← The 2004 CIA World Factbook, Volume 1
Chapter 13
Z (part 11)
Economy - overview:
Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but
exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost
of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence
livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including
oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. The
economy has faltered over the past four years. Former Prime Minister
Mekere MORAUTA had tried to restore integrity to state institutions,
to stabilize the kina, restore stability to the national budget, to
privatize public enterprises where appropriate, and to ensure
ongoing peace on Bougainville. The government has had considerable
success in attracting international support, specifically gaining
the backing of the IMF and the World Bank in securing development
assistance loans. Challenges face Prime Minister Michael SOMARE,
including curbing inflation, gaining further investor confidence,
continuing efforts to privatize government assets, maintaining the
support of members of Parliament, and balancing relations with
Australia, the former colonial ruler.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $11.48 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.4% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 34% industry: 37.7% services: 28.3% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
13.9% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
37% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.9 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14.7% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
3.25 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 85%, industry NA, services NA
Unemployment rate:
NA
Budget:
revenues: $954.1 million
expenditures: $996.8 million, including capital expenditures of $344
million (2003 est.)
Public debt:
72.4% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes,
fruit, vegetables, poultry, pork
Industries:
copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip
production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil
production; construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
NA (FY01/02 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.496 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
1.391 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
67,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
345.2 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
110 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
110 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:
385.5 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$12 million (2003)
Exports:
$1.938 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish,
prawns
Exports - partners:
Australia 25.6%, Japan 7.4%, China 5.8% (2003)
Imports:
$967 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels,
chemicals
Imports - partners:
Australia 44.6%, Singapore 20.6%, New Zealand 7.7%, China 5% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$510.5 million (2003)
Debt - external:
$2.909 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$400 million (1999 est.)
Currency:
kina (PGK)
Currency code:
PGK
Exchange rates:
kina per US dollar - 3.5635 (2003), 3.8952 (2002), 3.3887 (2001),
2.7822 (2000), 2.5708 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Papua New Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use:
62,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
15,000 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: services are adequate; facilities provide
radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and
international radio communication services
domestic: mostly radiotelephone
international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and
Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
international radio communication service
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)
Radios:
410,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (all in the Port Moresby area) note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned (2004)
Televisions:
59,841 (1999)
Internet country code:
.pg
Internet hosts:
389 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)
Internet users:
75,000 (2002)
Transportation Papua New Guinea
Highways: total: 19,600 km paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:
10,940 km (2003)
Pipelines:
oil 264 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 47,586 GRT/60,934 DWT
foreign-owned: Singapore 2, United Kingdom 6
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 1, cargo 12, chemical tanker 1, combination ore/oil 2,
container 1, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 2
Airports:
559 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 4
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 550 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 478 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 2 (2003 est.)
Military Papua New Guinea
Military branches:
Papua New Guinea Defense Force: Ground Force, Maritime Operations
Element, and Air Operations Element
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,403,467 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 775,064 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$16.9 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Papua New Guinea
Disputes - international:
seeks assistance from Australia to control illegal cross-border
activities from primarily Indonesia, including smuggling, drug
trafficking, and Indonesian squatters and secessionists
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Paracel Islands
Introduction Paracel Islands
Background:
The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds
and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina
annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island;
maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has
occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a
South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands
are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.
Geography Paracel Islands
Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South
China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the
northern Philippines
Geographic coordinates:
16 30 N, 112 00 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: NA sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: NA sq km
Area - comparative:
NA
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
518 km
Maritime claims:
NA
Climate:
tropical
Terrain:
mostly low and flat
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
typhoons
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the
northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group
People Paracel Islands
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2004 est.)
Government Paracel Islands
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Economy Paracel Islands
Economy - overview:
China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.
Transportation Paracel Islands
Ports and harbors:
small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island
being expanded
Airports:
1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Paracel Islands
Military - note: occupied by China
Transnational Issues Paracel Islands
Disputes - international: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Paraguay
Introduction Paraguay
Background:
In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay
lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It
stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War
of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from
Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was
overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political
infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential
elections have been held since then.
Geography Paraguay
Location:
Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Geographic coordinates:
23 00 S, 58 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 406,750 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries: total: 3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern
portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Terrain:
grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco
region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river,
and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use: arable land: 7.6% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 92.17% (2001)
Irrigated land:
670 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly
drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal
present health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands
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; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population
concentrated in southern part of country
People Paraguay
Population:
6,191,368 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 1,201,459; female 1,162,954)
15-64 years: 57% (male 1,773,151; female 1,758,323)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 136,376; female 159,105) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.1 years
male: 20.8 years
female: 21.3 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.51% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
29.78 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.08 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: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 31.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.64 years
male: 72.12 years
female: 77.29 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
220 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan
Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant
Languages:
Spanish (official), Guarani (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94%
male: 94.9%
female: 93% (2003 est.)
Government Paraguay
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
conventional short form: Paraguay
local short form: Paraguay
local long form: Republica del Paraguay
Government type:
constitutional republic
Capital:
Asuncion
Administrative divisions:
17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*,
Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,
Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari,
Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Independence:
14 May 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 14 May (1811) (observed 15 May annually)
Constitution:
promulgated 20 June 1992
Legal system:
based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial
review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15 August
2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15 August
2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 April
2003 (next to be held NA April 2008)
election results: Nicanor DUARTE Frutos elected president; percent
of vote - Nicanor DUARTE Frutos 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO
Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo
SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators
or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara
de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be
held NA April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003
(next to be held NA April 2008)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, MPQ 7,
PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - Colorado Party 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges
appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo
de la Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders:
Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Herminio
CACERES, interim president]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland
Party) or PQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Movimiento Union
Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana,
acting chairman]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Luis TORALES
Kenney]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Julio Cesar
FRANCO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA
Pallares]; note - Nicanor DUARTE Frutos on leave as party leader of
the Colorado Party or ANR while serving as President of Paraguay;
Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva, leader of UNACE, is currently serving a
ten-year prison term
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ahorristas Estafados or AE; Coordinating Table of National
Campesino Organizations or MCNOC; National Federation of Campesinos
or FNC; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers
Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central
or CUT;;
International organization participation:
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer),
OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers
consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans,
New York
FAX: (202) 234-4508
telephone: (202) 483-6960 through 6962
chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John F. KEANE embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: (21) 213-715 FAX: (21) 213-728
Flag description:
three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an
emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem
is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left)
bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a
green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within
two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal
of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the
words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words
REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
Economy Paraguay
Economy - overview:
Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector.
The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer
goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of
thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of
the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures
are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population
derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a
subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3%
annually in 1995-97; but GDP declined slightly in 1998, 1999, and
2000, rose slightly in 2001, only to fall again in 2002. On a per
capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most
observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to
political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural
reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient
infrastructure.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $28.17 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.8% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24.8% industry: 23.7% services: 51.4% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
17.2% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
36% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
57.7 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14.2% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
2.15 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 45%
Unemployment rate:
18.5% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $937.8 million
expenditures: $988.4 million, including capital expenditures of $700
million (2003 est.)
Public debt:
45.1% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava
(tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber
Industries:
sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel,
metallurgic, electric power
Industrial production growth rate:
0% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:
44.89 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
2.637 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
39.11 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
25,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Current account balance:
$146 million (2003)
Exports:
$2.727 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood,
leather
Exports - partners:
Brazil 34.2%, Uruguay 19.6%, Switzerland 7.8%, Argentina 5.3% (2003)
Imports:
$2.77 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products,
electrical machinery
Imports - partners:
Brazil 32.5%, Argentina 21.6%, China 12.7% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$982 million (2003)
Debt - external:
$2.96 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
NA (2001)
Currency:
guarani (PYG)
Currency code:
PYG
Exchange rates:
guarani per US dollar - 6,424.34 (2003), 5,716.26 (2002), 4,105.92
(2001), 3,486.35 (2000), 3,119.07 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Paraguay
Telephones - main lines in use:
273,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,770,300 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching
center is Asuncion
domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)
Radios:
925,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (2003)
Televisions:
990,000 (2001)
Internet country code:
.py
Internet hosts:
9,243 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2000)
Internet users:
120,000 (2003)
Transportation Paraguay
Railways: total: 441 km standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 29,500 km paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (1999 est)
Waterways:
3,100 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion
Merchant marine:
total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,667 GRT/30,826 DWT
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 14, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll
on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: Argentina 2, Japan 1
Airports:
880 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 866
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 323
under 914 m: 517 (2004 est.)
Military Paraguay
Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,504,407 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,084,087 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 63,386 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$52.7 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)
Transnational Issues Paraguay
Disputes - international:
unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders
is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking,
and fundraising for extremist organizations
Illicit drugs:
major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is
consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for
Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets,
Europe, and US; corruption and some money-laundering activity,
especially in the Tri-Border Area
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Peru
Introduction Peru
Background:
Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was
captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence
was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824.
After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic
leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth
of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in
1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the
economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity.
Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian
measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting
dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI won reelection to a third
term in the spring of 2000, but international pressure and
corruption scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November of
that year. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the
spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of
government; his presidency has been hampered by allegations of
corruption.
Geography Peru
Location:
Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
Chile and Ecuador
Geographic coordinates:
10 00 S, 76 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 1,285,220 sq km
water: 5,220 sq km
land: 1.28 million sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 5,536 km
border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km,
Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km
Coastline:
2,414 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:
varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to
frigid in Andes
Terrain:
western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center
(sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m
Natural resources:
copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,
phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 2.89% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 96.71% (2001)
Irrigated land:
11,950 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake,
with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the
ultimate source of the Amazon River
People Peru
Population:
27,544,305 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.1% (male 4,496,146; female 4,340,580)
15-64 years: 62.8% (male 8,709,098; female 8,594,351)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 660,734; female 743,396) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.6 years
male: 24.4 years
female: 24.9 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.39% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
21.27 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.05 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: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 32.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 30.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 35.57 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.22 years
male: 67.48 years
female: 71.03 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
82,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Peruvian(s)
adjective: Peruvian
Ethnic groups:
Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white
15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%
Languages:
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number
of minor Amazonian languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.9%
male: 95.2%
female: 86.8% (2003 est.)
Government Peru
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Peru
conventional short form: Peru
local long form: Republica del Peru
local short form: Peru
Government type:
constitutional republic
Capital:
Lima
Administrative divisions:
24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas,
Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco,
Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima,
Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin,
Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
note: some reports indicate that the 24 departments and 1
constitutional province are now being referred to as regions; Peru
is implementing a decentralization program whereby these 25
administrative divisions will begin to exercise greater governmental
authority over their territories; in November 2002, voters chose
their new regional presidents and other regional leaders; the
authority that the regional government will exercise has not yet
been clearly defined, but it will be devolved to the regions over
the course of several years
Independence:
28 July 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 July (1821)
Constitution:
31 December 1993
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note
- members of the military may not vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July
2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the
constitution, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice
President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28
July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by
the constitution, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice
President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
note: Prime Minister Carlos FERRERO Costa (since 15 December 2003)
does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
special presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001,
with runoff election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006
election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected
president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO
Manrique 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9%
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la
Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Peru Posible 26.3%,
APRA 19.7%, Unidad Nacional 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by
party - Peru Posible 47, APRA 28, Unidad Nacional 17, FIM 11, others
17
elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)
Political parties and leaders:
Peruvian Aprista Party or PAP (also referred to by its original
name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA) [Alan
GARCIA]; Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA
Vega]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano];
Peru Posible or PP [David WAISMAN]; Popular Action or AP [Javier
DIAZ Orihuela]; Solucion Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP
[Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN
Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac
Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned),
Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]
International organization participation:
APEC, CAN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur
(associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo FERRERO Costa
chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington
(DC)
FAX: (202) 659-8124
telephone: (202) 833-9860 through 9869
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE
embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33
mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima),
APO AA 34031-5000
telephone: (1) 434-3000
FAX: (1) 434-3037
Flag description:
three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red
with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms
features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of
quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all
framed by a green wreath
Economy Peru
Economy - overview:
Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal
region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering
Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the
mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent
fishing grounds. However, overdependence on minerals and metals
subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and a lack of
infrastructure deters trade and investment. After several years of
inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy was one of
the fastest growing in Latin America in 2002 and 2003, growing by 5%
and 4%, respectively, with the exchange rate stable and an annual
inflation lower than 2%. Foreign direct investment also was strong,
thanks to the ongoing Camisea natural gas pipeline project
(scheduled to begin operations in 2004) and investments in gold
mining. Risk premiums on Peruvian bonds on secondary markets reached
historically low levels in late 2003, reflecting investor optimism
and the government's fiscal restraint. Despite the strong
macroeconomic performance, political intrigue and allegations of
corruption continued to swirl in 2003, with the TOLEDO
administration growing increasingly unpopular, and local and foreign
concern rising that the political turmoil could place the country's
hard-won fiscal and financial stability at risk. Moreover, as of
late 2003, unemployment had yet to respond to the strong growth in
economic activity, owing in part to rigid labor market regulations
that act as an impediment to hiring.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $146 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 27% services: 65% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
17.7% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
54% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.4% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.2 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
8.63 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.9%, mining and quarrying 0.4%, manufacturing 12.6%, construction 5.3%, commerce 26.3%, household work 4.9%, other services 44.6% (2004)
Unemployment rate:
9.7%; widespread underemployment (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $15.86 billion
expenditures: $17.05 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6
billion (2003 est.)
