Gwp (part 12)

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 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
(next to be held November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 43.4%, PPD
40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%,
PIP 9.7%; seats by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1
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 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); Luis FORTUNO
elected resident commissioner; results - percent of vote by party -
PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 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 [Roberto PRATS]; National Republican
Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody 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:
Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolutionary group also known as
Los Macheteros); note - the following radical groups are considered
dormant by Federal law enforcement: Armed Forces for National
Liberation or FALN, Armed Forces of Popular Resistance, Volunteers
of the Puerto Rican Revolution

International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

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 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the
slowdown in the US economy, and has recovered in 2004-2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$73.27 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$18,700 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 1.3 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 20% services: 77% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
12% (2002)

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.)

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:
23.03 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.2% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
21.42 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
436.1 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
218,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
740 million cu m (2003 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% (2004)

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% (2004)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
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:
1,111,900 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.682 million (2004)

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 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2006)

Radios:
2.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
32 (2006)

Televisions:
1.021 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.pr

Internet hosts:
404 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
76 (2000)

Internet users:
1 million (2005)

Transportation Puerto Rico

Airports: 30 (2006)

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 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Railways: total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 25,645 km
paved: 24,363 km (including 426 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,282 km (2004)

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 77,177 GRT/50,138 DWT
by type: roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 3 (US 3)
registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan

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: increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@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. His son, the current
Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him 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
land: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 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% (2005)

Irrigated land:
130 sq km (2002)

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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:
885,359 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.4% (male 105,546/female 101,371)
15-64 years: 73% (male 446,779/female 199,133)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 24,059/female 8,471) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 31.7 years
male: 37.1 years
female: 22.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.5% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
15.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
4.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
14.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 2.24 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.87 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.04 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.9 years
male: 71.37 years
female: 76.57 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.81 children born/woman (2006 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%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 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: 89%
male: 89.1%
female: 88.6% (2004 est.)

Government Qatar

Country name:
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar
local long form: Dawlat Qatar
local short form: Qatar
note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls
between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Government type:
traditional emirate

Capital:
name: Doha
geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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:
ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the
amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

Legal system:
discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil
codes are being implemented; Shari'a 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, fourth 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-ATIYAH (since 16 September 2003, also Electricity and Water
Minister since 1999 and Energy and Industry Minister since 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 9 June 2005, 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; preparations are underway to conduct elections to
the Majlis al-Shura in early 2007

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal
note: under a judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two court
systems, civil and Islamic law, were merged under a higher court,
the Court of Cassation, established for appeals

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU,
LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN
Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Hamad bin Mubarak al-KHALIFA
chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
FAX: (202) 237-0061
consulate(s) general: Houston

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 4176

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 60% 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 16 billion
barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23
years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion
cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in
the world. Qatar has permitted substantial foreign investment in the
development of its gas fields during the last decade and is expected
to become the world's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter by
2007. In recent years, Qatar has consistently posted trade surpluses
largely because of high oil prices and increased natural gas
exports, becoming one of the world's fastest growing and highest
per-capita income countries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$24.46 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$28.07 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
8.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$28,300 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.2% industry: 80.1% services: 19.7% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
440,000 (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:
2.7% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.8% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $17.31 billion
expenditures: $11.31 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.2
billion (2005 est.)

Public debt:
35.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Industries:
crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers,
petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship
repair

Industrial production growth rate:
10% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
9.735 billion kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
9.053 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
790,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
33,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
16 billion bbl (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production:
30.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
11.61 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
18.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
25.77 trillion cu m (2005)

Current account balance:
$9.27 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$24.9 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners:
Japan 37.1%, South Korea 19.5%, Singapore 8.3% (2005)

Imports:
$6.706 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
France 11.5%, Japan 10.5%, US 10.4%, Germany 8.4%, Saudi Arabia
7.3%, UK 7%, Italy 6.5%, South Korea 5.5%, UAE 4.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.552 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$21.13 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
Qatari rial (QAR)

Currency code:
QAR

Exchange rates:
Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003),
3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Qatar

Telephones - main lines in use:
205,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
716,800 (2005)

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:
301 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
219,000 (2005)

Transportation Qatar

Airports: 5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports:
1 (2006)

Pipelines:
condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid
petroleum gas 87 km; oil 844 km (2006)

Roadways:
total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km
unpaved: 123 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 750,669 GRT/1,177,673 DWT
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, container 8, liquefied gas 2,
petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 8 (Kuwait 7, US 1)
registered in other countries: 4 (Honduras 1, Liberia 2, Panama 1)
(2006)

Ports and terminals:
Doha

Military Qatar

Military branches:
Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari
Amiri Air Force (QAAF)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; land forces enlisted personnel are largely unprofessional foreign nationals (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 302,873
females age 18-49: 137,856 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 238,566
females age 18-49: 116,595 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 7,851
females age 18-49: 7,040 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$723 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
10% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Qatar

Disputes - international:
none

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Qatar is a destination country for men and women
from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but are
subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic
workers and laborers; the problem of trafficking of foreign children
as camel jockeys was thoroughly addressed by government action in
2005, but independent confirmation of the problem's complete
elimination is not yet available
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Qatar has made noticeable progress
in rescuing and repatriating child camel jockeys, establishing a
shelter for abused domestic workers, and creating hotlines to
register complaints; however, Qatar is placed on the Tier 2 Watch
List for its failure to provide sufficient evidence of increasing
efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2005, particularly with
regard to labor exploitation

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@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
land: 2,507 sq km
water: 10 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
(May to November), hot and rainy (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: 13.94% permanent crops: 1.59% other: 84.47% (2005)

Irrigated land:
120 sq km (2003)

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:
787,584 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.8% (male 120,147/female 114,589)
15-64 years: 64% (male 248,895/female 255,156)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 19,847/female 28,950) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.9 years
male: 25.7 years
female: 28.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.34% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
18.9 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
5.49 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.63 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.18 years
male: 70.78 years
female: 77.75 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.45 children born/woman (2006 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 long form: none
local short form: Ile de la Reunion
former: Bourbon Island

Dependency status:
overseas department of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: Saint-Denis
geographic coordinates: 20 52 S, 55 28 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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:
4 October 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 Pierre-Henry MACCIONI (since 28 August
2006)
head of government: President of the General Council Nassimah DINDAR
(since NA March 2004) and President of the Regional Council Paul
VERGES (since NA March 1993)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

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); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be
held in 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 in 2001 (next to be held in 2006); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRC 1, UDF 1, UMP 1;
Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly;
elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007);
results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 3, PS
1, independent 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Elie HOARAU]; Rally for the
Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS
[Michel VERGOZ]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert GERARD];
Union for a Popular Movement or UMP

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:
unofficial, local flag designed to emphasize solidarity among the
people of Reunion; the field is divided vertically with three narrow
stripes of blue, white, and red along the hoist edge representing
the French national flag; the remainder of the field is divided
diagonally into four triangles colored (clockwise from the hoist
side) blue, golden yellow, red, and green; in the center, the apexes
of the triangles are surmounted by a white disk; the only official
flag is the national flag of France

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 illustrated the
seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of
Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from
France.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.79 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,200 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 19% services: 73% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 299,000 (2002)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 13% industry: 12% services: 75% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
31% (2002)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%

Budget:
revenues: $554.7 million
expenditures: $554.7 million; 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:
1.19 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.5% hydro: 44.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.107 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
18,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Exports:
$248.5 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%

Exports - partners:
France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (2004)

Imports:
$3.306 billion c.i.f. (2002)

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% (2004)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France (2001 est.)

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),
1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Reunion

Telephones - main lines in use:
300,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
579,200 (2004)

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 hosts:
29 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
200,000 (2005)

Transportation Reunion

Airports:
2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 1,214 km (including 88 km of four-lane roads) (2001)

Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 1 (Bahamas 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Le Port

Military Reunion

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (includes
Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 183,421
females age 18-49: 185,606 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 142,578
females age 18-49: 154,273 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 7,339
females age 18-49: 7,007 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Reunion

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@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 recognition of its
independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and
acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the
conflict. In 1940, Romania 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. Romania joined NATO in
March of 2004 and completed accession talks with the European Union
(EU) in December 2004; it is scheduled to accede to the EU in 2007.

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 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km

Coastline:
225 km

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

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: 39.49% permanent crops: 1.92% other: 58.59% (2005)

Irrigated land:
30,770 sq km (2003)

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, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, 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: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans,
Moldova, and Ukraine

People Romania

Population:
22,303,552 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.7% (male 1,799,072/female 1,708,030)
15-64 years: 69.6% (male 7,724,368/female 7,797,065)
65 years and over: 14.7% (male 1,347,392/female 1,927,625) (2006
est.)

Median age: total: 36.6 years male: 35.3 years female: 37.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.12% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
10.7 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
11.77 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.63 years
male: 68.14 years
female: 75.34 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.37 children born/woman (2006 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 census)

Religions:
Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%,
Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and
Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and
unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)

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 long form: none local short form: Romania

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Bucharest
geographic coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality*
(municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud,
Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, 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 the Ottoman Empire;
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 effective 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)
head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu-TARICEANU (since 29
December 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 28 November 2004,
with runoff between the top two candidates held 12 December 2004
(next to be held November-December 2009); prime minister appointed
by the president with the consent of the Parliament
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 Camera 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 expected to be
held in November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November
2004 (next expected to be held 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 44, PNL 30, PD 20, PRM 20, PC 11, UDMR 10, independents 2;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR
36.8%, PNL-PD 31.5%, PRM 13%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 111,
PNL 66, PD 45, PRM 34, ex-PRM (Ciontu Group) 12, UDMR 22, PC 20, PIN
(GUSA Group) 3, independent 1, ethnic minorities 18

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice (comprised of 11 judges appointed for
three-year terms by the president in consultation with the Superior
Council of Magistrates, which is comprised of the minister of
justice, the prosecutor general, two civil society representatives
appointed by the Senate, and 14 judges and prosecutors elected by
their peers); a separate body, the Constitutional Court, validates
elections and makes decisions regarding the constitutionality of
laws, treaties, ordinances, and internal rules of the Parliament; it
is comprised of nine members serving nine-year terms, with three
members each appointed by the president, the Senate, and the Chamber
of Deputies

Political parties and leaders:
Conservative Party or PC [Dan VOICULESCU], formerly Humanist Party
or PUR; Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of
Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party
or PNL [Calin Popescu-TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater
Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA], formerly 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, ESA
(cooperating state), EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM
(guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Daniela
GITMAN
chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851, 4852
FAX: (202) 232-4748
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas F. TAUBMAN embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, US Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: (21) 200-3300 FAX: (21) 200-3442 information office: 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 GDP growth
above 4%. An IMF standby agreement, signed in 2001, has been
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 has successfully concluded an IMF agreement since
the 1989 revolution. In July 2004, the executive board of the IMF
approved a 24-month standby agreement for $367 million. IMF concerns
about Romania's tax policy and budget deficit led to a breakdown of
this agreement in 2005. In the past, the IMF has criticized the
government's fiscal, wage, and monetary policies. Meanwhile,
macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation of a
middle class and address Romania's widespread poverty, while
corruption and red tape continue to handicap the business
environment. Romanian government confidence in continuing
disinflation was underscored by its currency revaluation in 2005,
making 10,000 "old" lei equal 1 "new" leu.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$181.8 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$72.7 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.1% industry: 35% services: 54.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 9.31 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 31.6% industry: 30.7% services: 37.7% (2004)

Unemployment rate:
7.7% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
At-risk-of-poverty rate after social transfers 12% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 27.6% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.8 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (2005)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $29.97 billion
expenditures: $31.37 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.2
billion (2005 est.)

