← The 2004 CIA World Factbook, Volume 1
Chapter 11
Z (part 9)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$-398 million (2003)
Exports:
$700 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite,
petroleum products
Exports - partners:
France 37.4%, US 29.2%, Germany 5.5%, Mauritius 5.2% (2003)
Imports:
$920 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food
Imports - partners:
China 14.2%, France 13.2%, South Africa 6.4%, Iran 6.2% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$423 million (2003)
Debt - external:
$4.6 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:
$354 million (2001)
Currency:
Malagasy franc (MGF)
Currency code:
MGF
Exchange rates:
Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,210 (2003), 6,831.96 (2002),
6,588.49 (2001), 6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Madagascar
Telephones - main lines in use:
59,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
279,500 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)
Radios:
3.05 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
325,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.mg
Internet hosts:
773 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
70,500 (2003)
Transportation Madagascar
Railways: total: 732 km narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 49,827 km paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:
600 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Merchant marine:
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2
Airports:
116 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 87 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.)
Military Madagascar
Military branches:
People's Armed Forces: comprising Intervention Force, Development
Force, and Aeronaval - Navy and Air - Force; National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 18 months
(2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,004,242 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,373,342 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 169,186 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$69.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (2003)
Transnational Issues Madagascar
Disputes - international:
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan
de Nova Island (all administered by France)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used
mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Malawi
Introduction Malawi
Background:
Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became
the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of
one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country
held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution,
which came into full effect the following year. Current President
Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after the previous president
was unable to amend the constitution to permit another term, has
struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor, who still
leads their shared political party. MATHARIKA's anti-corruption
efforts have led to several high-level arrests but no convictions.
Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on
agricultural lands, and HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country.
Geography Malawi
Location:
Southern Africa, east of Zambia
Geographic coordinates:
13 30 S, 34 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 118,480 sq km
water: 24,400 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to
November)
Terrain:
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some
mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international
boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m
Natural resources:
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of
uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land use: arable land: 23.38% permanent crops: 1.49% other: 75.13% (2001)
Irrigated land:
280 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most
prominent physical feature
People Malawi
Population:
11,906,855
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
2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.8% (male 2,811,751; female 2,759,515)
15-64 years: 50.5% (male 2,978,406; female 3,029,735)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 130,600; female 196,848) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.4 years
male: 16.1 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.14% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
44.35 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
23.01 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 104.23 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 99.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 108.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 37.48 years
male: 37.08 years
female: 37.88 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
14.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
900,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
84,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, plague, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian
Ethnic groups:
Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde,
Asian, European
Religions:
Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs
3%, other 2%
Languages:
English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important
regionally
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.7%
male: 76.1%
female: 49.8% (2003 est.)
Government Malawi
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
Protectorate, Nyasaland
Government type:
multiparty democracy
Capital:
Lilongwe
Administrative divisions:
27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa,
Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe),
Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay,
Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba
Independence:
6 July 1964 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)
Constitution:
18 May 1994
Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009)
election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of
vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (UDF) 35.9%, John TEMBO (MCP) 27.1%,
Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MC) 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA (NDA) 8.7%,
Justin MALEWEZI (independent) 2.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
MCP 56, UDF 49, Mgwirizano Coalition (MC) 25, independents 39,
others 24
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the
president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial
Service Commission); magistrate's courts
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Malawi Congress
Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo
KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George
MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC (coalition of MAFUNDE, MDP,
MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP) [Gwandaguluwe Chakuamba]; Movement for
Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National
Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party
or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New Congress for Democracy or NCD [Hetherwick
NTABA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's
Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party
or RP [Gwandaguluwe Chakuamba]; United Democratic Front or UDF
[Bingu wa MUTHARIKA] - governing party
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO
FAX: (202) 265-0976
telephone: (202) 797-1007
chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen BROWNING embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: (1) 773 166 FAX: (1) 770 471
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a
radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band
Government - note:
the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature
Economy Malawi
Economy - overview:
Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed
countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%
of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for
nearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001. The economy
depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,
the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi
was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
(HIPC) program. In November 2002 the World Bank approved a $50
million drought recovery package, which is to be used for famine
relief. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully
develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face
up to environmental problems, to deal with the rapidly growing
problem of HIV/AIDS, and to satisfy foreign donors that fiscal
discipline is being tightened. The performance of the tobacco sector
is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for over 50% of
exports.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $6.845 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 51% industry: 21.8% services: 27.2% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
12.3% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
55% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.5% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
4.5 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 90% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $528.1 million
expenditures: $653.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)
Public debt:
235.7% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats
Industries:
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate:
-1.6% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
769.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
715.3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Current account balance:
$-58 million (2003)
Exports:
$455 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products,
apparel
Exports - partners:
South Africa 23.3%, US 13.4%, Germany 11.3%, Egypt 5.7%, Portugal
4.8%, Japan 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003)
Imports:
$505 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,
transportation equipment
Imports - partners:
South Africa 53.7%, India 4.9%, Tanzania 3.9% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$132 million (2003)
Debt - external:
$3.026 billion (2003)
Economic aid - recipient:
$540 million (1999)
Currency:
Malawian kwacha (MWK)
Currency code:
MWK
Exchange rates:
Malawian kwachas per US dollar - NA (2003), 76.6866 (2002), 72.1973
(2001), 59.5438 (2000), 44.0881 (1999)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Communications Malawi
Telephones - main lines in use:
85,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
135,100 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third
station held in standby status) (2001)
Radios:
2.6 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
NA
Internet country code:
.mw
Internet hosts:
18 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2002)
Internet users:
36,000 (2003)
Transportation Malawi
Railways: total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 28,400 km paved: 5,254 km unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 700 km note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River (2003)
Ports and harbors:
Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba
Airports:
42 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
Military Malawi
Military branches:
Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including
Mobile Force Unit)
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2001)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,691,881 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,381,607 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.7% (2003)
Transnational Issues Malawi
Disputes - international: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Malaysia
Introduction Malaysia
Background:
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established
colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these
were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled
territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya,
which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when
the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian
states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined
the Federation. The first several years of the country's history
were marred by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine
claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in
1965.
Geography Malaysia
Location:
Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern
one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and
the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:
2 30 N, 112 30 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 329,750 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km
land: 328,550 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries: total: 2,669 km border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Coastline:
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
specified boundary in the South China Sea
Climate:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
(October to February) monsoons
Terrain:
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use: arable land: 5.48% other: 76.91% (2001) permanent crops: 17.61%
Irrigated land:
3,650 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
flooding, landslides, forest fires
Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China
Sea
People Malaysia
Population:
23,522,482 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.3% (male 4,033,037; female 3,806,451)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 7,326,068; female 7,289,783)
65 years and over: 4.5% (male 469,499; female 597,644) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.8 years
male: 23.2 years
female: 24.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.83% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
23.37 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
5.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
immigrants from other countries in the region (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 21.23 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.95 years
male: 69.29 years
female: 74.81 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.1 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
52,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Malaysian(s)
adjective: Malaysian
Ethnic groups:
Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%, others 10%
(2000)
Religions:
Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in
addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia
Languages:
Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese,
Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,
Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia
several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban and
Kadazan
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.7%
male: 92%
female: 85.4% (2002)
Government Malaysia
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia former: Federation of Malaysia
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August
1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore)
formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left Federation on 9 August 1965);
nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament
consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka
and Penang; those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East
Malaysia have governors appointed by Malaysian Government; powers of
state governments are limited by federal constitution; under terms
of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional
prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration
controls); Sabah - currently holds 20 seats in House of
Representatives and will hold 25 seats after the next election;
Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives
Capital:
Kuala Lumpur
note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital;
Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions:
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah,
Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau
Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and one federal
territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala
Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya
Independence:
31 August 1957 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)
Constitution:
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in
the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni
Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12
December 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since
31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister NAJIB Tun Razak (since 7
January 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed
Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler
elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers
of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12
December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designated
from among the members of the House of Representatives; following
legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality
of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan
Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed
by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan
Rakyat (219 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - BN 91%, DAP 5%, PAS 3%, other 1%; seats by party - BN 199,
DAP 12, PAS 6, Keadilan 1, independent 1
elections: House of Representatives - last held 21 March 2004 (next
must be held by 2009)
Judicial branch:
Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the
advice of the prime minister)
Political parties and leaders:
ruling-coalition National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN,
consisting of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party
or PGRM [LIM Keng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal
Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese
Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting];
Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy
VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Pakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti
Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka
Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti
Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti
Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's
Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam];
United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi];
United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan
Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK];
People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or
PPP [M.Keyveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP
[William MAWANI]; opposition parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti
Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of
Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH
Wan Ismael]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DANDUNG];
opposition coalition Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA
consists of PAS and PKR
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ABEDA, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalid
chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: (202) 572-9882
telephone: (202) 572-9700
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAFLEUR embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152 telephone: (3) 2168-5000 FAX: (3) 2142-2207
Flag description:
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white
(bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent
and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based
on the flag of the US
Economy Malaysia
Economy - overview:
Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from 1971
through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an
emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven
by exports - particularly of electronics. As a result Malaysia was
hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the
information technology (IT) sector in 2001 and 2002. GDP in 2001
grew only 0.5% due to an estimated 11% contraction in exports, but a
substantial fiscal stimulus package equal to US $1.9 billion
mitigated the worst of the recession and the economy rebounded in
2002 with a 4.1% increase. The economy grew 4.9% in 2003,
notwithstanding a difficult first half, when external pressures from
SARS and the Iraq War led to caution in the business community.
Healthy foreign exchange reserves and a relatively small external
debt make it unlikely that Malaysia will experience a crisis similar
to the one in 1997, but the economy remains vulnerable to a more
protracted slowdown in Japan and the US, top export destinations and
key sources of foreign investment. The Malaysian ringgit is pegged
to the dollar, and the Japanese central bank continues to intervene
and prop up the yen against the dollar.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $207.8 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.3% industry: 33.5% services: 59.1% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.2% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
8% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
49.2 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.1% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
10.26 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14.5%, industry 36%, services 49.5% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.6% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $22.95 billion
expenditures: $27.75 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.4
billion (2003 est.)
Public debt:
45.5% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah -
subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber,
pepper; timber
Industries:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and
manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining
and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging,
petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum
production and refining, logging
Industrial production growth rate:
9.3% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
75.33 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - consumption:
68.4 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:
690,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:
460,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:
230,200 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - imports:
NA (2003)
Oil - proved reserves:
3.729 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
53.66 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
31.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
22.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.23 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$13.38 billion (2003)
Exports:
$98.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and
wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals
Exports - partners:
US 19.6%, Singapore 15.7%, Japan 10.7%, China 6.5%, Hong Kong 6.5%,
Thailand 4.4% (2003)
Imports:
$74.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles,
iron and steel products, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Japan 17.3%, US 15.5%, Singapore 11.9%, China 8.8%, South Korea
5.5%, Taiwan 5%, Germany 4.7%, Thailand 4.6% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$44.58 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$48.84 billion (2003 est.)