Public debt:
49.2% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, plantains,
coca; poultry, beef, dairy products, wool; fish
Industries:
mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food
processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal
fabrication
Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
20.59 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
19.15 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
95,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
161,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
614.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
370 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
370 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:
245.1 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$-1.116 billion (2003)
Exports:
$8.954 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products, gold, copper, zinc, crude petroleum and
byproducts, lead, coffee, sugar, cotton
Exports - partners:
US 27.1%, UK 12.4%, China 7.7%, Switzerland 7.6%, Chile 4.7%, Japan
4.4% (2003)
Imports:
$8.244 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and
steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners:
US 28.6%, Spain 10%, Chile 7.5%, Brazil 5.1%, Colombia 4.5% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$10.24 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$29.95 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$895.1 million (1995)
Currency:
nuevo sol (PEN)
Currency code:
PEN
Exchange rates:
nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.4785 (2003), 3.5165 (2002), 3.5068
(2001), 3.49 (2000), 3.3833 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Peru
Telephones - main lines in use:
1,839,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,908,800 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate for most requirements
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: country code - 51; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)
Radios:
6.65 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
3.06 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.pe
Internet hosts:
65,868 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2000)
Internet users:
2.85 million (2003)
Transportation Peru
Railways:
total: 3,462 km
standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)
Highways:
total: 72,900 km
paved: 9,331 km
unpaved: 63,569 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:
8,808 km
note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km
of Lago Titicaca (2004)
Pipelines:
gas 388 km; oil 1,557 km; refined products 13 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado,
Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas
note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches
of the Amazon and its tributaries
Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,666 GRT/17,611 DWT
foreign-owned: United States 1
registered in other countries: 19 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1
Airports:
233 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 52 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 182 1,524 to 2,437 m: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 99 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)
Military Peru
Military branches:
Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes
Naval Air, Naval Infantry, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
del Peru; FAP)
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service (1999)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 7,374,187 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,938,512 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 277,931 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$829.4 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (2003)
Transnational Issues Peru
Disputes - international:
Bolivia has reanimated its claim to restore the Atacama corridor
ceded to Chile and adjoining Peru in 1884 to secure sovereign
maritime assess for Bolivian natural gas
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous
peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2004)
Illicit drugs:
until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; emerging opium
producer; cultivation of coca in Peru fell 15 percent to 31,150
hectares between 2002 and the end of 2003; much of the cocaine base
is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into cocaine,
while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the
international drug market; increasing amounts of base and finished
cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for use in
the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Philippines
Introduction Philippines
Background:
The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th
century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the
Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a
self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected President and
was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a
10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese
occupation during WWII, and US forces and Filipinos fought together
during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Philippines
attained their independence. The 21-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS
ended in 1986, when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into
exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was
hampered by several coup attempts, which prevented a return to full
political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was
elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by
greater stability and progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US
closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was
elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice-president,
Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after Estrada's stormy
impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and widespread
demonstrations led to his ouster. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a
six-year term in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats
from armed communist insurgencies and from Muslim separtists in the
south.
Geography Philippines
Location:
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the
South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 122 00 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 300,000 sq km
water: 1,830 sq km
land: 298,170 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
36,289 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from
coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also
claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in
breadth
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest
monsoon (May to October)
Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m
Natural resources:
timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
Land use:
arable land: 18.95%
permanent crops: 16.77%
other: 64.28% (2001)
Irrigated land:
15,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to
six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes;
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis
Environment - current issues: uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:
the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands; favorably
located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies:
the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and
Luzon Strait
People Philippines
Population:
86,241,697 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.8% (male 15,758,255; female 15,152,291)
15-64 years: 60.2% (male 25,847,345; female 26,096,211)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,473,873; female 1,913,722) (2004
est.)
Median age: total: 22.1 years male: 21.6 years female: 22.6 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.88% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
25.8 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.5 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: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 24.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 27.11 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.6 years
male: 66.74 years
female: 72.61 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.22 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Filipino(s)
adjective: Philippine
Ethnic groups:
Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%
Languages:
two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English;
eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon or
Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 92.5%
female: 92.7% (2002)
Government Philippines
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
conventional short form: Philippines
local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
local short form: Pilipinas
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Manila
Administrative divisions:
79 provinces and 116 chartered cities
: provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay,
Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas,
Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines
Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu,
Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Eastern
Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela,
Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte,
Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro
Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province,
Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar,
Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon,
Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South
Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte,
Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte,
Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay
: chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago,
Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan,
Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan, Calbayog,
Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao,
Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan, General
Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga,
Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag,
Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati,
Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi,
Markina, Masbate, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga, Olongapo, Ormoc,
Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan, Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay,
Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San
Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos (in Pangasinan), San
Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in Pampanga), San Jose, San
Jose del Monte, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay,
Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran,
Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu), Talisay (in Negros Oriental), Tanauan,
Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac, Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires,
Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela, Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga
Independence:
12 June 1898 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 June (1898)
note: 12 June 1898 was date of declaration of independence from
Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of independence from US
Constitution:
2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987
Legal system:
based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January
2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO)
elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms;
election last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)
election results: results of the election - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%,
Fernando POE 37%, three others 23%
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the
Commission of Appointments
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24
seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected at large
by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members
representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the
Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more
than 250 members)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Lakas 30%, LP
13%, KNP 13%, independents 17%, others 27%; seats by party - Lakas
7, LP 3, KNP 3, independents 4, others 6; note - there are 23 rather
than 24 sitting senators because one senator was elected Vice
President; 14 senators are pro-government, 9 are in opposition;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Lakas 93, NPC 53, LP 34, LDP 11, others 20; party-listers
24; note - there are 211 rather than 212 sitting representatives
because one was appointed Secretary of Tourism (2004)
elections: Senate - last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May
2007); House of Representatives - elections last held 10 May 2004
(next to be held in May 2007)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70
years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special court for
hearing corruption cases of government officials)
Political parties and leaders:
Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or
LDP [Edgardo ANGARA, president]; Lakas Ng Edsa (National Union of
Christian Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA, president; Gloria
MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, chairperson]; Liberal Party or LP [Franklin
DRILON, president; Jose ATIENZA, JR., chairman]; National People's
Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO, chairman emeritus; Frisco SAN
JUAN, president]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL, president]; Pwersa
ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine Masses) or PMP [Joseph
ESTRADA, president; Juan Ponce ENRILE, chairman]; Aksyon Demokratiko
Party [Raul ROCO, president]; Reporma [Renato DE VILLA, chairman];
PROMDI [Emilio OSMENA, president]; Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR,
president]; People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO,
president}
Political pressure groups and leaders:
AKBAYAN [Reps. Etta ROSALES, Mario AGUJA, and Risa
HONTIVEROS-BARAQUIEL]; ANAKPAWIS [Reps. Crispin BELTRAN and Rafael
MARIANO]; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC)
[Reps. Edgar VALDEZ, Ernesto PABLO, and Sunny Rose MADAMBA]; Bayan
Muna [Reps. Satur OCAMPO, Joel VIRADOR, and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.];
BUHAY [Reps. Rene VELARDE and Hans Christian SENERES]; BUTIL [Rep.
Benjamin CRUZ]; CIBAC [Rep. Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; GABRIELA
[Rep. Liza MAZA}; PARTIDO NG MANGGAGAWA [Rep. Renato MAGTUBO] (2003)
International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS
(observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Albert DEL ROSARIO
chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San
Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)
consulate(s): honorary consuls in Ft. Lauderdale and Houston
FAX: (202) 328-7614
telephone: (202) 467-9300
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE
embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila
mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000
telephone: (2) 523-6300
FAX: (2) 522-4361
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white
equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the
triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing
three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small
yellow five-pointed star
Economy Philippines
Economy - overview:
The Philippines was less severely affected by the Asian financial
crisis of 1998 than its neighbors, aided in part by annual
remittances of $6-7 billion from overseas workers. From a 0.6%
decline in 1998, GDP expanded by 2.4% in 1999, and 4.4% in 2000, but
slowed to 3.2% in 2001 in the context of a global economic slowdown,
an export slump, and political and security concerns. GDP growth
accelerated to 4.4% in 2002 and 4.2% in 2003, reflecting the
continued resilience of the service sector, gains in industrial
output, and improved exports. Nonetheless, it will take a higher,
sustained growth path to make appreciable progress in poverty
alleviation given the Philippines' high annual population growth
rate and unequal distribution of income. The MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
Administration has promised to continue economic reforms to help the
Philippines match the pace of development in the newly
industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes
improving the infrastructure, strengthening tax collection to
bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and
privatization of the economy, enhancing the viability of the
financial system, and increasing trade integration with the region.
Prospects for 2004 will depend on the economic performance of two
major trading partners, the US and Japan, and on increased
confidence on the part of the international investment community.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $390.7 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.5% industry: 32.3% services: 53.2% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
18.1% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
40% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 38.4% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
48.1 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.1% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
34.56 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 45%, industry 15%, services 40% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11.4% (2003)
Budget:
revenues: $11.56 billion
expenditures: $15.25 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.4
million NA (2003)
Public debt:
77% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes,
pork, eggs, beef, fish
Industries:
electronics assembly, textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood
products, food processing, petroleum refining, fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.1% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
45.21 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
42.04 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
8,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
343,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
164 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
10 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
10 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:
104.6 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$3.349 billion (2003)
Exports:
$34.56 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments,
coconut products, chemicals
Exports - partners:
US 20.1%, Japan 15.9%, Hong Kong 8.5%, Netherlands 8.1%, Taiwan
6.9%, Malaysia 6.8%, Singapore 6.7%, China 5.9% (2003)
Imports:
$35.97 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Japan 20.4%, US 19.8%, Singapore 6.8%, South Korea 6.4%, Taiwan 5%,
China 4.8%, Hong Kong 4.3% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$16.87 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$57.96 billion (2003)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA commitments, $1.2 billion (2002)
Currency:
Philippine peso (PHP)
Currency code:
PHP
Exchange rates:
Philippine pesos per US dollar - 54.2033 (2003), 51.6036 (2002),
50.9926 (2001), 44.1922 (2000), 39.089 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Philippines
Telephones - main lines in use:
3,310,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
15.201 million (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine
cable services; domestic and inter-island service adequate
domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
international: country code - 63; 9 international gateways;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific
Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and
Japan
Radio broadcast stations: AM 369, FM 583, shortwave 5 note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the language of the target audience (2004)
Radios:
11.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
225; note - 1373 CATV networks (2004)
Televisions:
3.7 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ph
Internet hosts:
38,440 (2002)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
33 (2000)
Internet users:
3.5 million (2002)
Transportation Philippines
Railways: total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2003)
Highways: total: 201,994 km paved: 42,419 km unpaved: 159,575 km (2000)
Waterways: 3,219 km note: limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m (2004)
Pipelines:
gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 100 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan,
Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando,
Subic Bay, Zamboanga
Merchant marine:
total: 385 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,524,259 GRT/6,437,171 DWT
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Canada 1, Germany 2, Greece 11, Hong
Kong 15, Japan 50, Malaysia 5, Netherlands 15, Norway 6, Panama 1,
United Kingdom 2, United States 4
registered in other countries: 87 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 99, cargo 103, chemical tanker 7, combination bulk 7,
container 8, liquefied gas 9, livestock carrier 10, passenger 4,
passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 45, refrigerated cargo 21, roll
on/roll off 16, short-sea/passenger 26, specialized tanker 1,
vehicle carrier 19
Airports:
253 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 82 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 173 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 68 under 914 m: 100 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 2 (2003 est.)
