Gwp (part 8)

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato
della Repubblica (315 seats; elected by proportional vote with the
winning coalition in each region receiving 55% of seats from that
region; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies
or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; elected by popular vote with the
winning national coalition receiving 54% of chamber seats; members
serve five-year terms); note - electoral vote reform passed in
December 2005
elections: Senate - last held 10 April 2006 (next to be held in
2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 April 2006 (next to be
held May 2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - The Union 158 (DS 62, DL 39, RC 27, Together with the Union
11, other 19), House of Freedoms 154 (FI 79, AN 41, UDC 21, LEGA
13), other 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - The Union 348 (DS 220, RC 41, Rose in the Fist 18,
Italy of Values 17, PdCI 16, Greens Federation 15, UDEUR 10, other
11), House of Freedoms 276 (FI 140, AN 71, Union of Christian and
Center Democrats 39, LEGA 26), other 6

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15
judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by
parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative
Supreme Courts)

Political parties and leaders:
Center-Left Union Coalition [Romano PRODI]: Ulivo Alliance
(including Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero FASSINO];
Daisy-Democracy is Freedom or DL [Francesco RUTELLI]); Rose in the
Fist (including Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI];
Italian Radical Party [Emma BONINO]); Italian Communist Party or
PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Green Federation [Alfonso PECORARO
SCANIO]; Communist Renewal or RC [Fausto BERTINOTTI]; Italy of
Values or IdV [Antonio DI PIETRO]; Union of Democrats for Europe or
UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; Republican European Movement or MRE
[Luciana SBARBATI]
Center-Right Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI]: Forza
Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; National Alliance or AN
[Gianfranco FINI]; Union of Christian Democrats of the Center or UDC
[Pier Ferdinando CASINI]; Northern League or LEGA [Umberto BOSSI];
Christian Democracy (Per la Autonomie) [Publio FIORI]
other non-allied parties: New Italian Socialist Party or New PSI
[Gianni DE MICHELIS]; Italian Republican Party or PRI [Giorgio LA
MALFA]; Social Alternative [Alessandra MUSSOLINI]; Social
Movement-Tricolor Flame or MSI-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI]; Social Idea
Movement with Rauti or MIS [Pino RAUTI]; South Tyrol People's Party
or SVP (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler ROLLE]; Union of Valley
Aosta Region or UV [Guido CESAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria,
Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori,
Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union
confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL
[Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei
Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA], which is Roman
Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi
ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer),
CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8,
G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Giovanni CASTELLANETA chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 612-4400 FAX: (202) 518-2151 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco consulate(s): Detroit

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald P. SPOGLI embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: (06) 46741 FAX: (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;
similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist
side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote
d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),
white, and green
note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in
1797

Economy Italy

Economy - overview:
Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same
total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic
economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated
by private companies, and a less-developed, welfare-dependent,
agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed
by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported.
Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in
order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions
and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The
current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at
improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has moved
slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as
lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor
market and over-generous pension system, because of the current
economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions. But the
leadership faces a severe economic constraint: the budget deficit
has breached the 3% EU ceiling. The economy experienced almost no
growth in 2005, and unemployment remained at a high level.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.667 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.71 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$28,700 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.1% industry: 29.1% services: 68.8% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 24.49 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 5% industry: 32% services: 63% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
7.7% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $785.7 billion
expenditures: $861.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
108.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain,
olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Industries:
tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing,
textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Industrial production growth rate:
-1% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
270.1 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.6% hydro: 18.4% nuclear: 0% other: 3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
302.2 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
500 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
51.5 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
136,200 bbl/day (2003 est.)

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

Oil - exports:
456,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
2.158 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
586.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-26.38 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$371.9 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery,
motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and
tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals

Exports - partners:
Germany 13.1%, France 12.3%, US 8.1%, Spain 7.4%, UK 6.4% (2005)

Imports:
$369.2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy
products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;
food, beverages, and tobacco

Imports - partners:
Germany 17.2%, France 9.9%, Netherlands 5.7%, China 4.6%, Belgium
4.5%, Spain 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$65.95 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$922.5 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

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

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Italy

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
72.2 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated
telephone, telex, and data services
domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2
for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA
Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios:
50.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
30.3 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.it

Internet hosts:
1,731,165 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)

Internet users:
28.87 million (2005)

Transportation Italy

Airports: 133 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 98 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 14 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 19 (2006)

Heliports:
5 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 17,589 km; oil 1,136 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 19,459 km
standard gauge: 18,037 km 1.435-m gauge (11,354 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (122 km electrified); 1,299 km
0.950-m gauge (161 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 479,688 km
paved: 479,688 km (including 6,478 km of expressways) (2004)

Waterways:
2,400 km
note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared
to road and rail (2004)

Merchant marine:
total: 591 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,737,175 GRT/12,573,225 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 52, cargo 45, chemical tanker 136, container
25, liquefied gas 37, livestock carrier 3, passenger 16,
passenger/cargo 150, petroleum tanker 49, refrigerated cargo 4, roll
on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 28
foreign-owned: 36 (France 1, Greece 6, Spain 1, Taiwan 10, UK 3, US
15)
registered in other countries: 152 (Bahamas 5, Belize 4, Cayman
Islands 12, Cyprus 2, France 2, Germany 1, Gibraltar 6, Isle of Man
5, Jamaica 1, Liberia 16, Malta 29, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 4,
Panama 15, Portugal 12, Romania 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
18, Singapore 2, Spain 2, Sweden 7, Turkey 3, UK 4) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Melilli Oil Terminal, Ravenna, Taranto,
Trieste, Venice

Military Italy

Military branches:
Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI),
Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri Corps
(Corpo dei Carabinieri, CC) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2005
(2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 13,491,260
females age 18-49: 12,886,033 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 10,963,513
females age 18-49: 10,452,189 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 286,344
females age 18-49: 270,099 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$28,182.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Italy

Disputes - international:
Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of
thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and
northern Africa

Illicit drugs:
important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and
Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money
laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Jamaica

Introduction Jamaica

Background:
The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was
settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino
Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually
exterminated, replaced by African slaves. England siezed the island
in 1655 and a plantation economy - based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee
- was established. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter
million slaves, many of which became small farmers. Jamaica
gradually obtained increasing independence from Britain, and in 1958
it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation
of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it
withdrew from the federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic
conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs
created by the major political parties evolved into powerful
organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling
and money laundering. The cycle of violence, drugs, and poverty has
served to impoverish large sectors of the populace. Nonetheless,
many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute
substantially to the economy.

Geography Jamaica

Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:
18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 10,991 sq km
land: 10,831 sq km
water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,022 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain:
mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 15.83%
permanent crops: 10.01%
other: 74.16% (2005)

Irrigated land:
250 sq km (2002)

Natural hazards:
hurricanes (especially July to November)

Environment - current issues: heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

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

Geography - note:
strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the
main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

People Jamaica

Population:
2,758,124 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.1% (male 464,297/female 449,181)
15-64 years: 59.6% (male 808,718/female 835,394)
65 years and over: 7.3% (male 90,100/female 110,434) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 23 years
male: 22.4 years
female: 23.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.8% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.66 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.24 years
male: 71.54 years
female: 75.03 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
22,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Jamaican(s)
adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic groups:
black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed
7.3%, other 0.1%

Religions:
Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%,
Baptist 8.8%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 5.5%, Methodist 2.7%,
United Church 2.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Brethren 1.1%, Moravian
1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7%

Languages:
English, patois English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 87.9%
male: 84.1%
female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Government Jamaica

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

Government type:
constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Kingston
geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
Time)

Administrative divisions:
14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland,
Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint
James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were
amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as
the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation

Independence:
6 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 August (1962)

Constitution:
6 August 1962

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Kenneth O. HALL (since 15 February
2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Portia SIMPSON-MILLER (since 30
March 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor
general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime
minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body
appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the
prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is
allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and
the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held no later than
October 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%;
seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the
advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; National Democratic
Movement or NDM [Hyacinth BENNETT]; People's National Party or PNP
[Percival James PATTERSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black
religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY
chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: (202) 452-0660
FAX: (202) 452-0081
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange JOHNSON
embassy: Mutual Life Building, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: (876) 929-4850 through 4859
FAX: (876) 935-6001

Flag description:
diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green
(top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Economy Jamaica

Economy - overview:
The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now
account for 60% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its
foreign exchange from remittances, tourism, and bauxite/alumina. The
global economic slowdown, particularly after the terrorist attacks
in the US on 11 September 2001, stunted economic growth; the economy
rebounded moderately in 2003-04, with brisk tourist seasons. But the
economy faces serious long-term problems: high interest rates,
increased foreign competition, exchange rate instability, a sizable
merchandise trade deficit, large-scale unemployment and
underemployment, and a growing stock of internal debt - the result
of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy, most
notably the financial sector in the mid-1990s. The ratio of debt to
GDP is 135%. Inflation, previously a bright spot, is expected to
remain in the double digits. Uncertain economic conditions have led
to increased civil unrest, including gang violence fueled by the
drug trade. In 2004, the government faced the difficult prospect of
having to achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt
payments while simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime
problem that is hampering economic growth. Attempts at deficit
control were derailed by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, which
required substantial government spending to repair the damage.
Despite the hurricane, tourism looks set to enjoy solid growth for
the foreseeable future.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.18 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$9.127 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,500 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.9% industry: 33.7% services: 61.5% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 1.2 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 19.3% industry: 16.6% services: 64.1% (2004)

Unemployment rate:
11.5% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
19.1% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.9 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.3% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
32.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.8 billion
expenditures: $3.21 billion; including capital expenditures of
$180.4 million (2005 est.)

Public debt:
128.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees, vegetables;
poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks

Industries:
tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light manufactures, rum,
cement, metal, paper, chemical products, telecommunications

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

Electricity - production:
3.717 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 96.8% hydro: 1.8% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.974 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

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

Oil - consumption:
69,000 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:
$-974 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$1.608 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams, beverages,
chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:
US 25.8%, Canada 19.3%, UK 10.7%, Netherlands 8.6%, China 7%,
Norway 6.4%, Germany 5.6% (2005)

Imports:
$4.093 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and
accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment,
construction materials

Imports - partners:
US 41.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 14%, Venezuela 5.5%, Japan 4.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.17 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$7.162 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$18.5 million; note - US aid only (2004)

Currency (code):
Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Currency code:
JMD

Exchange rates:
Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 62.51 (2005), 61.197 (2004),
57.741 (2003), 48.416 (2002), 45.996 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Jamaica

Telephones - main lines in use:
342,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.7 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
1.215 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
7 (1997)

Televisions:
460,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.jm

Internet hosts:
1,402 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
21 (2000)

Internet users:
1.067 million (2005)

Transportation Jamaica

Airports: 35 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2006)

Railways:
total: 272 km
standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge
note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation
had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer
operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and
used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)

Roadways:
total: 18,700 km
paved: 13,009 km
unpaved: 5,610 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
total: 10 ships (1000 GRT or over) 124,323 GRT/184,247 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll
off 2
foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 3, Greece 6, Italy 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Kingston, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Port Rhoades, Rocky Point

Military Jamaica

Military branches:
Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger recruits
may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 592,018
females age 18-49: 616,500 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 478,761
females age 18-49: 504,541 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 27,923
females age 18-49: 27,889 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$31.17 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.4% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Jamaica

Disputes - international:
none

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Jamaica is a source country for men, women, and
children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and
labor; information suggests that women from the Dominican Republic
and Eastern Europe are also trafficked to Jamaica for sexual
exploitation; women and children are trafficked internally from
rural to urban and tourist areas for sexual exploitation; there may
also be trafficking for domestic servitude and forced labor
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Jamaica is placed on the Tier 2
Watch List based on the determination that it is making significant
efforts to undertake future action

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America
and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an
active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major
concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics
traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Jan Mayen

Introduction Jan Mayen

Background:
This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling
captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are
inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and
trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII
Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the
northernmost active volcano on earth.

Geography Jan Mayen

Location:
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian
Sea, northeast of Iceland

Geographic coordinates:
71 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 377 sq km
land: 377 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
124.1 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 4 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Terrain:
volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km

Natural hazards:
dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic
activity resumed in 1970

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

People Jan Mayen

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and
the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2006 est.)

