost $1 billion in damage.

Geography Honduras

Location:
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and
Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),
between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 112,090 sq km
land: 111,890 sq km
water: 200 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,520 km
border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua
922 km

Coastline:
820 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain:
mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources:
timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal,
fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 15.15% permanent crops: 3.13% other: 81.72% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
760 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to
damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

Environment - current issues:
urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and
the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land
degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development
and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands;
mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest
source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with
heavy metals

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline,
including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

People Honduras

Population:
6,669,789
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: 41.6% (male 1,414,791; female 1,357,537)
15-64 years: 54.8% (male 1,811,757; female 1,843,456)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 114,791; female 127,457) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.8 years
male: 18.4 years
female: 19.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.32% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-2.04 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: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 29.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 33.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.65 years
male: 65.31 years
female: 68.06 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
57,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,300 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Honduran(s)
adjective: Honduran

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black
2%, white 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Languages:
Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.2%
male: 76.1%
female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Government Honduras

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
conventional short form: Honduras
local short form: Honduras
local long form: Republica de Honduras

Government type:
democratic constitutional republic

Capital:
Tegucigalpa

Administrative divisions:
18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida,
Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco
Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz,
Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Legal system:
rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of
English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning
Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system;
accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27 January
2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since 27
January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE LOPEZ
Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President Alberto DIAZ
Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27
January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since
27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE
LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President
Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held NA November
2005)
election results: Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (PN) elected president -
52.2%, Raphael PINEDA Ponce (PL) 44.3%, others 3.5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats;
members are elected proportionally to the number of votes their
party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held NA November
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PN
61, PL 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU-SD 3

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Dr. Hernan CORRALES Padilla];
Democratic Unification Party or PUD [leader NA]; Liberal Party or PL
[Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]; National Innovation and Unity
Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban F. VALLADARES];
National Party of Honduras or PN [Raphael CALLEJAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;
Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee of
Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT;
Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; National
Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union of
Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Federation of Honduran
Workers or FUTH

International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mario Miguel CANAHUATI
honorary consulate(s): Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico),
Tampa
FAX: (202) 966-9751
telephone: (202) 966-2604
chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Leon PALMER embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: 238-5114, 236-9320 FAX: 236-9037

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in
the white band; the stars represent the members of the former
Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; 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 Nicaragua, which features a
triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and
AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Economy Honduras

Economy - overview:
Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere
with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, is banking
on expanded trade privileges under the Enhanced Caribbean Basin
Initiative and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) initiative. While the country has met most of its
macroeconomic targets, it failed to meet the IMF's goals to
liberalize its energy and telecommunications sectors. Growth remains
dependent on the status of the US economy, its major trading
partner, on commodity prices, particularly coffee, and on reduction
of the high crime rate.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $16.29 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 32% services: 54% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 53% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.6% highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.3 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
2.3 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
28% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $607 million
expenditures: $411.9 million, including capital expenditures of $106
million (1999 est.)

Industries:
sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Industrial production growth rate:
4% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.778 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.2% hydro: 49.8% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
3.822 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
308 million kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Exports:
$1.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, bananas, shrimp, lobster, meat; zinc, lumber (2000)

Exports - partners:
US 69.5%, El Salvador 3%, Guatemala 2% (2002)

Imports:
$2.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials,
chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Imports - partners:
US 55.3%, El Salvador 4.3%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
$5.4 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$557.8 million (1999)

Currency:
lempira (HNL)

Currency code:
HNL

Exchange rates:
lempiras per US dollar - 16.43 (2002), 15.47 (2001), 14.84 (2000),
14.21 (1999), 13.39 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Honduras

Telephones - main lines in use:
234,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
14,427 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate system
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Radios:
2.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
570,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.hn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
40,000 (2000)

Transportation Honduras

Railways: total: 699 km narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 13,603 km paved: 2,775 km unpaved: 10,828 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
465 km (navigable by small craft)

Ports and harbors:
La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto
Lempira

Merchant marine:
total: 250 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 680,784 GRT/765,815 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Argentina 1, Bahrain 1, Belize 1, British Virgin
Islands 1, Bulgaria 1, China 8, Costa Rica 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 6, El
Salvador 1, Germany 1, Greece 18, Hong Kong 3, Indonesia 2, Italy 1,
Japan 7, Lebanon 4, Liberia 4, Maldives 2, Marshall Islands 1,
Mexico 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Panama 14, Philippines 1, Romania 2,
Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1, Singapore 24, South Korea 12, Spain 1, Syria 1, Taiwan 4,
Tanzania 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 2, Turks and Caicos
Islands 1, United Arab Emirates 6, UK 1, US 5, Vanuatu 1, Vietnam 1,
Virgin Islands (UK) 1 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 18, cargo 140, chemical tanker 4, container 7,
livestock carrier 2, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum
tanker 55, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea
passenger 4, specialized tanker 1

Airports:
115 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 103 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 83 (2002)

Military Honduras

Military branches:
Army, Navy (including marines), Air Force

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,594,266 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 948,957 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 74,895 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$35 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Honduras