Currency:
ringgit (MYR)
Currency code:
MYR
Exchange rates:
ringgits per US dollar - 3.8 (2003), 3.8 (2002), 3.8 (2001), 3.8
(2000), 3.8 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Malaysia
Telephones - main lines in use:
4,571,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
11,124,100 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system; international service excellent
domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
satellite system with 2 earth stations
international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong
Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)
Radios:
10.9 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
10.8 million (1999)
Internet country code:
.my
Internet hosts:
107,971 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
7 (2000)
Internet users:
8,692,100 (2003)
Transportation Malaysia
Railways:
total: 2,418 km (207 km electrified)
standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 2,361 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2003)
Highways:
total: 65,877 km
paved: 49,935 km (including 1,192 km of expressways)
unpaved: 15,942 km (1999)
Waterways:
7,200 km
note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km, Sabah 1,500 km, Sarawak 2,500 km
(2004)
Pipelines:
condensate 279 km; gas 5,047 km; oil 1,841 km; refined products 114
km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad
Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, George Town (Penang), Port Dickson,
Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau
Merchant marine:
total: 360 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,389,397 GRT/7,539,178 DWT
foreign-owned: China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 8, Indonesia 2, Japan
2, South Korea 1, Liberia 1, Monaco 1, Norway 1, Philippines 2,
Singapore 81, Vietnam 1
registered in other countries: 75 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 59, cargo 100, chemical tanker 38, container 66,
liquefied gas 25, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker
56, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 8
Airports:
117 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 38 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 79 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)
Military Malaysia
Military branches:
Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force,
Royal Malaysian Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,193,587 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,746,960 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 223,466 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.69 billion (FY00 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.03% (FY00)
Transnational Issues Malaysia
Disputes - international:
involved in complex dispute with China, Philippines, Taiwan,
Vietnam and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002
"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has
eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants; disputes over
deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land
reclamation, bridge construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra
Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ
arbitration on island dispute within three years; ICJ awarded
Ligitan and Sipadan islands off the coast of Sabah, also claimed by
Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia; a 1 kilometer segment at the
mouth of the Golok River remains in dispute with Thailand;
Philippines retains a now dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in
northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the
Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue the Sultanate's
sovereignty claim; in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil
exploration in their offshore and deepwater seabeds until
negotiations progress to an agreement over allocation of disputed
areas; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in
dispute
Illicit drugs:
transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking prosecuted
vigorously and carries severe penalties
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Maldives
Introduction Maldives
Background:
The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then
under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three
years after independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM
- currently in his sixth term in office - has dominated the island's
political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004,
the president and his government have pledged to embark upon
democratic reforms, including a more representative political system
and expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are being
developed on the archipelago.
Geography Maldives
Location:
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest
of India
Geographic coordinates:
3 15 N, 73 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 300 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 300 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
644 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);
rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain:
flat, with white sandy beaches
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu
Atoll 2.4 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 16.67%
other: 70% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
Environment - current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands,
plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic
location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
People Maldives
Population:
339,330 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 77,424; female 73,191)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 91,045; female 87,331)
65 years and over: 3% (male 5,207; female 5,132) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.86% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
36.06 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
7.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 58.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 57.43 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.68 years
male: 62.41 years
female: 65.01 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.14 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 100 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian
Ethnic groups:
South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs
Religions:
Sunni Muslim
Languages:
Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic),
English spoken by most government officials
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.2%
male: 97.1%
female: 97.3% (2003 est.)
Government Maldives
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Male
Administrative divisions:
19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order
administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu,
Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu,
Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
Independence:
26 July 1965 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Constitution:
adopted January 1998
Legal system:
based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law
primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November
1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination
must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval
margin is required); president elected for a five-year term;
election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in
referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon
Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11
November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by
popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50
Judicial branch:
High Court
Political parties and leaders:
although political parties are not banned, none exist
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017
telephone: (212) 599-6195
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to
Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
Flag description:
red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical
white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side
of the flag
Economy Maldives
Economy - overview:
Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and
more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90%
of government tax revenue comes from import duties and
tourism-related taxes. Fishing is a second leading sector. The
Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989
initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the
private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to
allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing
continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the
limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic
labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists
mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts,
accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the
impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying
country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.25 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 18%
services: 62% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
88,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
NEGL% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80
million (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Industries:
fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut
processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand
mining
Industrial production growth rate:
4.4% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production:
117 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
108.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
3,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$90 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish, clothing
Exports - partners:
US 32.1%, Thailand 17%, Sri Lanka 13.4%, Japan 10.7%, UK 9.8%,
Indonesia 4.5% (2003)
Imports:
$392 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
Singapore 24.8%, Sri Lanka 13.8%, India 10.2%, Malaysia 7.6%, UAE
7.6%, Thailand 5.1% (2003)
Debt - external:
$281 million (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
NA (1995)
Currency:
rufiyaa (MVR)
Currency code:
MVR
Exchange rates:
rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.2421 (2001),
11.77 (2000), 11.77 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Maldives
Telephones - main lines in use:
28,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
41,900 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all
inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service
international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3
Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
35,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)
Televisions:
10,000 (1999)
Internet country code:
.mv
Internet hosts:
532 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
15,000 (2002)
Transportation Maldives
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors:
Gan, Male
Merchant marine:
total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,164 GRT/68,973 DWT
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1,
short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: North Korea 1
Airports:
5 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Military Maldives
Military branches:
National Security Service: comprising Security Branch (ground
forces), Air Element; Coast Guard
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 81,221 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 45,142 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$43.1 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
8.6% (2003)
Transnational Issues Maldives
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Mali
Introduction Mali
Background:
The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in
1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few
months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed
Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a
transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic
presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997,
President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and
economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's
two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was
succeeded by Amadou TOURE.
Geography Mali
Location:
Western Africa, southwest of Algeria
Geographic coordinates:
17 00 N, 4 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1.24 million sq km
water: 20,000 sq km
land: 1.22 million sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 7,243 km
border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
Senegal 419 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid,
and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February
Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in
south, rugged hills in northeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
Natural resources:
gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower
note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are
known but not exploited
Land use:
arable land: 3.82%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 96.15% (2001)
Irrigated land:
1,380 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring
droughts; occasional Niger River flooding
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies
of potable water; poaching
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,
cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the
northern, arid Saharan
People Mali
Population:
11,956,788 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.1% (male 2,835,378; female 2,801,578)
15-64 years: 49.9% (male 2,862,075; female 3,101,009)
65 years and over: 3% (male 163,927; female 192,821) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.3 years
male: 15.7 years
female: 16.9 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.78% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
47.29 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
19.12 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 117.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 111.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 124.51 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 45.28 years
male: 44.7 years
female: 45.87 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.58 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
12,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:
noun: Malian(s)
adjective: Malian
Ethnic groups:
Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,
Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%
Religions:
Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%
Languages:
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 46.4%
male: 53.5%
female: 39.6% (2003 est.)
Government Mali
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mali
conventional short form: Mali
local short form: Mali
former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic
local long form: Republique de Mali
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Bamako
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,
Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou
Independence:
22 September 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 September (1960)
Constitution:
adopted 12 January 1992
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally
established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi MAIGA (since 30
April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(two-term limit); election last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held NA
May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of
vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 July and 28 July 2002 (next to be held NA
July 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Hope 2002 coalition 66, ADEMA 51, other 30
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE, party
chairman]; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA
[Yoro DIAKITE]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou
Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Hope 2002 [leader NA]; Movement for the
Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA
[Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for
Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for
Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for
National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME,
secretary general]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali
GNANGADO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA,
chairman]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Bonbasor KEITA, chairman];
Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou
TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress
or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and
Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and
Fronts of Azawad or MFUA
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP FAX: (202) 332-6603 telephone: (202) 332-2249, 939-8950 chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vicki HUDDLESTONE embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako telephone: (2) 223-833 FAX: (2) 223-712
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy Mali
Economy - overview:
Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its
land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal
distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the
riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is
nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and
fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm
commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable
to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along
with gold. The government has continued its successful
implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program
that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign
investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50%
devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 have pushed up
economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2002. Worker
remittances and external trade routes have been jeopardized by
continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.53 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $900 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 17% services: 38% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
64% average; 30% of the total population living in urban areas; 70%
of the total population living in rural areas) (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.8%
highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.5 (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
3.93 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and fishing 80% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $764 million
expenditures: $828 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2002 est.)
Agriculture - products: cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats
Industries:
food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:
NA (FY96/97)
Electricity - production:
480.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
446.6 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$915 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
cotton, gold, livestock
Exports - partners:
Thailand 14%, China 12.1%, India 7.9%, Italy 7.5%, Bangladesh 6.1%,
UK 6.1% (2003)
Imports:
$927 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,
foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
France 15.4%, Senegal 7.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.1% (2003)
Debt - external:
$3.3 billion (2000)
Economic aid - recipient:
$596.4 million (2001)
Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:
XOF
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Mali
Telephones - main lines in use:
56,600 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
250,000 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
provides only minimal service
domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and
radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio
relay in progress
international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1 note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International (2001)
Radios:
570,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
45,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ml
Internet hosts:
187 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (2001)
Internet users:
25,000 (2002)
Transportation Mali
Railways: total: 729 km narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 15,100 km paved: 1,827 km unpaved: 13,273 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:
1,815 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Koulikoro
Airports:
27 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
Military Mali
Military branches:
Army, Air Force, National Guard
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,529,147 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,450,795 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$51.1 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (2003)
Transnational Issues Mali
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Malta
Introduction Malta
Background:
Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The
island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the
island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a
financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU
member in May of 2004.
Geography Malta
Location:
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily
(Italy)
Geographic coordinates:
35 50 N, 14 35 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 316 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 316 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
contiguous zone: 24 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers
Terrain:
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)
Natural resources: limestone, salt, arable land
Land use: arable land: 28.13% permanent crops: 3.13% other: 68.74% (2001)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest
islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being
inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are
discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf
between their countries, particularly for oil exploration
People Malta
Population:
396,851 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.1% (male 36,891; female 34,912)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 137,259; female 134,611)
65 years and over: 13.4% (male 22,691; female 30,487) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 38 years
male: 36.6 years
female: 39.5 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.42% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
10.09 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
7.93 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.45 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.68 years
male: 76.51 years
female: 80.98 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.49 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese
Ethnic groups:
Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with
strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%
Languages:
Maltese (official), English (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8%
male: 92%
female: 93.6% (2003 est.)
