China
\n(also see separate Taiwan entry)
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 9,596,960 km2; land area: 9,326,410 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly larger than the US<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 23,213.34 km total; Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km,
\nBurma 2,185 km, Hong Kong 30 km, India 3,380 km, North Korea 1,416 km,
\nLaos 423 km, Macau 0.34 km, Mongolia 4,673 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km,
\nUSSR 7,520 km, Vietnam 1,281 km<\/p>\n
Coastline: 14,500 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: boundary with India; bilateral negotiations are under way
\nto resolve four disputed sections of the boundary with the USSR
\n(Pamir, Argun, Amur, and Khabarovsk areas); a short section of
\nthe boundary with North Korea is indefinite; Hong Kong is
\nscheduled to become a Special Administrative Region in 1997; Portuguese
\nterritory of Macau is scheduled to become a Special Administrative
\nRegion in 1999; sporadic border clashes with Vietnam; involved in a
\ncomplex dispute over the Spratly Islands with Malaysia, Philippines,
\nTaiwan, and Vietnam; maritime boundary dispute with Vietnam in the Gulf of
\nTonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and
\nTaiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands)<\/p>\n
Climate: extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north<\/p>\n
Terrain: mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains,
\ndeltas, and hills in east<\/p>\n
Natural resources: coal, iron ore, crude oil, mercury, tin, tungsten,
\nantimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead,
\nzinc, uranium, world’s largest hydropower potential<\/p>\n
Land use: 10% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 31% meadows and
\npastures; 14% forest and woodland; 45% other; includes 5% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: frequent typhoons (about five times per year along southern
\nand eastern coasts), damaging floods, tsunamis, earthquakes; deforestation; soil
\nerosion; industrial pollution; water pollution; desertification<\/p>\n
Note: world’s third-largest country (after USSR and Canada)<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 1,118,162,727 (July 1990), growth rate 1.4% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 22 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 7 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: 0 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 34 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 69 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 2.3 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Chinese (sing., pl.); adjective–Chinese<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 93.3% Han Chinese; 6.7% Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi,
\nTibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities<\/p>\n
Religion: officially atheist, but traditionally pragmatic and eclectic;
\nmost important elements of religion are Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism;
\nabout 2-3% Muslim, 1% Christian<\/p>\n
Language: Standard Chinese (Putonghua) or Mandarin (based on the Beijing
\ndialect); also Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan
\n(Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, and minority languages (see
\nethnic divisions)<\/p>\n
Literacy: over 75%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 513,000,000; 61.1% agriculture and forestry, 25.2% industry
\nand commerce, 4.6% construction and mining, 4.5% social services, 4.6% other
\n(1986 est.)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) follows the
\nleadership of the Chinese Communist Party; membership over 80 million or about
\n65% of the urban work force (1985)<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: People’s Republic of China; abbreviated PRC<\/p>\n
Type: Communist Party-led state<\/p>\n
Capital: Beijing<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural),
\n5 autonomous regions* (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 3 municipalities**
\n(shi, singular and plural); Anhui, Beijing**, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong,
\nGuangxi*, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu,
\nJiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol*, Ningxia*, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong,
\nShanghai**, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tianjin**, Xinjiang*, Xizang*, Yunnan,
\nZhejiang; note–China considers Taiwan its 23rd province<\/p>\n
Independence: unification under the Qin (Ch’in) Dynasty 221 BC,
\nQing (Ch’ing or Manchu) Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912,
\nPeople’s Republic established 1 October 1949<\/p>\n
Constitution: 4 December 1982<\/p>\n
Legal system: a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal
\nlaw; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal codes
\nin effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being made to improve
\ncivil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law<\/p>\n
National holiday: National Day, 1 October (1949)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, vice president, premier, three vice premiers,
\nState Council, Central Military Commission (de facto)<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral National People’s Congress (Quanguo
\nRenmin Daibiao Dahui)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme People’s Court<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State and Head of Government (de facto)–DENG
\nXiaoping (since mid-1977);<\/p>\n
Chief of State–President YANG Shangkun (since 8 April 1988);
\nVice President WANG Zhen (since 8 April 1988);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Premier LI Peng (Acting Premier since
\n24 November 1987, Premier since 9 April 1988);
\nVice Premier YAO Yilin (since 2 July 1979);
\nVice Premier TIAN Jiyun (since 20 June 1983);
\nVice Premier WU Xueqian (since 12 April 1988)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: only party–Chinese Communist Party
\n(CCP), Jiang Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 8 April 1988 (next to be held March 1993);
\nYang Shangkun was elected by the Seventh National People’s Congress;<\/p>\n
National People’s Congress–last held NA March 1988 (next to
\nbe held March 1993); results–CCP is the only party;
\nseats–(2,970 total) CCP 2,970 (indirectly elected)<\/p>\n
Communists: about 45,000,000 party members (1986)<\/p>\n
Other political or pressure groups: such meaningful opposition as exists
\nconsists of loose coalitions, usually within the party and government
\norganization, that vary by issue<\/p>\n
Member of: ADB, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO,
\nILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador ZHU Qizhen; Chancery at
\n2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
\ntelephone (202) 328-2500 through 2502; there are Chinese Consulates General
\nin Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco;
\nUS–Ambassador James R. LILLEY; Embassy at Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3,
\nBeijing (mailing address is FPO San Francisco 96655); telephone \u00d586\u00e5 (1)
\n532-3831;
\nthere are US Consulates General in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenyang<\/p>\n
Flag: red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow
\nfive-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag)
\nin the upper hoist-side corner<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: Beginning in late 1978 the Chinese leadership has been
\ntrying to move the economy from the sluggish Soviet-style centrally planned
\neconomy to a more productive and flexible economy with market elements–but
\nstill within the framework of monolithic Communist control. To this
\nend the authorities have switched to a system of household responsibility
\nin agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority
\nof local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide
\nvariety of small-scale enterprise in services and light manufacturing,
\nand opened the foreign economic sector to increased trade and joint
\nventures. The most gratifying result has been a strong spurt in production,
\nparticularly in agriculture in the early 1980s. Otherwise, the leadership has
\noften experienced in its hybrid system the worst results of socialism
\n(bureaucracy, lassitude, corruption) and of capitalism (windfall gains
\nand stepped-up inflation). Beijing thus has periodically backtracked,
\nretightening central controls at intervals and thereby undermining the
\ncredibility of the reform process. Open inflation and excess demand continue to
\nplague the economy, and political repression, following the crackdown at
\nTiananmen in mid-1989, has curtailed tourism, foreign aid, and new investment
\nby foreign firms. Popular resistance and changes in central policy have weakened
\nChina’s population control program, which is essential to the nation’s long-term
\neconomic viability.<\/p>\n
GNP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate 4% (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 19.5% (1989)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 3.0% in urban areas (1989)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of
\n$NA<\/p>\n
Exports: $52.5 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
\ncommodities–manufactured goods, agricultural products, oilseeds, grain
\n(rice and corn), oil, minerals;
\npartners–Hong Kong, US, Japan, USSR, Singapore, FRG (1989)<\/p>\n
Imports: $59.1 billion (c.i.f., 1989);
\ncommodities–grain (mostly wheat), chemical fertilizer, steel,
\nindustrial raw materials, machinery, equipment;
\npartners–Hong Kong, Japan, US, FRG, USSR (1989)<\/p>\n
External debt: $51 billion (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 8.0% (1989)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 110,000,000 kW capacity; 560,000 million kWh produced,
\n500 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: iron, steel, coal, machine building, armaments,
\ntextiles, petroleum<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 26% of GNP; among the world’s largest producers
\nof rice, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, and pork; commercial
\ncrops include cotton, other fibers, and oilseeds; produces variety of livestock
\nproducts; basically self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 8 million metric tons
\nin 1986<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $220.7 million;
\nWestern (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87),
\n$11.1 billion<\/p>\n
Currency: yuan (plural–yuan); 1 yuan (Y) = 10 jiao<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: yuan (Y) per US$1–4.7221 (January 1990),
\n3.7651 (1989), 3.7221 (1988), 3.7221 (1987), 3.4528 (1986), 2.9367 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: total about 54,000 km common carrier lines; 53,400 km
\n1.435-meter standard gauge; 600 km 1.000-meter gauge;
\nall single track except 11,200 km double track on standard-gauge lines;
\n6,500 km electrified; 10,000 km industrial lines
\n(gauges range from 0.762 to 1.067 meters)<\/p>\n
Highways: about 980,000 km all types roads; 162,000 km paved
\nroads, 617,200 km gravel\/improved earth roads, 200,800 km unimproved
\nnatural earth roads and tracks<\/p>\n
Inland waterways: 138,600 km; about 109,800 km navigable<\/p>\n
Pipelines: crude, 6,500 km; refined products, 1,100 km; natural gas,
\n6,200 km<\/p>\n
Ports: Dalian, Guangzhou, Huangpu, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai,
\nXingang, Zhanjiang, Ningbo<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 1,373 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,303,685 GRT\/
\n20,092,833 DWT; includes 25 passenger, 41 short-sea passenger, 17
\npassenger-cargo, 7 cargo\/training, 766 cargo, 10 refrigerated cargo,
\n65 container, 17 roll-on\/roll-off cargo, 3 multifunction barge carriers,
\n173 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 9 chemical tanker, 237 bulk,
\n2 vehicle carrier, 1 liquefied gas; note–China beneficially owns an additional
\n175 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling approximately 5,380,415 DWT that operate
\nunder the registry of Panama, UK, Hong Kong, Liberia, and Malta<\/p>\n
Airports: 330 total, 330 usable; 260 with permanent-surface runways;
\nfewer than 10 with runways over 3,500 m; 90 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 200 with
\nrunways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: domestic and international services are
\nincreasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed internal
\nsystem serves principal cities, industrial centers, and most townships;
\n11,000,000 telephones (December 1989); stations–274 AM, unknown FM,
\n202 (2,050 relays) TV; more than 215 million radio receivers; 75 million
\nTVs; satellite earth stations–4 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean
\nINTELSAT, and 55 domestic<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Chinese People’s Liberation Army (CPLA), CPLA Navy (including
\nMarines), CPLA Air Force<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 330,353,665; 184,515,412 fit for military
\nservice; 11,594,366 reach military age (18) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: $5.28 billion (1988)
\n.pa
\nChristmas Island
\n(territory of Australia)
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 135 km2; land area: 135 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: about 0.8 times the size of Washington, DC<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 138.9 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;<\/p>\n
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 3 nm<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds<\/p>\n
Terrain: steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau<\/p>\n
Natural resources: phosphate<\/p>\n
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
\n0% forest and woodland; 100% other<\/p>\n
Environment: almost completely surrounded by a reef<\/p>\n
Note: located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 2,278 (July 1990), growth rate 0.0% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: NA births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: NA deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: NA migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: NA children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Christmas Islander(s), adjective–Christmas Island<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 61% Chinese, 25% Malay, 11% European, 3% other; no
\nindigenous population<\/p>\n
Religion: NA<\/p>\n
Language: English<\/p>\n
Literacy: NA%<\/p>\n
Labor force: NA; all workers are employees of the Phosphate Mining
\nCompany of Christmas Island, Ltd.<\/p>\n
Organized labor: NA<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Territory of Christmas Island<\/p>\n
Type: territory of Australia<\/p>\n
Capital: The Settlement<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)<\/p>\n
Independence: none (territory of Australia)<\/p>\n
Constitution: Christmas Island Act of 1958<\/p>\n
Legal system: under the authority of the governor general of Australia<\/p>\n
National holiday: NA<\/p>\n
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general of Australia,
\nadministrator, Advisory Council (cabinet)<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: none<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: none<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Administrator A. D. TAYLOR (since NA)<\/p>\n
Communists: none<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)<\/p>\n
Flag: the flag of Australia is used<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: Phosphate mining is the only significant economic
\nactivity, but in November 1987 the Australian Government announced that
\nthe mine would be closed because of labor unrest. Plans are under way to build a
\ncasino and hotel to develop tourism.<\/p>\n
GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 0%<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of
\n$NA<\/p>\n
Exports: $NA; commodities–phosphate; partners–Australia, NZ<\/p>\n
Imports: $NA; commodities–NA; partners–NA<\/p>\n
External debt: $NA<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate NA%<\/p>\n
Electricity: 11,000 kW capacity; 38 million kWh produced,
\n16,680 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: phosphate extraction (near depletion)<\/p>\n
Agriculture: NA<\/p>\n
Aid: none<\/p>\n
Currency: Australian dollar (plural–dollars); 1 Australian dollar
\n($A) = 100 cents<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1–1.2784 (January 1990),
\n1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June<\/p>\n
Communications
\nPorts: Flying Fish Cove<\/p>\n
Airports: 1 usable with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: 4,000 radios (1982)<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nNote: defense is the responsibility of Australia
\n.pa
\nClipperton Island
\n(French possession)
\nGeography
\nTotal area: undetermined<\/p>\n
Comparative area: undetermined<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 11.1 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical<\/p>\n
Terrain: coral atoll<\/p>\n
Natural resources: none<\/p>\n
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
\n0% forest and woodland; 100% other (coral)<\/p>\n
Environment: reef about 8 km in circumference<\/p>\n
Note: located 1,120 km southwest of Mexico in the North Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: uninhabited<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: none<\/p>\n
Type: French possession administered by High Commissioner of the
\nRepublic Jean MONTPEZAT, resident in French Polynesia<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: no economic activity<\/p>\n
Communications
\nPorts: none; offshore anchorage only<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nNote: defense is the responsibility of France
\n.pa
\nCocos (Keeling) Islands
\n(territory of Australia)
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 14 km2; land area: 14 km2; main islands are West Island and
\nHome Island<\/p>\n
Comparative area: about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 42.6 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;<\/p>\n
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 3 nm<\/p>\n
Climate: pleasant, modified by the southeast trade winds for about nine
\nmonths of the year; moderate rainfall<\/p>\n
Terrain: flat, low-lying coral atolls<\/p>\n
Natural resources: fish<\/p>\n
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and
\npastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other<\/p>\n
Environment: two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and
\nother vegetation<\/p>\n
Note: located 1,070 km southwest of Sumatra (Indonesia) in the