Disputes - international:
in 1992, ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed
areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border, but they still remain
largely undemarcated; in 2002, El Salvador filed an application to
the ICJ to revise the decision on a section of bolsones; the ICJ
also advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the
Golfo de Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the
Pacific; El Salvador claims tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned by the
ICJ, off Honduras in the Golfo de Fonseca; Honduras claims Sapodilla
Cays off the coast of Belize but agreed to creation of a joint
ecological park and Guatemalan corridor in the Caribbean in the 2002
Belize-Guatemala Differendum; Nicaragua filed a claim against
Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a
complex maritime dispute in the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of
cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local
consumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-laundering
activity

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Hong Kong

Introduction Hong Kong

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

Geography Hong Kong

Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:
22 15 N, 114 10 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 1,092 sq km
water: 50 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km

Area - comparative:
six times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 30 km border countries: China 30 km

Coastline:
733 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 NM

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

Terrain:
hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Natural resources:
outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Land use:
arable land: 5.05%
other: 93.94% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 1.01%

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements: party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

Geography - note: more than 200 islands

People Hong Kong

Population:
7,394,170 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.3% (male 680,973; female 599,309)
15-64 years: 71.7% (male 2,619,929; female 2,679,430)
65 years and over: 11% (male 375,058; female 439,471) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 37.5 years
male: 37.1 years
female: 37.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.22% (2003 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.93 years
male: 77.23 years
female: 82.83 years (2003 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,600 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 95%, other 5%

Religions:
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Languages:
Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 94%
male: 97.1%
female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Government Hong Kong

Country name:
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Hong Kong
local short form: Xianggang
local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
abbreviation: HK

Dependency status:
special administrative region of China

Government type:
limited democracy

Administrative divisions:
none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:
none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's
Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents
living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years;
indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional
constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad
regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government
bodies

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex-officio members and
10 appointed members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Donald
TSANG Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Antony LEUNG
(since 1 May 2001), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1
July 1997)
elections: TUNG Chee-Hwa was elected to a second term in March 2002
by an 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces;
the next election is scheduled to be held in 2007

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly
elected by functional constituencies, 24 elected by popular vote,
and 6 elected by an 800-member election committee; members serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 September 2000 (next to be held in September
2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Democratic Party 12, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong
Kong 10, Liberal Party 7, Frontier Party 5, Hong Kong Progressive
Alliance 4, New Century Forum 2, Hong Kong Association for Democracy
and People's Livelihood 1, independents 19

Judicial branch:
Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:
Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [Frederick FUNG
Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic
Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong [Jasper TSANG Yok-sing,
chairman]; Democratic Party [Martin LEE Chu-ming, chairman];
Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Hong Kong
Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [leader NA]; Hong
Kong Progressive Alliance [Ambrose LAU Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party
[James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]; New Century Forum [NQ Ching-fai,
chairman]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for
Democracy and People's Livelihood, Citizens Party, Democratic Party,
Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment
of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party, New
Century Forum

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan,
general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation
of Trade Unions (pro-China) [LEE Chark-tim, president]; Hong Kong
Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China
[Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council
(pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong
Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Liberal
Democratic Federation [HU Fa-kuang, chairman]

International organization participation:
APEC, AsDB, BIS, ESCAP (associate), ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMO
(associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL,
WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General James KEITH consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: 2523-9011 FAX: 2524-0860

Flag description: red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center

Economy Hong Kong

Economy - overview:
Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on
international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw
materials must be imported. Imports and exports, including
reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong
reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive
trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further
integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness
to the world economy has increased competitive pressure on Hong
Kong's service industries, and Hong Kong's re-export business from
China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP compares with the
level in the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth
averaged a strong 5% in 1989-1997, but Hong Kong suffered two
recessions in the past 6 years because of the Asian financial crisis
in 1998 and the global downturn of 2001-2002. The Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak has also battered Hong Kong's
economy but the resumption of strong growth began in 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $198.5 billion (2002 est.)

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

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 13.4%
services: 86.5% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

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

Labor force:
3.52 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 31%, financing,
insurance, and real estate 13%, community and social services 12%,
manufacturing 6%, transport and communications 6%, construction 5%,
other 25% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.5% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $22.8 billion
expenditures: $30.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY02/03)

Industries:
textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics,
plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Industrial production growth rate:
-9.7% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
30.48 billion kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
37.12 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.581 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
10.36 billion kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
257,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products:
fresh vegetables; poultry, fish, pork

Exports:
$200.3 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear,
watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones

Exports - partners:
China 34%, US 19.5%, UK 5.5%, Japan 4.8% (2002)

Imports:
$208.1 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures,
petroleum, plastics, machinery, electrical equipment; a large share
is reexported

Imports - partners:
China 37.5%, Japan 12.2%, Taiwan 7.3%, US 6.2%, Singapore 5.3%,
South Korea 5% (2002)

Debt - external:
$49.5 billion (2002 est.)