Military Philippines
Military branches:
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Coast
Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 22,435,982 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 15,780,602 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 851,009 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$995 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (FY98)
Transnational Issues Philippines
Disputes - international:
involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam
and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands, known locally as the
Kalayaan (Freedom) 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; Philippines retains a 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 a sovereignty
claim
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 150,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu
Sayyaf groups) (2004)
Illicit drugs:
exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the
US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin
and crystal methamphetamine; domestic methamphetamine production is
a growing problem; remains on Financial Action Task Force
Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure
to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Pitcairn Islands
Introduction Pitcairn Islands
Background:
Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled
in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.
Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in
1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South
Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the
population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today.
Geography Pitcairn Islands
Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between
Peru and New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
25 04 S, 130 06 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 47 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 47 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
51 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy
season (November to March)
Terrain:
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m
Natural resources:
miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been
discovered offshore
Land use:
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
typhoons (especially November to March)
Environment - current issues:
deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains
because of burning and clearing for settlement)
Geography - note:
Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of
Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies
must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed
offshore
People Pitcairn Islands
Population: 46 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:
-0.013% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population
Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Sex ratio:
NA
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years
Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality: noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander
Ethnic groups:
descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives
Religions:
Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
Languages:
English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th century English
dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
Literacy:
NA
Government Pitcairn Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Adamstown
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Constitution:
1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further
refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964
Legal system:
local island by-laws
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor
(nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Richard FELL (since NA
December 2001); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JACQUES (since
November 2003); serves as liaison between the governor and the
Island Council
election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the
Island Council
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and
commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by
popular vote for a three-year term; election last held December 2004
(next to be held December 2007)
head of government: mayor and chairman of the Island Council Jay
WARREN (since 15 December 2004)
cabinet: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by popular vote, 1
nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor
including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a
commissioner liaising between the governor and council; elected
members serve one-year terms)
elections: last held 24 December 2003 (next to be held 24 December
2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
Judicial branch:
Island Court (island magistrate, appointed by the governor,
presides over the court)
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
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 Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a
shield featuring a yellow anchor
Economy Pitcairn Islands
Economy - overview:
The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing,
subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile
soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and
vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams,
and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major
sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and
the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - NA
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA
Labor force:
12 able-bodied men (1997)
Labor force - by occupation:
no business community in the usual sense; some public works;
subsistence farming and fishing
Unemployment rate:
NA
Budget:
revenues: $729,900
expenditures: $878,100, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY94/95 est.)
Agriculture - products:
wide variety of fruits and vegetables, goats, chickens
Industries:
postage stamps, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered
generator
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Exports:
NA
Exports - commodities:
fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps
Exports - partners:
NA (2000)
Imports:
NA
Imports - commodities:
fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other
foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
NA (2000)
Debt - external:
NA
Economic aid - recipient:
from UK'S DFID
Currency:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code:
NZD
Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.162 (2002),
2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications Pitcairn Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: only party line telephone service is available
for this small, closely related community
domestic: party line service only
international: country code - 672; satellite earth station (Inmarsat)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
NA
Television broadcast stations:
0 (1997)
Televisions:
NA
Internet country code:
.pn
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA
Internet users:
NA
Transportation Pitcairn Islands
Highways: total: 6.4 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 6.4 km
Ports and harbors:
Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,313 GRT/5,651 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2003 est.)
Airports:
none (2003 est.)
Military Pitcairn Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Pitcairn Islands
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Poland
Introduction Poland
Background:
Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived around the middle of
the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century.
During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and
internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements
between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned
Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918
only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II.
It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its
government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil
in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union
"Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had
swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy"
program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its
economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland
currently suffers low GDP growth and high unemployment. Solidarity
suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it
failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament,
and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently
pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined
NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.
Geography Poland
Location:
Central Europe, east of Germany
Geographic coordinates:
52 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 312,685 sq km
water: 8,220 sq km
land: 304,465 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 2,788 km
border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456
km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia
444 km, Ukraine 526 km
Coastline:
491 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
Climate:
temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with
frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and
thundershowers
Terrain:
mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
Natural resources:
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,
arable land
Land use: arable land: 45.91% permanent crops: 1.12% other: 52.97% (2001)
Irrigated land:
1,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
flooding
Environment - current issues:
situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry
and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments;
air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide
emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain
has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and
municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous
wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial
establishments bring their facilities up to European Union code, but
at substantial cost to business and the government
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Geography - note:
historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the
lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
People Poland
Population:
38,626,349 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 3,388,247; female 3,216,085)
15-64 years: 70% (male 13,454,820; female 13,591,814)
65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,896,940; female 3,078,443) (2004
est.)
Median age: total: 36.2 years male: 34.3 years female: 38.2 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.02% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
10.64 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
9.97 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.16 years
male: 70.04 years
female: 78.52 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
14,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Pole(s)
adjective: Polish
Ethnic groups:
Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other
2.7% (2002)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox,
Protestant, and other 5%
Languages:
Polish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
Government Poland
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Poland
conventional short form: Poland
local short form: Polska
local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Warsaw
Administrative divisions:
16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie,
Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie,
Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie,
Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie,
Zachodniopomorskie
Independence:
11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Constitution:
adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national
referendum 25 May 1997; effective 17 October 1997
Legal system:
mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover
Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part
of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of
legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are
final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
Justice in Strasbourg
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December
1995)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005);
prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
and confirmed by the Sejm
head of government: Prime Minister Marek BELKA (since 24 June 2004);
Deputy Prime Minister Jerzy HAUSNER (since 11 June 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president;
percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej
OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate or
Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a
provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the
Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the
designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only
used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
elections: Sejm elections last held 23 September 2001 (next to be
held by September 2005); Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next
to be held by September 2005)
election results: Sejm - percent of vote by party - SLD-UP 41%, PO
12.7%, Samoobrona 10.2%, PiS 9.5%, PSL 9%, LPR 7.9%, AWSP 5.6% UW
3.1%, other 1%; seats by party (as of 10 December 2004) - SLD 154,
PO 56, PiS 44, PSL 40, SDPL 33, SO 30, LPR 25, UP 15, PLD 11, SKL 6,
RKN 5, Dom Ojczysty 4, PP 3, ROP 3, German minorities 2,
independents 26; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party (as of 10 December 2004)- SLD-UP 74, Block Senate 2001 10, PSL
and unaffiliated 5, UW 4, SO 2, LPR 2, independents 2, PiS 1
note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm
only
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an
indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by
the Sejm for nine-year terms)
Political parties and leaders:
Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Citizens
Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Coalition Electoral Action Solidarity
of the Right or AWSP; Conservative Peasants Party or SKL-RNP [Artur
BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Krzysztof JANIK]; Freedom
Union or UW [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK]; German Minority of Lower Silesia
or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI];
League of Polish Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Movement for
the Reconstruction of Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI];
Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord
or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Bloc or PBL [Wojciech
MOJZESOWICZ]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI];
Polish Raison d'Etat or PRS [Piotr MUSIAL]; Samoobrona or SO
[Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek
BOROWSKI]; Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of
Labor or UP [Izabela JARUAGA-NOWACKA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Maciej
MANICKI]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity
Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]
International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE,
CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest),
NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI,
UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: (202) 328-6270 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York telephone: (202) 234-3800 through 3802
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch) telephone: (22) 504-2000 FAX: (22) 504-2688 consulate(s) general: Krakow
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the
flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white
Economy Poland
Economy - overview:
Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization
throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among
transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done. The
privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a
liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged the development
of the private business sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles
alongside persistent corruption are hampering its further
development. Poland's agricultural sector remains handicapped by
structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and
lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive
sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy), while recently
initiated, have stalled. Reforms in health care, education, the
pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger
than expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public finance
depends mainly on privatization of Poland's remaining state sector,
the reduction of state employment, and an overhaul of the tax code
to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers, most of whom
pay no tax. The government's determination to enter the EU has
shaped most aspects of its economic policy and new legislation; in a
nationwide referendum in November 2003, 77% of the voters voted in
favor of Poland's EU accession, now scheduled for May 2004.
Improving Poland's export competitiveness and containing the
internal budget deficit are top priorities. Due to political
uncertainty, the zloty has recently depreciated in relation to the
euro, while currencies of the other euro-zone aspirants have been
appreciating. GDP per capita equals that of the three Baltic states.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $427.1 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.7% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 31% services: 65.9% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
18.4% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
18.4% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.6 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.7% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
16.92 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 27.5%, industry 22.1%, services 50.4% (1999)
Unemployment rate:
20% (2003)
Budget:
revenues: $39.13 billion
expenditures: $48.64 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)
Public debt:
47.4% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork
Industries:
machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,
shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
8.6% (2003)
Electricity - production:
135 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
118.8 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
11.04 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
4.306 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
17,180 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
424,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
53,000 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:
413,700 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
116.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
5.471 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
13.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
41 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
8.782 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
154.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$-4.085 billion (2003)
Exports:
$57.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 30.2%, intermediate manufactured
goods 25.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 20.9%, food and live
animals 8.5% (1999)
Exports - partners:
Germany 32.3%, France 6.1%, Italy 5.8%, UK 5%, Netherlands 4.5%,
Czech Republic 4.1% (2003)
Imports:
$63.65 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate manufactured
goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5%
(1999)
Imports - partners:
Germany 24.4%, Italy 8.5%, Russia 7.7%, France 7.1%, China 4.3%
(2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$33.96 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$86.82 billion (2003)
Economic aid - recipient:
EU structural adjustment funds (2000)
Currency:
zloty (PLN)
Currency code:
PLN
Exchange rates:
zlotych per US dollar - 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002), 4.0939 (2001),
4.3461 (2000), 3.9671 (1999)
note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Poland
Telephones - main lines in use:
12.3 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
17.4 million (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the
process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the
state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list
for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile
cellular telephone use
domestic: cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular
networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital
international: country code - 48; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
20.2 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)
Televisions:
13.05 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.pl
Internet hosts:
804,915 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)
Internet users:
8.97 million (2003)
Transportation Poland
Railways:
total: 23,852 km
broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (11,962 km electrified)
(2003)
Highways:
total: 364,656 km
paved: 249,060 km (including 358 km of expressways)
unpaved: 115,596 km (2000)
Waterways:
3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003)
Pipelines:
gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka,
Warsaw, Wroclaw
Merchant marine:
total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 154,710 GRT/228,132 DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 100 (2004 est.)
Airports:
122 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 84 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 40
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 39
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 13
Heliports:
3 (2003 est.)
Military Poland
Military branches:
Land Forces, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 17 years of age for compulsory military service after January 1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; in 2005 Poland plans to shorten the length of conscript service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans call for at least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004 women are only allowed to serve as officers and non-commissioned officers (April 2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 10,291,628 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 8,034,577 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 329,743 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.5 billion (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.71% (2002)
Transnational Issues Poland
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international
market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American
illicit drugs to Western Europe
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Portugal
Introduction Portugal
Background:
Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th
centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a
left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The
following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African
colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC
(now the EU) in 1986.
Geography Portugal
Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of
Spain
Geographic coordinates:
39 30 N, 8 00 W
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 92,391 sq km
land: 91,951 sq km
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
water: 440 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km
Coastline: 1,793 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:
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in
south
Terrain:
mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
the Azores 2,351 m
Natural resources:
fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten,
silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land,
hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 21.75%
permanent crops: 7.81%
other: 70.44% (2001)
Irrigated land:
6,320 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Azores subject to severe earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle
emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas
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, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental
Modification
Geography - note:
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western
sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
People Portugal
Population:
10,524,145 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 916,106; female 840,574)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 3,454,970; female 3,535,108)
65 years and over: 16.9% (male 735,407; female 1,041,980) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.9 years
male: 35.8 years
female: 40 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.41% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
10.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
10.37 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
3.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.35 years
male: 74.06 years
female: 80.85 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.46 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
27,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
adjective: Portuguese
Ethnic groups:
homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent
who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than
100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal
Religions:
Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)
Languages:
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.3%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.3% (2003 est.)
