Afghanistan
Geography
Total area: 647,500 km2; land area: 647,500 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: 5,826 km total; China 76 km, Iran 936 km,
Pakistan 2,430 km, USSR 2,384 km
Coastline: none–landlocked
Maritime claims: none–landlocked
Disputes: Pashtun question with Pakistan; Baloch question with Iran
and Pakistan; periodic disputes with Iran over Helmand water rights;
insurgency with Iranian and Pakistani involvement; traditional tribal
rivalries
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Natural resources: natural gas, crude oil, coal, copper, talc, barites,
sulphur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Land use: 12% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 46% meadows and
pastures; 3% forest and woodland; 39% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
soil degradation, desertification, overgrazing, deforestation, pollution
Note: landlocked
People
Population: 15,862,293 (July 1990), growth rate 7.7% (1990)
Birth rate: 44 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 18 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 51 migrants/1,000 population (1990);
note–there are flows across the border in both directions, but data are
fragmentary and unreliable
Infant mortality rate: 154 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 47 years male, 46 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Afghan(s); adjective–Afghan
Ethnic divisions: 50% Pashtun, 25% Tajik, 9% Uzbek, 12-15% Hazara; minor
ethnic groups include Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others
Religion: 74% Sunni Muslim, 15% Shia Muslim, 11% other
Language: 50% Pashtu, 35% Afghan Persian (Dari), 11% Turkic languages
(primarily Uzbek and Turkmen), 4% thirty minor languages (primarily
Balochi and Pashai); much bilingualism
Literacy: 12%
Labor force: 4,980,000; 67.8% agriculture and animal husbandry,
10.2% industry, 6.3% construction, 5.0% commerce, 10.7% services and other
(1980 est.)
Organized labor: some small government-controlled unions
Government
Long-form name: Republic of Afghanistan
Type: authoritarian
Capital: Kabul
Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (velayat, singular–velayat);
Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah,
Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol,
Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar,
Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika,
Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol;
note–there may be a new province of Nurestan (Nuristan)
Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK)
Constitution: adopted 30 November 1987
Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Anniversary of the Saur Revolution, 27 April (1978)
Executive branch: president, four vice presidents, prime minister,
deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Meli Shura) consists of
an upper house or Senate (Sena) and a lower house or House of Representatives
(Wolasi Jirgah)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government–President (Mohammad)
NAJIBULLAH (Ahmadzai) (since 30 November 1987); Chairman of the Council
of Ministers Executive Committee Soltan Ali KESHTMAND (since 21
February 1989); Prime Minister Fazil Haq KHALIQYAR (since 21 May 1990)
Political parties and leaders: only party–the People’s Democratic
Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) has two factions–the Parchami faction
has been in power since December 1979 and members of the deposed Khalqi
faction continue to hold some important posts mostly in the military and
Ministry of Interior; nonparty figures hold some posts
Suffrage: universal, male ages 15-50
Elections:
Senate–last held NA April 1988 (next to be held April 1991);
results–PDPA is the only party;
seats–(192 total, 115 elected) PDPA 115;
House of Representatives–last held NA April 1988 (next to be held
April 1993);
results–PDPA is the only party;
seats–(234 total) PDPA 184, 50 seats reserved for opposition
Communists: the PDPA claims 200,000 members (1988)
Other political or pressure groups: the military and other branches of
internal security have been rebuilt by the USSR; insurgency continues
throughout the country; widespread anti-Soviet and antiregime sentiment
and opposition on religious and political grounds
Member of: ADB, CCC, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IDB–Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, ITU, NAM, UN,
UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO, WSG; suspended from OIC in January 1980
Diplomatic representation: Minister-Counselor, Charge d’Affaires MIAGOL;
Chancery at 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone
(202) 234-3770 or 3771; US–Charge d’Affaires (vacant);
Embassy at Ansari Wat, Wazir Akbar Khan Mina, Kabul; telephone 62230 through
62235 or 62436; note–US Embassy in Kabul was closed in January 1989
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with the
national coat of arms superimposed on the hoist side of the black and red bands;
similar to the flag of Malawi which is shorter and bears a radiant, rising, red
sun centered in the black band
Economy
Overview: Fundamentally, Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked
country, highly dependent on farming (wheat especially) and livestock
raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations, however, have played
second fiddle to political and military upheavals, including the nine-year
Soviet military occupation (ended 15 February 1989) and the continuing
bloody civil war. Over the past decade, one-third of the population has
fled the country, with Pakistan sheltering some 3 million refugees
and Iran perhaps 2 million. Another 1 million have probably
moved into and around urban areas within Afghanistan. Large numbers
of bridges, buildings, and factories have been destroyed or
damaged by military action or sabotage. Government claims
to the contrary, gross domestic product almost certainly is
lower than 10 years ago because of the loss of labor and capital
and the disruption of trade and transport. Official claims indicate
that agriculture grew by 0.7% and industry by 3.5% in 1988.
GDP: $3 billion, per capita $200; real growth rate 0% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): over 50% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues NA; expenditures $646.7 million, including capital
expenditures of $370.2 million (FY87 est.)
Exports: $512 million (f.o.b., FY88);
commodities–natural gas 55%, fruits and nuts 24%, handwoven carpets,
wool, cotton, hides, and pelts;
partners–mostly USSR and Eastern Europe
Imports: $996 million (c.i.f., FY88);
commodities–food and petroleum products;
partners–mostly USSR and Eastern Europe
External debt: $1.8 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 6.2% (FY89 plan)
Electricity: 480,000 kW capacity; 1,470 million kWh produced,
100 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes,
fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper
Agriculture: largely subsistence farming and nomadic animal husbandry;
cash products–wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts, wool, mutton
Illicit drugs: an illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis
for the international drug trade; world’s second largest opium producer
(after Burma) and a major source of hashish
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $265 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $419 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $57 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$4.1 billion
Currency: afghani (plural–afghanis); 1 afghani (Af) = 100 puls
Exchange rates: afghanis (Af) per US$1–50.6 (fixed rate since
1982)
Fiscal year: 21 March-20 March
Communications
Railroads: 9.6 km (single track) 1.524-meter gauge from Kushka (USSR) to
Towraghondi and 15.0 km from Termez (USSR) to Kheyrabad transshipment
point on south bank of Amu Darya
Highways: 21,000 km total (1984); 2,800 km hard surface, 1,650 km
bituminous-treated gravel and improved earth, 16,550 km unimproved earth and
tracks
Inland waterways: total navigability 1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which
handles steamers up to about 500 metric tons
Pipelines: petroleum, oil, and lubricants pipelines–USSR
to Bagram and USSR to Shindand; natural gas, 180 km
Ports: Shir Khan and Kheyrabad (river ports)
Civil air: 2 TU-154, 2 Boeing 727, assorted smaller transports
Airports: 38 total, 34 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
15 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: limited telephone, telegraph, and radiobroadcast
services; television introduced in 1980; 31,200 telephones; stations–5 AM,
no FM, 1 TV; 1 satellite earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: Armed Forces (Army; Air and Air Defense Forces); Border
Guard Forces; National Police Force (Sarandoi); Ministry of
State Security (WAD); Tribal Militia
Military manpower: males 15-49, 3,880,124; 2,080,725 fit for
military service; 168,021 reach military age (22) annually
Defense expenditures: 9.1% of GDP (1984)
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Albania
Geography
Total area: 28,750 km2; land area: 27,400 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries: 768 km total; Greece 282 km, Yugoslavia 486 km
Coastline: 362 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: not specified;
Territorial sea: 15 nm
Disputes: Kosovo question with Yugoslavia; Northern Epirus question
with Greece
Climate: mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry
summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, coal, chromium,
copper, timber, nickel
Land use: 21% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 15% meadows and pastures;
38% forest and woodland; 22% other; includes 1% irrigated
Environment: subject to destructive earthquakes; tsunami occur along
southwestern coast; deforestation seems to be slowing
Note: strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links
Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
People
Population: 3,273,131 (July 1990), growth rate 1.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 25 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 52 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.0 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Albanian(s); adjective–Albanian
Ethnic divisions: Albanian 90%, Greeks 8%, other 2% (Vlachs,
Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.)
Religion: Albania claims to be the world’s first atheist state; all
churches and mosques were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited;
pre-1967 estimates of religious affiliation–70% Muslim, 20% Albanian Orthodox,
10% Roman Catholic
Language: Albanian (Tosk is official dialect), Greek
Literacy: 75%
Labor force: 1,500,000 (1987); about 60% agriculture, 40% industry and
commerce (1986)
Organized labor: Central Council of Albanian Trade Unions, 610,000
members
Government
Long-form name: People’s Socialist Republic of Albania
Type: Communist state (Stalinist)
Capital: Tirane
Administrative divisions: 26 districts (rrethe, singular–rreth);
Berat, Dibre, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Kolonje,
Korce, Kruje, Kukes, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Mat, Mirdite,
Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar, Tepelene, Tirane,
Tropoje, Vlore
Independence: 28 November 1912 (from Turkey); People’s Socialist
Republic of Albania declared 11 January 1946
Constitution: 27 December 1976
Legal system: judicial review of legislative acts only in the Presidium
of the People’s Assembly, which is not a true court; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Liberation Day, 29 November (1944)
Executive branch: president of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly,
three vice presidents, Presidium of the People’s Assembly; chairman of the
Council of Ministers, three deputy chairmen, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral People’s Assembly (Kuvendi Popullor)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–President of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly Ramiz
ALIA (since 22 November 1982);
Head of Government–Chairman of the Council of Ministers Adil CARCANI
(since 14 January 1982)
Political parties and leaders: only party–Albanian Workers Party,
Ramiz Alia, first secretary
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections:
President–last held 19 February 1987 (next to be held
February 1991);
results–President Ramiz Alia was reelected without opposition;
People’s Assembly–last held 1 February 1987 (next to be held
February 1991);
results–Albanian Workers Party is the only party;
seats–(250 total) Albanian Workers Party 250
Communists: 147,000 party members (November 1986)
Member of: CCC, CEMA (has not participated since rift with USSR
in 1961), FAO, IAEA, IPU, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: none–the US does not recognize the Albanian
Government and has no diplomatic or consular relations with Albania; there is
no third-power representation of Albanian interests in the US or of US
interests in Albania
Flag: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center below a red
five-pointed star outlined in yellow
Economy
Overview: As the poorest country in Europe, Albania’s development
lags behind even the least favored areas of the Yugoslav economy.
The Stalinist-type economy operates on the principles of central
planning and state ownership of the means of production. In recent years
Albania has implemented limited economic reforms to stimulate its lagging
economy, although they do not go nearly so far as current reforms
in the USSR and Eastern Europe. Attempts at self-reliance and a
policy of not borrowing from international
lenders–sometimes overlooked in recent years–have greatly hindered the
development of a broad economic infrastructure. Albania, however,
possesses considerable mineral resources and is largely self-sufficient
in food. Numerical estimates of Albanian economic activity are
subject to an especially wide margin of error because the government
is isolated and closemouthed.
GNP: $3.8 billion, per capita $1,200; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $2.3 billion; expenditures $2.3 billion,
including capital expenditures of NA (1989)
Exports: $378 million (f.o.b., 1987 est.); commodities–asphalt,
bitumen, petroleum products, metals and metallic ores, electricity, oil,
vegetables, fruits, tobacco; partners–Italy, Yugoslavia, FRG,
Greece, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary
Imports: $255 million (f.o.b., 1987 est.); commodities–machinery,
machine tools, iron and steel products, textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;
partners–Italy, Yugoslavia, FRG, Czechoslovakia, Romania,
Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, GDR
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA
Electricity: 1,630,000 kW capacity; 4,725 million kWh produced,
1,440 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: food processing, textiles and clothing, lumber,
oil, cement, chemicals, basic metals, hydropower
Agriculture: arable land per capita among lowest in Europe; one-half of
work force engaged in farming; produces wide range of temperate-zone crops
and livestock; claims self-sufficiency in grain output
Aid: none
Currency: lek (plural–leke); 1 lek (L) = 100 qintars
Exchange rates: leke (L) per US$1–8.00 (noncommercial fixed rate
since 1986), 4.14 (commercial fixed rate since 1987)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 543 km total; 509 1.435-meter standard gauge, single track and
34 km narrow gauge, single track (1988); line connecting Titograd (Yugoslavia)
and Shkoder (Albania) completed August 1986
Highways: 16,700 km total; 6,700 km highway and roads, 10,000 km forest
and agricultural
Inland waterways: 43 km plus Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake
Ohrid, and Lake Prespa
Pipelines: crude oil, 145 km; refined products, 55 km; natural gas, 64 km
(1988)
Ports: Durres, Sarande, Vlore
Merchant marine: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 52,886 GRT/75,993
DWT; includes 11 cargo
Airports: 12 total, 10 usable; more than 5 with permanent-surface
runways; more than 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: stations–17 AM, 5 FM, 9 TV; 52,000 TV sets;
210,000 radios
Defense Forces
Branches: Albanian People’s Army, Frontier Troops, Interior Troops,
Albanian Coastal Defense Command, Air and Air Defense Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 882,965; 729,635 fit for military
service; 33,598 reach military age (19) annually
Defense expenditures: 1.1 billion leks, 11.3% of total budget (FY88);
note–conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the official
administratively set exchange rate would produce misleading results
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Algeria
Geography
Total area: 2,381,740 km2; land area: 2,381,740 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: 6,343 km total; Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km,
Mauritania 463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km,
Western Sahara 42 km
Coastline: 998 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: Libya claims about 19,400 km2 in southeastern Algeria
Climate: arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along
coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is
a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
Terrain: mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates,
uranium, lead, zinc
Land use: 3% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 13% meadows and
pastures; 2% forest and woodland; 82% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes;
desertification
Note: second largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
People
Population: 25,566,507 (July 1990), growth rate 2.8% (1990)
Birth rate: 37 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 87 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 61 years male, 64 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.4 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Algerian(s); adjective–Algerian
Ethnic divisions: 99% Arab-Berber, less than 1% European
Religion: 99% Sunni Muslim (state religion); 1% Christian and Jewish
Language: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Literacy: 52%
Labor force: 3,700,000; 40% industry and commerce, 24% agriculture,
17% government, 10% services (1984)
Organized labor: 16-19% of labor force claimed; General Union of Algerian
Workers (UGTA) is the only labor organization and is subordinate to the
National Liberation Front
Government
Long-form name: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
Type: republic
Capital: Algiers
Administrative divisions: 31 provinces (wilayat, singular–wilaya); Adrar,
Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bouira, Constantine,
Djelfa, El Asnam, Guelma, Jijel, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mostaganem,
M’sila, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda,
Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen; note–there may now be 48
provinces with El Asnam abolished, and the addition of 18 new provinces named
Ain Delfa, Ain Temouchent, Bordjbou, Boumerdes, Chlef, El Bayadh, El Oued,
El Tarf, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Mila, Naama, Relizane, Souk Ahras, Tindouf,
Tipaza, Tissemsilt
Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)
Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976
Legal system: socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review
of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public
officials, including several Supreme Court justices; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
(cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral National People’s Assembly (Assemblee
Nationale Populaire)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State–President Chadli BENDJEDID (since 7 February 1979);
Head of Government–Prime Minister Mouloud HAMROUCHE (since 9 September
1989)
Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Front (FLN),
Col. Chadli Bendjedid, chairman; Abdelhamid Mehri, secretary general;
the government established a multiparty system in September 1989 and
as of 1 February 1990 19 legal parties existed
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President–last held on 22 December 1988 (next to be held December
1993); results–President Bendjedid was reelected without opposition;
People’s National Assembly–last held on 26 February 1987 (next
to be held by February 1992);
results–FLN was the only party;
seats–(281 total) FLN 281; note–the government has promised
to hold multiparty elections (municipal and wilaya) in June
1990, the first in Algerian history
Communists: 400 (est.); Communist party banned 1962
Member of: AfDB, AIOEC, Arab League, ASSIMER, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT
(de facto), IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB–Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, ILO,
IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, ILZSG, INTERPOL, IOOC, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN,
UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Abderrahmane BENSID;
Chancery at 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone
(202) 328-5300;
US–Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS; Embassy at 4 Chemin Cheich Bachir
Brahimi, Algiers (mailing address is B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers);
telephone Õ213å (2) 601-425 or 255, 186; there is a US Consulate in Oran
Flag: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white
with a red five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent,
star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state
religion)
Economy
Overview: The exploitation of oil and natural gas products forms the
backbone of the economy. Algeria depends on hydrocarbons for nearly all of its
export receipts, about 30% of government revenues, and nearly 25%
of GDP. In 1973-74 the sharp increase in oil prices led to a booming economy
that helped to finance an ambitious program of industrialization. Plunging oil
and gas prices, combined with the mismanagement of Algeria’s highly centralized
economy, have brought the nation to its most serious social and economic crisis
since independence. The government has promised far-reaching reforms, including
giving public sector companies more autonomy, encouraging private-sector
activity, boosting gas and nonhydrocarbon exports, and a major overhaul
of the banking and financial systems. In 1988 the government started to
implement a new economic policy to dismantle large state farms into
privately operated units.
GDP: $54.1 billion, per capita $2,235; real growth rate – 1.8%
(1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.9% (1988)
Unemployment rate: 19% (1988)
Budget: revenues $17.4 billion; expenditures $22.0 billion, including
capital expenditures of $8.0 billion (1988)
Exports: $9.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities–petroleum and natural gas 98%;
partners–Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Italy, France, US
Imports: $7.8 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities–capital goods 35%, consumer goods 36%, food 20%;
partners–France 25%, Italy 8%, FRG 8%, US 6-7%
External debt: $26.2 billion (December 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 5.4% (1986)
Electricity: 4,333,000 kW capacity; 14,370 million kWh produced,
580 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: petroleum, light industries, natural gas, mining, electrical,
petrochemical, food processing
Agriculture: accounts for 8% of GDP and employs 24% of labor force;
net importer of food–grain, vegetable oil, and sugar; farm production
includes wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits, sheep, and cattle
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-85), $1.4 billion; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $8.2 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $1.8 billion; Communist countries (1970-88),
$2.7 billion
Currency: Algerian dinar (plural–dinars); 1 Algerian dinar
(DA) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1–8.0086 (January
1990), 7.6086 (1989), 5.9148 (1988), 4.8497 (1987), 4.7023 (1986), 5.0278 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 4,146 km total; 2,632 km standard gauge (1.435 m), 1,258 km
1.055-meter gauge, 256 km 1.000-meter gauge; 300 km electrified; 215 km double
track
Highways: 80,000 km total; 60,000 km concrete or bituminous, 20,000 km
gravel, crushed stone, unimproved earth
Pipelines: crude oil, 6,612 km; refined products, 298 km; natural gas,
2,948 km
Ports: Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Jijel, Mers el Kebir, Mostaganem,
Oran, Skikda
Merchant marine: 75 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 900,957
GRT/1,063,994 DWT; includes 5 passenger, 27 cargo, 2 vehicle carrier,
10 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 5 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker,
9 liquefied gas, 7 chemical tanker, 9 bulk, 1 specialized liquid cargo
Civil air: 42 major transport aircraft
Airports: 147 total, 136 usable; 53 with permanent-surface runways;
2 with runways over 3,660 m; 29 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 68 with runways
1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: excellent domestic and international service in the
north, sparse in the south; 693,000 telephones; stations–26 AM, no FM, 113 TV;
1,550,000 TV sets; 3,500,000 receiver sets; 6 submarine cables; coaxial cable or
radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; satellite earth
stations–1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Intersputnik,
1 ARABSAT, and 15 domestic
Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie
Military manpower: males 15-49, 5,886,334; 3,638,458 fit for military
service; 293,476 reach military age (19) annually
Defense expenditures: 1.8% of GDP, or $974 million (1989 est.)
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American Samoa
(territory of the US)
Geography
Total area: 199 km2; land area: 199 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 116 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds;
annual rainfall averages 124 inches; rainy season from November to April,
dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal
plains, two coral atolls
Natural resources: pumice and pumicite
Land use: 10% arable land; 5% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
75% forest and woodland; 10% other
Environment: typhoons common from December to March
Note: Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in
the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by
peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location about 3,700 km
south-southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean about halfway between
Hawaii and New Zealand
People
Population: 41,840 (July 1990), growth rate 2.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 41 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: – 8 immigrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 11 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 74 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.4 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–American Samoan(s); adjective–American Samoan
Ethnic divisions: 90% Samoan (Polynesian), 2% Caucasian, 2% Tongan,
6% other
Religion: about 50% Christian Congregationalist, 20% Roman Catholic,
30% mostly Protestant denominations and other
Language: Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian
languages) and English; most people are bilingual
Literacy: 99%
Labor force: 10,000; 48% government, 33% tuna canneries, 19% other
(1986 est.)
Organized labor: NA
Note: about 65,000 American Samoans live in the States of
California and Washington and 20,000 in Hawaii
Government
Long-form name: Territory of American Samoa
Type: unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US
Capital: Pago Pago
Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)
Independence: none (territory of the US)
Constitution: ratified 1966, in effect 1967
National holiday: Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Executive branch: US president, governor, lieutenant governor
Legislative branch: bicameral Legislature (Fono) consists of an upper
house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
Judicial branch: High Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989);
Vice President Dan QUAYLE (since 20 January 1989);
Head of Government–Governor Peter Tali COLEMAN (since 20
January 1989);
Lieutenant Governor Galea’i POUMELE (since NA 1989)
Suffrage: universal at age 18; indigenous inhabitants are US nationals,
not US citizens
Elections:
Governor–last held 7 November 1988 (next to be held November
1992); results–Peter T. Coleman was elected (percent of vote NA);
Senate–last held 7 November 1988 (next to be held November
1992);
results–senators elected by county councils from 12 senate
districts;
seats–(18 total) number of seats by party NA;
House of Representatives–last held 7 November 1988 (next to be
held November 1990);
results–representatives popularly elected from 17 house districts;
seats–(21 total, 20 elected and 1 nonvoting delegate from Swain’s
Island);
US House of Representatives–last held 19 November 1988 (next
to be held November 1990);
results–Eni R. F. H. Faleomavaega elected as a nonvoting delegate
Communists: none
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)
Flag: blue with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the fly
side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying
toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority,
a staff and a war club
Note: administered by the US Department of Interior, Office of
Territorial and International Affairs; indigenous inhabitants are US
nationals, not citizens of the US
Economy
Overview: Economic development is strongly linked to the US, with
which American Samoa does 90% of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna
processing plants are the backbone of the private sector economy, with canned
tuna the primary export. The tuna canneries are the second-largest
employer, exceeded only by the government. Other economic activities include
meat canning, handicrafts, dairy farming, and a slowly developing tourist
industry. Tropical agricultural production provides little surplus for export.