Government Malta
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta
local short form: Malta
local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Valletta
Administrative divisions: none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local Councils carry out administrative orders
Independence:
21 September 1964 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September (1964)
Constitution:
1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974 and
again in 1987
Legal system:
based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a
five-year term; election last held 29 March 2004 (next to be held by
April 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the
deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of
the prime minister
election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; percent of
House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note -
additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular
vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by
popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by April 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.7%, MLP 47.6%, AD
0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Political parties and leaders:
Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry
VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party
or PN [Lawrence GONZI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer affiliate), WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL
consulate(s): New York
FAX: (202) 387-5470
telephone: (202) 462-3611, 3612
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William
GRANT
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,
Malta VLT 01
mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta, CMR01
telephone: 2561 4000
FAX: 21 243229
Flag description:
two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the
upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,
edged in red
Economy Malta
Economy - overview:
Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and
a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food
needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has no domestic energy
sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing
(especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Malta is
privatizing state-controlled firms and liberalizing markets in order
to prepare for membership in the European Union. The island remains
divided politically, however, over the question of joining the EU.
Continued sluggishness in the global economy is holding back
exports, tourism, and overall growth.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $7.082 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.8% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 23% services: 74% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.1% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.4% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
160,000 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 5%, industry 24%, services 71% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.086 billion
expenditures: $2.367 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut
flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs
Industries:
tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food
and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
1.768 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
1.644 billion 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)
Current account balance:
$-250 million (2003)
Exports:
$2.175 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures
Exports - partners:
Singapore 17.4%, US 11.6%, UK 9.4%, Germany 8.8%, France 7.5%,
China 7% (2003)
Imports:
$2.761 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and
semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco
Imports - partners:
Italy 19.3%, France 13.7%, UK 8.5%, Germany 6.6%, Singapore 6.1%,
Japan 5.7%, South Korea 5.5%, US 4.1% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.429 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$130 million (1997)
Economic aid - recipient:
NA
Currency:
Maltese lira (MTL)
Currency code:
MTL
Exchange rates:
Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3772 (2003), 0.4336 (2002), 0.4501
(2001), 0.4382 (2000), 0.3989 (1999)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications Malta
Telephones - main lines in use:
208,300 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
290,000 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)
Radios:
255,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
6 (2000)
Televisions:
280,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.mt
Internet hosts:
7,156 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2002)
Internet users:
120,000 (2002)
Transportation Malta
Highways: total: 2,254 km paved: 1,972 km unpaved: 282 km (2000)
Ports and harbors:
Marsaxlokk, Valletta
Merchant marine:
total: 1,176 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,102,401 GRT/41,176,791 DWT
by type: bulk 468, cargo 251, chemical tanker 46, combination bulk
8, combination ore/oil 8, container 74, liquefied gas 4, livestock
carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 7,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 210, refrigerated cargo 40, roll
on/roll off 35, short-sea/passenger 6, vehicle carrier 15
registered in other countries: 18 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 4, Austria 6, Bangladesh 3, Belgium 13,
Bulgaria 19, Canada 8, China 14, Croatia 9, Cyprus 6, Denmark 4,
Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 1, Germany 52, Greece 603, Hong Kong 3,
Iceland 5, India 4, Indonesia 2, Iran 4, Israel 20, Italy 24, Japan
3, South Korea 2, Latvia 25, Lebanon 6, Madagascar 1, Monaco 14,
Netherlands 5, Nigeria 1, Norway 32, Pakistan 1, Poland 30, Portugal
3, Romania 8, Russia 69, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 2, Slovenia 3,
Switzerland 30, Syria 4, Taiwan 1, Turkey 108, Ukraine 22, United
Kingdom 2, United States 8
Airports:
1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Malta
Military branches:
Armed Forces: Land Forces (including Air Squadron and Maritime
Squadron), Revenue Security Corps
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2001)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 99,324 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 79,128 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$33.3 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.7% (2003)
Transnational Issues Malta
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western
Europe
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Man, Isle of
Introduction Man, Isle of
Background:
Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th
century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the
British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost
extinct Manx Gaelic language.
Geography Man, Isle of
Location:
Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and
Ireland
Geographic coordinates:
54 15 N, 4 30 W
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 572 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 572 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
160 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:
temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third
of the time
Terrain:
hills in north and south bisected by central valley
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m highest point: Snaefell 621 m
Natural resources:
none
Land use:
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)
(2002)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air
pollution
Geography - note:
one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a
bird sanctuary
People Man, Isle of
Population:
74,655 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 6,669; female 6,357)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 24,527; female 24,302)
65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,128; female 7,672) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.3 years
male: 38 years
female: 40.8 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.53% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
11.28 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
11.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
5.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.08 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.16 years
male: 74.8 years
female: 81.7 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx
Ethnic groups:
Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton
Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society
of Friends
Languages:
English, Manx Gaelic
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Government Man, Isle of
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man
Dependency status:
British crown dependency
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Douglas
Administrative divisions:
none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with
its own elections
Independence:
none (British crown dependency)
National holiday:
Tynwald Day, 5 July
Constitution:
unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act, 1961, does not
embody the unwritten Manx Constitution
Legal system:
English common law and Manx statute
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Ian MACFADYEN (since 26
October 2002)
election results: Donald GELLING elected chief minister by the
Tynwald; note - Richard CORKILL resigned 2 December 2004
elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
by the monarch for a five-year term; the Chief Minister is elected
by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2004 (next to be held
NA December 2010)
head of government: Chief Minister Donald GELLING (since 14 December
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-member
body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor
and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the
House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be
held NA November 2006)
election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man
Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats
by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3,
independents 19
Judicial branch:
High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord
Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor)
Political parties and leaders: Man Labor Party [leader NA]; Alliance for Progressive Government [leader NA]; Man Nationalist Party [leader NA] note: most members sit as independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (British crown dependency)
Flag description:
red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center;
the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in
order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag,
a two-sided emblem is used
Economy Man, Isle of
Economy - overview:
Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the
economy. The government's policy of offering incentives to
high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on
the island has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in
high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once
the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP.
Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to
EU markets.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.6 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
13.5%
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13%
services: 86% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (March 2003 est.)
Labor force:
36,610 (1998)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%,
construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and
retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%,
public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%,
entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10%
Unemployment rate:
0.7% (March 2003)
Budget:
revenues: $485 million
expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY00/01 est.)
Agriculture - products:
cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
Industries:
financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (FY96/97)
Exports:
NA
Exports - commodities:
tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb
Exports - partners:
UK (2000)
Imports:
NA
Imports - commodities:
timber, fertilizers, fish
Imports - partners:
UK (2000)
Debt - external:
NA
Economic aid - recipient:
NA
Currency:
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound
Currency code:
GBP
Exchange rates:
Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.6125 (2003), 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944
(2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999); the Manx pound is at par with
the British pound
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications Man, Isle of
Telephones - main lines in use:
51,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite
earth station, submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
NA
Television broadcast stations:
0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)
Televisions:
27,490 (1999)
Internet country code:
.im
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA
Internet users:
NA
Transportation Man, Isle of
Railways: total: 61 km (35 km electrified) (2003)
Highways: total: 800 km paved: 800 km unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Ports and harbors:
Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey
Merchant marine:
total: 226 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,055,436 GRT/9,972,459 DWT
by type: bulk 25, cargo 40, chemical tanker 25, combination bulk 2,
container 19, liquefied gas 31, multi-functional large load carrier
1, petroleum tanker 59, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 17,
specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5
registered in other countries: 9 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 3, Cyprus 4, Denmark 30, Estonia 3, France
1, Germany 57, Greece 8, Hong Kong 11, Iceland 1, Italy 6, Monaco 4,
Netherlands 2, New Zealand 1, Norway 10, Singapore 2, Sweden 3,
United Kingdom 80, United States 1
Airports:
1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Man, Isle of
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Man, Isle of
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Marshall Islands
Introduction Marshall Islands
Background:
After almost four decades under US administration as the
easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands,
the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact
of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US
nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The
Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan
Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense
network.
Geography Marshall Islands
Location:
Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates:
9 00 N, 168 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 181.3 sq km
note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro,
Rongelap, and Utirik
water: 0 sq km
land: 181.3 sq km
Area - comparative:
about the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
370.4 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot and humid; wet season from May to November; islands
border typhoon belt
Terrain:
low coral limestone and sand islands
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
Natural resources:
coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Land use:
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 38.89%
other: 44.44% (2001)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
infrequent typhoons
Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands;
Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the
famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test
range
People Marshall Islands
Population:
57,738 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.6% (male 11,347; female 10,934)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 17,380; female 16,520)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 748; female 809) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.6 years
male: 19.6 years
female: 19.6 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.29% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
33.88 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
4.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-6.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 34.19 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.7 years
male: 67.77 years
female: 71.73 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
adjective: Marshallese
Ethnic groups:
Micronesian
Religions:
Christian (mostly Protestant)
Languages:
English (widely spoken as a second language, both English and
Marshallese are official languages), two major Marshallese dialects
from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 93.6%
female: 93.7% (1999)
Government Marshall Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
conventional short form: Marshall Islands
former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands)
Government type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and
the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004
Capital:
Majuro
Administrative divisions:
33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur,
Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo,
Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili,
Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik,
Wotho, Wotje
Independence:
21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)
Constitution:
1 May 1979
Legal system:
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
municipal, common, and customary laws
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of
Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own
members for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003
(next to be held NA November 2007)
election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of
Parliament vote - 100%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held not later
than November 2007)
note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on
matters affecting customary law and practice
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; High Court
Political parties and leaders: traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party [Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Honolulu FAX: (202) 232-3236 telephone: (202) 234-5414
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS
embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
Islands 96960-1379
telephone: 247-4011
FAX: 247-4012
Flag description:
blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner -
orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays
and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes
Economy Marshall Islands
Economy - overview:
US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island
economy. Agricultural production is primarily subsistence and is
concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are
coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to
handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a
small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the
labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The
islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports.
Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US has
provided more than $1 billion in aid since 1986. Negotiations have
continued for an extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought,
a drop in construction, the decline in tourism and foreign
investment due to the Asian financial difficulties, and less income
from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to
an average of 1% over the past decade.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $115 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 16%
services: 70% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
28,700 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7%
Unemployment rate:
30.9% (1999 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $42 million
expenditures: $40 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens
Industries:
copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Exports:
$9 million f.o.b. (2000)
Exports - commodities:
copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish
Exports - partners:
US, Japan, Australia, China (2000)
Imports:
$54 million f.o.b. (2000)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners:
US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2000)
Debt - external:
$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002
Currency:
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
USD
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is the legal tender
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Communications Marshall Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
4,500 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
600 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services
include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID,
and leased data circuits
domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,
seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by
shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications
system on Kwajalein (2001)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television
Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station
on Kwajalein (2002)
Radios:
NA
Television broadcast stations:
2 (both are US military stations) (2002)
Televisions:
NA
Internet country code:
.mh
Internet hosts:
6 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
1,400 (2003)
Transportation Marshall Islands
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: 64.5 km
unpaved: NA km
note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise
stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)
Ports and harbors:
Majuro
Merchant marine:
total: 420 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,954,092 GRT/28,176,762 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 81, cargo 25, chemical tanker 41,
combination bulk 4, combination ore/oil 7, container 77, liquefied
gas 9, multi-functional large load carrier 5, passenger 6, petroleum
tanker 149, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 7, vehicle
carrier 4
registered in other countries: 50 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Chile 3, Croatia 2, Cyprus 10, Denmark
2, Germany 119, Greece 82, Hong Kong 12, India 2, Japan 16, Monaco
18, Netherlands 6, New Zealand 1, Norway 5, Poland 11, Singapore 1,
Slovenia 1, Switzerland 4, Thailand 2, Turkey 8, United Kingdom 10,
United States 92
Airports:
15 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Marshall Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Marshall Islands
Disputes - international: claims US territory of Wake Island
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Martinique
Introduction Martinique
Background:
Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a
French possession except for three brief periods of foreign
occupation.