Government Portugal
Country name:
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
conventional short form: Portugal
local long form: Republica Portuguesa
local short form: Portugal
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Lisbon
Administrative divisions:
18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous
regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro,
Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra,
Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto,
Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu
Independence:
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (independent
republic proclaimed)
National holiday:
Portugal Day, 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the
day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died
Constitution:
25 April 1976; revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, 5 November
1992, 3 September 1997, 12 December 2001, and 24 July 2004
Legal system:
civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the
constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
body to the president
head of government: Prime Minister Pedro SANTANA LOPES (since 17
July 2004); note - Prime Minister Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO resigned
5 July 2004 to take over the Presidency of the European Commission;
Prime Minister Pedro SANTANA LOPES and his government resigned 11
December 2004, but will stay on in a caretaker capacity until
February 2005 elections
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA January
2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president
election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote
- Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral
(Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 March 2002 (next to be held 20 February
2005); note - President SAMPAIO called for early elections after
dissolving Parliament on 10 December 2004 because he lacked
confidence in the four-month center-right government
election results: percent of vote by party - PSD 40.1%, PS 37.8%, PP
8.7%, PCP/PEV 6.9%, The Left Bloc 2.7%; seats by party - PSD 105, PS
96, PP 14, PCP/PEV 12, The Left Bloc 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for
life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders:
Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]; Popular Party or
PP [Paulo PORTAS]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo de
SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho
Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pedro Miguel
SANTANA LOPES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO,
ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves CATARINO
consulate(s): Los Angeles, New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence
(Rhode Island)
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San
Francisco
FAX: (202) 462-3726
telephone: (202) 328-8610
chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Adrienne
S. O'NEAL
embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon
mailing address: Apartado 4258, 1507 Lisboa Codex; PSC 83, APO AE
09726
telephone: (21) 727-3300
FAX: (21) 726-9109
consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)
Flag description:
two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red
(three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the
dividing line
Economy Portugal
Economy - overview:
Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based
economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past
decade, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled
firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the
financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for
the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating
the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies.
Economic growth has been above the EU average for much of the past
decade, but fell back in 2001-03. GDP per capita stands at 70% of
that of the leading EU economies. A poor educational system, in
particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth.
Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers
in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct
investment. The coalition government faces tough choices in its
attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness and to keep
the budget deficit within the 3% EU ceiling.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $181.8 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-1.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $18,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.8% industry: 30.7% services: 63.2% (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.3% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.6 (1994-95)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
5.409 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 10%, industry 30%, services 60% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.4% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $64.81 billion
expenditures: $69.09 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)
Public debt:
59.8% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry,
beef, dairy products
Industries:
textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metalworking;
oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
44.32 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
41.48 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
3.479 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
3.743 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
339,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
28,830 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:
357,300 bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
2.542 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.553 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance:
$-7.592 billion (2003)
Exports:
$31.13 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper
products, hides
Exports - partners:
Spain 22.7%, Germany 15.2%, France 12.9%, UK 10.5%, US 5.8%, Italy
4.8%, Belgium 4.6% (2003)
Imports:
$43.73 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles,
agricultural products
Imports - partners:
Spain 29.1%, Germany 14.7%, France 9.9%, Italy 6.4%, UK 4.9%,
Netherlands 4.6% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$12.81 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$250.7 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $271 million (1995)
Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code:
EUR
Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Portugal
Telephones - main lines in use:
4,278,800 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
9,341,400 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has achieved a
state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and
a main line telephone density of 53%
domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean),
NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station
for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:
3.02 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 62 (plus 166 repeaters) note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)
Televisions:
3.31 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.pt
Internet hosts:
346,078 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
3.6 million (2002)
Transportation Portugal
Railways:
total: 2,850 km
broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Highways:
total: 68,732 km
paved: 59,110 km (including 1441 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,622 km (2000)
Waterways:
210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)
Pipelines:
gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon,
Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), Setubal,
Viana do Castelo
Merchant marine:
total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 872,557 GRT/1,236,025 DWT
registered in other countries: 24 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 7, Germany
21, Greece 2, Guadeloupe 1, Iceland 1, Italy 16, Japan 1, Malta 1,
Norway 7, Panama 1, Spain 18, Switzerland 7, Ukraine 1, United
Kingdom 1
by type: bulk 12, cargo 49, chemical tanker 19, container 8,
liquefied gas 7, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 6,
petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 5,
short-sea/passenger 5, vehicle carrier 2
Airports:
66 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)
Military Portugal
Military branches:
Army, Navy (PON; including Marines), Air Force (FAP), Republican
Guard (including Fiscal Guard)
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military
service was ended in September 2004 (September 2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,628,892 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,107,502 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 72,821 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3,497.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.3% (2003)
Transnational Issues Portugal
Disputes - international: some Portuguese groups assert dormant claims to territories ceded to Spain around the town of Olivenza
Illicit drugs:
gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian
heroin entering the European market (especially from Brazil);
transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe;
consumer of Southwest Asian heroin
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Puerto Rico
Introduction Puerto Rico
Background:
Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was
claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus' second
voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule
that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African
slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result
of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US
citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since
1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal
self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters
chose to retain commonwealth status.
Geography Puerto Rico
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates:
18 15 N, 66 30 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 9,104 sq km
water: 145 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
501 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains
precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal
areas
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m
Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil
Land use: arable land: 3.95% permanent crops: 5.52% other: 90.53% (2001)
Irrigated land:
400 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; hurricanes
Environment - current issues:
erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages
Geography - note:
important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to
the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural
harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central
mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry;
fertile coastal plain belt in north
People Puerto Rico
Population:
3,897,960 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.4% (male 446,474; female 426,585)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 1,220,721; female 1,329,936)
65 years and over: 12.2% (male 205,933; female 268,311) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 33.8 years
male: 32.1 years
female: 35.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.49% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
14.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.46 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: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.49 years
male: 73.49 years
female: 81.68 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,397 (1997)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican
Ethnic groups:
white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%,
Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%
Languages:
Spanish, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 93.7%
female: 94.4% (2002)
Government Puerto Rico
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico
Dependency status:
commonwealth associated with the US
Government type:
commonwealth
Capital:
San Juan
Administrative divisions:
none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular -
municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas
Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,
Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,
Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,
Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,
Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,
Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las
Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,
Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,
Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San
German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa
Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,
Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco
Independence:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)
National holiday:
US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day,
25 July (1952)
Constitution:
ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952;
effective 25 July 1952
Legal system:
based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of
justice
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do
not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001)
election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor;
percent of vote - 48.4%
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2008)
head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January
2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
legislature
Legislative branch:
bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27
seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2
November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000
(next to be held 2 November 2004)
note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner
to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US
House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,
he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last
held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results -
percent of vote by party - PPD 49.3%; seats by party - PPD 1; Anibal
ACEVEDO-VILA elected resident commissioner
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PPD 20, PNP 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPD 30, PNP 20, PIP 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of
two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for
all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the
Senate)
Political parties and leaders:
National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican
Party of Puerto Rico [Luis FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP
(pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD
(pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican Independence
Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of
Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the
Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution
International organization participation:
ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Flag description:
five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating
with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears
a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially
influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the
colors of the bands and triangle reversed
Economy Puerto Rico
Economy - overview:
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean
region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as
the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by
duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have
invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage
laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and
other livestock products as the main source of income in the
agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important
source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million
tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the
slowdown in the US economy.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $65.21 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.6% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 45%
services: 54% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.5% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
1.3 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
12% (2002)
Budget:
revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY99/00)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas, livestock products, chickens
Industries:
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
20.9 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
19.44 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
630 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
630 million cu m (2001 est.)
Exports:
$46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities:
chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage
concentrates, medical equipment
Exports - partners:
US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2002
est.)
Imports:
$29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)
Imports - commodities:
chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum
products
Imports - partners:
US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2002 est.)
Debt - external:
NA
Economic aid - recipient:
NA (2001)
Currency:
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
USD
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Communications Puerto Rico
Telephones - main lines in use:
1,329,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,211,111 (2001)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system integrated with that of the US by
high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data
capability
domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
2.7 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
6 (19 relay stations) (2004)
Televisions:
1.021 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.pr
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
76 (2000)
Internet users:
600,000 (2002)
Transportation Puerto Rico
Railways: total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 14,400 km paved: 14,400 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:
Aguadilla, Arecibo, Fajardo, Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama,
Mayaguez, Playa de Ponce, San Juan
Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 36,728 GRT/37,048 DWT
foreign-owned: United States 2
registered in other countries: 5 (2004 est.)
by type: container 1, roll on/roll off 1
Airports:
30 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 1,524 to 2, 437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
Military Puerto Rico
Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard,
Police Force
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Puerto Rico
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Qatar
Introduction Qatar
Background:
Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed
itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling
into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas
revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy
was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by
the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by
his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless
coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border
disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas
revenues enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita incomes
in the world.
Geography Qatar
Location:
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
25 30 N, 51 15 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km
Coastline:
563 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or
the median line
Climate:
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain:
mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish
Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.09% (2001)
Irrigated land:
130 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
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:
strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum
deposits
People Qatar
Population:
840,290 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.2% (male 103,660; female 99,597)
15-64 years: 72.7% (male 426,559; female 184,067)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 19,306; female 7,101) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 31.4 years
male: 36.7 years
female: 22 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.74% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
15.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
4.52 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
16.29 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: 2.32 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.72 male(s)/female
total population: 1.89 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 22.77 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.4 years
male: 70.9 years
female: 76.04 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.09% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari
Ethnic groups:
Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%
Religions:
Muslim 95%
Languages:
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.5%
male: 81.4%
female: 85% (2003 est.)
Government Qatar
Country name:
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar
local short form: Qatar
note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls
between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar
local long form: Dawlat Qatar
Government type:
traditional monarchy
Capital:
Doha
Administrative divisions:
10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al
Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan
al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal
Independence:
3 September 1971 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Constitution:
provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir
HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent
constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari
voters approved the new constitution; on 8 June 2004 the new
constitution came into force
Legal system:
discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil
codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and
personal matters
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995
when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad
Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad bin
Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent
by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the
positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-chief of the Armed
Forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani,
brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996) Deputy Prime Minister
MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20
January 1998); First Deputy Prime Minister HAMAD bin JASIM bin JABIR
Al Thani (since 16 September 2003; also Foreign Minister since
1992); Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATTIYAH
(since 16 September 2003; also Energy Minister since NA 1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed
at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election
for the CMC was held in March 1999
Legislative branch:
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members
appointed)
note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there
were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their
terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which
came into force on 8 June 2004, provides for a 45-member
Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect
two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the Amir would appoint the
remaining members
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal
note: under the new judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two
court systems, civil and Islamic law, have been merged under a
higher court, the Court of Cassation, to be established for appeals
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
consulate(s) general: Houston
FAX: (202) 237-0061
telephone: (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER
embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha
mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
telephone: 488 4101
FAX: 488 4298
Flag description:
maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the
hoist side
Economy Qatar
Economy - overview:
Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of export
earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given
Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West
European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 14.5 billion
barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23
years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 17.9 trillion
cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in
the world. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore
natural gas reserves to offset the ultimate decline in oil
production. Since 2000, Qatar has consistently posted trade
surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural
gas exports.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $17.54 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $21,500 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.4% industry: 70.8% services: 28.8% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.2% 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):
2.3% (2003)
Labor force:
140,000 (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.7% (2001)
Budget:
revenues: $8.202 billion
expenditures: $6.981 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2
billion (2003 est.)