GNP: $190 million, per capita $5,210; real growth rate NA% (1985)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 13.4% (1986)
Budget: revenues $90.3 million; expenditures $93.15 million, including
capital expenditures of $4.9 million (1988)
Exports: $288 million (f.o.b., 1987);
commodities–canned tuna 93%;
partners–US 99.6%
Imports: $346 million (c.i.f., 1987);
commodities–building materials 18%, food 17%, petroleum
products 14%;
partners–US 72%, Japan 7%, NZ 7%, Australia 5%, other 9%
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 35,000 kW capacity; 70 million kWh produced,
1,720 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign supplies
of raw tuna)
Agriculture: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams,
copra, pineapples, papayas
Aid: $20.1 million in operational funds and $5.8 million in construction
funds for capital improvement projects from the US Department of Interior (1989)
Currency: US currency is used
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
Communications
Railroads: small marine railroad in Pago Pago harbor
Highways: 350 km total; 150 km paved, 200 km unpaved
Ports: Pago Pago, Ta’u
Airports: 3 total, 3 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440 to 3,659 m
(international airport at Tafuna, near Pago Pago); small airstrips on
Ta’u and Ofu
Telecommunications: 6,500 telephones; stations–1 AM, no FM, 1 TV; good
telex, telegraph, and facsimile services; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth
station
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
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Andorra
Geography
Total area: 450 km2; land area: 450 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 125 km total; France 60 km, Spain 65 km
Coastline: none–landlocked
Maritime claims: none–landlocked
Climate: temperate; snowy, cold winters and cool, dry summers
Terrain: rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Natural resources: hydropower, mineral water, timber,
iron ore, lead
Land use: 2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 56% meadows and pastures;
22% forest and woodland; 20% other
Environment: deforestation, overgrazing
Note: landlocked
People
Population: 51,895 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 18 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 81 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Andorran(s); adjective–Andorran
Ethnic divisions: Catalan stock; 61% Spanish, 30% Andorran, 6% French, 3%
other
Religion: virtually all Roman Catholic
Language: Catalan (official); many also speak some French and Castilian
Literacy: 100%
Labor force: NA
Organized labor: none
Government
Long-form name: Principality of Andorra
Type: unique coprincipality under formal sovereignty of president of
France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by
officials called verguers
Capital: Andorra la Vella
Administrative divisions: 7 parishes (parroquies,
singular–parroquia); Andorra, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana,
Les Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Independence: 1278
Constitution: none; some pareatges and decrees, mostly custom and usage
Legal system: based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review
of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September
Executive branch: two co-princes (president of France, bishop of
Seo de Urgel in Spain), two designated representatives (French veguer,
Episcopal veguer), two permanent delegates (French prefect for the department
of Pyrenees-Orientales, Spanish vicar general for the Seo de Urgel diocese),
president of government, Executive Council
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council of the Valleys (Consell
General de las Valls)
Judicial branch: civil cases–Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan
(France) or the Ecclesiastical Court of the bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain);
criminal cases–Tribunal of the Courts (Tribunal des Cortes)
Leaders:
Chiefs of State–French Co-Prince Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May
1981), represented by Veguer de Franca Louis DEBLE; Spanish Episcopal
Co-Prince Mgr. Joan MARTI y Alanis (since 31 January 1971), represented
by Veguer Episcopal Francesc BADIA Batalla;
Head of Government–Josep PINTAT Solans (since NA 1984)
Political parties and leaders: political parties not yet legally
recognized; traditionally no political parties but partisans for
particular independent candidates for the General Council on the basis of
competence, personality, and orientation toward Spain or France; various small
pressure groups developed in 1972; first formal political party, Andorran
Democratic Association, was formed in 1976 and reorganized in 1979 as
Andorran Democratic Party
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
General Council of the Valleys–last held 11 December 1989
(next to be held December 1993);
results–percent of vote NA;
seats–(28 total) number of seats by party NA
Communists: negligible
Member of: CCC, UNESCO
Diplomatic representation: Andorra has no mission in the US;
US–includes Andorra within the Barcelona (Spain) Consular District and
the US Consul General visits Andorra periodically; Consul General Ruth A. DAVIS;
Consulate General at Via Layetana 33, Barcelona 3, Spain (mailing
address APO NY 09286); telephone Õ34å (3) 319-9550
Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red
with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms
features a quartered shield; similar to the flag of Chad which does not have a
national coat of arms in the center; also similar to the flag of Romania which
has a national coat of arms featuring a mountain landscape below a red
five-pointed star and the words REPUBLICA SOCIALISTA ROMANIA at the bottom
Economy
Overview: The mainstay of Andorra’s economy is tourism. An estimated
12 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra’s duty-free
status and by its summer and winter resorts. Agricultural production is limited
by a scarcity of arable land, and most food has to be imported. The
principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing consists mainly of
cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. The rapid pace of European economic
integration is a potential threat to Andorra’s advantages from its
duty-free status.
GNP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of
$NA
Exports: $0.017 million (f.o.b., 1986);
commodities–electricity; partners–France, Spain
Imports: $531 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities–NA;
partners–France, Spain
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 35,000 kW capacity; 140 million kWh produced,
2,800 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism (particularly skiing), sheep, timber, tobacco,
smuggling, banking
Agriculture: sheep raising; small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat,
barley, oats, and some vegetables
Aid: none
Currency: French franc (plural–francs) and Spanish peseta
(plural–pesetas); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes and 1 Spanish peseta
(Pta) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1–5.7598 (January 1990),
6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985);
Spanish pesetas (Ptas) per US$1–109.69 (January 1990), 118.38 (1989),
116.49 (1988), 123.48 (1987), 140.05 (1986), 170.04 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Highways: 96 km
Telecommunications: international digital microwave network; international
landline circuits to France and Spain; stations–1 AM, no FM, no TV; 17,700
telephones
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
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Angola
Geography
Total area: 1,246,700 km2; land area: 1,246,700 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: 5,198 km total; Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km,
Zaire 2,511 km, Zambia 1,110 km
Coastline: 1,600 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 20 nm
Disputes: civil war since independence on 11 November 1975
Climate: semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool,
dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Terrain: narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper,
feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
Land use: 2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 23% meadows and
pastures; 43% forest and woodland; 32% other
Environment: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on plateau;
desertification
Note: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Zaire
People
Population: 8,534,483 (July 1990), growth rate 2.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 47 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 20 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 158 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 42 years male, 46 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 6.7 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Angolan(s); adjective–Angolan
Ethnic divisions: 37% Ovimbundu, 25% Kimbundu, 13% Bakongo, 2% Mestico,
1% European
Religion: 47% indigenous beliefs, 38% Roman Catholic, 15% Protestant
(est.)
Language: Portuguese (official); various Bantu dialects
Literacy: 41%
Labor force: 2,783,000 economically active; 85% agriculture, 15% industry
(1985 est.)
Organized labor: about 450,695 (1980)
Government
Long-form name: People’s Republic of Angola
Type: Marxist people’s republic
Capital: Luanda
Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (provincias,
singular–provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango,
Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte,
Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire
Independence: 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
Constitution: 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978 and 11 August 1980
Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law, but
being modified along socialist lines
National holiday: Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
Executive branch: president, chairman of the Council of Ministers,
Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral National People’s Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal da Relacao)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government–President Jose Eduardo dos
SANTOS (since 21 September 1979)
Political parties and leaders: only party–Popular Movement for the
Liberation of Angola-Labor Party (MPLA-Labor Party), Jose Eduardo
dos Santos; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA),
lost to the MPLA with Cuban military support in immediate postindependence
struggle, now carrying out insurgency
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA
Elections: none held to date
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), ICAO, IFAD, ILO,
IMO, INTELSAT, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UNICEF, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: none
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered
yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed
by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)
Economy
Overview: Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for
80-90% of the population, but accounts for only 10-20% of GDP. Oil production
is the most lucrative sector of the economy, contributing about 50% to
GDP. In recent years, however, the impact of fighting an internal war has
severely affected the economy and food has to be imported.
GDP: $5.0 billion, per capita $600; real growth rate 9.2% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues NA; expenditures $2.7 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (1986 est.)
Exports: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities–oil, coffee,
diamonds, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton; partners–US,
USSR, Cuba, Portugal, Brazil
Imports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities–capital
equipment (machinery and electrical equipment), food, vehicles and spare parts,
textiles and clothing, medicines; substantial military deliveries;
partners–US, USSR, Cuba, Portugal, Brazil
External debt: $3.0 billion (1989)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 506,000 kW capacity; 770 million kWh produced,
90 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: petroleum, mining (phosphate rock, diamonds), fish processing,
brewing, tobacco, sugar, textiles, cement, food processing, building
construction
Agriculture: cash crops–coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, sugar, manioc,
tobacco; food crops–cassava, corn, vegetables, plantains, bananas, and
other local foodstuffs; disruptions caused by civil war and marketing
deficiencies require food imports
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $263 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $903 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $1.3 billion
Currency: kwanza (plural–kwanza); 1 kwanza (Kz) = 100 lwei
Exchange rates: kwanza (Kz) per US$1–29.62 (fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 3,189 km total; 2,879 km 1.067-meter gauge, 310 km 0.600-meter
gauge; limited trackage in use because of insurgent attacks; sections of the
Benguela Railroad closed because of insurgency
Highways: 73,828 km total; 8,577 km bituminous-surface treatment, 29,350
km crushed stone, gravel, or improved earth, remainder unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 1,295 km navigable
Pipelines: crude oil, 179 km
Ports: Luanda, Lobito, Namibe, Cabinda
Merchant marine: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
66,348 GRT/102,825 DWT; includes 11 cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants
(POL) tanker
Civil air: 27 major transport aircraft
Airports: 317 total, 184 usable; 28 with permanent-surface runways;
1 with runways over 3,659 m; 12 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 60 with runways
1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: fair system of wire, radio relay, and troposcatter
routes; high frequency used extensively for military/Cuban links; 40,300
telephones; stations–17 AM, 13 FM, 2 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth
stations
Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force/Air Defense; paramilitary
forces–People’s Defense Organization and Territorial Troops, Frontier Guard,
Popular Vigilance Brigades
Military manpower: males 15-49, 2,049,295; 1,030,868 fit for military
service; 90,877 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: NA
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Anguilla
(dependent territory of the UK)
Geography
Total area: 91 km2; land area: 91 km2
Comparative area: about half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 61 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds
Terrain: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone
Natural resources: negligible; salt, fish, lobsters
Land use: NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and
pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other; mostly rock with sparse
scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds
Environment: frequent hurricanes, other tropical storms (July to October)
Note: located 270 km east of Puerto Rico
People
Population: 6,883 (July 1990), growth rate 0.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 24 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: – 10 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 18 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 76 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Anguillan(s); adjective–Anguillan
Ethnic divisions: mainly of black African descent
Religion: Anglican, Methodist, and Roman Catholic
Language: English (official)
Literacy: 80%
Labor force: 2,780 (1984)
Organized labor: NA
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: The Valley
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Constitution: 1 April 1982
Legal system: based on English common law
National holiday: Anguilla Day, 30 May
Executive branch: British monarch, governor, chief minister,
Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly
Judicial branch: High Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by
Governor Geoffrey O. WHITTAKER (since NA 1987);
Head of Government–Chief Minister Emile GUMBS (since NA March
1984, served previously from February 1977 to May 1980)
Political parties and leaders: Anguilla National Alliance (ANA), Emile
Gumbs; Anguilla United Party (AUP), Ronald Webster; Anguilla Democratic Party
(ADP), Victor Banks
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
House of Assembly–last held 27 February 1989 (next to
be held February 1994);
results–percent of vote by party NA;
seats–(11 total, 7 elected) ANA 3, AUP 2, ADP 1, independent 1
Communists: none
Member of: Commonwealth
Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag: two horizontal bands of white (top, almost triple width) and light
blue with three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design centered
in the white band
Economy
Overview: Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy
depends heavily on lobster fishing, offshore banking, tourism, and
remittances from emigrants. In recent years the economy has benefited
from a boom in tourism. Development is planned to improve the
infrastructure, particularly transport and tourist facilities, and
also light industry. Improvement in the economy has reduced
unemployment from 40% in 1984 to about 5% in 1988.
GDP: $23 million, per capita $3,350 (1988 est.); real growth rate
8.2% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.0% (1988 est.)
Budget: revenues $9.0 million; expenditures $8.8 million, including
capital expenditures of NA (1988 est.)
Exports: $NA; commodities–lobsters and salt; partners–NA
Imports: $NA; commodities–NA; partners –NA
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 3,000 kW capacity; 9 million kWh produced, 1,300 kWh per
capita (1988)
Industries: tourism, boat building, salt, fishing (including lobster)
Agriculture: pigeon peas, corn, sweet potatoes, sheep, goats, pigs,
cattle, poultry
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral
commitments (1970-87), $33 million
Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural–dollars); 1 EC dollar
(EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1–2.70 (fixed rate
since 1976)
Fiscal year: NA
Communications
Highways: 60 km surfaced
Ports: Road Bay, Blowing Point
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: 3 total, 3 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways of 1,100 m
(Wallblake Airport)
Telecommunications: modern internal telephone system; 890 telephones;
stations–3 AM, 1 FM, no TV; radio relay link to island of St. Martin
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
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Antarctica
Geography
Total area: about 14,000,000 km2; land area: about 14,000,000 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US;
second-smallest continent (after Australia)
Land boundaries: see entry on Disputes
Coastline: 17,968 km
Maritime claims: see entry on Disputes
Disputes: Antarctic Treaty suspends all claims; sections (some
overlapping) claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France (Adelie Land),
New Zealand (Ross Dependency), Norway (Queen Maud Land), and UK; Brazil claims
a Zone of Interest; the US and USSR do not recognize the territorial claims of
other nations and have made no claims themselves (but reserve the right to do
so); no formal claims have been made in the sector between 90o west and
150o west
Climate: severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and
distance from the ocean; East Antarctica colder than Antarctic Peninsula in
the west; warmest temperatures occur in January along the coast and average
slightly below freezing
Terrain: about 98% thick continental ice sheet, with average elevations
between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 5,000 meters high;
ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land,
and the scientific research areas of Graham Land and Ross Island on McMurdo
Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of coastline
Natural resources: coal and iron ore; chromium, copper, gold, nickel,
platinum, and hydrocarbons have been found in small quantities along the coast;
offshore deposits of oil and gas
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 100% other (98% ice, 2% barren rock)
Environment: mostly uninhabitable; katabatic (gravity) winds blow
coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the
plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise around the
coast; during summer more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South
Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; in October 1987
it was reported that the ozone shield, which protects the Earth’s surface
from harmful ultraviolet radiation, has dwindled to its lowest level
ever over Antarctica; subject to active volcanism (Deception Island)
Note: the coldest continent
People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants; staffing of research stations
varies seasonally;
Summer (January) population–3,330; Argentina 179, Australia 216,
Brazil 36, Chile 124, China 62, France 46, FRG 9, GDR 15, India 59,
Italy 121, Japan 52, NZ 251, Poland 19, South Africa 102, South
Korea 17, UK 72, Uruguay 47, US 1,250, USSR 653 (1986-87);
Winter (July) population–1,148 total; Argentina 149, Australia
82, Brazil 11, Chile 59, China 16, France 32, FRG 9, GDR 9, India 17,
Japan 37, NZ 11, Poland 19, South Africa 15, UK 61, Uruguay 10, US 242,
USSR 369 (1986-87);
Year-round stations–43 total; Argentina 7, Australia 3, Brazil 1,
Chile 3, China 1, France 1, FRG 1, GDR 1, India 1, Japan 2, NZ 1,
Poland 1, South Africa 1, South Korea 1, UK 6, Uruguay 1, US 3, USSR 8
(1986-87);
Summer only stations–26 total; Argentina 3, Australia 3, Chile 4,
Italy 1, Japan 1, NZ 2, South Africa 2, US 4, USSR 6 (1986-87)
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: The Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into
force on 23 June 1961, established, for at least 30 years, a legal framework for
peaceful use, scientific research, and suspension of territorial claims.
Administration is carried out through consultative member meetings–the 14th
and last meeting was held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in October 1987.
Consultative (voting) members include claimant nations (they claim portions of
Antarctica as national territory and some claims overlap) and nonclaimant
nations (they have made no claims to Antarctic territory, although the US and
USSR have reserved the right to do so and do not recognize the claims of
others); the year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted to
full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates an original 1959
treaty signatory. Claimant nations are–Argentina, Australia, Chile, France,
New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant nations are–Belgium,
Brazil (1983), China (1985), FRG (1981), GDR (1987), India (1983), Italy (1987),
Japan, Poland (1977), South Africa, Uruguay (1985), US, and the USSR.
Acceding (nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parenthesis,
are–Austria (1987), Bulgaria (1978), Cuba (1984), Czechoslovakia (1962),
Denmark (1965), Finland (1984), Greece (1987), Hungary (1984),
Netherlands (1987), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Peru (1981),
Romania (1971), South Korea (1986), Spain (1982), and Sweden (1984).
Antarctic Treaty Summary: Article 1–area to be used for peaceful purposes only
and military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military
personnel and equipment may be used for scientific purposes; Article 2–freedom
of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3–free
exchange of information and personnel; Article 4–does not recognize, dispute,
or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the
treaty is in force; Article 5–prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of
radioactive wastes; Article 6–includes under the treaty all land and ice
shelves south of 60o 00′ south, but that the water areas be covered by
international law; Article 7–treaty-state observers have free access, including
aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and
equipment; advance notice of all activities and the introduction of
military personnel must be given; Article 8–allows for jurisdiction over
observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9–frequent consultative
meetings take place among member nations and acceding nations given consultative
status; Article 10–treaty states will discourage activities by any country in
Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11–disputes to be settled
peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13,
14–deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved
nations.
Other agreements: Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals; a mineral
resources agreement is currently undergoing ratification by the Antarctic Treaty
consultative parties
Economy
Overview: No economic activity at present except for fishing off
the coast and small-scale tourism, both based abroad. Exploitation of
mineral resources will be held back by technical difficulties, high
costs, and objections by environmentalists.
Communications
Airports: 39 total; 25 usable; none with permanent surface runways;
3 with runways over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
Defense Forces
Note: none; Article 7 of the Antarctic Treaty states that advance notice
of all activities and the introduction of military personnel must be given
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Antigua and Barbuda
Geography
Total area: 440 km2; land area: 440 km2; includes Redonda
Comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 153 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher
volcanic areas
Natural resources: negligible; pleasant climate fosters
tourism
Land use: 18% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 7% meadows and
pastures; 16% forest and woodland; 59% other
Environment: subject to hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October);
insufficient freshwater resources; deeply indented coastline provides many
natural harbors
Note: 420 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico
People
Population: 63,726 (July 1990), growth rate 0.3% (1990)
Birth rate: 18 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: – 10 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 74 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Antiguan(s); adjective–Antiguan
Ethnic divisions: almost entirely of black African origin; some of
British, Portuguese, Lebanese, and Syrian origin
Religion: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman
Catholic
Language: English (official), local dialects
Literacy: 90% (est.)
Labor force: 30,000; 82% commerce and services, 11% agriculture,
7% industry (1983)
Organized labor: Antigua and Barbuda Public Service Association
(ABPSA), membership 500; Antigua Trades and Labor Union (ATLU), 10,000 members;
Antigua Workers Union (AWU), 10,000 members (1986 est.)
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Saint John’s
Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*,
Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter,
Saint Philip
Independence: 1 November 1981 (from UK)
Constitution: 1 November 1981
Legal system: based on English common law
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 November (1981)
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister,
deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or
Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Wilfred Ebenezer JACOBS (since 1 November
1981, previously Governor since 1976);
Head of Government–Prime Minister Vere Cornwall BIRD, Sr. (since NA
1976); Deputy Prime Minister Lester BIRD (since NA 1976)
Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party (ALP), Vere C. Bird,
Sr., Lester Bird; United National Democratic Party (UNDP), Dr. Ivor Heath
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
House of Representatives–last held 9 March 1989 (next to be
held 1994);
results–percentage of vote by party NA;
seats–(17 total) ALP 15, UNDP 1, independent 1
Communists: negligible
Other political or pressure groups: Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement
(ACLM), a small leftist nationalist group led by Leonard (Tim) Hector;
Antigua Trades and Labor Union (ATLU), headed by Noel Thomas
Member of: ACP, CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ILO, IMF,
ISO, OAS, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Edmund Hawkins LAKE;
Chancery at Suite 2H, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 362-5211 or 5166, 5122, 5225; there is an Antiguan Consulate
in Miami;
US–the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda,
and in his absence, the Embassy is headed by Charge d’Affaires
Roger R. GAMBLE; Embassy at Queen Elizabeth Highway, Saint John’s
(mailing address is FPO Miami 34054); telephone (809) 462-3505 or 3506
Flag: red with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the
flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue,
and white with a yellow rising sun in the black band
Economy
Overview: The economy is primarily service oriented, with tourism the
most important determinant of economic performance. During the period
1983-87, real GDP expanded at an annual average rate of 8%. Tourism’s
contribution to GDP, as measured by value added in hotels and restaurants, rose
from about 14% in 1983 to 17% in 1987, and stimulated growth in other
sectors–particularly in construction, communications, and public utilities.
During the same period the combined share of agriculture and manufacturing
declined from 12% to less than 10%. Antigua and Barbuda is one of the few areas
in the Caribbean experiencing a labor shortage in some sectors of the economy.
GDP: $353.5 million, per capita $5,550; real growth rate 6.2% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.1% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.0% (1988 est.)