Public debt:
20.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

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:
1.9% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
57 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.5% hydro: 27.6% nuclear: 9.9% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
37.5 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
3.3 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
380 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
119,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
212,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
163,000 bbl/day bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
500 million bbl (yearend 2004)

Natural gas - production:
13.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
18.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
5.9 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
300 billion cu m (yearend 2004)

Current account balance:
$-8.2 billion (2005)

Exports:
$31.2 billion f.o.b. (2005)

Exports - commodities:
textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and
equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products

Exports - partners:
Italy 19.4%, Germany 14%, Turkey 7.9%, France 7.4%, UK 5.5%,
Hungary 4.1%, US 4.1% (2005)

Imports:
$41 billion f.o.b. (2005)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and
products, basic metals, agricultural products

Imports - partners:
Italy 15.5%, Germany 14%, Russia 8.3%, France 6.8%, Turkey 4.9%,
China 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$21.6 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$35.68 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$3.3 billion in committed EU pre-accession aid (2004-06)

Currency (code):
leu (ROL) is being phased out in 2006; "new" leu (RON) was
introduced in 2005 due to currency revaluation: 10,000 ROL = 1 RON

Currency code:
ROL

Exchange rates:
lei per US dollar - 3 (2005), 3 (2004), 3 (2003), 3 (2002), 3 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Romania

Telephones - main lines in use:
4.391 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
13.354 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: rapidly improving domestic and international
service, especially in wireless telephony
domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; liberalization in
2003 is transforming telecommunications; there has been 20% growth
in fixed lines with a penetration rate of 58% of households;
nation-wide wireless service is growing even faster with four major
providers and a penetration rate of 32%
international: country code - 40; satellite earth station - 10
(Intelsat 4); digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate
in Bucharest (2005)

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:
57,470 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
38 (2000)

Internet users:
4.94 million (2005)

Transportation Romania

Airports: 61 (2006)

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 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Heliports:
1 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 11,385 km
standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge (3,888 km electrified)
broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 198,817 km
paved: 60,043 km (including 228 km of expressways)
unpaved: 138,774 km (2003)

Waterways:
1,731 km
note: includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on secondary
branches, and 132 km on canals (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 198,767 GRT/246,732 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 15, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2,
petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Italy 1)
registered in other countries: 48 (Georgia 11, North Korea 11, Malta
9, Panama 9, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Syria 3, unknown 4)
(2006)

Ports and terminals:
Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea

Military Romania

Military branches:
Land Forces, Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aerienne
Romane, FAR), Special Operations (2006)

Military service age and obligation: all military inductees (including women) are volunteers who contract for an initial five-year term of service; subsequent voluntary service contracts are for successive three-year terms until the age of 36; minimum age for voluntary military service is 18 (2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 20-49: 5,061,984
females age 20-49: 4,975,427 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 20-49: 3,932,579
females age 20-49: 4,076,288 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 172,093
females age 20-49: 165,547 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$985 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.47% (2002)

Transnational Issues Romania

Disputes - international:
Romania and Ukraine have taken their dispute over
Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy (Snake) Island and Black Sea
maritime boundary to the ICJ for adjudication; Romania also opposes
Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border
through Ukraine to the Black Sea; Hungary amended the status law
extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians
in Romania, to which Romania had objected

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 19 December, 2006

@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 Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened communist
rule and 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 Russia and 14 other 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
the erosion of nascent democratic institutions. A determined
guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia in Chechnya and threatens to
destabilize the North Caucasus region.

Geography Russia

Location:
Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part of
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
land: 16,995,800 sq km
water: 79,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 20,096.5 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) 280.5 km, Mongolia
3,485 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 232 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: 7.17% permanent crops: 0.11% other: 92.72% (2005)

Irrigated land:
46,000 sq km (2003)

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
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

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:
142,893,540 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.2% (male 10,441,151/female 9,921,102)
15-64 years: 71.3% (male 49,271,698/female 52,679,463)
65 years and over: 14.4% (male 6,500,814/female 14,079,312) (2006
est.)

Median age: total: 38.4 years male: 35.2 years female: 41.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.37% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
9.95 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
14.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.86 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.13 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.08 years
male: 60.45 years
female: 74.1 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
860,000 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Russian(s)
adjective: Russian

Ethnic groups:
Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash
1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census)

Religions:
Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006
est.)
note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large
populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy
of over seven decades of Soviet rule

Languages:
Russian, many minority languages

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 long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
local short form: Rossiya
former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Government type:
federation

Capital:
name: Moscow
geographic coordinates: 55 45 N, 37 35 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
note: Russia is divided into eleven time zones

Administrative divisions:
48 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respublik,
singular - respublika), 9 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh okrugov,
singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 7 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, 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), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya]
(Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)
autonomous okrugs: Aga Buryat (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'), Evenk
(Tura), Khanty-Mansi, Koryak (Palana), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Taymyr
[Dolgano-Nenets] (Dudinka), Ust'-Orda Buryat (Ust'-Ordynskiy),
Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)
krays: Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk,
Permskiy, Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol'
federal cities: Moscow (Moskva), Saint Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburg)
autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)
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 31 December 1999-6 May 2000, president since 7 May 2000)
head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5
March 2004); First Deputy Premier Dmitriy Anatolyevich MEDVEDEV
(since 14 November 2005), Deputy Premiers Aleksandr Dmitriyevich
ZHUKOV (since 9 March 2004) and Sergey Borisovich IVANOV (since 14
November 2005)
cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of
the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other
individuals; all are appointed by the president
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
(eligible for a second term); election last held 14 March 2004 (next
to be held 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 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
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 88 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 elected by
proportional representation from party lists winning at least 7% of
the vote; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held
in 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, SPS 2, other
7, independents 65, repeat election required 3; composition as of 1
July 2006 - United Russia 309, CPRF 45, LDPR 35, Motherland 29,
People's Party 12, independents 18, vacant 2

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Supreme Arbitration Court;
judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation
Council on the recommendation of the president

Political parties and leaders:
A Just Russia or JR [Sergei MIRONOV] (formed from the merger of
three small political parties: Motherland Party (Rodina),
Pensioner's Party, and Party of Life); Communist Party of the
Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal
Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR [Vladimir Volfovich
ZHIRINOVSKIY]; People's Party [Gennady RAIKOV]; Union of Right
Forces or SPS [Nikita BELYKH]; United Russia or UR [Boris
Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko Party [Grigoriy Alekseyevich
YAVLINSKIY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, Arctic Council, 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), IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer),
MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC
(observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN
Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708 FAX: (202) 298-5735 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William J. BURNS embassy: Bolshoy Deviatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721 telephone: (495) 728-5000 FAX: (495) 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 2005 with its seventh straight year of growth,
averaging 6.4% 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 five
years, and real personal incomes have realized average increases
over 12%. During this time, poverty has declined steadily and the
middle class has continued to expand. Russia has also improved its
international financial position since the 1998 financial crisis,
with its foreign debt declining from 90% of GDP to around 31%.
Strong oil export earnings have allowed Russia to increase its
foreign reserves from only $12 billion to some $180 billion at
yearend 2005. 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. Economic growth slowed to 5.9% for 2005
while inflation remains high. 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, 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 and the acquisition of the
company by a state owned firm, 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. State control has increased in the past year with a number
of large acquisitions. Most fundamentally, Russia has made little
progress in building the rule of law, the bedrock of a modern market
economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.584 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$740.7 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.4% industry: 37.1% services: 57.5% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 74.22 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 10.3% industry: 21.4% services: 68.3% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.6% plus considerable underemployment (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
17.8% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 38.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.7% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $176.7 billion
expenditures: $125.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
12.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

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;
defense industries including radar, missile production, and advanced
electronic components, 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:
4% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
931 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 66.3% hydro: 17.2% nuclear: 16.4% other: 0.1% (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
811.5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
24 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
14 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
9.15 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2.8 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:
5.15 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
75,000 bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
69 billion bbl (2003 est.)

Natural gas - production:
587 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
402.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
157.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
12 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
47.57 trillion cu m (2003)

Current account balance:
$84.25 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$245 billion (2005 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:
Netherlands 10.3%, Germany 8.3%, Italy 7.9%, China 5.5%, Ukraine
5.2%, Turkey 4.5%, Switzerland 4.4% (2005)

Imports:
$125 billion (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, sugar,
semifinished metal products

Imports - partners:
Germany 13.6%, Ukraine 8%, China 7.4%, Japan 6%, Belarus 4.7%, US
4.7%, Italy 4.6%, South Korea 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$182.2 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$215.3 billion (2005 est.)