Geography Martinique
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
14 40 N, 61 00 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 1,100 sq km
water: 40 sq km
land: 1,060 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
350 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October);
vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on
average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid
Terrain:
mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m
Natural resources: coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land
Land use: arable land: 10.38% permanent crops: 9.43% other: 80.19% (2001)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one
major natural disaster every five years)
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted
and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000
inhabitants
People Martinique
Population:
429,510 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.6% (male 49,245; female 47,845)
15-64 years: 67% (male 143,893; female 143,963)
65 years and over: 10.4% (male 20,043; female 24,521) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 33.1 years
male: 32.5 years
female: 33.8 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.81% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
14.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.88 years
male: 79.35 years
female: 78.4 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
adjective: Martiniquais
Ethnic groups:
African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East
Indian, Chinese less than 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%,
other 3.5% (1997)
Languages:
French, Creole patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.7%
male: 97.4%
female: 98.1% (2003 est.)
Government Martinique
Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Martinique
conventional short form: Martinique
local short form: Martinique
local long form: Departement de la Martinique
Dependency status:
overseas department of France
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Fort-de-France
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); Prefect Yves DASSONVILLE (since 14 January 2004); note - took
office 8 February 2004
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 Claude LISE
(since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred
MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)
cabinet: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 28 March 2004 (next
to be held by March 2010)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing
candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM
won a plurality; Regional Assembly (second round) - percent of vote
by party - MIM 53.8%, PPM 30.6%; seats by party - MIM 28, PPM 9,
other 4
note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last
held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique
also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last
held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next
to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PS 1, MIM 1, left-wing
candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid
by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:
Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Georges ERICHOT]; Martinique
Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique
Progressive Party or PPM [Pierre SUEDILE]; Martinique Socialist
Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and
Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA];
Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist
Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French
Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for
Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle;
League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP
International organization participation:
UPU, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas department of France)
Flag description:
a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white
cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of
France is used for official occasions
Economy Martinique
Economy - overview:
The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light
industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small
industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most
of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports
are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable,
and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic
trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from
France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become
more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign
exchange.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $6.117 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
NA
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 11%
services: 83% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.9% (1990)
Labor force:
165,900 (1998)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)
Unemployment rate:
27.2% (1998)
Budget:
revenues: $900 million
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140
million (1996)
Agriculture - products:
pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane
Industries:
construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
1.151 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
1.07 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
13,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$250 million f.o.b. (1997)
Exports - commodities:
refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples (2001 est.)
Exports - partners:
France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2000)
Imports:
$2 billion c.i.f. (1997)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials,
vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods
Imports - partners:
France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2000)
Debt - external:
$180 million (1994)
Economic aid - recipient:
$NA; note - substantial annual aid from France (1998)
Currency:
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
EUR
Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995
(1998)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Martinique
Telephones - main lines in use:
172,000 est (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
319,900 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 596; microwave radio relay to
Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
82,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
66,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.mq
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
40,000 (2002)
Transportation Martinique
Highways: total: 2,105 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2000)
Ports and harbors:
Fort-de-France, La Trinite
Merchant marine:
none
Airports:
2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Martinique
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Martinique
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and
Europe
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Mauritania
Introduction Mauritania
Background:
Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern
third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but
relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario
guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Opposition
parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two
multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as
flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were
generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party
state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between
its black population and the dominant Moor (Arab-Berber) populace.
Geography Mauritania
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Senegal and Western Sahara
Geographic coordinates:
20 00 N, 12 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km
water: 300 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 5,074 km
border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,
Western Sahara 1,561 km
Coastline:
754 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain:
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m
Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish
Land use: arable land: 0.48% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (2001)
Irrigated land:
490 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and
April; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought
are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh
water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial
river; locust infestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and
Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the
country
People Mauritania
Population:
2,998,563 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.9% (male 689,371; female 686,486)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 767,551; female 788,520)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 27,106; female 39,529) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.9 years
male: 16.7 years
female: 17.2 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.91% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
41.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
12.74 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 72.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 69.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 75.22 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.32 years
male: 50.15 years
female: 54.56 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.01 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, Rift Valley fever
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:
noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian
Ethnic groups:
mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%
Religions:
Muslim 100%
Languages:
Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.7%
male: 51.8%
female: 31.9% (2003 est.)
Government Mauritania
Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania
local short form: Muritaniyah
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Nouakchott
Administrative divisions:
12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*;
Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh
Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris
Zemmour, Trarza
Independence:
28 November 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Constitution:
12 July 1991
Legal system:
a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12
December 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'BARECK (since 6
July 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected
for a third term with 60.8% of the vote
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh
(56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years;
members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and
the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2002 (next to be held NA
April 2004); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001
(next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PRDS 54, RFD 1, UNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%;
seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts
Political parties and leaders:
Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for
Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE]; Democratic and Social
Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Maaouya Ould Sid
Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for Renewal and Concorde or PMRC
[Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National Union for Democracy and
Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality and
Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould
CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould
BOULKHEIR]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed
Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould
MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH];
Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Union
for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002
although its members were permitted to keep their seats in the
National Assembly; parties legalized by constitution ratified 12
July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Arab nationalists; Ba'athists; General Confederation of Mauritanian
Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general];
Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory
Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely
Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member),
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould KERIM
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: (202) 319-2623
telephone: (202) 232-5700, 5701
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: 525-2660/525-2663 FAX: 25-25-92
Flag description:
green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal
crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent,
star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
Economy Mauritania
Economy - overview:
Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for
a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers
were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and
1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account
for nearly 40% of total exports. The decline in world demand for
this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's
coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but
overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue.
The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986.
In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a
buildup of foreign debt. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for
debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor
and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. In
2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated
potential extraction at current world oil prices. A new investment
code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct
foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve
problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. Substantial oil
production and exports probably will not begin until 2005. Meantime
the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of
health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $5.195 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.3 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
786,000 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 50%, industry 10%, services 40% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
21% (1999 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $421 million
expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154
million (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products:
dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep
Industries:
fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:
157.4 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
146.3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$541 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:
iron ore, fish and fish products, gold
Exports - partners:
Japan 12.5%, France 12.1%, Spain 11.4%, Italy 10.4%, Belgium 7.8%,
Germany 7.4%, Russia 5%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2%, Netherlands 4% (2003)
Imports:
$860 million f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods,
foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
France 16.8%, Spain 7.7%, China 6.3%, Belgium 5.1%, Germany 4.9%,
Japan 4.3%, UK 4.1%, US 4% (2003)
Debt - external:
$2.5 billion (2000)
Economic aid - recipient:
$220 million (2000)
Currency:
ouguiya (MRO)
Currency code:
MRO
Exchange rates:
ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2003), 271.739 (2002), 255.629 (2001)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Mauritania
Telephones - main lines in use:
31,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
300,000 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines,
minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications
stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
regional capitals
international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
410,000 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)
Televisions:
98,000 (2001)
Internet country code:
.mr
Internet hosts:
25 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)
Internet users:
10,000 (2002)
Transportation Mauritania
Railways: 717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 7,720 km paved: 830 km unpaved: 6,890 km (2000)
Waterways:
some ferry traffic on Senegal River (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso
Merchant marine:
none
Airports:
24 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Mauritania
Military branches:
Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force, National
Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard
(BSSP)
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 686,629 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 332,633 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$40.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.7% (2003)
Transnational Issues Mauritania
Disputes - international: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Mauritius
Introduction Mauritius
Background:
Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently
held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was
attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and
a positive human rights record, the country has attracted
considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's
highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar
prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over
standards of living in the Creole community.
Geography Mauritius
Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:
20 17 S, 57 33 E
Map references:
Political Map of the World
Area:
total: 2,040 sq km
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
Brandon), and Rodrigues
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,030 sq km
Area - comparative:
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
177 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May
to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Terrain:
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling
central plateau
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
Natural resources:
arable land, fish
Land use: arable land: 49.26% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 47.78% (2001)
Irrigated land:
200 sq km (2000 est.)
Natural hazards:
cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs
that may pose maritime hazards
Environment - current issues:
water pollution, degradation of coral reefs
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of
volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs
People Mauritius
Population:
1,220,481 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.8% (male 152,424; female 149,908)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 418,836; female 420,411)
65 years and over: 6.5% (male 31,104; female 47,798) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 30.1 years
male: 29.3 years
female: 31.1 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.81% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
15.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 18.36 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.09 years
male: 68.11 years
female: 76.13 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
700 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective: Mauritian
Ethnic groups:
Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian
2%
Religions:
Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%),
Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%
Languages:
English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka,
Bhojpuri
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.6%
male: 88.6%
female: 82.7% (2003 est.)