Public debt:
72.7% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish
Industries:
crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals,
steel reinforcing bars, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
10% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
9.264 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
8.616 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
864,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
14.51 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
32.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
15.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
16.54 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
17.93 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$4.149 billion (2003)
Exports:
$12.36 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum products, fertilizers, steel
Exports - partners:
Japan 46%, South Korea 18.5%, Singapore 9.5% (2003)
Imports:
$5.711 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners:
US 12.2%, Japan 10.5%, Germany 9.6%, UK 8%, Italy 7.4%, UAE 6.7%,
Saudi Arabia 5.9%, South Korea 5% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.952 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$17.5 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
NA
Currency:
Qatari rial (QAR)
Currency code:
QAR
Exchange rates:
Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001),
3.64 (2000), 3.64 (1999)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications Qatar
Telephones - main lines in use:
184,500 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
376,500 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA
international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to
Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
256,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
230,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.qa
Internet hosts:
221 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
126,000 (2003)
Transportation Qatar
Highways: total: 1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.)
Pipelines:
condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid
petroleum gas 87 km; oil 702 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id)
Merchant marine:
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 525,051 GRT/772,635 DWT
foreign-owned: Cambodia 1, Kuwait 1 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 4, container 8, petroleum tanker
5, roll on/roll off 1
Airports:
4 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 1
Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)
Military Qatar
Military branches:
Land Force, Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Amiri Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 324,001 note: includes non-nationals (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 170,266 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 7,496 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$723 million (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
10% (FY00)
Transnational Issues Qatar
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Reunion
Introduction Reunion
Background:
The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the
17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration, supplemented by
influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians, gave the
island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost
the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade
route.
Geography Reunion
Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:
21 06 S, 55 36 E
Map references:
World
Area:
total: 2,517 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,507 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
207 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry
from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
Terrain:
mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m
Natural resources: fish, arable land, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 13.6% permanent crops: 1.2% other: 85.2% (2001)
Irrigated land:
120 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la
Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano, Piton de
la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at Saint-Denis,
which is the monitoring station for the whole of the Indian Ocean
People Reunion
Population:
766,153 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.9% (male 121,050; female 115,440)
15-64 years: 63.1% (male 238,553; female 245,236)
65 years and over: 6% (male 18,626; female 27,248) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.5 years
male: 25.4 years
female: 27.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.42% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
19.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
5.48 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: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.71 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.69 years
male: 70.29 years
female: 77.26 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.5 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: Reunionese (singular and plural)
adjective: Reunionese
Ethnic groups:
French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian
Religions:
Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)
Languages:
French (official), Creole widely used
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.9%
male: 87%
female: 90.8% (2003 est.)
Government Reunion
Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Reunion
conventional short form: Reunion
local short form: Ile de la Reunion
local long form: none
former: Bourbon Island
Dependency status:
overseas department of France
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Saint-Denis
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons
Independence:
none (overseas department 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 Dominique VIAN (since 16 August 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 the 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 Jean-Luc
POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
cabinet: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral
Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular
vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to
be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next
to be held NA 2010)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10,
UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council (second
round) - percent of vote by party - PCR 44.9%, UMP 32.8%, PS-Greens
22.3%; seats by party - PCR 27, UMP 11, PS-Greens 7
note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Reunion also
elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1,
PCR 1
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for the
Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS
[Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert
GERARD]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
InOC, UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas department of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy Reunion
Economy - overview:
The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but
services now dominate. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more
than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports.
The government has been pushing the development of a tourist
industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to one-third of
the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the
poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social
tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better
off than other segments of the population, often approaching
European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and
unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent.
The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the
seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of
Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from
France.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $4.348 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 19%
services: 73% (2000 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:
309,900 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13%, industry 12%, services 75% (2000)
Unemployment rate:
36% (1999 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.26 billion
expenditures: $2.62 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn
Industries:
sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
1.08 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
1.005 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
18,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$214 million f.o.b. (1997)
Exports - commodities:
sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%,
(1993)
Exports - partners:
France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (2000)
Imports:
$2.5 billion c.i.f. (1997)
Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and
transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products
Imports - partners:
France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (2000)
Debt - external:
NA
Economic aid - recipient:
$NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France (2001 est.)
Currency:
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
EUR
Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Reunion
Telephones - main lines in use:
300,000 est (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
489,800 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis
domestic: modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 262; radiotelephone communication to
Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); fiber optic
submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe
and Asia
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:
173,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
127,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.re
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
150,000 (2002)
Transportation Reunion
Highways:
total: 2,724 km
paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane road)
unpaved: 1,424 km (1994)
Ports and harbors:
Le Port, Pointe des Galets
Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 28,264 GRT/44,885 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1 foreign-owned: Sweden 1 registered in other countries: 1
Airports:
2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Reunion
Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (including
Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (2004 est.)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 202,385 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 103,073 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 7,070 (2004 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Reunion
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Romania
Introduction Romania
Background:
The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under
the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their
autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted
the new name of Romania. The country gained full independence in
1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new
territories following the conflict. In 1940, it allied with the Axis
powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR.
Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an
armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a
Communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the
king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took
power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly
oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown
and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the
government until 1996, when they were swept from power by a
fractious coalition of centrist parties. In 2000, the center-left
Social Democratic Party (PSD) became Romania's leading party,
governing with the support of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in
Romania (UDMR). The opposition center-right alliance formed by the
National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Party (PD) scored a
surprise victory over the ruling PSD in December 2004 presidential
elections. The PNL-PD alliance maintains a parliamentary majority
with the support of the UDMR, the Humanist Party (PUR), and various
ethnic minority groups. Although Romania completed accession talks
with the European Union (EU) in December 2004, it must continue to
address rampant corruption - while invigorating lagging economic and
democratic reforms - before it can achieve its hope of joining the
EU, tentatively set for 2007. Romania joined NATO in March of 2004.
Geography Romania
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and
Ukraine
Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 237,500 sq km
land: 230,340 sq km
water: 7,160 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 2,508 km
border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east)
169 km
Coastline:
225 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:
temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny
summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Terrain:
central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia
on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the
Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m
Natural resources:
petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron
ore, salt, arable land, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 40.82% permanent crops: 2.25% other: 56.93% (2001)
Irrigated land:
28,800 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure
and climate promote landslides
Environment - current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:
controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans,
Moldova, and Ukraine
People Romania
Population:
22,355,551 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.2% (male 1,861,801; female 1,770,746)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,712,612; female 7,791,900)
65 years and over: 14.4% (male 1,330,994; female 1,887,498) (2004
est.)
Median age: total: 36.1 years male: 34.7 years female: 37.5 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.11% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
10.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
11.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 27.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 30.41 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.12 years
male: 67.63 years
female: 74.82 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
350 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Romanian(s)
adjective: Romanian
Ethnic groups:
Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German
0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002)
Religions:
Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 87%, Protestant
6.8%, Catholic 5.6%, other (mostly Muslim) 0.4%, unaffiliated 0.2%
(2002)
Languages:
Romanian (official), Hungarian, German
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.7% (2003 est.)
Government Romania
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Romania local short form: Romania local long form: none
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Bucharest
Administrative divisions:
41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality*
(municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud,
Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi,
Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati,
Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov,
Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,
Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea
Independence:
9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey; independence
recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; kingdom proclaimed
26 March 1881); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed)
National holiday:
Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)
Constitution:
8 December 1991; revision came into force 29 October 2003
Legal system:
former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is
now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 28 November 2004, with runoff between the top two
candidates held 12 December 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2009
and 12 December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu TARICEANU (since 29
December 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian
NASTASE 48.77%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat
(137 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a
proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the
Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (332 seats; members are
elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation
basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next to be held 28
November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November 2004
(next to be held 28 November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party -
PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party -
PSD 46, PNL 28, PD 21, PRM 21, PUR 11, UMDR 10; Chamber of Deputies
- percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 36.6%, PNL-PD 31.3%%,
PRM 12.9%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 113, PNL 64, PD 48, PRM
48, UDMR 22, PUR 19, ethnic minorities 18
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on
the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of Hungarians
in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; Humanist Party or PUR [Dan
VOICULESCU]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Calin Popescu
TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM
[Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Adrian
NASTASE], formerly known as the Party of Social Democracy in Romania
or PDSR
Political pressure groups and leaders:
various human rights and professional associations
International organization participation:
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU
(applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York FAX: (202) 232-4748 telephone: (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Jack Dyer CROUCH II embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: (21) 210-4042 FAX: (21) 210-0395 branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;
the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow
band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also
resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova
Economy Romania
Economy - overview:
Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely
obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the
country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing
three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets.
Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in
construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept growth above
4%. An IMF standby agreement, signed in 2001, was accompanied by
slow but palpable gains in privatization, deficit reduction, and the
curbing of inflation. The IMF Board approved Romania's completion of
the standby agreement in October 2003, the first time Romania had
successfully concluded an IMF agreement since the 1989 revolution.
In July 2004, the Executive Board of the IMF approved a 24-month
standby arrangement for $367 million. The Romanian authorities do
not intend to draw on this arrangement, viewing it as a precaution.
Meanwhile, recent macroeconomic gains have done little to address
Romania's widespread poverty, and corruption and red tape handicap
the business environment.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $155 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.9% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.1% industry: 38.1% services: 48.8% (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.5% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
44.5% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.1 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.3% (2003)
Labor force:
9.28 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 41.4%, industry 27.3%, services 31.3% (2000)
Unemployment rate:
7.2% (2003)
Budget:
revenues: $17.06 billion
expenditures: $18.38 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)
Public debt:
25.5% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes;
eggs, sheep
Industries:
textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining,
timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food
processing, petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate:
2.3% (2003)
Electricity - production:
50.86 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
46.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
1.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
400 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
127,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
215,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
1.055 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
19.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
5.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
111.1 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$-3.368 billion (2003)
Exports:
$17.63 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and
equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products
Exports - partners:
Italy 24.3%, Germany 15.7%, France 7.4%, UK 6.7%, Turkey 5.1% (2003)
Imports:
$22.17 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and
products, basic metals, agricultural products
Imports - partners:
Italy 19.6%, Germany 14.9%, Russia 8.3%, France 7.3% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$10.37 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$18.34 billion (2003 est.)
Currency:
leu (ROL)
Currency code:
ROL
Exchange rates:
lei per US dollar - 33,200.1 (2003), 33,055.4 (2002), 29,060.8
(2001), 21,708.7 (2000), 15,332.8 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Romania
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.3 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.9 million (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: poor domestic service, but improving
domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is
mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about
one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages
have no service
international: country code - 40; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat; new digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate
in Bucharest; note - Romania is an active participant in several
international telecommunication network projects (1999)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios:
7.2 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:
5.25 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ro
Internet hosts:
50,807 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
38 (2000)
Internet users:
4 million (2003)
Transportation Romania
Railways:
total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)
standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)
broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
Highways:
total: 198,603 km
paved: 98,308 km (including 113 km of expressways)
unpaved: 100,295 km (2000)
Waterways:
1,731 km (2004)
Pipelines:
gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea
Merchant marine:
total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 395,350 GRT/510,232 DWT
registered in other countries: 39 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Greece 1, Italy 2
by type: bulk 7, cargo 26, container 1, passenger 1, petroleum
tanker 4, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 4
Airports:
62 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
under 914 m: 24 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 10
Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)
Military Romania
Military branches:
Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR),
Civil Defense
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory military service, 18 in wartime; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 5,952,834 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,007,375 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 163,577 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$985 million (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.47% (2002)
Transnational Issues Romania
Disputes - international:
has not resolved claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmyinyy (Snake)
Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks based
on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years; Hungary
amended status law extending special social and cultural benefits to
ethnic Hungarians in Romania, who had objected to the law
Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the
Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for
Western Europe; although not a significant financial center, role as
a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable to laundering which occurs
via the banking system, currency exchange houses, and casinos
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Russia
Introduction Russia
Background:
Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able
to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th
centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding
principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty
continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.
Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic
Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th
century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia.
Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led
to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and
to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists
under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR.
The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Russian
dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of
lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following
decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91)
introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an
attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently
released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15
independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its
efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to
replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the
Communist period. While some progress has been made on the economic
front, recent years have seen a recentralization of power under
Vladimir PUTIN and an erosion in nascent democratic institutions. A
determined guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia in Chechnya.