Currency:
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Currency code:
HKD

Exchange rates:
Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.8 (2002), 7.8 (2001), 7.79
(2000), 7.76 (1999), 7.75 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Hong Kong

Telephones - main lines in use:
3.839 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.7 million (December 1999)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic
and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
network
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific
Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access
to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN
member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western
Europe

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
4.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
1.84 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.hk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)

Internet users:
4.35 million (2002)

Transportation Hong Kong

Railways:
total: 34 km
standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified and double-tracked)
note: connects to China railway system at Hong Kong-China border
(2001)

Highways: total: 1,831 km paved: 1,831 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Hong Kong

Merchant marine:
total: 549 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,176,728 GRT/27,119,764 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 315, cargo 66, chemical tanker
15, combination bulk 2, container 86, liquefied gas 16,
multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 40,
refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 1,
vehicle carrier 2, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here
as a flag of convenience: Belgium 5, Belize 1, British Virgin
Islands 1, China 115, Denmark 2, Germany 19, Greece 2, India 8,
Japan 8, Liberia 1, Malaysia 7, Norway 1, Panama 2, Philippines 5,
Singapore 7, South Korea 2, Taiwan 1, UK 27, Virgin Islands (UK) 1
note: (2002 est.)

Airports:
3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2002)

Heliports: 2 (2002)

Military Hong Kong

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the PLA
Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under
the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing
and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military
Region

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,033,716 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,524,903 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 47,477 (2003 est.)

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

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of China

Transnational Issues Hong Kong

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
Makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces serious
challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to
regional and world markets; modern banking system provides a conduit
for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,
especially among young people

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Howland Island

Introduction Howland Island

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

Geography Howland Island

Location:
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates:
0 48 N, 176 38 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 1.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1.6 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
6.4 km

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

Climate:
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow
fringing reef; depressed central area

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources:
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic
wildlife

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

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
hazard

Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and
low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a
nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
and marine wildlife

People Howland Island

Population:
uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually
by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2003 est.)

Government Howland Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Howland Island

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
DC, by 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 Howland Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Howland Island

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports:
airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the
round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN - they left
Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the
airstrip is no longer serviceable (2002)

Transportation - note:
Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been
rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART

Military Howland Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Howland Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Hungary

Introduction Hungary

Background:
Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which
collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule
following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced withdrawal
from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention
by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary
began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "goulash
Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and
initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and is
scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine other states on 1 May
2004. In an April 2003 referendum, 84 percent voted in favor of
joining the EU.

Geography Hungary

Location:
Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 93,030 sq km
water: 690 sq km
land: 92,340 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 2,171 km
border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km,
Ukraine 103 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

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

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the
Slovakian border

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 52.2%
other: 45.34% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 2.46%

Irrigated land:
2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Environment - current issues: the approximation of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution with environmental requirements for EU accession will require large investments

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between
Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and
Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza
Rivers divide the country into three large regions

People Hungary

Population:
10,045,407 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.1% (male 832,033; female 787,336)
15-64 years: 69% (male 3,406,046; female 3,523,118)
65 years and over: 14.9% (male 544,099; female 952,775) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.4 years
male: 35.7 years
female: 41.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
-0.29% (2003 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 9.73 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.17 years
male: 67.84 years
female: 76.81 years (2003 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,800 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian

Ethnic groups:
Hungarian 89.9%, Roma 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%,
Romanian 0.7%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other
7.5%

Languages:
Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.5%
female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Government Hungary

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
conventional short form: Hungary
local short form: Magyarorszag
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Budapest

Administrative divisions:
19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties*
(singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city** (fovaros);
Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba*, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
Budapest**, Csongrad, Debrecen*, Dunaujvaros*, Eger*, Fejer, Gyor*,
Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Hodmezovasarhely*,
Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar*, Kecskemet*, Komarom-Esztergom,
Miskolc*, Nagykanizsa*, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza*, Pecs*, Pest, Somogy,
Sopron*, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged*, Szekesfehervar*, Szolnok*,
Szombathely*, Tatabanya*, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Veszprem*, Zala,
Zalaegerszeg*

Independence:
1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National holiday:
Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Constitution:
18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18
October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and
constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
amendment streamlined the judicial system

Legal system:
rule of law based on Western model

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Ferenc MADL (since 4 August 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Peter MEDGYESSY (since 27 May
2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on
the recommendation of the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 6 June 2000 (next to be held by
June 2005); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the
recommendation of the president
note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of
legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the
third round
election results: Ferenc MADL elected president; percent of
legislative vote - NA% (but by a simple majority in the third round
of voting); Peter MEDGYESSY elected prime minister; percent of
legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members
are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and
direct representation to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote
required for parliamentary representation in the first round) -
Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by
party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20
elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April
2006)

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly
for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Christian
Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Laszlo VARGA, chairman];
Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz-MPP [Jozsef SZASER, chairman];
Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian
Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman];
Hungarian Justice and Life Party or MIEP [Istvan CSURKA, chairman];
Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Laszlo KOVACS, chairman];
Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ABEDA, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
(applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: (202) 966-8135 telephone: (202) 362-6730

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy Goodman BRINKER embassy: 1054 Szabadsag ter 12, Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: (1) 475-4400 FAX: (1) 475-4764

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Economy Hungary

Economy - overview:
Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a
market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big
Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong
economic growth and to work toward accession to the European Union
in May 2004. The private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP.
Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms are
widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling more
than $23 billion since 1989. Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded
in 2000 to the second-highest rating among all the Central European
transition economies. Inflation has declined substantially, from 14%
in 1998 to 4.7% in 2003; unemployment has persisted around the 6%
level. Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner.
Short-term issues include the reduction of the public sector deficit
to 3% in 2004 and avoiding unjustified increases in wages.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $134 billion (2002 est.)