Budget: revenues $77 million; expenditures $81 million,
including capital expenditures of $13 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $30.4 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.);
commodities–petroleum products 46%, manufactures 29%, food and live
animals 14%, machinery and transport equipment 11%; partners–Trinidad
and Tobago 40%, Barbados 8%, US 0.3%
Imports: $302.1 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities–food and
live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals,
oil; partners–US 27%, UK 14%, CARICOM 7%, Canada 4%, other 48%
External debt: $245.4 million (1987)
Industrial production: growth rate 10% (1987)
Electricity: 49,000 kW capacity; 90 million kWh produced, 1,410 kWh
per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing,
alcohol, household appliances)
Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GDP; expanding output of cotton,
fruits, vegetables, and livestock sector; other crops–bananas, coconuts,
cucumbers, mangoes; not self-sufficient in food
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-87), $40 million
Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural–dollars); 1 EC dollar
(EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1–2.70 (fixed rate
since 1976)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Railroads: 64 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge and 13 km 0.610-meter gauge
used almost exclusively for handling sugarcane
Highways: 240 km
Ports: St. John’s
Merchant marine: 80 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 307,315
GRT/501,552 DWT; includes 50 cargo, 4 refrigerated cargo, 8 container,
8 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker,
5 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 1 short-sea passenger; note–a flag of
convenience registry
Civil air: 10 major transport aircraft
Airports: 3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with
runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways less than 2,440 m
Telecommunications: good automatic telephone system; 6,700 telephones;
tropospheric scatter links with Saba and Guadeloupe; stations–4 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV,
2 shortwave; 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal Antigua
and Barbuda Police Force (includes the Coast Guard)
Military manpower: NA
Defense expenditures: NA
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Arctic Ocean
Geography
Total area: 14,056,000 km2; includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea,
Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay,
Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of the US;
smallest of the world’s four oceans (after Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean,
and Indian Ocean)
Coastline: 45,389 km
Climate: persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges;
winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather
conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight,
damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow
Terrain: central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack
which averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may be
three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream,
but nearly straight line movement from the New Siberian Islands (USSR) to
Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the ice pack is surrounded by
open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter
and extends to the encircling land masses; the ocean floor is about 50%
continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a
central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen
Cordillera, and Lomonsov Ridge); maximum depth is 4,665 meters in the Fram Basin
Natural resources: sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits,
polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals, whales)
Environment: endangered marine species include walruses and whales; ice
islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved
from western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; maximum snow cover in
March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean and lasts about
10 months; permafrost in islands; virtually icelocked from October to June;
fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage
Note: major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern
access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); ships subject to
superstructure icing from October to May; strategic location between North
America and the USSR; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and
western USSR; floating research stations operated by the US and USSR
Economy
Overview: Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural
resources, including crude oil, natural gas, fishing, and sealing.
Communications
Ports: Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (USSR), Prudhoe Bay (US)
Telecommunications: no submarine cables
Note: sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest
Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Asia) are important waterways
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Argentina
Geography
Total area: 2,766,890 km2; land area: 2,736,690 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: 9,665 km total; Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km,
Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km
Coastline: 4,989 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Territorial sea: 200 nm (overflight and navigation permitted beyond
12 nm)
Disputes: short section of the boundary with Uruguay is in dispute; short
section of the boundary with Chile is indefinite; claims British-administered
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); claims British-administered South Georgia and
the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica
Climate: mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest
Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling
plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border
Natural resources: fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc,
tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, crude oil, uranium
Land use: 9% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 52% meadows and pastures;
22% forest and woodland; 13% other; includes 1% irrigated
Environment: Tucuman and Mendoza areas in Andes subject to earthquakes;
pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike Pampas and northeast; irrigated
soil degradation; desertification; air and water pollution in
Buenos Aires
Note: second-largest country in South America (after Brazil);
strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and
South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)
People
Population: 32,290,966 (July 1990), growth rate 1.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 20 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 32 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 74 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Argentine(s); adjective–Argentine
Ethnic divisions: 85% white, 15% mestizo, Indian, or other nonwhite groups
Religion: 90% nominally Roman Catholic (less than 20% practicing), 2%
Protestant, 2% Jewish, 6% other
Language: Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French
Literacy: 94%
Labor force: 10,900,000; 12% agriculture, 31% industry, 57% services
(1985 est.)
Organized labor: 3,000,000; 28% of labor force
Government
Long-form name: Argentine Republic
Type: republic
Capital: Buenos Aires (tentative plans to move to Viedma by
1990 indefinitely postponed)
Administrative divisions: 22 provinces (provincias, singular–provincia),
1 national territory* (territorio nacional), and 1 district** (distrito);
Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes,
Distrito Federal**, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza,
Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz,
Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego and Antartida e Islas del
Atlantico Sur*, Tucuman
Independence: 9 July 1816 (from Spain)
Constitution: 1 May 1853
Legal system: mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Day, 25 May (1810)
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or
Chamber of Deputies (Camera de Diputados)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government–President Carlos Saul MENEM
(since 8 July 1989); Vice President Eduardo DUHALDE (since 8 July 1989)
Political parties and leaders:
Justicialist Party (JP), Antonio Cafiero, Peronist umbrella political
organization; Radical Civic Union (UCR), Raul Alfonsin, moderately
left of center; Union of the Democratic Center (UCEDE), Alvaro
Alsogaray, conservative party; Intransigent Party (PI), Dr. Oscar
Alende, leftist party; several provincial parties
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President–last held 14 May 1989 (next to be held May 1995);
results–Carlos Saul Menem was elected;
Chamber of Deputies–last held 14 May 1989 (next to be
held May 1991); results–JP 47%, UCR 30%, UDC 7%, other 16%;
seats–(254 total); JP 122, UCR 93, UDC 11, other 28
Communists: some 70,000 members in various party organizations, including
a small nucleus of activists
Other political or pressure groups: Peronist-dominated labor movement,
General Confederation of Labor (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor
organization), Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers’ association),
Argentine Rural Society (large landowners’ association), business
organizations, students, the Roman Catholic Church, the Armed Forces
Member of: CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT, Group of Eight, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC,
ICAO, IDA, IDB–Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, ISO, ITU, IWC–International Whaling Commission,
IWC–International Wheat Council, LAIA, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO, WSG
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Guido Jose Maria DI TELLA;
Chancery at 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone
202) 939-6400 through 6403; there are Argentine Consulates General in
Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto
Rico), and Consulates in Baltimore, Chicago, and Los Angeles;
US–Ambassador Terence A. TODMAN; Embassy at 4300 Colombia,
1425 Buenos Aires (mailing address is APO Miami 34034);
telephone Õ54å (1) 774-7611 or 8811, 9911
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light
blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known
as the Sun of May
Economy
Overview: Argentina is rich in natural resources, and has a highly
literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a
diversified industrial base. Nevertheless, the economy has encountered
major problems in recent years, leading to a recession in 1988-89.
Economic growth slowed to 2.0% in 1987 and to – 1.8% in 1988; a sharp
decline of – 5.5% has been estimated for 1989. A widening public-sector
deficit and a multidigit inflation rate has dominated the
economy over the past three years, reaching about 5,000% in 1989.
Since 1978, Argentina’s external debt has nearly doubled to $60
billion, creating severe debt-servicing difficulties and hurting
the country’s creditworthiness with international lenders.
GNP: $72.0 billion, per capita $2,217; real growth rate – 5.5%
(1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4,925% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 8.5% (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $11.5 billion; expenditures $13.0 billion,
including capital expenditures of $0.93 billion (1988)
Exports: $9.6 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities–meat, wheat, corn, oilseed, hides, wool;
partners–US 14%, USSR, Italy, Brazil, Japan, Netherlands
Imports: $4.3 billion (c.i.f., 1989);
commodities–machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, fuels and
lubricants, agricultural products;
partners–US 25%, Brazil, FRG, Bolivia, Japan, Italy, Netherlands
External debt: $60 billion (December 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate – 8% (1989)
Electricity: 16,449,000 kW capacity; 46,590 million kWh produced,
1,460 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: food processing (especially meat packing), motor vehicles,
consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing,
metallurgy, steel
Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GNP (including fishing); produces
abundant food for both domestic consumption and exports; among world’s
top five exporters of grain and beef; principal crops–wheat, corn, sorghum,
soybeans, sugar beets; 1987 fish catch estimated at 500,000 tons
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $1.0 billion; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $3.6 billion;
Communist countries (1970-88), $718 million
Currency: austral (plural–australes); 1 austral (A) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: australes (A) per US$1–1,930 (December
1989), 8.7526 (1988), 2.1443 (1987), 0.9430 (1986), 0.6018 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 34,172 km total (includes 169 km electrified); includes a
mixture of 1.435-meter standard gauge, 1.676-meter broad gauge, 1.000-meter
gauge, and 0.750-meter gauge
Highways: 208,350 km total; 47,550 km paved, 39,500 km gravel,
101,000 km improved earth, 20,300 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 11,000 km navigable
Pipelines: 4,090 km crude oil; 2,900 km refined products; 9,918 km
natural gas
Ports: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Necochea, Rio Gallegos, Rosario,
Santa Fe
Merchant marine: 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,693,540
GRT/2,707,079 DWT; includes 45 cargo, 6 refrigerated cargo, 6 container,
1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 railcar carrier, 48 petroleum, oils, and lubricants
(POL) tanker, 2 chemical tanker, 4 liquefied gas, 18 bulk
Civil air: 54 major transport aircraft
Airports: 1,799 total, 1,617 usable; 132 with permanent-surface runways;
1 with runways over 3,659 m; 30 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 335 with runways
1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: extensive modern system; 2,650,000 telephones
(12,000 public telephones); radio relay widely used; stations–171 AM, no FM,
231 TV, 13 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; domestic
satellite network has 40 stations
Defense Forces
Branches: Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic, Argentine Air
Force, National Gendarmerie, Argentine Naval Prefecture, National Aeronautical
Police Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 7,860,054; 6,372,189 fit for military
service; 277,144 reach military age (20) annually
Defense expenditures: 1.4% of GNP (1987)
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Aruba
(part of the Dutch realm)
Geography
Total area: 193 km2; land area: 193 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 68.5 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Natural resources: negligible; white sandy beaches
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Note: 28 km north of Venezuela
People
Population: 62,656 (July 1990), growth rate 0.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 16 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: – 8 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 80 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Aruban(s); adjective–Aruban
Ethnic divisions: 80% mixed European/Caribbean Indian
Religion: 82% Roman Catholic, 8% Protestant; also small Hindu, Muslim,
Confucian, and Jewish minority
Language: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,
English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Literacy: 95%
Labor force: NA, but most employment is in the tourist industry (1986)
Organized labor: Aruban Workers’ Federation (FTA)
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: part of the Dutch realm–full autonomy in internal affairs obtained
in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles
Capital: Oranjestad
Administrative divisions: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)
Independence: planned for 1996
Constitution: 1 January 1986
Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English
common law influence
National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March
Executive branch: Dutch monarch, governor, prime minister, Council of
Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Staten)
Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice
Leaders:
Chief of State–Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980),
represented by Governor General Felipe B. TROMP (since 1 January 1986);
Head of Government–Prime Minister Nelson ODUBER (since NA February 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Electoral Movement Party (MEP),
Nelson Oduber; Aruban People’s Party (AVP), Henny Eman; National
Democratic Action (ADN), Pedro Charro Kelly; New Patriotic Party (PPN),
Eddy Werlemen; Aruban Patriotic Party (PPA), Benny Nisbet; Aruban Democratic
Party (PDA), Leo Berlinski; Democratic Action ’86 (AD’86), Arturo
Oduber; governing coalition includes the MEP, PPA, and ADN
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
Parliament–last held 6 January 1989 (next to be held by January
1993);
results–percent of vote by party NA;
seats–(21 total) MEP 10, AVP 8, ADN 1, PPN 1, PPA 1
Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)
Flag: blue with two narrow horizontal yellow stripes across the lower
portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side
corner
Economy
Overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the economy. In 1985 the economy
suffered a severe blow when Exxon closed its refinery, a major source of
employment and foreign exchange earnings. Economic collapse was prevented
by soft loans from the Dutch Government and by a booming tourist industry.
Hotel capacity expanded by 20% between 1985 and 1987 and is projected to more
than double by 1990. Unemployment has steadily declined from about 20% in
1986 to about 3% in 1988.
GDP: $620 million, per capita $10,000; real growth rate 16.7%
(1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: 3% (1988 est.)
Budget: revenues $145 million; expenditures $185 million, including
capital expenditures of $42 million (1988)
Exports: $47.5 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.);
commodities–mostly petroleum products;
partners–US 64%, EC
Imports: $296.0 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.);
commodities–food, consumer goods, manufactures;
partners–US 8%, EC
External debt: $81 million (1987)
Industrial production: growth rate – 20% (1984)
Electricity: 310,000 kW capacity; 945 million kWh produced, 15,120
kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities
Agriculture: poor quality soils and low rainfall limit agricultural
activity to the cultivation of aloes
Aid: none
Currency: Aruban florin (plural–florins);
1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1–1.7900 (fixed rate since
1986)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Ports: Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Airfield: government-owned airport east of Oranjestad
Telecommunications: generally adequate; extensive interisland radio relay
links; 72,168 telephones; stations–4 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV; 1 sea cable to St. Maarten
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands until 1996
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Ashmore and Cartier Islands
(territory of Australia)
Geography
Total area: 5 km2; land area: 5 km2; includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle,
and East Islets) and Cartier Island
Comparative area: about 8.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 74.1 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploration;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: low with sand and coral
Natural resources: fish
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and
pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other–grass and sand
Environment: surrounded by shoals and reefs; Ashmore Reef National
Nature Reserve established in August 1983
Note: located in extreme eastern Indian Ocean between Australia
and Indonesia 320 km off the northwest coast of Australia
People
Population: no permanent inhabitants; seasonal caretakers
Government
Long-form name: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Type: territory of Australia administered by the Australian Ministry
for Territories and Local Government
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
Legal system: relevant laws of the Northern Territory of Australia
Note: administered by the Australian Minister for Arts, Sports, the
Environment, Tourism, and Territories Graham Richardson
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)
Economy
Overview: no economic activity
Communications
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic
visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force
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Atlantic Ocean
Geography
Total area: 82,217,000 km2; includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea,
Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea,
North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Comparative area: slightly less than nine times the size of the US;
second-largest of the world’s four oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger
than Indian Ocean or Arctic Ocean)
Coastline: 111,866 km
Climate: tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa
near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur
from May to December, but are most frequent from August to November
Terrain: surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark
Strait, and Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm water gyre (broad,
circular system of currents) in the north Atlantic, counterclockwise warm water
gyre in the south Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin;
maximum depth is 8,605 meters in the Puerto Rico Trench
Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and
whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules,
precious stones
Environment: endangered marine species include the manatee, seals,
sea lions, turtles, and whales; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US,
southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea,
Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial
waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and
Mediterranean Sea; icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the
northwestern Atlantic from February to August and have been spotted as far
south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; icebergs from Antarctica occur
in the extreme southern Atlantic
Note: ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north Atlantic
from October to May and extreme south Atlantic from May to October; persistent
fog can be a hazard to shipping from May to September; major choke points
include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez
Canals; strategic straits include the Dover Strait, Straits of Florida,
Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; north Atlantic
shipping lanes subject to icebergs from February to August; the Equator
divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic
Ocean
Economy
Overview: Economic activity is limited to exploitation of natural
resources, especially fish, dredging aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and
crude oil and natural gas production (Caribbean Sea and North Sea).
Communications
Ports: Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium),
Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco),
Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland),
Hamburg (FRG), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain),
Le Havre (France), Leningrad (USSR), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK),
Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy),
New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway),
Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands),
Stockholm (Sweden)
Telecommunications: numerous submarine cables with most between
continental Europe and the UK, North America and the UK, and in the
Mediterranean; numerous direct links across Atlantic via INTELSAT
satellite network
Note: Kiel Canal and St. Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways
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Australia
Geography
Total area: 7,686,850 km2; land area: 7,617,930 km2; includes
Macquarie Island
Comparative area: slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 25,760 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory)
Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east;
tropical in north
Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium,
nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas,
crude oil
Land use: 6% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 58% meadows and
pastures; 14% forest and woodland; 22% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: subject to severe droughts and floods; cyclones along coast;
limited freshwater availability; irrigated soil degradation; regular, tropical,
invigorating, sea breeze known as the doctor occurs along west coast in summer;
desertification
Note: world’s smallest continent but sixth-largest country
People
Population: 16,923,478 (July 1990), growth rate 1.3% (1990)
Birth rate: 15 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 6 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 80 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Australian(s); adjective–Australian
Ethnic divisions: 95% Caucasian, 4% Asian, 1% Aboriginal and other
Religion: 26.1% Anglican, 26.0% Roman Catholic, 24.3% other Christian
Language: English, native languages
Literacy: 98.5%
Labor force: 7,700,000; 33.8% finance and services, 22.3% public and
community services, 20.1% wholesale and retail trade, 16.2% manufacturing and
industry, 6.1% agriculture (1987)
Organized labor: 42% of labor force (1988)
Government
Long-form name: Commonwealth of Australia
Type: federal parliamentary state
Capital: Canberra
Administrative divisions: 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian
Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland,
South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Dependent areas: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island,
Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald
Islands, Norfolk Island
Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: Australia Day (last Monday in January), 29 January 1990
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister,
deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of an upper
house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
Judicial branch: High Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since February 1952),
represented by Governor General William George HAYDEN (since NA February 1989);
Head of Government–Prime Minister Robert James Lee HAWKE (since
11 March 1983); Deputy Prime Minister Paul KEATING (since 3 April 1990)
Political parties and leaders: government–Australian Labor
Party, Robert Hawke; opposition–Liberal Party, Andrew Peacock;
National Party, Charles Blunt; Australian Democratic Party, Janine Haines
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections:
Senate–last held 11 July 1987 (next to be held by 12 May 1990);
results–Labor 43%, Liberal-National 42%, Australian Democrats 8%,
independents 2%;
seats–(76 total) Labor 32, Liberal-National 34, Australian
Democrats 7, independents 3;
House of Representatives–last held 24 March 1990 (next to be
held by November 1993);
results–Labor 39.7%, Liberal-National 43%, Australian Democrats
and independents 11.1%;
seats–(148 total) Labor 78, Liberal-National 69, independent 1
Communists: 4,000 members (est.)
Other political or pressure groups: Australian Democratic Labor Party
(anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear Disarmament
Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group)
Member of: ADB, AIOEC, ANZUS, CCC, CIPEC (associate), Colombo Plan,
Commonwealth, DAC, ESA, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IATP, IBA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO,
ICO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC,
IPU, IRC, ISO, ITC, ITU, IWC–International Whaling Commission,
IWC–International Wheat Council, OECD, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WSG
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Michael J. COOK; Chancery at
1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 797-3000;
there are Australian Consulates General in Chicago, Honolulu, Houston,
Los Angeles, New York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco;
US–Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER; Moonah Place, Yarralumla,
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 (mailing address is APO San
Francisco 6404);
telephone Õ61å (62) 705000; there are US Consulates General in Melbourne, Perth,
and Sydney, and a Consulate in Brisbane
Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a
large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is
a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small
five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars
Economy
Overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy,
with a per capita GNP comparable to levels in
industrialized West European countries. Rich in natural resources,
Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and
fossil fuels. Of the top 25 exports, 21 are primary products, so that,
as happened during 1983-84, a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big
impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased exports
of manufactured goods but competition in international markets will be severe.
GNP: $240.8 billion, per capita $14,300; real growth rate 4.1%
(1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.0% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 6.0% (December 1989)
Budget: revenues $76.3 billion; expenditures $69.1 billion, including
capital expenditures of NA (FY90 est.)