Geography Russia
Location:
Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is included with
Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates:
60 00 N, 100 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 17,075,200 sq km
water: 79,400 sq km
land: 16,995,800 sq km
Area - comparative:
approximately 1.8 times the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 20,017 km
border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China
(southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland
1,340 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km,
Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,485
km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576
km
Coastline:
37,653 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much
of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the
polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid
in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along
Arctic coast
Terrain:
broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest
and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border
regions
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m
Natural resources:
wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural
gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder
exploitation of natural resources
Land use: arable land: 7.33% permanent crops: 0.11% other: 92.56% (2001)
Irrigated land:
46,630 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to
development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and
earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and
summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European
Russia
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric
plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal,
and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts;
deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper
application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes
intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from
toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of
obsolete pesticides
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:
largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably
located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its
size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either
too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's
tallest peak
People Russia
Population:
143,782,338 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 11,064,109; female 10,518,595)
15-64 years: 71.3% (male 49,534,076; female 52,958,107)
65 years and over: 13.7% (male 6,177,580; female 13,529,871) (2004
est.)
Median age: total: 37.9 years male: 34.7 years female: 40.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.45% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
9.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
15.17 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female
total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 19.58 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.39 years
male: 59.91 years
female: 73.27 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.26 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.9% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
700,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Russian(s)
adjective: Russian
Ethnic groups:
Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir
0.9%, Belarusian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1% (1989)
Religions:
Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other
Languages:
Russian, other
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.5% (2003 est.)
Government Russia
Country name:
conventional long form: Russian Federation
conventional short form: Russia
local short form: Rossiya
local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
Government type:
federation
Capital:
Moscow
Administrative divisions:
49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respublik,
singular - respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh okrugov,
singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays (krayev, singular - kray), 2
federal cities (singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast
(avtonomnaya oblast')
: oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan',
Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Ivanovo,
Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy),
Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk,
Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk,
Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Perm', Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin
(Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk
(Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk,
Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl'
: republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan
(Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya
(Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas),
Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista),
Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk),
Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola),
Mordoviya (Saransk), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), North Ossetia
(Vladikavkaz), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)
: federal cities: Moscow (Moskva), St. Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburg)
: autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)
: krays: Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk,
Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol'
: autonomous okrugs: Aga Buryat (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'),
Evenk (Tura), Khanty-Mansi, Komi-Permyak (Kudymkar), Koryak
(Palana), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Taymyr [Dolgano-Nenets] (Dudinka),
Ust'-Orda Buryat (Ust'-Ordynskiy), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)
Independence:
24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Russia Day, 12 June (1990)
Constitution:
adopted 12 December 1993
Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (acting
president since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000)
note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides
staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential
decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a
Security Council also reports directly to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held NA March 2008);
note - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot
exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns,
the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president
until a new presidential election is held, which must be within
three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval
of the Duma
cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of
the premier and his deputy, ministers, and selected other
individuals; all are appointed by the president
head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5
March 2004); Deputy Premier Aleksandr Dmitriyevich ZHUKOV (since 9
March 2004)
election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN reelected president;
percent of vote - Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 71.2%, Nikolay
KHARITONOV 13.7%, other (no candidate above 5%) 15.1%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of the
Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July 2000,
members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials in
each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays,
republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of
Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year terms) and the
State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; currently 225 seats
elected by proportional representation from party lists winning at
least 5% of the vote, and 225 seats from single-member
constituencies; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held
NA December 2007)
election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties
clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of
the 225 party list seats - United Russia 37.1%, CPRF 12.7%, LDPR
11.6%, Motherland 9.1%; seats by party - United Russia 222, CPRF 53,
LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People's Party 19, Yabloko 4, Union of
Rightist Forces 2, other 7, independents 65, repeat election
required 3
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Superior Court of Arbitration;
judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation
Council on the recommendation of the president
Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy
Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR
[Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Motherland Bloc (Rodina) [Dmitriy
ROGOZIN]; People's Party [Gennadiy RAYKOV]; Union of Rightist Forces
or SPS [Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS, Yegor Timurovich GAYDAR, Irina
Mutsuovna KHAKAMADA, Boris Yefimovich NEMTSOV]; United Russia [Boris
Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko Party [Grigoriy Alekseyevich
YAVLINSKIY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation: APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, G- 8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer), ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco, and Seattle FAX: (202) 298-5735 telephone: (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708 chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW embassy: Bolshoy Devyatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721 telephone: (095) 728-5000 FAX: (095) 728-5090 consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
Economy Russia
Economy - overview:
Russia ended 2003 with its fifth straight year of growth, averaging
6.5% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Although high oil
prices and a relatively cheap ruble are important drivers of this
economic rebound, since 2000 investment and consumer-driven demand
have played a noticeably increasing role. Real fixed capital
investments have averaged gains greater than 10% over the last four
years and real personal incomes have averaged increases over 12%.
Russia has also improved its international financial position since
the 1998 financial crisis, with its foreign debt declining from 90%
of GDP to around 28%. Strong oil export earnings have allowed Russia
to increase its foreign reserves from only $12 billion to some $80
billion. These achievements, along with a renewed government effort
to advance structural reforms, have raised business and investor
confidence in Russia's economic prospects. Nevertheless, serious
problems persist. Oil, natural gas, metals, and timber account for
more than 80% of exports, leaving the country vulnerable to swings
in world prices. Russia's manufacturing base is dilapidated and must
be replaced or modernized if the country is to achieve broad-based
economic growth. Other problems include a weak banking system, a
poor business climate that discourages both domestic and foreign
investors, corruption, local and regional government intervention in
the courts, and widespread lack of trust in institutions. In
addition, a string of investigations launched against a major
Russian oil company, culminating with the arrest of its CEO in the
fall of 2003, have raised concerns by some observers that President
PUTIN is granting more influence to forces within his government
that desire to reassert state control over the economy.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.282 trillion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.2% industry: 35.1% services: 59.8% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
18.2% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
25% (January 2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.9% highest 10%: 47% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.9 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13.7% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
71.68 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 12.3%, industry 22.7%, services 65% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8.5% plus considerable underemployment (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $83.99 billion
expenditures: $73.75 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)
Public debt:
34.1% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef, milk
Industries:
complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal,
oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from
rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;
shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications
equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction
equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment;
medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles,
foodstuffs, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
7% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
915 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - consumption:
773 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
21.16 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
7 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
7.286 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.595 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
51.22 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
580.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
408.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
205.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
32.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
47.86 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$35.91 billion (2003)
Exports:
$134.4 billion (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood
products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and
military manufactures
Exports - partners:
Germany 7.8%, Netherlands 6.5%, Italy 6.3%, China 6.2%, Belarus
5.7%, Ukraine 5.7%, US 4.6%, Switzerland 4.4% (2003)
Imports:
$74.8 billion (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, sugar,
semifinished metal products
Imports - partners:
Germany 14%, Belarus 8.6%, Ukraine 7.7%, China 5.8%, US 5.2%,
Kazakhstan 4.7%, Italy 4.2%, France 4.1% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$76.94 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$175.9 billion (2003)
Economic aid - recipient:
in FY01 from US, $979 million (including $750 million in
non-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200 million (2000
est.)
Currency:
Russian ruble (RUR)
Currency code:
RUR
Exchange rates:
Russian rubles per US dollar - 30.692 (2003), 31.3485 (2002),
29.1685 (2001), 28.1292 (2000), 24.6199 (1999)
note: the post-1 January 1998 ruble is equal to 1,000 of the pre-1
January 1998 rubles
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Russia
Telephones - main lines in use:
35.5 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
17,608,800 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the telephone system underwent significant
changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed
to offer communication services; access to digital lines has
improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail
services are improving; Russia has made progress toward building the
telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy;
however, a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfied
domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint
Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the
telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital
infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are
available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are
still outdated, inadequate, and low density
international: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally
by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several
cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls;
satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik,
Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 420, FM 447, shortwave 56 (1998)
Radios:
61.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
7,306 (1998)
Televisions:
60.5 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ru; Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su" that
was allocated to the Soviet Union, and whose legal status and
ownership are contested by the Russian Government, ICANN, and
several Russian commercial entities
Internet hosts:
560,874 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
300 (June 2000)
Internet users:
6 million (2002)
Transportation Russia
Railways:
total: 87,157 km
broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)
note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve
industries (2003)
narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)
Highways:
total: 532,393 km
paved: 358,833 km
unpaved: 173,560 km (2000)
Waterways:
96,000 km
note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White
Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2004)
Pipelines:
condensate 122 km; gas 150,007 km; oil 75,539 km; refined products
13,771 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinskiy, Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', De-Kastri,
Indigirskiy, Kaliningrad, Kandalaksha, Kazan', Khabarovsk, Kholmsk,
Krasnoyarsk, Lazarev, Mago, Mezen', Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka,
Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Onega, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Rostov,
Shakhtersk, Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Taganrog, Tuapse, Uglegorsk,
Vanino, Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg
Merchant marine:
total: 958 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,521,472 GRT/5,505,118 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 20, cargo 562, chemical tanker 13,
combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 36, container 28,
multi-functional large load carrier 2, passenger 35, passenger/cargo
4, petroleum tanker 179, rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 27,
roll on/roll off 21, short-sea/passenger 6, specialized tanker 2
foreign-owned: Belize 2, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 9, Denmark 1, Estonia 3,
Germany 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 1, South Korea 1, Latvia 2, Lithuania
3, Malta 2, Moldova 3, Netherlands 2, Panama 2, Switzerland 4,
Turkey 18, Turkmenistan 2, Ukraine 7, United Kingdom 3, United
States 4
registered in other countries: 350 (2004 est.)
Airports:
2,609 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 585
over 3,047 m: 56
2,438 to 3,047 m: 201
914 to 1,523 m: 100
under 914 m: 106 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 122
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2,024
under 914 m: 1,590 (2003 est.)
over 3,047 m: 19
2,438 to 3,047 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 261
1,524 to 2,437 m: 120
Heliports:
36 (2003 est.)
Military Russia
Military branches:
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Forces; Airborne troops, Strategic Rocket
Forces, and Military Space Forces are classified as independent
combat arms, not subordinate to any of the three branches
:
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-27 years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; 200,000 conscripts were inducted into the armed forces in 2003; length of compulsory military service is 2 years; plans as of August 2004 call for reduction in mandatory service to 1 year by 2008; 2003 planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen consisting of conscripts (August 2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 39,127,169 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 30,600,088 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,262,339 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA
Transnational Issues Russia
Disputes - international:
China and Russia in 2004 resolved their last border dispute over
islands in the Amur and Argun Rivers, but details on demarcation
have not yet been worked-out; the sovereignty dispute over the
islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group known
in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the
"Southern Kurils," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now
administered by Russia, and claimed by Japan, remains the primary
sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War
II hostilities; about a third of the boundary with Georgia remains
undelimited and none of it demarcated with several small, strategic
segments remaining in dispute; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas
such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge
in Abkhazia; equidistant seabed treaties have been signed with
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in the Caspian Sea but no consensus on
dividing the water column among the littoral states; Russia and
Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's
fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the
Svalbard Treaty zone; Russia continues to reject signing and
ratifying the joint 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia;
the Russian Parliament refuses to consider ratification of the
boundary treaties with Estonia and Latvia, but in May 2003, ratified
land and maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, which ratified the
1997 treaty in 1999, legalizing limits of former Soviet republic
borders; a simplified transit regime was adopted in July 2003 for
residents of the Kaliningrad coastal exclave to travel through
Lithuania to Russia; delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine is
complete, but demarcation remains unresolved; Ukraine protests
Russia's construction of a causeway in the direction of
Ukrainian-administered Tuzla Island in the Kerch Strait; Kazakhstan
and Russia will complete delimitation of their interstate border in
2004 and demarcation is underway; Russian Duma has not yet ratified
1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US in the Bering Sea
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 368,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North Ossetia) (2004)
Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and
producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;
government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as
transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American
cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent
Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source
of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are
key concerns; heroin increasingly popular in domestic market
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Rwanda
Introduction Rwanda
Background:
In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority
ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the
next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some
150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of
these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front
(RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several
political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions,
culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis
and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and
ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu
refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring
Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the former Zaire. Since then, most of
the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but about 10,000 that remain
in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo have formed an
extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried
in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and political
reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 and
its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in
August and September 2003, respectively - the country continues to
struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic
reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi
political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and
intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across
the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in
the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder
Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.