Government Jan Mayen

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Dependency status:
territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo
through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,
authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian
Defense Communication Service

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

Flag description:
the flag of Norway is used

Economy Jan Mayen

Economy - overview:
Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural
resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for
employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the
island.

Communications Jan Mayen

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)

Transportation Jan Mayen

Airports:
1 (2006)

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

Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only

Military Jan Mayen

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues Jan Mayen

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Japan

Introduction Japan

Background:
In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a
long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure
its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy
stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the
Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its ports and
began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late
19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that
was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied
Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32
Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale
invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering
America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied much of East
and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, Japan
recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US.
While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity,
actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats,
and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown
starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented
growth, but Japan still remains a major economic power, both in Asia
and globally. In 2005, Japan began a two-year term as a
non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Geography Japan

Location:
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the
Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:
36 00 N, 138 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 377,835 sq km
land: 374,744 sq km
water: 3,091 sq km
note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,
Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and
Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
29,751 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international
straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and
Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain:
mostly rugged and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Land use: arable land: 11.64% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 87.46% (2005)

Irrigated land:
25,920 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic
occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;
acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and
threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of
fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these
resources in Asia and elsewhere

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:
strategic location in northeast Asia

People Japan

Population:
127,463,611 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.2% (male 9,309,524/female 8,849,476)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 42,158,122/female 41,611,754)
65 years and over: 20% (male 10,762,585/female 14,772,150) (2006
est.)

Median age: total: 42.9 years male: 41.1 years female: 44.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.02% (2006 est.)

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

Death rate:
9.16 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: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.25 years
male: 77.96 years
female: 84.7 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
500 (2003 est.)

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

Ethnic groups:
Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian
182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914)
note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan
in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil
(2004)

Religions:
observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including
Christian 0.7%)

Languages:
Japanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2002)

Government Japan

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Japan
local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku
local short form: Nihon/Nippon

Government type:
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Capital:
name: Tokyo
geographic coordinates: 35 42 N, 139 46 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka,
Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki,
Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto,
Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita,
Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka,
Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata,
Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Independence:
660 B.C. (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU)

National holiday:
Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Constitution:
3 May 1947

Legal system:
modeled after European civil law system with English-American
influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Shinzo ABE (since 26 September
2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires
that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following
legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of
majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime
minister; monarch is hereditary
election results: ABE was elected prime minister with 339 of 476
votes cast in the House of Representatives and 136 of 240 votes cast
in the House of Councilors.

Legislative branch:
bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or
Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half
reelected every three years; 146 members in multi-seat
constituencies and 96 by proportional representation) and the House
of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for
four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by
proportional representation in 11 regional blocs)
elections: House of Councillors - last held 11 July 2004 (next to be
held in July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 11
September 2005 (next election by September 2009)
election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - LDP 115, DPJ 82, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5,
others 7; distribution of seats as of January 2006 - LDP 112, DPJ
83, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 6, others 8
: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP 47.8%,
DPJ 36.4%, others 15.8%; seats by party - LDP 296, DPJ 113, Komeito
31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 24; distribution of seats as of January
2006 - LDP 294, DPJ 112, Komeito 31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 27 (2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after
designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the
cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Ichiro OZAWA]; Japan Communist
Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Komeito [Akihoro OTA]; Liberal Democratic
Party or LDP [Shinzo ABE]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho
FUKUSHIMA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-5,
G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITU, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE
(partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI
(observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO
chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 238-6700
FAX: (202) 328-2187
consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver,
Detroit, Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER
embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-5004
telephone: (03) 3224-5000
FAX: (03) 3505-1862
consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Flag description:
white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in
the center

Economy Japan

Economy - overview:
Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of
high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of
GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of
second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the
US and the third-largest economy in the world after the US and
China, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. One
notable characteristic of the economy is how manufacturers,
suppliers, and distributors work together in closely-knit groups
called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of
lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor
force. Both features are now eroding. Japan's industrial sector is
heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The tiny
agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop
yields among the highest in the world. Usually self sufficient in
rice, Japan must import about 60% of its food on a caloric basis.
Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and
accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades,
overall real economic growth had been spectacular - a 10% average in
the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s.
Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely
because of the after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s
and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative
excesses from the stock and real estate markets and to force a
restructuring of the economy. From 2000 to 2003, government efforts
to revive economic growth met with little success and were further
hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. In
2004 and 2005, growth improved and the lingering fears of deflation
in prices and economic activity lessened. Japan's huge government
debt, which totals 170% of GDP, and the aging of the population are
two major long-run problems. Some fear that a rise in taxes could
endanger the current economic recovery. Internal conflict over the
proper way to reform the financial system will continue as Japan
Post's banking, insurance, and delivery services undergo
privatization between 2007 and 2017.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.025 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.664 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.6% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$31,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.7% industry: 25.8% services: 72.5% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 66.4 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4.6% industry: 27.8% services: 67.7% (2004)

Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.8% highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.9 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.3% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.429 trillion
expenditures: $1.775 trillion; including capital expenditures
(public works only) of about $71 billion (2005 est.)

Public debt:
158% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy
products, eggs; fish

Industries:
among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of
motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and
nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Industrial production growth rate:
1.5% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.017 trillion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60% hydro: 8.4% nuclear: 29.8% other: 1.8% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
946.3 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
120,700 bbl/day (2003 est.)

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

Oil - exports:
93,360 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
5.449 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
29.29 million bbl (1 January 2002)

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$165.6 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$550.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical
machinery, chemicals

Exports - partners:
US 22.9%, China 13.4%, South Korea 7.8%, Taiwan 7.3%, Hong Kong
6.1% (2005)

Imports:
$451.1 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles,
raw materials (2001)

Imports - partners:
China 21%, US 12.7%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%, UAE 4.9%, Australia 4.7%,
South Korea 4.7%, Indonesia 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$835.5 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$1.545 trillion (31 December 2004)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $8.9 billion (2004)

Currency (code):
yen (JPY)

Currency code:
JPY

Exchange rates:
yen per US dollar - 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003),
125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Japan

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
94.745 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
every kind
international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US
(via Guam) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21
(2001)

Radios:
120.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 211 plus 7,341 repeaters note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)

Televisions:
86.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.jp

Internet hosts:
28,321,846 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
73 (2000)

Internet users:
86.3 million (2005)

Transportation Japan

Airports: 175 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 145 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 30 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Heliports:
15 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 8,015 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 23,556 km
standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,264 km
1.067-m gauge (13,280 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km
electrified) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 1.183 million km
paved: 925,000 km (including 6,946 km of expressways)
unpaved: 258,000 km (2003)

Waterways:
1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2006)

Merchant marine:
total: 683 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,415,892 GRT/11,765,038 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 134, cargo 30, chemical tanker 20, container
11, liquefied gas 59, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 149, petroleum
tanker 156, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 51, vehicle
carrier 56
registered in other countries: 2,459 (Australia 1, Bahamas 51,
Belize 2, Burma 4, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 1, China 3, Cyprus 17,
French Southern and Antarctic Lands 4, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 67,
Indonesia 3, Isle of Man 4, South Korea 1, Liberia 102, Malaysia 4,
Malta 1, Marshall Islands 7, Mongolia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2007,
Philippines 26, Portugal 9, Singapore 100, Sweden 2, Thailand 4,
Vanuatu 28, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Chiba, Kawasaki, Kiire, Kisarazu, Kobe, Mizushima, Nagoya, Osaka,
Tokyo, Yohohama

Military Japan

Military branches:
Japanese Defense Agency (JDA): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou
Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai, MSDF),
Air Self-Defense Force (Nihon Koku-Jieitai, ASDF) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 27,003,112
females age 18-49: 26,153,482 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 22,234,663
females age 18-49: 21,494,947 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 683,147
females age 18-49: 650,157 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$44.31 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Japan

Disputes - international:
the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and
Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern
Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril Islands," 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; Japan and South
Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) occupied by South
Korea since 1954; China and Taiwan dispute both Japan's claims to
the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and
Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East
China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Jersey

Introduction Jersey

Background:
Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of
the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in both France and
England. These islands were the only British soil occupied by German
troops in World War II. Jersey is a British crown dependency, but is
not part of the UK.

Geography Jersey

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

Geographic coordinates:
49 15 N, 2 10 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
70 km

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

Climate:
temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Terrain:
gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of
population concentrated in Saint Helier

People Jersey

Population:
91,084 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.2% (male 8,139/female 7,552)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 30,407/female 30,691)
65 years and over: 15.7% (male 6,299/female 7,996) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 41.4 years
male: 40.7 years
female: 42.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.28% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.38 years
male: 76.89 years
female: 82.05 years (2006 est.)

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

Ethnic groups:
Jersey 51.1%, British 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%,
Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)

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

Languages:
English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)

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

Government Jersey

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

Dependency status:
British crown dependency

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: Saint Helier
geographic coordinates: 49 12 N, 2 07 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
none (British crown dependency)

Independence:
none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

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

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

Suffrage:
NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Lieutenant Governor Andrew RIDGEWAY (since 14
June 2006); Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since February 1995)
cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and
bailiff appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators
(elected for six-year terms), 12 constables or heads of parishes
(elected for three-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for three-year
terms); the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and three non-voting
members - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the
Solicitor General all appointed by the monarch)
elections: last held NA (next to be held NA); note - on 23 November
2005, 29 deputies, independents, were elected
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55

Judicial branch:
Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)

Political parties and leaders:
none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

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

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

Flag description:
white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the
flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red
shield with the three lions of England in yellow

Economy Jersey

Economy - overview:
Jersey's economy is based on international financial services,
agriculture, and tourism. In 1996, the finance sector accounted for
about 60% of the island's output. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes,
and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to
the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and
represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to
the UK and other EU countries. Tourism accounts for 24% of GDP. In
recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate
in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has
developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All
raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a
large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death duties
make the island a popular tax haven. Living standards come close to
those of the UK.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.6 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$40,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 2% services: 93% (1996)

Labor force:
52,790 (2004)

Unemployment rate:
0.9% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2004)

Budget:
revenues: $601 million
expenditures: $588 million; including capital expenditures of $98
million (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries:
tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - consumption:
630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)

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

Exports:
$NA

Exports - commodities:
light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:
UK (2004)

Imports:
$NA

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs,
mineral fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
UK (2004)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$0

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

Currency code:
GBP

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

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Jersey

Telephones - main lines in use:
73,900 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
83,900 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 3 submarine cables

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

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.je

Internet hosts:
1,240 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
27,000 (2005)

Transportation Jersey

Airports: 1 (2006)

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

Roadways:
total: 577 km

Ports and terminals:
Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Military Jersey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Jersey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Jordan

Introduction Jordan

Background:
Following World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire,
the UK received a mandate to govern much of the Middle East. Britain
separated out a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from Palestine
in the early 1920s, and the area gained its independence in 1946; it
adopted the name of Jordan in 1950. The country's long-time ruler
was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, he successfully
navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and
UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian
population, despite several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he
reinstituted parliamentary elections and gradual political
liberalization; in 1994 he signed a peace treaty with Israel. King
ABDALLAH II, the son of King HUSSEIN, assumed the throne following
his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated
his power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program.
Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to
participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After a
two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in
the summer of 2003. The prime minister appointed in November 2005
stated the government would focus on political reforms, improving
conditions for the poor, and fighting corruption.

Geography Jordan

Location:
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 92,300 sq km
land: 91,971 sq km
water: 329 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 1,635 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,
Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline:
26 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Terrain:
mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift
Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use: arable land: 3.32% permanent crops: 1.18% other: 95.5% (2005)

Irrigated land:
750 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
droughts; periodic earthquakes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

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, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab
country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied
West Bank

People Jordan

Population:
5,906,760 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.8% (male 1,018,070/female 976,442)
15-64 years: 62.4% (male 1,966,794/female 1,716,255)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 111,636/female 117,563) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 23 years
male: 23.7 years
female: 22.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.49% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.4 years
male: 75.9 years
female: 81.05 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic groups:
Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some
Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,
Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several
small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Languages:
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle
classes

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3%
male: 95.9%
female: 86.3% (2003 est.)