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 (code):
Russian ruble (RUR)

Currency code:
RUR

Exchange rates:
Russian rubles per US dollar - 28.284 (2005), 28.814 (2004), 30.692
(2003), 31.349 (2002), 29.169 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Russia

Telephones - main lines in use:
40.1 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
120 million (2005)

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 323, FM 1,500 est., shortwave 62 (2004)

Radios:
61.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
7,306 (1998)

Televisions:
60.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ru; note - 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:
1,979,924 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
300 (June 2000)

Internet users:
23.7 million (2005)

Transportation Russia

Airports: 1,623 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 616
over 3,047 m: 51
2,438 to 3,047 m: 198
1,524 to 2,437 m: 130
914 to 1,523 m: 100
under 914 m: 137 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,007
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 75
914 to 1,523 m: 127
under 914 m: 780 (2006)

Heliports:
52 (2006)

Pipelines:
condensate 122 km; gas 156,285 km; oil 72,283 km; refined products
13,658 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 87,157 km
broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)
note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve
industries (2005)

Roadways:
total: 871,000 km
paved: 738,000 km (including 29,000 km of expressways)
unpaved: 133,000 km
note: includes public and departmental roads (2004)

Waterways:
102,000 km (including 33,000 km with guaranteed depth)
note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White
Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 1,178 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,080,341 GRT/6,287,784 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 46, cargo 743, chemical
tanker 25, combination ore/oil 38, container 13, passenger 12,
passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 219, refrigerated cargo 54, roll
on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 5
foreign-owned: 100 (Belgium 4, Canada 1, Cyprus 2, Estonia 1,
Germany 2, Greece 1, Latvia 2, Malta 4, Norway 1, Switzerland 7,
Turkey 63, Ukraine 11, US 1)
registered in other countries: 465 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas
6, Belize 36, Bulgaria 1, Cambodia 105, Comoros 4, Cyprus 53,
Dominica 2, Finland 1, Georgia 28, North Korea 1, Liberia 77, Malta
70, Marshall Islands 1, Mongolia 13, Panama 7, Saint Kitts and Nevis
5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 29, Sierra Leone 1, Tuvalu 2,
Ukraine 1, Vanuatu 1, Venezuela 1, unknown 14) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Anapa, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk,
Rostov-na-Donu, Saint Petersburg, Taganrog, Vanino, Vostochnyy

Military Russia

Military branches:
Ground Forces (SV), Navy (VMF), Air Forces (VVS); Airborne Troops
(VDV), Strategic Rocket Troops (RVSN), and Space Troops (KV) are
independent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the three
branches

Military service age and obligation: Russia has adopted a mixed conscript-contract force; 18-27 years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; length of compulsory military service is two years; plans call for reduction in mandatory service to 18 months in 2007 and to one year by 2008; 30% of Russian army personnel were contract servicemen at the end of 2005; planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen consisting of conscripts; as of November 2006, the Armed Forces had more than 60 units manned with contract personnel totalling over 78,000 contract privates and sergeants; 88 Ministry of Defense units have been designated as permanent readiness units and are expected to become all-volunteer by end 2007; these include most air force, naval, and nuclear arms units, as well as all airborne and naval infantry units, most motorized rifle brigades, and all special forces detachments (2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 35,247,049
females age 18-49: 35,986,426 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 21,049,651
females age 18-49: 29,056,021 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 1,286,069
females age 18-49: 1,244,264 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Russia

Disputes - international: in 2005, China and Russia ratified the treaty to divide up the islands in the Amur, Ussuri, and Argun Rivers, representing the final portion of their centuries-long border disputes; 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; Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting all but small, strategic segments of the land boundary and the maritime boundary; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia signed equidistance boundaries in the Caspian seabed but the littoral states have no consensus on dividing the water column; 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; various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia (Kareliya) and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union following the Second World War but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; in May 2005, Russia recalled its signatures to the 1996 border agreements with Estonia (1996) and Latvia (1997), when the two Baltic states announced issuance of unilateral declarations referencing Soviet occupation and ensuing territorial losses; Russia demands better treatment of ethnic Russians in Estonia and Latvia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, to strict Schengen border rules; delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine is complete, but states have renewed discussions on demarcation; the dispute over the maritime boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and on-going expert-level discussions; discussions toward economic and political union with Belarus advance slowly; Kazakhstan and Russia boundary delimitation ratified November 2005 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: 339,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North Ossetia) (2005)

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Russia is a source, transit, and destination
country for men, women, and children trafficked for various
purposes; it remains a significant source of women trafficked to
over 50 countries for commercial sexual exploitation; Russia is also
a transit and destination country for men and women trafficked from
Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Korea to Central and Western
Europe and the Middle East for purposes of forced labor and sexual
exploitation; internal trafficking remains a problem in Russia with
women trafficked from rural areas to urban centers for commercial
sexual exploitation, and men are trafficked internally and from
Central Asia for forced labor in the construction and agricultural
industries; debt bondage is common among trafficking victims, and
child sex tourism remains a concern
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Russia is placed on the Tier 2
Watch List for a third consecutive year for its continued failure to
show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking,
particularly in the area of victim protection and assistance

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 19 December, 2006

@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 remain in
neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo and 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 - 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
land: 24,948 sq km
water: 1,390 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: 45.56%
permanent crops: 10.25%
other: 44.19% (2005)

Irrigated land:
90 sq km (2003)

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, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, 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:
8,648,248
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
2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,817,998/female 1,802,134)
15-64 years: 55.6% (male 2,392,778/female 2,417,467)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 87,325/female 130,546) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.4 years
female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.43% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
40.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
16.09 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 89.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 94.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 84.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.3 years
male: 46.26 years
female: 48.38 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.43 children born/woman (2006 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:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2005)

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
total population: 70.4%
male: 76.3%
female: 64.7% (2003 est.)

People - note:
Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Government Rwanda

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda
conventional short form: Rwanda
local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
local short form: Rwanda
former: Ruanda, German East Africa

Government type:
republic; presidential, multiparty system

Capital:
name: Kigali
geographic coordinates: 1 57 S, 30 04 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in
Kinyarwanda - prefigintara for singular and plural); 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:
new constitution adopted 4 June 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: President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(eligible for a second term); 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:
bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members
elected local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the
Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher
learning, to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80
seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local
bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations, to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held NA, members appointed as part of the
transitional government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of
Deputies - last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held in 2008)
election results: seats by party under the 2003 Constitution - RPF
40, PSD 7, PL 6, additional 27 members indirectly elected

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts;
District Courts; mediation committees

Political parties and leaders:
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic
Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic
Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned);
Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL
[Prosper HIGIRO]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned);
Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
IBUKA - association of genocide survivors

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMIS, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: (202) 232-2882
FAX: (202) 232-4544

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael ARIETTI 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 and is 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. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food
production often does not keep pace with population growth,
requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid
money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country
(HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005. Kigali's high defense
expenditures have caused tension between the government and
international donors and lending agencies. An energy shortage and
instability in neighboring states may slow growth in 2006, while the
lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries
continues to handicap export growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.54 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.817 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,500 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40.1% industry: 22.9% services: 37% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 4.6 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10%

Unemployment rate:
NA%

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):
8% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $509.9 million
expenditures: $584.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 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:
98 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.3% hydro: 97.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
121.1 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
30 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
6,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
56.63 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-166 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$98 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Exports - partners:
Germany 11%, China 6.5%, Belgium 4.5% (2005)

Imports:
$243 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products,
cement and construction material

Imports - partners:
Kenya 23.8%, Uganda 6.2%, Belgium 5.4%, Germany 5.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$357 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$425 million (2003)

Currency (code):
Rwandan franc (RWF)

Currency code:
RWF

Exchange rates:
Rwandan francs per US dollar - 610 (2005), 574.62 (2004), 537.66
(2003), 476.33 (2002), 442.8 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Rwanda

Telephones - main lines in use:
23,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
290,000
note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several
provincial capitals (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone system primarily serves business and
government
domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
provinces 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 8 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of
repeaters, three international FM programs include the BBC, VOA, and
Deutchewelle), shortwave 1 (2005)

Radios:
601,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (2004)

Televisions:
NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.rw

Internet hosts:
1,590 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2002)

Internet users:
38,000 (2005)

Transportation Rwanda

Airports: 9 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 12,000 km
paved: 996 km
unpaved: 11,004 km (1999)

Waterways:
Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2005)

Ports and terminals:
Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Military Rwanda

Military branches:
Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,004,750
females age 16-49: 1,990,935 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,103,823
females age 16-49: 1,096,644 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$53.66 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.9% (2005 est.)

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; DROC and Rwanda
established a border verification mechanism in 2005 to address
accusations of Rwandan military supporting Congolese rebels and the
Congo providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe" forces the means and
bases to attack Rwandan forces; as of 2004, Rwandan refugees lived
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Zambia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 45,460 (Democratic Republic of the
Congo)
IDPs: 4,158 (incursions by Hutu rebels from Democratic Republic of
the Congo, 1997-99; most IDPs in northwest) (2005)

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Saint Helena

Introduction Saint Helena

Background:
Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint
Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da
Cunha.
Saint Helena: 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.
During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer
prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.
Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered
and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the
island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena and
it served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa
Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty
control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena.
During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an
airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa
and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s
the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In
1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces
during the Falklands War, and it remains a critical refueling point
in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.
Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of
Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da
Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was
garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue
Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been
designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases the site for a
meteorological station on Gough Island.

Geography Saint Helena

Location:
islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South
America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint
Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2300 nm southwest of Saint Helena

Geographic coordinates:
Saint Helena: 15 57 S 5 42 W
Ascension Island: 7 57 S 14 22 W
Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S 12 30 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 413 sq km
land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 90 sq km;
Tristan da Cunha island group 201 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
Saint Helena: 60 km
Ascension Island: NA
Tristan da Cunha: 40 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds
Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid
Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds
(tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Terrain:
the islands of this group result from volcanic activity associated
with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge
Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44
dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east
Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly
circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply
dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the
coastal cliffs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green
Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena
Island 818 m

Natural resources:
fish, lobster

Land use:
arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere
else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles
and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the
highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent
landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa

People Saint Helena

Population:
7,502
note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are
inhabited (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.8% (male 717/female 692)
15-64 years: 71.2% (male 2,751/female 2,593)
65 years and over: 10% (male 342/female 407) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 36 years
male: 36.2 years
female: 35.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.56% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
12.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
6.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.34 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.93 years
male: 75.02 years
female: 80.98 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.55 children born/woman (2006 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
note: referred to locally as "Saints"

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:
name: Jamestown
geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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:
British common law and statutes, supplemented by local statutes

Suffrage:
NA years of age

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Michael CLANCY
(since 15 October 2004)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three
ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative
Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by
the monarch

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 31 August 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 12

Judicial branch:
Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

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, raising 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 (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,500 (1998 est.)