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

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $13,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.1% industry: 33.8% services: 62.1% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 8.6% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
4.2 million (1997)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 65%, industry 27%, agriculture 8% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
5.8% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $13 billion
expenditures: $14.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Industries:
mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:
3.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
34.39 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.1% hydro: 0.5% other: 0.3% (2001) nuclear: 39%

Electricity - consumption:
35.15 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
7.261 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
10.43 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
136,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
110.7 million bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products

Exports: $31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 57.6%, other manufactures 31.0%, food
products 7.5%, raw materials 1.9%, fuels and electricity 1.9% (2001)

Exports - partners:
Germany 34.3%, Austria 8.5%, Italy 5.5%, France 5.4%, US 4.9%, UK
4.5% (2002)

Imports:
$33.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.3%, fuels and
electricity 8.2%, food products 2.9%, raw materials 2.0% (2001)

Imports - partners:
Germany 25.3%, Austria 7.7%, Italy 7.5%, Russia 6%, China 5%,
France 5% (2002)

Debt - external:
$31.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $250 million (2000)

Currency:
forint (HUF)

Currency code:
HUF

Exchange rates:
forints per US dollar - 257.89 (2002), 286.49 (2001), 282.18
(2000), 237.15 (1999), 214.4 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Hungary

Telephones - main lines in use:
3.095 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.269 million (July 1999)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is
capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service
domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk
services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave
radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was
initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
international: Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all
neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian
Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT)
system of ground terminals

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
7.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
4.42 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.hu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
1.2 million (2001)

Transportation Hungary

Railways:
total: 7,875 km
broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,620 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
note: Hungary and Austria jointly manage a cross-border,
standard-gauge railway connecting Gyor, Sopron, and Ebenfurt (Gysev
railroad) with a route length of 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in
Austria; 156 km of this line is electrified (2002)
narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge

Highways:
total: 188,203 km
paved: 81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways)
unpaved: 106,523 km (1999)

Waterways:
1,373 km (permanently navigable) (1997)

Pipelines:
gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Budapest, Dunaujvaros

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 3,784 GRT/5,500 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1

Airports:
49 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 16

Heliports: 5 (2002)

Military Hungary

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Air Forces

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,541,426 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,026,912 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 64,305 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.75% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Hungary

Disputes - international:
Hungary has yet to amend status law extending special social and
cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in neighboring states, who
protest the law

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and for
South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer
of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and
methamphetamine; improving, but remains vulnerable to money
laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Iceland

Introduction Iceland

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

Geography Iceland

Location:
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

Geographic coordinates:
65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 103,000 sq km
land: 100,250 sq km
water: 2,750 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
4,988 km

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

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

Terrain:
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast
deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Natural resources:
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use:
arable land: 1%
other: 70% (2001 est.)
forest and woodlands: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 28%

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater
treatment

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Environmental Protection through Criminal Law, Hazardous Wastes,
Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Oil Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost
European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in
the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental
Europe

People Iceland

Population:
280,798 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.7% (male 32,902; female 30,952)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 92,519; female 91,000)
65 years and over: 11.9% (male 14,973; female 18,452) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 34 years
male: 33.2 years
female: 34.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.49% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-2.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 3.79 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.8 years
male: 77.54 years
female: 82.22 years (2003 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
220 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups:
homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%,
population of foreign origin 6%

Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic
1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)

Languages:
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government Iceland

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland
local short form: Island
local long form: Lydhveldidh Island

Government type:
constitutional republic

Capital:
Reykjavik

Administrative divisions:
23 counties (syslur, singular - sysla) and 14 independent towns*
(kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*,
Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla,
Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla,
Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*,
Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla,
Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la,
Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla,
Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*,
Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla,
Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*,
Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla,
Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla
note: there may be four other counties

Independence:
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown);
17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

Constitution:
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August
1996)
head of government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April
1991)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
Parliament
election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON ran unopposed in 2000 and
was reelected
elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by
popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996
(next to be held NA June 2004); President GRIMSSON ran unopposed in
June 2000 so there were no elections; prime minister appointed by
the president

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party
33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%,
Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -
Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive
Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4
elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by
the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are
appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:
Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance or
LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon
KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social
Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social
Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List)or SDA [Ossur SKARPHEDINSSON];
Social Democratic Party or SDP [Sighvatur BJORGVINSSON]; Women's
List or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NATO, NC, NEA,
NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU,
UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON
chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: (202) 265-6656
telephone: (202) 265-6653

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN
embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340
telephone: 5629100
FAX: 5629118

Flag description:
blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of
the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist
side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Iceland