Exports: $43.2 billion (f.o.b., FY89);
commodities–wheat, barley, beef, lamb, dairy products, wool, coal,
iron ore;
partners–Japan 26%, US 11%, NZ 6%, South Korea 4%, Singapore 4%,
USSR 3%
Imports: $48.6 billion (c.i.f., FY89);
commodities–manufactured raw materials, capital equipment, consumer
goods;
partners–US 22%, Japan 22%, UK 7%, FRG 6%, NZ 4% (1984)
External debt: $111.6 billion (September 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 5.6% (FY88)
Electricity: 38,000,000 kW capacity; 139,000 million kWh produced,
8,450 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food
processing, chemicals, steel, motor vehicles
Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GNP and 37% of export revenues;
world’s largest exporter of beef and wool, second-largest for mutton,
and among top wheat exporters; major crops–wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruit;
livestock–cattle, sheep, poultry
Aid: donor–ODA and OOF commitments (1970-87), $8.8 billion
Currency: Australian dollar (plural–dollars); 1 Australian dollar
($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1–1.2784 (January 1990),
1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Railroads: 40,478 km total; 7,970 km 1.600-meter gauge, 16,201 km
1.435-meter standard gauge, 16,307 km 1.067-meter gauge; 183 km dual gauge;
1,130 km electrified; government owned (except for a few hundred kilometers of
privately owned track) (1985)
Highways: 837,872 km total; 243,750 km paved, 228,396 km gravel,
crushed stone, or stabilized soil surface, 365,726 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 8,368 km; mainly by small, shallow-draft craft
Pipelines: crude oil, 2,500 km; refined products, 500 km; natural gas,
5,600 km
Ports: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport, Fremantle, Geelong,
Hobart, Launceston, Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville
Merchant marine: 77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,300,049
GRT/3,493,802 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 7 cargo, 5 container,
10 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 17 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker,
2 chemical tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 1 combination ore/oil, 1 livestock carrier,
29 bulk
Civil air: around 150 major transport aircraft
Airports: 564 total, 524 usable; 235 with permanent-surface runways,
2 with runways over 3,659 m; 20 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 311 with runways
1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: good international and domestic service; 8.7
million telephones; stations–258 AM, 67 FM, 134 TV; submarine cables to
New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; domestic satellite service;
satellite stations–4 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 6 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth
stations
Defense Forces
Branches: Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, Royal Australian Air
Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 4,588,750; 4,009,127 fit for military
service; 136,042 reach military age (17) annually
Defense expenditures: NA
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Austria
Geography
Total area: 83,850 km2; land area: 82,730 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: 2,640 km total; Czechoslovakia 548 km, Hungary 366 km,
Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Switzerland 164 km, FRG 784 km,
Yugoslavia 311 km
Coastline: none–landlocked
Maritime claims: none–landlocked
Disputes: South Tyrol question with Italy
Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain
in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers
Terrain: mostly mountains with Alps in west and south; mostly flat, with
gentle slopes along eastern and northern margins
Natural resources: iron ore, crude oil, timber, magnesite, aluminum,
lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower
Land use: 17% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 24% meadows and pastures;
39% forest and woodland; 19% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: because of steep slopes, poor soils, and cold temperatures,
population is concentrated on eastern lowlands
Note: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of
central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys;
major river is the Danube
People
Population: 7,644,275 (July 1990), growth rate 0.3% (1990)
Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 11 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 80 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Austrian(s); adjective–Austrian
Ethnic divisions: 99.4% German, 0.3% Croatian, 0.2% Slovene, 0.1% other
Religion: 85% Roman Catholic, 6% Protestant, 9% other
Language: German
Literacy: 98%
Labor force: 3,037,000; 56.4% services, 35.4% industry and crafts,
8.1% agriculture and forestry; an estimated 200,000 Austrians are employed in
other European countries; foreign laborers in Austria number 177,840, about
6% of labor force (1988)
Organized labor: 1,672,820 members of Austrian Trade Union Federation
(1984)
Government
Long-form name: Republic of Austria
Type: federal republic
Capital: Vienna
Administrative divisions: 9 states (bundeslander, singular–bundesland);
Burgenland, Karnten, Niederosterreich, Oberosterreich, Salzburg,
Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien
Independence: 12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)
Constitution: 1920, revised 1929 (reinstated 1945)
Legal system: civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of
legislative acts by a Constitutional Court; separate administrative and
civil/penal supreme courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955)
Executive branch: president, chancellor, vice chancellor, Council of
Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung)
consists of an upper council or Federal Council (Bundesrat) and a lower council
or National Council (Nationalrat)
Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for civil
and criminal cases, Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) for
bureaucratic cases, Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) for
constitutional cases
Leaders:
Chief of State–President Kurt WALDHEIM (since 8 July 1986);
Head of Government–Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986);
Vice Chancellor Josef RIEGLER (since 19 May 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Socialist Party of Austria (SPO),
Franz Vranitzky, chairman; Austrian People’s Party (OVP), Josef
Riegler, chairman; Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), Jorg Haider,
chairman; Communist Party (KPO), Franz Muhri, chairman; Green
Alternative List (GAL), Andreas Wabl, chairman
Suffrage: universal at age 19; compulsory for presidential elections
Elections:
President–last held 8 June 1986 (next to be held May 1992);
results of Second Ballot–Dr. Kurt Waldheim 53.89%, Dr. Kurt Steyrer
46.11%;
Federal Council–last held 23 November 1986 (next to be
held November 1990);
results–percent of vote by party NA;
seats–(63 total) OVP 32, SPO 30, FPO 1;
National Council–last held 23 November 1986 (next to be
held November 1990);
results–SP0 43.1%, OVP 41.3%, FPO 9.7%, GAL 4.8%, KPO 0.7%,
other 0.32%;
seats–(183 total) SP0 80, OVP 77, FP0 18, GAL 8
Communists: membership 15,000 est.; activists 7,000-8,000
Other political or pressure groups: Federal Chamber of Commerce and
Industry; Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist); three
composite leagues of the Austrian People’s Party (OVP) representing
business, labor, and farmers; OVP-oriented League of Austrian
Industrialists; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization,
Catholic Action
Member of: ADB, Council of Europe, CCC, DAC, ECE, EFTA, ESA,
FAO, GATT, IAEA, IDB–Inter-American Development Bank, IBRD, ICAC,
ICAO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU,
IWC–International Wheat Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO, WSG; Austria is neutral and is not a member of NATO or the EC
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Friedrich HOESS; Embassy at
2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-4474;
there are Austrian Consulates General in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York;
US–Ambassador Henry A. GRUNWALD; Embassy at Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091,
Vienna (mailing address is APO New York 09108); telephone Õ43å (222) 31-55-11;
there is a US Consulate General in Salzburg
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red
Economy
Overview: Austria boasts a prosperous and stable capitalist
economy with a sizable proportion of nationalized industry and extensive
welfare benefits. Thanks to an excellent raw material endowment, a
technically skilled labor force, and strong links with West German
industrial firms, Austria has successfully occupied specialized niches
in European industry and services (tourism, banking) and produces almost
enough food to feed itself with only 8% of the labor force in
agriculture. Living standards are roughly comparable with the large
industrial countries of Western Europe. Problems for the l990s include
an aging population and the struggle to keep welfare benefits within
budget capabilities.
GDP: $103.2 billion, per capita $13,600; real growth rate 4.2%
(1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (1989)
Unemployment: 4.8% (1989)
Budget: revenues $34.2 billion; expenditures $39.5 billion,
including capital expenditures of NA (1988)
Exports: $31.2 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities–machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles,
paper products, chemicals;
partners–FRG 35%, Italy 10%, Eastern Europe 9%, Switzerland 7%, US 4%,
OPEC 3%
Imports: $37.9 billion (c.i.f., 1989);
commodities–petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles,
chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals;
partners–FRG 44%, Italy 9%, Eastern Europe 6%, Switzerland 5%, US 4%,
USSR 2%
External debt: $12.4 billion (December 1987)
Industrial production: growth rate 5.8% (1989 est.)
Electricity: 17,562,000 kW capacity; 49,290 million kWh produced,
6,500 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: foods, iron and steel, machines, textiles, chemicals,
electrical, paper and pulp, tourism, mining
Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GDP (including forestry);
principal crops and animals–grains, fruit, potatoes, sugar beets,
sawn wood, cattle, pigs poultry; 80-90% self-sufficient in food
Aid: donor–ODA and OOF commitments (1970-87), $1.7 billion
Currency: Austrian schilling (plural–schillings); 1 Austrian
schilling (S) = 100 groschen
Exchange rates: Austrian schillings (S) per US$1–11.907 (January 1990),
13.231 (1989), 12.348 (1988), 12.643 (1987), 15.267 (1986), 20.690 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 6,028 km total; 5,388 km government owned and 640 km privately
owned (1.435- and 1.000-meter gauge); 5,403 km 1.435-meter standard gauge of
which 3,051 km is electrified and 1,520 km is double tracked; 363 km 0.760-meter
narrow gauge of which 91 km is electrified
Highways: 95,412 km total; 34,612 are the primary network (including
1,012 km of autobahn, 10,400 km of federal, and 23,200 km of provincial roads);
of this number, 21,812 km are paved and 12,800 km are unpaved; in addition,
there are 60,800 km of communal roads (mostly gravel, crushed stone, earth)
Inland waterways: 446 km
Ports: Vienna, Linz (river ports)
Merchant marine: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
209,311 GRT/366,401 DWT; includes 23 cargo, 1 container, 5 bulk
Pipelines: 554 km crude oil; 2,611 km natural gas; 171 km refined
products
Civil air: 25 major transport aircraft
Airports: 55 total, 54 usable; 19 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: highly developed and efficient; 4,014,000
telephones; extensive TV and radiobroadcast systems; stations–6 AM, 21 (544
repeaters) FM, 47 (867 repeaters) TV; satellite stations operating in INTELSAT
1 Atlantic Ocean earth station and 1 Indian Ocean earth station and EUTELSAT
systems
Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Flying Division
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,970,189; 1,656,228 fit for military
service; 50,090 reach military age (19) annually
Defense expenditures: 1.1% of GDP, or $1.1 billion (1989 est.)
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The Bahamas
Geography
Total area: 13,940 km2; land area: 10,070 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 3,542 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Terrain: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber
Land use: 1% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; NEGL% meadows
and pastures; 32% forest and woodland; 67% other
Environment: subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms
that cause extensive flood damage
Note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island
chain
People
Population: 246,491 (July 1990), growth rate 1.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 21 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 75 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Bahamian(s); adjective–Bahamian
Ethnic divisions: 85% black, 15% white
Religion: Baptist 29%, Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 22%, smaller groups
of other Protestants, Greek Orthodox, and Jews
Language: English; some Creole among Haitian immigrants
Literacy: 95% (1986)
Labor force: 132,600; 30% government, 25% hotels and restaurants,
10% business services, 5% agriculture (1986)
Organized labor: 25% of labor force
Government
Long-form name: The Commonwealth of The Bahamas
Type: commonwealth
Capital: Nassau
Administrative divisions: 21 districts; Abaco, Acklins Island,
Andros Island, Berry Islands, Biminis, Cat Island, Cay Lobos, Crooked Island,
Eleuthera, Exuma, Grand Bahama, Harbour Island, Inagua, Long Cay, Long Island,
Mayaguana, New Providence, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, Spanish Wells
Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK)
Constitution: 10 July 1973
Legal system: based on English common law
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 July (1973)
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister,
deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or
Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Acting Governor General Sir Henry TAYLOR (since 26 June 1988);
Head of Government–Prime Minister Sir Lynden Oscar PINDLING (since
16 January 1967)
Political parties and leaders: Progressive Liberal Party (PLP),
Sir Lynden O. Pindling; Free National Movement (FNM), Cecil Wallace-Whitfield
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
House of Assembly–last held 19 June 1987 (next to be held
by June 1992);
results–percent of vote by party NA;
seats–(49 total) PLP 31, FNM 16, independents 2
Communists: none known
Other political or pressure groups: Vanguard Nationalist and Socialist
Party (VNSP), a small leftist party headed by Lionel Carey; Trade Union
Congress (TUC), headed by Arlington Miller
Member of: ACP, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77,
GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDB–Inter-American Development Bank, ILO, IMF,
IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAS, PAHO, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Margaret E. MCDONALD; Chancery at
Suite 865, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037;
telephone (202) 944-3390; there are Bahamian Consulates General in Miami
and New York;
US–Ambassador Chic HECHT; Embassy at Mosmar Building,
Queen Street, Nassau (mailing address is P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau);
telephone (809) 322-1181 or 328-2206
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and
aquamarine with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
Economy
Overview: The Bahamas is a stable, middle-income developing nation whose
economy is based primarily on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone
provides about 50% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs about 50,000 people
or 40% of the local work force. The economy has boomed in recent years, aided by
a steady annual increase in the number of tourists. The per capita GDP of over
$9,800 is one of the highest in the region.
GDP: $2.4 billion, per capita $9,875; real growth rate 2.0%
(1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (1988)
Unemployment: 12% (1986)
Budget: revenues $555 million; expenditures $702 million, including
capital expenditures of $138 million (1989 est.)
Exports: $733 million (f.o.b., 1987);
commodities–pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish;
partners–US 90%, UK 10%
Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1987);
commodities–foodstuffs, manufactured goods, mineral fuels;
partners–Iran 30%, Nigeria 20%, US 10%, EC 10%, Gabon 10%
External debt: $1.5 billion (September 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 368,000 kW capacity; 857 million kWh produced,
3,470 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: banking, tourism, cement, oil refining and
transshipment, salt production, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral weld,
steel pipe
Agriculture: accounts for less than 5% of GDP; dominated by
small-scale producers; principal products–citrus fruit, vegetables,
poultry; large net importer of food
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-80), $42 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $344 million
Currency: Bahamian dollar (plural–dollars); 1 Bahamian dollar
(B$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1–1.00 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Highways: 2,400 km total; 1,350 km paved, 1,050 km gravel
Ports: Freeport, Nassau
Merchant marine: 533 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,684,123
GRT/19,574,532 DWT; includes 26 passenger, 15 short-sea passenger, 121 cargo,
40 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 42 refrigerated cargo, 16 container, 6 car carrier,
123 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 6 liquefied gas, 19
combination ore/oil, 29 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 86 bulk,
3 combination bulk; note–a flag of convenience registry
Civil air: 9 major transport aircraft
Airports: 59 total, 57 usable; 31 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 25 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: highly developed; 99,000 telephones in totally
automatic system; tropospheric scatter and submarine cable links to Florida;
stations–3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 3 coaxial submarine cables;1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: Royal Bahamas Defense Force (a coast guard element only),
Royal Bahamas Police Force
Military manpower: NA
Defense expenditures: NA
.pa
Bahrain
Geography
Total area: 620 km2; land area: 620 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: not specific;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Disputes: territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands
Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas,
fish
Land use: 2% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 6% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 90% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: subsurface water sources being rapidly depleted (requires
development of desalination facilities); dust storms; desertification
Note: proximity to primary Middle Eastern crude oil sources
and strategic location in Persian Gulf through which much of Western world’s
crude oil must transit to reach open ocean
People
Population: 520,186 (July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 3 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 8 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 19 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 76 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 4.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Bahraini(s); adjective–Bahraini
Ethnic divisions: 63% Bahraini, 13% Asian, 10% other Arab, 8% Iranian, 6%
other
Religion: Muslim (70% Shia, 30% Sunni)
Language: Arabic (official); English also widely spoken; Farsi, Urdu
Literacy: 40%
Labor force: 140,000; 42% of labor force is Bahraini; 85% industry and
commerce, 5% agriculture, 5% services, 3% government (1982)
Organized labor: General Committee for Bahrain Workers exists in only
eight major designated companies
Government
Long-form name: State of Bahrain
Type: traditional monarchy
Capital: Manama
Administrative divisions: 11 municipalities (baladiyat,
singular–baladiyah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah
al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta,
Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq,
Ar Rifa wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs,
Madinat Isa, Mintaqat Juzur Hawar, Sitrah
Independence: 15 August 1971 (from UK)
Constitution: 26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973
Legal system: based on Islamic law and English common law
National holiday: National Day, 16 December
Executive branch: amir, crown prince and heir apparent, prime minister,
Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly was dissolved
26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet
Judicial branch: High Civil Appeals Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–Amir Isa bin Salman Al KHALIFA (since
2 November 1961); Heir Apparent Hamad bin Isa Al KHALIFA (son of Amir;
born 28 January 1950);
Head of Government–Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al KHALIFA,
(since 19 January 1970)
Political parties and pressure groups: political parties prohibited;
several small, clandestine leftist and Shia fundamentalist groups are active
Suffrage: none
Elections: none
Communists: negligible
Member of: Arab League, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), GCC, IBRD, ICAO,
IDB–Islamic Development Bank, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ghazi Muhammad AL-QUSAYBI;
Chancery at 3502 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone
(202) 342-0741 or 342-0742; there is a Bahraini Consulate General in
New York; US–Ambassador Dr. Charles W. HOSTLER; Embassy at Shaikh
Isa Road, Manama (mailing address is P. O. 26431, Manama, or FPO New York
09526); telephone Õ973å 714151 through 714153
Flag: red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the
hoist side
Economy
Overview: The oil price decline in recent years has had an adverse
impact on the economy. Petroleum production and processing account for about
85% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 20% of GDP. In 1986
soft oil-market conditions led to a 5% drop in GDP, in sharp contrast
wit the 5% average annual growth rate during the early 1980s. The
slowdown in economic activity, however, has helped to check the
inflation of the 1970s. The government’s past economic diversification
efforts have moderated the severity of the downturn but failed to
offset oil and gas revenue losses.
GDP: $3.5 billion, per capita $7,550 (1987); real growth rate 0% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.3% (1988)
Unemployment: 8-10% (1989)
Budget: revenues $1,136 million; expenditures $1,210 million,
including capital expenditures of $294 million (1987)
Exports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.);
commodities–petroleum 80%, aluminum 7%, other 13%; partners–US,
UAE, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia
Imports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities–nonoil 59%,
crude oil 41%; partners–UK, Saudi Arabia, US, Japan
External debt: $1.1 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate – 3.1% (1987)
Electricity: 1,652,000 kW capacity; 6,000 million kWh produced,
12,800 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting,
offshore banking, ship repairing
Agriculture: including fishing, accounts for less than 2% of GDP;
not self-sufficient in food production; heavily subsidized sector produces
fruit, vegetables, poultry, dairy products, shrimp, and fish; fish catch 9,000
metric tons in 1987
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $24 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87),
$28 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.8 billion
Currency: Bahraini dinar (plural–dinars); 1 Bahraini dinar
(BD) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1–0.3760 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Highways: 200 km bituminous surfaced, including 25 km
bridge-causeway to Saudi Arabia opened in November 1986; NA km
natural surface tracks
Ports: Mina Salman, Mina al Manamah, Sitrah
Merchant marine: 1 cargo and 1 bulk (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,621
GRT/44,137 DWT
Pipelines: crude oil, 56 km; refined products, 16 km; natural gas, 32 km
Civil air: 24 major transport aircraft
Airports: 3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with
runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: excellent international telecommunications; adequate
domestic services; 98,000 telephones; stations–2 AM, 1 FM, 2 TV; satellite
earth stations–1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT;
tropospheric scatter and microwave to Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia; submarine cable
to Qatar and UAE
Defense Forces
Branches: Army (Defense Force), Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 183,580; 102,334 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: 5% of GDP, or $194 million (1990 est.)
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Baker Island
(territory of the US)
Geography
Total area: 1.4 km2; land area: 1.4 km2
Comparative area: about 2.3 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 4.8 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow
fringing reef
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891)
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and
pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: treeless, sparse and scattered vegetation consisting of
grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; lacks fresh water;
primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds,
shorebirds, and marine wildlife
Note: remote location 2,575 km southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific
Ocean, just north of the Equator, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia
People
Population: uninhabited
Note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval
attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but
abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit only and
generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and cemetery ruins
located near the middle of the west coast
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish
and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the
National Wildlife Refuge system
Economy
Overview: no economic activity
Communications
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only, one boat landing area along the
the middle of the west coast
Airports: 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m
Note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the
US Coast Guard
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Bangladesh
Geography
Total area: 144,000 km2; land area: 133,910 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries: 4,246 km total; Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Coastline: 580 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 18 nm;
Continental shelf: up to outer limits of continental margin;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: a portion of the boundary with India is in dispute;
water sharing problems with upstream riparian India over the Ganges
Climate: tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid summer
(March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)
Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Natural resources: natural gas, uranium, arable land, timber
Land use: 67% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures;
16% forest and woodland; 11% other; includes 14% irrigated
Environment: vulnerable to droughts; much of country routinely flooded
during summer monsoon season; overpopulation; deforestation
Note: almost completely surrounded by India
People
Population: 118,433,062 (July 1990), growth rate 2.8% (1990)
Birth rate: 42 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 14 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 136 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 53 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.7 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Bangladeshi(s); adjective–Bangladesh
Ethnic divisions: 98% Bengali; 250,000 Biharis, and less than 1 million
tribals
Religion: 83% Muslim, about 16% Hindu, less than 1% Buddhist, Christian,
and other
Language: Bangla (official), English widely used
Literacy: 29% (39% men, 18% women)
Labor force: 35,100,000; 74% agriculture, 15% services, 11% industry and
commerce; extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Kuwait
(FY86)
Organized labor: 3% of labor force belongs to 2,614 registered unions
(1986 est.)
Government
Long-form name: People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Type: republic
Capital: Dhaka
Administrative divisions: 64 districts (zillagulo,
singular–zilla); Bagerhat, Bandarban, Barisal, Bhola, Bogra,
Borguna, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Chapai Nawabganj,
Chattagram, Chuadanga, Comilla, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka,
Dinajpur, Faridpur, Feni, Gaibandha, Gazipur, Gopalganj,
Habiganj, Jaipurhat, Jamalpur, Jessore, Jhalakati, Jhenaidah,
Khagrachari, Khulna, Kishorganj, Kurigram, Kushtia, Laksmipur,
Lalmonirhat, Madaripur, Magura, Manikganj, Meherpur,
Moulavibazar, Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Naogaon, Narail,
Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Nator, Netrakona, Nilphamari,
Noakhali, Pabna, Panchagar, Parbattya Chattagram,
Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur,
Satkhira, Shariyatpur, Sherpur, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet,
Tangail, Thakurgaon
Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan; formerly East Pakistan)
Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended
following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986
Legal system: based on English common law
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
Executive branch: president, vice president, prime minister,
three deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–President Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD
(since 11 December 1983, elected 15 October 1986); Vice President
Moudad AHMED (since 12 August 1989);
Head of Government–Prime Minister Qazi Zafar AHMED (since 12
August 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Jatiyo Party, Hussain Mohammad
Ershad; Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Begum Ziaur Rahman; Awami League, Sheikh
Hasina Wazed; United People’s Party, Kazi Zafar Ahmed; Democratic League,
Khondakar Mushtaque Ahmed; Muslim League, Khan A. Sabur; Jatiyo Samajtantrik
Dal (National Socialist Party), M. A. Jalil; Bangladesh Communist Party
(pro-Soviet), Saifuddin Ahmed Manik; Jamaat-E-Islami, Ali Khan
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President–last held 15 October 1986 (next to be held October
1991);
results–President Hussain Mohammad Ershad received 83.5% of vote;
Parliament–last held 3 March 1988 (next to be held March
1993); results–percent of vote by party NA;
seats–(330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved for women)
Jatiyo Party won 256 out of 300 seats
Communists: 5,000 members (1987 est.)
Member of: ADB, CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77,
GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB–Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC,
ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WFTU, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador A. H. S. Ataul KARIM; Chancery
at 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington DC 20007; telephone (202) 342-8372
through 8376; there is a Bangladesh Consulate General in New York;
US–Ambassador-designate William B. MILAM; Embassy at Diplomatic
Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara Model Town, Dhaka (mailing address
is G. P. O. Box 323, Ramna, Dhaka); telephone Õ88å (2) 608170
Flag: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center;
green is the traditional color of Islam
Economy
Overview: The economy is based on the output of a narrow range of
agricultural products, such as jute, which is the main cash crop and major
source of export earnings. Bangladesh is hampered by a relative lack of natural
resources, a rapid population growth of 2.8% a year and a limited
infrastructure, and it is highly vulnerable to natural disasters.
Despite these constraints, real GDP averaged about 3.8% annually
during 1985-88. One of the poorest nations in the world, alleviation
of poverty remains the cornerstone of the government’s development
strategy. The agricultural sector contributes over 50% to GDP and
75% to exports, and employs over 74% of the labor force. Industry
accounts for about 10% of GDP.
GDP: $20.6 billion, per capita $180; real growth rate 2.1% (FY89 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8-10% (FY89 est.)
Unemployment rate: 30% (FY88 est.)
Budget: revenues $1.8 billion; expenditures $3.3 billion, including
capital expenditures of $1.7 billion (FY89)
Exports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., FY89 est.);
commodities–jute, tea, leather, shrimp, manufacturing;
partners–US 25%, Western Europe 22%, Middle East 9%, Japan 8%,
Eastern Europe 7%
Imports: $3.1 billion (c.i.f., FY89 est.);
commodities–food, petroleum and other energy, nonfood consumer goods,
semiprocessed goods, and capital equipment;
partners–Western Europe 18%, Japan 14%, Middle East 9%, US 8%
External debt: $10.4 billion (December 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 5.4% (FY89 est.)