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

Labor force: 2,486 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 6% industry: 48% services: 46% (1987 est.)

Unemployment rate:
14% (1998 est.)

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.)

Budget:
revenues: $11.2 million
expenditures: $11 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY92/93)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on
Tristan da Cunha)

Industries:
construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork),
fishing, philatelic sales

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
5 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
4.65 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
100 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Exports:
$19 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee,
handicrafts

Exports - partners:
Tanzania 37.7%, US 17.4%, Japan 15.2%, UK 8.4%, Nigeria 4.8%, Spain
4.5% (2005)

Imports:
$45 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building
materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Imports - partners:
UK 53.5%, South Africa 14.3%, Spain 10.3%, Tanzania 8.5%, US 4.6%
(2005)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Currency (code):
Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Currency code:
SHP

Exchange rates:
Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004),
0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001)
note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Helena

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: can communicate worldwide
domestic: automatic digital network
international: country code - 290; international direct dialing;
satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations -
5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1)

Radio broadcast stations:
Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)

Radios:
3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
0
note: three television channels are received in Saint Helena via
satellite and distributed by UHF (2005)

Televisions:
2,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sh; note - the IANA has assigned .ac as the ccTLD for Ascension
Island

Internet hosts:
329 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
1,000 note - includes Ascension Island (2003)

Communications - note:
South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island

Transportation Saint Helena

Airports:
1
note: Wideawake Field on Ascension Island (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
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) (2002)

Ports and terminals:
Saint Helena: Jamestown
Ascension Island: Georgetown
Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor

Transportation - note:
there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an
international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010

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 19 December, 2006

@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 continues in its efforts to try and separate
from 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)
land: 261 sq km
water: 0 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 contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

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:
39,129 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.5% (male 5,515/female 5,263)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 12,605/female 12,572)
65 years and over: 8.1% (male 1,313/female 1,861) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.8 years
male: 27.1 years
female: 28.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.5% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
18.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
8.33 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.4 years
male: 69.56 years
female: 75.42 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.31 children born/woman (2006 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: 97.8%
male: NA%
female: NA% (2003 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:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Basseterre
geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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)
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July
1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation
with the prime minister
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

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11
popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1

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, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, 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 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.
Tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign
exchange; about 40,000 tourist visited Nevis during the 2003-2004
season. Additional tourist facilities, including a second cruise
ship pier, hotels, and golf courses are under construction.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$339 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$453 million

GDP - real growth rate:
4.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,200 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.8% services: 70.7% (2001)

Labor force:
18,170 (June 1995)

Unemployment rate:
4.5% (1997)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.7% (2005 est.)

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:
111.7 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
103.9 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
700 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Exports:
$70 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:
US 63.5%, Canada 8.4%, UK 5.8% (2005)

Imports:
$405 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports - partners:
US 46.9%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.7%, UK 5.4%, France 4.5%, Japan
4.2% (2005)

Debt - external:
$314 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
$-110,000 (2004)

Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7
(2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Saint Kitts and Nevis

Telephones - main lines in use:
25,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
10,000 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good inter-island and international connections
domestic: inter-island links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic
cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in
November 2004
international: country code - 1-869; international calls are carried
by submarine cable or 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:
50 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
10,000 (2002)

Transportation Saint Kitts and Nevis

Airports:
2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Railways:
total: 50 km
narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane
plantations during harvest season and for tourists (2005)

Roadways:
total: 320 km
paved: 138 km
unpaved: 182 km (1999 est)

Merchant marine:
total: 50 ships (1000 GRT or over) 261,556 GRT/381,593 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 36, chemical tanker 5,
passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1
foreign-owned: 41 (Greece 1, Monaco 1, Russia 5, Spain 2, Syria 3,
Tanzania 1, Turkey 6, UAE 19, Ukraine 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Basseterre, Charlestown

Military Saint Kitts and Nevis

Military branches:
Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (includes Coast Guard), Royal
Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 9,196
females age 18-49: 9,236 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 7,119
females age 18-49: 7,645 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 357
females age 18-49: 347 (2005 est.)

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 19 December, 2006

@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. Even after the abolition of slavery on its
plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island,
dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. 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 58 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 616 sq km
land: 606 sq km
water: 10 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 contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to
April, rainy season 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: 6.45% permanent crops: 22.58% other: 70.97% (2005)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)

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:
168,458 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.8% (male 25,941/female 24,319)
15-64 years: 65% (male 53,916/female 55,582)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,186/female 5,514) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.2 years
male: 24.4 years
female: 26.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.29% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
19.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
5.08 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.17 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.29 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.84 years
male: 70.29 years
female: 77.65 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.18 children born/woman (2006 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 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal 5.7%,
Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%, Rastafarian 2.1%,
other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001 census)

Languages:
English (official), French patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 90.1%
male: 89.5%
female: 90.6% (2001 est.)

Government Saint Lucia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Castries
geographic coordinates: 14 01 N, 61 00 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir John COMPTON (since 15
December 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
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

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; 6 members
appointed on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of
the leader of the opposition, and 2 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)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 11 December 2006 (next to
be held in December 2011)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6

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 [Sir John COMPTON]

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, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, 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, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador
to Barbados 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, even though
unemployment needs to be cut.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$866 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$825 million

GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 20% services: 73% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 43,800 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 21.7% industry: 24.7% services: 53.6% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
20% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (2005 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:
281 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
261.4 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2,520 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Exports:
$82 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil

Exports - partners:
France 29.3%, US 17.4%, China 17%, UK 13.1%, Brazil 6.2% (2005)

Imports:
$410 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation
equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners:
US 24.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 15.5%, Netherlands 14.5%, Venezuela
5.6%, UK 5.6%, France 4.7% (2005)

Debt - external:
$257 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
$-21.5 million (2004)

Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7
(2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Lucia

Telephones - main lines in use:
51,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
93,000 (2004)

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:
21 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
15 (2000)

Internet users:
55,000 (2005)

Transportation Saint Lucia

Airports:
2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 910 km
paved: 48 km
unpaved: 862 km (2000)

Ports and terminals:
Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Military Saint Lucia

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force
(includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard) (2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 42,742 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 33,539 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 1,651 (2005 est.)

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 19 December, 2006

@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
land: 242 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the
Miquelon groups

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: 12.5% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.5% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

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:
7,026 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.5% (male 843/female 807)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,342/female 2,272)
65 years and over: 10.8% (male 348/female 414) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 34.1 years
male: 33.7 years
female: 34.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.17% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
13.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
6.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.61 years
male: 76.27 years
female: 81.06 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.01 children born/woman (2006 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 long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Dependency status:
self-governing territorial collectivity of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: Saint-Pierre
geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W
time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends
first Sunday in November; note - these new dates become effective in
2007

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:
4 October 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 Yves FAUQUEUR (since 28 August 2006)
head of government: President of the General Council Marc
PLANTAGENEST (since NA)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held, 21 April 2002 (first round) and 5 May 2002
(second round) (next to be held in 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

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
in 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 26 September 2004 (next to be held in September
2013); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP
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:
Left Radical Party or PRG; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR
(now UMP); Socialist Party or PS; Union pour la Democratie Francaise
or UDF

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):
$48.3 million
note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60
million (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,000 (2001 est.)

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

Labor force: 3,261 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 18% industry: 41% services: 41% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10.3% (1999)

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)

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:
44.15 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
41.06 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
480 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Exports:
$7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and
crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Exports - partners:
Spain 33.6%, Belgium 21.8%, India 18.3%, France 9.4%, US 7.5% (2005)

Imports:
$70 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building
materials

Imports - partners:
France 51.3%, Canada 31.8%, Belgium 4.1% (2005)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
approximately $60 million in annual grants from France

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),
1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Telephones - main lines in use:
4,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

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 hosts:
0 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Airports:
2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Saint-Pierre

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 19 December, 2006

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Introduction Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Background:
Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on St. Vincent
until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most
of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783.
Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a
separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies.
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)
land: 389 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
84 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 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: La Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources:
hydropower, cropland

Land use:
arable land: 17.95%
permanent crops: 17.95%
other: 64.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)

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, 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 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:
117,848 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.7% (male 16,007/female 15,426)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 40,676/female 38,155)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,315/female 4,269) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.9 years
male: 26.7 years
female: 27.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.26% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
16.18 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-7.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.85 years
male: 71.99 years
female: 75.77 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.83 children born/woman (2006 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

Capital:
name: Kingstown
geographic coordinates: 13 09 N, 61 14 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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)
head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29
March 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
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

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)
elections: last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 55.26%, NDP 44.68%;
seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

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:
New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; 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, ISO (subscriber),
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 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 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 (official exchange rate):
$428 million

GDP - real growth rate:
4.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 26% services: 64% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 41,680 (1991 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 26% industry: 17% services: 57% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate:
15% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2005 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:
95 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 69.3% hydro: 30.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
88.35 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,300 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Exports:
$37 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch; tennis
racquets

Exports - partners:
France 50.3%, Italy 21%, Greece 11%, US 4.2% (2005)

Imports:
$225 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers,
minerals and fuels

Imports - partners:
France 36.1%, Singapore 12.5%, Italy 11.9%, Trinidad and Tobago
7.9%, US 7.2% (2005)

Debt - external:
$223 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
$10.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (2004)

Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7
(2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Telephones - main lines in use:
22,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
70,600 (2005)

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:
94 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
15 (2000)

Internet users:
8,000 (2005)

Transportation Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Airports: 6 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 829 km
paved: 580 km
unpaved: 249 km (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 589 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,449,699 GRT/8,051,250 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 106, cargo 351, chemical tanker 5, container
20, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5,
passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 38, roll
on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 3
foreign-owned: 529 (Bangladesh 1, Barbados 1, Belgium 3, Bulgaria
17, Canada 6, China 103, Croatia 9, Cyprus 1, Czech Republic
registered in other countries: 1 (Comoros 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Kingstown

Military Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 31,489 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 25,787 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 1,204 (2005 est.)