Economy - overview:
Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet
with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing
subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of
income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for
abundant hydrothermal and geothermal power), the economy depends
heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 70% of export
earnings and employs 12% of the work force. The economy remains
sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in
world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum,
and ferrosilicon. Government policies include reducing the budget
and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing
inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying
the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. The government
remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders'
concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's
economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service
industries in the last decade, and new developments in software
production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place.
The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in
ecotourism and whale watching. Growth had been remarkably steady in
1996-2001 at 3%-5%, but could not be sustained in 2002 in an
environment of global recession. Growth resumed in 2003, and
inflation dropped back from 5% to 2%.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $8.444 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $30,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14% (includes fishing 12%)
industry: 21%
services: 65% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
159,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, other services 59.5% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
2.8% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.5 billion
expenditures: $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $467
million (1999)

Industries:
fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production,
geothermal power; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
0.2% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
7.894 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 82.5% other: 17.5% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
7.341 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
16,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
15,470 bbl/day (2001)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, green vegetables, chicken, pork, mutton; fish

Exports:
$2.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite,
ferrosilicon

Exports - partners:
Germany 18.5%, UK 17.5%, Netherlands 11.4%, US 10.9%, Spain 5.2%,
Denmark 4.6%, Portugal 4.3%, Norway 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
$2.1 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
US 10.9%, Germany 10.7%, Denmark 8.5%, Norway 8%, UK 7.5%,
Netherlands 6%, Sweden 5.9% (2002)

Debt - external:
$2.6 billion (1999)

Economic aid - donor:
$NA

Currency:
Icelandic krona (ISK)

Currency code:
ISK

Exchange rates:
Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 91.66 (2002), 97.42 (2001), 78.62
(2000), 72.34 (1999), 70.96 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Iceland

Telephones - main lines in use:
196,984 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
248,131 (221,231 GSM, 26,900 NMT) (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: extensive domestic service
domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic
cables and microwave radio relay links
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note -
Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic
countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
260,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
98,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.is

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
20 (2001)

Internet users:
220,000 (2002)

Transportation Iceland

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 12,955 km
paved/oiled gravel: 3,863 km
unpaved: 9,092 km (2003)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn,
Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,500 GRT/5,000 DWT
ships by type: chemical tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
86 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 73
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 21
under 914 m: 49 (2002)

Military Iceland

Military branches:
no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 71,157 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 62,552 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$0

Military - note:
defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF)
headquartered at Keflavik

Transnational Issues Iceland

Disputes - international:
Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and
the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the
Rockall area); dispute with Denmark over the Faroe Islands'
fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM; disputes with Denmark,
the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf
boundary outside 200 NM

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@India

Introduction India

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

Geography India

Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
between Burma and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 N, 77 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 3,287,590 sq km
land: 2,973,190 sq km
water: 314,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 14,103 km
border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Coastline:
7,000 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:
varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Terrain:
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along
the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Natural resources:
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese,
mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds,
petroleum, limestone, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 54.35%
permanent crops: 2.66%
other: 42.99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
590,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive
flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air
pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water
pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap
water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing
population is overstraining natural resources

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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean
trade routes

People India

Population:
1,049,700,118 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.2% (male 173,973,350; female 163,979,116)
15-64 years: 63% (male 342,620,712; female 319,259,867)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 25,281,756; female 24,585,317) (2003
est.)

Median age: total: 24.1 years male: 24.1 years female: 24.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.47% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.07 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: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 59.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 58.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 60.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.62 years
male: 62.92 years
female: 64.37 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
310,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Indian(s)
adjective: Indian

Ethnic groups:
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Religions:
Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups
including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000)

Languages:
English enjoys associate status but is the most important language
for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the
national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are
14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu,
Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri,
Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu
spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official
language

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 59.5%
male: 70.2%
female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Government India

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

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
New Delhi

Administrative divisions:
28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*,
Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*,
Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa,
Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal

Independence:
15 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Constitution:
26 January 1950

Legal system:
based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative
acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abdul KALAM (since 26 July 2002); Vice
President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 12 August 2002)
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of
the states for a five-year term; election last held NA July 2002
(next to be held NA July 2007); vice president elected by both
houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12
August 2002 (next to be held NA August 2007); prime minister elected
by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative
elections; election last held NA October 1999 (next to be held NA
October 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE (since 19
March 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of
electoral college vote - NA%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice
president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%; Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE
elected prime minister; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or
Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to
12 of which are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen
by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies;
members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha
(545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the
president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: People's Assembly - last held 5 September through 3
October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - BJP
alliance 40.8%, Congress (I) alliance 33.8%, other 25.4%; seats by
party - BJP alliance 304, Congress (I) alliance 134, other 107

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president and remain in
office until they reach the age of 65)