Electricity: 1,700,000 kW capacity; 4,900 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per
capita (1989)
Industries: jute manufacturing, food processing, cotton textiles,
petroleum, urea fertilizer
Agriculture: accounts for about 50% of GDP and 74% of both employment
and exports; imports 10% of food grain requirements; world’s largest
exporter of jute; commercial products–jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane,
potatoes, beef, milk, poultry; shortages include wheat, vegetable oils
and cotton; fish catch 778,000 metric tons in 1986
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $3.2 billion; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-87), $9.5 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $652 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$1.5 billion
Currency: taka (plural–taka); 1 taka (Tk) = 100 paise
Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1–32.270 (January 1990), 32.270 (1989),
31.733 (1988), 30.950 (1987), 30.407 (1986), 27.995 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Railroads: 2,892 km total (1986); 1,914 km 1.000 meter gauge, 978 km
1.676 meter broad gauge
Highways: 7,240 km total (1985); 3,840 km paved, 3,400 km unpaved
Inland waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes
2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Ports: Chittagong, Chalna
Merchant marine: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 331,568 GRT/493,935
DWT; includes 38 cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker,
3 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 3 bulk
Pipelines: 650 km natural gas
Civil air: 15 major transport aircraft
Airports: 16 total, 13 usable; 13 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 7 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: adequate international radio communications and
landline service; fair domestic wire and microwave service; fair broadcast
service; 182,000 telephones; stations–9 AM, 6 FM, 11 TV; 2 Indian Ocean
INTELSAT satellite earth stations
Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary forces–Bangladesh Rifles,
Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Coastal Police
Military manpower: males 15-49, 28,110,802; 16,686,644 fit for military
service
Defense expenditures: 1.5% of GDP, or $309 million (FY90 est.)
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Barbados
Geography
Total area: 430 km2; land area: 430 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 97 km
Maritime claims:
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Natural resources: crude oil, fishing, natural gas
Land use: 77% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 9% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 14% other
Environment: subject to hurricanes (especially June to October)
Note: easternmost Caribbean island
People
Population: 262,688 (July 1990), growth rate 0.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 18 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: – 5 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 16 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 77 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Barbadian(s); adjective–Barbadian
Ethnic divisions: 80% African, 16% mixed, 4% European
Religion: 70% Anglican, 9% Methodist, 4% Roman Catholic, 17% other,
including Moravian
Language: English
Literacy: 99%
Labor force: 112,300; 37% services and government; 22% commerce,
22% manufacturing and construction; 9% transportation, storage, communications,
and financial institutions; 8% agriculture; 2% utilities (1985 est.)
Organized labor: 32% of labor force
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Bridgetown
Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew,
Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael,
Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note–there may a new city of
Bridgetown
Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)
Constitution: 30 November 1966
Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister,
deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or
Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature
Leaders:
Chief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Hugh SPRINGER (since 24 February
1984);
Head of Government–Prime Minister Lloyd Erskine SANDIFORD (since
2 June 1987)
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party (DLP), Erskine
Sandiford; Barbados Labor Party (BLP), Henry Forde; National Democratic
Party (NDP), Richie Haynes
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
House of Assembly–last held 28 May 1986 (next to be held by May 1991);
results–DLP 59.4%, BLP 40.6%; seats–(27 total) DLP 24, BLP 3; note–a
split in the DLP in February 1989 resulted in the formation of the NDP,
changing the status of seats to DLP 20, NDP 4, BLP 3
Communists: negligible
Other political or pressure groups: Industrial and General Workers Union,
Bobby Clarke; People’s Progressive Movement, Eric Sealy; Workers’ Party of
Barbados, Dr. George Belle
Member of: ACP, CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO,
IDB–Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, IWC–International Wheat Council, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA,
UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Sir William DOUGLAS; Chancery at
2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-9200 through
9202; there is a Barbadian Consulate General in New York and a Consulate
in Los Angeles;
US–Ambassador-nominee G. Philip HUGHES; Embassy at Canadian
Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown (mailing
address is P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown or FPO Miami 34054); telephone (809)
436-4950 through 4957
Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and blue
with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head
represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms
contained a complete trident)
Economy
Overview: A per capita income of $5,250 gives Barbados
the highest standard of living of all the small island states of the
eastern Caribbean. Historically, the economy was based on the cultivation
of sugarcane and related activities. In recent years, however, the economy
has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The tourist industry
is now a major employer of the labor force and a primary source of
foreign exchange. A high unemployment rate of about 19% in 1988 remains
one of the most serious economic problems facing the country.
GDP: $1.3 billion, per capita $5,250 (1988 est.); real growth rate
3.7% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.7% (1988)
Unemployment: 18.6% (1988)
Budget: revenues $476 million; expenditures $543 million,
including capital expenditures of $94 million (FY86)
Exports: $173 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities–sugar and molasses, electrical components, clothing, rum,
machinery and transport equipment;
partners: US 30%, CARICOM, UK, Puerto Rico, Canada
Imports: $582 million (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities–foodstuffs, consumer durables, raw materials, crude oil;
partners–US 34%, CARICOM, Japan, UK, Canada
External debt: $635 million (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate – 5.4% (1987 est.)
Electricity: 132,000 kW capacity; 460 million kWh produced, 1,780
kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly
for export
Agriculture: accounts for 10% of GDP; major cash crop is sugarcane;
other crops–vegetables and cotton; not self-sufficient in food
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-84), $14 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $144 million
Currency: Barbadian dollars (plural–dollars); 1 Barbadian dollar
(Bds$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1–2.0113 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Highways: 1,570 km total; 1,475 km paved, 95 km gravel and earth
Ports: Bridgetown
Merchant marine: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,200
GRT/7,338 DWT
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications: islandwide automatic telephone system with 89,000
telephones; tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad and St. Lucia; stations–3 AM,
2 FM, 2 (1 is pay) TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force, Royal Barbados Police Force,
Coast Guard
Military manpower: males 15-49, 67,677; 47,566 fit for military service,
no conscription
Defense expenditures: 0.6% of GDP (1986)
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Bassas da India
(French possession)
Geography
Total area: undetermined
Comparative area: undetermined
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 35.2 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claimed by Madagascar
Climate: tropical
Terrain: a volcanic rock 2.4 m high
Natural resources: none
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 100% other (rock)
Environment: surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones
Note: navigational hazard since it is usually under water during
high tide; located in southern Mozambique Channel about halfway between Africa
and Madagascar
People
Population: uninhabited
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic
Daniel CONSTANTIN, resident in Reunion
Economy
Overview: no economic activity
Communications
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
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Belgium
Geography
Total area: 30,510 km2; land area: 30,230 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries: 1,385 km total; France 620 km, Luxembourg
148 km, Netherlands 450 km, FRG 167 km
Coastline: 64 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: not specific;
Exclusive fishing zone: equidistant line with neighbors (extends
about 68 km from coast);
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged
mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Natural resources: coal, natural gas
Land use: 24% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 20% meadows and pastures;
21% forest and woodland; 34% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: air and water pollution
Note: majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels;
crossroads of Western Europe; Brussels is the seat of the EC
People
Population: 9,909,285 (July 1990), growth rate 0.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 11 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 80 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Belgian(s); adjective–Belgian
Ethnic divisions: 55% Fleming, 33% Walloon, 12% mixed or other
Religion: 75% Roman Catholic; remainder Protestant or other
Language: 56% Flemish (Dutch), 32% French, 1% German; 11% legally
bilingual; divided along ethnic lines
Literacy: 98%
Labor force: 4,000,000; 58% services, 37% industry, 5% agriculture (1987)
Organized labor: 70% of labor force
Government
Long-form name: Kingdom of Belgium
Type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Brussels
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (French–provinces,
singular–province; Flemish–provincien, singular–provincie); Antwerpen,
Brabant, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen,
West-Vlaanderen
Independence: 4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)
Constitution: 7 February 1831, last revised 8-9 August 1980; the
government is in the process of revising the Constitution, with the aim of
federalizing the Belgian state
Legal system: civil law system influenced by English constitutional
theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: National Day, 21 July (ascension of King Leopold
to the throne in 1831)
Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, five deputy prime ministers,
Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper chamber or
Senate (Flemish–Senaat, French–Senat) and a lower chamber or Chamber of
Representatives (Flemish–Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers, French–Chambre
des Representants)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Flemish–Hof van Cassatie,
French–Cour de Cassation)
Leaders:
Chief of State–King BAUDOUIN I (since 17 July 1951);
Heir Apparent Prince ALBERT of Liege (brother of the King; born 6
June 1934);
Head of Government–Prime Minister Wilfried MARTENS,
(since April 1979, with a 10-month interruption in 1981)
Political parties and leaders: Flemish Social Christian (CVP), Herman
van Rompuy, president; Walloon Social Christian (PSC), Gerard Deprez,
president; Flemish Socialist (SP), Frank Vandenbroucke, president; Walloon
Socialist (PS), Guy Spitaels, president; Flemish Liberal (PVV),
Guy Verhofstadt, president; Walloon Liberal (PRL), Antoine Duquesne,
president; Francophone Democratic Front (FDF), Georges Clerfayt, president;
Volksunie (VU), Jaak Gabriels, president; Communist Party (PCB),
Louis van Geyt, president; Vlaams Blok (VB), Karel Dillen;
other minor parties
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections:
Senate–last held 13 December 1987 (next to be held December
1991);
results–CVP 19.2%, PS 15.7%, SP 14.7%, PVV 11.3%, PRL 9.3%,
VU 8.1%, PSC 7.8%, ECOLO-AGALEV 7.7%, VB 2.0%, VDF 1.3%,
other 1.96%;
seats–(106 total) CVP 22, PS 20, SP 17, PRL 12, PVV 11, PSC 9, VU 8,
ECOLO-AGALEV 5, VB 1, FDF 1;
Chamber of Representatives–last held 13 December 1987
(next to be held December 1991);
results–CVP 19.45%, PS 15.66%, SP 14.88%, PVV 11.55%, PRL 9.41%,
PSC 8.01%, VU 8.05%, ECOLO-AGALEV 7.05%, VB 1.90%, FDF 1.16%, other
2.88%;
seats–(212 total) CVP 43, PS 40, SP 32, PVV 25, PRL 23,
PSC 19, VU 16, ECOLO-AGALEV 9, FDF 3, VB 2
Communists: under 5,000 members (December 1985 est.)
Other political or pressure groups: Christian and Socialist Trade Unions;
Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing
bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical
professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders
and Wallonia; various peace groups such as the Flemish Action Committee Against
Nuclear Weapons and Pax Christi
Member of: ADB, Benelux, BLEU, CCC, Council of Europe, DAC, EC, ECE,
ECOSOC, EIB, EMS, ESA, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDA,
IDB–Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IPU, ITC, ITU, NATO, OAS (observer), OECD, UN, UNESCO,
UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Herman DEHENNIN; Chancery at
3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 333-6900;
there are Belgian Consulates General in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles,
and New York;
US–Ambassador Maynard W. GLITMAN; Embassy at 27 Boulevard du Regent,
B-1000 Brussels (mailing address is APO New York 09667);
telephone Õ32å (2) 513-3830; there is a US Consulate General in Antwerp
Flag: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red;
the design was based on the flag of France
Economy
Overview: This small private-enterprise economy has capitalized
on its central geographic location, highly developed transport
network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is
concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north, although
the government is encouraging reinvestment in the southern region
of Walloon. With few natural resources Belgium must import essential raw
materials, making its economy closely dependent on the state of world
markets. In 1988 over 70% of trade was with other EC countries. During the
period 1986-88 the economy profited from falling oil prices and a lower
dollar, which helped to improve the terms of trade. Real GDP grew
by an average of 3.5% in 1986-89, up from 1.5% in 1985. However, a
large budget deficit and 10% unemployment cast a shadow on the
economy.
GDP: $136.0 billion, per capita $13,700; real growth rate 4.5%
(1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9.7% est. (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $45.0 billion; expenditures $55.3 billion,
including capital expenditures of NA (1989)
Exports: $100.3 billion (f.o.b., 1989) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic
Union; commodities–iron and steel, transportation equipment,
tractors, diamonds, petroleum products;
partners–EC 74%, US 5%, Communist countries 2% (1988)
Imports: $100.1 billion (c.i.f., 1989) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic
Union; commodities–fuels, grains, chemicals, foodstuffs;
partners–EC 72%, US 5%, oil-exporting less developed countries 4%,
Communist countries 3% (1988)
External debt: $27.5 billion (1988)
Industrial production: growth rate 6.4% (1988)
Electricity: 17,325,000 kW capacity; 62,780 million kWh produced,
6,350 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: engineering and metal products, processed food and beverages,
chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal
Agriculture: accounts for 2% of GDP; emphasis on livestock
production–beef, veal, pork, milk; major crops are sugar beets, fresh
vegetables, fruits, grain, and tobacco; net importer of farm products
Aid: donor–ODA and OOF commitments (1970-87), $4.3 billion
Currency: Belgian franc (plural–francs); 1 Belgian franc (BF) = 100
centimes
Exchange rates: Belgian francs (BF) per US$1–35.468 (January 1990),
39.404 (1989), 36.768 (1988), 37.334 (1987), 44.672 (1986), 59.378 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: Belgian National Railways (SNCB) operates 3,667 km
1.435-meter standard gauge, government owned; 2,563 km double track; 1,978 km
electrified; 191 km 1.000-meter gauge, government owned and operated
Highways: 103,396 km total; 1,317 km limited access, divided autoroute;
11,717 km national highway; 1,362 km provincial road; about 38,000 km
paved and 51,000 km unpaved rural roads
Inland waterways: 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use)
Ports: Antwerp, Brugge, Gent, Oostende, Zeebrugge, 1 secondary, and
1 minor maritime; 11 inland
Merchant marine: 67 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,854,898
GRT/3,071,637 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 10 cargo, 6
roll-on/roll-off, 6 container, 7 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL)
tanker, 6 liquefied gas, 3 combination ore/oil, 9 chemical tanker, 13
bulk, 6 combination bulk
Pipelines: refined products 1,167 km; crude 161 km; natural gas 3,300 km
Civil air: 47 major transport aircraft
Airports: 42 total, 42 usable; 24 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 14 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: excellent domestic and international telephone and
telegraph facilities; 4,560,000 telephones; stations–8 AM, 19 FM (41 relays),
25 TV (10 relays); 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations operating
in INTELSAT 3 Atlantic Ocean and EUTELSAT systems
Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 2,512,681; 2,114,701 fit for military
service; 66,758 reach military age (19) annually
Defense expenditures: 2.7% of GDP, or $3.7 billion (1989 est.)
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Belize
Geography
Total area: 22,960 km2; land area: 22,800 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: 516 km total; Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Disputes: claimed by Guatemala, but boundary negotiations are
under way
Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)
Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish
Land use: 2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures;
44% forest and woodland; 52% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: frequent devastating hurricanes (September to December)
and coastal flooding (especially in south); deforestation
Note: national capital moved 80 km inland from Belize City to
Belmopan because of hurricanes; only country in Central America without a
coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
People
Population: 219,737 (July 1990), growth rate 3.7% (1990)
Birth rate: 38 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 4 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 35 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 72 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 4.8 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Belizean(s); adjective–Belizean
Ethnic divisions: 39.7% Creole, 33.1% Mestizo, 9.5% Maya, 7.6%
Garifuna, 2.1% East Indian, 8.0% other
Religion: 60% Roman Catholic; 40% Protestant (Anglican, Seventh-Day
Adventist, Methodist, Baptist, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mennonite)
Language: English (official), Spanish, Maya, Garifuna (Carib)
Literacy: 93% (est.)
Labor force: 51,500; 30.0% agriculture, 16.0% services, 15.4% government,
11.2% commerce, 10.3% manufacturing; shortage of skilled labor and all types of
technical personnel (1985)
Organized labor: 30% of labor force; 11 unions currently active
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: parliamentary
Capital: Belmopan
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal,
Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK; formerly British Honduras)
Constitution: 21 September 1981
Legal system: English law
National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister,
deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of an upper house
or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by
Governor General Dame Elmira Minita GORDON (since 21 September 1981);
Head of Government–Prime Minister George Cadle PRICE (since 4
September 1989)
Political parties and leaders: People’s United Party (PUP),
George Price, Florencio Marin, Said Musa; United Democratic Party (UDP),
Manuel Esquivel, Curl Thompson, Dean Barrow; Belize Popular Party
(BPP), Louis Sylvestre
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
National Assembly–last held 4 September 1989 (next to be
held September 1994);
results–percent of vote by party NA; seats–(28 total)
PUP 15 seats, UDP 13 seats; note–in January 1990 one
member expelled from UDP joined PUP, making the seat count
16 PUP, UDP 12
Communists: negligible
Other political or pressure groups: Society for the Promotion
of Education and Research (SPEAR) headed by former PUP minister;
United Workers Front
Member of: ACP, CARICOM, CDB, Commonwealth, FAO, GATT, IBRD, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, ILO, IMF, G-77, ISO, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Edward A. LAING; Chancery at
Suite 2J, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone
(202) 363-4505;
US–Ambassador Robert G. RICH, Jr.; Embassy at Gabourel Lane and Hutson
Street, Belize City (mailing address is P. O. Box 286, Belize City); telephone
Õ501å 77161 through 77163
Flag: blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges;
centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms
features a shield flanked by two workers with a mahogany tree at the top and the
related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at
the bottom, all encircled by a green garland
Economy
Overview: The economy is based primarily on agriculture and
merchandising. Agriculture accounts for more than 30% of GDP and provides 75%
of export earnings, while sugar, the chief crop, accounts for almost 40% of
hard currency earnings. The US, Belize’s main trading partner, is assisting in
efforts to reduce dependency on sugar with an agricultural diversification
program. In 1987 the drop in income from sugar sales to the US because of quota
reductions was almost totally offset by higher world prices for sugar.
GDP: $225.6 million, per capita $1,285; real growth rate 6% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1988)
Unemployment rate: 14% (1988 est.)
Budget: revenues $94.6 million; expenditures $74.3 million,
including capital expenditures of $33.9 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $120 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities–sugar, clothing, seafood, molasses, citrus, wood and
wood products;
partners–US 47%, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada (1987)
Imports: $176 million (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities–machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured
goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;
partners–US 55%, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Mexico (1987)
External debt: $140 million (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate 6% (1988)
Electricity: 34,000 kW capacity; 88 million kWh produced,
500 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: sugar refining, clothing, timber and forest products,
furniture, rum, soap, beverages, cigarettes, tourism
Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP (including fish and forestry);
commercial crops include sugarcane, bananas, coca, citrus fruits; expanding
output of lumber and cultured shrimp; net importer of basic foods
Illicit drugs: an illicit producer of cannabis for the
international drug trade; eradication program cut marijuana
production from 200 metric tons in 1987 to 66 metric tons in 1989;
transshipment point for cocaine
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $94 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $194 million
Currency: Belizean dollar (plural–dollars); 1 Belizean dollar
(Bz$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1–2.00 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Highways: 2,575 km total; 340 km paved, 1,190 km gravel, 735 km improved
earth, and 310 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft;
seasonally navigable
Ports: Belize City, Belize City Southwest
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: 38 total, 30 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 2,439 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: 8,650 telephones; above-average system based on
radio relay; stations–6 AM, 5 FM, 1 TV, 1 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: British Forces Belize, Belize Defense Force, Coast
Guard, Police Department
Military manpower: males 15-49, 50,988; 30,502 fit for military service;
2,500 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 2.0% of GDP, or $4.6 million (1989 est.)
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Benin
Geography
Total area: 112,620 km2; land area: 110,620 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: 1,989 km total; Burkina 306 km, Niger 266 km,
Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Coastline: 121 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone,
marble, timber
Land use: 12% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures;
35% forest and woodland; 45% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter;
deforestation; desertification
Note: recent droughts have severely affected marginal
agriculture in north; no natural harbors
People
Population: 4,673,964 (July 1990), growth rate 3.3% (1990)
Birth rate: 50 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 16 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 121 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 48 years male, 52 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 7.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Beninese (sing., pl.); adjective–Beninese
Ethnic divisions: 99% African (42 ethnic groups, most important being
Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba); 5,500 Europeans
Religion: 70% indigenous beliefs, 15% Muslim, 15% Christian
Language: French (official); Fon and Yoruba most common vernaculars in
south; at least six major tribal languages in north
Literacy: 25.9%
Labor force: 1,900,000 (1987); 60% agriculture, 38% transport, commerce,
and public services, less than 2% industry; 49% of population of working age
(1985)
Organized labor: about 75% of wage earners
Government
Long-form name: Republic of Benin
Type: dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms
adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system by 1991 planned
Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (de facto)
Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono,
Oueme, Zou
Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France; formerly Dahomey)
Constitution: 23 May 1977 (nullified 1 March 1990); new
constitution to be drafted by April 1990
Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Day, 30 November (1975)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral National Revolutionary Assembly
(Assemblee Nationale Revolutionnaire) dissolved 1 March 1990
and replaced by a 24-member interim High Council of the Republic
during the transition period
Judicial branch: Central People’s Court (Cour Central Populaire)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government–President Mathieu KEREKOU
(since 27 October 1972)
Political parties and leaders: only party–People’s Revolutionary
Party of Benin (PRPB), President Mathieu Kerekou, chairman of the
Central Committee
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President–last held July 1989 (next to be held July 1994);
results–President Mathieu Kerekou was reelected by the
National Revolutionary Assembly;
National Revolutionary Assembly–dissolved 1 March 1990 and
replaced by a 24-member interim High Council of the Republic with
legislative elections for new institutions planned for February 1991
Communists: dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CEAO, EAMA, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, G-77, GATT,
IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, Niger
River Commission, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Theophile NATA; Chancery at
2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-6656;
US–Ambassador Harriet ISOM; Embassy at Rue Caporal Anani Bernard,
Cotonou (mailing address is B. P. 2012, Cotonou); telephone Õ229å 30-06-50
Flag: green with a red five-pointed star in the upper hoist-side corner
Economy
Overview: Benin is one of the least developed countries in the world
because of limited natural resources and a poorly developed infrastructure.
Agriculture accounts for almost 45% of GDP, employs about 60% of
the labor force, and generates a major share of foreign exchange earnings.
The industrial sector contributes only about 15% to GDP and employs
2% of the work force. Persistently low prices in recent years have
limited hard currency earnings from Benin’s major exports of agricultural
products and crude oil.