\nIndian Ocean about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 670 (July 1990), growth rate 2.1% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: NA births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: NA deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: NA migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: NA children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Cocos Islander(s); adjective–Cocos Islander(s)<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: mostly Europeans on West Island and Cocos Malays
\non Home Island<\/p>\n
Religion: NA<\/p>\n
Language: English<\/p>\n
Literacy: NA%<\/p>\n
Labor force: NA<\/p>\n
Organized labor: none<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands<\/p>\n
Type: territory of Australia<\/p>\n
Capital: West Island<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)<\/p>\n
Independence: none (territory of Australia)<\/p>\n
Constitution: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955<\/p>\n
Legal system: based upon the laws of Australia and local laws<\/p>\n
National holiday: NA<\/p>\n
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general of Australia,
\nadministrator, chairman of the Islands Council<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral Islands Council<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court<\/p>\n
Leaders: Chief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Administrator D. LAWRIE (since NA 1989);
\nChairman of the Islands Council Parson Bin YAPAT (since NA)<\/p>\n
Suffrage: NA<\/p>\n
Elections: NA<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)<\/p>\n
Flag: the flag of Australia is used<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash
\ncrop. Copra and fresh coconuts are the major export earners. Small local
\ngardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most
\nother necessities must be imported from Australia.<\/p>\n
GNP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%<\/p>\n
Unemployment: NA<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of
\n$NA<\/p>\n
Exports: $NA;
\ncommodities–copra;
\npartners–Australia<\/p>\n
Imports: $NA;
\ncommodities–foodstuffs;
\npartners–Australia<\/p>\n
External debt: $NA<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate NA%<\/p>\n
Electricity: NA kW capacity; NA million kWh produced, NA kWh per
\ncapita<\/p>\n
Industries: copra products<\/p>\n
Agriculture: gardens provide vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts<\/p>\n
Aid: none<\/p>\n
Currency: Australian dollar (plural–dollars); 1 Australian dollar
\n($A) = 100 cents<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1–1.2784 (January 1990),
\n1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June<\/p>\n
Communications
\nPorts: none; lagoon anchorage only<\/p>\n
Airports: 1 airfield with permanent-surface runway, 2,440-3,659 m;
\nairport on West Island is a link in service between Australia and South Africa<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: 250 radios (1985); linked by telephone,
\ntelex, and facsimile communications via satellite with Australia;
\nstations–1 AM, no FM, no TV<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nNote: defense is the responsibility of Australia
\n.pa
\nColombia
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 1,138,910 km2; land area: 1,038,700 km2; includes Isla
\nde Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Montana<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 7,408 km total; Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km,
\nPanama 225 km, Peru 2,900, Venezuela 2,050 km<\/p>\n
Coastline: 3,208 km total (1,448 km North Pacific Ocean;
\n1,760 Caribbean Sea)<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: not specified;<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the
\nGulf of Venezuela; territorial dispute with Nicaragua over Archipelago
\nde San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands<\/p>\n
Terrain: mixture of flat coastal lowlands, plains in east, central
\nhighlands, some high mountains<\/p>\n
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel,
\ngold, copper, emeralds<\/p>\n
Land use: 4% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 29% meadows and pastures;
\n49% forest and woodland; 16% other; includes NEGL% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions;
\ndeforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides; periodic droughts<\/p>\n
Note: only South American country with coastlines on both
\nNorth Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 33,076,188 (July 1990), growth rate 2.1% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 27 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 5 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 38 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 73 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Colombian(s); adjective–Colombian<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 58% mestizo, 20% white, 14% mulatto, 4% black, 3%
\nmixed black-Indian, 1% Indian<\/p>\n
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic<\/p>\n
Language: Spanish<\/p>\n
Literacy: 88% (1987 est.), Indians about 40%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 11,000,000 (1986); 53% services, 26% agriculture,
\n21% industry (1981)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: 1,400,000 members (1987), about 12% of labor
\nforce; the Communist-backed Unitary Workers Central or CUT is the largest
\nlabor organization, with about 725,000 members (including all affiliate unions)<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Republic of Colombia<\/p>\n
Type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure<\/p>\n
Capital: Bogota<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 23 departments (departamentos,
\nsingular–departamento), 5 commissariats* (comisarias,
\nsingular–comisaria), and 4 intendancies** (intendencias,
\nsingular–intendencia); Amazonas*, Antioquia, Arauca**, Atlantico, Bolivar,
\nBoyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare**, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba,
\nCundinamarca, Guainia*, Guaviare*, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta,
\nNarino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo**, Quindio, Risaralda,
\nSan Andres y Providencia**, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca,
\nVaupes*, Vichada*; note–there may be a new special district (distrito
\nespecial) named Bogota<\/p>\n
Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 4 August 1886, with amendments codified in 1946 and 1968<\/p>\n
Legal system: based on Spanish law; judicial review of legislative acts
\nin the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations<\/p>\n
National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, presidential designate, cabinet<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of an upper
\nchamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives
\n(Camara de Representantes)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica)<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State and Head of Government–Virgilio BARCO Vargas
\n(since 7 August 1986; term ends August 1990); Presidential Designate
\nVictor MOSQUERA Chaux (since 13 October 1986); President-elect Cesar
\nGAVIRIA Trujillo (since 27 May 1990, takes office 7 August 1990)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party–Cesar Gaviria
\nTrujillo, Virgilio Barco Vargas, Alfonso Lopez Michelson, Julio Cesar
\nTurbay;
\nConservative Party–Misael Pastrana Borrero, Alvaro Gomez Hurtado;
\nPatriotic Union (UP), is a legal political party formed by
\nRevolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Colombian
\nCommunist Party (PCC), Bernardo Jaramillo Ossa; 19th of April Movement
\n(M-19), Rodrigo Lloreda<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 27 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994);
\nresults–Cesar Gaviria Trujillo (Liberal) 47%, Alvaro Gomez Hurtado
\n(Conservative) 24%, Antonio Novarro Wolff (Conservative) 13%, Rodrigo
\nLloreda (M-19) 12%;<\/p>\n
Senate–last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1994);
\nresults–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(114 total) Liberal 68, Conservative 45, UP 1;<\/p>\n
House of Representatives last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held
\nMarch 1994); results–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(199 total) Liberal 107, Conservative 82, UP 10<\/p>\n
Communists: 18,000 members (est.), including Communist Party Youth
\nOrganization (JUCO)<\/p>\n
Other political or pressure groups: Colombian Communist Party (PCC),
\nGilberto Vieira White; Communist Party\/Marxist-Leninist (PCC\/ML), Chinese-line
\nCommunist Party; Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC);
\nNational Liberation Army (ELN); People’s Liberation Army (EPL)<\/p>\n
Member of: FAO, G-77, GATT, Group of Eight, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC,
\nICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB–Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD,
\nIFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, LAIA,
\nNAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPEB, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
\nWSG, WTO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Victor MOSQUERA; Chancery at
\n2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-8338; there are
\nColombian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York,
\nSan Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Consulates in Atlanta, Boston,
\nDetroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Tampa;
\nUS–Ambassador Thomas E. McNAMARA; Embassy at Calle 38, No.8-61,
\nBogota (mailing address is APO Miami 34038); telephone \u00d557\u00e5 (1) 285-1300 or
\n1688; there is a US Consulate in Barranquilla<\/p>\n
Flag: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red;
\nsimilar to the flag of Ecuador which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of
\narms superimposed in the center<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: Economic activity has slowed gradually since 1986, but
\ngrowth rates remain high by Latin American standards. Conservative
\neconomic policies have encouraged investment and kept inflation
\nand unemployment under 30% and 10%, respectively. The rapid development
\nof oil, coal, and other nontraditional industries over the past four
\nyears has helped to offset the decline in coffee prices–Colombia’s major
\nexport. The collapse of the International Coffee Agreement in the summer
\nof 1989, a troublesome rural insurgency, and drug-related violence
\ndampen prospects for future growth.<\/p>\n
GDP: $35.4 billion, per capita $1,110; real growth rate 3.7% (1988)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 27% (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 9.0% (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $4.39 billion; current expenditures $3.93
\nbillion, capital expenditures $l.03 billion (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Exports: $5.76 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
\ncommodities–coffee 30%, petroleum 24%, coal, bananas, fresh cut flowers;
\npartners–US 36%, EC 21%, Japan 5%, Netherlands 4%, Sweden 3%<\/p>\n
Imports: $5.02 billion (c.i.f., 1989 est.);
\ncommodities–industrial equipment, transportation equipment, foodstuffs,
\nchemicals, paper products;
\npartners–US 34%, EC 16%, Brazil 4%, Venezuela 3%, Japan 3%<\/p>\n
External debt: $17.5 billion (1989)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 2.0% (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 9,250,000 kW capacity; 35,364 million kWh produced,
\n1,110 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear,
\nbeverages, chemicals, metal products, cement; mining–gold, coal, emeralds,
\niron, nickel, silver, salt<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 22% of GDP; crops make up two-thirds and
\nlivestock one-third of agricultural output; climate and soils permit a wide
\nvariety of crops, such as coffee, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans,
\noilseeds, vegetables; forest products and shrimp farming are becoming more
\nimportant<\/p>\n
Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of cannabis and coca for the
\ninternational drug trade; key supplier of marijuana and cocaine to
\nthe US and other international drug markets; drug production and
\ntrafficking accounts for an estimated 4% of GDP and 28% of foreign
\nexchange earnings<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $1.6 billion; Western
\n(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.9 billion;
\nCommunist countries (1970-88), $399 million<\/p>\n
Currency: Colombian peso (plural–pesos);
\n1 Colombian peso (Col$) = 100 centavos<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Colombian pesos (Col$) per US$1–439.68 (January 1990),
\n382.57 (1989), 299.17 (1988), 242.61 (1987), 194.26 (1986), 142.31 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: 3,563 km, all 0.914-meter gauge, single track<\/p>\n
Highways: 75,450 km total; 9,350 km paved, 66,100 km earth and gravel
\nsurfaces<\/p>\n
Inland waterways: 14,300 km, navigable by river boats<\/p>\n
Pipelines: crude oil, 3,585 km; refined products, 1,350 km; natural gas,
\n830 km; natural gas liquids, 125 km<\/p>\n
Ports: Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Covenas, San Andres,
\nSanta Marta, Tumaco<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 334,854 GRT\/487,438
\nDWT; includes 23 cargo, 1 chemical tanker, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants
\n(POL) tanker, 9 bulk<\/p>\n
Civil air: 106 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 673 total, 622 usable; 66 with permanent-surface runways;
\n1 with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 124 with runways
\n1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: nationwide radio relay system; 1,890,000 telephones;
\nstations–413 AM, no FM, 33 TV, 28 shortwave 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth
\nstations with 2 antennas and 11 domestic satellite stations<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: armed forces include Police (Policia Nacional) and
\nmilitary–Army (Ejercito Nacional), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia),
\nNavy (Armada Nacional)<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 8,768,072; 5,953,729 fit for military
\nservice; 354,742 reach military age (18) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 1.9% of GDP, or $700 million (1990 est.)
\n.pa
\nComoros
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 2,170 km2; land area: 2,170 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 340 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: claims French-administered Mayotte<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)<\/p>\n
Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains
\nto low hills<\/p>\n
Natural resources: negligible<\/p>\n
Land use: 35% arable land; 8% permanent crops; 7% meadows and pastures;
\n16% forest and woodland; 34% other<\/p>\n
Environment: soil degradation and erosion; deforestation;
\ncyclones possible during rainy season<\/p>\n
Note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 460,188 (July 1990), growth rate 3.5% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 48 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 12 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: 0 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 89 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 58 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Comoran(s); adjective–Comoran<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava<\/p>\n
Religion: 86% Sunni Muslim, 14% Roman Catholic<\/p>\n
Language: Shaafi Islam (a Swahili dialect), Malagasy, French<\/p>\n
Literacy: 15%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 140,000 (1982); 80% agriculture, 3% government; 51% of
\npopulation of working age (1985)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: NA<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros<\/p>\n
Type: independent republic<\/p>\n
Capital: Moroni<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 3 islands; Anjouan, Grande Comore,
\nMoheli; note–there may also be 4 municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni,
\nMoroni, and Mutsamudu<\/p>\n
Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 1 October 1978, amended October 1982 and January 1985<\/p>\n
Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code<\/p>\n
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State and Head of Government–President Said
\nMohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990)<\/p>\n
Political parties: Comoran Union for Progress (Udzima), Said
\nMohamed Djohar, president; National Union for Democracy (UNDC),
\nMohamed Taki<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996);
\nresults–Said Mohamed Djohar (Udzima) 55%; Mohamed Taki Abdulkarim
\n(UNDC) 45%;<\/p>\n
Federal Assembly–last held 22 March 1987 (next to be held March
\n1992);
\nresults–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(42 total) Udzima 42<\/p>\n
Member of: ACP, AfDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, IDA, IDB–Islamic Development Bank,
\nIFAD, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Amini Ali MOUMIN; Chancery
\n(temporary) at the Comoran Permanent Mission to the UN, 336 East 45th Street,
\n2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 972-8010;
\nUS–Ambassador Howard K. WALKER, resides in Antananarivo (Madagascar);
\nEmbassy at address NA, Moroni (mailing address B. P. 1318, Moroni);
\ntelephone 73-12-03<\/p>\n
Flag: green with a white crescent placed diagonally (closed side of the
\ncrescent points to the upper hoist-side corner of the flag); there are four
\nwhite five-pointed stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent;
\nthe crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; the four
\nstars represent the four main islands of the archipelago–Mwali, Njazidja,
\nNzwani, and Mayotte (which is a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed
\nby the Comoros)<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: One of the world’s poorest countries, Comoros is made up of
\nseveral islands that have poor transportation links, a young and rapidly
\nincreasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level
\nof the labor force contributes to a low level of economic activity, high
\nunemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign technical assistance.
\nAgriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the leading sector of the
\neconomy. It contributes about 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor
\nforce, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in
\nfood production, and rice, the main staple, accounts for 90% of imports.