Political parties and leaders:
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [C. Jayalalitha
JAYARAM]; All India Forward Bloc or AIFB, [D. BISWAS (general
secretary)]; Asom Gana Parishad [Brindaban GOSWAMI]; Bahujan Samaj
Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Jana
KRISNAMURTHY]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist
Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of
India/Marxist-Leninist or CPI/ML [Dipankar BHATTACHARYA]; Congress
(I) Party [Sonia GANDHI]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK (a
regional party in Tamil Nadu) [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National
League [Suliaman SAITH]; Janata Dal (Secular) [H. D. Deve GOWDA];
Janata Dal (United) or JDU [Sharad YADAV]; Kerala Congress (Mani
faction) [K. M. MANI]; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or
MDMK [VAIKO]; Muslim League [G. M. BANATWALA]; Nationalist Congress
Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo
Prasad YADAV]; Revolutionary Socialist Party or RSP [Abani ROY];
Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal [G.
S. TOHRA]; Shiv Sena [Bal THACKERAY]; Tamil Maanila Congress [G. K.
VASAN]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU]; Trinamool
Congress [Mamata BANERJEE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations,
including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater
communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties
Hurriyat Conference

International organization participation:
AfDB, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS,
C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC,
NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lalit MANSINGH consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco FAX: (202) 483-3972 telephone: (202) 939-7000 chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Embassy located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. BLACKWILL embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (11) 419-8000 FAX: (11) 419-0017 consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top),
white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in
the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small
orange disk centered in the white band

Economy India

Economy - overview:
India's economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern
agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a
multitude of support services. Overpopulation severely handicaps the
economy and about a quarter of the population is too poor to be able
to afford an adequate diet. Government controls have been reduced on
imports and foreign investment, and privatization of domestic output
has proceeded slowly. The economy has posted an excellent average
growth rate of 6% since 1990, reducing poverty by about 10
percentage points. India has large numbers of well-educated people
skilled in the English language; India is a major exporter of
software services and software workers; the information technology
sector leads the strong growth pattern. The World Bank and others
worry about the continuing public-sector budget deficit, running at
approximately 10% of GDP in 1997-2002. In 2003 the state-owned
Indian Bank substantially reduced non-performing loans, attracted
new customers, and turned a profit. Deep-rooted problems remain,
notably conflicts among political and cultural groups.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.664 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.3% (2002 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 25% services: 50% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 25% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
406 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 60%, services 23%, industry 17% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
8.8% (2002)

Budget:
revenues: $48.3 billion
expenditures: $78.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $14
(FY01/02 est.)

Industries:
textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation
equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Industrial production growth rate:
6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
533.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81.7% hydro: 14.5% other: 0.3% (2001) nuclear: 3.4%

Electricity - consumption:
497.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
321 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.54 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
732,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

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

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
4.33 billion bbl (37257)

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

Natural gas - consumption:
22.75 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:
542.4 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Exports: $44.5 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals,
leather manufactures

Exports - partners:
US 22.5%, UK 5.1%, UAE 5.1%, Hong Kong 4.5%, Germany 4.3%, China
4.1% (2002)

Imports:
$53.8 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Imports - partners:
US 7.1%, Belgium 6.7%, China 4.6%, Singapore 4.6%, UK 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
$100.6 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.9 billion (FY 98/99)

Currency:
Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:
INR

Exchange rates:
Indian rupees per US dollar - 48.61 (2002), 47.19 (2001), 44.94
(2000), 43.06 (1999), 41.26 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications India

Telephones - main lines in use:
27.7 million (October 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.93 million (November 2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: mediocre service; local and long distance
service provided throughout all regions of the country, with
services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; major objective
is to continue to expand and modernize long-distance network to keep
pace with rapidly growing number of local subscriber lines; steady
improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and
private-public investors, but, with telephone density at about two
for each 100 persons and a waiting list of over 2 million, demand
for main line telephone service will not be satisfied for a very
long time
domestic: local service is provided by microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable, with open wire and obsolete electromechanical and
manual switchboard systems still in use in rural areas; starting in
the 1980s, a substantial amount of digital switch gear has been
introduced for local and long-distance service; long-distance
traffic is carried mostly by coaxial cable and low-capacity
microwave radio relay; since 1985 significant trunk capacity has
been added in the form of fiber-optic cable and a domestic satellite
system with 254 earth stations; mobile cellular service is provided
in four metropolitan cities
international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine gateway exchanges
operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta),
Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gaidhinagar, Hyderabad, and
Ernakulam; 4 submarine cables - LOCOM linking Chennai (Madras) to
Penang; Indo-UAE-Gulf cable linking Mumbai (Bombay) to Al Fujayrah,
UAE; India-SEA-ME-WE-3, SEA-ME-WE-2 with landing sites at Cochin and
Mumbai (Bombay); Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with
landing site at Mumbai (Bombay) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Radios:
116 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480 stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)

Televisions:
63 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.in

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
43 (2000)

Internet users:
7 million (2002)

Transportation India

Railways:
total: 63,518 km (15,009 km electrified)
broad gauge: 45,142 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 15,013 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,363 km 0.762-m gauge and
0.610-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 3,319,644 km paved: 1,517,077 km unpaved: 1,802,567 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
16,180 km
note: 3,631 km navigable by large vessels