Government Jordan

Country name:
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
local short form: Al Urdun
former: Transjordan

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
name: Amman
geographic coordinates: 31 57 N, 35 56 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Thursday in March; ends last
Friday in September

Administrative divisions:
12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al
'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az
Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Independence:
25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Constitution:
1 January 1952; amended 1954, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1965, 1973, 1974,
1976, 1984

Legal system:
based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of
legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince
HUSSEIN (born 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line
to inherit the throne
head of government: Prime Minister Marouf al-BAKHIT (since 24
November 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Ziad FARIZ (since 24 November
2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation
with the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the
Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (55
seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories
of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of
Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis
al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis
of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); note - six
seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special
electoral panel if no women are elected
elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003 (next
to be held in 2007)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - independents and other 89.6%, IAF 10.4%; seats by party -
independents and other 92, IAF 18; note - one of the six quota seats
was given to a female IAF candidate
note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved
by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first
parliamentary elections in 22 years were held; political parties
were not legalized until 1992; King ABDALLAH delayed the 2001
elections until 2003

Judicial branch:
Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

Political parties and leaders:
al-Ahd Party; Arab Islamic Democratic Movement [Yusuf ABU BAKR,
president]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Ayishah Salih HIJAZAYN, secretary
general]; Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI, secretary
general]; Ba'th Arab Progressive Party [Fu'ad DABBUR, secretary
general]; Freedom Party; Future Party; Islamic Action Front or IAF
[Zaki Sa'ed BANI IRSHEID, secretary general]; Islamic Center Party
[Marwan al-FAURI, secretary general]; Jordanian Arab Ansar Party;
Jordanian Arab New Dawn Party; Jordanian Arab Party; Jordanian
Citizens' Rights Movement; Jordanian Communist Party [Munir
HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Jordanian Communist Workers Party;
Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretary general];
Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali MUSTAFA,
secretary general]; Jordanian Generations Party [Muhammad KHALAYLEH,
secretary general]; Jordanian Green Party [Muhammad BATAYNEH,
secretary general]; Jordanian Labor Party [Dr. Mazin Sulayman Jiryis
HANNA, secretary general]; Jordanian Peace Party; Jordanian People's
Committees Movement; Jordanian People's Democratic Party (Hashd)
[Ahmad YUSUF, secretary general]; Jordanian Rafah Party; Jordanian
Renaissance Party; Mission Party; Nation Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH,
secretary general]; National Action Party (Haqq) [Tariq al-KAYYALI,
secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi
MAJALI, secretary general]; National Popular Democratic Movement
[Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Progressive Party [Fawwaz
al-ZUBI, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice
chairman]; Jordan Bar Association [Hussein Mujalli, chairman];
Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim
Brotherhood [Salem AL-FALAHAT, secretary general]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 966-2664 FAX: (202) 966-3110

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David M. HALE embassy: Abdoun, Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: (6) 590-6000 FAX: (6) 592-0121

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the
Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and
green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle
on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and
bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven
verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven
points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national
spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is
based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

Economy Jordan

Economy - overview:
Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water
and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and
unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH, since
assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic
reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. 'Amman in
the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced
careful monetary policy, and made substantial headway with
privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime
sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTO (2000), a free
trade accord with the US (2001), and an association agreement with
the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and
have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. Jordan imported most
of its oil from Iraq, but the US-led war in Iraq in 2003 made Jordan
more dependent on oil from other Gulf nations, forcing the Jordanian
Government to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales
tax base. Jordan's export market, which is heavily dependent on
exports to Iraq, was also affected by the war but recovered quickly
while contributing to the Iraq recovery effort. The main challenges
facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing
the budget deficit, and creating investment incentives to promote
job creation.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$26.85 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.51 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,700 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry: 28.7% services: 68% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 1.46 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 5% industry: 12.5% services: 82.5% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
12.5% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2004
est.)

Population below poverty line:
30% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.4 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.8 billion
expenditures: $4.688 billion; including capital expenditures of
$1.092 billion (2005 est.)

Public debt:
79.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats,
poultry

Industries:
textiles, phosphate mining, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, petroleum
refining, cement, potash, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing,
tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
7.5% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
7.517 billion kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
7.959 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
4 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
972 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
40 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
103,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
100,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:
445,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-1.613 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$4.226 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, phosphates, fertilizers, potash, vegetables,
manufactures, pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners:
US 29.4%, Iraq 15.6%, India 8.8%, Saudi Arabia 5.9% (2005)

Imports:
$8.681 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment,
manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 20.9%, China 8%, Germany 7.1%, US 6.2%, South Korea
4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.463 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$8.528 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $500 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code:
JOD

Exchange rates:
Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004), 0.709
(2003), 0.709 (2002), 0.709 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Jordan

Telephones - main lines in use:
617,300 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,594,500 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: service has improved recently with increased
use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the
telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to
pay telephones is needed by the urban public
domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and
fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of
mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
international: country code - 962; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals;
fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link
with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable
FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL;
international links total about 4,000

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios:
1.66 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
500,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.jo

Internet hosts:
3,441 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)

Internet users:
629,500 (2005)

Transportation Jordan

Airports: 17 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Heliports:
1 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 426 km; oil 49 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 505 km
narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 7,364 km
paved: 7,364 km (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 25 ships (1000 GRT or over) 346,698 GRT/501,060 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 9, container 2, passenger/cargo 6,
petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 4
foreign-owned: 11 (UAE 11)
registered in other countries: 15 (Bahamas 2, Panama 13) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Al 'Aqabah

Military Jordan

Military branches:
Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal
Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya
al-Malakiya al-Urduniya), Special Operations Command (Socom); Public
Security Directorate (normally falls under Ministry of Interior, but
comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are required to register; women not subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 17-49: 1,573,995
females age 17-49: 1,346,642 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 17-49: 1,348,076
females age 17-49: 1,158,011 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 60,625
females age 17-49: 58,218 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.4 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
11.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Jordan

Disputes - international:
2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 1,827,877 (Palestinian Refugees
(UNRWA))
IDPs: 168,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2005)

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Kazakhstan

Introduction Kazakhstan

Background:
Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who
migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as
a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
century, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the
1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens
were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.
This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other
deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many
of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a
cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the
country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;
achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and
mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states
and other foreign powers.

Geography Kazakhstan

Location:
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural
River in eastern-most Europe

Geographic coordinates:
48 00 N, 68 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 2,717,300 sq km
land: 2,669,800 sq km
water: 47,500 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 12,012 km
border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846
km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now
split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea
(1,894 km)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

Terrain:
extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains
in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Natural resources:
major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,
manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,
zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Land use:
arable land: 8.28%
permanent crops: 0.05%
other: 91.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:
35,560 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty

Environment - current issues:
radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defense
industries and test ranges scattered throughout the country pose
health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe
in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the
Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and
leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural
salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown
into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil
pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from
poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory
enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan and
Russia extended the lease to 2050

People Kazakhstan

Population:
15,233,244 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 1,792,685/female 1,717,294)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 5,122,027/female 5,357,819)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 438,541/female 804,878) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.8 years
male: 27.2 years
female: 30.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.33% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-3.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 28.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 32.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.89 years
male: 61.56 years
female: 72.52 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
16,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Kazakhstani(s)
adjective: Kazakhstani

Ethnic groups:
Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%,
German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)

Religions:
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Languages:
Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in
everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic
communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.7% (1999 est.)

Government Kazakhstan

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
conventional short form: Kazakhstan
local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
local short form: Qazaqstan
former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power
outside the executive branch

Capital:
name: Astana
geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 30 E
time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
note: Kazakhstan is divided into three time zones

Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qala,
singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy
(Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys
Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy
(Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,
Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys
Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy
(Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses); in 1995, the Governments of
Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would
lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the
Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr
(Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended the
lease to 2050

Independence:
16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Constitution:
first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January 1993; new
constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the
Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December
1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Daniyal AKHMETOV (since 13 June
2003); Deputy Prime Minister Karim MASIMOV (since 19 January 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(no term limits); election last held 4 December 2005 (next to be
held in 2012); prime minister and first deputy prime minister
appointed by the president
election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;
percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 91.1%, Zharmakhan A.
TUYAKBAI 6.6%, Alikhan M. BAIMENOV 1.6%
note: President NAZARBAYEV arranged a referendum in 1995 that
extended his term of office and expanded his presidential powers:
only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and dismiss
the government, dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his
discretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats; 7 senators
are appointed by the president; other members are elected by local
government bodies, 2 from each of the 14 oblasts, the capital of
Astana, and the city of Almaty, to serve six-year terms; note -
formerly composed of 47 seats) and the Mazhilis (77 seats; 10 out of
the 77 Mazhilis members are elected from the winning party's lists;
members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - (indirect) last held December 2005; next to be
held in 2011; Mazhilis - last held 19 September and 3 October 2004
(next to be held in September 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - NA; candidates nominated by local councils; Mazhilis -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Otan 42, AIST 11,
ASAR (All Together) 4, Aq Zhol (Bright Path) 1, Democratic Party 1
(party refused to take the seat due to criticism of the election and
seat remained unoccupied), independent 18; note - most independent
candidates are affiliated with parastatal enterprises and other
pro-government institutions

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)

Political parties and leaders:
Adilet (Justice) [Maksut NARIKBAYEV, co-chair, Zeynulla
ALSHIMBAYEV, co-chair, Bakhytbek AKHMETZHAN, co-chair, Yerkin
ONGARBAYEV, co-chair, Tolegan SYDYKOV, co-chair] (formerly
Democratic Party of Kazakhstan); Aq Zhol Party (Bright Path)
[Alikhan BAIMENOV, chairman]; AUL (Village) [Gani KALIYEV,
chairman]; Communist Party of Kazakhstan or KPK [Serikbolsyn
ABDILDIN, first secretary]; Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan
[Vladislav KOSAREV, first secretary]; Otan [Bakhytzhan ZHUMAGULOV,
acting chairman] (the Agrarian, Asar, and Civic parties merged with
Otan); Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV, chairman]; Rukhaniyat
(Spirituality) [Altynshash ZHAGANOVA, chairwoman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel FOKINA];
Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; For a Just
Kazakhstan [Bolat ABILOV, Altynbek SARSENBAYEV]; For Fair Elections
[Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, Sabit ZHUSUPOV, Sergey DUVANOV, Ibrash
NUSUPBAYEV]; Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights
[Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director]; Pensioners Movement or
Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican Network of
International Monitors [Dos KUSHIM]; Transparency International
[Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]

International organization participation:
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP,
SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV
chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: (202) 232-5488
FAX: (202) 232-5845
consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
embassy: Ak Bulak 4, Str. 23-22, Building #3, Astana 010010
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: (3172) 70-21-00
FAX: (3172) 34-08-90

Flag description:
sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun
with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center; on
the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Economy Kazakhstan

Economy - overview:
Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in
territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves
and plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also has a
large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain.
Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and
processing of these natural resources and also on a growing
machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment,
tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The
breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for
Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a
short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual
decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government
program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in
a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstan
enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - 9% or more per year in
2002-05 - thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to
economic reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The opening
of the Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western
Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised
export capacity. Kazakhstan also has begun work on an ambitious
cooperative construction effort with China to build an oil pipeline
that will extend from the country's Caspian coast eastward to the
Chinese border. The country has embarked upon an industrial policy
designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the
oil sector by developing light industry. The policy aims to reduce
the influence of foreign investment and foreign personnel. The
government has engaged in several disputes with foreign oil
companies over the terms of production agreements; tensions
continue. Upward pressure on the local currency continued in 2005
due to massive oil-related foreign-exchange inflows.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$125.3 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$47.39 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
9.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,300 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.7% industry: 38.6% services: 54.7% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 7.85 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 30% services: 50% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8.1% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
19% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.5 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.6% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
26.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $12.19 billion
expenditures: $12.44 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
10.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Industries:
oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper,
titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel;
tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors,
construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
4.6% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
60.33 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 84.3% hydro: 15.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
52.55 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
6 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
2.45 billion kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
221,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
890,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
47,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
26 billion bbl (1 January 2004)

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

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

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

Natural gas - imports:
NA cu m

Natural gas - proved reserves:
3 trillion cu m (1 January 2004)

Current account balance:
$-485.7 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$30.09 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals 5%,
machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)

Exports - partners:
Bermuda 12.5%, Russia 11.1%, Germany 10.7%, China 10%, Italy 7.9%,
France 7.7%, Romania 4.5%, US 4% (2005)

Imports:
$17.51 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%, foodstuffs 8%
(2001)

Imports - partners:
Russia 35.9%, China 21.4%, Germany 7.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.07 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$41.66 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$74.2 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000 (FY2004)