\nDuring the period 1982-86 the industrial sector grew at an annual average rate
\nof 5.3%, but its contribution to GDP was less than 4% in 1986. Despite major
\ninvestment in the tourist industry, which accounts for about 25% of GDP, growth
\nhas stagnated since 1983.<\/p>\n
GDP: $207 million, per capita $475; real growth rate 0.1% (1988 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.3% (1986)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: over 16% (1988 est.)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $75.2 million; expenditures $77.9 million,
\nincluding capital expenditures of $4.8 million (1988 est.)<\/p>\n
Exports: $12 million (f.o.b., 1987);
\ncommodities–vanilla, cloves, perfume oil, copra;
\npartners–US 53%, France 41%, Africa 4%, FRG 2%<\/p>\n
Imports: $52 million (c.i.f., 1987);
\ncommodities–rice and other foodstuffs, cement, petroleum products,
\nconsumer goods;
\npartners–Europe 62% (France 22%, other 40%), Africa 5%, Pakistan,
\nChina<\/p>\n
External debt: $238 million (December 1988)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 3.4% (1988 est.)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 16,000 kW capacity; 24 million kWh produced,
\n55 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: perfume distillation<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP; most of population works in
\nsubsistence agriculture and fishing; plantations produce cash crops for
\nexport–vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, and copra; principal food
\ncrops–coconuts, bananas, cassava; world’s leading producer of essence of
\nylang-ylang (for perfumes) and second-largest producer of vanilla; large net
\nfood importer<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY80-88), $9 million; Western
\n(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $371 million;
\nOPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $22 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
\n$18 million<\/p>\n
Currency: Comoran franc (plural–francs); 1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100
\ncentimes<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Comoran francs (CF) per US$1–287.99 (January 1990),
\n319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985);
\nnote–linked to the French franc at 50 to 1 French franc<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nHighways: 750 km total; about 210 km bituminous, remainder crushed
\nstone or gravel<\/p>\n
Ports: Mutsamudu, Moroni<\/p>\n
Civil air: 4 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 4 total, 4 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways;
\nnone with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with
\nrunways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: sparse system of radio relay and high-frequency radio
\ncommunication stations for interisland and external communications to Madagascar
\nand Reunion; over 1,800 telephones; stations–2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Army, Presidential Guard, Gendarmerie<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 97,504; 58,274 fit for military service<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 3% of GDP (1981)
\n.pa
\nCongo
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 342,000 km2; land area: 341,500 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 5,504 km total; Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km,
\nCentral African Republic 467 km, Gabon 1,903 km, Zaire 2,410 km<\/p>\n
Coastline: 169 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 200 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: long section with Zaire along the Congo River is indefinite
\n(no division of the river or its islands has been made)<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June
\nto October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating
\nclimate astride the Equator<\/p>\n
Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin<\/p>\n
Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium,
\ncopper, phosphates, natural gas<\/p>\n
Land use: 2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 29% meadows and
\npastures; 62% forest and woodland; 7% other<\/p>\n
Environment: deforestation; about 70% of the population lives in
\nBrazzaville, Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 2,242,274 (July 1990), growth rate 3.0% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 43 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 14 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: 0 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 110 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 55 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 5.8 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Congolese (sing., pl.); adjective–Congolese or Congo<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: about 15 ethnic groups divided into some 75 tribes,
\nalmost all Bantu; most important ethnic groups are Kongo (48%) in the south,
\nSangha (20%) and M’Bochi (12%) in the north, Teke (17%) in the center; about
\n8,500 Europeans, mostly French<\/p>\n
Religion: 50% Christian, 48% animist, 2% Muslim<\/p>\n
Language: French (official); many African languages with Lingala and
\nKikongo most widely used<\/p>\n
Literacy: 62.9%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 79,100 wage earners; 75% agriculture, 25% commerce, industry,
\nand government; 51% of population of working age; 40% of population economically
\nactive (1985)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: 20% of labor force (1979 est.)<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: People’s Republic of the Congo<\/p>\n
Type: people’s republic<\/p>\n
Capital: Brazzaville<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regions, singular–region);
\nBouenza, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha;
\nnote–there may be a new capital district of Brazzaville<\/p>\n
Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France; formerly Congo\/Brazzaville)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 8 July 1979<\/p>\n
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law<\/p>\n
National holiday: National Day, 15 August (1960)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
\n(cabinet)<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral People’s National Assembly
\n(Assemblee Nationale Populaire)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State and Head of Government–President Denis
\nSASSOU-NGUESSO (since 8 February 1979);
\nPrime Minister Alphonse POATY-SOUCHLATY (since 6 August 1989)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: only party–Congolese Labor Party
\n(PCT), President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, leader<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 26-31 July 1989 (next to be held July 1993);
\nresults–President Sassou-Nguesso unanimously reelected leader of the
\nPCT by the Party Congress, which automatically makes him president;<\/p>\n
People’s National Assembly–last held 24 September 1989 (next
\nto be held 1993); results–PCT is the only party;
\nseats–(153 total) single list of candidates nominated by the PCT<\/p>\n
Communists: unknown number of Communists and sympathizers<\/p>\n
Other political or pressure groups: Union of Congolese Socialist Youth
\n(UJSC), Congolese Trade Union Congress (CSC), Revolutionary Union of Congolese
\nWomen (URFC), General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students (UGEEC)<\/p>\n
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, Conference of East and Central African
\nStates, EAMA, ECA, EIB (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICO,
\nIDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC,
\nUEAC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Benjamin BOUNKOULOU; Chancery at
\n4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington DC 20011; telephone (202) 726-5500;
\nUS–Ambassador-designate James Daniel PHILLIPS; Embassy at Avenue
\nAmilcar Cabral, Brazzaville (mailing address is B. P. 1015, Brazzaville,
\nor Box C, APO New York 09662-0006); telephone 83-20-70 or 83-26-24<\/p>\n
Flag: red with the national emblem in the upper hoist-side corner; the
\nemblem includes a yellow five-pointed star above a crossed hoe and hammer (like
\nthe hammer and sickle design) in yellow, flanked by two curved green palm
\nbranches; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the
\neconomy, providing about two-thirds of government revenues and
\nexports. In the early 1980s rapidly rising oil revenues enabled Congo
\nto finance large-scale development projects with growth averaging 5%
\nannually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The world decline in
\noil prices, however, has forced the government to launch an austerity
\nprogram to cope with declining receipts and mounting foreign debts.<\/p>\n
GDP: $2.2 billion, per capita $1,000; real growth rate – 3% (1988 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1988)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: NA%<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $382 million; expenditures $575 million,
\nincluding capital expenditures of $118 million (1988)<\/p>\n
Exports: $912 million (f.o.b., 1987);
\ncommodities–crude petroleum 72%, lumber, plywood, coffee, cocoa,
\nsugar, diamonds;
\npartners–US, France, other EC<\/p>\n
Imports: $494.4 million (c.i.f., 1987);
\ncommodities–foodstuffs, consumer goods, intermediate manufactures,
\ncapital equipment;
\npartners–France, Italy, other EC, US, FRG, Spain, Japan, Brazil<\/p>\n
External debt: $4.5 billion (December 1988)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate – 5.9% (1987)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 133,000 kW capacity; 300 million kWh produced,
\n130 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: crude oil, cement, sawmills, brewery, sugar mill, palm
\noil, soap, cigarettes<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GDP (including fishing and
\nforestry); cassava accounts for 90% of food output; other crops–rice,
\ncorn, peanuts, vegetables; cash crops include coffee and cocoa; forest
\nproducts important export earner; imports over 90% of food needs<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $56 million; Western
\n(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.1 billion;
\nOPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $15 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
\n$338 million<\/p>\n
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural–francs);
\n1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF)
\nper US$1–287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987),
\n346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: 797 km, 1.067-meter gauge, single track (includes 285 km
\nthat are privately owned)<\/p>\n
Highways: 12,000 km total; 560 km bituminous surface treated; 850 km
\ngravel, laterite; 5,350 km improved earth; 5,240 km unimproved roads<\/p>\n
Inland waterways: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) Rivers provide 1,120 km
\nof commercially navigable water transport; the rest are used for local traffic
\nonly<\/p>\n
Pipelines: crude oil 25 km<\/p>\n
Ports: Pointe-Noire (ocean port), Brazzaville (river port)<\/p>\n
Civil air: 4 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 51 total, 46 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways;
\nnone with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 17 with
\nrunways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: services adequate for government use; primary network
\nis composed of radio relay routes and coaxial cables; key centers are
\nBrazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; 18,100 telephones; stations–3 AM, 1 FM,
\n4 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary National People’s Militia<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 492,419; 250,478 fit for military
\nservice; 23,622 reach military age (20) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 4.6% of GDP (1987)
\n.pa
\nCook Islands
\n(free association with New Zealand)
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 240 km2; land area: 240 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 120 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 meters or edge of continental margin;<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds<\/p>\n
Terrain: low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south<\/p>\n
Natural resources: negligible<\/p>\n
Land use: 4% arable land; 22% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
\n0% forest and woodland; 74% other<\/p>\n
Environment: subject to typhoons from November to March<\/p>\n
Note: located 4,500 km south of Hawaii in the South Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 18,187 (July 1990), growth rate 0.5% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 22 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 7 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: – 10 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 24 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 72 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Cook Islander(s); adjective–Cook Islander<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 81.3% Polynesian (full blood), 7.7% Polynesian and
\nEuropean, 7.7% Polynesian and other, 2.4% European, 0.9% other<\/p>\n
Religion: Christian, majority of populace members of Cook Islands
\nChristian Church<\/p>\n
Language: English<\/p>\n
Literacy: NA%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 5,810; agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%,
\nindustry 15%, and other 4% (1981)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: NA<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: none<\/p>\n
Type: self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands
\nfully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for
\nexternal affairs, in consultation with the Cook Islands<\/p>\n
Capital: Avarua<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: none<\/p>\n
Independence: became self-governing in free association with New Zealand
\non 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by
\nunilateral action<\/p>\n
Constitution: 4 August 1965<\/p>\n
National holiday: NA<\/p>\n
Executive branch: British monarch, representative of the UK,
\nrepresentative of New Zealand, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament; note–the unicameral
\nHouse of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no
\nlegislative powers<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: High Court<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
\nRepresentative of the UK Sir Tangaroa TANGAROA (since NA);
\nRepresentative of New Zealand Adrian SINCOCK (since NA);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Prime Minister Geoffrey HENRY
\n(since NA February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since NA)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey Henry;
\nDemocratic Tumu Party, Vincent Ingram; Democratic Party, Dr. Vincent Pupuke
\nRobati; Cook Islands Labor Party, Rena Jonassen; Cook Islands People’s Party,
\nSadaraka Sadaraka<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nParliament–last held 19 January 1989 (next to be held by
\nJanuary 1994); results–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(24 total) Cook Islands Party 12, Democratic
\nTumu Party 2, opposition coalition (including Democratic Party) 9,
\nindependent 1<\/p>\n
Member of: ADB, ESCAP (associate member), IDA, IFC, IMF, SPEC,
\nSPF<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing in free association
\nwith New Zealand)<\/p>\n
Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
\nand a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island)
\ncentered in the outer half of the flag<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: Agriculture provides the economic base. The major export
\nearners are fruit, copra, and clothing. Manufacturing activities are limited to
\na fruit-processing plant and several clothing factories. Economic development
\nis hindered by the isolation of the islands from foreign markets and a lack of
\nnatural resources and good transportation links. A large trade deficit is
\nannually made up for by remittances from emigrants and from foreign aid. Current
\neconomic development plans call for exploiting the tourism potential and
\nexpanding the fishing industry.<\/p>\n
GDP: $40.0 million, per capita $2,200 (1988 est.); real growth rate
\n5.3% (1986-88 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.0% (1988)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: NA%<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $33.8 million; expenditures $34.4 million,
\nincluding capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)<\/p>\n
Exports: $4.0 million (f.o.b., 1988);
\ncommodities–copra, fresh and canned fruit, clothing;
\npartners–NZ 80%, Japan<\/p>\n
Imports: $38.7 million (c.i.f., 1988);
\ncommodities–foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber;
\npartners–NZ 49%, Japan, Australia, US<\/p>\n
External debt: $NA<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate NA%<\/p>\n
Electricity: 4,800 kW capacity; 15 million kWh produced,
\n830 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: fruit processing, tourism<\/p>\n
Agriculture: export crops–copra, citrus fruits, pineapples,
\ntomatoes, bananas; subsistence crops–yams, taro<\/p>\n
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
\n(1970-89), $128 million<\/p>\n
Currency: New Zealand dollar (plural–dollars); 1 New Zealand
\ndollar (NZ$) = 100 cents<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1–1.6581 (January
\n1990), 1.6708 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March<\/p>\n
Communications
\nHighways: 187 km total (1980); 35 km paved, 35 km gravel, 84 km improved
\nearth, 33 km unimproved earth<\/p>\n
Ports: Avatiu<\/p>\n
Civil air: no major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 7 total, 5 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways;
\nnone with runways over 2,439 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: stations–2 AM, no FM, no TV; 10,000 radio receivers;
\n2,052 telephones; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nNote: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
\n.pa
\nCoral Sea Islands
\n(territory of Australia)
\nGeography
\nTotal area: undetermined; includes numerous small islands and reefs
\nscattered over a sea area of about 1 million km2, with Willis Islets the
\nmost important<\/p>\n
Comparative area: undetermined<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 3,095 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;<\/p>\n
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 3 nm<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical<\/p>\n
Terrain: sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)<\/p>\n
Natural resources: negligible<\/p>\n
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
\n0% forest and woodland; 100% other, mostly grass or scrub cover; Lihou Reef
\nReserve and Coringa-Herald Reserve were declared National Nature Reserves
\non 3 August 1982<\/p>\n
Environment: subject to occasional tropical cyclones; no permanent
\nfresh water; important nesting area for birds and turtles<\/p>\n
Note: the islands are located just off the northeast coast of
\nAustralia in the Coral Sea<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 3 meteorologists<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Coral Sea Islands Territory<\/p>\n
Type: territory of Australia administered by the Minister for
\nArts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism, and Territories Graham
\nRichardson<\/p>\n
Flag: the flag of Australia is used<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: no economic activity<\/p>\n
Communications
\nPorts: none; offshore anchorages only<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nNote: defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by
\nthe Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors
\n.pa
\nCosta Rica
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 51,100 km2; land area: 50,660 km2; includes Isla del
\nCoco<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 639 km total; Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km<\/p>\n
Coastline: 1,290 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to
\nNovember)<\/p>\n
Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains<\/p>\n
Natural resources: hydropower potential<\/p>\n
Land use: 6% arable land; 7% permanent crops; 45% meadows and pastures;
\n34% forest and woodland; 8% other; includes 1% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: subject to occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic
\ncoast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active volcanoes;
\ndeforestation; soil erosion<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 3,032,795 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 28 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 4 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: 2 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 16 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 79 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Costa Rican(s); adjective–Costa Rican<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 96% white (including mestizo), 2% black,
\n1% Indian, 1% Chinese<\/p>\n
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic<\/p>\n
Language: Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon<\/p>\n
Literacy: 93%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 868,300; industry and commerce 35.1%, government and
\nservices 33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 est.)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: 15.1% of labor force<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Republic of Costa Rica<\/p>\n
Type: democratic republic<\/p>\n
Capital: San Jose<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular–provincia);
\nAlajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose<\/p>\n
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 9 November 1949<\/p>\n
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
\nlegislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
\njurisdiction<\/p>\n
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, Cabinet<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State and Head of Government–President Rafael Angel
\nCALDERON Fournier (since 8 May 1990); First Vice President German SERRANO
\nPinto (since 8 May 1990); Second Vice President Arnoldo LOPEZ Echandi
\n(since 8 May 1990)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Party (PLN),
\nCarlos Manuel Castillo; Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), Rafael Angel
\nCalderon Fournier; Marxist Popular Vanguard Party (PVP), Humberto Vargas
\nCarbonell; New Republic Movement (MNR), Sergio Erick Ardon;
\nProgressive Party (PP), Javier Solis; People’s Party of Costa Rica
\n(PPC), Lenin Chacon Vargas; Radical Democratic Party (PRD), Juan Jose
\nEcheverria Brealey<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 4 February 1990 (next to be held February
\n1994);
\nresults–Rafael Calderon Fournier 51%, Carlos Manuel Castillo 47%;<\/p>\n
Legislative Assembly–last held 4 February 1990 (next to be held
\nFebruary 1994);
\nresults–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(57 total) PUSC 29, PLN 25, PVP\/PPC 1, regional parties 2<\/p>\n
Communists: 7,500 members and sympathizers<\/p>\n
Other political or pressure groups: Costa Rican Confederation of
\nDemocratic Workers (CCTD; Liberation Party affiliate), Confederated Union of
\nWorkers (CUT; Communist Party affiliate), Authentic Confederation of
\nDemocratic Workers (CATD; Communist Party affiliate), Chamber of Coffee
\nGrowers, National Association for Economic Development (ANFE), Free Costa Rica
\nMovement (MCRL; rightwing militants), National Association of Educators (ANDE)<\/p>\n
Member of: CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA,
\nIDB–Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC,
\nILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, IWC–International Wheat Council,
\nOAS, ODECA, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPEB, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Danilo JIMENEZ; Chancery at
\nSuite 211, 1825 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009;
\ntelephone (202) 234-2945 through 2947; there are Costa Rican Consulates General
\nat Albuquerque, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York,
\nSan Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa, and
\nConsulates in Austin, Buffalo, Honolulu, and Raleigh;
\nUS–Ambassador (vacant); Embassy at Pavas Road, San Jose
\n(mailing address is APO Miami 34020); telephone \u00d5506\u00e5 33-11-55<\/p>\n
Flag: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width),
\nwhite, and blue with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the
\nred band<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: In 1988 the economy grew at a 3.8% rate, a drop from the
\n5.1% of the previous year. Gains in agricultural production
\n(on the strength of good coffee and banana crops) and in construction,