GDP: $1.7 billion, per capita $335; real growth rate 1.8% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (1988)
Unemployment: NA
Budget: revenues $168 million; expenditures $317 million, including
capital expenditures of $97 million (1989)
Exports: $226 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities–crude oil, cotton, palm products, cocoa;
partners–FRG 36%, France 16%, Spain 14%, Italy 8%, UK 7%
Imports: $413 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities–foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products,
intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods;
partners–France 34%, Netherlands 10%, Japan 7%, Italy 6%, US 5%
External debt: $1.0 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate – 0.7% (1988)
Electricity: 28,000 kW capacity; 24 million kWh produced,
5 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: palm oil and palm kernel oil processing, textiles, beverages,
petroleum
Agriculture: small farms produce 90% of agricultural output;
production is dominated by food crops–corn, sorghum, cassava, beans,
and rice; cash crops include cotton, palm oil, and peanuts; poultry
and livestock output has not kept up with consumption
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $41 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.0 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $19 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$101 million
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural–francs);
1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per
US$1–287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987),
346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 578 km, all 1.000-meter gauge, single track
Highways: 5,050 km total; 920 km paved, 2,600 laterite, 1,530 km
improved earth
Inland waterways: navigable along small sections, important
only locally
Ports: Cotonou
Merchant marine: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) of 2,999 GRT/4,407 DWT
Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft
Airports: 6 total, 5 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 2,439 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: fair system of open wire, submarine cable, and radio
relay; 16,200 telephones; stations–2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT
satellite earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower: eligible 15-49, 2,015,206; of the 950,921 males 15-49,
486,620 are fit for military service; of the 1,064,285 females 15-49, 537,049
are fit for military service; about 55,550 males and 53,663 females reach
military age (18) annually; both sexes are liable for military service
Defense expenditures: 1.7% of GDP, or $28.9 million (1988 est.)
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Bermuda
(dependent territory of the UK)
Geography
Total area: 50 km2; land area: 50 km2
Comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 103 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter
Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions
Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
20% forest and woodland; 80% other
Environment: ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes;
consists of about 360 small coral islands
Note: 1,050 km east of North Carolina; some reclaimed land
leased by US Government
People
Population: 58,337 (July 1990), growth rate 1.5% (1990)
Birth rate: 15 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: – 6 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 12 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Bermudian(s); adjective–Bermudian
Ethnic divisions: 61% black, 39% white and other
Religion: 37% Anglican, 14% Roman Catholic, 10% African Methodist
Episcopal (Zion), 6% Methodist, 5% Seventh-Day Adventist, 28% other
Language: English
Literacy: 98%
Labor force: 32,000; 25% clerical, 22% services, 21% laborers,
13% professional and technical, 10% administrative and managerial, 7% sales,
2% agriculture and fishing (1984)
Organized labor: 8,573 members (1985); largest union is Bermuda Industrial
Union
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: Hamilton
Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire,
Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George’s, Sandys,
Smiths, Southampton, Warwick
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Constitution: 8 June 1968
Legal system: English law
National holiday: Bermuda Day, 22 May
Executive branch: British monarch, governor, deputy governor, premier,
deputy premier, Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or
Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented
by Governor Sir Desmond LANGLEY (since NA October 1988);
Head of Government–Premier John William David SWAN (since NA January
1982)
Political parties and leaders: United Bermuda Party (UBP), John W. D.
Swan; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), Frederick Wade; National Liberal
Party (NLP), Gilbert Darrell
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections:
House of Assembly–last held 9 February 1989 (next to be
held by February 1994); results–percent of vote by party NA;
seats–(40 total) UBP 23, PLP 15, NLP 1, other 1
Communists: negligible
Other political or pressure groups: Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU),
headed by Ottiwell Simmons
Member of: INTERPOL, WHO
Diplomatic representation: as a dependent territory of the UK,
Bermuda’s interests in the US are represented by the UK; US–Consul
General James M. MEDAS; Consulate General at Vallis Building,
Par-la-Ville Road (off Front Street West), Hamilton (mailing address is
P. O. Box 325, Hamilton, or FPO New York 09560); telephone (809) 295-1342
Flag: red with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the
Bermudian coat of arms (white and blue shield with a red lion holding a scrolled
shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered
on the outer half of the flag
Economy
Overview: Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the
world, having successfully exploited its location by providing luxury tourist
facilities and financial services. The tourist industry attracts more than
90% of its business from North America. The industrial sector is
small, and agriculture is severely limited by a lack of suitable land. About
80% of food needs are imported.
GDP: $1.3 billion, per capita $23,000; real growth rate 2.0% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.8% (1988)
Unemployment: 2.0% (1988)
Budget: revenues $280 million; expenditures $279 million, including
capital expenditures of $34 million (FY89 est.)
Exports: $23 million (f.o.b.,1985);
commodities–semitropical produce, light manufactures;
partners–US 25%, Italy 25%, UK 14%, Canada 5%, other 31%
Imports: $402 million (c.i.f., 1985);
commodities–fuel, foodstuffs, machinery;
partners–US 58%, Netherlands Antilles 9%, UK 8%, Canada 6%, Japan
5%, other 14%
External debt: NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 134,000 kW capacity; 446 million kWh produced,
7,680 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism, finance, structural concrete products,
paints, pharmaceuticals, ship repairing
Agriculture: accounts for less than 1% of GDP; most basic foods must
be imported; produces bananas, vegetables, citrus fruits, flowers, dairy
products
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $34 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $267 million
Currency: Bermudian dollar (plural–dollars); 1 Bermudian dollar
(Bd$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar (Bd$) per US$1–1.0000 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Highways: 210 km public roads, all paved (about 400 km of private roads)
Ports: Freeport, Hamilton, St. George
Merchant marine: 93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,163,947
GRT/7,744,319 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 10 cargo, 4 refrigerated
cargo, 5 container, 10 roll-on/roll-off, 27 petroleum, oils, and lubricants
(POL) tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 1 combination ore/oil, 10 liquefied
gas, 20 bulk; note–a flag of convenience registry
Civil air: 16 major transport aircraft
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications: modern with fully automatic telephone system; 46,290
telephones; stations–5 AM, 3 FM, 2 TV; 3 submarine cables; 2 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT earth stations
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
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Bhutan
Geography
Total area: 47,000 km2; land area: 47,000 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than half the size of Indiana
Land boundaries: 1,075 km total; China 470 km, India 605 km
Coastline: none–landlocked
Maritime claims: none–landlocked
Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot
summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide
Land use: 2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 5% meadows and pastures;
70% forest and woodland; 23% other
Environment: violent storms coming down from the Himalayas were the source
of the country name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon
Note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
People
Population: 1,565,969 (July 1990), growth rate 2.0% (1990)
Birth rate: 37 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 17 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 137 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 50 years male, 48 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.0 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Bhutanese (sing., pl.); adjective–Bhutanese
Ethnic divisions: 60% Bhote, 25% ethnic Nepalese, 15% indigenous or
migrant tribes
Religion: 75% Lamaistic Buddhism, 25% Indian- and Nepalese-influenced
Hinduism
Language: Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects–most widely spoken
dialect is Dzongkha (official); Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Literacy: 5%
Labor force: NA; 95% agriculture, 1% industry and commerce; massive lack
of skilled labor (1983)
Organized labor: not permitted
Government
Long-form name: Kingdom of Bhutan
Type: monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
Capital: Thimphu
Administrative divisions: 3 regions and 1 division*; Central Bhutan,
Eastern Bhutan, Southern Bhutan*, Western Bhutan; note–there may now be 18
districts (dzong, singular and plural) named Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang,
Daga, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi,
Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdiphodrang
Independence: 8 August 1949 (from India)
Constitution: no written constitution or bill of rights
Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Day (Ugyen Wangchuck became first hereditary
king), 17 December (1907)
Executive branch: monarch, chairman of the Royal Advisory Council,
Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), chairman of the Council of Ministers,
Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Tshogdu)
Judicial branch: High Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government–King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since
24 July 1972)
Political parties: no legal parties
Suffrage: each family has one vote in village-level elections
Elections: no national elections
Communists: no overt Communist presence
Other political or pressure groups: Buddhist clergy, Indian merchant
community, ethnic Nepalese organizations
Member of: ADB, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IMF, NAM,
SAARC, UNESCO, UPU, UN, WHO
Diplomatic representation: no formal diplomatic relations, although
informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassies in
New Delhi (India); the Bhutanese mission to the UN in New York has consular
jurisdiction in the US
Flag: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper
triangle is orange and the lower triangle is red; centered along the dividing
line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
Economy
Overview: The economy is based on agriculture and forestry, which
provide the main livelihood for 90% of the population and account for about
50% of GDP. One of the world’s least developed countries, rugged mountains
dominate and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult
and expensive. Bhutan’s hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists
are its most important natural resources.
GDP: $273 million, per capita $199; real growth rate 6.3% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1989 est.)
Unemployment: NA
Budget: revenues $99 million; expenditures $128 million, including
capital expenditures of $65 million (FY89 est.)
Exports: $70.9 million (f.o.b., FY89);
commodities–cardamon, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit;
partners–India 93%
Imports: $138.3 million (c.i.f., FY89 est.);
commodities–fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts,
vehicles, fabrics;
partners–India 67%
External debt: $70.1 million (FY89 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate – 12.4% (1988 est.)
Electricity: 353,000 kW capacity; 2,000 million kWh produced, 1,300 kWh
per capita (1989)
Industries: cement, chemical products, mining, distilling, food
processing, handicrafts
Agriculture: accounts for 50% of GDP; based on subsistence farming and
animal husbandry; self-sufficient in food except for foodgrains; other
production–rice, corn, root crops, citrus fruit, dairy, and eggs
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-87), $85.8 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $11 million
Currency: ngultrum (plural–ngultrum); 1 ngultrum (Nu) = 100
chetrum; note–Indian currency is also legal tender
Exchange rates: ngultrum (Nu) per US$1–16.965 (January 1990),
16.226 (1989), 13.917 (1988), 12.962 (1987), 12.611 (1986), 12.369 (1985);
note–the Bhutanese ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Highways: 1,304 km total; 418 km surfaced, 515 km improved, 371 km
unimproved earth
Civil air: 1 jet, 2 prop
Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 2,439 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: inadequate; 1,890 telephones (1985); 15,000 radio
receivers (1987 est.); 85 TV sets (1985); stations–20 AM, no FM, no TV
Defense Forces
Branches: Royal Bhutan Army
Military manpower: males 15-49, 389,142; 208,231 fit for military
service; 17,203 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: NA
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Bolivia
Geography
Total area: 1,098,580 km2; land area: 1,084,390 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Land boundaries: 6,743 km total; Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400
km, Chile 861 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km
Coastline: none–landlocked
Maritime claims: none–landlocked
Disputes: has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since
the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884; dispute with Chile over Rio Lauca
water rights
Climate: varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid
Terrain: high plateau, hills, lowland plains
Natural resources: tin, natural gas, crude oil, zinc, tungsten,
antimony, silver, iron ore, lead, gold, timber
Land use: 3% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 25% meadows and
pastures; 52% forest and woodland; 20% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: cold, thin air of high plateau is obstacle to
efficient fuel combustion; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Note: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world’s
highest navigable lake, with Peru
People
Population: 6,706,854 (July 1990), growth rate 2.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 35 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: – 1 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 125 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 56 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 4.7 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Bolivian(s); adjective Bolivian
Ethnic divisions: 30% Quechua, 25% Aymara, 25-30% mixed, 5-15% European
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic; active Protestant minority, especially
Evangelical Methodist
Language: Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara (all official)
Literacy: 63%
Labor force: 1,700,000; 50% agriculture, 26% services and utilities,
10% manufacturing, 4% mining, 10% other (1983)
Organized labor: 150,000-200,000, concentrated in mining, industry,
construction, and transportation; mostly organized under Bolivian Workers’
Central (COB) labor federation
Government
Long-form name: Republic of Bolivia
Type: republic
Capital: La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of
judiciary)
Administrative divisions: 9 departments (departamentos,
singular–departamento); Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, El Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando,
Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija
Independence: 6 August 1825 (from Spain)
Constitution: 2 February 1967
Legal system: based on Spanish law and Code Napoleon; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 August (1825)
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or
Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government–President Jaime
PAZ Zamora (since 6 August 1989); Vice President Luis OSSIO Sanjines
(since 6 August 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Movement of the Revolutionary
Left (MIR), Jaime Paz Zamora; Nationalist Democratic Action (ADN),
Hugo Banzer Suarez; Nationalist Revolutionary Movement (MNR), Gonzalo
Sanchez de Lozada; United Left (IU), coalition of leftist parties which
includes Free Bolivia Movement (MBL), led by Antonio Aranibar,
Patriotic National Convergency Axis (EJE-P) led by Walter Delgadillo,
and Bolivian Communist Party (PCB) led by Humberto Ramirez; Conscience of
the Fatherland (CONDEPA), Carlos Palenque Aviles; Revolutionary
Vanguard-9th of April (VR-9), Carlos Serrate Reich
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18 (married) or 21 (single)
Elections:
President–last held 7 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993);
results–Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada (MNR) 23%, Hugo Banzer Suarez
(ADN) 22%, Jaime Paz Zamora (MIR) 19%; no candidate received a
majority of the popular vote; Jaime Paz Zamora (MIR) formed a
coalition with Hugo Banzer (ADN); with ADN support Paz Zamora
won the congressional runoff election on 4 August and was inaugurated
on 6 August;
Senate–last held 7 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993);
results–percent of vote NA;
seats (27 total) MNR 9, ADN 8, MIR 8, CONDEPA 2;
Chamber of Deputies–last held 7 May 1989 (next to be held May
1993); results–percent of vote by party NA;
seats (130 total) MNR 40, ADN 38, MIR 30, IU 10, CONDEPA 9,
VR-9 3
Member of: FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IATP, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA,
IDB–Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
ISO, ITC, ITU, IWC–International Wheat Council, LAIA, NAM, OAS, PAHO,
SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jorge CRESPO; Chancery at
3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-4410
through 4412; there are Bolivian Consulates General in Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco;
US–Ambassador Robert GELBARD; Embassy at Banco Popular del Peru Building,
corner of Calles Mercado y Colon, La Paz (mailing address is P. O. Box 425,
La Paz, or APO Miami 34032); telephone Õ591å (2) 350251 or 350120
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with
the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of Ghana,
which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band
Economy
Overview: The Bolivian economy steadily deteriorated between
1980 and 1985 as La Paz financed growing budget deficits by expanding
the money supply and inflation spiraled–peaking at 11,700%. An austere
orthodox economic program adopted by newly elected President Paz
Estenssoro in 1985, however, succeeded in reducing inflation to between
10% and 20% annually during 1987 and 1989, eventually restarting
economic growth. President Paz Zamora has pledged to retain the economic
policies of the previous government in order to keep inflation down
and continue the growth begun under his predecessor. Nevertheless,
Bolivia continues to be one of the poorest countries in Latin
America, and it remains vulnerable to price fluctuations for
its limited exports–mainly minerals and natural gas. Moreover,
for many farmers, who constitute half of the country’s
work force, the main cash crop is coca, which is sold for cocaine
processing.
GNP: $4.6 billion, per capita $660; real growth rate 2.8% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15.5% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 20.7% (1988)
Budget: revenues $2,867 million; expenditures $2,867 million,
including capital expenditures of $663 million (1987)
Exports: $634 million (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities–metals 45%, natural gas 32%, coffee, soybeans,
sugar, cotton, timber, and illicit drugs;
partners–US 23%, Argentina
Imports: $786 million (c.i.f., 1989);
commodities–food, petroleum, consumer goods, capital goods;
partners–US 15%
External debt: $5.7 billion (December 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 8.1% (1987)
Electricity: 817,000 kW capacity; 1,728 million kWh produced, 260 kWh per
capita (1989)
Industries: mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverage, tobacco,
handicrafts, clothing; illicit drug industry reportedly produces the largest
revenues
Agriculture: accounts for 20% of GDP (including forestry and
fisheries); principal commodities–coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice,
potatoes, timber; self-sufficient in food
Illicit drugs: world’s second-largest producer of coca
(after Peru) with an estimated 54,000 hectares under cultivation;
government considers all but 12,000 hectares illicit and subject to
eradication; intermediate coca products and cocaine exported to or
through Colombia and Brazil to the US and other international drug
markets
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $909 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87),
$1.4 billion; Communist countries (1970-88), $340 million
Currency: boliviano (plural–bolivianos); 1 boliviano ($B) = 100
centavos
Exchange rates: bolivianos ($B) per US$1–2.6917 (1989), 2.3502
(1988), 2.0549 (1987), 1.9220 (1986), 0.4400 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 3,675 km total; 3,643 km 1.000-meter gauge and 32 km
0.760-meter gauge, all government owned, single track
Highways: 38,836 km total; 1,300 km paved, 6,700 km gravel, 30,836 km
improved and unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 10,000 km of commercially navigable waterways
Pipelines: crude oil 1,800 km; refined products 580 km; natural gas
1,495 km
Ports: none; maritime outlets are Arica and Antofagasta in Chile and
Matarani in Peru
Merchant marine: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 14,051
GRT/22,155 DWT; note–1 is owned by the Bolivian Navy
Civil air: 56 major transport aircraft
Airports: 636 total, 551 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways;
1 with runways over 3,659 m; 8 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 110 with runways
1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: radio relay system being expanded; improved
international services; 144,300 telephones; stations–129 AM, no FM, 43 TV,
68 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: Bolivian Army, Bolivian Navy, Bolivian Air Force (literally,
the Army of the Nation, the Navy of the Nation, the Air Force of the Nation)
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,629,154; 1,060,187 fit for military
service; 70,528 reach military age (19) annually
Defense expenditures: 3% of GNP (1987)
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Botswana
Geography
Total area: 600,370 km2; land area: 585,370 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: 4,013 km total; Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km,
Zimbabwe 813 km
Coastline: none–landlocked
Maritime claims: none–landlocked
Disputes: short section of the boundary with Namibia is indefinite;
quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement
Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain: predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert
in southwest
Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash,
coal, iron ore, silver, natural gas
Land use: 2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 75% meadows and pastures;
2% forest and woodland; 21% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: rains in early 1988 broke six years of drought that had
severely affected the important cattle industry; overgrazing; desertification
Note: landlocked; very long boundary with South Africa
People
Population: 1,224,527 (July 1990), growth rate 2.8% (1990)
Birth rate: 37 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 43 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 58 years male, 64 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 4.8 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun and adjective–Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Ethnic divisions: 95% Batswana; about 4% Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi;
about 1% white
Religion: 50% indigenous beliefs, 50% Christian
Language: English (official), Setswana
Literacy: 60%
Labor force: 400,000; 163,000 formal sector employees, most others
are engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1988 est.);
19,000 are employed in various mines in South Africa (1988)
Organized labor: 19 trade unions
Government
Long-form name: Republic of Botswana
Type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Gaborone
Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Central, Chobe, Ghanzi,
Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Ngamiland, North-East, South-East, Southern;
note–in addition, there may now be 4 town councils named Francistown,
Gaborone, Lobaste, Selebi-Pikwe
Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK; formerly Bechuanaland)
Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law;
judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Botswana Day, 30 September (1966)
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or
House of Chiefs and a lower house or National Assembly
Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government–President Quett K. J. MASIRE (since
13 July 1980); Vice President Peter S. MMUSI (since 3 January 1983)
Political parties and leaders: Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Quett
Masire; Botswana National Front (BNF), Kenneth Koma; Botswana People’s Party
(BPP), Knight Maripe; Botswana Independence Party (BIP), Motsamai Mpho;
Botswana Progressive Union (BPU), Daniel Kwele
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections:
President–last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October
1994);
results–President Quett K. J. Masire was reelected by the National
Assembly;
National Assembly–last held 7 October 1989 (next to be
held October 1994); results–percent of vote by party NA;
seats–(34 total, 30 elected) BDP 31, BNF 3
Communists: no known Communist organization; Koma of BNF has long history
of Communist contacts
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD,
ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, Southern African
Customs Union, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Botsweletse Kingsley
SEBELE; Chancery at Suite 404, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington
DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-4990 or 4991;
US–Ambassador-designate David PASSAGE; Deputy Chief of Mission
Johnnie CARSON; Embassy at Botswana Road, Gaborone
(mailing address is P. O. Box 90, Gaborone); telephone Õ267å 353982
through 353984
Flag: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe
in the center
Economy
Overview: The economy has historically been based on cattle raising and
crops. Agriculture today provides a livelihood for over 80% of the
population, but produces only about 50% of food needs and contributes
a small 5% to GDP. The driving force behind the rapid economic growth of
the 1970s and 1980s has been the mining industry. This sector, mostly on the
strength of diamonds, has gone from generating 25% of GDP in 1980 to over 50%
in 1988. No other sector has experienced such growth, especially not
that of the agricultural sector, which is plagued by erratic rainfall and poor
soils. The unemployment rate remains a problem at 25%. A scarce resource base
limits diversification into labor-intensive industries.
GDP: $1.87 billion, per capita $1,600; real growth rate 8.4%
(FY88)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.45% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 25% (1987)
Budget: revenues $1,235 million; expenditures $1,080 million, including
capital expenditures of NA (FY90 est.)