Currency (code):
tenge (KZT)

Currency code:
KZT

Exchange rates:
tenge per US dollar - 132.88 (2005), 136.04 (2004), 149.58 (2003),
153.28 (2002), 146.74 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Kazakhstan

Telephones - main lines in use:
2.5 million (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.955 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated
domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile
cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
international: country code - 7; international traffic with other
former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave
radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations
- 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios:
6.47 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
3.88 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.kz

Internet hosts:
21,187 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (with their own international channels) (2001)

Internet users:
400,000 (2005)

Transportation Kazakhstan

Airports: 150 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 67
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 83
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 53 (2006)

Heliports:
4 (2006)

Pipelines:
condensate 658 km; gas 11,019 km; oil 10,338 km; refined products
1,095 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 13,700 km
broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 258,029 km
paved: 247,347 km
unpaved: 10,682 km (2003)

Waterways:
4,000 km (on the Ertis (Irtysh) (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya)
rivers) (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 27,173 GRT/43,475 DWT
by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1
foreign-owned: 2 (Oman 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk),
Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Military Kazakhstan

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force, Republican
Guard

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - two years; minimum age for volunteers NA (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,758,255
females age 18-49: 3,822,845 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,473,529
females age 18-49: 3,168,048 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 173,129
females age 18-49: 168,697 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$221.8 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Transnational Issues Kazakhstan

Disputes - international:
in 2005, Kazakhstan agreed with Russia, Turkmenistan, and
Uzbekistan to commence demarcating their boundaries; delimitation
with Kyrgyzstan is complete; creation of a seabed boundary with
Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains unresolved; equidistant
seabed treaties have been ratified with Azerbaijan and Russia in the
Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on dividing the water
column among any of the littoral states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 13,684 (Russia) (2005)

Illicit drugs:
significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS markets, as
well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug
ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit
point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of
Europe

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Kenya

Introduction Kenya

Background:
Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led
Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when
President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional
succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969
until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made
itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and
external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The
ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power
in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and
fraud, but were viewed as having generally reflected the will of the
Kenyan people. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 following
fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate
of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow
Coalition, defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the
presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption
platform.

Geography Kenya

Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and
Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 582,650 sq km
land: 569,250 sq km
water: 13,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries:
total: 3,477 km
border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,
Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline:
536 km

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

Climate:
varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain:
low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley;
fertile plateau in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources:
limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite,
gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 8.01% permanent crops: 0.97% other: 91.02% (2005)

Irrigated land:
1,030 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching

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

Geography - note:
the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful
agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on
Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography
supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic
value

People Kenya

Population:
34,707,817
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.6% (male 7,454,765/female 7,322,130)
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 9,631,488/female 9,508,068)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 359,354/female 432,012) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.2 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 18.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.57% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2005 Kenya was host to
233,778 refugees from neighboring countries, including Somalia
153,627, Sudan 67,556, Ethiopia 12,595 (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 59.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 61.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 56.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.93 years
male: 49.78 years
female: 48.07 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.2 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
150,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2005)

Nationality: noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic groups:
Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%,
Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab)
1%

Religions:
Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim
10%, other 2%
note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for
the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous
beliefs vary widely

Languages:
English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous
languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.1%
male: 90.6%
female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Government Kenya

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
conventional short form: Kenya
local long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri y Kenya
local short form: Kenya
former: British East Africa

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Nairobi
geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*,
North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence:
12 December 1963 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution:
12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with
amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001

Legal system:
based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,
tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional
amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in
1991

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002);
Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002);
Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); in addition to receiving the largest
number of votes in absolute terms, the presidential candidate must
also win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's seven
provinces and one area to avoid a runoff; election last held 27
December 2002 (next to be held December 2007); vice president
appointed by the president
election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -
Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called
"nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selected
by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2
ex-officio members)
elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed
by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High
Court

Political parties and leaders:
Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People
[Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU
[Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI]
(the governing party)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; National
Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of
political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA];
Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava
MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme
Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY]

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, ONUB,
OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard NGAITHE
chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 387-6101
FAX: (202) 462-3829
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William M. BELLAMY embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiri; P. O. Box 606 Village Market Nairobi mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: (20) 537-800 FAX: (20) 537-810

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the
red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering
crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Economy Kenya

Economy - overview:
The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya has
been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary
goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the IMF suspended
Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the
government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A
severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems,
causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.
As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000. The IMF, which had
resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again
halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute
several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains
in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low
investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth lagged at
1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence,
meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections.
In the key December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old
reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable
economic problems facing the nation. In 2003, progress was made in
rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support. GDP grew more
than 5% in 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$37.89 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$16.11 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.3% industry: 18.8% services: 65.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 11.85 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry and services: 25% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
40% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.5 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.3% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.715 billion
expenditures: $3.88 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
50.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy
products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Industries:
small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,
textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products, oil
refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement, commercial ship repair,
tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
4.6% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
4.342 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 17.7% hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 11.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
4.238 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
200 million kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
52,000 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:
$-1.543 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$3.173 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,
cement

Exports - partners:
Uganda 13.9%, UK 10.5%, US 9.5%, Netherlands 8.2%, Egypt 5.1%,
Tanzania 4.7%, Pakistan 4.5% (2005)

Imports:
$5.126 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor
vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Imports - partners:
UAE 13.6%, Saudi Arabia 9.9%, US 9.8%, India 8.3%, South Africa
7.9%, China 7.1%, UK 5.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.799 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$7.391 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$453 million (1997)

Currency (code):
Kenyan shilling (KES)

Currency code:
KES

Exchange rates:
Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 75.554 (2005), 79.174 (2004),
75.936 (2003), 78.749 (2002), 78.563 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Kenya

Telephones - main lines in use:
281,800 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.612 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize except
for service to business
domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data
commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
8 (2002)

Televisions:
730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ke

Internet hosts:
13,274 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
65 (2001)

Internet users:
1,054,900 (2005)

Transportation Kenya

Airports: 225 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 210 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 115 under 914 m: 84 (2006)

Pipelines: refined products 894 km (2006)

Railways: total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 63,000 km (interurban roads)
paved: 7,623 km
unpaved: 55,377 km
note: there also are 100,000 km of rural roads and 14,500 km of
urban roads for a national total of 177,500 km (2004)

Waterways:
part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 6,049 GRT/7,082 DWT
by type: passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1
registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Tuvalu 1, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Mombasa

Military Kenya

Military branches:
Kenyan Army, Kenyan Navy, Kenyan Air Force (2006)

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 7,303,153
females age 18-49: 7,083,726 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,963,532
females age 18-49: 3,471,926 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$280.5 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.6% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Kenya

Disputes - international:
Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's
north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to
approximately a quarter of a million refugees including Ugandans who
flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's
Resistance Army (LRA) rebels; the Kenya-Somalia border is open to
pastoralists and is susceptible to cross-border clan insurgencies;
Kenya's administrative limits extend beyond the treaty border into
the Sudan, creating the Ilemi Triangle

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 153,627 (Somalia) 12,595 (Ethiopia)
67,556 (Sudan)
IDPs: 360,000 (KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s)
(2005)

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Kenya is a source, transit, and destination
country for men, women, and children trafficked for forced labor and
sexual exploitation; children are trafficked within the country for
domestic servitude, street vending, agricultural labor, and sexual
exploitation; men, women, and girls are trafficked to the Middle
East, other African nations, Western Europe, and North America for
domestic servitude, enslavement in massage parlors and brothels, and
manual labor; Chinese women trafficked for sexual exploitation
reportedly transit Nairobi and Bangladeshis may transit Kenya for
forced labor in other countries
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Kenya is placed on the Tier 2 Watch
List due to a lack of evidence of increasing efforts to combat
severe forms of trafficking

Illicit drugs:
widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit country
for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indian
methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significant
potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status
as a regional financial center; massive corruption, and relatively
high levels of narcotics-associated activities

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Kiribati

Introduction Kiribati

Background:
The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and
complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US
relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line
Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Geography Kiribati

Location:
Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling
the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way from
Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed
that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert
Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line
Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the
International Date Line

Geographic coordinates:
1 25 N, 173 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 811 sq km
land: 811 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,143 km

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

Climate:
tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use: arable land: 2.74% permanent crops: 47.95% other: 49.31% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;
occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them
very sensitive to changes in sea level

Environment - current issues:
heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy
migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines
and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

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

Geography - note:
21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in
Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

People Kiribati

Population:
105,432 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.6% (male 20,608/female 20,060)
15-64 years: 58.1% (male 30,216/female 31,004)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 1,517/female 2,027) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.2 years
male: 19.8 years
female: 20.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.24% (2006 est.)

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

Death rate:
8.26 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: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 47.27 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 52.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.08 years
male: 59.06 years
female: 65.24 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.16 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: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic groups:
Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some
Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, Church of
God (1999)

Languages:
I-Kiribati, English (official)

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

Government Kiribati

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form: Kiribati
local long form: Republic of Kiribati
local short form: Kiribati
note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss
former: Gilbert Islands

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Tarawa
geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - in
addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line
Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island
councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama,
Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati,
Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea,
Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Independence:
12 July 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution:
12 July 1979

Legal system:
NA

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
President Teima ONORIO
cabinet: 12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the
members of the House of Parliament
elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential
candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete
in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a
four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 4
July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2007); vice president
appointed by the president
election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA
9.1%

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats;
39 elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member - the attorney
general, 1 appointed to represent Banaba, and 1 other; members serve
four-year terms)
elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first
round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003 (next to be
held by November 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all
levels are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te
Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP;
National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]
note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties
in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
structures

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary
consulate in Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to Fiji
is accredited to Kiribati

Flag description:
the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a
yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal
wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Economy Kiribati

Economy - overview:
A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few
natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were
exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and
fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy
has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is
constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,
and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more
than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage of
development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.
Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and
China equals about 20% of GDP. Remittances from seamen on merchant
ships abroad account for more than $5 million each year. Kiribati
receives around $15 million annually for the government budget from
an Australian trust fund.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$142.9 million
note: supplemented by a nearly equal amount from external sources
(2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$76.4 million

GDP - real growth rate:
0.3% (2005)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.9%
industry: 24.2%
services: 66.8% (1998 est.)

Labor force:
7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001
est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
2.70213%, 32%, 65.3%

Unemployment rate:
2% official rate; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.5% (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $55.52 million
expenditures: $59.71 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY05)

Agriculture - products:
copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Industries:
fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
0.7% (1991 est.)

Electricity - production:
12 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
11.16 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
200 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:
$-19.87 million

Exports:
$17 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Exports - partners:
US 22.8%, Belgium 21.5%, Japan 14.3%, Samoa 7.8%, Australia 7.5%,
Malaysia 6.7%, Taiwan 5.6%, Denmark 4.6% (2005)

Imports:
$62 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured
goods, fuel

Imports - partners:
Australia 33%, Fiji 27.1%, Japan 18.1%, NZ 6.9% (2005)

Debt - external:
$10 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$16.7 million largely from UK and Japan (2004)

Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),
1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001)

Fiscal year:
NA

Communications Kiribati

Telephones - main lines in use:
4,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
600 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: generally good quality national and
international service
domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati
(Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF
radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999
international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the
Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should
improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1
note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)

Radios:
17,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (not reported to be active) (2002)

Televisions:
1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ki

Internet hosts:
42 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
2,000 (2004)

Transportation Kiribati

Airports: 19 (2006)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 670 km (1999)

Waterways:
5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,749 GRT/3,911 DWT
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1
foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Betio

Military Kiribati

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law
enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts
are on all islands)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 21,938 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 14,231 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 1,128 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is
provided by Australia and NZ

Transnational Issues Kiribati

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Korea, North

Introduction Korea, North

Background: An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist domination. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il-so'ng, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against excessive Soviet or Communist Chinese influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development, as well as its nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs and massive conventional armed forces, are of major concern to the international community. In December 2002, following revelations that the DPRK was pursuing a nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a 1994 agreement with the US to freeze and ultimately dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the international Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent." Since August 2003, North Korea has participated in the Six-Party Talks with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the US designed to resolve the stalemate over its nuclear programs. The fourth round of Six-Party Talks were held in Beijing during July-September 2005. All parties agreed to a Joint Statement of Principles in which, among other things, the six parties unanimously reaffirmed the goal of verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner. In the Joint Statement, the DPRK committed to "abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and returning, at an early date, to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to IAEA safeguards." The Joint Statement also commits the US and other parties to certain actions as the DPRK denuclearizes. The US offered a security assurance, specifying that it had no nuclear weapons on ROK territory and no intention to attack or invade the DPRK with nuclear or other weapons. The US and DPRK will take steps to normalize relations, subject to the DPRK's implementing its denuclearization pledge and resolving other longstanding concerns. While the Joint Statement provides a vision of the end-point of the Six-Party process, much work lies ahead to implement the elements of the agreement.