\nwere partially offset by declines in the rates of growth for the industry
\nand commerce sectors. In 1988 consumer prices rose by nearly 21%
\nfollowed by a 10% rise in 1989. Unemployment is officially reported at
\nabout 6%, but much underemployment remains. External debt, on a
\nper capita basis, is among the world’s highest.<\/p>\n
GDP: $4.7 billion, per capita $1,630; real growth rate 3.8% (1988)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1989)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 5.5% (March 1989)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $719 million; expenditures $808 million, including
\ncapital expenditures of $103 million (1988)<\/p>\n
Exports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
\ncommodities–coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar;
\npartners–US 75%, FRG, Guatemala, Netherlands, UK, Japan<\/p>\n
Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
\ncommodities–petroleum, machinery, consumer durables, chemicals,
\nfertilizer, foodstuffs;
\npartners–US 35%, Japan, Guatemala, FRG<\/p>\n
External debt: $4.5 billion (1989)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 2.1% (1988)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 909,000 kW capacity; 2,928 million kWh produced,
\n990 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: food processing, textiles and clothing, construction
\nmaterials, fertilizer<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 20-25% of GDP and 70% of exports; cash
\ncommodities–coffee, beef, bananas, sugar; other food crops include corn, rice,
\nbeans, potatotes; normally self-sufficient in food except for grain; depletion
\nof forest resources resulting in lower timber output<\/p>\n
Illicit drugs: illicit production of cannabis on small scattered
\nplots; transshipment country for cocaine from South America<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $1.3 billion; Western
\n(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $706 million;
\nCommunist countries (1971-88), $27 million<\/p>\n
Currency: Costa Rican colon (plural–colones);
\n1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1–84.689 (January 1990),
\n81.504 (1989), 75.805 (1988), 62.776 (1987), 55.986 (1986), 50.453 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: 950 km total, all 1.067-meter gauge; 260 km electrified<\/p>\n
Highways: 15,400 km total; 7,030 km paved, 7,010 km gravel, 1,360 km
\nunimproved earth<\/p>\n
Inland waterways: about 730 km, seasonally navigable<\/p>\n
Pipelines: refined products, 176 km<\/p>\n
Ports: Puerto Limon, Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puntarenas<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over)
\ntotaling 4,279 GRT\/6,602 DWT<\/p>\n
Civil air: 9 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 193 total, 177 usable; 25 with permanent-surface runways;
\nnone with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
\n11 with runways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: very good domestic telephone service; 292,000
\ntelephones; connection into Central American Microwave System; stations–71 AM,
\nno FM, 18 TV, 13 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Civil Guard, Rural Assistance Guard; note–Constitution
\nprohibits armed forces<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 785,429; 530,986 fit for military
\nservice; 31,899 reach military age (18) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 0.6% of GDP (1987)
\n.pa
\nCuba
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 110,860 km2; land area: 110,860 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania<\/p>\n
Land boundary: 29.1 km with US Naval Base at Guantanamo;
\nnote–Guantanamo is leased and as such remains part of Cuba<\/p>\n
Coastline: 3,735 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: US Naval Base at Guantanamo is leased to US and only mutual
\nagreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to
\nApril); rainy season (May to October)<\/p>\n
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains with rugged hills and mountains
\nin the southeast<\/p>\n
Natural resources: cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt,
\ntimber, silica<\/p>\n
Land use: 23% arable land; 6% permanent crops; 23% meadows and pastures;
\n17% forest and woodland; 31% other; includes 10% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: averages one hurricane every other year<\/p>\n
Note: largest country in Caribbean; 145 km south of Florida<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 10,620,099 (July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 18 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 7 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: – 1 migrant\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 12 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 78 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Cuban(s); adjective–Cuban<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 51% mulatto, 37% white, 11% black, 1% Chinese<\/p>\n
Religion: at least 85% nominally Roman Catholic before Castro assumed
\npower<\/p>\n
Language: Spanish<\/p>\n
Literacy: 98.5%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 3,400,000 in state sector; 30% services and
\ngovernment, 22% industry, 20% agriculture, 11% commerce,
\n10% construction, 7% transportation and communications (1988);
\neconomically active population 4,500,000 (1987)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: Workers Central Union of Cuba (CTC), only labor
\nfederation approved by government; 2,910,000 members; the CTC is an
\numbrella organization composed of 17 member unions<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Republic of Cuba<\/p>\n
Type: Communist state<\/p>\n
Capital: Havana<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (provincias, singular–provincia)
\nand 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,
\nCienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin,
\nIsla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,
\nSancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara<\/p>\n
Independence: 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered
\nby the US from 1898 to 1902)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 24 February 1976<\/p>\n
Legal system: based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of
\nCommunist legal theory; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction<\/p>\n
National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 January (1959)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president of the Council of State, first vice
\npresident of the Council of State, Council of State, president of the
\nCouncil of Ministers, first vice president of the Council of Ministers,
\nCouncil of Ministers<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly of the People’s
\nPower (Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: People’s Supreme Court<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State and Head of Government–President of the Council of
\nState and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz
\n(became Prime Minister in January 1959 and President since 2 December
\n1976);
\nFirst Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President
\nof the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December
\n1976)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: only party–Cuban Communist Party
\n(PCC), Fidel Castro Ruz, first secretary<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 16<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nNational Assembly of the People’s Power–last held NA December
\n1986 (next to be held December 1991);
\nresults–PCC is the only party;
\nseats–(510 total) PCC 510 (indirectly elected)<\/p>\n
Communists: about 600,000 full and candidate members<\/p>\n
Member of: CEMA, ECLA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB (nonparticipant), IAEA,
\nIBEC, ICAO, IFAD, ICO, IHO, ILO, IMO, IRC, ISO, ITU, IWC–International
\nWheat Council, NAM, OAS (nonparticipant), PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UNIDO,
\nUPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: none; protecting power in the US is
\nCzechoslovakia–Cuban Interests Section; Counselor Jose Antonio Arbesu
\nFRAGA; 2630 and 2639 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202)
\n797-8518 or 8519, 8520, 8609, 8610; US–protecting power in Cuba is
\nSwitzerland–US Interests Section; Principal Officer John J. TAYLOR;
\nCalzada entre L y M, Vedado Seccion, Havana; telephone 320551 or 320543<\/p>\n
Flag: five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating
\nwith white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white
\nfive-pointed star in the center<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: The Soviet-style economy, centrally planned and largely
\nstate owned, is highly dependent on the agricultural sector and foreign
\ntrade. Sugar provides about 75% of export revenues and is mostly exported
\nto the USSR and other CEMA countries. The economy has stagnated since
\n1985 under a program that has deemphasized material incentives in the
\nworkplace, abolished farmers’ informal produce markets, and raised prices
\nof government-supplied goods and services. Castro has complained that
\nthe ongoing CEMA reform process has interfered with the regular flow of
\ngoods to Cuba. Recently the government has been trying to increase
\ntrade with Latin America and China. Cuba has had difficulty servicing
\nits foreign debt since 1982. The government currently is encouraging
\nforeign investment in tourist facilities. Other investment priorities
\ninclude sugar, basic foods, and nickel. The annual $4 billion Soviet
\nsubsidy, a main prop to Cuba’s threadbare economy, may be cut in view
\nof the USSR’s mounting economic problems.<\/p>\n
GNP: $20.9 billion, per capita $2,000; real growth rate – 1%
\n(1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%<\/p>\n
Unemployment: 6% overall, 10% for women (1989)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $11.7 billion; expenditures $13.5 billion,
\nincluding capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Exports: $5.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
\ncommodities–sugar, nickel, shellfish, citrus, tobacco, coffee;
\npartners–USSR 67%, GDR 6%, China 4% (1988)<\/p>\n
Imports: $7.6 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
\ncommodities–capital goods, industrial raw materials, food, petroleum;
\npartners–USSR 71%, other Communist countries 15% (1988)<\/p>\n
External debt: $6.8 billion (convertible currency, July 1989)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: 3% (1988)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 3,991,000 kW capacity; 14,972 million kWh produced,
\n1,425 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: sugar milling, petroleum refining, food and tobacco
\nprocessing, textiles, chemicals, paper and wood products, metals
\n(particularly nickel), cement, fertilizers, consumer goods, agricultural
\nmachinery<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GNP (including fishing and forestry); key
\ncommercial crops–sugarcane, tobacco, and citrus fruits; other products–coffee,
\nrice, potatoes, meat, beans; world’s largest sugar exporter; not self-sufficient
\nin food<\/p>\n
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
\n(1970-87), $657.5 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $13.5 billion<\/p>\n
Currency: Cuban peso (plural–pesos); 1 Cuban peso (Cu$) = 100
\ncentavos<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Cuban pesos (Cu$) per US$1–1.0000 (linked to the
\nUS dollar)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: 14,925 km total; Cuban National Railways operates 5,295 km of
\n1.435-meter gauge track; 199 km electrified; 9,630 km of sugar plantation
\nlines of 0.914-1.435-meter gauge<\/p>\n
Highways: about 21,000 km total; 9,000 km paved, 12,000 km gravel and
\nearth surfaced<\/p>\n
Inland waterways: 240 km<\/p>\n
Ports: Cienfuegos, Havana, Mariel, Matanzas, Santiago de Cuba;
\n7 secondary, 35 minor<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 91 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
\n701,418 GRT\/1,014,014 DWT; includes 62 cargo, 7 refrigerated cargo, 3
\ncargo\/training, 10 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1
\nchemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 6 bulk; note–Cuba beneficially owns
\nan additional 34 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 475,864 DWT under
\nthe registry of Panama, Cyprus, and Malta<\/p>\n
Civil air: 59 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 197 total, 168 usable; 72 with permanent-surface runways;
\n2 with runways over 3,659 m; 14 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 17 with runways
\n1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: stations–150 AM, 5 FM, 58 TV; 1,530,000 TV sets;
\n2,140,000 radio receivers; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Revolutionary Armed Forces (Ground Forces, Revolutionary Navy,
\nAir and Air Defense Force), Ministry of Interior Special Troops, Border Guard
\nTroops, Territorial Militia Troops, Youth Labor Army<\/p>\n
Military manpower: eligible 15-49, 6,027,131; of the 3,024,385 males
\n15-49, 1,897,175 are fit for military service; of the 3,002,746 females 15-49,
\n1,879,471 are fit for military service; 96,319 males and 92,765 females reach
\nmilitary age (17) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: about 6% of GNP, or $1.2-$1.4 billion
\n(1989 est.)
\n.pa
\nCyprus
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 9,250 km2; land area: 9,240 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 648 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: 1974 hostilities divided the island into two de facto
\nautonomous areas–a Greek area controlled by the Cypriot Government (60% of
\nthe island’s land area) and a Turkish-Cypriot area (35% of the island) that
\nare separated by a narrow UN buffer zone; in addition, there are two UK
\nsovereign base areas (about 5% of the island’s land area)<\/p>\n
Climate: temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool, wet
\nwinters<\/p>\n
Terrain: central plain with mountains to north and south<\/p>\n
Natural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt,
\nmarble, clay earth pigment<\/p>\n
Land use: 40% arable land; 7% permanent crops; 10% meadows and pastures;
\n18% forest and woodland; 25% other; includes 10% irrigated (most
\nirrigated lands are in the Turkish-Cypriot area of the island)<\/p>\n
Environment: moderate earthquake activity; water resource problems
\n(no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, and most
\npotable resources concentrated in the Turkish-Cypriot area)<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 707,776 (July 1990), growth rate 1.0% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 19 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 8 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: 0 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 78 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Cypriot(s); adjective–Cypriot<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 78% Greek; 18% Turkish; 4% other<\/p>\n
Religion: 78% Greek Orthodox; 18% Muslim; 4% Maronite, Armenian,
\nApostolic, and other<\/p>\n
Language: Greek, Turkish, English<\/p>\n
Literacy: 99% (est.)<\/p>\n
Labor force: Greek area–251,406; 42% services, 33% industry,
\n22% agriculture; Turkish area–NA (1986)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: 156,000 (1985 est.)<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Republic of Cyprus<\/p>\n
Type: republic; a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting
\nthe island began after the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation
\nwas further solidified following the Turkish invasion of the island in July
\n1974, which gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek
\nCypriots control the only internationally recognized government; on 15 November
\n1983 Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktash declared independence and the
\nformation of a Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which has been recognized
\nonly by Turkey; both sides publicly call for the resolution of intercommunal
\ndifferences and creation of a new federal system of government<\/p>\n
Capital: Nicosia<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia,
\nLarnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos<\/p>\n
Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new
\nor revised constitution to govern the island and to better relations between
\nGreek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in 1975 Turkish
\nCypriots created their own Constitution and governing bodies within the Turkish
\nFederated State of Cyprus, which was renamed the Turkish Republic of Northern
\nCyprus in 1983; a new Constitution for the Turkish area passed by referendum
\nin May 1985<\/p>\n
Legal system: based on common law, with civil law modifications<\/p>\n
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet); note–there
\nis a president, prime minister, and Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the
\nTurkish area<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (Vouli
\nAntiprosopon); note–there is a unicameral Assembly of the Republic
\n(Cumhuriyet Meclisi) in the Turkish area<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; note–there is also a Supreme Court
\nin the Turkish area<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State and Head of Government–President George VASSILIOU
\n(since February 1988); note–Rauf R. DENKTAS was proclaimed President of
\nthe Turkish area on 13 February 1975<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: Greek Cypriot–Progressive
\nParty of the Working People (AKEL; Communist Party), Dimitrios
\nChristotias, Democratic Rally (DESY), Glafkos Clerides; Democratic Party
\n(DEKO), Spyros Kyprianou; United Democratic Union of the Center (EDEK),
\nVassos Lyssarides;<\/p>\n
Turkish area–National Unity Party (NUP), Dervis Eroglu;
\nCommunal Liberation Party (CLP), Ismail Bozkurt; Republican Turkish
\nParty (RTP), Ozker Ozgur; New Birth Party (NBP), Aytac Besheshler;
\nNew Cyprus savey (NCP), Alpay Durduran<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 14 February and 21 February 1988 (next
\nto be held February 1993);
\nresults–George Vassiliou 52%, Glafkos Clerides 48%;<\/p>\n
House of Representatives–last held 8 December 1985 (next to
\nbe held December 1990);
\nresults–Democratic Rally 33.56%, Democratic Party 27.65%, AKEL 27.43%,
\nEDEK 11.07%;
\nseats–(56 total) Democratic Rally 19, Democratic Party 16,
\nAKEL (Communist) 15, EDEK 6;<\/p>\n
Turkish Area: President–last held 9 June 1985 (next to be
\nheld June 1990);
\nresults–Rauf Denktash 70%;<\/p>\n
Turkish Area: Legislative Assembly–last held 23 June 1985
\n(next to be held June 1990);
\nresults–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(50 total) National Unity Party (conservative)
\n24, Republican Turkish Party (Communist) 12, Communal Liberation Party
\n(center-right) 10, New Birth Party 4<\/p>\n
Communists: about 12,000<\/p>\n
Other political or pressure groups: United Democratic Youth Organization
\n(EDON; Communist controlled); Union of Cyprus Farmers (EKA; Communist
\ncontrolled); Cyprus Farmers Union (PEK; pro-West); Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation
\n(PEO; Communist controlled); Confederation of Cypriot Workers (SEK; pro-West);
\nFederation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions (Turk-Sen); Confederation of
\nRevolutionary Labor Unions (Dev-Is)<\/p>\n
Member of: CCC, Commonwealth, Council of Europe, FAO, G-77, GATT,
\nIAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
\nITU, NAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO; Turkish Federated State
\nof Cyprus–OIC (observer)<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Michael E. SHERIFIS;
\nChancery at 2211 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 462-5772;
\nthere is a Cypriot Consulate General in New York;
\nUS–(vacant); Embassy at the corner of Therissos Street
\nand Dositheos Street, Nicosia (mailing address is FPO New York 09530);
\ntelephone \u00d5357\u00e5 (2) 465151<\/p>\n
Flag: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name
\nCyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive
\nbranches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace
\nand reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: These data are for the area controlled by the Republic of
\nCyprus (information on the northern Turkish-Cypriot area is sparse).
\nThe economy is small, diversified, and prosperous. Industry contributes
\nabout 28% to GDP and employs 35% of the labor force, while the service
\nsector contributes about 55% to GDP and employs 40% of the labor force.
\nRapid growth in exports of agricultural and manufactured products
\nand in tourism have played important roles in the average 6% rise in GDP
\nin recent years. While this growth put considerable pressure on prices
\nand the balance of payments, the inflation rate has remained low
\nand the balance-of-payments deficit manageable.<\/p>\n
GDP: $4.2 billion, per capita $6,100; real growth rate 6.9%
\n(1988 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 2.8% (1988)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $1.2 billion; expenditures $1.4 billion, including
\ncapital expenditures of $178 million (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Exports: $767 million (f.o.b., 1988);
\ncommodities–citrus, potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing and shoes;
\npartners–Middle East and North Africa 37%, UK 27%, other EC
\n11%, US 2%<\/p>\n
Imports: $1.9 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
\ncommodities–consumer goods 23%, petroleum and lubricants 12%, food and
\nfeed grains, machinery;
\npartners–EC 60%, Middle East and North Africa 7%, US 4%<\/p>\n
External debt: $2.8 billion (1988)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 6.5% (1988)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 620,000 kW capacity; 1,770 million kWh produced,
\n2,530 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: mining (iron pyrites, gypsum, asbestos);
\nmanufactured products–beverages, footwear, clothing, and cement–are
\nprincipally for local consumption<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 8% of GDP and employs 22% of labor force; major
\ncrops–potatoes, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, and citrus fruits;
\nvegetables and fruit provide 25% of export revenues<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $272 million; Western
\n(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $223 million;
\nOPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $62 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
\n$24 million<\/p>\n
Currency: Cypriot pound (plural–pounds) and in Turkish area, Turkish
\nlira (plural–liras); 1 Cypriot pound (LC) = 100 cents and 1 Turkish lira
\n(TL) = 100 kurus<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds (LC) per US$1–0.4854 (January 1990),
\n0.4933 (1989), 0.4663 (1988), 0.4807 (1987), 0.5167 (1986), 0.6095 (1985);
\nin Turkish area, Turkish liras (TL) per US$1–2,314.7 (November 1989),
\n1,422.3 (1988), 857.2 (1987), 674.5 (1986), 522.0 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nHighways: 10,780 km total; 5,170 km bituminous surface treated; 5,610 km
\ngravel, crushed stone, and earth<\/p>\n
Ports: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 1,100 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,093,340
\nGRT\/32,148,550 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 12 short-sea passenger, 2
\npassenger-cargo, 434 cargo, 61 refrigerated cargo, 18 roll-on\/roll-off cargo,
\n40 container, 94 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 specialized
\ncargo, 3 liquefied gas, 13 chemical tanker, 29 combination ore\/oil,
\n341 bulk, 3 vehicle carrier, 48 combination bulk carrier;
\nnote–a flag of convenience registry; Cuba owns at least 20 of these
\nships and Yugoslavia owns 1<\/p>\n
Civil air: 8 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 13 total, 13 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways;
\nnone with runways over 3,659 m; 7 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
\n2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: excellent in the area controlled by the Cypriot
\nGovernment (Greek area), moderately good in the Turkish-Cypriot administered
\narea; 210,000 telephones; stations–13 AM, 7 (7 repeaters) FM, 2 (40
\nrepeaters) TV; tropospheric scatter circuits to Greece and Turkey; 3 submarine
\ncoaxial cables; satellite earth stations–INTELSAT, 1 Atlantic Ocean
\nand 1 Indian Ocean, and EUTELSAT systems<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Cyprus National Guard; Turkish area–Turkish Cypriot Security
\nForce<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 180,946; 125,044 fit for military
\nservice; 5,083 reach military age (18) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 2% of GDP, or $84 million (1990 est.)