Geography Rwanda
Location:
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
2 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 26,338 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km
land: 24,948 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 893 km
border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to
January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible
Terrain:
mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with
altitude declining from west to east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m
Natural resources:
gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane,
hydropower, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 40.54%
permanent crops: 12.16%
other: 47.3% (2001)
Irrigated land:
40 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the
northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo
Environment - current issues:
deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel;
overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the
population predominantly rural
People Rwanda
Population:
7,954,013
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: 42.3% (male 1,690,122; female 1,674,147)
15-64 years: 55% (male 2,178,956; female 2,194,526)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 85,472; female 130,790) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.2 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.82% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
40.01 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
21.86 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: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 101.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 96.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 106.68 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 39.18 years
male: 38.43 years
female: 39.96 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.55 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
250,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
22,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:
noun: Rwandan(s)
adjective: Rwandan
Ethnic groups:
Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%,
indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
Languages:
Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French
(official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in
commercial centers
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 64.7% (2003 est.)
male: 76.3%
total population: 70.4%
People - note:
Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa
Government Rwanda
Country name:
conventional long form: Rwandese Republic
conventional short form: Rwanda
local short form: Rwanda
former: Ruanda
local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
Government type:
republic; presidential, multiparty system
Capital:
Kigali
Administrative divisions:
12 prefectures (in French - prefectures, singular - prefecture; in
Kinyarwanda - plural - NA, singular - prefegitura); Butare, Byumba,
Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali
Rurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri
Independence:
1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution:
a new constitution was adopted 26 May 2003
Legal system:
based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March
2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct
popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,
Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53 seats;
members elected by direct vote)
elections: last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held NA)
election results: seats by party under the Arusha peace accord - RPF
40, PSD 7, PL 6
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; communal courts; appeals courts
Political parties and leaders:
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Social
Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]; Democratic Popular Union
of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA ]; Democratic Republican Movement
or MDR (officially banned) [Celestin KABANDA]; Islamic Democratic
Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Prosper HIGIRO];
Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned) [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU
and Charles NTAKARUTINKA]; Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul
KAGAME]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
IBUKA - association of genocide survivors
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA
FAX: (202) 232-4544
telephone: (202) 232-2882
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret K. McMILLION embassy: #337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: 50 56 01 through 03 FAX: 57 2128
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and
green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue
band
Economy Rwanda
Economy - overview:
Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population
engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely
populated country in Africa; landlocked with few natural resources
and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee
and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base,
severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded
the country's ability to attract private and external investment.
However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and
rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty
levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded, and inflation has been
curbed. Export earnings, however, have been hindered by low beverage
prices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. Attempts
to diversify into non-traditional agriculture exports such as
flowers and vegetables have been stymied by a lack of adequate
transportation infrastructure. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem,
food production often does not keep pace with population growth,
requiring food to be imported. Rwanda continues to receive
substantial aid money and was approved for IMF-World Bank Heavily
Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late 2000.
But Kigali's high defense expenditures cause tension between the
government and international donors and lending agencies.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.11 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40.7% industry: 21.5% services: 37.8% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.3% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
60% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.9 (1985)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.5% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
4.6 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 90%
Unemployment rate:
NA
Budget:
revenues: $365.9 million
expenditures: $402.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003 est.)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums),
bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
Industries:
cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,
furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate:
7% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:
96.78 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
140 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
50 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$-163 million (2003)
Exports:
$73.33 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Exports - partners:
Indonesia 39.2%, Germany 4.6%, China 3.9% (2003)
Imports:
$245.8 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products,
cement and construction material
Imports - partners:
Kenya 23.3%, Germany 7.5%, Belgium 6.4%, Uganda 6.4%, France 5%
(2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$215 million (2003)
Debt - external:
$1.3 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$372.9 million (1999)
Currency:
Rwandan franc (RWF)
Currency code:
RWF
Exchange rates:
Rwandan francs per US dollar - 537.658 (2003), 476.327 (2002),
442.801 (2001), 389.696 (2000), 333.942 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Rwanda
Telephones - main lines in use:
23,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
134,000
note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several
prefecture capitals (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone system primarily serves business and
government
domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
prefectures by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular
telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF
radiotelephone
international: country code - 250; international connections employ
microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite
communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations -
1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax
service)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 3 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of
repeaters and the third FM program is a 24 hour BBC program),
shortwave 1 (2002)
Radios:
601,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
NA
Televisions:
NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.rw
Internet hosts:
1,495 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2002)
Internet users:
25,000 (2002)
Transportation Rwanda
Highways: total: 12,000 km paved: 996 km unpaved: 11,004 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:
Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye
Airports:
9 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Military Rwanda
Military branches:
Rwandan Defense Forces (Army, Air Forces)
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,973,713 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,004,296 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$47.7 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.9% (2003)
Transnational Issues Rwanda
Disputes - international:
Tutsi, Hutu, Hema, Lendu, and other conflicting ethnic groups,
associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government
forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the
boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and
Uganda to gain control over populated areas and natural resources -
government heads pledge to end conflicts, but localized violence
continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 37,691 (Democratic Republic of the
Congo)
IDPs: 4,158 (incursions by Hutu rebels from Democratic Republic of
the Congo, 1997-1999; most IDPs in northwest) (2004)
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Saint Helena
Introduction Saint Helena
Background:
Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint
Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It
acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815
until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call
declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension
Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough
Island has a meteorological station.
Geography Saint Helena
Location:
islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South
America and Africa
Geographic coordinates:
15 56 S, 5 42 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 410 sq km
note: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group
of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island,
Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands
water: 0 sq km
land: 410 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
60 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds;
Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds
(tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)
Terrain:
Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.1% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the
world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns
People Saint Helena
Population:
7,415 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 710; female 689)
15-64 years: 71.4% (male 2,739; female 2,559)
65 years and over: 9.7% (male 319; female 399) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.7 years
male: 34.9 years
female: 34.5 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.62% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
12.68 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 23.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.57 years
male: 74.67 years
female: 80.61 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.54 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: Saint Helenian(s)
adjective: Saint Helenian
Ethnic groups:
African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%
Religions:
Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic
Languages:
English
Literacy:
definition: age 20 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 98% (1987 est.)
Government Saint Helena
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Jamestown
Administrative divisions:
1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint
Helena, Tristan da Cunha*
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Constitution:
1 January 1989
Legal system:
NA
Suffrage:
NA years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by
the monarch
head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY
(since 1999); Michael CLANCY (taking office in October 2004)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio
officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3
ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
ICFTU, 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 Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag;
the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship
Economy Saint Helena
Economy - overview:
The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK,
which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of
annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from
fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because
there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek
employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
NA
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
3,500
note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%,
services 46% (1987 est.)
Unemployment rate:
14% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $11.2 million
expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY92/93)
Agriculture - products:
corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da
Cunha)
Industries:
construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
4.65 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$17 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:
fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee,
handicrafts
Exports - partners:
US 26.7%, Tanzania 21.9%, Indonesia 9.4%, UK 8.7%, Japan 7.4%,
Netherlands 7.2%, Nigeria 6.8%, Poland 5%, Spain 4.9% (2003)
Imports:
$42 million c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building
materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts
Imports - partners:
UK 29.1%, South Africa 24.7%, Spain 16.4%, Italy 8.8%, Tanzania
8.2%, US 5.8% (2003)
Debt - external:
NA (1996)
Economic aid - recipient:
$12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)
Currency:
Saint Helenian pound (SHP)
Currency code:
SHP
Exchange rates:
Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),
0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998),
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications Saint Helena
Telephones - main lines in use:
2,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (1997)
Telephone system:
general assessment: can communicate worldwide
domestic: automatic network
international: country code - 290; HF radiotelephone from Saint
Helena to Ascension Island, which is a major coaxial submarine cable
relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
3,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
0
note: television programs are received in Saint Helena via satellite
and distributed by cable (2002)
Televisions:
2,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.sh
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
500 (2002)
Communications - note:
Gough Island has a meteorological station
Transportation Saint Helena
Highways:
total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da
Cunha 20 km)
paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha
10 km)
unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha
10 km) (2000)
Ports and harbors:
Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown
Merchant marine:
none
Airports:
1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Saint Helena
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Saint Helena
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Saint Kitts and Nevis
Introduction Saint Kitts and Nevis
Background:
First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an
associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of
Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and
Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a
referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds
majority needed. Nevis is once more trying to separate from the
Saint Kitts.
Geography Saint Kitts and Nevis
Location:
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way
from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
17 20 N, 62 45 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km)
water: 0 sq km
land: 261 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
135 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:
tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal
temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain:
volcanic with mountainous interiors
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Natural resources: arable land
Land use: arable land: 19.44% permanent crops: 2.78% other: 77.78% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to October)
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two
volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide channel called The
Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint
Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its
almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that
of its sister island
People Saint Kitts and Nevis
Population:
38,836 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.6% (male 5,675; female 5,422)
15-64 years: 63% (male 12,242; female 12,236)
65 years and over: 8.4% (male 1,349; female 1,912) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.3 years
male: 26.5 years
female: 28.1 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.25% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
18.26 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-7.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 16.72 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.86 years
male: 69.03 years
female: 74.86 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.35 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: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian
Ethnic groups:
predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese
Religions:
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Languages:
English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 98% (1980 est.)
Government Saint Kitts and Nevis
Country name:
conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis
former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Government type:
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament
Capital:
Basseterre
Administrative divisions:
14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point,
Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James
Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary
Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter
Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island,
Trinity Palmetto Point
Independence:
19 September 1983 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Constitution:
19 September 1983
Legal system:
based on English common law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN
(since 1 January 1996)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
prime minister appointed by the governor general
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation
with the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July
1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11
popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve
five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1
elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of
the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)
Political parties and leaders:
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation
Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM
[Lindsey GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr.
Denzil DOUGLAS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OAS, OECS,
OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: (202) 686-2636 FAX: (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US
Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band
bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in
yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red
Economy Saint Kitts and Nevis
Economy - overview:
Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the Saint Kitts economy until
the 1970s. Although the crop still dominates the agricultural
sector, activities such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing,
and offshore banking have assumed larger roles in the economy. As
tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign
exchange, a decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11
September 2001 terrorist attacks has eroded government finances. The
opening of a 1,000+ bed Marriott hotel in February 2003 was expected
to bring in much-needed revenue.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $339 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-1.9% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 25.8%
services: 70.7% (2001)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
18,170 (June 1995)
Labor force - by occupation:
NA
Unemployment rate:
4.5% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $89.7 million
expenditures: $128.2 million, including capital expenditures of
$19.5 million (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish
Industries:
sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear,
beverages
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
100.3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
93.26 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
710 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$70 million (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco
Exports - partners:
US 61.4%, UK 15.7%, Canada 8.6%, Germany 4.3% (2003)
Imports:
$195 million (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, manufactures, food, fuels
Imports - partners:
US 35.7%, Italy 16.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, UK 6.4%, Denmark
5.2%, Canada 4.4% (2003)
Debt - external:
$171 million (2001)
Economic aid - recipient:
$8 million (2001)
Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
XCD
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7
(2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Saint Kitts and Nevis
Telephones - main lines in use:
23,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5,000 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: good interisland and international connections
domestic: inter-island links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin
(Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF
radiotelephone
international: country code - 1-869; international calls are carried
by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and switched there to
submarine cable or to Intelsat; or carried to Saint Martin
(Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched
to Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
28,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)
Televisions:
10,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.kn
Internet hosts:
51 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
10,000 (2002)
Transportation Saint Kitts and Nevis
Railways:
total: 50 km
narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane
plantations during harvest season (2003)
Highways:
total: 320 km
paved: 136 km
unpaved: 184 km (1999 est)
Ports and harbors:
Basseterre, Charlestown
Merchant marine:
none
Airports:
2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Saint Kitts and Nevis
Military branches:
Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including Coast Guard), Royal
Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including Special Service Unit)
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA
Transnational Issues Saint Kitts and Nevis
Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
portion of the Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
and Europe; some money-laundering activity
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Saint Lucia
Introduction Saint Lucia
Background:
The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested
between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th
centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to
the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence
in 1979.