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 19 December, 2006

@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
land: 2,934 sq km
water: 10 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: 21.13% permanent crops: 24.3% other: 54.57% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

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:
176,908 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.1% (male 23,492/female 22,653)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 74,202/female 44,894)
65 years and over: 6.6% (male 5,299/female 6,368) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.2 years
male: 28.1 years
female: 22 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.2% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
16.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-11.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.65 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 31.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71 years
male: 68.2 years
female: 73.94 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.94 children born/woman (2006 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:
Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%,
Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist
3.5%, other Christian 4.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other 1.7%,
unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

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
local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa
local short form: Samoa
former: Western Samoa

Government type:
mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Capital:
name: Apia
geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 45W
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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 and assumed the duties of acting prime minister 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; Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of
state on 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 (no term limits); 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 non-Samoan or
part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a
village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to
the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: election last held 31 March 2006 (next election to be
held not later than March 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
HRPP 35, SDUP 10, independents 4

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles
Court

Political parties and leaders:
Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi
TUILA'EPA]; Samoa Christian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA];
Samoa Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati]; Samoa Party
or SP [Su'a Rimoni Ah CHONG]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or
SPPP [Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017
telephone: (212) 599-6196, 6197
FAX: (212) 599-0797

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to
Samoa
embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor,
Beach Road, Apia
mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia, 0815
telephone: 21436/21452/21631/22696
FAX: 22030

Flag description:
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing
five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross
constellation

Economy Samoa

Economy - overview:
The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on
development aid, family remittances from overseas, agriculture, and
fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms.
Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90%
of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The
manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The
decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism
is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 88,000
tourists visited the islands in 2001. One factory in the Foreign
Trade Zone employs 3,000 people to make automobile electrical
harnesses for an assembly plant in Australia. The Samoan Government
has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement
of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, while at the same
time protecting the environment. Observers point to the flexibility
of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic
advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the
external debt is stable, and inflation is low.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1 billion (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$399 million

GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.4% industry: 58.4% services: 30.2% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 90,000 (2000 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (2005)

Budget:
revenues: $171.3 million
expenditures: $78.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001-02)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

Industries:
food processing, building materials, auto parts

Industrial production growth rate:
2.8% (2000)

Electricity - production:
116 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58% hydro: 42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
107.9 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
$-2.428 million

Exports:
$94 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts,
garments, beer

Exports - partners:
Australia 75.9%, American Samoa 13.6%, US 6.5% (2005)

Imports:
$285 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
NZ 31%, Australia 22.6%, US 13.5%, Japan 7.5%, Fiji 6%, China 4.6%
(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$70.15 million

Debt - external:
$177 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
$30.8 million (2004)

Currency (code):
tala (SAT)

Currency code:
SAT (former WST code is still in wide use)

Exchange rates:
tala per US dollar - 2.7103 (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003),
3.3763 (2002), 3.478 (2001)

Fiscal year:
June 1 - May 31

Communications Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use:
13,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
24,000 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
174,849 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (2002)

Televisions:
8,634 (1999)

Internet country code:
.ws

Internet hosts:
10,680 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
6,000 (2004)

Transportation Samoa

Airports:
4 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 790 km
paved: 332 km
unpaved: 458 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
by type: cargo 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Apia

Military Samoa

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 58,722 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 45,294 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 2,306 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;
informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider
any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

Transnational Issues Samoa

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@San Marino

Introduction San Marino

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

Geography San Marino

Location:
Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Geographic coordinates:
43 46 N, 12 25 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 61.2 sq km
land: 61.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Terrain:
rugged mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Natural resources: building stone

Land use: arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Geography - note:
landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See
and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

People San Marino

Population:
29,251 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.8% (male 2,534/female 2,372)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 9,316/female 10,055)
65 years and over: 17% (male 2,149/female 2,825) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.6 years
male: 40.3 years
female: 41 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.26% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
10.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
8.17 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
10.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.71 years
male: 78.23 years
female: 85.5 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.34 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

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

Ethnic groups:
Sammarinese, Italian

Religions:
Roman Catholic

Languages:
Italian

Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 97%
female: 95% (1976 est.)

Government San Marino

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
conventional short form: San Marino
local long form: Repubblica di San Marino
local short form: San Marino

Government type:
independent republic

Capital:
name: San Marino
geographic coordinates: 43 56 N, 12 25 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo
Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino,
Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle

Independence:
3 September A.D. 301

National holiday:
Founding of the Republic, 3 September (A.D. 301)

Constitution:
8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions
of a constitution

Legal system:
based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Cochiefs of State Captain Regent Antonio CARATTONI
and Captain Regent Roberto GIORGETTI (for the period 1 October
2006-31 March 2007)
head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political
Affairs Fiorenzo STOLFI (since 27 July 2006)
cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council
for a five-year term
elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great
and General Council for a six-month term; election last held in
September 2006 (next to be held March 2007); secretary of state for
foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General
Council for a five-year term; election last held 13 December 2003
(next to be held NA)
election results: Antonio CARATTONI and Roberto GIORGETTI elected
captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA; Fabio BERARDI
elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs;
percent of legislative vote - NA
note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council)
selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs
of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the
Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which
has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council;
assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the
secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the
prerogatives of a prime minister

Legislative branch:
unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale
(60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 32.9%, Party of
Socialists and Democrats 31.9%, APDS 11.9%, United Left 8.7%, New
Socialist Party 5.4%; seats by party - PDCS 21, Party of Socialists
and Democrats 20, APDS 7, United Left 5, New Socialist Party 3,
other 4

Judicial branch:
Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Political parties and leaders:
Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in Movement or IM
[Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN; New Socialist Party;
Party of Socialists and Democrats [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino
Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Giovanni LONFERNINI]; San Marino
Popular Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San
Marino Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for
Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI]; United Left

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
honorary consulate(s) general: New York, Washington, DC
honorary consulate(s): Detroit, Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul
General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the
national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms
has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a
wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS
(Liberty)

Economy San Marino

Economy - overview:
The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000 more than 3
million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking,
wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural
products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and
standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous
regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$940 million (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$880 million

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

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$34,600 (2001 est.)

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

Labor force: 19,970 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1% industry: 42% services: 57% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
2.6% (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)

Budget:
revenues: $400 million
expenditures: $400 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides

Industries:
tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine

Industrial production growth rate:
6% (1997 est.)

Exports:
trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Exports - commodities: building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics

Imports:
trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Imports - commodities:
wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),
1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications San Marino

Telephones - main lines in use:
20,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
16,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate connections
domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into
Italian system
international: country code - 378; connected to Italian
international network

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)

Televisions:
9,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sm

Internet hosts:
3,140 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
14,300 (2002)

Transportation San Marino

Roadways: total: 104 km paved: 104 km (2003)

Military San Marino

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Voluntary Military Force (Corpi
Militari Voluntar) performs ceremonial duties and limited police
functions (2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 6,331 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 5,107 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 135 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$700,000 (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Italy

Transnational Issues San Marino

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Sao Tome and Principe

Introduction Sao Tome and Principe

Background:
Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the
islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the
19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of
which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was
achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the
late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the
political environment has been one of continued instability with
frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003.
The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have
a significant impact on the country's economy.

Geography Sao Tome and Principe

Location:
Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the
Equator, west of Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 N, 7 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,001 sq km
land: 1,001 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
209 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain:
volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Natural resources: fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 8.33% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 42.71% (2005)

Irrigated land:
100 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

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

Geography - note:
the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a
chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous

People Sao Tome and Principe

Population:
193,413 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.5% (male 46,478/female 45,302)
15-64 years: 48.8% (male 45,631/female 48,661)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 3,368/female 3,973) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.2 years
male: 15.6 years
female: 16.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.15% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
40.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 41.83 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 43.74 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 39.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.31 years
male: 65.73 years
female: 68.95 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.62 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2005)

Nationality:
noun: Sao Tomean(s)
adjective: Sao Tomean

Ethnic groups:
mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros
(descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from
Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais
born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Religions:
Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%,
other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

Languages:
Portuguese (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.3%
male: 85%
female: 62% (1991 est.)

Government Sao Tome and Principe

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe
local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe
local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Sao Tome
geographic coordinates: 0 12 N, 6 39 E
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

Independence:
12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution:
approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990

Legal system:
based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September
2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ (since
21 April 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
proposal of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 30 July 2006 (next
to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen by the National
Assembly and approved by the president
election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of
vote - Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 26 March 2006 (next to be held March 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP
28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4.7%, other 9.2%; seats by party - MDFM-PCD 23,
MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change
Democratic Movement or MDFM; Independent Democratic Action or ADI
[Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and
Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da
COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA];
Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), IPU, ITU, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA chancery: 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022 telephone: (212) 317-0580 FAX: (212) 935-7348 consulate(s): Atlanta

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and
green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the
center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the
hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Sao Tome and Principe

Economy - overview:
This small, poor island economy has become increasingly dependent
on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has
substantially declined in recent years because of drought and
mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings
in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods,
consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it
has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied
heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome
benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under
the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, and is expected
to benefit from an additional round of HIPC debt relief in early
2006, to help bring down the country's $300 million debt burden. In
August 2005, Sao Tome signed on to a new 3-year IMF Poverty
Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program worth $4.3 million.
Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry,
and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent
years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls
and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of
petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf
of Guinea, which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with
Nigeria. The first production licenses were sold in 2004, though a
dispute over licensing with Nigeria delayed Sao Tome's receipt of
more than $20 million in signing bonuses for almost a year. Real GDP
growth reached 6% in 2004, and also probably in 2005, as a result of
increases in public expenditures and oil-related capital investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$214 million (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$71.38 million

GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.7% industry: 14.8% services: 68.4% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 35,050

Labor force - by occupation: note: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Population below poverty line:
54% (2004 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.2% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
32.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $26.39 million
expenditures: $59.48 million; including capital expenditures of $54
million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Industries:
light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
15 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 41.2% hydro: 58.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
13.95 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
650 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
$-20 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$8 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Exports - partners:
Netherlands 61.1%, Belgium 9.2%, Turkey 5.5%, South Korea 4% (2005)

Imports:
$38 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum
products

Imports - partners:
UK 94.2%, Portugal 2.7%, US 1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$20 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$318 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program

Currency (code):
dobra (STD)

Currency code:
STD

Exchange rates:
dobras per US dollar - 9,900.4 (2005), (2004), 9,347.6 (2003),
9,088.3 (2002), 8,842.1 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sao Tome and Principe

Telephones - main lines in use:
7,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
12,000 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate facilities
domestic: minimal system
international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
38,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (2002)

Televisions:
23,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.st

Internet hosts:
735 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
20,000 (2005)

Transportation Sao Tome and Principe

Airports:
2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 320 km
paved: 218 km
unpaved: 102 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 21,527 GRT/29,823 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 7
foreign-owned: 3 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Sao Tome

Military Sao Tome and Principe

Military branches:
Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard,
Presidential Guard (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 33,438
females age 18-49: 35,279 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 25,950
females age 18-49: 28,660 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$581,729 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.8% (2005 est.)