Pipelines:
gas 5,798 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,195 km; oil 5,613 km; refined
products 5,567 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Chennai (Madras), Cochin, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata
(Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Vishakhapatnam

Merchant marine:
total: 305 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,753,279 GRT/9,621,911 DWT
ships by type: bulk 100, cargo 82, chemical tanker 15, combination
bulk 2, combination ore/oil 2, container 10, liquefied gas 10,
passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 75, roll on/roll off 1,
short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: China 1, UAE 10, UK 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
334 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 232 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 47 914 to 1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 20 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 78

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 102 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 under 914 m: 48 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 42

Heliports: 19 (2002)

Military India

Military branches:
Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force, Strategic Nuclear
Command (SNC), Coast Guard, various security or paramilitary forces
(including Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, Rashtriya Rifles,
National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Special
Frontier Force, Ladakh Scouts, Central Reserve Police Force, Central
Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, Defense
Security Corps, and Indian Reserve Battalions)

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 288,251,975 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 169 million (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 11,035,174 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.52 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.3% (FY02)

Transnational Issues India

Disputes - international:
much of the rugged, militarized boundary with China is in dispute,
but the two sides have participated in more than 13 rounds of joint
working group sessions on this issue; India objects to Pakistan
ceding lands to China in 1965 boundary agreement that India believes
are part of disputed Kashmir; with Pakistan, armed stand-off over
the status and sovereignty of Kashmir continues; disputes with
Pakistan over Indus River water sharing and the terminus of the Rann
of Kutch, which prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Joint
Border Committee with Nepal continues to work on resolution of
disputed boundary sections; dispute with Bangladesh over New
Moore/South Talpatty Island in the Bay of Bengal prevents maritime
boundary delimitation

Illicit drugs:
world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical
trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit
international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics
produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone;
vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Indian Ocean

Introduction Indian Ocean

Background:
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans
(after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the
Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access
waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb
(Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of
Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia).

Geography Indian Ocean

Location:
body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and
Australia

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 80 00 E

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 68.556 million sq km
note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,
Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,
Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of
Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
about 5.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
66,526 km

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

Terrain:
surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system
of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of
surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric
pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in
the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents,
while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter
air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest
winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean
Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest
Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates,
placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Natural hazards:
occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches

Environment - current issues:
endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and
whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea

Geography - note:
major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait
of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait

Economy Indian Ocean

Economy - overview:
The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle
East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries
a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products
from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are
of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for
domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan,
South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for
shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in
the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western
Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production
comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and
offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering
countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
and Thailand.

Transportation Indian Ocean

Ports and harbors:
Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South
Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne
(Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa)

Transnational Issues Indian Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

@Indonesia

Introduction Indonesia

Background:
Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago; it achieved
independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Current issues include:
alleviating widespread poverty, implementing IMF-mandated reforms of
the banking sector, effecting a transition to a popularly-elected
government after four decades of authoritarianism, addressing
charges of cronyism and corruption, holding the military and police
accountable for human rights violations, and resolving growing
separatist pressures in Aceh and Papua.

Geography Indonesia

Location:
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the
Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
5 00 S, 120 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 1,919,440 sq km
water: 93,000 sq km
land: 1,826,440 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 2,830 km
border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New
Guinea 820 km

Coastline:
54,716 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

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

Terrain:
mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper,
fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use: arable land: 9.9% permanent crops: 7.2% other: 82.9% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
48,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes,
volcanoes, forest fires

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air
pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires

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, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
Conservation

Geography - note:
archipelago of more than 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited);
straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea
lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

People Indonesia

Population:
234,893,453 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.7% (male 35,437,274; female 34,232,824)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 76,743,613; female 76,845,245)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 5,086,465; female 6,548,032) (2003
est.)

Median age: total: 25.8 years male: 25.4 years female: 26.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.52% (2003 est.)

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

Death rate:
6.26 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: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 38.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 32.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 43.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.94 years
male: 66.54 years
female: 71.47 years (2003 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
120,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,600 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Indonesian(s)
adjective: Indonesian

Ethnic groups:
Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%,
other 26%

Religions:
Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist
1%, other 1% (1998)

Languages:
Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English,
Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.5%
male: 92.9%
female: 84.1% (2003 est.)

Government Indonesia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
conventional short form: Indonesia
local long form: Republik Indonesia
former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies
local short form: Indonesia

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Jakarta

Administrative divisions:
27 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special
regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1
special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*,
Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa
Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan
Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan Bangka
Belitung, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa
Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah,
Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan,
Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta*; note - with the implementation of
decentralization on 1 January 2001, the 357 districts (regencies)
have become the key administrative units responsible for providing
most government services
note: following the 30 August 1999 provincial referendum for
independence that was overwhelmingly approved by the people of Timor
Timur and the October 1999 concurrence of Indonesia's national
legislature, the name East Timor was adopted as the provisional name
for the political entity formerly known as Propinsi Timor Timur;
East Timor gained its formal independence on 20 May 2002

Independence:
17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949,
Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Constitution:
August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and
Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959

Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous
concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age