Exports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities–diamonds 88%, copper and nickel 5%, meat 4%, cattle, animal
products;
partners–Switzerland, US, UK, other EC-associated members of
Southern African Customs Union
Imports: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities–foodstuffs, vehicles, textiles, petroleum products;
partners–Switzerland, US, UK, other EC-associated members of Southern
African Customs Union
External debt: $700 million (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 16.8% (FY86)
Electricity: 217,000 kW capacity; 630 million kWh produced,
510 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: livestock processing; mining of diamonds, copper,
nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; tourism
Agriculture: accounts for only 5% of GDP; subsistence
farming predominates; cattle raising supports 50% of the population;
must import large share of food needs
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $242 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.6 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $43 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$24 million
Currency: pula (plural–pula); 1 pula (P) = 100 thebe
Exchange rates: pula (P) per US$1–1.8734 (January 1990), 2.0125 (1989),
1.8159 (1988), 1.6779 (1987), 1.8678 (1986), 1.8882 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Railroads: 712 km 1.0 67-meter gauge
Highways: 11,514 km total; 1,600 km paved; 1,700 km crushed stone or
gravel, 5,177 km improved earth, 3,037 km unimproved earth
Civil air: 6 major transport aircraft
Airports: 99 total, 87 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 23 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: the small system is a combination of open-wire lines,
radio relay links, and a few radiocommunication stations; 17,900 telephones;
stations–2 AM, 3 FM, no TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Air Wing, Botswana Police
Military manpower: males 15-49, 249,480; 131,304 fit for military
service; 14,363 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 2.2% of GNP (1987)
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Bouvet Island
(territory of Norway)
Geography
Total area: 58 km2; land area: 58 km2
Comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 29.6 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 10 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: antarctic
Terrain: volcanic; maximum elevation about 800 meters;
coast is mostly inacessible
Natural resources: none
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: covered by glacial ice
Note: located in the South Atlantic Ocean 2,575 km
south-southwest of the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
People
Population: uninhabited
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: territory of Norway
Economy
Overview: no economic activity
Communications
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
Telecommunications: automatic meteorological station
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of Norway
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Brazil
Geography
Total area: 8,511,965 km2; land area: 8,456,510 km2; includes
Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade,
Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo
Comparative area: slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries: 14,691 km total; Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km,
Colombia 1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km,
Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km
Coastline: 7,491 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 200 nm
Disputes: short section of the boundary with Paraguay (just west of
Guaira Falls on the Rio Parana) is in dispute; two short
sections of boundary with Uruguay are in dispute (Arroyo de la
Invernada area of the Rio Quarai and the islands at the confluence of
the Rio Quarai and the Uruguay); claims a Zone of Interest in Antarctica
Climate: mostly tropical, but temperate in south
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,
mountains, and narrow coastal belt
Natural resources: iron ore, manganese, bauxite, nickel, uranium,
phosphates, tin, hydropower, gold, platinum, crude oil, timber
Land use: 7% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 19% meadows and pastures;
67% forest and woodland; 6% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: recurrent droughts in northeast; floods and frost in south;
deforestation in Amazon basin; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro
and Sao Paulo
Note: largest country in South America; shares common boundaries
with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
People
Population: 152,505,077 (July 1990), growth rate 1.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 26 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 69 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 62 years male, 68 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Brazilian(s); adjective–Brazilian
Ethnic divisions: Portuguese, Italian, German, Japanese, black,
Amerindian; 55% white, 38% mixed, 6% black, 1% other
Religion: 90% Roman Catholic (nominal)
Language: Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
Literacy: 76%
Labor force: 57,000,000 (1989 est.); 42% services, 31% agriculture,
27% industry
Organized labor: 13,000,000 dues paying members (1989 est.)
Government
Long-form name: Federative Republic of Brazil
Type: federal republic
Capital: Brasilia
Administrative divisions: 24 states (estados, singular–estado),
2 territories* (territorios, singular–territorio), and 1 federal district**
(distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa*, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara,
Distrito Federal**, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato
Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana,
Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul,
Rondonia, Roraima*, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins;
note–the territories of Amapa and Roraima will become states
on 15 March 1991
Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
Constitution: 5 October 1988
Legal system: based on Latin codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 September (1822)
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congresso Nacional)
consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or
Chamber of Deputies (Camara dos Deputados)
Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government–President Fernando
Affonso COLLOR de Mello (since 15 March 1990); Vice President
Itamar FRANCO (since 15 March 1990)
Political parties and leaders: National Reconstruction Party (PRN),
Daniel Tourinho, president; Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB),
Ulysses Guimaraes, president; Liberal Front Party (PFL), Hugo
Napoleao, president; Workers’ Party (PT), Luis Ignacio (Lula) da
Silva, president; Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), Luiz Gonzaga de Paiva
Muniz, president; Democratic Labor Party (PDT), Doutel de Andrade,
president; Democratic Social Party (PDS), Jarbas Passarinho, president;
Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), Mario Covas, president;
Brazilian Communist Party (PCB), Salomao Malina, secretary general;
Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB), Joao Amazonas, president
Suffrage: voluntary at age 16; compulsory between ages 18 and 70;
voluntary at age 70
Elections:
President–last held 15 November 1989, with runoff on 17
December 1989 (next to be held November 1994);
results–Fernando Collor de Mello 53%, Luis Inacio da Silva 47%;
first free, direct presidential election since 1960;
Senate–last held 15 November 1986 (next to be held 3 October
1990); results–PMDB 60%, PFL 21%, PDS 8%, PDT 3%, others 8%;
seats–(66 total) PMDB 43, PFL 15, PDS 6, PDT 2, others 6; note–as of
1990 Senate has 75 seats;
Chamber of Deputies–last held 15 November 1986 (next to
be held 3 October 1990);
results–PMDB 53%, PFL 23%, PDS 7%, PDT 5%, other 12%;
seats–(495 total) PMDB 258, PFL 114, PDS 33, PDT 24, others 58;
note–as of 1990 Chamber of Deputies has 570 seats
Communists: about 30,000
Other political or pressure groups: left wing of the Catholic Church
and labor unions allied to leftist Worker’s Party are critical of government’s
social and economic policies
Member of: CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT, Group of Eight, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC,
ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB–Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, INTELSAT, IPU, IRC, ISO, ITU, IWC–International Wheat Council, OAS, PAHO,
SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Marcilio Marques MOREIRA; Chancery
at 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 745-2700;
there are Brazilian Consulates General in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami,
New Orleans, and New York, and Consulates in Dallas, Houston, and San Francisco;
US–Ambassador Richard MELTON; Embassy at Avenida das Nocoes,
Lote 3, Brasilia, Distrito Federal (mailing address is APO Miami 34030);
telephone Õ55å (6) 321-7272; there are US Consulates General in Rio de Janeiro
and Sao Paulo, and Consulates in Porto Alegre and Recife
Flag: green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue
celestial globe with 23 white five-pointed stars (one for each state) arranged
in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white
equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)
Economy
Overview: The economy, a mixture of private enterprises of all
sizes and extensive government intervention, experienced enormous
difficulties in the late 1980s, notably declining real growth, runaway
inflation, foreign debt obligations of more than $100 billion, and
uncertain economic policy. Government intervention includes trade and
investment restrictions, wage/price controls, interest and exchange rate
controls, and extensive tariff barriers. Ownership of major industrial
facilities is divided among private interests, the government, and
multinational companies. Ownership in agriculture likewise is varied,
with the government intervening in the politically sensitive
issues involving large landowners and the masses of poor peasants.
In consultation with the IMF, the Brazilian Government has initiated
several programs over the last few years to ameliorate the stagnation
and foreign debt problems. None of these has given more than temporary
relief. The strategy of the new Collor government is to increase
the pace of privatization, encourage foreign trade and investment,
and establish a more realistic exchange rate. One long-run strength
is the existence of vast natural resources.
GDP: $377 billion, per capita $2,500; real growth rate 3% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1,765% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 2.5% (December 1989)
Budget: revenues $27.8 billion; expenditures $40.1 billion,
including capital expenditures of $8.8 billion (1986)
Exports: $34.2 billion (1989 est.);
commodities–coffee, metallurgical products, chemical products,
foodstuffs, iron ore, automobiles and parts;
partners–US 28%, EC 26%, Latin America 11%, Japan 6% (1987)
Imports: $18.0 billion (1989 est.);
commodities–crude oil, capital goods, chemical products, foodstuffs,
coal;
partners–Middle East and Africa 24%, EC 22%, US 21%, Latin
America 12%, Japan 6% (1987)
External debt: $109 billion (December 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 3.2% (1989 est.)
Electricity: 52,865,000 kW capacity; 202,280 million kWh produced,
1,340 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: textiles and other consumer goods, shoes, chemicals, cement,
lumber, iron ore, steel, motor vehicles and auto parts, metalworking, capital
goods, tin
Agriculture: accounts for 12% of GDP; world’s largest producer and
exporter of coffee and orange juice concentrate and second-largest exporter of
soybeans; other products–rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, beef; self-sufficient
in food, except for wheat
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and coca, mostly for
domestic consumption; government has an active eradication program
to control cannabis and coca cultivation
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $2.5 billion; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $9.5 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $284 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$1.3 billion
Currency: novo cruzado (plural–novos cruzados);
1 novo cruzado (NCr$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: novos cruzados (NCr$) per US$1–2.83392 (1989),
0.26238 (1988), 0.03923 (1987), 0.01366 (1986), 0.00620 (1985); note–
25 tourist/parallel rate (December 1989)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 29,694 km total; 25,268 km 1.000-meter gauge, 4,339 km
1.600-meter gauge, 74 km mixed 1.600-1.000-meter gauge,
13 km 0.760-meter gauge; 2,308 km electrified
Highways: 1,448,000 km total; 48,000 km paved, 1,400,000 km gravel or
earth
Inland waterways: 50,000 km navigable
Pipelines: crude oil, 2,000 km; refined products, 3,804 km; natural gas,
1,095 km
Ports: Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto Alegre,
Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos
Merchant marine: 271 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,855,708
GRT/9,909,097 DWT; includes 2 passenger-cargo, 68 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo,
12 container, 9 roll-on/roll-off, 56 petroleum, oils, and lubricants
(POL) tanker, 15 chemical tanker, 10 liquefied gas, 14 combination ore/oil,
82 bulk, 2 combination bulk
Civil air: 176 major transport aircraft
Airports: 3,774 total, 3,106 usable; 386 with permanent-surface runways;
2 with runways over 3,659 m; 21 with runways 2,240-3,659 m; 503 with runways
1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: good system; extensive radio relay facilities;
9.86 million telephones; stations–1,223 AM, no FM, 112 TV, 151 shortwave;
3 coaxial submarine cables 3 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations with total
of 3 antennas; 64 domestic satellite stations
Defense Forces
Branches: Brazilian Army, Navy of Brazil, Brazilian Air Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 39,620,936; 26,752,307 fit for military
service; 1,617,378 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 0.6% of GDP, or $2.3 billion (1989 est.)
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British Indian Ocean Territory
(dependent territory of the UK)
Geography
Total area: 60 km2; land area: 60 km2
Comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 698 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Disputes: Diego Garcia is claimed by Mauritius
Climate: tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain: flat and low (up to 4 meters in elevation)
Natural resources: coconuts, fish
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: archipelago of 2,300 islands
Note: Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies
strategic location in central Indian Ocean
People
Population: no permanent civilian population; formerly about 3,000
islanders
Ethnic divisions: civilian inhabitants, known as the Ilois, evacuated to
Mauritius before construction of UK and US defense facilities
Government
Long-form name: British Indian Ocean Territory (no short-form
name); abbreviated BIOT
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: none
Leaders:
Chief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government–Commissioner R. EDIS (since NA 1988),
Administrator Robin CROMPTON (since NA 1988);
note–both officials reside in the UK
Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory
of the UK)
Flag: the flag of the UK is used
Economy
Overview: All economic activity is concentrated on the largest
island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located.
Construction projects and various services needed to support the military
installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK and US.
There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands.
Electricity: provided by the US military
Communications
Highways: short stretch of paved road between port and airfield on
Diego Garcia
Ports: Diego Garcia
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways over 3,659 m on Diego Garcia
Telecommunications: minimal facilities; stations (operated by the
US Navy)–1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
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British Virgin Islands
(dependent territory of the UK)
Geography
Total area: 150 km2; land area: 150 km2
Comparative area: about 0.8 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline: 80 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Terrain: coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: 20% arable land; 7% permanent crops; 33% meadows and pastures;
7% forest and woodland; 33% other
Environment: subject to hurricanes and tropical storms from July
to October
Note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
People
Population: 12,258 (July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 20 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: – 3 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 14 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 77 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–British Virgin Islander(s); adjective–British
Virgin Islander
Ethnic divisions: over 90% black, remainder of white and Asian origin
Religion: majority Methodist; others include Anglican, Church of God,
Seventh-Day Adventist, Baptist, and Roman Catholic
Language: English (official)
Literacy: 98%
Labor force: 4,911 (1980)
Organized labor: NA
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: Road Town
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Constitution: 1 June 1977
Legal system: English law
National holiday: Territory Day, 1 July
Executive branch: British monarch, governor, chief minister,
Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by
Governor John Mark Ambrose HERDMAN (since NA 1986);
Head of Government–Chief Minister H. Lavity STOUTT (since NA 1986)
Political parties and leaders: United Party (UP), Conrad Maduro;
Virgin Islands Party (VIP), H. Lavity Stoutt; Independent
People’s Movement (IPM), Cyril B. Romney
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
Legislative Council–last held 30 September 1986 (next to be
held by September 1991); results–percent of vote by party NA;
seats–(9 total) UP 2, VIP 5, IPM 2
Communists: probably none
Member of: Commonwealth
Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the
coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical
column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word
VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
Economy
Overview: The economy is highly dependent on the tourist industry,
which generates about 21% of the national income. In 1985 the government
offered offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in
the islands, and, in consequence, incorporation fees generated about $2 million
in 1987. Livestock raising is the most significant agricultural activity. The
islands’ crops, limited by poor soils, are unable to meet food requirements.
GDP: $106.7 million, per capita $8,900; real growth rate 2.5% (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (January 1987)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $26.2 million; expenditures $25.4 million,
including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)
Exports: $2.3 million (f.o.b., 1985); commodities–rum, fresh fish,
gravel, sand, fruits, animals; partners–Virgin Islands (US),
Puerto Rico, US
Imports: $72.0 million (c.i.f., 1985); commodities–building
materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery; partners–Virgin Islands
(US), Puerto Rico, US
External debt: $4.5 million (1985)
Industrial production: growth rate – 4.0% (1985)
Electricity: 13,500 kW capacity; 59 million kWh produced,
4,870 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block,
offshore financial center
Agriculture: livestock (including poultry), fish, fruit, vegetables
Aid: NA
Currency: US currency is used
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Highways: 106 km motorable roads (1983)
Ports: Road Town
Airports: 3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways
less than 1,220 m
Telecommunications: 3,000 telephones; worldwide external telephone
service; submarine cable communication links to Bermuda; stations–1 AM,
no FM, 1 TV
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
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Brunei
Geography
Total area: 5,770 km2; land area: 5,270 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Delaware
Land boundary: 381 km with Malaysia
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides
the country
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland
in west
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, timber
Land use: 1% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures;
79% forest and woodland; 18% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
Note: close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking
Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost
an enclave of Malaysia
People
Population: 372,108 (July 1990), growth rate 7.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 23 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 52 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 77 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Bruneian(s); adjective–Bruneian
Ethnic divisions: 64% Malay, 20% Chinese, 16% other
Religion: 60% Muslim (official); 8% Christian; 32% Buddhist and
indigenous beliefs
Language: Malay (official), English, and Chinese
Literacy: 45%
Labor force: 89,000 (includes members of the Army); 33% of labor
force is foreign (1988); 50.4% production of oil, natural gas, and
construction; 47.6% trade, services, and other; 2.0% agriculture,
forestry, and fishing (1984)
Organized labor: 2% of labor force
Government
Long-form name: Negara Brunei Darussalam
Type: constitutional sultanate
Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
Administrative divisions: 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular–daerah);
Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong
Independence: 1 January 1984 (from UK)
Constitution: 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended
under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since
independence on 1 January 1984)
Legal system: based on Islamic law
National holiday: National Day, 23 February (1984)
Executive branch: sultan, prime minister, Council of Cabinet Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council
(Majlis Masyuarat Megeri)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government–Sultan and Prime Minister Sir Muda
HASSANAL BOLKIAH Muizzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967)
Political parties and leaders: Brunei National United Party
(inactive), Anak Hasanuddin, chairman; Brunei National Democratic Party
(the first legal political party and now banned) Abdul Latif
bin Abdul Hamid, chairman
Suffrage: none
Elections:
Legislative Council–last held in March 1962; in 1970
the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the sultan
and no elections are planned
Communists: probably none
Member of: ASEAN, ESCAP (associate member), IMO, INTERPOL, OIC, UN
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Dato Paduka Haji MOHAMED SUNI
bin Haji Idris; Chancery at 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037;
telephone (202) 342-0159; US–Ambassador Christopher H. PHILLIPS;
Embassy at Teck Guan Plaza (corner of Jalan McArthur), Bandar Seri
Begawan (mailing address is P. O. Box 2991, Bandar Seri Begawan);
telephone Õ673å (2) 29670
Flag: yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width)
and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is
superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of
a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two
upraised hands
Economy
Overview: The economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic
entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare measures, and
village tradition. It is almost totally supported by exports of
crude oil and natural gas, with revenues from the petroleum sector
accounting for more than 70% of GDP. Per capita GDP of $9,600
is among the highest in the Third World, and substantial income from
overseas investment supplements domestic production. The government
provides for all medical services and subsidizes food and housing.
GDP: $3.3 billion, per capita $9,600; real growth rate
2.5% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1989 est.)
Unemployment: 2.5%, shortage of skilled labor (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $1.2 billion (1987); expenditures $1.6 billion,
including capital expenditures of NA (1989 est.)
Exports: $2.07 billion (f.o.b., 1987);
commodities–crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products;
partners–Japan 55% (1986)
Imports: $800 million (c.i.f., 1987);
commodities–machinery and transport equipment, manufactured
goods; food, beverages, tobacco; consumer goods;
partners–Singapore 31%, US 20%, Japan 6% (1986)
External debt: none
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 310,000 kW capacity; 890 million kWh produced,
2,580 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: petroleum, liquefied natural gas, construction
Agriculture: imports about 80% of its food needs; principal crops
and livestock include rice, cassava, bananas, buffaloes, and pigs
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $20.6 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-87), $143.7 million
Currency: Bruneian dollar (plural–dollars); 1 Bruneian dollar
(B$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1–1.8895 (January 1990),
1.9503 (1989), 2.0124 (1988), 2.1060 (1987), 2.1774 (1986), 2.2002 (1985);
note–the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 13 km 0.610-meter narrow-gauge private line
Highways: 1,090 km total; 370 km paved (bituminous treated) and another
52 km under construction, 720 km gravel or unimproved
Inland waterways: 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 meters
Ports: Kuala Belait, Muara
Merchant marine: 7 liquefied gas carriers (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT
Pipelines: crude oil, 135 km; refined products, 418 km;
natural gas, 920 km
Civil air: 4 major transport aircraft (3 Boeing 757-200,
1 Boeing 737-200)
Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with
runway over 3,659 m; 1 with runway 1,406 m
Telecommunications: service throughout country is adequate for present
needs; international service good to adjacent Malaysia; radiobroadcast coverage
good; 33,000 telephones (1987); stations–4 AM/FM, 1 TV; 74,000 radio receivers
(1987); satellite earth stations–1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific
Ocean INTELSAT
Defense Forces
Branches: Royal Brunei Armed Forces, including air wing, navy, and ground
forces; British Gurkha Battalion; Royal Brunei Police; Gurkha Reserve Unit
Military manpower: males 15-49, 104,398; 60,242 fit for military service;
3,106 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: $197.6 million, 17% of central government budget
(FY86)
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Bulgaria
Geography
Total area: 110,910 km2; land area: 110,550 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: 1,881 km total; Greece 494 km, Romania 608 km,
Turkey 240 km, Yugoslavia 539 km
Coastline: 354 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: Macedonia question with Greece and Yugoslavia
Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and south
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber,
arable land
Land use: 34% arable land; 3% permanent crops; 18% meadows and pastures;
35% forest and woodland; 10% other; includes 11% irrigated
Environment: subject to earthquakes, landslides; deforestation;
air pollution
Note: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key
land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
People
Population: 8,933,544 (July 1990), growth rate – 0.3% (1990)
Birth rate: 13 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: – 4 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 13 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Bulgarian(s); adjective–Bulgarian
Ethnic divisions: 85.3% Bulgarian, 8.5% Turk, 2.6% Gypsy, 2.5%
Macedonian, 0.3% Armenian, 0.2% Russian, 0.6% other
Religion: religious background of population is 85% Bulgarian
Orthodox, 13% Muslim, 0.8% Jewish, 0.7% Roman Catholic, 0.5%
Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other
Language: Bulgarian; secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic
breakdown
Literacy: 95% (est.)
Labor force: 4,300,000; 33% industry, 20% agriculture, 47% other (1987)
Organized labor: all workers are members of the Central Council of
Trade Unions (CCTU); Pod Krepa (Support), an independent trade union,
legally registered in January 1990
Government
Long-form name: People’s Republic of Bulgaria
Type: Communist state, but democratic elections planned for 1990
Capital: Sofia
Administrative divisions: 8 provinces (oblasti, singular–oblast)
and 1 city* (grad); Burgas, Grad Sofiya*, Khaskovo, Lovech, Mikhaylovgrad,
Plovdiv, Razgrad, Sofiya, Varna
Independence: 22 September 1908 (from Ottoman Empire)
Constitution: 16 May 1971, effective 18 May 1971
Legal system: based on civil law system, with Soviet law influence;
judicial review of legislative acts in the State Council; has accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Anniversary of the Socialist Revolution in Bulgaria,
9 September (1944)
Executive branch: president, chairman of the Council of Ministers,
four deputy chairmen of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Narodno Sobranyie)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State–President Petur Toshev MLADENOV (chairman of
the State Council since 11 November 1989; became president
on 3 April 1990 when the State Council was abolished);
Head of Government–Chairman of the Council of Ministers
Andrey LUKANOV (since 3 February 1990); Deputy Chairman of the
Council of Ministers Chudomir Asenov ALEKSANDROV (since 8 February
1990); Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers Belcho Antonov BELCHEV
(since 8 February 1990); Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers
Konstantin Dimitrov KOSEV (since 8 February 1990); Deputy Chairman of
the Council of Ministers Nora Krachunova ANANIEVA (since 8 February 1990)
Political parties and leaders: Bulgarian Communist Party (BKP),
Aleksandur Lilov, chairman; Bulgarian National Agrarian
Union (BZNS), Angel Angelov Dimitrov, secretary of Permanent Board;
Bulgarian Social Democratic Party, Petur Dentlieu; Green Party;
Christian Democrats; Radical Democratic Party; others forming
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections:
Chairman of the State Council–last held 17 June 1986
(next to be held 10 and 17 June 1990);
results–Todor Zhivkov reelected but was replaced by
Petur Toshev Mladenov on 11 November 1989;
National Assembly–last held 8 June 1986 (next to be held
10 and 17 June 1990); results–percent of vote by party NA;
seats–(400 total) BKP 276, BZNS 99, others 25
Communists: 932,055 party members (April 1986)
Other political or pressure groups: Union of Democratic Forces
(umbrella organization for opposition groups); Ecoglenost, Podkrepa
Independent Trade Union, Fatherland Front, Communist Youth Union, Central
Council of Trade Unions, National Committee for Defense of
Peace, Union of Fighters Against Fascism and Capitalism, Committee
of Bulgarian Women, All-National Committee for Bulgarian-Soviet
Friendship; Union of Democratic Forces, a coalition of about a
dozen dissident groups; numerous regional and national interest
groups with various agendas
Member of: CCC, CEMA, FAO, IAEA, IBEC, ICAO, ILO, ILZSG, IMO,
IPU, ITC, ITU, IWC–International Wheat Council, UN, UNESCO, UPU,
Warsaw Pact, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Velichko Filipov VELICHKOV;
Chancery at 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-7969;
US–Ambassador Sol POLANSKY; Embassy at 1 Alexander Stamboliski Boulevard,
Sofia (mailing address is APO New York 09213); telephone Õ359å (2) 88-48-01
through 05
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red with the
national emblem on the hoist side of the white stripe; the emblem contains a
rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and
above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and
1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
Economy
Overview: Growth in the sluggish Bulgarian economy fell to the
2% annual level in the 1980s, and by 1989 Sofia’s foreign debt had
skyrocketed to $10 billion–giving a debt service ratio of more
than 40% of hard currency earnings. The post-Zhivkov regime
faces major problems of renovating an aging industrial plant,
keeping abreast of rapidly unfolding technological developments,
investing in additional energy capacity (the portion of electric
power from nuclear energy reached 37% in 1988), and motivating workers,
in part by giving them a share in the earnings of their enterprises.