\n.pa
\nCzechoslovakia
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 127,870 km2; land area: 125,460 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly larger than New York State<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 3,446 km total; Austria 548 km, GDR 459 km,
\nHungary 676 km, Poland 1,309 km, USSR 98 km, FRG 356 km<\/p>\n
Coastline: none–landlocked<\/p>\n
Maritime claims: none–landlocked<\/p>\n
Disputes: Nagymaros Dam dispute with Hungary<\/p>\n
Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters<\/p>\n
Terrain: mixture of hills and mountains separated by plains and basins<\/p>\n
Natural resources: coal, timber, lignite, uranium, magnesite,
\niron ore, copper, zinc<\/p>\n
Land use: 40% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 13% meadows and pastures;
\n37% forest and woodland; 9% other; includes 1% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: infrequent earthquakes; acid rain; water pollution;
\nair pollution<\/p>\n
Note: landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest
\nand most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional
\nmilitary corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central
\nEurope<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 15,683,234 (July 1990), growth rate 0.3% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 14 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 11 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 11 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 2.0 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Czechoslovak(s); adjective–Czechoslovak<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 64.3% Czech, 30.5% Slovak, 3.8% Hungarian, 0.4% German,
\n0.4% Polish, 0.3% Ukrainian, 0.1% Russian, 0.2% other (Jewish, Gypsy)<\/p>\n
Religion: 50% Roman Catholic, 20% Protestant, 2% Orthodox, 28% other<\/p>\n
Language: Czech and Slovak (official), Hungarian<\/p>\n
Literacy: 99%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 8,200,000 (1987); 36.9% industry, 12.3% agriculture,
\n50.8% construction, communications, and other (1982)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: Revolutionary Trade Union Movement (ROH),
\nformerly regime-controlled; other industry-specific strike committees;
\nnew independent trade unions forming<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Czechoslovak Socialist Republic; abbreviated CSSR;
\nnote–on 23 March 1990 the name was changed to Czechoslovak Federative
\nRepublic; because of Slovak concerns about their status in the
\nFederation, the Federal Assembly approved the name Czech and Slovak
\nFederative Republic on 20 April 1990<\/p>\n
Type: in transition from Communist state to republic<\/p>\n
Capital: Prague<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 2 socialist republics (socialisticke
\nrepubliky, singular–socialisticka republika); Ceska Socialisticka
\nRepublika, Slovenska Socialisticka Republika<\/p>\n
Independence: 18 October 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 11 July 1960; amended in 1968 and 1970; new
\nconstitution under review (1 January 1990)<\/p>\n
Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes, modified
\nby Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not
\naccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction<\/p>\n
National holiday: National Holiday of the Republic (Anniversary
\nof the Liberation), 9 May (1945)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (Federalni
\nShromazdeni) consists of an upper house or House of Nations
\n(Snemovna Narodu) and a lower house or House of the People
\n(Snemovna Lidu)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court<\/p>\n
Leaders: Chief of State–President Vaclav HAVEL
\n(since 28 December 1989);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Premier Marian CALFA (since
\n10 December 1989); First Deputy Premier Valtr KOMAREK (since
\n7 December 1989); Jan CARNOGURSKY (since 7 December 1989)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: Civic Forum, since December 1989
\nleading political force, loose coalition of former oppositionists headed
\nby President Vaclav Havel; Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
\n(KSC), Ladislav Adamec, chairman (since 20 December 1989); KSC
\ntoppled from power in November 1989 by massive antiregime
\ndemonstrations, minority role in coalition government since 10
\nDecember 1989<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 22 May 1985 (next to be held 8 June 1990;
\nwill be a free election);
\nresults–Gustav Husak was reelected without opposition;<\/p>\n
Federal Assembly–last held 23 and 24 May 1986 (next to
\nbe held 8 June 1990; will be a free election);
\nresults–KSC was the only party;
\nseats–(350 total) KSC 350<\/p>\n
Communists: 1.71 million party members (April 1988) and falling<\/p>\n
Other political groups: Czechoslovak Socialist Party, Czechoslovak
\nPeople’s Party, Slovak Freedom Party, Slovak Revival Party, Christian
\nDemocratic Party; more than 40 political groups are expected to field
\ncandidates for the 8 June 1990 election<\/p>\n
Member of: CCC, CEMA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBEC, ICAO, ICO, ILO, ILZSG,
\nIMO, IPU, ISO, ITC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, Warsaw Pact, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
\nWMO, WSG, WTO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Rita KLIMOVA;
\nChancery at 3900 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202)
\n363-6315 or 6316;
\nUS–Ambassador Shirley Temple BLACK; Embassy at Trziste 15-12548,
\nPrague (mailing address is APO New York 09213); telephone \u00d542\u00e5 (2) 53 6641
\nthrough 6649<\/p>\n
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue
\nisosceles triangle based on the hoist side<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: Czechoslovakia is highly industrialized and has a
\nwell-educated and skilled labor force. Its industry, transport, energy
\nsources, banking, and most other means of production are state owned. The
\ncountry is deficient, however, in energy and many raw materials.
\nMoreover, its aging capital plant lags well behind West European
\nstandards. Industry contributes over 50% to GNP and construction 10%.
\nAbout 95% of agricultural land is in collectives or state farms. The
\ncentrally planned economy has been tightly linked in trade (80%) to
\nthe USSR and Eastern Europe. Growth has been sluggish, averaging
\nless than 2% in the period 1982-89. GNP per capita ranks
\nnext to the GDR as the highest in the Communist countries.
\nAs in the rest of Eastern Europe, the sweeping political changes of
\n1989 have been disrupting normal channels of supply and compounding
\nthe government’s economic problems. Czechoslovakia is beginning
\nthe difficult transition from a command to a market economy.<\/p>\n
GNP: $123.2 billion, per capita $7,878; real growth rate 1.0%
\n(1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1989)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 0.9% (1987)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $22.4 billion; expenditures $21.9 billion, including
\ncapital expenditures of $3.7 billion (1986 state budget)<\/p>\n
Exports: $24.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
\ncommodities–machinery and equipment 58.5%;
\nindustrial consumer goods 15.2%;
\nfuels, minerals, and metals 10.6%;
\nagricultural and forestry products 6.1%, other products 15.2%;
\npartners–USSR, GDR, Poland, Hungary, FRG, Yugoslavia, Austria,
\nBulgaria, Romania, US<\/p>\n
Imports: $23.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
\ncommodities–machinery and equipment 41.6%;
\nfuels, minerals, and metals 32.2%; agricultural and forestry
\nproducts 11.5%; industrial consumer goods 6.7%; other products 8.0%;
\npartners–USSR, GDR, Poland, Hungary, FRG, Yugoslavia, Austria,
\nBulgaria, Romania, US<\/p>\n
External debt: $7.4 billion, hard currency indebtedness (1989)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 2.1% (1988)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 22,955,000 kW capacity; 85,000 million kWh produced,
\n5,410 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: iron and steel, machinery and equipment, cement, sheet
\nglass, motor vehicles, armaments, chemicals, ceramics, wood, paper
\nproducts, footwear<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GNP (includes forestry); largely
\nself-sufficient in food production; diversified crop and livestock production,
\nincluding grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit, hogs, cattle, and poultry;
\nexporter of forest products<\/p>\n
Aid: donor–$4.2 billion in bilateral aid to non-Communist less developed
\ncountries (1954-88)<\/p>\n
Currency: koruna (plural–koruny); 1 koruna (Kc) = 100 haleru<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: koruny (Kcs) per US$1–17.00 (March 1990),
\n10.00 (1989), 5.63 (1988), 5.43 (1987), 5.95 (1986), 6.79 (1985), 6.65 (1984)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: 13,116 km total; 12,868 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 102 km
\n1.524-meter broad gauge, 146 km 0.750- and 0.760-meter narrow gauge; 2,854 km
\ndouble track; 3,530 km electrified; government owned (1986)<\/p>\n
Highways: 73,805 km total; including 489 km superhighway (1986)<\/p>\n
Inland waterways: 475 km (1986); the Elbe (Labe) is the principal river<\/p>\n
Pipelines: crude oil, 1,448 km; refined products, 1,500 km; natural gas,
\n8,000 km<\/p>\n
Ports: maritime outlets are in Poland (Gdynia, Gdansk, Szczecin),
\nYugoslavia (Rijeka, Koper), FRG (Hamburg), GDR (Rostock); principal river ports
\nare Prague on the Vltava, Decin on the Elbe (Labe), Komarno on the
\nDanube, Bratislava on the Danube<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 208,471 GRT\/
\n308,072 DWT; includes 15 cargo, 6 bulk<\/p>\n
Civil air: 40 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 158 total, 158 usable; 40 with permanent-surface
\nrunways; 19 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 37 with runways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: stations–58 AM, 16 FM, 45 TV; 14 Soviet TV relays;
\n4,360,000 TV sets; 4,208,538 radio receivers; at least 1 satellite earth
\nstation<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Czechoslovak People’s Army, Frontier Guard, Air and Air Defense
\nForces<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 4,019,311; 3,076,735 fit for military
\nservice; 137,733 reach military age (18) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 28.4 billion koruny, 7% of total budget (1989);
\nnote–conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the official
\nadministratively set exchange rate would produce misleading results
\n.pa
\nDenmark
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 43,070 km2; land area: 42,370 km2; includes the island of
\nBornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark, but excludes
\nthe Faroe Islands and Greenland<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Massachusetts<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 68 km with FRG<\/p>\n
Coastline: 3,379 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Contiguous zone: 4 nm;<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;<\/p>\n
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 3 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Iceland, Ireland,
\nand the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the
\nRockall area); Denmark has challenged Norway’s maritime claims between
\nGreenland and Jan Mayen<\/p>\n
Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool
\nsummers<\/p>\n
Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains<\/p>\n
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone<\/p>\n
Land use: 61% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 6% meadows and
\npastures; 12% forest and woodland; 21% other; includes 9% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: air and water pollution<\/p>\n
Note: controls Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 5,131,217 (July 1990), growth rate NEGL% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 12 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 11 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 79 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Dane(s); adjective–Danish<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: Scandinavian, Eskimo, Faroese, German<\/p>\n
Religion: 97% Evangelical Lutheran, 2% other Protestant and Roman
\nCatholic, 1% other<\/p>\n
Language: Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Eskimo dialect); small
\nGerman-speaking minority<\/p>\n
Literacy: 99%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 2,760,000; 51% services, 34% industry, 8% government,
\n7% agriculture, forestry, and fishing (1988)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: 65% of labor force<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Kingdom of Denmark<\/p>\n
Type: constitutional monarchy<\/p>\n
Capital: Copenhagen<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: metropolitan Denmark–14 counties (amter,
\nsingular–amt) and 1 city* (stad); Arhus, Bornholm, Frederiksborg, Fyn,
\nKobenhavn, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland,
\nStaden Kobenhavn*, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjaelland, Viborg; note–see
\nseparate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland which are part of the
\nDanish realm and self-governing administrative divisions<\/p>\n
Independence: became a constitutional monarchy in 1849<\/p>\n
Constitution: 5 June 1953<\/p>\n
Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts;
\naccepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations<\/p>\n
National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: monarch, heir apparent, prime minister, Cabinet<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Folketing)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State–Queen MARGRETHE II (since January 1972);
\nHeir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the Queen (born 26 May 1968);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Prime Minister Poul SCHLUTER (since 10 September
\n1982)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic, Svend Auken;
\nLiberal, Uffe Ellemann-Jensen; Conservative, Poul Schluter; Radical Liberal,
\nNiels Helveg Petersen; Socialist People’s, Gert Petersen; Communist, Ole
\nSohn; Left Socialist, Elizabeth Brun Olesen; Center Democratic, Mimi
\nStilling Jakobsen; Christian People’s, Flemming Kofoed-Svendsen;
\nJustice, Poul Gerhard Kristiansen; Progress Party, Aage Brusgaard;
\nSocialist Workers Party, leader NA; Communist Workers’ Party
\n(KAP); Common Course, Preben Moller Hansen; Green Party, Inger
\nBorlehmann<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 21<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nParliament–last held 10 May 1988 (next to be held by May
\n1992);
\nresults–Social Democrat 29.9%, Conservative 19.3%, Socialist
\nPeople’s 13.0%, Liberal 11.8%, Radical Liberal 9.0%, Center
\nDemocratic 5.6%, Christian People’s 2.0%, Common Course 2.7%,
\nother 6.7%;
\nseats–(175 total; includes 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe
\nIslands) Social Democratic 55, Conservative 35,
\nSocialist People’s 24, Liberal 22, Progress 16,
\nRadical Liberal 10, Center Democratic 9, Christian People’s 4<\/p>\n
Member of: ADB, CCC, Council of Europe, DAC, EC, EMS, ESA, FAO, GATT,
\nIAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB, Inter-American Development Bank,
\nIEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO, ITC,
\nITU, IWC–International Wheat Council, NATO, Nordic Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO,
\nUPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Peter Pedersen DYVIG;
\nChancery at 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone
\n(202) 234-4300; there are Danish Consulates General at Chicago, Houston,
\nLos Angeles, and New York;
\nUS–Ambassador Keith L. BROWN; Embassy at Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24,
\n2100 Copenhagen O (mailing address is APO New York 09170);
\ntelephone \u00d545\u00e5 (31) 42 31 44<\/p>\n
Flag: red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the
\nvertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side and that design element
\nof the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently adopted by the other
\nNordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: This modern economy features high-tech
\nagriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive
\ngovernment welfare measures, comfortable living standards, and high
\ndependence on foreign trade. Growth in output, however, has been
\nsluggish in 1987-89, and unemployment in early 1989 stood at 9.6%
\nof the labor force. The government is trying to revitalize growth
\nin preparation for the economic integration of Europe in 1992.<\/p>\n
GDP: $73.7 billion, per capita $14,300; real growth rate 1.4%
\n(1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.25% (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 9.6% (1989)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $34 billion; expenditures $34 billion, including
\ncapital expenditures of $19 billion (1988)<\/p>\n
Exports: $27.7 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
\ncommodities–meat and meat products, dairy products, transport equipment,
\nfish, chemicals, industrial machinery;
\npartners–US 6.0%, FRG, Norway, Sweden, UK, other EC, Japan<\/p>\n
Imports: $26.4 billion (c.i.f., 1989 est.);
\ncommodities–petroleum, machinery and equipment, chemicals, grain and
\nfoodstuffs, textiles, paper;
\npartners–US 7.0%, FRG, Netherlands, Sweden, UK, other EC<\/p>\n
External debt: $41.1 billion (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 0.9% (1988)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 11,215,000 kW capacity; 30,910 million kWh produced,
\n6,030 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: food processing, machinery and equipment, textiles and
\nclothing, chemical products, electronics, construction, furniture, and other
\nwood products<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 7% of GNP and employs 1.8% of labor force
\n(includes fishing); farm products account for nearly 16% of export revenues;
\nprincipal products–meat, dairy, grain, potatoes, rape, sugar beets, fish;
\nself-sufficient in food production<\/p>\n
Aid: donor–ODA and OOF commitments (1970-87) $4.8 billion<\/p>\n
Currency: Danish krone (plural–kroner); 1 Danish krone
\n(DKr) = 100 ore<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1–6.560 (January 1990),
\n7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988), 6.840 (1987), 8.091 (1986), 10.596 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: 2,675 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; Danish State Railways
\n(DSB) operate 2,025 km (1,999 km rail line and 121 km rail ferry services);
\n188 km electrified, 730 km double tracked; 650 km of standard-gauge lines are
\nprivately owned and operated<\/p>\n
Highways: 66,482 km total; 64,551 km concrete, bitumen, or stone block;
\n1,931 km gravel, crushed stone, improved earth<\/p>\n
Inland waterways: 417 km<\/p>\n
Pipelines: crude oil, 110 km; refined products, 578 km; natural gas, 700
\nkm<\/p>\n
Ports: Alborg, Arhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia; numerous
\nsecondary and minor ports<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 252 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,498,611
\nGRT\/6,711,011 DWT; includes 12 short-sea passenger, 82 cargo, 15 refrigerated
\ncargo, 28 container, 36 roll-on\/roll-off cargo, 1 railcar carrier, 37 petroleum,
\noils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 13 chemical tanker, 12 liquefied gas, 4
\nlivestock carrier, 12 bulk; note–Denmark has created a captive register
\ncalled the Danish International Ship Register (DIS) as its own internal
\nregister; DIS ships do not have to meet Danish manning regulations,
\nand they amount to a flag of convenience within the Danish register;
\nby the end of 1990, most Danish flag ships will belong to the DIS<\/p>\n
Civil air: 58 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 130 total, 114 usable; 27 with permanent-surface
\nrunways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 9 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
\n6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: excellent telephone, telegraph, and broadcast
\nservices; 4,237,000 telephones; stations–2 AM, 15 (39 repeaters) FM, 27
\n(25 repeaters) TV stations; 7 submarine coaxial cables; 1 satellite earth
\nstation operating in INTELSAT, 4 Atlantic Ocean, EUTELSAT, and
\ndomestic systems<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air
\nForce<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,368,013; 1,180,865 fit for
\nmilitary service; 37,228 reach military age (20) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 2.1% of GDP, or $1.5 billion (1989 est.)