Executive branch:
chief of state: President MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri (since 23 July
2001) and Vice President Hamzah HAZ (since 26 July 2001); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri (since 23 July
2001) and Vice President Hamzah HAZ (since 26 July 2001); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected separately by the
People's Consultative Assembly or MPR for five-year terms; selection
of president last held 23 July 2001; selection of vice president
last held 26 July 2001; next election to be held in July 2004; in
accordance with constitutional changes, the election of the
president and vice president will be by direct vote of the citizenry
note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan
Rakyat or MPR) includes the House of Representatives (Dewan
Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR) plus 195 indirectly selected members; it
meets every five years to elect the president and vice president and
to approve broad outlines of national policy and also has yearly
meetings to consider constitutional and legislative changes;
constitutional amendments adopted in 2001 and 2002 provide for the
MPR to be restructured in 2004 and to consist entirely of
popularly-elected members who will be in the DPR and the new House
of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD); the
MPR will no longer formulate national policy
election results: MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri elected president, receiving
591 votes in favor (91 abstentions); Hamzah HAZ elected vice
president, receiving 340 votes in favor (237 against)

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat
(DPR) (500 seats; 462 elected by popular vote, 38 are appointed
military representatives until 2004 election when military seats
expire; members serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDI-P 37.4%, Golkar
20.9%, PKB 17.4%, PPP 10.7%, PAN 7.3%, PBB 1.8%, other 4.5%; seats
by party - PDI-P 154, Golkar 120, PPP 58, PKB 51, PAN 35, PBB 14,
other 30; note - subsequent to the election, there has been a change
in the distribution of seats; the new distribution is: PDI-P 153,
Golkar 120, PPP 58, PKB 51, PAN 35, PBB 13, other 32
elections: last held 7 June 1999 (next to be held April 2004)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the
president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature);
note - the Supreme Court is preparing to assume administrative
responsibility for the lower court system, currently run by the
Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; a separate Constitutional
Court was invested by the president on 16 August 2003

Political parties and leaders:
Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [Yusril Ihza MAHENDRA,
chairman]; Federation of Functional Groups or Golkar [Akbar
TANDJUNG, general chairman]; Indonesia Democracy Party-Struggle or
PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri, chairperson]; National Awakening Party
or PKB [Alwi SHIHAB, chairman]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Amien
RAIS, chairman]; Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Hidayat NUR WAHID,
chairman]; United Development Party or PPP (federation of former
Islamic parties) [Hamzah HAZ, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH,
UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador SOEMADI Brotodiningrat
chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
FAX: (202) 775-5365
telephone: (202) 775-5200

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE
embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 3-5, Jakarta 10110
mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520
telephone: (21) 3435-9000
FAX: (21) 385-7189
consulate(s) general: Surabaya

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the
flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of
Poland, which is white (top) and red

Economy Indonesia

Economy - overview:
Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, faces severe economic
development problems stemming from secessionist movements and the
low level of security in the regions; the lack of reliable legal
recourse in contract disputes; corruption; weaknesses in the banking
system; and strained relations with the IMF. Investor confidence
will remain low and few new jobs will be created under these
circumstances. In November 2001, Indonesia agreed with the IMF on a
series of economic reforms in 2002, thus enabling further IMF
disbursements. Negotiations with the IMF and bilateral donors
continued in 2002. Keys to future growth remain internal reform, the
build-up of the confidence of international donors and investors,
and a strong comeback in the global economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $714.2 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 41% services: 42% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
27% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 26.7% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.7 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
99 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 45%, industry 16%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10.6% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $26 billion
expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Industries:
petroleum and natural gas; textiles, apparel, and footwear; mining,
cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood; rubber; food; tourism

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

Electricity - production:
95.78 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 86.9% hydro: 10.5% other: 2.5% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
89.08 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
7.083 billion bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.549 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Exports:
$52.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber

Exports - partners:
Japan 21.1%, US 13.2%, Singapore 9.4%, South Korea 7.2%, China
5.1%, Taiwan 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
$32.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment; chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Japan 14.1%, Singapore 13.1%, US 8.5%, China 7.8%, South Korea
5.3%, Taiwan 5.1%, Australia 5.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
$131 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$43 billion from IMF program and other official external financing
(1997-2000)

Currency:
Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Currency code:
IDR

Exchange rates:
Indonesian rupiahs per US dollar - 9,311.19 (2002), 10,260.8
(2001), 8,421.77 (2000), 7,855.15 (1999), 10,013.6 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March, but
starting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year

Communications Indonesia

Telephones - main lines in use:
5,588,310 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.07 million (1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic service fair, international service
good
domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
domestic satellite communications system
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Radios:
31.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
41 (1999)

Televisions:
13.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.id

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
24 (2000)

Internet users:
4.4 million (2002)

Transportation Indonesia

Railways:
total: 6,458 km
narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km
0.750-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
total: 342,700 km
paved: 158,670 km
unpaved: 184,030 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
21,579 km total
note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460
km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km

Pipelines:
condensate 672 km; condensate/gas 125 km; gas 8,183 km; oil 7,429
km; oil/gas/water 66 km; refined products 1,329 km; water 72 km
(2003)