A major decree of January 1989 summarized and extended
the government’s economic restructuring efforts, which include a partial
decentralization of controls over production decisions and foreign trade.
The new regime promises more extensive reforms and eventually a market
economy. But the ruling group cannot (so far) bring itself to give
up ultimate control over economic affairs exercised through the vertical
Party/ministerial command structure. Reforms have not
led to improved economic performance, in particular the provision of more
and better consumer goods. A further blow to the economy was the exodus
of 310,000 ethnic Turks in mid-1989, which caused temporary shortages
of skilled labor in glassware, aluminum, and other industrial plants
and in tobacco fields.
GNP: $51.2 billion, per capita $5,710; real growth rate – 0.1%
(1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (1989)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $26 billion; expenditures $28 billion,
including capital expenditures of $NA billion (1988)
Exports: $20.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities–machinery and equipment 60.5%; agricultural products 14.7%;
manufactured consumer goods 10.6%; fuels, minerals, raw materials, and metals
8.5%; other 5.7%;
partners–Socialist countries 82.5% (USSR 61%, GDR 5.5%, Czechoslovakia
4.9%); developed countries 6.8% (FRG 1.2%, Greece 1.0%); less developed
countries 10.7% (Libya 3.5%, Iraq 2.9%)
Imports: $21.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities–fuels, minerals, and raw materials 45.2%; machinery and
equipment 39.8%; manufactured consumer goods 4.6%; agricultural products 3.8%;
other 6.6%;
partners–Socialist countries 80.5% (USSR 57.5%, GDR 5.7%), developed
countries 15.1% (FRG 4.8%, Austria 1.6%); less developed countries 4.4%
(Libya 1.0%, Brazil 0.9%)
External debt: $10 billion (1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 0.9% (1988)
Electricity: 11,500,000 kW capacity; 45,000 million kWh produced,
5,000 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: food processing, machine and metal building,
electronics, chemicals
Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GNP; climate and soil conditions support
livestock raising and the growing of various grain crops, oilseeds, vegetables,
fruits and tobacco; more than one-third of the arable land devoted to grain;
world’s fourth-largest tobacco exporter; surplus food producer
Aid: donor–$1.6 billion in bilateral aid to non-Communist less developed
countries (1956-88)
Currency: lev (plural–leva); 1 lev (Lv) = 100 stotinki
Exchange rates: leva (Lv) per US$1–0.84 (1989), 0.82 (1988),
0.90 (1987), 0.95 (1986), 1.03 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 4,294 km total, all government owned (1986); 4,049 km
1.435-meter standard gauge, 245 km narrow gauge; 908 km double track; 2,342 km
electrified
Highways: 37,397 km total; 33,352 km hard surface (including 228 km
superhighways); 4,045 km earth roads (1986)
Inland waterways: 470 km (1986)
Pipelines: crude, 193 km; refined product, 418 km; natural gas, 1,400 km
(1986)
Ports: Burgas, Varna, Varna West; river ports are Ruse, Vidin, and Lom
on the Danube
Merchant marine: 108 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 1,240,204
GRT/1,872,723 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 32 cargo, 2 container,
1 passenger-cargo training, 5 roll-on/roll-off, 16 petroleum, oils, and
lubricants (POL) tanker, 2 railcar carriers, 48 bulk
Civil air: 65 major transport aircraft
Airports: 380 total, 380 usable; about 120 with permanent-surface
runways; 20 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 20 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: stations–15 AM, 16 FM, 13 TV; 1 Soviet TV relay;
2,100,000 TV sets; 2,100,000 radio receivers; at least 1 satellite earth
station
Defense Forces
Branches: Bulgarian People’s Army, Bulgarian Navy, Air and Air
Defense Forces, Frontier Troops
Military manpower: males 15-49, 2,177,404; 1,823,111 fit for military
service; 66,744 reach military age (19) annually
Defense expenditures: 1.6051 billion leva (1989);
note–conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the official
administratively set exchange rate would produce misleading results
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Burkina
Geography
Total area: 274,200 km2; land area: 273,800 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Colorado
Land boundaries: 3,192 km total; Benin 306 km, Ghana 548 km,
Ivory Coast 584 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
Coastline: none–landlocked
Maritime claims: none–landlocked
Disputes: the disputed international boundary between Burkina and Mali was
submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October 1983 and the
ICJ issued its final ruling in December 1986, which both sides agreed to accept;
Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the
tripoint with Niger
Climate: tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain: mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and
southeast
Natural resources: manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits
of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc,
silver
Land use: 10% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 37% meadows and
pastures; 26% forest and woodland; 27% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting
marginal agricultural activities, population distribution, economy;
overgrazing; deforestation
Note: landlocked
People
Population: 9,077,828 (July 1990), growth rate 3.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 50 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 17 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: – 3 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 121 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 51 years male, 52 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 7.2 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Burkinabe; adjective–Burkinabe
Ethnic divisions: more than 50 tribes; principal tribe is Mossi (about
2.5 million); other important groups are Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande,
and Fulani
Religion: 65% indigenous beliefs, about 25% Muslim, 10% Christian (mainly
Roman Catholic)
Language: French (official); tribal languages belong to Sudanic family,
spoken by 90% of the population
Literacy: 13.2%
Labor force: 3,300,000 residents; 30,000 are wage earners;
82% agriculture, 13% industry, 5% commerce, services, and government; 20% of
male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal
employment (1984); 44% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: four principal trade union groups represent less than 1%
of population
Government
Long-form name: Burkina Faso
Type: military; established by coup on 4 August 1983
Capital: Ouagadougou
Administrative divisions: 30 provinces; Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba,
Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Kadiogo,
Kenedougou, Komoe, Kossi, Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri,
Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili,
Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Yatenga, Zoundweogo
Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France; formerly Upper Volta)
Constitution: none; constitution of 27 November 1977 was abolished
following coup of 25 November 1980
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)
Executive branch: chairman of the Popular Front, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
was dissolved on 25 November 1980
Judicial branch: Appeals Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government–Chairman of the
Popular Front Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
Political parties and leaders: all political parties banned following
November 1980 coup
Suffrage: none
Elections: the National Assembly was dissolved 25 November 1980 and
no elections are scheduled
Communists: small Communist party front group; some sympathizers
Other political or pressure groups: committees for the defense of the
revolution, watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both
organizations and communities
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, EAMA, ECA, EIB (associate), Entente, FAO,
GATT, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB–Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, NAM, Niger River Commission, OAU, OCAM, OIC,
UN, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Paul Desire KABORE;
Chancery at 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 332-5577 or 6895;
US–Ambassador David H. SHINN; Embassy at Avenue Raoul Follerau,
Ouagadougou (mailing address is B. P. 35, Ouagadougou);
telephone Õ226å 30-67-23 through 25
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow
five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy
Overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina
has a high population density, few natural resources, and relatively infertile
soil. Economic development is hindered by a poor communications network within
a landlocked country. Agriculture provides about 40% of GDP and is
entirely of a subsistence nature. Industry, dominated by unprofitable
government-controlled corporations, accounted for 13% of GDP in 1985.
GDP: $1.43 billion, per capita $170; real growth rate 7.7% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (1988)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $422 million; expenditures $516 million, including
capital expenditures of $25 million (1987)
Exports: $249 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities–oilseeds, cotton, live animals, gold;
partners–EC 42% (France 30%, other 12%), Taiwan 17%,
Ivory Coast 15% (1985)
Imports: $591 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities–grain, dairy products, petroleum, machinery;
partners–EC 37% (France 23%, other 14%), Africa 31%, US 15%
(1985)
External debt: $969 million (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate 7.1% (1985)
Electricity: 121,000 kW capacity; 320 million kWh produced, 37 kWh per
capita (1989)
Industries: agricultural processing plants; brewery, cement, and brick
plants; a few other small consumer goods enterprises
Agriculture: cash crops–peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton; food
crops–sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock; not self-sufficient in food
grains
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $271 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.5 billion;
Communist countries (1970-88), $94 million
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural–francs);
1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1–284.55 (January 1990),
319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 620 km total; 520 km Ouagadougou to Ivory Coast border and
100 km Ouagadougou to Kaya; all 1.00-meter gauge and single track
Highways: 16,500 km total; 1,300 km paved, 7,400 km improved, 7,800 km
unimproved (1985)
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Airports: 50 total, 43 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 7 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: all services only fair; radio relay, wire, and radio
communication stations in use; 13,900 telephones; stations–2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV;
1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Air Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,775,143; 904,552 fit for military
service; no conscription
Defense expenditures: 3.1% of GDP (1987)
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Burma
Geography
Total area: 678,500 km2; land area: 657,740 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: 5,876 km total; Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km,
India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km
Coastline: 1,930 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest
monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures,
lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
Terrain: central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Natural resources: crude oil, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper,
tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas
Land use: 15% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures;
49% forest and woodland; 34% other; includes 2% irrigated
Environment: subject to destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding
and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); deforestation
Note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
People
Population: 41,277,389 (July 1990), growth rate 2.0% (1990)
Birth rate: 33 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 97 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 53 years male, 56 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 4.2 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Burmese; adjective–Burmese
Ethnic divisions: 68% Burman, 9% Shan, 7% Karen, 4% Rakhine, 3% Chinese,
2% Mon, 2% Indian, 5% other
Religion: 85% Buddhist, 15% animist beliefs, Muslim, Christian, or
other
Language: Burmese; minority ethnic groups have their own languages
Literacy: 78%
Labor force: 16,036,000; 65.2% agriculture, 14.3% industry, 10.1% trade,
6.3% government, 4.1% other (FY89 est.)
Organized labor: Workers’ Asiayone (association), 1,800,000 members, and
Peasants’ Asiayone, 7,600,000 members
Government
Long-form name: Union of Burma; note–the local official name is
Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw which has been translated as Union of Myanma
or Union of Myanmar
Type: military government
Capital: Rangoon (sometimes translated as Yangon)
Administrative divisions: 7 divisions* (yin-mya, singular–yin) and
7 states (pyine-mya, singular–pyine); Chin State, Irrawaddy*, Kachin State,
Karan State, Kayah State, Magwe*, Mandalay*, Mon State, Pegu*, Rakhine State,
Rangoon*, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tenasserim*
Independence: 4 January 1948 (from UK)
Constitution: 3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988)
Legal system: martial law in effect throughout most of the
country; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 January (1948)
Executive branch: chairman of the State Law and Order Restoration Council,
State Law and Order Restoration Council
Legislative branch: unicameral People’s Assembly (Pyithu Hluttaw)
was dissolved after the coup of 18 September 1988
Judicial branch: Council of People’s Justices was abolished after the
coup of 18 September 1988
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government–Chairman of the State Law and Order
Restoration Council and Prime Minister Gen. SAW MAUNG (since 18
September 1988)
Political parties and leaders: National League for Democracy,
U Tin Oo and Aung San Suu Kyi; League for Democracy and Peace, U Nu;
National Unity Party (promilitary); over 100 other parties
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
People’s Assembly–last held 6-20 October 1985, but dissolved after
the coup of 18 September 1988; next scheduled 27 May 1990);
results–percent of vote by party NA;
seats–(NA total) number of seats by party NA
Communists: several hundred, est., primarily as an insurgent group
on the northeast frontier
Other political or pressure groups: Kachin Independence Army; Karen
National Union, several Shan factions (all insurgent groups); Burmese
Communist Party (BCP)
Member of: ADB, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IRC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador U MYO AUNG; Chancery at
2300 S Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-9044 through 9046;
there is a Burmese Consulate General in New York;
US–Ambassador Burton LEVIN; Embassy at 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon
(mailing address is G. P. O. Box 521, Rangoon or
Box B, APO San Francisco 96346); telephone 82055 or 82181
Flag: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing,
all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of
rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions
Economy
Overview: Burma is one of the poorest countries in Asia, with a per
capita GDP of about $280. The government reports negligible growth
for FY88. The nation has been unable to achieve any significant
improvement in export earnings because of falling prices for many
of its major commodity exports. For rice, traditionally the most important
export, the drop in world prices has been accompanied by shrinking markets
and a smaller volume of sales. In 1985 teak replaced rice as the largest export
and continues to hold this position. The economy is heavily dependent on the
agricultural sector, which generates about 40% of GDP and provides employment
for more than 65% of the work force.
GDP: $11.0 billion, per capita $280; real growth rate 0.2%
(FY88 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 22.6% (FY89 est.)
Unemployment rate: 10.4% in urban areas (FY87)
Budget: revenues $4.9 billion; expenditures $5.0 billion,
including capital expenditures of $0.7 billion (FY89 est.)
Exports: $311 million (f.o.b., FY88 est.)
commodities–teak, rice, oilseed, metals, rubber, gems;
partners–Southeast Asia, India, China, EC, Africa
Imports: $536 million (c.i.f., FY88 est.)
commodities–machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, food products;
partners–Japan, EC, CEMA, China, Southeast Asia
External debt: $5.6 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate – 1.5% (FY88)
Electricity: 950,000 kW capacity; 2,900 million kWh produced, 70 kWh
per capita (1989)
Industries: agricultural processing; textiles and footwear; wood and
wood products; petroleum refining; mining of copper, tin, tungsten, iron;
construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
Agriculture: accounts for about 40% of GDP (including fish and
forestry); self-sufficient in food; principal crops–paddy rice, corn,
oilseed, sugarcane, pulses; world’s largest stand of hardwood trees;
rice and teak account for 55% of export revenues; 1985 fish catch of
644 million metric tons
Illicit drugs: world’s largest illicit producer of opium poppy
and minor producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; opium
production is on the increase as growers respond to the collapse
of Rangoon’s antinarcotic programs
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $158 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $3.8 billion;
Communist countries (1970-88), $424 million
Currency: kyat (plural–kyats); 1 kyat (K) = 100 pyas
Exchange rates: kyats (K) per US$1–6.5188 (January 1990), 6.7049 (1989),
6.3945 (1988), 6.6535 (1987), 7.3304 (1986), 8.4749 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Railroads: 3,991 km total, all government owned; 3,878 km 1.000-meter
gauge, 113 km narrow-gauge industrial lines; 362 km double track
Highways: 27,000 km total; 3,200 km bituminous, 17,700 km improved earth
or gravel, 6,100 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 12,800 km; 3,200 km navigable by large commercial
vessels
Pipelines: crude, 1,343 km; natural gas, 330 km
Ports: Rangoon, Moulmein, Bassein
Merchant marine: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 595,814
GRT/955,924 DWT; includes 3 passenger-cargo, 15 cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off,
1 vehicle carrier, 1 container, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL)
tanker, 5 chemical, 16 bulk
Civil air: 17 major transport aircraft (including 3 helicopters)
Airports: 88 total, 81 usable; 29 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 37
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity
service; international service is good; radiobroadcast coverage is limited to
the most populous areas; 53,000 telephones (1986); stations–2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV
(1985); 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower: eligible 15-49, 20,294,848; of the 10,135,886 males
15-49, 5,438,196 are fit for military service; of the 10,158,962 females 15-49,
5,437,518 are fit for military service; 434,200 males and 423,435 females
reach military age (18) annually; both sexes are liable for military service
Defense expenditures: $315.0 million, 21.0% of central government budget
(FY88)
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Burundi
Geography
Total area: 27,830 km2; land area: 25,650 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries: 974 km total; Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km,
Zaire 233 km
Coastline: none–landlocked
Maritime claims: none–landlocked
Climate: temperate; warm; occasional frost in uplands
Terrain: mostly rolling to hilly highland; some plains
Natural resources: nickel, uranium, rare earth oxide, peat, cobalt,
copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium
Land use: 43% arable land; 8% permanent crops; 35% meadows and pastures;
2% forest and woodland; 12% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: soil exhaustion; soil erosion; deforestation
Note: landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed
People
Population: 5,645,997 (July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 47 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 15 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 111 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 50 years male, 54 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Burundian(s); adjective–Burundi
Ethnic divisions: Africans–85% Hutu (Bantu), 14% Tutsi (Hamitic), 1%
Twa (Pygmy); other Africans include about 70,000 refugees, mostly Rwandans and
Zairians; non-Africans include about 3,000 Europeans and 2,000 South Asians
Religion: about 67% Christian (62% Roman Catholic, 5% Protestant), 32%
indigenous beliefs, 1% Muslim
Language: Kirundi and French (official); Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika
and in the Bujumbura area)
Literacy: 33.8%
Labor force: 1,900,000 (1983 est.); 93.0% agriculture, 4.0% government,
1.5% industry and commerce, 1.5% services; 52% of population of working age
(1985)
Organized labor: sole group is the Union of Burundi Workers (UTB); by
charter, membership is extended to all Burundi workers (informally); figures
denoting active membership unobtainable
Government
Long-form name: Republic of Burundi
Type: republic
Capital: Bujumbura
Administrative divisions: 15 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi,
Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya,
Muyinga, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi
Independence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian
administration)
Constitution: 20 November 1981; suspended following the coup of
3 September 1987
Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil codes and
customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Executive branch: president, Military Committee for National Salvation,
prime minister, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
was dissolved following the coup of 3 September 1987
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State–President Pierre BUYOYA (since 9 September 1987);
Head of Government Prime Minister Adrien SIBOMANA (since 26
October 1988)
Political parties and leaders: only party–National Party of
Unity and Progress (UPRONA), a Tutsi-led party, Libere Bararunyeretse,
coordinator of the National Permanent Secretariat
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA
Elections:
National Assembly–dissolved after the coup of 3 September
1987; no elections are planned
Communists: no Communist party
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, EAMA, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICO,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Julien KAVAKURE; Chancery at
Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington DC 20007;
telephone (202) 342-2574;
US–Ambassador Cynthia Shepherd PERRY; Embassy at Avenue du Zaire,
Bujumbura (mailing address is B. P. 1720, Bujumbura);
telephone 234-54 through 56
Flag: divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom)
and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white disk superimposed at
the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a
triangular design (one star above, two stars below)
Economy
Overview: A landlocked, resource-poor country in an early stage
of economic development, Burundi is predominately agricultural with only
a few basic industries. Its economic health is dependent on the coffee crop,
which accounts for an average 90% of foreign exchange earnings each year.
The ability to pay for imports therefore continues to rest largely on the
vagaries of the climate and the international coffee market.
GDP: $1.3 billion, per capita $255; real growth rate 2.8% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $213 million; expenditures $292 million,
including capital expenditures of $131 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $128 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities–coffee 88%, tea, hides and skins;
partners–EC 83%, US 5%, Asia 2%
Imports: $204 million (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities–capital goods 31%, petroleum products 15%, foodstuffs,
consumer goods;
partners–EC 57%, Asia 23%, US 3%
External debt: $795 million (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: real growth rate 5.1% (1986)
Electricity: 51,000 kW capacity; 105 million kWh produced, 19 kWh per
capita (1989)
Industries: light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly
of imports; public works construction; food processing
Agriculture: accounts for 60% of GDP; 90% of population dependent on
subsistence farming; marginally self-sufficient in food production;
cash crops–coffee, cotton, tea; food crops–corn, sorghum, sweet
potatoes, bananas, manioc; livestock–meat, milk, hides, and skins
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $68 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $10 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $32 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$175 million
Currency: Burundi franc (plural–francs); 1 Burundi franc
(FBu) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Burundi francs (FBu) per US$1–176.20 (January 1990),
158.67 (1989), 140.40 (1988), 123.56 (1987), 114.17 (1986), 120.69 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Highways: 5,900 km total; 400 km paved, 2,500 km gravel or laterite,
3,000 km improved or unimproved earth
Inland waterways: Lake Tanganyika
Ports: Bujumbura (lake port) connects to transportation systems of
Tanzania and Zaire
Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft
Airports: 8 total, 7 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none
with runways 1,220 to 2,439 m
Telecommunications: sparse system of wire, radiocommunications, and
low-capacity radio relay links; 8,000 telephones; stations–2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV;
1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: Army (includes naval and air units); paramilitary Gendarmerie
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,230,559; 642,927 fit for military
service; 61,418 reach military age (16) annually
Defense expenditures: 3.1% of GDP (1987)
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Cambodia
Geography
Total area: 181,040 km2; land area: 176,520 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Land boundaries: 2,572 km total; Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km,
Vietnam 1,228 km
Coastline: 443 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: offshore islands and three sections of the
boundary with Vietnam are in dispute; maritime boundary with Vietnam
not defined; occupied by Vietnam on 25 December 1978
Climate: tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to October); dry season
(December to March); little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Natural resources: timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese,
phosphates, hydropower potential
Land use: 16% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures;
76% forest and woodland; 4% other; includes 1% irrigated
Environment: a land of paddies and forests dominated by Mekong River
and Tonle Sap
Note: buffer between Thailand and Vietnam
People
Population: 6,991,107 (July 1990), growth rate 2.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 39 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 16 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 128 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 47 years male, 50 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 4.5 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun–Cambodian(s); adjective–Cambodian
Ethnic divisions: 90% Khmer (Cambodian), 5% Chinese, 5% other minorities
Religion: 95% Theravada Buddhism, 5% other
Language: Khmer (official), French
Literacy: 48%
Labor force: 2.5-3.0 million; 80% agriculture (1988 est.)
Organized labor: Kampuchea Federation of Trade Unions (FSC); under
government control
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: disputed between the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea
(CGDK) led by Prince NORODOM SIHANOUK and the