\n.pa
\nDjibouti
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 22,000 km2; land area: 21,980 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 517 km total; Ethiopia 459 km, Somalia 58 km<\/p>\n
Coastline: 314 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis<\/p>\n
Climate: desert; torrid, dry<\/p>\n
Terrain: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains<\/p>\n
Natural resources: geothermal areas<\/p>\n
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 9% meadows and pastures;
\nNEGL% forest and woodland; 91% other<\/p>\n
Environment: vast wasteland<\/p>\n
Note: strategic location near world’s busiest shipping lanes
\nand close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 337,386 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 43 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 17 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: 0 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 119 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 46 years male, 49 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Djiboutian(s); adjective–Djiboutian<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 60% Somali (Issa); 35% Afar, 5% French, Arab,
\nEthiopian, and Italian<\/p>\n
Religion: 94% Muslim, 6% Christian<\/p>\n
Language: French (official); Arabic, Somali, and Afar widely used<\/p>\n
Literacy: 20%<\/p>\n
Labor force: NA, but a small number of semiskilled laborers at the port
\nand 3,000 railway workers; 52% of population of working age (1983)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: 3,000 railway workers<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Republic of Djibouti<\/p>\n
Type: republic<\/p>\n
Capital: Djibouti<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 5 districts (cercles, singular–cercle);
\nAli Sahih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura<\/p>\n
Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France; formerly French Territory of
\nthe Afars and Issas)<\/p>\n
Constitution: partial constitution ratified January 1981 by the
\nChamber of Deputies<\/p>\n
Legal system: based on French civil law system, traditional practices,
\nand Islamic law<\/p>\n
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State–President Hassan GOULED Aptidon (since 24 June 1977);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Prime Minister Barkat GOURAD Hamadou (since 30
\nSeptember 1978)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: only party–People’s Progress
\nAssembly (RPP), Hassan Gouled Aptidon<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 24 April 1987 (next to be held April 1993);
\nresults–President Hassan Gouled Aptidon was reelected without
\nopposition;<\/p>\n
Chamber of Deputies–last held 24 April 1987 (next to be
\nheld April 1992); results–RPP is the only party; seats–(65 total) RPP 65<\/p>\n
Communists: NA<\/p>\n
Member of: ACP, AfDB, Arab League, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
\nIDB–Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU,
\nNAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE; Chancery
\n(temporary) at the Djiboutian Permanent Mission to the UN; 866 United Nations
\nPlaza, Suite 4011, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 753-3163;
\nUS–Ambassador Robert S. BARRETT IV; Embassy at Villa Plateau du
\nSerpent Boulevard, Marechal Joffre, Djibouti (mailing address is B. P. 185,
\nDjibouti); telephone \u00d5253\u00e5 35-38-49 or 35-39-95, 35-29-16, 35-29-17<\/p>\n
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with
\na white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed
\nstar in the center<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: The economy is based on service activities connected with the
\ncountry’s strategic location and status as a free trade zone. Djibouti
\nprovides services as both a transit port for the region and an international
\ntransshipment and refueling center. It has few natural resources and little
\nindustry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance
\nto help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects.
\nAn unemployment rate of over 50% continues to be a major problem.<\/p>\n
GNP: $333 million, $1,070 per capita; real growth rate – 0.7% (1986)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.0% (1987)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: over 50% (1987)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $117 million; expenditures $163 billion, including
\ncapital expenditures of $52 million (1987 est.)<\/p>\n
Exports: $128 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities–hides and skins,
\ncoffee (in transit); partners–Middle East 50%, Africa 43%, Western Europe
\n7%<\/p>\n
Imports: $198 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities–foods, beverages,
\ntransport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products; partners–EC 36%,
\nAfrica 21%, Bahrain 14%, Asia 12%, US 2%<\/p>\n
External debt: $250 million (December 1988)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate – 1.6% (1986)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 110,000 kW capacity; 190 million kWh produced,
\n580 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as
\ndairy products and mineral-water bottling<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP; scanty rainfall limits crop
\nproduction to mostly fruit and vegetables; half of population pastoral nomads
\nherding goats, sheep, and camels; imports bulk of food needs<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY78-88), $36 million;
\nWestern (non-US) countries, including ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
\n(1970-87), $962 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $149 million; Communist
\ncountries (1970-88), $35 million<\/p>\n
Currency: Djiboutian franc (plural–francs); 1 Djiboutian franc
\n(DF) = 100 centimes<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs (DF) per US$1–177.721 (fixed rate since
\n1973)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: the Ethiopian-Djibouti railroad extends for 97 km through
\nDjibouti<\/p>\n
Highways: 2,900 km total; 280 km bituminous surface, 2,620 km
\nimproved or unimproved earth (1982)<\/p>\n
Ports: Djibouti<\/p>\n
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 12 total, 9 usable; none with runways over 3,659 m;
\n1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
\n4 with runways
\n1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: fair system of urban facilities in Djibouti and radio
\nrelay stations at outlying places; 7,300 telephones; stations–2 AM, 1 FM, 2 TV;
\n1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station and 1 ARABSAT; 1 submarine cable to Saudi
\nArabia<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary National Security Force<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 88,132; 51,260 fit for military service<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: $29.9 million, 23% of central government budget
\n(1986)
\n.pa
\nDominica
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 750 km2; land area: 750 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 148 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall<\/p>\n
Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin<\/p>\n
Natural resources: timber<\/p>\n
Land use: 9% arable land; 13% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures;
\n41% forest and woodland; 34% other<\/p>\n
Environment: flash floods a constant hazard; occasional hurricanes<\/p>\n
Note: located 550 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 84,854 (July 1990), growth rate 1.7% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 26 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 5 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: – 4 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 13 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 79 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Dominican(s); adjective–Dominican<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: mostly black; some Carib indians<\/p>\n
Religion: 80% Roman Catholic; Anglican, Methodist<\/p>\n
Language: English (official); French patois widely spoken<\/p>\n
Literacy: 80% (est.)<\/p>\n
Labor force: 25,000; 40% agriculture, 32% industry and commerce, 28%
\nservices (1984)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: 25% of labor force<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Commonwealth of Dominica<\/p>\n
Type: parliamentary democracy<\/p>\n
Capital: Roseau<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David,
\nSaint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick,
\nSaint Paul, Saint Peter<\/p>\n
Independence: 3 November 1978 (from UK)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 3 November 1978<\/p>\n
Legal system: based on English common law<\/p>\n
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (includes 9 appointed
\nsenators and 21 elected representatives)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State–President Sir Clarence Augustus SEIGNORET (since
\n19 December 1983);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Prime Minister (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES (since 21
\nJuly 1980)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: Dominica Freedom Party (DFP),
\n(Mary) Eugenia Charles; Labor Party of Dominica (LPD, a leftist-dominated
\ncoalition), Michael Douglas; United Workers Party (UWP), Edison James<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 20 December 1988 (next to be held December
\n1993); the president is elected by the House of Assembly;<\/p>\n
House of Assembly–last held 1 July 1985 (next to be held July
\n1990); results–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(21 total) DFP 17, LPD 4<\/p>\n
Communists: negligible<\/p>\n
Other political or pressure groups: Dominica Liberation Movement (DLM), a
\nsmall leftist group<\/p>\n
Member of: ACP, CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, GATT (de facto), G-77, IBRD,
\nIDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, OAS, OECS, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: there is no Chancery in the US;
\nUS–no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown
\n(Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica<\/p>\n
Flag: green with a centered cross of three equal bands–the vertical part
\nis yellow (hoist side), black, and white–the horizontal part is yellow (top),
\nblack, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing
\na sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the
\n10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: The economy is dependent on agriculture and thus is highly
\nvulnerable to climatic conditions. Agriculture accounts for about 30%
\nof GDP and employs 40% of the labor force. Principal products include
\nbananas, coconuts, citrus, and root crops. In 1988 the economy achieved a
\n5.6% growth in real GDP on the strength of a boost in construction,
\nhigher agricultural production, and growth of the small manufacturing
\nsector based on soap and garment industries. The tourist industry
\nremains undeveloped because of a rugged coastline and the lack of an
\ninternational-class airport.<\/p>\n
GDP: $137 million, per capita $1,408; real growth rate 5.6% (1988 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.9% (1987)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 10% (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $60 million; expenditures $52 million,
\nincluding capital expenditures of $18 million (FY88)<\/p>\n
Exports: $46 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities–bananas,
\ncoconuts, grapefruit, soap, galvanized sheets;
\npartners–UK 72%, Jamaica 10%, OECS 6%, US 3%, other 9%<\/p>\n
Imports: $66.0 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities–food, oils and
\nfats, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, manufactured goods, machinery and
\nequipment;
\npartners–US 23%, UK 18%, CARICOM 15%, OECS 15%, Japan 5%,
\nCanada 3%, other 21%<\/p>\n
External debt: $63.6 million (December 1987)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 5.9% in manufacturing (1987)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 7,000 kW capacity; 16 million kWh produced,
\n190 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: agricultural processing, tourism, soap and other
\ncoconut-based products, cigars, pumice mining<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP; principal crops–bananas, citrus
\nfruit, coconuts, root crops; bananas provide the bulk of export earnings;
\n forestry and fisheries potential not exploited<\/p>\n
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
\n(1970-87), $109 million<\/p>\n
Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural–dollars); 1 EC dollar
\n(EC$) = 100 cents<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1–2.70 (fixed rate
\nsince 1976)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June<\/p>\n
Communications
\nHighways: 750 km total; 370 km paved, 380 km gravel and earth<\/p>\n
Ports: Roseau, Portsmouth<\/p>\n
Civil air: NA<\/p>\n
Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways;
\nnone with runways over 2,439 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: 4,600 telephones in fully automatic network; VHF and
\nUHF link to St. Lucia; new SHF links to Martinique and Guadeloupe;
\nstations–3 AM, 2 FM, 1 cable TV<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force<\/p>\n
Military manpower: NA<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: NA
\n.pa
\nDominican Republic
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 48,730 km2; land area: 48,380 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire<\/p>\n
Land boundary 275 km with Haiti<\/p>\n
Coastline: 1,288 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: outer edge of continental margin or 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 6 nm<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation<\/p>\n
Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys
\ninterspersed<\/p>\n
Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver<\/p>\n
Land use: 23% arable land; 7% permanent crops; 43% meadows and pastures;
\n13% forest and woodland; 14% other; includes 4% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: subject to occasional hurricanes (July to October);
\ndeforestation<\/p>\n
Note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (western one-third is
\nHaiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 7,240,793 (July 1990), growth rate 2.0% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 28 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 7 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: – 1 migrant\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 62 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 69 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 3.2 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Dominican(s); adjective–Dominican<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 73% mixed, 16% white, 11% black<\/p>\n
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic<\/p>\n
Language: Spanish<\/p>\n
Literacy: 74%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 2,300,000-2,600,000; 49% agriculture, 33% services,
\n18% industry (1986)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: 12% of labor force (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Dominican Republic (no short-form name)<\/p>\n
Type: republic<\/p>\n
Capital: Santo Domingo<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 29 provinces (provincias, singular–provincia)
\nand 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon,
\nDistrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor,
\nIndependencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez,
\nMonsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata,
\nSalcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan,
\nSan Pedro De Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde<\/p>\n
Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 28 November 1966<\/p>\n
Legal system: based on French civil codes<\/p>\n
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
\nconsists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and lower chamber or
\nChamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State and Head of Government–President Joaquin BALAGUER
\nRicardo (since 16 August 1986); Vice President Carlos A. MORALES Troncoso
\n(since 16 August 1986)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders:<\/p>\n
Major parties–Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC),
\nJoaquin Balaguer Ricardo; Dominican Revolutionary
\nParty (PRD), which fractured in May 1989 with the understanding that
\nleading rivals Jacobo Majluta and Jose Francisco
\nPena Gomez would run separately for president at the head of the
\nIndependent Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the Social Democratic
\nInstitutional Bloc (BIS), respectively, and try to reconstitute the
\nPRD after the election; Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Juan Bosch
\nGavino;<\/p>\n
Minor parties–National Veterans and Civilian Party (PNVC),
\nJuan Rene Beauchanps Javier; The Structure (LE), Andres Van Der Horst;
\nDemocratic Quisqueyan Party (PQD), Elias Wessin Chavez;
\nConstitutional Action Party (PAC), Luis Arzeno
\nRodriguez; National Progressive Force (FNP), Marino Vinicio Castillo;
\nPopular Christian Party (PPC), Rogelio Delgado Bogaert; Dominican
\nCommunist Party (PCD), Narciso Isa Conde; Anti-Imperialist Patriotic
\nUnion (UPA), Ivan Rodriguez; in 1983 several leftist parties,
\nincluding the PCD, joined to form the Dominican Leftist Front (FID);
\nhowever, they still retain individual party structures<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18 or if married; members of
\nthe armed forces and police cannot vote<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 16 May 1986 (next to be held May 1990);
\nresults–Joaquin Balaguer (PRSC) 41.8%, Jacobo Majluta (PRD) 39.7%,
\nJuan Bosch Gavino (PLD) 18.5%;<\/p>\n
Senate–last held 16 May 1986 (next to be held May 1990);
\nresults–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(30 total) PRSC 21, PRD 7, PLD 2;<\/p>\n
Chamber of Deputies–last held 16 May 1986 (next to be
\nheld May 1990);
\nresults–PRSC 40.6%, PRD 33.5%, PLD 18.3%, LE 5.3%, other 2.3%;
\nseats–(120 total) PRSC 56, PRD 48, PLD 16<\/p>\n
Communists: an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 members in several legal and
\nillegal factions; effectiveness limited by ideological differences and
\norganizational inadequacies<\/p>\n
Member of: FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA,
\nIDB–Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,
\nINTERPOL, IOOC, IRC, ISO, ITU, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
\nWMO, WTO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Carlos A. MORALES Troncoso
\n(serves concurrently as Vice President); Chancery at
\n1715 22nd Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-6280;
\nthere are Dominican Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles,
\nMayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Juan
\n(Puerto Rico), and Consulates in Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit,
\nHouston, Jacksonville, Minneapolis, Mobile, Ponce (Puerto Rico), and
\nSan Francisco;
\nUS–Ambassador Paul D. TAYLOR; Embassy at the corner of
\nCalle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo
\n(mailing address is APO Miami 34041-0008); telephone \u00d5809\u00e5 541-2171<\/p>\n
Flag: a centered white cross that extends to the edges, divides the flag
\ninto four rectangles–the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, the bottom
\nones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of
\nthe cross<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: The economy is largely dependent on the agricultural sector,
\nwhich employs 50% of the labor force and provides about half of export revenues.