Military - note:
Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no
resources at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating
unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and
maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years
in tropical climates; poor pay and conditions have been a problem in
the past, as has alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers, as
reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being
addressed with foreign assistance as initial steps towards the
improvement of the army and its focus on realistic security
concerns; command is exercised from the president, through the
Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)

Transnational Issues Sao Tome and Principe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Saudi Arabia

Introduction Saudi Arabia

Background:
In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured Riyadh and
set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. A son
of ABD AL-AZIZ rules the country today, and the country's Basic Law
stipulates that the throne shall remain in the hands of the aging
sons and grandsons of the kingdom's founder. Following Iraq's
invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal
family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops
to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following
year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after
Operation Desert Storm remained a source of tension between the
royal family and the public until the US military's near-complete
withdrawal to neighboring Qatar in 2003. The first major terrorist
attacks in Saudi Arabia in several years, which occurred in May and
November 2003, prompted renewed efforts on the part of the Saudi
government to counter domestic terrorism and extremism, which also
coincided with a slight upsurge in media freedom and announcement of
government plans to phase in partial political representation. As
part of this effort, the government permitted elections - held
nationwide from February through April 2005 - for half the members
of 179 municipal councils. A burgeoning population, aquifer
depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and
prices are all ongoing governmental concerns.

Geography Saudi Arabia

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of
Yemen

Geographic coordinates:
25 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 1,960,582 sq km
land: 1,960,582 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 4,431 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman
676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline:
2,640 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Terrain:
mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Land use: arable land: 1.67% permanent crops: 0.09% other: 98.24% (2005)

Irrigated land:
16,200 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues:
desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack
of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the
development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal
pollution from oil spills

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

Geography - note:
extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great
leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and
Suez Canal

People Saudi Arabia

Population: 27,019,731 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 5,261,530/female 5,059,041)
15-64 years: 59.4% (male 9,159,519/female 6,895,616)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 342,020/female 302,005) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 21.4 years
male: 22.9 years
female: 19.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.18% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
29.34 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
2.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.33 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.2 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.81 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.67 years
male: 73.66 years
female: 77.78 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.01% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Saudi(s)
adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Ethnic groups:
Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Religions:
Muslim 100%

Languages:
Arabic

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.8%
male: 84.7%
female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

Government Saudi Arabia

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
conventional short form: Saudi Arabia
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Government type:
monarchy

Capital:
name: Riyadh
geographic coordinates: 24 38 N, 46 43 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud
ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash
Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran,
Tabuk

Independence:
23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

National holiday:
Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Constitution:
governed according to Shari'a law; the Basic Law that articulates
the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993

Legal system:
based on Shari'a law, several secular codes have been introduced;
commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
adult male citizens age 21 or older
note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial
municipal council elections held nationwide from February through
April 2005

Executive branch:
chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al
Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin
Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January
1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz
Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin
Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January
1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and
includes many royal family members
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman
appointed by the monarch for four-year terms); note - in October
2003, Council of Ministers announced its intent to introduce
elections for half of the members of local and provincial assemblies
and a third of the members of the national Consultative Council or
Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period of four to five years;
in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs
initiated voter registration for partial municipal council elections
held nationwide from February through April 2005

Judicial branch:
Supreme Council of Justice

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador TURKI al-Faysal bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud
chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: (202) 342-3800
FAX: (202) 944-3113
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James C. OBERWETTER embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 telephone: (1) 488-3800 FAX: (1) 488-3989 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Flag description:
green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or
Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is
no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white
horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to
the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al
Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932

Economy Saudi Arabia

Economy - overview:
This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over
major economic activities. Saudi Arabia possesses 25% of the world's
proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of
petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector
accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of
export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector.
Roughly 5.5 million foreign workers play an important role in the
Saudi economy, particularly, in the oil and service sectors. The
government is encouraging private sector growth to lessen the
kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities
for the swelling Saudi population. The government has begun to
permit private sector and foreign investor participation in the
power generation and telecom sectors. As part of its effort to
attract foreign investment and diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia
acceded to the WTO in 2005 after many years of negotiations. With
high oil revenues enabling the government to post large budget
surpluses, Riyadh has been able to substantially boost spending on
job training and education, infrastructure development, and
government salaries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$346.3 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$264 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.3%
industry: 61.3%
services: 35.4% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
6.76 million
note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is
non-national (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 25%
services: 63% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
13% among Saudi males only (local bank estimate; some estimates
range as high as 25%) (2004 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% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
16.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $143.7 billion
expenditures: $89.65 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
44.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens,
eggs, milk

Industries:
crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals;
ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement,
fertilizer, plastics; metals, commercial ship repair, commercial
aircraft repair, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
5.3% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
145.1 billion kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
134.9 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
9.475 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.775 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - exports:
7.92 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
262.7 billion bbl (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production:
60.06 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
60.06 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2002)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
6.544 trillion cu m (2005)

Current account balance:
$90.73 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$165 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Exports - partners:
US 16.4%, Japan 16.1%, South Korea 9.1%, China 6.9%, Singapore
5.1%, Taiwan 4.2% (2005)

Imports:
$44.93 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles,
textiles

Imports - partners:
US 13%, Germany 9.5%, Japan 7.9%, China 7.3%, France 4.7%, Italy
4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$26.76 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$36.78 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon;
since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance
to the Palestinians; pledged $230 million to development in
Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans
to Iraq; pledged $133 million in direct grant aid, $187 million in
concessional loans, and $153 million in export credits for Pakistan
earthquake relief

Currency (code):
Saudi riyal (SAR)

Currency code:
SAR

Exchange rates:
Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.747 (2005), 3.75 (2004), 3.75
(2003), 3.75 (2002), 3.75 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 March - 28 February

Communications Saudi Arabia

Telephones - main lines in use:
3.8 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
13.3 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and
fiber-optic cable systems
international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain,
Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to
Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian
Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
6.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
117 (1997)

Televisions:
5.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sa

Internet hosts:
10,931 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
22 (2003)

Internet users:
2.54 million (2005)

Transportation Saudi Arabia

Airports: 208 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 73
over 3,047 m: 32
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 135
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 75
914 to 1,523 m: 40
under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Heliports:
6 (2006)

Pipelines:
condensate 212 km; gas 1,880 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,183 km; oil
4,531 km; refined products 1,150 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 1,392 km
standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and
sidings) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 152,044 km
paved: 45,461 km
unpaved: 106,583 km (2000)

Merchant marine:
total: 60 ships (1000 GRT or over) 837,272 GRT/1,064,377 DWT
by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 15, container 4, passenger/cargo
8, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9
foreign-owned: 9 (Egypt 2, Kuwait 5, Sudan 1, UAE 1)
registered in other countries: 55 (Bahamas 12, Comoros 3, Dominica
3, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 1, Liberia 24, Marshall
Islands 1, Norway 3, Panama 8) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Jiddah, Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Military Saudi Arabia

Military branches:
Land Forces (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National
Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 7,648,999
females age 18-49: 5,417,922 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 6,592,709
females age 18-49: 4,659,347 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 247,334
females age 18-49: 234,500 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$18 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
10% (2002)

Transnational Issues Saudi Arabia

Disputes - international:
despite resistance from nomadic groups, the demarcation of the
Saudi Arabia-Yemen boundary established under the 2000 Jeddah Treaty
is almost complete; Saudi Arabia still maintains the concrete-filled
pipe as a security barrier along sections of the border with Yemen
in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities; Kuwait and Saudi
Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran; the
United Arab Emirate 2006 Yearbook published a map and text
rescinding the 1974 boundary with Saudi Arabia, as stipulated in a
treaty filed with the UN in 1993, on the grounds that the agreement
was not formally ratified

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 240,000 (Palestinian Territories)
(2005)

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Saudi Arabia is a destination country for
workers from South and Southeast Asia who are subjected to
conditions that constitute involuntary servitude including being
subjected to physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages,
confinement, and withholding of passports as a restriction on their
movement; domestic workers are particularly vulnerable because some
are confined to the house in which they work, unable to seek help;
Saudi Arabia is also a destination country for Nigerian, Yemeni,
Pakistani, Afghan, Somali, Malian, and Sudanese children trafficked
for forced begging and involuntary servitude as street vendors; some
Nigerian women were reportedly trafficked into Saudi Arabia for
commercial sexual exploitation
tier rating: Tier 3 - Saudi Arabia does not fully comply with the
minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not
making significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:
death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin,
cocaine, and hashish; improving anti-money-laundering legislation
and enforcement

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Senegal

Introduction Senegal

Background:
Independent from France in 1960, Senegal was ruled by the Socialist
Party for forty years until current President Abdoulaye WADE was
elected in 2000. Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal
confederation of Senegambia in 1982, but the envisaged integration
of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was
dissolved in 1989. A southern separatist group sporadically has
clashed with government forces since 1982, but Senegal remains one
of the most stable democracies in Africa. Senegal has a long history
of participating in international peacekeeping.