Geography Korea, North

Location:
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea

Geographic coordinates:
40 00 N, 127 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 120,540 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km
water: 130 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries: total: 1,673 km border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline:
2,495 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the
exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Climate:
temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Terrain:
mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys;
coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural resources:
coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper,
gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 22.4% permanent crops: 1.66% other: 75.94% (2005)

Irrigated land:
14,600 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional
typhoons during the early fall

Environment - current issues:
water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne
disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia;
mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

People Korea, North

Population:
23,113,019 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.8% (male 2,788,944/female 2,708,331)
15-64 years: 68% (male 7,762,442/female 7,955,522)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 667,792/female 1,229,988) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 32 years
male: 30.7 years
female: 33.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.84% (2006 est.)

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

Death rate:
7.13 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: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.29 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 24.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.65 years
male: 68.92 years
female: 74.51 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.1 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: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:
racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few
ethnic Japanese

Religions:
traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and
syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
religious freedom

Languages:
Korean

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99%

Government Korea, North

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
conventional short form: North Korea
local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
local short form: Choson
abbreviation: DPRK

Government type:
Communist state one-man dictatorship

Capital:
name: Pyongyang
geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (si,
singular and plural)
provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong),
Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae),
Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon),
P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan),
Yanggang-do (Yanggang)
municipalites: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin),
Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)

Independence:
15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:
Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9
September (1948)

Constitution:
adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in
April 1992, and September 1998

Legal system:
based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and
Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3
September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)
reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a
position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA
reelected KIM Yong Nam president of its Presidium also with
responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic
credentials; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju premier
head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3 September 2003);
Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun
(since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)
cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's
Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA
elections: last held in September 2003 (next to be held in September
2008)
election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees
for positions and ran unopposed

Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected
without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties

Judicial branch:
Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, IPU, ISO,
ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as
consular protecting power

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;
the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is
a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Economy Korea, North

Economy - overview:
North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned and isolated
economies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capital
stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of
underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Industrial and power
output have declined in parallel. Despite an increased harvest in
2005 because of more stable weather conditions, fertilizer
assistance from South Korea, and an extraordinary mobilization of
the population to help with agricultural production, the nation has
suffered its 11th year of food shortages because of on-going
systemic problems, including a lack of arable land, collective
farming practices, and chronic shortages of tractors and fuel.
Massive international food aid deliveries have allowed the people of
North Korea to escape mass starvation since famine threatened in
1995, but the population continues to suffer from prolonged
malnutrition and poor living conditions. Large-scale military
spending eats up resources needed for investment and civilian
consumption. In 2004, the regime formalized an arrangement whereby
private "farmers markets" were allowed to begin selling a wider
range of goods. It also permitted some private farming on an
experimental basis in an effort to boost agricultural output. In
October 2005, the regime reversed some of these policies by
forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized
food rationing system. In December 2005, the regime confirmed that
it intended to carry out earlier threats to terminate all
international humanitarian assistance operations in the DPRK
(calling instead for developmental assistance only) and to restrict
the activities of international and non-governmental aid
organizations such as the World Food Program. Firm political control
remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will
likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$40 billion
note: North Korea does not publish any reliable National Income
Accounts data; the datum shown here is derived from purchasing power
parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus
Maddison in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was
extrapolated to 2005 using estimated real growth rates for North
Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator;
the result was rounded to the nearest $10 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,700 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 34% services: 36% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 9.6 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 36% industry and services: 64%

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):
NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Industries:
military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals;
mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and
precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
18.75 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29% hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
17.43 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
25,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
22,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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

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

Exports:
$1.275 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including
armaments), textiles, fishery products

Exports - partners:
China 45.6%, South Korea 20.2%, Japan 12.9% (2004)

Imports:
$2.819 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textiles, grain

Imports - partners:
China 32.9%, Thailand 10.7%, Japan 4.8% (2004)

Debt - external:
$12 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA; note - approximately 350,000 metric tons in food aid, worth
approximately $118 million, through the World Food Program appeal in
2004, plus additional aid from bilateral donors and non-governmental
organizations

Currency (code):
North Korean won (KPW)

Currency code:
KPW

Exchange rates:
official: North Korean won per US dollar - 170 (December 2004), 150
(December 2002), 2.15 (December 2001); market: North Korean won per
US dollar - 300-600 (December 2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Korea, North

Telephones - main lines in use:
980,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other
international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central Broadcasting
Station), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2003)

Radios:
3.36 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae Television, Korean
Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong Television targeting
South Korea) (2003)

Televisions:
1.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.kp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Korea, North

Airports: 77 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Heliports:
22 (2006)

Pipelines:
oil 154 km (2006)

Railways: total: 5,214 km standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 31,200 km paved: 1,997 km unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2006)

Merchant marine:
total: 232 ships (1000 GRT or over) 983,182 GRT/1,370,104 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 176, chemical tanker 1, container 4,
livestock carrier 3, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 17,
refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 8, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: 60 (British Virgin Islands 1, China 1, Denmark 1,
Egypt 2, Greece 1, India 1, Lebanon 6, Lithuania 1, Marshall Islands
1, Pakistan 3, Romania 11, Russia 1, Singapore 1, Syria 14, Turkey
4, UAE 6, US 3, Yemen 2)
registered in other countries: 5 (Belize 2, Mongolia 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin,
Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan

Military Korea, North

Military branches:
North Korean People's Army: Ground Force, Navy, Air Force; civil
security forces (2005)

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 17-49: 5,851,801
females age 17-49: 5,850,733 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 17-49: 4,810,831
females age 17-49: 4,853,270 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 194,605
females age 17-49: 187,846 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$5,217.4 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Korea, North

Disputes - international:
China seeks to stem illegal migration of tens of thousands of North
Koreans escaping famine, economic privation, and political
oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain
islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers and a section of boundary around
Paektu-san (mountain) is indefinite; Military Demarcation Line
within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from
South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with South over
the Northern Limit Line; North Korea supports South Korea in
rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima)

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 50,000-250,000 (government repression and famine) (2005)

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: North Korea is a source country for men, women,
and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual
exploitation; North Korea's own system of political repression
includes forced labor in a network of prison camps where an
estimated 150,000 to 200,000 persons are incarcerated; the illegal
status of North Koreans in China and other countries increases their
vulnerability to trafficking schemes and sexual and physical abuse;
North Koreans forcibly returned from China may be subject to hard
labor in prison camps operated by the government
tier rating: Tier 3 - North Korea does not fully comply with minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making
significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:
for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of the
Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them
diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad
while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December
2004; police investigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have
linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and
methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant
ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Korea, South

Introduction Korea, South

Background:
Korea was an independent kingdom for much of its millennia-long
history. Following its victory in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905,
Japan occupied Korea; five years later it formally annexed the
entire peninsula. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was
set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a
Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK).
During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought
alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK
attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was
signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone
at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid
economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times
the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Yo'ng-sam became South
Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military
rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In
June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between
the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Jong
Il.

Geography Korea, South

Location:
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates:
37 00 N, 127 30 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km
water: 290 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km

Coastline:
2,413 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain:
mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 16.58% permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.41% (2005)

Irrigated land:
8,780 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic
activity common in southwest

Environment - current issues:
air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the
discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, 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, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location on Korea Strait

People Korea, South

Population:
48,846,823 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 4,844,083/female 4,368,139)
15-64 years: 71.9% (male 17,886,148/female 17,250,862)
65 years and over: 9.2% (male 1,818,677/female 2,678,914) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.2 years
male: 34.2 years
female: 36.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.42% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.04 years
male: 73.61 years
female: 80.75 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
8,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:
homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions:
no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%,
other 1%

Languages:
Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 99.2%
female: 96.6% (2002)

Government Korea, South

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea
local long form: Taehan-min'guk
local short form: Han'guk
abbreviation: ROK

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Seoul
geographic coordinates: 37 34 N, 127 00 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities
(gwangyoksi, singular and plural)
provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo
(South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong),
Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do,
Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)
metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on),
Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan),
Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi
(Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)

Independence:
15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Constitution:
17 July 1948

Legal system:
combines elements of continental European civil law systems,
Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Suffrage:
19 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister HAN Myeong-sook (since 20 April
2006); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Woo-sik (since 10 February 2006);
KWON O-kyu (since 18 July 2006); KIM Shin-il (since 20 September
2006)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year
term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held in
December 2007); prime minister appointed by president with consent
of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
on prime minister's recommendation
election results: ROH Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote -
ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats - members elected
for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat constituencies, 56 by
proportional representation)
elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008;
byelections held on 30 April 2005 and on 26 October 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP
3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 144, GNP 127, DP 11, DLP
9, ULD 3, independents 5
note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party
reflect results of April and October 2005 byelections involving six
and four seats respectively; MDP became DP in May 2005; United
Liberal Democrats (ULD) merged with GNP in February 2006. (2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of
National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by
president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief
Justice of the court)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Labor Party or DLP [MOON Seong-hyun]; Democratic Party
or DP [HAHN Hwa-kap]; Grand National Party or GNP [KANG Jae-sup];
People-Centered Party or PCP [SHIN Kook-hwan]; Uri Party [KIM
Geun-tae]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions;
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of
Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association;
National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of
Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National
Federation of Student Associations

International organization participation:
AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador LEE Tae-sik chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 939-5600 FAX: (202) 387-0205 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW embassy: 32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: (2) 397-4114 FAX: (2) 738-8845

Flag description:
white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center;
there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of
Changes) in each corner of the white field

Economy Korea, South

Economy - overview:
Since the early 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible
record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world
economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels
in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea
joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP
per capita is equal to the lesser economies of the EU. This success
through the late 1980s was achieved by a system of close
government/business ties, including directed credit, import
restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor
effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and
technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings
and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of
1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development
model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing,
and an undisciplined financial sector. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998,
then recovered 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to
3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports,
and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms
had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002
was an impressive 7%, despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and
2005, growth moderated to about 4%. A downturn in consumer spending
was offset by rapid export growth. In 2005, the government proposed
labor reform legislation and a corporate pension scheme to help make
the labor market more flexible, and new real estate policies to cool
property speculation. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an
export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterize
this solid economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.101 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$801.2 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$22,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry: 40.3% services: 56.3% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 23.53 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 6.4% industry: 26.4% services: 67.2% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:
3.7% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
15% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.8 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
29.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $195 billion
expenditures: $189 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
20% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs,
chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:
electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals,
shipbuilding, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
5.9% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
342.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 36.6% other: 0.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
321.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
2.061 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:
645,200 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
2.263 million bbl/day (2004)

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

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

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

Natural gas - imports:
21.11 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
$16.56 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$288.2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor
vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Exports - partners:
China 21.8%, US 14.6%, Japan 8.5%, Hong Kong 5.5% (2005)

Imports:
$256 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel,
transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Imports - partners:
Japan 18.5%, China 14.8%, US 11.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$210.4 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$153.9 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $423.3 million (2004)

Currency (code):
South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code:
KRW

Exchange rates:
South Korean won per US dollar - 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004),
1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002), 1,291 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Korea, South

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
38.342 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 82; 10 fiber-optic submarine cables -
1 Korea-Russia-Japan, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong, 3 Korea-Japan-China,
1 Korea-Japan-China-Europe, 1 Korea-Japan-China-US-Taiwan, 1
Korea-Japan-China, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong-Taiwan, 1 Korea-Japan;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian
Ocean) and 3 Inmarsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 61, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2005)

Radios:
47.5 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations: terrestrial stations 43; cable operators 59; relay cable operators 190 (2005)

Televisions:
15.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.kr

Internet hosts:
5,433,591 (2005)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2000)

Internet users:
33.9 million (2005)

Transportation Korea, South

Airports: 107 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 35 (2006)

Heliports:
540 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 1,482 km; refined products 827 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 3,472 km
standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,361 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 97,252 km
paved: 74,641 km (including 3,060 km of expressways)
unpaved: 22,611 km (2004)

Waterways:
1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2006)

Merchant marine:
total: 669 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,634,188 GRT/13,733,624 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 157, cargo 193, chemical tanker 98, container
81, liquefied gas 22, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum
tanker 57, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 6, specialized
tanker 3, vehicle carrier 6
foreign-owned: 22 (France 12, Japan 1, UK 2, US 7)
registered in other countries: 365 (Belize 4, Cambodia 23, China 2,
Cyprus 1, Georgia 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Liberia
3, Malaysia 1, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 291, Singapore
17, unknown 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Inch'on, Masan, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan

Military Korea, South

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Republic of Korea Air Force (Han-guk Kong Goon), Marine
Corps, National Maritime Police (coast guard) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 20-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers; women, in service since 1950, are admitted to seven service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 20-49: 12,483,677
females age 20-49: 12,014,462 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 20-49: 10,115,817
females age 20-49: 9,721,914 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 344,943
females age 20-49: 312,720 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$21.06 billion FY05 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.6% FY05 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Korea, South

Disputes - international:
Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone
has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime
disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit Line; South Korea
and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by
South Korea since 1954

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Kuwait

Introduction Kuwait

Background:
Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling
Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961.
Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following
several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a
ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four
days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure
damaged during 1990-91.