\nThe principal commercial crop is sugarcane, followed by coffee, cocoa, and
\ntobacco. Industry is based on the processing of agricultural products, durable
\nconsumer goods, minerals, and chemicals. Rapid growth of free trade zones has
\nestablished a significant expansion of manufacturing for export, especially
\nwearing apparel. Over the past decade tourism has also increased in importance
\nand is a significant earner of foreign exchange and a source of new jobs.
\nUnemployment is officially reported at about 25%, but underemployment may
\nbe much higher.<\/p>\n
GDP: $5.1 billion, per capita $790; real growth rate 0.5% (1988)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 57.6% (1988)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 25% (1988)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $413 million; expenditures $522 million,
\nincluding capital expenditures of $218 million (1988)<\/p>\n
Exports: $711 million (f.o.b., 1988);
\ncommodities–sugar, coffee, cocoa, gold, ferronickel;
\npartners–US, including Puerto Rico, 74%<\/p>\n
Imports: $1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
\ncommodities–foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and
\npharmaceuticals;
\npartners–US, including Puerto Rico, 37% (1985)<\/p>\n
External debt: $3.6 billion (1989) est.<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 30% (1987 est.)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 1,376,000 kW capacity; 4,000 million kWh produced,
\n560 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining,
\ntextiles, cement, tobacco<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 18% of GDP and employs 49% of labor
\nforce; sugarcane most important commercial crop, followed by coffee,
\ncotton, and cocoa; food crops–rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas;
\nanimal output–cattle, hogs, dairy products, meat, eggs; not
\nself-sufficient in food<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $1.1 billion; Western
\n(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $529 million<\/p>\n
Currency: Dominican peso (plural–pesos); 1 Dominican peso
\n(RD$) = 100 centavos<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Dominican pesos per US$1–6.3400 (January 1990),
\n6.3400 (1989), 6.1125 (1988), 3.8448 (1987), 2.9043 (1986), 3.1126 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: 1,655 km total in numerous segments; 4 different gauges
\nfrom 0.558 m to 1.435 m<\/p>\n
Highways: 12,000 km total; 5,800 km paved, 5,600 km gravel and improved
\nearth, 600 km unimproved<\/p>\n
Pipelines: crude oil, 96 km; refined products, 8 km<\/p>\n
Ports: Santo Domingo, Haina, San Pedro de Macoris, Puerto Plata<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 4 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,335
\nGRT\/40,297 DWT<\/p>\n
Civil air: 14 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 44 total, 30 usable; 14 with permanent-surface runways;
\nnone with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with
\nrunways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: relatively efficient domestic system based on
\nislandwide radio relay network; 190,000 telephones; stations–120 AM, no
\nFM, 18 TV, 6 shortwave; 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean
\nINTELSAT earth station<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Army, Navy, Air Force<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,912,101; 1,210,172 fit for military
\nservice; 80,290 reach military age (18) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 1.2% of GDP, or $61 million (1989 est.)
\n.pa
\nEcuador
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 283,560 km2; land area: 276,840 km2; includes
\nGalapagos Islands<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Nevada<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 2,010 km total; Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km<\/p>\n
Coastline: 2,237 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 m;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 200 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: two sections of the boundary with Peru are in dispute<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical along coast becoming cooler inland<\/p>\n
Terrain: coastal plain (Costa), inter-Andean central highlands (Sierra),
\nand flat to rolling eastern jungle (Oriente)<\/p>\n
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber<\/p>\n
Land use: 6% arable land; 3% permanent crops; 17% meadows and pastures;
\n51% forest and woodland; 23% other; includes 2% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic
\nactivity; deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; periodic droughts<\/p>\n
Note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 10,506,668 (July 1990), growth rate 2.3% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 30 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 7 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: 0 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 61 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 68 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 3.8 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Ecuadorian(s); adjective–Ecuadorian<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 55% mestizo (mixed Indian and Spanish), 25% Indian, 10%
\nSpanish, 10% black<\/p>\n
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic<\/p>\n
Language: Spanish (official); Indian languages, especially Quechua<\/p>\n
Literacy: 85% (1981)<\/p>\n
Labor force: 2,800,000; 35% agriculture, 21% manufacturing,
\n16% commerce, 28% services and other activities (1982)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: less than 15% of labor force<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Republic of Ecuador<\/p>\n
Type: republic<\/p>\n
Capital: Quito<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (provincias, singular–provincia);
\nAzuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas,
\nGalapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago,
\nNapo, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe<\/p>\n
Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain; Battle of Pichincha)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 10 August 1979<\/p>\n
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
\njurisdiction<\/p>\n
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 August (1809, independence
\nof Quito)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Representatives
\n(Camara de Representantes)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State and Head of Government–President Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos
\n(since 10 August 1988); Vice President Luis PARODI Valverde (since
\n10 August 1988)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: Right to center
\nparties–Social Christian Party (PSC), Camilio Ponce, president;
\nConservative Party (PC), Jose Teran Varea, director;
\nRadical Liberal Party (PLR), Blasco Penaherrera, director;<\/p>\n
Centrist parties–Concentration of Popular Forces (CFP), Averroes
\nBucaram Saxida, director; Radical Alfarist Front (FRA), Cecilia
\nCalderon de Castro, leader; People, Change, and Democracy (PCD), Aquiles
\nRigail Santistevan, director; Revolutionary Nationalist Party (PNR),
\nCarlos Julio Arosemena Monroy, leader;<\/p>\n
Center-left parties–Democratic Left (ID), President Rodrigo Borja,
\nleader; Roldosist Party of Ecuador (PRE), Abdala Bucaram, director;
\nPopular Democracy (DP), Vladimiro Alvarez, leader;
\nChristian Democratic (CD), Julio Cesar Trujillo;
\nDemocratic Party (PD), Francisco Huerta Montalvo, leader;<\/p>\n
Far-left parties–Broad Leftist Front (FADI), Rene Mauge
\nMosquera, director; Socialist Party (PSE), Victor Granda Aguilar,
\nsecretary general; Democratic Popular Movement (MPD), Jaime Hurtado
\nGonzalez, leader; Ecuadorian National Liberation (LN), Alfredo Castillo;
\nPopular Revolutionary Action Party (APRE), Lt. Gen. Frank Vargas
\nPazzos, leader<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 18; compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65,
\noptional for other eligible voters<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–first round held 31 January 1988 and second round on
\n8 May 1988 (next first round to be held January 1992 and second round
\nMay 1992);
\nresults–Rodrigo Borja Cevallos (ID) 54%, Abdala Bucaram Ortiz
\n(PRE) 46%;<\/p>\n
Chamber of Representatives–last held 31 January 1988
\n(next to be held June 1990);
\nresults–ID 42%, PSC 11%, PRE 11%, DP 9%, others 27%;
\nseats–(71 total) ID 30, PRE 8, PSC 8, DP 7, CFP 6, PSE 4,
\nFADI 2, MPD 2, FRA 2, PCE 1, PLR 1; note–with the addition of the
\nnew province of Sucumbios there will be 72 seats in the August 1990
\nelection<\/p>\n
Communists: Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-Moscow), Rene
\nMauge Mosquera, secretary general, 5,000 members; Communist Party of
\nEcuador\/Marxist Leninist (PCMLE, Maoist), 3,000 members; Socialist
\nParty of Ecuador (PSE, pro-Cuba), 5,000 members (est.); National
\nLiberation Party (PLN, Communist), 5,000 members (est.)<\/p>\n
Member of: Andean Pact, ECOSOC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO,
\nIDA, IDB–Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
\nINTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ITU, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPEC, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO,
\nUPEB, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jaime MONCAYO; Chancery at
\n2535 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 234-7200;
\nthere are Ecuadorian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
\nNew Orleans, New York, and San Francisco, and a Consulate in San Diego;
\nUS–Ambassador-designate Paul C. LAMBERT; Embassy at Avenida Patria
\n120, on the corner of Avenida 12 de Octubre, Quito (mailing address is P. O.
\nBox 538, Quito, or APO Miami 34039); telephone \u00d5593\u00e5 (2) 562-890; there is a US
\nConsulate General in Guayaquil<\/p>\n
Flag: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red
\nwith the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the
\nflag of Colombia which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: Ecuador continues to recover from a 1986 drop in international
\noil prices and a major earthquake in 1987 that interrupted oil exports
\nfor six months and forced Ecuador to suspend foreign debt payments.
\nIn 1988-89 oil exports recovered–accounting for nearly half of
\nEcuador’s total export revenues–and Quito resumed full interest
\npayments on its official debt, and partial payments on its commercial
\ndebt. The Borja administration has pursued austere economic
\npolicies that have helped reduce inflation and restore international
\nreserves. Ecuador was granted an IMF standby agreement worth $135
\nmillion in 1989, and Quito will seek to reschedule its foreign
\ncommercial debt in 1990.<\/p>\n
GDP: $9.8 billion, per capita $935; real growth rate 0.5% (1989)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 54% (1989)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 14.3% (1988)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $2.2 billion; expenditures $2.7 billion,
\nincluding capital expenditures of $601 million (1988 est.)<\/p>\n
Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities–petroleum 47%,
\ncoffee, bananas, cocoa products, shrimp, fish products; partners–US 58%,
\nLatin America, Caribbean, EC countries<\/p>\n
Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities–transport
\nequipment, vehicles, machinery, chemical, petroleum; partners–US 28%,
\nLatin America, Caribbean, EC, Japan<\/p>\n
External debt: $10.9 billion (1989)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 0.7% (1988)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 1,953,000 kW capacity; 5,725 million kWh produced,
\n560 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: food processing, textiles, chemicals, fishing,
\ntimber, petroleum<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 18% of GDP and 35% of labor force (including
\nfishing and forestry); leading producer and exporter of bananas and balsawood;
\nother exports–coffee, cocoa, fish, shrimp; crop production–rice, potatoes,
\nmanioc, plantains, sugarcane; livestock sector–cattle, sheep, hogs, beef,
\npork, dairy products; net importer of foodgrain, dairy products, and sugar<\/p>\n
Illicit drugs: relatively small producer of coca following the
\nsuccessful eradication campaign of 1985-87; significant transit country,
\nhowever, for derivatives of coca originating in Colombia, Bolivia, and
\nPeru<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $457 million; Western
\n(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.4 billion;
\nCommunist countries (1970-88), $64 million<\/p>\n
Currency: sucre (plural–sucres); 1 sucre (S\/) = 100 centavos<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: sucres (S\/) per US$1–526.35 (1989), 301.61 (1988),
\n170.46 (1987), 122.78 (1986), 69.56 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: 965 km total; all 1.067-meter-gauge single track<\/p>\n
Highways: 28,000 km total; 3,600 km paved, 17,400 km gravel and improved
\nearth, 7,000 km unimproved earth<\/p>\n
Inland waterways: 1,500 km<\/p>\n
Pipelines: crude oil, 800 km; refined products, 1,358 km<\/p>\n
Ports: Guayaquil, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, Esmeraldas<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 340,446
\nGRT\/492,670 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 7 cargo, 17 refrigerated cargo,
\n2 container, 1 roll-on\/roll-off cargo, 16 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL)
\ntanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 1 bulk<\/p>\n
Civil air: 44 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 179 total, 178 usable; 43 with permanent-surface runways;
\n1 with runways over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 20 with runways
\n1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: domestic facilities generally adequate; 318,000
\ntelephones; stations–272 AM, no FM, 33 TV, 39 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean
\nINTELSAT earth station<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Ecuadorean Army (Ejercito Ecuatoriano), Ecuadorean Air Force
\n(Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana), Ecuadorean Navy (Armada Ecuatoriana)<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 2,635,543; 1,786,068 fit for military
\nservice; 114,976 reach military age (20) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 1% of GDP, or $100 million (1988 est.)