Geography Senegal

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

Geographic coordinates:
14 00 N, 14 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 196,190 sq km
land: 192,000 sq km
water: 4,190 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:
total: 2,640 km
border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau
338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Coastline:
531 km

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

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong
southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot,
dry, harmattan wind

Terrain:
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 12.51% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 87.25% (2005)

Irrigated land:
1,200 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:
westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost
an enclave within Senegal

People Senegal

Population:
11,987,121 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.8% (male 2,467,021/female 2,422,385)
15-64 years: 56.1% (male 3,346,756/female 3,378,518)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 174,399/female 198,042) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.1 years
male: 18.9 years
female: 19.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.34% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
32.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 52.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 56.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 49.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.25 years
male: 57.7 years
female: 60.85 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
44,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Rift Valley fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2005)

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

Ethnic groups:
Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%,
Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Religions:
Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous
beliefs 1%

Languages:
French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.2%
male: 50%
female: 30.7% (2003 est.)

Government Senegal

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
conventional short form: Senegal
local long form: Republique du Senegal
local short form: Senegal
former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia); Mali Federation

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Dakar
geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 17 26 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick,
Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies,
Ziguinchor

Independence:
4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence was
achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Constitution:
new constitution adopted 7 January 2001

Legal system:
based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the
government's accounting office; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Macky SALL (since 21 April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term) under new constitution; election last
held under prior constitution (seven-year terms) 27 February and 19
March 2000 (next to be held 27 February 2007); prime minister
appointed by the president
election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote
in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.49%, Abdou
DIOUF (PS) 41.51%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001,
had 140 seats
elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held 27 February
2007) note - the National Assembly in December 2005 voted to
postpone legislative elections originally scheduled for 2006, they
will now coincide with presidential elections in 2007
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or
Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:
African Party for Democracy and Socialism or And Jef (also known as
PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; African Party of
Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP
[Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP (also
known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic League-Labor
Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for
Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE]; Gainde
Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party
or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier
DIOUF]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE];
Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition
[Abdoulaye WADE] (a coalition led by the PDS); Union for Democratic
Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM,
OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL,
UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA
chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 234-0540
FAX: (202) 332-6315
consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Janice L. JACOBS
embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar
mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
telephone: 823-4296
FAX: 822-2991

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red
with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Senegal

Economy - overview:
In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic
reform program with the support of the international donor
community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's
currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the
French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been
steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in
1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform
program, with real growth in GDP averaging over 5% annually during
1995-2004. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single
digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union
(WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with
a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy.
However, Senegal still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance.
Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief
program, Senegal will benefit from eradication of two-thirds of its
bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector debt.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$20.57 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.972 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.2% industry: 20.9% services: 61.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 4.82 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 77% industry and services: 23% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate:
48%; note - urban youth 40% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 33.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.657 billion
expenditures: $1.926 billion; including capital expenditures of $357
million (2005 est.)

Public debt:
46% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green
vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Industries:
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer
production, petroleum refining, construction materials, ship
construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:
3.1% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.332 billion kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
1.239 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
31,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
50 million cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
50 million cu m (2003 est.)

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

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

Current account balance:
$-848 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$1.526 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Exports - partners:
Mali 16.9%, India 13.1%, France 9.5%, Spain 6.1%, Italy 5.5%,
Gambia, The 4.6% (2005)

Imports:
$2.405 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Imports - partners:
France 22.8%, Nigeria 11.4%, Brazil 4.5%, Thailand 4.3%, US 4.2%,
UK 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.191 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$3.529 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$449.6 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
XOF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47
(2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Senegal

Telephones - main lines in use:
266,600 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.73 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good system
domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial
cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
international: country code - 221; 4 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
361,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sn

Internet hosts:
412 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
540,000 (2005)

Transportation Senegal

Airports: 20 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 43 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 906 km
narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 13,576 km
paved: 3,972 km (including 7 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,604 km (2003)

Waterways:
1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
Dakar

Military Senegal

Military branches:
Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air Force
(Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,443,840
females age 18-49: 2,461,939 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,558,175
females age 18-49: 1,642,533 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 129,331
females age 18-49: 129,398 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$117.3 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Senegal

Disputes - international:
The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem Senegalese citizens
from the Casamance region fleeing separatist violence, cross border
raids, and arms smuggling

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 19,778 (Mauritania)
IDPs: 17,000 (clashes between government troops and separatists in
Casamance region) (2005)

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and
South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America; illicit
cultivator of cannabis

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Serbia

Introduction Serbia

Background:
The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its
name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Occupation by Nazi Germany
in 1941 was resisted by various paramilitary bands that fought each
other as well as the invaders. The group headed by Josip TITO took
full control of Yugoslavia upon German expulsion in 1945. Although
Communist, his new government and its successors (he died in 1980)
managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and
the West for the next four and a half decades. In the early 1990s,
post-TITO Yugoslavia began to unravel along ethnic lines: Slovenia,
Croatia, Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina were recognized as
independent states in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and
Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in
April 1992 and, under President Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led
various military intervention efforts to unite ethnic Serbs in
neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." These actions led to
Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992, but Serbia continued
its campaign until signing the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. In
1998-99, massive expulsions by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries of
ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo provoked an international
response, including the NATO bombing of Belgrade and the stationing
of a NATO-led force (KFOR), in Kosovo. Federal elections in the fall
of 2000, brought about the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed
Vojislav KOSTUNICA as president. The arrest of MILOSEVIC in 2001
allowed for his subsequent transfer to the International Criminal
Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague to be tried for
crimes against humanity. In 2001, the country's suspension from the
UN was lifted, and it was once more accepted into UN organizations
under the name of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Kosovo has
been governed by the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo
(UNMIK) since June 1999, under the authority of UN Security Council
Resolution 1244, pending a determination by the international
community of its future status. In 2002, the Serbian and Montenegrin
components of Yugoslavia began negotiations to forge a looser
relationship. In February 2003 lawmakers restructured the country
into a loose federation of two republics called Serbia and
Montenegro. The Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro
included a provision that allowed either republic to hold a
referendum after three years that would allow for their independence
from the state union. In the spring of 2006, Montenegro took
advantage of the provision to undertake a successful independence
vote enabling it to secede on 3 June. Two days later, Serbia
declared that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and
Montenegro.

Geography Serbia

Location:
Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary

Geographic coordinates:
44 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 88,361 sq km
land: 88,361 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
total: 2,027 km
border countries: Albania 115 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km,
Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia 241 km, Hungary 151 km, Macedonia 221 km,
Montenegro 203 km, Romania 476 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid
summers with well distributed rainfall); in other parts, continental
and Mediterranean climate (hot, dry summers and autumns and
relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall)

Terrain:
extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east,
limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and
hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: NA
highest point: Daravica 2,656 m

Natural resources:
oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, antimony, chromite,
nickel, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt,
arable land

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

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube

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

Geography - note:
controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey
and the Near East

People Serbia

Population: 9,396,411 (2002 census)

Median age:
total: 40.4 years
male: 39.1 years
female: 41.7 years

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74 years
male: 71 years
female: 76 years

Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Serb(s)
adjective: Serbian

Ethnic groups:
Serb 66%, Albanian 17%, Hungarian 3.5%, other 13.5% (1991)

Religions:
Serbian Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages:
Serbian (official nationwide); Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak,
Ukrainian, and Croatian (all official in Vojvodina); Albanian
(official in Kosovo)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.4%
male: 98.9%
female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Government Serbia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Serbia
conventional short form: Serbia
local long form: Republika Srbija
local short form: Srbija
former: People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Belgrade
geographic coordinates: 44 50 N, 20 30 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
29 districts (okrugov; singular - okrug), 1 capital city*
Serbia Proper: Belgrad*, Bor, Branicevo, Jablanica, Kolubara, Macva,
Moravica, Nisava, Pcinja, Pirot, Podunavlje, Pomoravlje, Rasina,
Raska, Sumadija, Toplica, Zajecar, Zlatibor
Vojvodina Autonomous Province: Central Banat, North Backa, North
Banat, South Backa, South Banat, Srem, West Backa
Kosovo and Metojia Autonomous Province: Kosovo, Kosovska-Mitrovica,
Kosovo-Pomoravlje, Pec, Prizren

Independence:
5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

National holiday:
National Day, 27 April

Constitution:
28 September 1990; note - a new draft constitution approved by
Parliament on 30 September 2006 stresses that Kosovo is an integral
part of Serbia; the draft must still be approved by a national
referendum

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Boris TADIC (since 11 July 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Vojislav KOSTUNICA (since 3 March
2004)
cabinet: Federal Ministries act as cabinet
elections: president elected by direct vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 27 June 2004 (next
to be held June 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly
election results: Boris TADIC elected president in the second round
of voting; Boris TADIC received 53% of the vote

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (250 deputies elected by direct vote
for a four-year term)
elections: last held 28 December 2003 (next to be held December 2007)
election results: SRS 83, DSS 53, DS 37, G17 Plus 34, SPO-NS 22, SPS
22

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court (nine justices with life tenure)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic
Party or DS [Boris TADIC]; G17 Plus [Mladjan DINKIC is acting
leader]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav SESELJ, but Tomislav
NIKOLIC is acting leader]; Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [vacant,
but Ivica DACIC is head of the SPS Main Board]; New Serbia or NS
[Velimir ILIC]; Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD (suspended), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS
(observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 332-0333 FAX: (202) 332-3933 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. POLT embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070 telephone: (11) 361-9344 FAX: (11) 361-8230 note: there is a branch office in Pristina at 30 Nazim Hikmet 38000 Prstina, Kososvo; telephone: (38) 549-516; FAX: (38) 549-890

Flag description:
three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white;
charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the
hoist side