Geography Kuwait

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi
Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 17,820 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline:
499 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain:
flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.84% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 98.99% (2005)

Irrigated land:
130 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy
rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms
occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and
August

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

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

Geography - note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People Kuwait

Population: 2,418,393 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.9% (male 331,768/female 319,895)
15-64 years: 70.3% (male 1,085,721/female 613,746)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 42,460/female 24,803) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.9 years
male: 28 years
female: 22.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.52%
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of
expatriates (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.71 male(s)/female
total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.71 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.2 years
male: 76.13 years
female: 78.31 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.12% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups:
Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions:
Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and
other 15%

Languages:
Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.5%
male: 85.1%
female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Government Kuwait

Country name:
conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
local short form: Al Kuwayt

Government type:
constitutional hereditary emirate

Capital:
name: Kuwait
geographic coordinates: 29 20 N, 47 59 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al
'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak Al Kabir

Independence:
19 June 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:
National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution:
approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system:
civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
adult males who are not in the military forces, and adult females
(as of 16 May 2005); all voters must have been citizens for 20 years

Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29
January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Sabah
head of government: Prime Minister NASIR al-Muhammad al-Ahmad
al-Sabah (since 7 February 2006) First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR
Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime
Ministers MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February
2006) and Ismail al-SHATTI (since 10 July 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
approved by the amir
elections: none; the amir is hereditary; prime minister and deputy
prime ministers appointed by the amir

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 29 June 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA; note - all
cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National
Assembly

Judicial branch:
High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
none; formation of political parties is illegal

Political pressure groups and leaders:
a number of political groups act as de facto parties; several
legislative blocs operate in the National Assembly: tribal groups,
merchants, Shi'a activists, Islamists, and secular liberals

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 966-0702
FAX: (202) 966-0517

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON
embassy: Bayan 36302, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the
Bayan palace), Kuwait City
mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE
09880-9000
telephone: 259-1001
FAX: 538-0282

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a
black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to
1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I

Economy Kuwait

Economy - overview:
Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported
crude oil reserves of about 96 billion barrels - 10% of world
reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export
revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits
agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish,
it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water
must be distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with
foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the
country.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$47.36 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$52.76 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
8.3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$20,300 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.4% industry: 47.9% services: 51.6% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 1.67 million note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2005 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
2.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
14.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $47.21 billion
expenditures: $20.77 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
12.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
practically no crops; fish

Industries:
petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair,
desalination, food processing, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
13.1% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
38.19 billion kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
35.52 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
305,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
1.97 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

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

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2002 est.)

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

Current account balance:
$26.92 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$44.43 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports - partners:
Japan 19.6%, South Korea 15.3%, US 11.8%, Taiwan 11%, Singapore
9.5%, Netherlands 4.7% (2005)

Imports:
$12.23 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Imports - partners:
US 14%, Germany 10.7%, Japan 8.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%, UK 5.6%,
France 4.8%, China 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$8.972 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$16.12 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA (2001)

Currency (code):
Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Currency code:
KWD

Exchange rates:
Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004), 0.298
(2003), 0.3039 (2002), 0.3067 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Kuwait

Telephones - main lines in use:
510,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.38 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular
telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well
supplied with pay telephones
international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio
relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the
Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and
2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
1.175 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Televisions:
875,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.kw

Internet hosts:
2,310 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
700,000 (2005)

Transportation Kuwait

Airports: 7 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Heliports:
5 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2006)

Roadways:
total: 4,450 km
paved: 3,587 km
unpaved: 863 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
total: 38 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,424,983 GRT/3,996,755 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5,
livestock carrier 3, petroleum tanker 21
registered in other countries: 28 (Bahrain 3, Comoros 1, Liberia 1,
Libya 1, Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saudi Arabia 5, UAE 8) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd
Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi

Military Kuwait

Military branches:
Land Forces, Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya
al-Kuwaitiya), National Guard (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 1 month annual training to age 40; women have served in police forces since 1999 (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 864,745
females age 18-49: 467,120 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 737,292
females age 18-49: 405,207 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 18,743
females age 18-49: 20,065 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.01 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Kuwait

Disputes - international:
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime
boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the
Persian Gulf

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men and
women who migrate legally from South and Southeast Asia for domestic
or low-skilled labor, but are subjected to conditions of involuntary
servitude by employers in Kuwait including conditions of physical
and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement to the home, and
withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of movement;
Kuwait is reportedly a transit point for South and East Asian
workers recruited for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these
workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this
work, and others are subjected to conditions of involuntary
servitude in Iraq; in past years, Kuwait was also a destination
country for children exploited as camel jockeys, but this form of
trafficking appears to have ceased
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Kuwait is placed on the Tier 2
Watch List because its efforts are based largely on pledges of
future actions

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Kyrgyzstan

Introduction Kyrgyzstan

Background:
A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud
nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864; it
achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Nationwide
demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of
President Askar AKAYEV, who had run the country since 1990.
Subsequent presidential elections in July 2005 were won
overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV. Current
concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises,
expansion of democracy and political freedoms, reduction of
corruption, improving interethnic relations, and combating terrorism.

Geography Kyrgyzstan

Location:
Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 198,500 sq km
land: 191,300 sq km
water: 7,200 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:
total: 3,878 km
border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870
km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in
southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain:
peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass
entire nation

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Natural resources:
abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth
metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other
deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Land use:
arable land: 6.55%
permanent crops: 0.28%
other: 93.17%
note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut
forest (2005)

Irrigated land:
10,720 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
water pollution; many people get their water directly from
contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases
are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation
practices

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range;
many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

People Kyrgyzstan

Population:
5,213,898 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.9% (male 821,976/female 789,687)
15-64 years: 62.9% (male 1,607,396/female 1,669,612)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 126,847/female 198,380) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.6 years
male: 22.8 years
female: 24.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.32% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-2.5 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: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 34.49 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 39.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 28.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.49 years
male: 64.48 years
female: 72.7 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Ethnic groups:
Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian
1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)

Religions:
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Languages:
Kyrgyz (official), Russian (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.7%
male: 99.3%
female: 98.1% (1999 est.)

Government Kyrgyzstan

Country name:
conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy
local short form: Kyrgyzstan
former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Bishkek
geographic coordinates: 42 54 N, 74 36 E
time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar);
Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad
Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty
(Karakol)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence:
31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Constitution:
adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President Askar
AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003
significantly expands the powers of the president at the expense of
the legislature; following the spring 2005 demonstrations, a new
Constitutional Council was appointed and the reform process is
ongoing

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIYEV (since 14 August 2005);
note - former President Askar AKAYEV resigned effective 11 April
2005 following widespread protests that forced him to flee the
country on 24 March 2005
head of government: Prime Minister Feliks KULOV (since 1 September
2005); First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 10 May 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister; note - the new constitution of
November 2006 calls for the legislature to appoint the prime
minister and members of the Cabinet after the elections of 2010
elections: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected by popular vote for a five-year
term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 July 2005
(next scheduled for 2010); prime minister nominated by the president
for approval by Parliament; note - the new constitution of November
2006 calls for the legislature to appoint the prime minister and
members of the Cabinet after the elections of 2010
election results: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected president; percent of
vote - Kurmanbek BAKIYEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other
candidates 7.5%; Feliks KULOV approved as prime minister 55-8

Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh (75 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five year terms)
elections: elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh
were held 27 February 2005, but the vast majority of positions
remained undecided and were contested in a runoff election on 13
March 2005; election irregularities caused widespread protests that
resulted in the president being forced to flee the country
election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the
Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president);
Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Political parties and leaders:
Adilet (Justice) Party [Toychubek KASYMOV]; Agrarian Labor Party of
Kyrgyzstan [Uson SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [Erkin
ALIYEV]; Alga, Kyrgyzstan (Forward, Kyrgyzstan) [Bolot BEGALIYEV];
Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner National
Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek
TEKEBAYEV]; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan [Klara ADZHIBEKOVA];
Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV]; Erkin
Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic Party [Bektur ASANOV];
Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV]; Future of
Kyrgyzstan [Balbak TULEBAYEV]; Jany Kyrgyzstan (New Kyrgyzstan)
[Dosbol NUR UULU]; Kairan El [Dooronbek SADYKOV]; Kyrgyz National
Party [Bakyt BESHIMOV]; Kyrgyzstan Kelechegi [Ruslan CHYNYBAYEV];
Manas El (Party of Spiritual Restoration) [Chingiz AITMATOV]; Moya
Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Joomart OTORBAYEV]; Party of
Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Bakytbek BEKBOYEV]; Party of
Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party of Peasants
[Esengul ISAKOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights
[Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement; Union of
Entrepreneurs

International organization participation:
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA
chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 338-5141
FAX: (202) 386-7550
consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marie L. YOVANOVITCH
embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
FAX: (312) 551-264

Flag description:
red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays
representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run
counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the
sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized
representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Economy Kyrgyzstan

Economy - overview:
Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a predominantly
agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main
agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported
in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium,
natural gas, and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has been progressive in
carrying out market reforms, such as an improved regulatory system
and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first CIS country to be accepted
into the World Trade Organization. Much of the government's stock in
enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe after
the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995,
production began to recover and exports began to increase.
Kyrgyzstan has distinguished itself by adopting relatively liberal
economic policies. The drop in output at the Kumtor gold mine
sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP growth bounced back
in 2003-05. The government has made steady strides in controlling
its substantial fiscal deficit and reduced the deficit to 1% of GDP
in 2005. The government and international financial institutions
have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction
and economic growth strategy, and in 2005 agreed to pursue
much-needed tax reform. Progress fighting corruption, further
restructuring of domestic industry, and success in attracting
foreign investment are keys to future growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$10.08 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.144 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.6% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35.3% industry: 20.8% services: 43.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 2.7 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 55% industry: 15% services: 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
18% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 23.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.2% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
12.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $516.3 million
expenditures: $539.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries;
sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Industries:
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn
logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth
metals

Industrial production growth rate:
7.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
13.77 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 7.6% hydro: 92.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
8.783 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
4.13 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
108 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
1,990 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
11,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-134 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$759 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas,
hydropower; machinery; shoes

Exports - partners:
UAE 35.6%, Russia 18.6%, China 13.4%, Kazakhstan 12.6% (2005)

Imports:
$937.4 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
China 43.2%, Russia 19.8%, Kazakhstan 11.9%, Turkey 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$612.3 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$2.428 billion (31 December 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$50 million from the US (2001)

Currency (code):

Currency code:
KGS

Exchange rates:
soms per US dollar - 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004), 43.648 (2003),
46.937 (2002), 48.378 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Kyrgyzstan

Telephones - main lines in use:
438,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
541,700 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: development of telecommunications
infrastructure is slow; fixed line penetration remains low and
concentrated in Bishkek
domestic: two wireless telephony service providers, but penetration
remains low
international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS
countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other
countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway
switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik
and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe
(TAE) fiber-optic line

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
520,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay programs from
Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)

Televisions:
210,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.kg

Internet hosts:
18,928 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
280,000 (2005)

Transportation Kyrgyzstan

Airports: 37 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 16 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2006)

Railways: total: 470 km broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 18,500 km paved: 16,854 km unpaved: 1,646 km (1999)

Waterways:
600 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Military Kyrgyzstan

Military branches:
Army, Air Force, National Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,193,529
females age 18-49: 1,219,080 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 871,493
females age 18-49: 1,024,568 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 61,091
females age 18-49: 59,784 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$19.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Kyrgyzstan

Disputes - international:
delimitation with Kazakhstan is complete; disputes in Isfara Valley
delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of
130 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes
around enclaves and other areas

Illicit drugs:
limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS
markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit
point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of
Europe

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Laos

Introduction Laos

Background:
Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan
Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For three
hundred years Lan Xang included large parts of present-day Cambodia
and Thailand, as well as all of what is now Laos. After centuries of
gradual decline, Laos came under the control of Siam (Thailand) from
the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became
part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined
the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet
Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy
and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to
Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the
liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became
a member of ASEAN in 1997.