Geography Saint Lucia
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
13 53 N, 60 68 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 616 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 606 sq km
Area - comparative:
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
158 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:
tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from
January to April, rainy season from May to August
Terrain:
volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m
Natural resources:
forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs,
geothermal potential
Land use: arable land: 6.56% permanent crops: 22.95% other: 70.49% (2001)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes and volcanic activity
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped
peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights
of the Caribbean
People Saint Lucia
Population:
164,213 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.7% (male 25,913; female 24,467)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 51,750; female 53,530)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,159; female 5,394) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.5 years
male: 23.7 years
female: 25.3 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.27% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
20.5 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
5.18 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 15.09 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.34 years
male: 69.78 years
female: 77.16 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.25 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: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian
Ethnic groups:
black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 3%, other Protestant 7%
Languages:
English (official), French patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 67%
male: 65%
female: 69% (1980 est.)
Government Saint Lucia
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia
Government type:
Westminster-style parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Castries
Administrative divisions:
11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery,
Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort
Independence:
22 February 1979 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Constitution:
22 February 1979
Legal system:
based on English common law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since
September 1997)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
prime minister appointed by the governor general
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth Davis ANTHONY (since 24
May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members
appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice
of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with
religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly
(17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single-member
constituencies to serve five-year terms)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP
55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3
elections: House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be
held in December 2006)
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla,
Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada,
Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines)
Political parties and leaders:
National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party
or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth
ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE];
United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: (202) 364-6723 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador
to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Saint Lucia
Flag description:
blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the
upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border
Economy Saint Lucia
Economy - overview:
Changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased
competition from Latin American bananas have made economic
diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island
nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment,
especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. The
manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean
area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana
industry. Economic fundamentals remain solid.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $866 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 7%
industry: 20%
services: 73% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
43,800 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 21.7%, industry, commerce, and manufacturing 24.7%, services 53.6% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:
16.5% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $141.2 million
expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of
$25.1 million (2000 est.)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa
Industries:
clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated
cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing
Industrial production growth rate:
-8.9% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:
120.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
111.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$66 million (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil
Exports - partners:
UK 48%, US 24%, Antigua and Barbuda 6%, Dominica 6%, Grenada 4%
(2003)
Imports:
$267 million (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation
equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners:
US 36.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.6%, UK 7.4%, Venezuela 6.8% (2003)
Debt - external:
$214 million (2000)
Economic aid - recipient:
$51.8 million (1995)
Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
XCD
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7
(2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use:
51,100 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
14,300 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: system is automatically switched
international: country code - 1-758; direct microwave radio relay
link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these
countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
111,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (of which one is a commercial broadcast station and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (2004)
Televisions:
32,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.lc
Internet hosts:
41 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
15 (2000)
Internet users:
13,000 (2002)
Transportation Saint Lucia
Highways: total: 1,210 km paved: 63 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:
Castries, Vieux Fort
Merchant marine:
none
Airports:
2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Saint Lucia
Military branches:
Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (including Special Service Unit,
Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA
Transnational Issues Saint Lucia
Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
portion of the Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and
Europe
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Introduction Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Background:
First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands
represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North
American possessions.
Geography Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Location:
Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south
of Newfoundland (Canada)
Geographic coordinates:
46 50 N, 56 20 W
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 242 sq km
note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the
Miquelon groups
water: 0 sq km
land: 242 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
120 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy
Terrain:
mostly barren rock
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m
Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports
Land use: arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 86.96% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues: recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment
Geography - note: vegetation scanty
People Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Population:
6,995 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.6% (male 878; female 840)
15-64 years: 64.9% (male 2,316; female 2,227)
65 years and over: 10.5% (male 323; female 411) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 33.3 years
male: 33 years
female: 33.6 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.26% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
14.15 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
6.72 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 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: 7.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.91 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.28 years
male: 75.97 years
female: 80.7 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.05 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: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French
Ethnic groups:
Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 99%
Languages:
French (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1982 est.)
Government Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Country name:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre
and Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
Dependency status:
self-governing territorial collectivity of France
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Saint-Pierre
Administrative divisions:
none (territorial collectivity of France); note - there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at
the second order
Independence:
none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French
control since 1763)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as
housing and taxation
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Albert DUPUY (since 10 January 2005)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round
- 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the
French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
president of the General Council is elected by the members of the
council
head of government: President of the General Council Marc
PLANTAGENEST (since NA)
cabinet: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats - 15 from
Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular
vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held
NA April 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PS
12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5
note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate;
elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR
1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French
National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002,
second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1
Judicial branch:
Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:
PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP)
[leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la
Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
Flag description:
a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue
background with yellow wavy lines under the ship; on the hoist side,
a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called
ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the
corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four
sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine
pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized
yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three
heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque
Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used
for official occasions
Economy Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Economy - overview:
The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by
fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of
Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of
disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the
number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration
panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km
to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although
it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are
heavily subsidized by France to the great betterment of living
standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost
economic prospects. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way
for development of the energy sector.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $48.33 million - supplemented by annual
payments from France of about $60 million (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
NA
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (1991-96 average)
Labor force:
3,261 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9.8% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24
million (1996 est.)
Agriculture - products:
vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Industries:
fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
42.03 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
39.08 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
600 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$10 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and
crustaceans, fox and mink pelts
Exports - partners:
US 42.9%, Ecuador 28.6%, Canada 14.3%, France 14.3% (2003)
Imports:
$106 million f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities:
meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building
materials
Imports - partners:
France 51%, Canada 31.4%, Italy 11.8% (2003)
Debt - external:
NA (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
approximately $60 million in annual grants from France
Currency:
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
EUR
Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.0626 (2001),
1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Telephones - main lines in use:
4,800 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (1994)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with
most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic
satellite system
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
4,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)
Televisions:
4,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.pm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
NA
Transportation Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Highways: total: 114 km paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km
Ports and harbors:
Saint Pierre
Merchant marine:
none
Airports:
2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Introduction Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Background:
Disputed between France and the United Kingdom in the 18th century,
Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted
in 1969 and independence in 1979.
Geography Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
13 15 N, 61 12 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)
water: 0 sq km
land: 389 sq km
Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
84 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm
Climate:
tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May
to November)
Terrain:
volcanic, mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, cropland
Land use:
arable land: 17.95%
permanent crops: 17.95%
other: 64.1% (2001)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a
constant threat
Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays
People Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Population:
117,193 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.6% (male 16,463; female 15,872)
15-64 years: 66% (male 39,827; female 37,547)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,247; female 4,237) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.8 years
male: 25.7 years
female: 26 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.31% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
16.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-7.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 16.58 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.35 years
male: 71.54 years
female: 75.21 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.9 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: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)
adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Ethnic groups:
black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%
Religions:
Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Hindu Seventh-Day
Adventist, other Protestant
Languages:
English, French patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 96%
male: 96%
female: 96% (1970 est.)
Government Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Government type:
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the
Commonwealth
Capital:
Kingstown
Administrative divisions:
6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint
George, Saint Patrick
Independence:
27 October 1979 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 October (1979)
Constitution:
27 October 1979
Legal system:
based on English common law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE
(since 2 September 2002)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by
the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29
March 2001)
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives
and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular
vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
ULP 12, NDP 3
elections: last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by July 2006)
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of
the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Political parties and leaders:
National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or
NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken
BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [leader NA]; United People's
Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph
GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or
SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OAS,
OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: (202) 364-6730 FAX: (202) 364-6736 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E.
KRAMER, is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Flag description:
three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and
green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V
pattern
Economy Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Economy - overview:
Economic growth in this lower-middle-income country hinges upon
seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors.
Tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994,
1995, and 2002, and tourism in the Eastern Caribbean has suffered
low arrivals following 11 September 2001. Saint Vincent is home to a
small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international
regulatory standards. Saint Vincent is also a large producer of
marijuana and is being used as a transshipment point for illegal
narcotics from South America.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $342 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.7% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10%
industry: 26%
services: 64% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.4% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
67,000 (1984 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)
Unemployment rate:
22% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $94.6 million
expenditures: $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)
Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices, small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, fish
Industries:
food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.9% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:
92.48 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
86 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$38 million (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis
racquets
Exports - partners:
France 52.7%, UK 6.9%, Greece 6.4%, Spain 6.4% (2003)
Imports:
$174 million (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers,
minerals and fuels
Imports - partners:
France 31.4%, US 10.4%, Singapore 10.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%,
Spain 9%, Italy 5.5% (2003)
Debt - external:
$167.2 million (2000)
Economic aid - recipient:
$47.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (1998)
Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
XCD
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7
(2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Telephones - main lines in use:
27,300 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
10,000 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF
radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the
Grenadines
international: country code - 1-784; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from
Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to
Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through
Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
77,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)
Televisions:
18,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.vc
Internet hosts:
4 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
15 (2000)
Internet users:
7,000 (2002)
Transportation Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 320 km unpaved: 720 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:
Kingstown
Merchant marine:
total: 704 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,967,418 GRT/9,041,023 DWT
registered in other countries: 25 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 120, cargo 346, chemical tanker 19, combination bulk
10, combination ore/oil 1, container 51, liquefied gas 5, livestock
carrier 4, multi-functional large load carrier 4, passenger 8,
petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 45, roll on/roll off 42,
short-sea/passenger 9, specialized tanker 8, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: Albania 1, Angola 2, Argentina 1, Australia 3,
Bangladesh 3, Barbados 2, Belgium 3, Bulgaria 16, China 114,
Colombia 1, Croatia 7, Cyprus 2, Denmark 13, Egypt 5, Estonia 13,
France 17, Germany 10, Greece 134, Guyana 8, Hong Kong 15, Iceland
7, India 5, Indonesia 1, Israel 3, Italy 21, Kenya 5, South Korea 4,
Latvia 7, Lebanon 9, Liberia 5, Lithuania 3, Malta 4, Isle of Man 1,
Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 2, Monaco 6, Netherlands 9, Nigeria 8,
Norway 32, Pakistan 6, Panama 3, Poland 3, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico
2, Romania 2, Russia 21, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Lucia 1,
Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 5, Slovenia 7, Spain 1, Sweden 9,
Switzerland 8, Syria 6, Taiwan 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1,
Turkey 23, Ukraine 8, United Kingdom 11, United States
Airports:
6 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Military branches:
Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes
Special Service Unit), Coast Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA
Transnational Issues Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
portion of the Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
@Samoa
Introduction Samoa
Background:
New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at
the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the
islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when
the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish
independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"
from its name in 1997.
Geography Samoa
Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
13 35 S, 172 20 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 2,944 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
403 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to
October)
Terrain:
two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and
uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky,
rugged mountains in interior
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m
Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 21.2% permanent crops: 24.38% other: 54.42% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons; active volcanism
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing
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:
occupies an almost central position within Polynesia
People Samoa
Population:
177,714 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 25,548; female 24,668)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 72,820; female 43,563)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 5,096; female 6,019) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.2 years
male: 26.8 years
female: 20.8 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.25% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
15.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
-11.7 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: 1.67 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 28.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 33.83 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.41 years
male: 67.64 years
female: 73.33 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3
Nationality:
noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan
Ethnic groups:
Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian
blood), Europeans 0.4%
Religions:
Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the
London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic,
Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Languages:
Samoan (Polynesian), English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
Government Samoa
Country name:
conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa
former: Western Samoa
Government type:
constitutional monarchy under native chief
Capital:
Apia
Administrative divisions:
11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga,
Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,
Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano
Independence:
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962
is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN
trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated
Constitution:
1 January 1962
Legal system:
based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of
legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state from
1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA
(since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from
1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in 1996, when former
Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health;
TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister (November 1998) after
TOFILAU died; the post of deputy prime minister is currently vacant
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of
state with the prime minister's advice
elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new
chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve
a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of
state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by
voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral
districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly Eurasian, voters who
cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only
chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held
not later than March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Land and Titles Court