Government Mauritius
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Port Louis
Administrative divisions:
9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River,
Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses,
Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne
Independence:
12 March 1968 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Constitution:
12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
Legal system:
based on French civil law system with elements of English common
law in certain areas
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October
2003) and Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February
2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002
(next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister
appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN
elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly -
NA; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote,
4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political
parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held NA
September 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD
36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP
[Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul
BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat Party
or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or
MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or MR
[Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR
[Serge CLAIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
various labor unions
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH
FAX: (202) 966-0983
telephone: (202) 244-1491, 1492
chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE
embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US
mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington,
DC 20521-2450
telephone: 202-4400
FAX: 208-9534
Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
Economy Mauritius
Economy - overview:
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a
low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income
diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist
sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order
of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more
equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered
infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is
grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25%
of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on
expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic
information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted
more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India
and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has
reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector
and responsible fiscal management, has been well poised to take
advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $13.85 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.1% industry: 30.3% services: 63.6% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.9% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
10% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37 (1987 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.2% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
560,000 (2003)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry 36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
9.8% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.122 billion
expenditures: $1.461 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)
Public debt:
31.9% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Industries:
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing;
chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical
machinery; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
8% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.311 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
1.219 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
21,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Current account balance:
$289 million (2003)
Exports:
$1.965 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses
Exports - partners:
UK 31%, France 21.3%, US 17.6%, Madagascar 6.3% (2003)
Imports:
$2.136 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum
products, chemicals
Imports - partners:
South Africa 12.1%, France 12%, China 8.4%, India 8.2% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.598 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$1.75 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$42 million (1997)
Currency:
Mauritian rupee (MUR)
Currency code:
MUR
Exchange rates:
Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 27.9015 (2003), 29.962 (2002),
29.1293 (2001), 26.2496 (2000), 25.1858 (1999)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Communications Mauritius
Telephones - main lines in use:
348,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
462,400 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system
international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF
radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine
cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)
Radios:
420,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
258,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.mu
Internet hosts:
3,985 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
150,000 (2003)
Transportation Mauritius
Highways:
total: 1,926 km
paved: 1,868 km (including 44 km of expressways)
unpaved: 58 km (2000)
Ports and harbors:
Port Louis
Merchant marine:
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,946 GRT/27,102 DWT
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, India 4, Switzerland 2 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 1, combination bulk 4, passenger/cargo 1,
refrigerated cargo 2
Airports:
5 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Mauritius
Military branches:
National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile
Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 342,482 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 172,157 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.2 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.2% (2003)
Transnational Issues Mauritius
Disputes - international:
Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British
Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside
chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to
repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Illicit drugs:
minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia;
small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant
offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering,
but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears
generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Mayotte
Introduction Mayotte
Background:
Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the
Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago
that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego
independence.
Geography Mayotte
Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half
of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
12 50 S, 45 10 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 374 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 374 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
185.2 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern
monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
Terrain:
generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
cyclones during rainy season
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands
People Mayotte
Population:
186,026 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.4% (male 43,301; female 42,934)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 52,534; female 44,100)
65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,579; female 1,578) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.9 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 15.8 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
4.09% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
42.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
8.11 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
6.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 64.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 57.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 70.42 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.99 years
male: 58.85 years
female: 63.2 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran
Ethnic groups:
NA
Religions:
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)
Languages:
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by
35% of the population
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Government Mayotte
Country name:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte
Dependency status:
territorial collectivity of France
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Mamoutzou
Administrative divisions:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
Independence:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council
elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term
head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa
BAMANA (since NA 1977)
cabinet: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last
held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also
elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election on NA June
2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF
44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement
or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR [Mansour
KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar
SALIM]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti
Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF
[Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy Mayotte
Economy - overview:
Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector,
including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not
self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food
requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development
of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,
an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an
obstacle to the development of tourism.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $466.8 million (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
NA
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 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:
48,800 (2000)
Unemployment rate:
38% (1999)
Budget:
revenues: NA
expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1991 est.)
Agriculture - products:
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra
Industries:
newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Exports:
$3.44 million f.o.b. (1997)
Exports - commodities:
ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee,
cinnamon
Exports - partners:
France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000)
Imports:
$141.3 million f.o.b. (1997)
Imports - commodities:
food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals,
chemicals
Imports - partners:
France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.)
Debt - external:
NA
Economic aid - recipient:
$107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (1995)
Currency:
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
EUR
Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Mayotte
Telephones - main lines in use:
10,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
21,700 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: small system administered by French Department
of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA
international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:
NA
Television broadcast stations:
3 (2001)
Televisions:
3,500 (1994)
Internet country code:
.yt
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA
Internet users:
NA
Transportation Mayotte
Highways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km
Ports and harbors:
Dzaoudzi
Merchant marine:
none
Airports:
1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Mayotte
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French
forces stationed on the island
Transnational Issues Mayotte
Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Mexico
Introduction Mexico
Background:
The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under
Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early
in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw
Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over
half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery.
Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages,
underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable
income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the
largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states.
Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910
Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in
government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX
of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000
as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.
Geography Mexico
Location:
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico,
between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
between Guatemala and the US
Geographic coordinates:
23 00 N, 102 00 W
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 1,972,550 sq km
land: 1,923,040 sq km
water: 49,510 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km
Coastline:
9,330 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
Climate:
varies from tropical to desert
Terrain:
high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m
Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
Land use: arable land: 12.99% permanent crops: 1.31% other: 85.7% (2001)
Irrigated land:
65,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts
Environment - current issues:
scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban
migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in
north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme
southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in
urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;
deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in
the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land
subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
note: the government considers the lack of clean water and
deforestation national security issues
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of
the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in
Mexico
People Mexico
Population:
104,959,594 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.6% (male 16,913,290; female 16,228,552)
15-64 years: 62.9% (male 31,975,391; female 34,090,440)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 2,618,713; female 3,133,208) (2004
est.)
Median age: total: 24.6 years male: 23.7 years female: 25.5 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.18% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
21.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
4.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.69 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 23.63 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.94 years
male: 72.18 years
female: 77.83 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.49 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
160,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Mexican(s)
adjective: Mexican
Ethnic groups:
mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly
Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%
Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%
Languages:
Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous
languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.2%
male: 94%
female: 90.5% (2003 est.)
Government Mexico
Country name:
conventional long form: United Mexican States
conventional short form: Mexico
local short form: Mexico
local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
Mexico (Distrito Federal)
Administrative divisions:
31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*
(distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California
Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima,
Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco,
Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca,
Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,
Yucatan, Zacatecas
Independence:
16 September 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 September (1810)
Constitution:
5 February 1917
Legal system:
mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial
review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
election results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent of
vote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa
(PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held 2 July 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of
attorney general requires consent of the Senate
head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the
Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular
vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of
each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or
Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200
members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote,
also for three-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 16, PVEM 5, unassigned 1; Chamber of
Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 222,
PAN 151, PRD 95, PVEM 17, PT 6, CD 5, unassigned 4; note - special
elections were held in December 2003; the PRI and the PRD each won
one seat and were each assigned one additional proportional
representation seat
elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next
to be held 2 July 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003
(next to be held 2 July 2006)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia Nacional
(justices or ministros are appointed by the president with consent
of the Senate)
Political parties and leaders:
Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro];
Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Roberto MADRAZO Pintado];
Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ
Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO Mena];
Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Leonel GODOY]; Workers
Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX;
Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of
Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National Chambers of
Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business
Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and
Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industries
or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; National Union
of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or
CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC;
Roman Catholic Church
International organization participation:
APEC, BCIE, BIS, CDB, CE (observer), EBRD, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15,
G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Carlos Alberto de ICAZA
Gonzalez
FAX: (202) 728-1698
consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico
(California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle
Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas
City (Missouri), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard
(California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas),
Raleigh, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California),
Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona)
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San
Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: (202) 728-1600
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA
embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,
Distrito Federal
mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900
telephone: (55) 5080-2000
FAX: (55) 5525-5040
consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo, Laredo
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;
the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its
beak) is centered in the white band
Economy Mexico
Economy - overview:
Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and
outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the
private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in
seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation,
natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is
one-fourth that of the US; income distribution remains highly
unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the
implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Real GDP growth was a weak -0.3% in
2001, 0.9% in 2002, and 1.2% in 2003, with the US slowdown the
principal cause. Mexico implemented free trade agreements with
Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and the European Free Trade Area
in 2001, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements.
The government is cognizant of the need to upgrade infrastructure,
modernize the tax system and labor laws, and provide incentives to
invest in the energy sector, but progress is slow.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $941.2 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 26.4% services: 69.6% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.3% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
40% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.6% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
53.1 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
34.11 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 18%, industry 24%, services 58% (2003)
Unemployment rate:
3.3% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2003)
Budget:
revenues: $148.3 billion
expenditures: $152.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)
Public debt:
23.1% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit,
tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products
Industries:
food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum,
mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,
tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.7% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
198.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
186.7 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
77 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
2.068 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
3.59 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1.507 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.881 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:
374,700 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
15.11 billion bbl (1 January 2003)
Natural gas - production:
36.87 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
38.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
254 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.967 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
969.2 billion cu m (1 January 2003)
Current account balance:
$-9.15 billion (2003)
Exports:
$164.8 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits,
vegetables, coffee, cotton
Exports - partners:
US 87.6%, Canada 1.8%, Germany 1.2% (2003)
Imports:
$168.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery,
electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor
vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts
Imports - partners:
US 61.8%, China 5.5%, Japan 4.5% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$59.02 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$159.8 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.166 billion (1995)
Currency:
Mexican peso (MXN)
Currency code:
MXN
Exchange rates:
Mexican pesos per US dollar - 10.789 (2003), 9.656 (2002), 9.3423
(2001), 9.4556 (2000), 9.5604 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Mexico
Telephones - main lines in use:
15,958,700 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
28.125 million (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: low telephone density with about 15.2 main
lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to
competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development, but
Telemex remains dominant
domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far
outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120
earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;
considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable
international: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32
Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South
America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing
domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations;
linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections;
high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to
the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy
(1997)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)
Radios:
31 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
236 (plus repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
25.6 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.mx
Internet hosts:
1,333,406 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
51 (2000)
Internet users:
10.033 million (2002)
Transportation Mexico
Railways: total: 19,510 km standard gauge: 19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways:
total: 329,532 km
paved: 108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways)
unpaved: 221,445 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:
2,900 km
note: navigable rivers and coastal canals (2004)
Pipelines:
crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas
13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:
Acapulco, Altamira, Bahias de Huatulco, Cabo San Lucas,
Coatzacoalcos, Dos Bocas, Ensenada, Guaymas, Lazaro Cardenas,
Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Puerto Progreso, Puerto Madero, Puerto
Vallarta, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz (2003)
Merchant marine:
total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 649,389 GRT/942,766 DWT
by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, combination ore/oil 1,
liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 9,
short-sea/passenger 3
foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Germany 1, Greece 1, Marshall Islands 1,
Netherlands 2
registered in other countries: 13 (2004 est.)
Airports:
1,827 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 233
over 3,047 m: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 80
under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 84
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,600
under 914 m: 1,075 (2004 est.)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 454
1,524 to 2,437 m: 69
Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)
Military Mexico
Military branches:
National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) (including Army and Air
Force), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 27,374,153 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 19,755,614 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,055,368 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$5,168.3 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)
Transnational Issues Mexico
Disputes - international:
prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded practices and
infrastructure in the border region have strained water-sharing
arrangements with the US; nationals from Central America slip into
Mexico seeking work or transit into the US; undocumented Mexican
nationals continue to enter the United States
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 12,000 (government's quashing of Zapatero uprising in 1994 in
eastern Chiapas Region) (2004)
Illicit drugs:
illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 - 4,400
hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of
cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts
have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of
heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine
to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for
US-bound cocaine from South America, accounting for about 70 percent
of estimated annual cocaine movement to the US; major drug
syndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout the
country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant
money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Micronesia, Federated States of
Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of
Background:
In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory
under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986
independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with
the US, which was amended and renewed in 2003. Present concerns
include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on
US aid.