Geography Laos

Location:
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
18 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 236,800 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries:
total: 5,083 km
border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,
Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
(December to April)

Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Land use: arable land: 4.01% permanent crops: 0.34% other: 95.65% (2005)

Irrigated land:
1,750 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
floods, droughts

Environment - current issues: unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly
forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western
boundary with Thailand

People Laos

Population:
6,368,481 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.4% (male 1,324,207/female 1,313,454)
15-64 years: 55.4% (male 1,744,206/female 1,786,139)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 89,451/female 111,024) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.9 years
male: 18.6 years
female: 19.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.39% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 83.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 92.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 73.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 55.49 years
male: 53.45 years
female: 57.61 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,700 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups:
Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung
(highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic
Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Religions:
Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian
denominations 1.5%)

Languages:
Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.4%
male: 77.4%
female: 55.5% (2002)

Government Laos

Country name:
conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
conventional short form: Laos PDR or Laos
local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
local short form: none

Government type:
Communist state

Capital:
name: Vientiane
geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality*
(kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone**
(khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai,
Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang,
Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*,
Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence:
19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Constitution:
promulgated 14 August 1991

Legal system:
based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures,
and socialist practice

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8
June 2006) and Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June
2006); Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002),
Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit [since 8 June
2006], Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February
1998), and Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March
2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
by the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next
to be held in 2011); prime minister nominated by the president and
elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term
election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG
Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote -
100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of
National Assembly vote - 97%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
LPRP 113, independents 2

Judicial branch:
People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court
is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the
People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National
Assembly Standing Committee)

Political parties and leaders:
Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALY Sayasone];
other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders:
noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders
fled the country in 1975

International organization participation:
ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay
chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 332-6416
FAX: (202) 332-4923

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam Road, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: 21-26 7000 FAX: 21-26 7074

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red
with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Economy Laos

Economy - overview:
The government of Laos, one of the few remaining official Communist
states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private
enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low
base, were striking - growth averaged 6% in 1988-2004 except during
the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis beginning
in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with
a primitive infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road
system, and limited external and internal telecommunications, though
the government is sponsoring major improvements in the road system
with possible support from Japan. Electricity is available in only a
few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice,
accounts for about half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment.
The economy will continue to benefit from aid by the IMF and other
international sources and from new foreign investment in food
processing and mining. Construction will be another strong economic
driver, especially as hydroelectric dam and road projects gain
steam. In late 2004, Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with
the US, allowing Laos-based producers to face lower tariffs on
exports. This new status may help spur growth. In addition, the
European Union has agreed to provide $1 million to the Lao
Government for technical assistance in preparations for WTO
membership. If the avian flu worsens and spreads in the region,
however, prospects for tourism could dim.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.29 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.523 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45.5% industry: 28.7% services: 25.8% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 2.8 million (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
2.4% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
34% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $319.3 million
expenditures: $434.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco,
cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Industries:
copper, tin, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power,
agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement

Industrial production growth rate:
13% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.767 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.4% hydro: 98.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.298 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
435 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
230 million kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
2,950 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:
$-134 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$379 million (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin

Exports - partners:
Thailand 29.6%, Vietnam 12%, France 6.1%, Germany 4.6% (2005)

Imports:
$541 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
Thailand 66.1%, China 9%, Vietnam 6.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$249 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$2.49 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
$243 million (2001 est.)

Currency (code):
kip (LAK)

Currency code:
LAK

Exchange rates:
kips per US dollar - 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004), 10,569 (2003),
10,056.3 (2002), 8,954.6 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Laos

Telephones - main lines in use:
90,067 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
520,546 (2006)

Telephone system:
general assessment: service to general public is poor but
improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to
communicate with remote areas
domestic: radiotelephone communications
international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006)

Radios:
730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
7; note - including one station relaying Vietnam Television from
Hanoi (2006)

Televisions:
52,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.la

Internet hosts:
1,108 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
25,000 (2005)

Transportation Laos

Airports:
44 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 35
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Pipelines:
refined products 540 km (2006)

Roadways:
total: 32,620 km
paved: 4,590 km
unpaved: 28,030 km (2002)

Waterways:
4,600 km
note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are
intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Military Laos

Military branches:
Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,500,625
females age 15-49: 1,521,116 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 954,816
females age 15-49: 1,006,082 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 73,167
females age 15-49: 71,432 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.04 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.4% (2005 est.)

Military - note:
Laos is one of the world's least developed countries; the Lao
People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively
resourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding
to the military, and the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely
to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry
centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics
transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on
the Lao-Burma border (2005)

Transnational Issues Laos

Disputes - international:
Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check
the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation
with Thailand but disputes remain over several areas along Mekong
River and Thai squatters; concern among Mekong Commission members
that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect
water levels

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Laos is a source country for men and women
trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation;
a significant number are economic migrants who are subjected to
commercial sexual exploitation or conditions of forced or bonded
labor in Thailand; to a lesser extent, Laos is a transit and
destination country for women who are trafficked for sexual
exploitation including a small number of victims from China and
Vietnam trafficked to work as street vendors and for sexual
exploitation in prostitution
tier rating: Tier 3 - Laos does not fully comply with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making
significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:
estimated cultivation in 2004 - 10,000 hectares, a 45% decrease
from 2003; estimated potential production in 2004 - 49 metric tons,
a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003 (2005)

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Latvia

Introduction Latvia

Background:
After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars,
Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its
independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the
Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to
Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography Latvia

Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
Lithuania

Geographic coordinates:
57 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 64,589 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km
water: 1,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
total: 1,368 km
border countries: Belarus 167 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km,
Russia 282 km

Coastline:
531 km

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

Climate:
maritime; wet, moderate winters

Terrain:
low plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Natural resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land

Land use: arable land: 28.19% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 71.36% (2005)

Irrigated land:
200 sq km
note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not
irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land
has been improved by drainage (2003)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service
industries after the country regained independence; the main
environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality
and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as
well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU
accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full
enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with
some hills in the east

People Latvia

Population:
2,274,735 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14% (male 162,562/female 155,091)
15-64 years: 69.6% (male 769,004/female 815,042)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 121,646/female 251,390) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.4 years
male: 36.3 years
female: 42.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.67% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-2.26 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: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.33 years
male: 66.08 years
female: 76.85 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,600 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian

Ethnic groups:
Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%,
Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

Religions:
Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Languages:
Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3%
(2000 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Government Latvia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia
local long form: Latvijas Republika
local short form: Latvija
former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Riga
geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 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:
26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles
Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons,
Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons,
Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas
Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons,
Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons,
Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu
Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*,
Ventspils Rajons

Independence:
21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is
the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4
May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August
1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human
Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented
the constitution

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
appointed by the Parliament
elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term
(no term limits); election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held
by June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;
parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held October 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL
16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 7%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party -
TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)

Political parties and leaders:
First Party of Latvia or LPP [Juris LUJANS]; For Human Rights in a
United Latvia or PCTVL [Tatjana ZDANOKA, Jakovs PLINERS]; For the
Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or
TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; Harmony Center or SC [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS];
Latvian Green Party or ZZS [Indulis EMSIS, Viesturs SILENIEKS,
Raimonds VEJONIS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or LZS [Augusts
BRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (Social
Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP
[Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS]; New Democrats
or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; People's
Harmony Party or TSP [Aivars DATAVS]; People's Party or TP [Atis
SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)
[Aleksandr KAZAKOV]

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new
member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS
chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 328-2840
FAX: (202) 328-2860

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine TODD BAILEY
embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE
09723
telephone: 703-6200
FAX: 782-0047

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and
maroon

Economy Latvia

Economy - overview:
Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian
financial crisis, largely due to the government's budget stringency
and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries,
lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of
companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the
state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia
officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU
membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current
account deficit - 11.5% of GDP in 2005 - remains a major concern. A
growing perception that many of Latvia's banks facilitate illicit
activity could damage the country's vibrant financial sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$31.46 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$14.43 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
10.2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,700 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 26.1% services: 69.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 1.11 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 15% industry: 25% services: 60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.5% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
Below $2.15 per day (PPP): 3%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.1% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.8% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
27.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $5.673 billion
expenditures: $5.889 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
10.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs;
fish

Industries:
buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers,
agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,
electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -
dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Industrial production growth rate:
5.6% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.97 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.1% hydro: 70.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.839 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
38 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
2.7 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
47,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
47,000 bbl/day (2004)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m NA (2003)

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

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

Natural gas - imports:
1.76 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
$-1.959 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$4.86 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles,
foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
Lithuania 11%, Estonia 10.8%, Germany 10.2%, UK 10.2%, Russia 7.9%,
Sweden 7.8%, Denmark 5.3%, Poland 5.3% (2005)

Imports:
$8.19 billion f.o.b. (2005)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Imports - partners:
Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 13.6%, Russia 8.6%, Estonia 7.9%, Poland
6.4%, Finland 5.9%, Belarus 5.8%, Sweden 5.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.361 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$10.8 billion (1 January 2006)

Economic aid - recipient:
$1.2 billion (2004-06)

Currency (code):
Latvian lat (LVL)

Currency code:
LVL

Exchange rates:
lati per US dollar - 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003),
0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Latvia

Telephones - main lines in use:
731,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.872 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition
to the telecommunications sector, beginning in 2003; the number of
fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephony expands
domestic: two wireless service providers in addition to Lattelekom,
the incumbent monopoly
international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now
connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
1.76 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.lv

Internet hosts:
65,858 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
41 (2001)

Internet users:
1.03 million (2005)

Transportation Latvia

Airports: 46 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 19 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 1,097 km; oil 82 km; refined products 415 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 2,303 km
broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 69,919 km paved: 69,919 km (2003)

Waterways:
300 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 21 ships (1000 GRT or over) 250,559 GRT/336,136 DWT
by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2,
passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 105 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Bahamas
1, Belize 6, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 4, Dominica 1, Gibraltar 2, Liberia
14, Malta 40, Marshall Islands 7, Panama 3, Russia 2, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines 18) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Riga, Ventspils

Military Latvia

Military branches:
Latvian Republic Defense Force: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force,
Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze) (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; plans are to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 19-49: 517,713
females age 19-49: 519,631 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 19-49: 361,098
females age 19-49: 422,913 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 19,137
females age 19-49: 18,505 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$87 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Latvia

Disputes - international:
Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to Latvian
insistence on a unilateral clarificatory declaration referencing
Soviet occupation of Latvia and territorial losses; Russia demands
better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; the Latvian
parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with
Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as
a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia
must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and
Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American
cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; despite
improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent
enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of
offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime
(including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and
prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Lebanon

Introduction Lebanon

Background:
Following the capture of Syria from the Ottoman Empire by
Anglo-French forces in 1918, France received a mandate over this
territory and separated out a region of Lebanon in 1920. France
granted this area independence in 1943. A 15-year civil war
(1976-1991) devastated the country, but Lebanon has since made
progress toward rebuilding its political institutions. Under the
Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the
Lebanese established a more equitable political system, particularly
by giving Muslims a greater voice in the political process while
institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the
end of the war, Lebanon has conducted several successful elections,
most militias have been disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces
(LAF) have extended authority over about two-thirds of the country.
Hizballah, a radical Shi'a organization listed by the US State
Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, retains its weapons.
During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in the Ta'if
Accord Syria's troop deployment, numbering about 16,000 based mainly
east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Damascus justified its
continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests
and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the
constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from
southern Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some Lebanese
groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passage
of UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 - a resolution calling for Syria
to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese
affairs - further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to Syria's
presence in Lebanon. The assassination of former Prime Minister
Rafiq HARIRI and 20 others in February 2005 led to massive
demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar
Revolution"). Syria finally withdrew the remainder of its military
forces from Lebanon in April 2005. In May-June 2005, Lebanon held
its first legislative elections since the end of the civil war free
of foreign interference, handing a two-thirds majority to the bloc
led by Saad HARIRI, the slain prime minister's son.