Economy Serbia

Economy - overview:
MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of
economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure
and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left the economy
only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of former
Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October 2000, the Democratic
Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government implemented
stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform program.
After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000, a
down-sized Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the
international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World
Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June
2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. In November
2001, the Paris Club agreed to reschedule the country's $4.5 billion
public debt and wrote off 66% of the debt. In July 2004, the London
Club of private creditors forgave $1.7 billion of debt, just over
half the total owed. Belgrade has made only minimal progress in
restructuring and privatizing its holdings in major sectors of the
economy, including energy and telecommunications. It has made
halting progress towards EU membership and is currently pursuing a
Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels. Serbia is
also pursuing membership in the World Trade Organization.
Unemployment remains an ongoing political and economic problem. The
Republic of Montenegro severed its economy from Serbia during the
MILOSEVIC era; therefore, the formal separation of Serbia and
Montenegro in June 2006 had little real impact on either economy.
Kosovo's economy continues to transition to a market-based system
and is largely dependent on the international community and the
diaspora for financial and technical assistance. The euro and the
Yugoslav dinar are both accepted currencies in Kosovo. While
maintaining ultimate oversight, UNMIK continues to work with the EU
and Kosovo's local provisional government to accelerate economic
growth, lower unemployment, and attract foreign investment to help
Kosovo integrate into regional economic structures. The complexity
of Serbia and Kosovo's political and legal relationships has created
uncertainty over property rights and hindered the privatization of
state-owned assets in Kosovo. Most of Kosovo's population lives in
rural towns outside of the largest city, Pristina. Inefficient,
near-subsistence farming is common.
note: economic data for Serbia currently reflects information for
the former Serbia and Montenegro, unless otherwise noted; data for
Serbia alone will be added when available

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$41.15 billion for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$19.19 billion for Serbia alone (excluding Kosovo) (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.9% for Serbia alone (excluding Kosovo) (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,400 for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6% industry: 25.5% services: 57.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 2.961 million for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 30% industry: 46% services: 24% note: excluding Kosovo and Montenegro (2002)

Unemployment rate:
31.6%
note: unemployment is approximately 50% in Kosovo (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
30%
note: data covers the former Serbia and Montenegro (1999 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.5% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
14.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $11.45 billion
expenditures: $11.12 billion; including capital expenditures $NA;
note - figures are for Serbia and Montenegro; Serbian Statistical
Office indicates that for 2006 budget, Serbia will have revenues of
$7.08 billion (2005 est.)

Public debt:
53.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, maize, sugar beets, sunflower, beef, pork, milk

Industries:
sugar, agricultural machinery, electrical and communication
equipment, paper and pulp, lead, transportation equipment

Industrial production growth rate:
1.4% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
33.87 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2004)

Electricity - consumption:
NA

Electricity - exports:
12.05 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo; exported to Montenegro) (2004)

Electricity - imports:
11.23 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo; imports from Montenegro) (2004)

Oil - production:
14,660 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
85,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:
38.75 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
650 million cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.55 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m

Natural gas - proved reserves:
48.14 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-2.451 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$4.553 billion (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, food and live animals, machinery and transport
equipment

Imports:
$10.58 billion (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.35 billion

Debt - external:
$15.43 billion (including Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2 billion pledged in 2001 to Serbia and Montenegro (disbursements
to follow over several years; aid pledged by EU and US has been
placed on hold because of lack of cooperation by Serbia in handing
over General Ratco MLADIC to the criminal court in The Hague)

Currency (code):
new Yugoslav dinar (YUM); note - in Kosovo both the euro and the
Yugoslav dinar are legal

Exchange rates:
new Yugoslav dinars per US dollar - 58.6925 (2005)

Communications Serbia

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,685,400 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.229 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network
has been slow as a result of damage stemming from the 1999 war and
transition to a competitive market-based system; network was only
65% digitalized in 2005
domestic: teledensity remains below the average for neighboring
states; GSM wireless service, available through two providers with
national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best telecommunications
service limited to urban centers
international: country code - 381

Radio broadcast stations:
153 (2001)

Internet country code:
.rs; note - former ccTLD .yu will remain in service until the end
of 2006

Internet hosts:
NA

Internet users:
1.4 million (2006)

Transportation Serbia

Airports: 39 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Heliports:
4 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 3,177 km; oil 393 km (2006)

Railways: total: 4,135 km standard guage: 4,135 km 1.435-m guage (electrified 1,195 km) (2005)

Roadways: total: 37,887 km paved: 23,937 km unpaved: 13,950 km (2002)

Waterways:
587 km - primarily on Danube and Sava rivers (2005)

Merchant marine:
note: see entry for Montenegro

Military Serbia

Military branches:
Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Serbian Land Forces
(Kopnene Vojska, KoV), Air Force and Air Defense Force
(Vozduhoplostvo i Protivozduhoplovna Odbrana, ViPO), naval force to
be determined (2006)

Military service age and obligation: peacetime service obligation begins at age 17 and lasts until age 60 for men and 50 for women; under a state of war or impending war, the obligation can begin at age 16 and be extended beyond 60 (2006)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $14.85 million

Transnational Issues Serbia

Disputes - international:
the final status of the Serbian province of Kosovo remains
unresolved and several thousand peacekeepers from the UN Interim
Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) have administered the
region since 1999, with Kosovar Albanians overwhelmingly supporting
and Serbian officials opposing Kosovo independence; the
international community had agreed to begin a process to determine
final status but contingency of solidifying multi-ethnic democracy
in Kosovo has not been satisfied; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo refuse
demarcation of the boundary with Macedonia in accordance with the
2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement; Serbia
and Montenegro delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and
Herzegovina, but sections with Serbia along the Drina River remain
in dispute

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 180,117 (Croatia); 95,297 (Bosnia and
Herzegovina)
IDPs: 225,000 - 251,000 (mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled
Kosovo in 1999) (2005)

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western
Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Seychelles

Introduction Seychelles

Background:
A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands
ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came
in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new
constitution and free elections in 1993. The most recent
presidential elections were held in 2001; President RENE, who had
served since 1977, was re-elected. In April 2004 RENE stepped down
and Vice President James MICHEL was sworn in as president.

Geography Seychelles

Location:
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 455 sq km
land: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
491 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon
(late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon
(March to May)

Terrain:
Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others
are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources:
fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use:
arable land: 2.17%
permanent crops: 13.04%
other: 84.79% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short
droughts possible

Environment - current issues:
water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: 41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

People Seychelles

Population:
81,541 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 10,667/female 10,440)
15-64 years: 68% (male 27,060/female 28,366)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,607/female 3,401) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.1 years
male: 27 years
female: 29.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.43% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
16.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.08 years
male: 66.69 years
female: 77.63 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

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

Ethnic groups:
mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Religions:
Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%,
other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian
1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)

Languages:
Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2%
(2002 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.9%
male: 91.4%
female: 92.3% (2003 est.)

Government Seychelles

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles
local long form: Republic of Seychelles
local short form: Seychelles

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Victoria
geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse
Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau
Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe),
Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
Louis, Takamaka

Independence:
29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday:
Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Constitution:
18 June 1993

Legal system:
based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006
(next to be held in 2011)
election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent
of vote - James MICHEL (SPPF) 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (SNP) 45.71%,
Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which
President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as
president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in
April 2004

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25
elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to
parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held in December
2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,
DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE]; Mouvement
Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL]; Seychelles National
Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or
UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert
RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeremie BONNELAME
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
telephone: (212) 972-1785
FAX: (212) 972-1786

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to
Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Flag description:
five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and
green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Economy Seychelles

Economy - overview:
Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean
archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old
near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,
which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than
70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years
the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade
hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has
moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the
development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing.
Sharp drops illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in
1991-92 due largely to the Gulf War, and once again following the 11
September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Growth slowed in
1998-2002, and fell in 2003, due to sluggish tourist and tuna
sectors, but resumed in 2004, erasing a persistent budget deficit.
Growth turned negative again in 2005. Tight controls on exchange
rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term
economic prospects. The black-market value of the Seychelles rupee
is half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the
currency, the tourist sector may remain sluggish as vacationers seek
cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$626 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$722 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.2% industry: 30.4% services: 66.5% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 30,900 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry: 19% services: 71% (1989)

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
42% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $343.3 million
expenditures: $332.2 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
167% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca),
bananas; poultry; tuna

Industries:
fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut
fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
241.3 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
224.4 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
7,600 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
$-32 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$312.1 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products
(reexports)

Exports - partners:
UK 23%, Spain 19.6%, France 11.4%, Japan 9.7%, Italy 7.4%, Germany
5.7%, Netherlands 5.4% (2005)

Imports:
$459.9 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 16.7%, Spain 14.9%, Singapore 7.6%, France 7.5%, Italy
6.2%, South Africa 6.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$41 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$508 million (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$16.4 million (1995)

Currency (code):
Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Currency code:
SCR

Exchange rates:
Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004), 5.4007
(2003), 5.48 (2002), 5.8575 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Seychelles

Telephones - main lines in use:
21,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
57,000 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: effective system
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the
archipelago
international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone
communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal
countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

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

Radios:
42,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sc

Internet hosts:
72 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2005)

Transportation Seychelles

Airports: 15 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 458 km
paved: 440 km
unpaved: 18 km (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 69,777 GRT/113,501 DWT
by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 4
foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Victoria

Military Seychelles

Military branches:
Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Navy Wing,
Air Wing), National Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 21,612
females age 18-49: 22,459 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 16,122
females age 18-49: 18,777 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$14.85 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Seychelles

Disputes - international: together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Sierra Leone

Introduction Sierra Leone

Background:
The government is slowly reestablishing its authority after the
1991 to 2002 civil war that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths
and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third
of the population). The last UN peacekeepers withdrew in December
2005, leaving full responsibility for security with domestic forces,
but a new civilian UN office remains to support the government.
Mounting tensions related to planned 2007 elections, deteriorating
political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the tenuous
security situation in neighboring Liberia may present challenges to
continuing progress in Sierra Leone's stability.

Geography Sierra Leone

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

Geographic coordinates:
8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 71,740 sq km
land: 71,620 sq km
water: 120 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter
dry season (December to April)

Terrain:
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland
plateau, mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources:
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use: arable land: 7.95% permanent crops: 1.05% other: 91% (2005)

Irrigated land:
300 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
February); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment - current issues:
rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting
of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn
agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion;
civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year,
making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

People Sierra Leone

Population:
6,005,250 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,321,563/female 1,370,721)
15-64 years: 52% (male 1,494,502/female 1,625,733)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 90,958/female 101,773) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.4 years
male: 17.1 years
female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.3% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
45.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
23.03 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly
returning (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 160.39 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 177.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 142.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 40.22 years
male: 38.05 years
female: 42.46 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.08 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
170,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2001 est.)