Geography Micronesia, Federated States of
Location:
Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
6 55 N, 158 15 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 702 sq km
note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands,
and Kosrae (Kosaie)
water: 0 sq km (fresh water only)
land: 702 sq km
Area - comparative:
four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
6,112 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern
islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with
occasionally severe damage
Terrain:
islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low,
coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m
Natural resources:
forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals
Land use:
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 45.71%
other: 48.58% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
typhoons (June to December)
Environment - current issues:
overfishing, climate change, pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
four major island groups totaling 607 islands
People Micronesia, Federated States of
Population:
108,155 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.7% (male 20,830; female 19,993)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 32,055; female 31,927)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,505; female 1,845) (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.02% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
25.8 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-20.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 31.28 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 27.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.44 years
male: 67.68 years
female: 71.29 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese
Ethnic groups:
nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups
Religions:
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%
Languages:
English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese,
Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 91%
female: 88% (1980 est.)
Government Micronesia, Federated States of
Country name:
conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: FSM
former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the
Pacific Islands)
Government type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and
the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004
Capital:
Palikir
Administrative divisions:
4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap
Independence:
3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)
Constitution:
10 May 1979
Legal system:
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
municipal, common, and customary laws
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003);
Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May
2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from
among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last
held 11 May 2003 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - a proposed
constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for
president and vice president failed
election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of
Congress vote - NA; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent
of Congress vote - NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each state
to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member
districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members
elected by popular vote)
elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003
(next to be held NA March 2007); elections for two-year term seats
last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 14
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
no formal parties
International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU,
MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU telephone: (202) 223-4383 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam) FAX: (202) 223-4391 chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALE embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: 320-2187 FAX: 320-2186
Flag description:
light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars
are arranged in a diamond pattern
Economy Micronesia, Federated States of
Economy - overview:
Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and
fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting,
except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist
industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate
facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. In
November 2002, the country experienced a further reduction in future
revenues from the Compact of Free Association - the agreement with
the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion in financial and
technical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001. The country's
medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the
reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the
private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed
infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $277 million
note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100
million annually (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 4% services: 46% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
26.7%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
NA (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
two-thirds are government employees
Unemployment rate:
16% (1999 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants)
expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998 est.)
Agriculture - products:
black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava
(tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens
Industries:
tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture,
craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Exports:
$22 million (f.o.b.) (FY99/00 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish, garments, bananas, black pepper
Exports - partners:
Japan, US, Guam (2000)
Imports:
$149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages
Imports - partners:
US, Australia, Japan (2000)
Debt - external:
$53.1 million (FY02/03 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3
billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001
Currency:
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
USD
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Communications Micronesia, Federated States of
Telephones - main lines in use:
10,100 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,800 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used
mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground
stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service
available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap
international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
9,400 (1996)
Television broadcast stations:
3; note - cable TV also available (2004)
Televisions:
2,800 (1999)
Internet country code:
.fm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
6,000 (2002)
Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of
Highways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:
Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen
Merchant marine:
none (2004 est.)
Airports:
6 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Micronesia, Federated States of
Military - note:
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing
state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on
the US for its defense
Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Midway Islands
Introduction Midway Islands
Background:
The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of
the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought
the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used
as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory
over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning
points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval
station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a national
wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to the
public; it is now temporarily closed.
Geography Midway Islands
Location:
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the
way from Honolulu to Tokyo
Geographic coordinates:
28 13 N, 177 22 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 6.2 sq km
note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island
water: 0 sq km
land: 6.2 sq km
Area - comparative:
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
15 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
subtropical; moderated by prevailing easterly winds
Terrain:
low, nearly level
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 13 m
Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the
public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife
observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba
diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for reorganization at
present (2004)
People Midway Islands
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the
staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractor
living at the atoll (July 2004 est.)
Government Midway Islands
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands
Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from
Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering
Command, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationally
closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October 1996, through a
presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of the
atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
system
Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description:
the flag of the US is used
Economy Midway Islands
Economy - overview:
The economy is based on providing support services for the national
wildlife refuge activities located on the islands. All food and
manufactured goods must be imported.
Transportation Midway Islands
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors:
Sand Island
Airports:
3 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Transportation - note:
airfield serves as an emergency landing site for commercial
aircraft crossing the Pacific Ocean
Military Midway Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Midway Islands
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Moldova
Introduction Moldova
Background:
Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet
Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the
USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory
east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority
population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a
"Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova
became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its
president in 2001.
Geography Moldova
Location:
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 29 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 33,843 sq km
water: 472 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
moderate winters, warm summers
Terrain:
rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
Land use: arable land: 55.3% permanent crops: 10.79% other: 33.91% (2001)
Irrigated land:
3,070 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
landslides (57 cases in 1998)
Environment - current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:
landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and
minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
People Moldova
Population:
4,446,455 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.6% (male 466,485; female 449,645)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 1,478,220; female 1,595,695)
65 years and over: 10.3% (male 169,026; female 287,384) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 32.1 years
male: 29.9 years
female: 34.3 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.18% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
14.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
12.76 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 41 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 37.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 43.96 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.03 years
male: 60.88 years
female: 69.39 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 300 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan
Ethnic groups:
Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%,
Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region
Religions:
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Languages:
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language),
Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.6%
female: 98.7% (2003 est.)
Government Moldova
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova
local long form: Republica Moldova
former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan Soviet
Socialist Republic
local short form: none
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Chisinau
Administrative divisions:
32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities
(municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala
autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
: counties: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir,
Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari,
Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova,
Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti,
Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni
: municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau
: territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului
: autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia
Independence:
27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
Constitution:
new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet
constitution of 1979
Legal system:
based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of
legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is
unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts
many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) documents
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term;
election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note -
presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July
2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's
failure to choose a new president in December 2000 led to early
parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated
by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within
15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request
a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work
program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001,
cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001
election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary
votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CRISTEA 3;
Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of
confidence - 75 of 101
cabinet: selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament
head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April
2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since 29 January
2002)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and
electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 50.1%, Braghis
Alliance (now Our Moldova Alliance) 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties
28.3%; seats by party - PCRM 71, Braghis Alliance (now Our Moldova
Alliance) 19, PPCD 11
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for
constitutional judicature)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Modova Bloc [Serafim URECHEANU] includes: Democratic
Party [Dumitru DIACOV], Our Moldova Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS,
Serafim URECHEANU], Social Liberal Party [Oleg SEREBRIAN]; Communist
Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN, first
chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PFP,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI FAX: (202) 667-1204 telephone: (202) 667-1130 chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Heather M. HODGES embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (22) 408-300 FAX: (22) 23-30-44
Flag description:
same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue
(hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a
Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons
carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its
right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast
is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox
head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow
Economy Moldova
Economy - overview:
Moldova remains the poorest country in Europe despite recent
progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate
and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result,
the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits,
vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost all of its
energy supplies from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp
production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a
convertible currency, freed prices, stopped issuing preferential
credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization,
removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government
entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote
growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth,
of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 6.3% in 2003.
Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces
backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to
higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of
foreign investors.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $7.792 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21% industry: 27% services: 52% (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
17.2% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
80% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.6 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.6% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
1.383 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)
Unemployment rate:
8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002
est.)
Budget:
revenues: $474.8 million
expenditures: $443.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)
Public debt:
88.4% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed,
tobacco; beef, milk
Industries:
food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment,
refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar,
vegetable oil, shoes, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
17% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.394 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
3.216 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
60 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance:
$-135 million (2003)
Exports:
$790 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
Exports - partners:
Russia 39%, Romania 11.4%, Italy 10.4%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 7.1%,
Belarus 5.2%, US 4.3% (2003)
Imports:
$1.34 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
textiles (2000)
Imports - partners:
Ukraine 22%, Russia 13%, Germany 9.7%, Italy 8.3%, Romania 7% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$302.3 million (2003)
Debt - external:
$1.515 billion (2003)
Economic aid - recipient:
$100 million (2000)
Currency:
Moldovan leu (MDL)
Currency code:
MDL
Exchange rates:
lei per US dollar - 13.9449 (2003), 13.5705 (2002), 12.8651 (2001),
12.4342 (2000), 10.5158 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Moldova
Telephones - main lines in use:
706,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
338,200 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside
Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way
domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile
cellular telephone service being introduced
international: country code - 373; service through Romania and
Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat,
and Intersputnik
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios:
3.22 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:
1.26 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.md
Internet hosts:
11,984 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (1999)
Internet users:
150,000 (2002)
Transportation Moldova
Railways:
total: 1,138 km
broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways:
total: 12,657 km
paved: 11,012 km
unpaved: 1,645 km (1999)
Waterways:
424 km (2004)
Pipelines:
gas 606 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
none
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,636 GRT/1,088 DWT
foreign-owned: 2 Russia 1
registered in other countries: 4
by type: cargo 1
Airports:
24 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 11 (2003 est.)
Military Moldova
Military branches:
National Army: Ground Forces, Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; national service obligation - 12 months (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,186,818 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 942,071 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 44,466 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9.5 million (FY03)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.4% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Moldova
Disputes - international:
difficulties with the Transnistria region complicate controlling
border crossing and customs regimes with Ukraine, despite
concordance on 2003 delimitation and customs protocols and OSCE
assistance
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 1,000 (internal secessionist uprising in Transdniestrian
region in 1991) (2004)
Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS
consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest
Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the
US; widespread crime and underground economic activity
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Monaco
Introduction Monaco
Background:
Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a
railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then,
the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling
facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation
center.
Geography Monaco
Location:
Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern
coast of France, near the border with Italy
Geographic coordinates:
43 44 N, 7 24 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 1.95 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1.95 sq km
Area - comparative:
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km
Coastline:
4.1 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers
Terrain:
hilly, rugged, rocky
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:
second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See);
almost entirely urban
People Monaco
Population:
32,270 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,554; female 2,453)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,860; female 10,165)
65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,959; female 4,279) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 45.1 years
male: 43.1 years
female: 47.1 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.44% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
9.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
12.74 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
7.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.42 years
male: 75.53 years
female: 83.5 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.76 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
adjective: Monegasque or Monacan
Ethnic groups:
French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%
Languages:
French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: NA female: NA
Government Monaco
Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco
local short form: Monaco
local long form: Principaute de Monaco
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Monaco
Administrative divisions:
none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers,
singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville,
Monte-Carlo
Independence:
1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)
National holiday:
National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November
Constitution:
17 December 1962
Legal system:
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir
Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch
(born 14 March 1958)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state
appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national
candidates presented by the French Government
cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERCQ (since 5
January 2000)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16
members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional
representation; to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
UNAM 21, UND 3
elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held NA February
2008)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch
on the basis of nominations by the National Council)
Political parties and leaders:
National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; Union
for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco
or UNAM [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACCT, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in
Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the
flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is
white (top) and red
Economy Monaco
Economy - overview:
Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular
resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In
2001, a major construction project extended the pier used by cruise
ships in the main harbor. The principality has successfully sought
to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting
industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and
thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established
residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and
offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors,
including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service.
Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous
French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish national income
figures; the estimates below are extremely rough.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
NA (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA (2000)
Labor force:
30,540 (January 1994)
Unemployment rate:
3.1% (1998)
Budget:
revenues: $518 million
expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1995)
Agriculture - products:
none
Industries:
tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Electricity - imports:
NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by France
Exports:
$NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
system through customs union with France
Imports:
$NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
system through customs union with France
Debt - external:
NA (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
NA
Currency:
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
EUR
Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Monaco
Telephones - main lines in use:
33,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
19,300 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations;
connected by cable into the French communications system
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)
Radios:
34,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (1998)
Televisions:
25,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.mc
Internet hosts:
533 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
16,000 (2002)
Transportation Monaco
Highways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:
Monaco
Merchant marine:
none
Airports:
none; linked to the airport at Nice, France by helicopter service
(2003) (2003 est.)
Heliports:
1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice,
France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2003 est.)
Military Monaco
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Monaco
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Mongolia
Introduction Mongolia
Background:
The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis
KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the
empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these
broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to
their original steppe homelands and later came under Chinese rule.
Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A
Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the
ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually
yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition
(DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Since
then, parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to
power in 2000 and produced a coalition government in 2004.
Geography Mongolia
Location:
Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 1,564,116 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries: total: 8,220 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)
Terrain:
vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west
and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m
Natural resources:
oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel,
zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron
Land use: arable land: 0.77% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.23% (2001)
Irrigated land:
840 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which
is harsh winter conditions
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies
of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and
industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the
burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of
environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar;
deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to
agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;
desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on
the environment
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia
People Mongolia
Population:
2,751,314 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.7% (male 415,735; female 400,560)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 916,445; female 918,235)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 43,205; female 57,134) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.9 years
male: 23.6 years
female: 24.3 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.43% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
21.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 55.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 51.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 58.97 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.17 years
male: 61.97 years
female: 66.48 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 500 (2003 est)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Mongolian(s)
adjective: Mongolian
Ethnic groups:
Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other
(including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)
Religions:
Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim
4% (2004)
Languages:
Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8%
male: 98%
female: 97.5% (2002)
Government Mongolia
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Mongolia
local short form: Mongol Uls
former: Outer Mongolia
local long form: none
Government type:
mixed parliamentary/presidential
Capital:
Ulaanbaatar
Administrative divisions:
21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality*
(singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan
Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber,
Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge,
Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs
Independence:
11 July 1921 (from China)
National holiday:
Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)
Constitution:
12 February 1992
Legal system:
blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine "continental"
or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution ambiguous on
judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Tsakhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ (since 20
August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Chultem ULAAN (since 28
September 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural (parliament) in
consultation with the president
elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties
represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; presidential tenure limited to two four-year terms;
election last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held in May 2005);
following legislative elections, leader of majority party or
majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by State Great
Hural; election last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)
election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president in 2001;
percent of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 58.13%,
Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ (DP) 36.58%, Luvsandamba DASHNYAM
(CWP) 3.54%, other 1.75%; Tsakkhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ elected prime
minister by the State Great Hural 74 to 0
Legislative branch:
unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms
elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.78%, MDC 44.8%,
independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1%; seats by party
- MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - following the June 2004
election, two seats in dispute and unoccupied
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial
courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are
nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved by the
president)
Political parties and leaders:
Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP (also called Civil Courage
Republican Party or CCRP) [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN]; Democratic Party
or DP [R. GONCHIKDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist
Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian
Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIKHAN]
note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in
2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party;
MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO (observer), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD
chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: (202) 298-9227
telephone: (202) 333-7117
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. SLUTZ
embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: (11) 329095
FAX: (11) 320776
Flag description:
three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red;
centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem
("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric
representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang
symbol)
Economy Mongolia
Economy - overview:
Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and
breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits;
copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a
large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its
height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990-91 at
the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was driven into
deep recession, prolonged by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary
Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious economic reform. The
Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) government embraced free-market
economics, eased price controls, liberalized domestic and
international trade, and attempted to restructure the banking system
and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization programs were
undertaken, as well as the fostering of foreign investment through
international tender of the oil distribution company, a leading
cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back by the
ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability
brought about through four successive governments under the DUC.
Economic growth picked up in 1997-99 after stalling in 1996 due to a
series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper
and cashmere. In August and September 1999, the economy suffered
from a temporary Russian ban on exports of oil and oil products, and
Mongolia remains vulnerable in this sector. Mongolia joined the
World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor
community pledged over $300 million per year at the Consultative
Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999. The MPRP
government, elected in July 2000, was anxious to improve the
investment climate; it also had to deal with a heavy burden of
external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly primary sector
exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and adverse effects
of weather on agriculture in early 2000 and 2001 restrained real GDP
growth. Despite drought problems in 2002, GDP rose 4.0%, followed by
a solid 5.0% increase in 2003. The first applications under the land
privatization law have been marked by a number of disputes over
particular sites. Russia claims Mongolia owes it $11 billion from
the Soviet period; any settlement could substantially increase
Mongolia's foreign debt burden.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $4.882 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.6% industry: 21.4% services: 58% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line: 33% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
1.4 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: herding/agriculture 46%, manufacturing 6%, trade 10.3%, public sector 4.7%, other/unemployed 33% (2001)
Unemployment rate:
4.6% (2001)
Budget:
revenues: $387 million
expenditures: $428 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2001 est.)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops, sheep, goats, cattle,
camels, horses
Industries:
construction materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum,
fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal
products
Industrial production growth rate:
4.1% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:
2.225 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
2.194 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
25 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
196 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$524 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides,
fluorspar, other nonferrous metals
Exports - partners:
China 46.1%, US 23.2%, Russia 6.7%, Singapore 5.7%, Australia 5.5%,
UK 4.2% (2003)
Imports:
$691 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer
goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea
Imports - partners:
Russia 33.1%, China 21.5%, South Korea 8.5%, Japan 7.9%, Germany
4.7% (2003)
Debt - external:
$885 million (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$332 million (2003 est.)
Currency:
togrog/tugrik (MNT)
Currency code:
MNT
Exchange rates:
togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,171 (2003), 1,110.31 (2002),
1,097.7 (2001), 1,076.67 (2000), 1,021.87 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Mongolia
Telephones - main lines in use:
128,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
216,000 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each
thousand persons
domestic: NA
international: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:
155,900 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
9 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (2004)
Televisions:
168,800 (1999)
Internet country code:
.mn
Internet hosts:
40 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)
Internet users:
50,000 (2002)
Transportation Mongolia
Railways: 1,810 km broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2004)
Highways: total: 49,250 km paved: 1,724 km unpaved: 47,526 km (2003)
Waterways:
580 km
note: only waterway in operation is Lake Khovsgol (135 km); Selenge
River (270 km) and Orkhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry
little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May
to September (2004)
Ports and harbors:
none
Merchant marine:
total: 65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 339,423 GRT/533,853 DWT
foreign-owned: Belize 1, Cambodia 1, China 4, Cuba 1, Hong Kong 2,
Indonesia 1, Japan 1, North Korea 1, Lebanon 1, Malaysia 1, Malta 1,
Marshall Islands 5, Moldova 1, Panama 3, Romania 1, Russia 14,
Singapore 13, Syria 4, Thailand 1, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1, United
States 3, Vietnam 4 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 4, cargo 53, chemical tanker 1, container 2, liquefied
gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, specialized tanker 1
Airports:
36 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
under 914 m: 5 (2003 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
over 3,047 m: 2
Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)
Military Mongolia
Military branches:
Mongolian People's Army (comprising Ground Forces, Air Defense
Forces), Border Guards, Internal Security Forces, Construction Corps
Forces, Civil Defense Authority
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 818,977 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 530,594 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 33,718 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$23.1 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.2% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Mongolia
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Montserrat
Introduction Montserrat
Background:
Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population
fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano
that began on 18 July 1995.
Geography Montserrat
Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
16 45 N, 62 12 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 102 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
40 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere
Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)
Environment - current issues:
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
Geography - note:
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active
volcanoes
People Montserrat
Population:
9,245
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the
resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
(July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,092; female 1,062)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,889; female 3,162)
65 years and over: 11.2% (male 543; female 497) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.2 years
male: 28 years
female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.03% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.53 years
male: 76.39 years
female: 80.78 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian
Ethnic groups:
black, white
Religions:
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day
Adventist, other Christian denominations
Languages:
English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97% (1970 est.)
Government Montserrat
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim
government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's
Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)
Administrative divisions:
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Constitution:
present constitution came into force 19 December 1989
Legal system:
English common law and statutory law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Deborah Barnes JONES (since 10 May 2004)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party usually becomes chief minister
head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the
finance secretary
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected;
members serve five-year terms)
note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney
general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members
elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single
constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NPLM 7, NPP 2
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of
the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
High Court)
Political parties and leaders:
National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's
Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow
harp with her arm around a black cross
Economy Montserrat
Economy - overview:
Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a
damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June
1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and
social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the
island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited
the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the
lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops.
Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation
to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK
has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help
reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain
uninhabitable for another decade.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 13.6%
services: 81% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.6% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity
(2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Unemployment rate:
6% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4
million (1997 est.)
Agriculture - products: cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, livestock products
Industries:
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
2.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
2.325 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$700,000 (2001)
Exports - commodities:
electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live
plants, cattle
Exports - partners:
US, Antigua and Barbuda
Imports:
$17 million (2001)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured
goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials
Imports - partners:
US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada
Debt - external:
$8.9 million (1997)
Economic aid - recipient:
As of 31 March 2003, UK's DFID had provided about $328 million in
economic relief from volcanic activity, and by 31 March 2006, DFID
aid is expected to total $411 million.
Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
XCD
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since
1976)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications Montserrat
Telephones - main lines in use:
NA
Telephones - mobile cellular:
70 (1994)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-664
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
7,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)
Televisions:
3,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ms
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)
Internet users:
NA
Transportation Montserrat
Highways:
total: 227 km
paved: NA km
note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the
road system (2003)
unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors:
Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing),
Carr's Bay
Merchant marine:
none
Airports:
1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Montserrat
Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Montserrat
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
US and Europe
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Morocco
Introduction Morocco
Background:
Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956.
The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new
country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara
during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the
territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s
resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997.
Parliamentary elections were held for the second time in September
2002 and municipal elections were held in September 2003.