Geography Lebanon

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and
Syria

Geographic coordinates:
33 50 N, 35 50 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 10,400 sq km
land: 10,230 sq km
water: 170 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Coastline:
225 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers;
Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and
Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Natural resources:
limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit
region, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 16.35%
permanent crops: 13.75%
other: 69.9% (2005)

Irrigated land:
1,040 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in
Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes;
pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
Conservation

Geography - note:
Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an
international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate,
protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion,
clan, and ethnicity

People Lebanon

Population:
3,874,050 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.5% (male 523,220/female 502,372)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 1,235,915/female 1,342,540)
65 years and over: 7% (male 122,155/female 147,848) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.8 years
male: 26.7 years
female: 28.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.23% (2006 est.)

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

Death rate:
6.21 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: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.72 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 20.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.88 years
male: 70.41 years
female: 75.48 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

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

Ethnic groups:
Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but
rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be
called Phoenicians

Religions:
Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri),
Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic,
Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian
Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant),
other 1.3%
note: 17 religious sects recognized

Languages:
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.4%
male: 93.1%
female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Government Lebanon

Country name:
conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
conventional short form: Lebanon
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
local short form: Lubnan
former: Greater Lebanon

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Beirut
geographic coordinates: 33 53 N, 35 30 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:
8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakkar,
Baalbek-Hermel, Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban,
Nabatiye

Independence:
22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French
administration)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution:
23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently Charter of
Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989

Legal system:
mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law;
no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at
age 21 with elementary education

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Fuad SINIORA (since 30 June
2005); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since April 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
the president and members of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15
October 1998 (next to be held in 2007 based on three-year
extension); note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted
96 to 29 to extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the
prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president
in consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the
president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni
Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslim
election results: for 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected
president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against,
10 abstentions

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or
Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular
vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held in four rounds on 29 May, 5, 12, 19 June 2005
(next to be held 2009)
election results: percent of vote by group - NA; seats by group -
Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic Gathering 15; Development and
Resistance Bloc 15; Loyalty to the Resistance 14; Free Patriotic
Movement 14; Lebanese Forces 6; Qornet Shewan 5; Popular Bloc 4;
Tripoli Independent Bloc 3; Syrian National Socialist Party 2;
Kataeb Reform Movement 2; Tachnaq Party 2; Democratic Renewal
Movement 1; Democratic Left 1; Nasserite Popular Movement 1; Ba'th
Party 1; Kataeb Party 1; independent 5

Judicial branch:
four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial
cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council
(called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws);
Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime
minister as needed)

Political parties and leaders:
Ba'th Party; Democratic Gathering [Walid JUMBLATT]; Democratic Left
[Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD];
Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, Amal Movement
leader/Speaker of the National Assembly]; Free Patriotic Movement
[Michel AWN]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Party
[Karim PAKRADONI]; Kataeb Reform Movement [Amine GEMAYAL]; Lebanese
Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Loyalty to the Resistance [Mohammad RA'AD];
Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD];
National Bloc [Carlos EDDE]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Qornet
Shewan Gathering [a grouping with no individual leader]; Syrian
National Socialist Party [Ali QANSU]; Tachnaq Party; Tripoli
Independent Bloc [a grouping with no individual leader]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 939-6320
FAX: (202) 939-6324
consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Akwar facing the Municipality) mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070 telephone: (4) 542600, 543600 FAX: (4) 544136

Flag description:
three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle,
double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in
the white band

Economy Lebanon

Economy - overview:
The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic
infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended
Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. In
the years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical
and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily - mostly from
domestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning national
debt, the Rafiq HARIRI government began an austerity program,
reining in government expenditures, increasing revenue collection,
and privatizing state enterprises. In November 2002, the government
met with international donors at the Paris II conference to seek
bilateral assistance in restructuring its massive domestic debt at
lower interest rates. Substantial receipts from donor nations
stabilized government finances in 2003, but did little to reduce the
debt, which stands at nearly 170% of GDP. In 2004 the HARIRI
government issued Eurobonds in an effort to manage maturing debt.
The downturn in economic activity that followed the assassination of
Rafiq al-HARIRI has eased, but has yet to be reversed. Tourism
remains below the level of 2004. The new Prime Minister, Fuad
SINIORA, has pledged to push ahead with economic reform, including
privatization and more efficient government. The Core Group of
nations has announced plans to hold a Donor's Conference in early
2006 to assist the government of Lebanon in restructuring its debt
and increasing foreign investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$22.78 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$20.7 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 21%
services: 67% (2000)

Labor force:
2.6 million
note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers
(2001 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
18% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
28% (1999 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $4.953 billion
expenditures: $6.595 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
180.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives,
tobacco; sheep, goats

Industries:
banking, tourism, food processing, jewelry, cement, textiles,
mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil
refining, metal fabricating

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
10.67 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 97.2% hydro: 2.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
10.67 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
750 million kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
102,000 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:
$-4.239 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$1.782 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous consumer
goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power
machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Exports - partners:
Syria 25.3%, UAE 11.4%, Switzerland 8.1%, Turkey 6%, Saudi Arabia
6% (2005)

Imports:
$8.855 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and
live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco

Imports - partners:
Italy 11.1%, Syria 10.7%, France 9.2%, Germany 6.5%, China 5.4%, US
5.3%, UK 4.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$16.62 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$26 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.2 billion received (2003), out of the $4.2 billion in soft loans
pledged at the November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference

Currency (code):
Lebanese pound (LBP)

Currency code:
LBP

Exchange rates:
Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5 (2004),
1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Lebanon

Telephones - main lines in use:
990,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
990,000 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system,
severely damaged during the civil war, now complete
domestic: two commercial wireless networks provide good service;
political instability hampers privatization and deployment of new
technologies
international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations);
coaxial cable to Syria; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
2.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
1.18 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.lb

Internet hosts:
3,307 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
22 (2000)

Internet users:
700,000 (2005)

Transportation Lebanon

Airports: 7 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

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

Pipelines:
gas 43 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 401 km
standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m
narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m
note: rail system became unusable because of damage done during
fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 7,300 km
paved: 6,198 km
unpaved: 1,102 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
total: 39 ships (1000 GRT or over) 150,598 GRT/178,295 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 18, livestock carrier 10,
refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 3
foreign-owned: 4 (Greece 3, Syria 1)
registered in other countries: 59 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Barbados
1, Cambodia 6, Comoros 6, Egypt 2, Georgia 7, Honduras 1, North
Korea 6, Liberia 2, Malta 10, Mongolia 1, Panama 2, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines 4, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Syria 7, unknown 2)
(2006)

Ports and terminals:
Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli

Military Lebanon

Military branches:
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army, Navy, and Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 974,363
females age 18-49: 1,024,273 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 821,762
females age 18-49: 865,770 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$540.6 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Lebanon

Disputes - international:
Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights; the roughly 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) has been in place since 1978

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 404,170 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))
IDPs: 300,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions) (2005)

Illicit drugs:
cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in
2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin
American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way
to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Lesotho

Introduction Lesotho

Background:
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence
from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first
two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to
Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government
was restored in 1993 after 7 years of military rule. In 1998,
violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious
election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African
and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern
African Development Community. Constitutional reforms have since
restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were
held in 2002.

Geography Lesotho

Location:
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 30,355 sq km
land: 30,355 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Natural resources:
water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay,
building stone

Land use: arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2005)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in
overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;
desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and
redirects water to South Africa

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous,
more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level

People Lesotho

Population:
2,022,331
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: 36.8% (male 374,102/female 369,527)
15-64 years: 58.3% (male 572,957/female 606,846)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 39,461/female 59,438) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.3 years
male: 19.7 years
female: 21 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.46% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.68 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: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 87.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 92.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 34.4 years
male: 35.55 years
female: 33.21 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
28.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
320,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
29,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
adjective: Basotho

Ethnic groups:
Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Religions:
Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Languages:
Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.8%
male: 74.5%
female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Government Lesotho

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
conventional short form: Lesotho
local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
local short form: Lesotho
former: Basutoland

Government type:
parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital:
name: Maseru
geographic coordinates: 29 28 S, 27 30 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,
Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Independence:
4 October 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution:
2 April 1993

Legal system:
based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of
legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note -
King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to
February 1995, while his father was in exile
head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: none - according to the constitution, the leader of the
majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;
the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,
which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is
a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative
powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to
depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession,
or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not
of mature age

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22
principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)
and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by
proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year
terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120
in the May 2002 election
elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC
7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18

Judicial branch:
High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the
advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court;
customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders:
Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE];
Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho
National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Kopanang
Basotho Party or KPB [MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD
[Pakalitha MOSISILI] (the governing party); Lesotho Education Party
or LEP [Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone
MAOPE]; Lesotho Workers Party of LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou
Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or
NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Chief
Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho
RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla NKUEBE]; Social
Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO]; United Democratic Party
or UDP [C.D. MOFELI]; United Party or UP [Makara SEKAUTU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA,
NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI
chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 797-5533 through 5536
FAX: (202) 234-6815

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY
embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)
mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho
telephone: 22 312666
FAX: 22 310116

Flag description:
three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the
proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and
prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black
Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was
unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence

Economy Lesotho

Economy - overview:
Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances
from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the
Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government
revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax
system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major
hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to
South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number
of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a
small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that
support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well
as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown
significantly, mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade
benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The
economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture,
especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural
activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income
remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty
Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.008 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.362 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,500 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.3% industry: 44.3% services: 39.4% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
838,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence
agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in
South Africa
industry and services: 14%

Unemployment rate:
45% (2002)

Population below poverty line:
49% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
63.2 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.7% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
29.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $738.5 million
expenditures: $792.1 million; including capital expenditures of NA
(2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Industries:
food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts,
construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
15.5% (1999)

Electricity - production:
350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
363.5 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
38 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
1,400 bbl/day (2003)

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:
$-92 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$602.8 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and
mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Exports - partners:
Hong Kong 43.6%, China 35.4%, Germany 8.4% (2005)

Imports:
$1.166 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum
products (2000)

Imports - partners:
US 84%, Belgium 12.8%, Canada 2.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$573 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$735 million (2002)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $4.4 million

Economic aid - recipient:
$41.5 million (2000)

Currency (code):
loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
LSL; ZAR

Exchange rates:
maloti per US dollar - 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003),
10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Lesotho

Telephones - main lines in use:
48,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
245,100 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: rudimentary system
domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a
small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone
communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing
international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Radios:
NA (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2000)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.ls

Internet hosts:
168 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
43,000 (2005)

Transportation Lesotho

Airports: 28 (2006)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 5,940 km
paved: 1,087 km
unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)

Military Lesotho

Military branches:
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 428,982
females age 18-49: 440,102 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 180,797
females age 18-49: 160,681 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$41.1 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (2005 est.)

Military - note:
the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future
structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially
considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening
in political affairs

Transnational Issues Lesotho

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

@Liberia

Introduction Liberia

Background:
Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia
began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish
a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to
promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and
political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and
the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by
Samuel DOE assassinated President William TOLBERT (1971-80) and
ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule followed by a prolonged
civil war, in which DOE himself was killed. In August 2003, a
comprehensive peace agreement ended 14 years of intermittent
fighting and prompted the resignation of former president Charles
TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. After two years of rule by a
transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought
President Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia
(UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence throughout the country,
completed a disarmament program for former combatants in late 2004,
but the security situation is still volatile and the process of
rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn
country remains sluggish.

Geography Liberia

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote
d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 111,370 sq km
land: 96,320 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
306 km

Coastline:
579 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold
nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and
low mountains in northeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3.43% permanent crops: 1.98% other: 94.59% (2005)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)