Geography Morocco
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara
Geographic coordinates:
32 00 N, 5 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 446,550 sq km
land: 446,300 sq km
water: 250 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 2,017.9 km
border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain
(Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km
Coastline:
1,835 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior
Terrain:
northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of
bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m
Natural resources:
phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt
Land use: arable land: 19.61% permanent crops: 2.17% other: 78.22% (2001)
Irrigated land:
12,910 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar
People Morocco
Population:
32,209,101 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.6% (male 5,355,388; female 5,156,762)
15-64 years: 62.5% (male 10,013,466; female 10,112,060)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 692,465; female 878,960) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.3 years
male: 22.8 years
female: 23.8 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.61% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
22.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
5.71 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 43.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 39.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 47.09 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.35 years
male: 68.06 years
female: 72.74 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.81 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Moroccan(s)
adjective: Moroccan
Ethnic groups:
Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%
Religions:
Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%
Languages:
Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of
business, government, and diplomacy
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.7%
male: 64.1%
female: 39.4% (2003 est.)
Government Morocco
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short form: Morocco
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
local short form: Al Maghrib
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Rabat
Administrative divisions:
16 regions: Casablanca, Chaouia-Ourdigha, Doukkala-Abda,
Fes-Boulmane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara,
Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz,
Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira,
Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal,
Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate
Independence:
2 March 1956 (from France)
National holiday:
Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July
(1999)
Constitution:
10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create
bicameral legislature) September 1996
Legal system:
based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of
Supreme Court
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)
Executive branch:
chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch following legislative elections
head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October
2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of
Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils,
professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year
terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a
lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; 295 by
multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women;
members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 6 October 2003 (next to
be held NA 2006); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27
September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21,
USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48,
PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 50
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the
Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or
ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF];
Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN];
Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives
for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC
[Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI
[Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud
ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI];
Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development
Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD
[Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas
El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Saad Eddine
OTHMANI]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National
Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi
Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular
Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents
or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP
[Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI,
chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI];
Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the
Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular
Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or
PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen
MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Mohammed
El-YAZGHI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General
Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan
Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union
of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or
UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: (202) 265-0161 telephone: (202) 462-7979 through 7982 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718 telephone: (37) 76 22 65 FAX: (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca
Flag description:
red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as
Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green
are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is
more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf;
design dates to 1912
Economy Morocco
Economy - overview:
Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries -
restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private
activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic
growth. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF,
the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully
convertible for current account transactions. Reforms of the
financial sector are being contemplated. Droughts depressed activity
in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy
in 2002. Morocco reported large foreign exchange inflows from the
sale of a mobile telephone license, and partial privatization of the
state-owned telecommunications company and the state tobacco
company. Favorable rainfall in 2003 led to a growth of 6%.
Formidable long-term challenges include: preparing the economy for
freer trade with the EU and US, improving education, and attracting
foreign investment to boost living standards and job prospects for
Morocco's youth.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $128.3 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.9% industry: 35.5% services: 41.5% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.7% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
19% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.5 (1998-99)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.2% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
10.84 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 40%, industry 15%, services 45% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
19% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $13.8 billion
expenditures: $14 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1
billion (2004 est.)
Public debt:
76.2% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock
Industries:
phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather
goods, textiles, construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
13.35 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
14.61 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
2.2 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
167,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
900,000 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
50 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
50 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
665.4 million cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$963 million (2003)
Exports:
$8.466 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals,
fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits,
vegetables
Exports - partners:
France 26.5%, Spain 16.7%, UK 7.2%, Germany 5.2%, Italy 5%, US 4%
(2003)
Imports:
$12.75 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment,
wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics
Imports - partners:
France 20.6%, Spain 12.4%, Italy 7.1%, Germany 5.2%, Saudi Arabia
5%, Russia 4.9%, US 4.1% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$14.08 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$17.32 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$565.6 million (1995)
Currency:
Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Currency code:
MAD
Exchange rates:
Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002),
11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000), 9.8044 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Morocco
Telephones - main lines in use:
1,219,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,332,800 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities;
however, density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each
100 persons
domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and
microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;
principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national
network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural
service employs microwave radio relay
international: country code - 212; 7 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara;
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in
Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and
Tunisia (1998)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)
Radios:
6.64 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:
3.1 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ma
Internet hosts:
3,627 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)
Internet users:
800,000 (2003)
Transportation Morocco
Railways: total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2003)
Highways:
total: 57,707 km
paved: 32,547 km (including 481 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,160 km (2000)
Pipelines:
gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia,
Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and
Melilla
Merchant marine:
total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 236,131 GRT/252,367 DWT
by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 7, container 7, petroleum tanker
1, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger 2
foreign-owned: France 1, Germany 2, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1,
Netherlands 2, Norway 2, United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.)
Airports:
64 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 15
Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)
Military Morocco
Military branches:
Royal Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 8,788,971 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,529,267 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 352,711 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2,297.2 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.8% (2003)
Transnational Issues Morocco
Disputes - international:
claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains
unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since
September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and
parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco
protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta,
Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de
Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also
rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the
Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource
exploration and refugee interdiction, but agreed in 2003 to discuss
a comprehensive maritime delimitation; Morocco serves as one of the
primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North
Africa
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed
to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America
destined for Western Europe
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Mozambique
Introduction Mozambique
Background:
Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with
independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic
dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil
war hindered the country's development. The ruling Front for the
Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism
in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for
multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated
peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National
Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December
2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO
steped down after 18 years in office. His newly elected successor,
Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the sound economic
policies that have encouraged foreign investment.
Geography Mozambique
Location:
South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between
South Africa and Tanzania
Geographic coordinates:
18 15 S, 35 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 801,590 sq km
water: 17,500 sq km
land: 784,090 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 4,571 km
border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland
105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km
Coastline:
2,470 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical to subtropical
Terrain:
mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in
northwest, mountains in west
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m
Natural resources:
coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite
Land use: arable land: 5.1% permanent crops: 0.3% other: 94.6% (2001)
Irrigated land:
1,070 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central
and southern provinces
Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part
of the country
People Mozambique
Population:
18,811,731
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997
Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2004
est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.6% (male 4,126,178; female 4,074,759)
15-64 years: 53.6% (male 4,944,416; female 5,145,167)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 215,418; female 305,793) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.2 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.22% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
36.06 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
23.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 137.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 131.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 142.67 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 37.1 years
male: 37.83 years
female: 36.34 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
12.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.3 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
110,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, plague, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:
noun: Mozambican(s)
adjective: Mozambican
Ethnic groups:
indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and
others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Languages:
Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, numerous other indigenous languages,
Portuguese (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second
language)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 47.8%
male: 63.5%
female: 32.7% (2003 est.)
Government Mozambique
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
conventional short form: Mozambique
local short form: Mocambique
former: Portuguese East Africa
local long form: Republica de Mocambique
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Maputo
Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*;
Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*,
Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia
Independence:
25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 June (1975)
Constitution:
30 November 1990
Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2 February 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
2009); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote
- Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret
ballot to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 62%, Renamo
29.7%; seats by party - Frelimo 160, Renamo 90
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional
judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the
Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs
courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
note: although the constitution provides for the creation of a
separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in
its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases
Political parties and leaders:
Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de
Mocambique) or Frelimo [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO, president];
Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional
Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA,
president]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia)
or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa,
chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e
Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos
Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and
Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia
FRANCO, secretary general]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036 FAX: (202) 835-0245 telephone: (202) 293-7146
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON
embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
telephone: (1) 492797
FAX: (1) 490448
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with
a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is
edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed
star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an
open white book
Economy Mozambique
Economy - overview:
At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest
countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from
1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarked
on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the
economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with
political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have
led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation
was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s although it
returned to double digits in 2000-03. Fiscal reforms, including the
introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service,
have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In
spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign
assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the
population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture
continues to employ the vast majority of the country's workforce. A
substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the
MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment
project to date has increased export earnings. Additional investment
projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment
manufacturing should further close the import/export gap.
Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through
forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a
manageable level.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $21.23 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.1% industry: 27.3% services: 52.7% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
47.8% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
70% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.6 (1996-97)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
9.2 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:
21% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.089 billion
expenditures: $1.269 billion, including capital expenditures of
$479.4 million (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn,
coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers;
beef, poultry
Industries:
food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum,
petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:
3.4% (2000)
Electricity - production:
7.193 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
1.39 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
5.8 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
500 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
8,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
60 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
60 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
63.71 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$-566 million (2003)
Exports:
$795 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk
electricity
Exports - partners:
Belgium 26%, South Africa 14.4%, Italy 9.6%, Spain 9.5%, Germany
8.3%, Zimbabwe 4.7% (2003)
Imports:
$1.142 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products,
foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
South Africa 26.3%, Australia 9.2%, US 3.9% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$990 million (2003)
Debt - external:
$966 million (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$632.8 million (2001)
Currency:
metical (MZM)
Currency code:
MZM
Exchange rates:
meticais per US dollar - 23,782.3 (2003), 23,678 (2002), 20,703.6
(2001), 15,447.1 (2000), 13,028.6 (1999)
note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as the
weighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of all
transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Mozambique
Telephones - main lines in use:
83,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
428,900 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system but not available generally
(telephone density is only 16 telephones for each 1,000 persons)
domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk
connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)
Radios:
730,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
67,600 (2000)
Internet country code:
.mz
Internet hosts:
3,249 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2002)
Internet users:
50,000 (2002)
Transportation Mozambique
Railways: total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:
460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa
Lake) (2004)
Pipelines:
gas 649 km; refined products 292 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT by type: cargo 3 foreign-owned: Belgium 2 (2004 est.)
Airports: 158 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 136 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 87 (2004 est.)
Military Mozambique
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Special Forces
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,335,294 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,485,197 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$101.3 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.2% (2003)
Transnational Issues Mozambique
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish, South Asian
heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the
European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local
consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa);
corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system
vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed
financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Namibia
Introduction Namibia
Background:
South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during
World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War
II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West
Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war
of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was
not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in
accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia won
its independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since.
Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a
landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during
its first 14 years of self rule.
Geography Namibia
Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
and South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
22 00 S, 17 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 825,418 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 825,418 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than half the size of Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 3,936 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
967 km, Zambia 233 km
Coastline:
1,572 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
Terrain:
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in
east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m
Natural resources:
diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc,
salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.01% (2001)
Irrigated land:
70 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
prolonged periods of drought
Environment - current issues:
very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;
wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the
environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is
protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip
People Namibia
Population:
1,954,033
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
2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 419,700; female 409,156)
15-64 years: 54% (male 527,553; female 528,386)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 30,427; female 38,811) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.3 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.25% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
33.51 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
21.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 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 (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 69.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 72.65 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 40.53 years
male: 42.36 years
female: 38.64 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
21.3% (2003 est.)