\n.pa
\nEgypt
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 1,001,450 km2; land area: 995,450 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 2,689 km total; Gaza Strip 11, Israel 255 km,
\nLibya 1,150 km, Sudan 1,273 km<\/p>\n
Coastline: 2,450 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: undefined;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: Administrative Boundary and international boundary with Sudan<\/p>\n
Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters<\/p>\n
Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta<\/p>\n
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates,
\nmanganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc<\/p>\n
Land use: 3% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
\nNEGL% forest and woodland; 95% other; includes 5% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: Nile is only perennial water source; increasing soil
\nsalinization below Aswan High Dam; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin
\noccurs in spring; water pollution; desertification<\/p>\n
Note: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa
\nand remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest sea link
\nbetween Indian Ocean and Mediterranean; size and juxtaposition to Israel
\nestablish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 54,705,746 (July 1990), growth rate 2.5% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 34 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 10 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 90 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 60 years male, 61 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 4.7 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Egyptian(s); adjective–Egyptian<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 90% Eastern Hamitic stock; 10% Greek, Italian,
\nSyro-Lebanese<\/p>\n
Religion: (official estimate) 94% Muslim (mostly Sunni), 6% Coptic
\nChristian and other<\/p>\n
Language: Arabic (official); English and French widely understood by
\neducated classes<\/p>\n
Literacy: 45%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 15,000,000 (1989 est.); 36% government,
\npublic sector enterprises, and armed forces; 34% agriculture;
\n20% privately owned service and manufacturing enterprises (1984);
\nshortage of skilled labor; 2,500,000 Egyptians work abroad, mostly
\nin Iraq and the Gulf Arab states (1988 est.)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: 2,500,000 (est.)<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Arab Republic of Egypt<\/p>\n
Type: republic<\/p>\n
Capital: Cairo<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 26 governorates (muhafazat,
\nsingular–muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar,
\nAl Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah,
\nAl Ismailiyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya,
\nAl Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah,
\nAs Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Said, Dumyat,
\nJanub Sina, Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina,
\nShamal Sina, Suhaj<\/p>\n
Independence: 28 February 1922 (from UK); formerly United Arab Republic<\/p>\n
Constitution: 11 September 1971<\/p>\n
Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic
\ncodes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees
\nvalidity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
\nwith reservations<\/p>\n
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 23 July (1952)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral People’s Assembly (Majlis al-Shaab);
\nnote–there is an Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura) that functions in a
\nconsultative role<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State–President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (was made acting
\nPresident on 6 October 1981 upon the assassination of President Sadat and
\nsworn in as President on 14 October 1981);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Prime Minister Atef Mohammed Najib SEDKY
\n(since 12 November 1986)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: formation of political parties must be
\napproved by government; National Democratic Party (NDP), President
\nMohammed Hosni Mubarak, leader, is the dominant party; legal opposition
\nparties are Socialist Liberal Party (SLP), Kamal Murad; Socialist Labor
\nParty, Ibrahim Shukri; National Progressive Unionist Grouping, Khalid
\nMuhyi-al-Din; Umma Party, Ahmad al-Sabahi; and New Wafd Party (NWP),
\nFuad Siraj al-Din<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 5 October 1987 (next to be held October
\n1993); results–President Hosni Mubarek was reelected;<\/p>\n
People’s Assembly–last held 6 April 1987 (next to be held
\nApril 1992); results–NDP 69.3%, Socialist Labor Party Coalition 17%,
\nNWP 10.9%;
\nseats–(458 total, 448 elected)–NDP 346, Socialist Labor Party
\nCoalition 60,
\nLabor-Liberal-Muslim Brotherhood Alliance 60 (37 belong to the
\nMuslim Brotherhood), NWP 36, independents 7;<\/p>\n
Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)–last held October 1986
\n(next to be held October 1992);
\nresults–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(210 total, 140 elected)<\/p>\n
Communists: about 500 party members<\/p>\n
Other political or pressure groups: Islamic groups are illegal, but the
\nlargest one, the Muslim Brotherhood, is tolerated by the government and
\nrecently gained a sizable presence in the new People’s Assembly; trade
\nunions and professional associations are officially sanctioned<\/p>\n
Member of: ACC, AfDB, Arab League, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT,
\nIAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, IDA, IDB–Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC,
\nIHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IPU, IRC, ITU,
\nIWC–International Wheat Council, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU,
\nWHO, WIPO, WMO, WPC, WSG, WTO; Egypt was suspended from Arab League and
\nOAPEC in April 1979 and readmitted in May 1989<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador El Sayed Abdel Raouf EL REEDY;
\nChancery at 2310 Decatur Place NW, Washington DC 20008;
\ntelephone (202) 232-5400; there are Egyptian Consulates General in Chicago,
\nHouston, New York, and San Francisco;
\nUS–Ambassador Frank G. WISNER; Embassy at 5 Sharia Latin America,
\nGarden City, Cairo (mailing address is FPO New York 09527);
\ntelephone \u00d520\u00e5 \u00d52\u00e5 355-7371; there is a US Consulate General in Alexandria<\/p>\n
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with the
\nnational emblem (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle facing the hoist side
\nabove a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white
\nband; similar to the flags of the YAR which has one star, Syria which has two
\nstars, and Iraq which has three stars–all green and five-pointed in a
\nhorizontal line centered in the white band<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: Egypt has one of the largest public sectors of all
\nthe Third World economies, most industrial plants being owned by the
\ngovernment. Overregulation holds back technical modernization and
\nforeign investment. Even so, the economy grew rapidly during the late
\n1970s and early 1980s, but in 1986 the collapse of world oil prices
\nand an increasingly heavy burden of debt servicing led Egypt to begin
\nnegotiations with the IMF for balance-of-payments support. As part of
\nthe 1987 agreement with the IMF, the government agreed to institute
\na reform program to reduce inflation, promote economic growth, and
\nimprove its external position. The reforms have been slow in coming,
\nhowever, and the economy has been largely stagnant for the past
\nthree years. With 1 million people being added every eight months
\nto Egypt’s population, urban growth exerts enormous pressure on
\nthe 5% of the total land area available for agriculture.<\/p>\n
GDP: $38.3 billion, per capita $700; real growth rate 1.0% (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25% (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 15% (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $7 billion; expenditures $11.5 billion,
\nincluding capital expenditures of $4 billion (FY89 est.)<\/p>\n
Exports: $2.55 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities–raw cotton,
\ncrude and refined petroleum, cotton yarn, textiles; partners–US,
\nEC, Japan, Eastern Europe<\/p>\n
Imports: $10.1 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities–foods,
\nmachinery and equipment, fertilizers, wood products, durable consumer goods,
\ncapital goods; partners–US, EC, Japan, Eastern Europe<\/p>\n
External debt: $45 billion (December 1989)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 2-4% (1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 11,273,000 kW capacity; 42,500 million kWh produced,
\n780 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals,
\npetroleum, construction, cement, metals<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 20% of GNP and employs more than one-third of
\nlabor force; dependent on irrigation water from the Nile; world’s
\nfifth-largest cotton exporter; other crops produced include rice,
\ncorn, wheat, beans, fruit, vegetables; not self-sufficient in food;
\nlivestock–cattle, water buffalo, sheep, and goats; annual fish catch
\nabout 140,000 metric tons<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $14.7 billion; Western
\n(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $7.8 billion;
\nOPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $2.9 billion; Communist countries (1970-88),
\n$2.4 billion<\/p>\n
Currency: Egyptian pound (plural–pounds); 1 Egyptian pound
\n(LE) = 100 piasters<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Egyptian pounds (LE) per US$1–2.5790 (January 1990),
\n2.5171 (1989), 2.2128 (1988), 1.5015 (1987), 1.3503 (1986), 1.3010 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: 5,110 km total; 4,763 km 1,435-meter standard gauge, 347 km
\n0.750-meter gauge; 951 km double track; 25 km electrified<\/p>\n
Highways: 51,925 km total; 17,900 km paved, 2,500 km gravel, 13,500
\nkm improved earth, 18,025 km unimproved earth<\/p>\n
Inland waterways: 3,500 km (including the Nile, Lake Nasser,
\nAlexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the delta);
\nSuez Canal, 193.5 km long (including approaches), used by oceangoing
\nvessels drawing up to 16.1 meters of water<\/p>\n
Pipelines: crude oil, 1,171 km; refined products, 596 km; natural gas, 460
\nkm<\/p>\n
Ports: Alexandria, Port Said, Suez, Bur Safajah, Damietta<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 142 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,141,799
\nGRT\/1,754,181 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 7 short-sea passenger,
\n2 passenger-cargo, 88 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 13 roll-on\/roll-off cargo,
\n14 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 15 bulk<\/p>\n
Civil air: 43 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 97 total, 87 usable; 67 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with
\nrunways over 3,659 m; 46 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 21 with runways
\n1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: system is large but still inadequate for needs;
\nprincipal centers are Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, and
\nTanta; intercity connections by coaxial cable and microwave; extensive
\nupgrading in progress; 600,000 telephones (est.); stations–25 AM, 5 FM, 47 TV;
\nsatellite earth stations–1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean
\nINTELSAT, 1 INMARSAT; 4 submarine coaxial cables; tropospheric scatter
\nto Sudan; radio relay to Libya (may not be operational); new radio
\nrelay to Jordan<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 13,271,942; 8,642,075 fit for military
\nservice; 547,084 reach military age (20) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 7.2% of GDP, or $2.8 billion (FY90 est.)
\n.pa
\nEl Salvador
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 21,040 km2; land area: 20,720 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Massachusetts<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 545 km total; Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km<\/p>\n
Coastline: 307 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 200 nm (overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm)<\/p>\n
Disputes: several sections of the boundary with Honduras are in dispute<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to
\nApril)<\/p>\n
Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau<\/p>\n
Natural resources: hydropower and geothermal power, crude oil<\/p>\n
Land use: 27% arable land; 8% permanent crops; 29% meadows and pastures;
\n6% forest and woodland; 30% other; includes 5% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: The Land of Volcanoes; subject to frequent and sometimes
\nvery destructive earthquakes; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution<\/p>\n
Note: smallest Central American country and only one without a
\ncoastline on Caribbean Sea<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 5,309,865 (July 1990), growth rate 2.0% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 34 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 7 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: – 7 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 49 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 62 years male, 68 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 4.1 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Salvadoran(s); adjective–Salvadoran<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 89% mestizo, 10% Indian, 1% white<\/p>\n
Religion: about 97% Roman Catholic, with activity by Protestant groups
\nthroughout the country<\/p>\n
Language: Spanish, Nahua (among some Indians)<\/p>\n
Literacy: 65%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 1,700,000 (1982 est.); 40% agriculture,
\n16% commerce, 15% manufacturing, 13% government, 9% financial services,
\n6% transportation; shortage of skilled labor and a large pool of unskilled
\nlabor, but manpower training programs improving situation (1984 est.)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: 15% total labor force; 10% agricultural labor force; 7%
\nurban labor force (1987 est.)<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Republic of El Salvador<\/p>\n
Type: republic<\/p>\n
Capital: San Salvador<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 14 departments (departamentos,
\nsingular–departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan,
\nLa Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana,
\nSan Vicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan<\/p>\n
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 20 December 1983<\/p>\n
Legal system: based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common
\nlaw; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts
\ncompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations<\/p>\n
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, vice president, Council of Ministers
\n(cabinet)<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State and Head of Government–President Alfredo CRISTIANI (since
\n1 June 1989); Vice President Jose Francisco MERINO (since 1 June 1989)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: National Republican Alliance
\n(ARENA), Armando Calderon Sol; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Jose
\nAntonio Morales Erlich; National Conciliation Party (PCN), Ciro Cruz
\nZepeda; Democratic Action (AD), Ricardo Gonzalez Camacho; Salvadoran
\nAuthentic Institutional Party (PAISA), Roberto Escobar Garcia; Patria
\nLibre (PL), Hugo Barrera; Authentic Christian Movement (MAC), Julio
\nRey Prendes; Salvadoran Popular Party (PPS), Francisco Quinonez;
\nDemocratic Convergence (CD), a coalition composed of the Social
\nDemocratic Party (PSD), Mario Rene Roldan; the National Revolutionary
\nMovement (MNR), Guillermo Ungo; and the Popular Social Christian Movement
\n(MPSC), Ruben Zamora<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 19 March 1989 (next to be held March 1994);
\nresults–Alfredo Cristiani (ARENA) 53.8%, Fidel Chavez Mena (PDC) 36.6%,
\nother 9.6%;<\/p>\n
Legislative Assembly–last held 20 March 1988 (next to be
\nheld March 1991);
\nresults–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(60 total) ARENA 32, MAC 13, PDC 9, PCN 6<\/p>\n
Other political or pressure groups:<\/p>\n
Leftist revolutionary movement–Farabundo Marti National
\nLiberation Front (FMLN), leadership body of the insurgency;
\nPopular Liberation Forces (FPL), Armed Forces of National Resistance
\n(FARN), People’s Revolutionary Army (ERP), Salvadoran Communist
\nParty\/Armed Forces of Liberation (PCES\/FAL),
\nand Central American Workers’ Revolutionary Party (PRTC)\/Popular
\nLiberation Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARLP);<\/p>\n
Militant front organizations–Revolutionary Coordinator
\nof Masses (CRM; alliance of front groups), Popular Revolutionary
\nBloc (BPR), Unified Popular Action Front (FAPU), Popular Leagues
\nof 28 February (LP-28), National Democratic Union (UDN), and
\nPopular Liberation Movement (MLP); Revolutionary Democratic Front (FDR),
\ncoalition of CRM and Democratic Front (FD); FD consists of
\nmoderate leftist groups–Independent Movement of Professionals and Technicians
\nof El Salvador (MIPTES), National Revolutionary Movement (MNR), and Popular
\nSocial Christian Movement (MPSC);<\/p>\n
Extreme rightist vigilante organizations–Anti-Communist Army (ESA);
\nMaximiliano Hernandez
\nBrigade; Organization for Liberation From Communism (OLC);<\/p>\n
Labor organizations–Federation of Construction and Transport
\nWorkers Unions (FESINCONSTRANS), independent; Salvadoran Communal
\nUnion (UCS), peasant association; Unitary Federation of Salvadoran Unions
\n(FUSS), leftist; National Federation of Salvadoran Workers (FENASTRAS),
\nleftist; Democratic Workers Central (CTD), moderate; General
\nConfederation of Workers (CGT), moderate; Popular Democratic Unity (UPD),
\nmoderate labor coalition which includes FESINCONSTRANS, and other
\ndemocratic labor organizations; National Unity of Salvadoran Workers
\n(UNTS), leftist; National Union of Workers and Peasants (UNOC),
\nmoderate labor coalition of democratic labor organizations;<\/p>\n
Business organizations–National Association of Private Enterprise
\n(ANEP), conservative; Productive Alliance (AP), conservative; National
\nFederation of Salvadoran Small Businessmen (FENAPES), conservative<\/p>\n
Member of: CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA,
\nIDB–Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,
\nINTERPOL, ITU, IWC–International Wheat Council, OAS, ODECA, PAHO, SELA, UN,
\nUNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Miguel Angel SALAVERRIA;
\nChancery at 2308 California Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone
\n(202) 265-3480 through 3482; there are Salvadoran Consulates General in
\nHouston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco,
\nUS–Ambassador William G. WALKER; Embassy at 25 Avenida Norte No. 1230,
\nSan Salvador (mailing address is APO Miami 34023); telephone \u00d5503\u00e5 26-7100<\/p>\n
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the
\nnational coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a
\nround emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA
\nCENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua which has a different coat of arms
\ncentered in the white band–it features a triangle encircled by the words
\nREPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom;
\nalso similar to the flag of Honduras which has five blue stars arranged
\nin an X pattern centered in the white band<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: The economy experienced a modest recovery during the period
\n1983-86, after a sharp decline in the early 1980s. Real GDP grew by 1.5% a
\nyear on the strength of value added by the manufacturing and service sectors.
\nIn 1987 the economy expanded by 2.5% as agricultural output recovered from the
\n1986 drought. The agricultural sector accounts for 25% of GDP, employs about 40%
\nof the labor force, and contributes about 66% to total exports. Coffee is the
\nmajor commercial crop, contributing 60% to export earnings. The manufacturing
\nsector, based largely on food and beverage processing, accounts for 17% of GDP
\nand 16% of employment. Economic losses due to guerrilla sabotage total more
\nthan $2.0 billion since 1979. The costs of maintaining a large military
\nseriously constrain the government’s ability to provide essential social
\nservices.<\/p>\n
GDP: $5.5 billion, per capita $1,020 (1988); real growth rate 0.9% (1989
\nest.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16.8% (September 1989)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 10% (1989)<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $688 million; expenditures $725 million, including
\ncapital expenditures of $112 million (1988)<\/p>\n
Exports: $497 million (f.o.b., 1989);
\ncommodities–coffee 60%, sugar, cotton, shrimp;
\npartners–US 49%, FRG 24%, Guatemala 7%, Costa Rica 4%, Japan 4%<\/p>\n
Imports: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1989);
\ncommodities–petroleum products, consumer goods, foodstuffs, machinery,
\nconstruction materials, fertilizer;
\npartners–US 40%, Guatemala 12%, Venezuela 7%, Mexico 7%, FRG 5%, Japan 4%<\/p>\n
External debt: $1.7 billion (December 1989)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate 2.9% (1989)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 669,000 kW capacity; 1,813 million kWh produced,
\n350 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: food processing, textiles, clothing, petroleum
\nproducts, cement<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 25% of GDP and 40% of labor force (including
\nfishing and forestry); coffee most important commercial crop; other
\nproducts–sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseeds, beef, dairy products,
\nshrimp; not self-sufficient in food<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $2.4 billion; Western
\n(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $353 million<\/p>\n
Currency: Salvadoran colon (plural–colones); 1 Salvadoran
\ncolon (C) = 100 centavos<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1–5.0000 (fixed rate
\nsince 1986)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: calendar year<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: 602 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track<\/p>\n
Highways: 10,000 km total; 1,500 km paved, 4,100 km gravel, 4,400 km
\nimproved and unimproved earth<\/p>\n
Inland waterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable<\/p>\n
Ports: Acajutla, Cutuco<\/p>\n
Civil air: 7 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 125 total, 84 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways;
\nnone with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
\n5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: nationwide trunk radio relay system; connection into
\nCentral American Microwave System; 116,000 telephones; stations–77 AM, no FM,
\n5 TV, 2 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Police,
\nTreasury Police<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,180,751; 754,350 fit for military
\nservice; 68,805 reach military age (18) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 4% of GDP, or $220 million (1990 est.)
\n.pa
\nEquatorial Guinea
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 28,050 km2; land area: 28,050 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 539 km total; Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km<\/p>\n
Coastline: 296 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: maritime boundary dispute with Gabon<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical; always hot, humid<\/p>\n
Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are
\nvolcanic<\/p>\n
Natural resources: timber, crude oil, small unexploited deposits
\nof gold, manganese, uranium<\/p>\n
Land use: 8% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures;
\n51% forest and woodland; 33% other<\/p>\n
Environment: subject to violent windstorms<\/p>\n
Note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 368,935 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 43 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 16 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: 0 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 118 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 48 years male, 52 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 5.5 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s);
\nadjective–Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: indigenous population of Bioko, primarily Bubi, some
\nFernandinos; Rio Muni, primarily Fang; less than 1,000 Europeans, mostly
\nSpanish<\/p>\n
Religion: natives all nominally Christian and predominantly Roman
\nCatholic; some pagan practices retained<\/p>\n
Language: Spanish (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo<\/p>\n
Literacy: 40%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 172,000 (1986 est.); 66% agriculture, 23% services,
\n11% industry (1980); labor shortages on plantations; 58% of population
\nof working age (1985)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: no formal trade unions<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Republic of Equatorial Guinea<\/p>\n
Type: republic<\/p>\n
Capital: Malabo<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 2 provinces (provincias, singular–provincia);
\nBioko, Rio Muni; note–there may now be 6 provinces named Bioko Norte,
\nBioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele Nzas<\/p>\n
Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain; formerly Spanish Guinea)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 15 August 1982<\/p>\n
Legal system: in transition; partly based on Spanish civil law and
\ntribal custom<\/p>\n
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 October (1968)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
\nCouncil of Ministers (cabinet)<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of People’s Representatives
\n(Camara de Representantes del Pueblo)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State–President Brig. Gen. Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA
\nMBASOGO (since 3 August 1979);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Prime Minister Cristino SERICHE Bioko Malabo (since
\n15 August 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Isidoro Eyi Monsuy Andeme
\n(since 15 August 1989)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: only party–Democratic Party
\nfor Equatorial Guinea (PDEG), Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, party leader<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 25 June 1989 (next to be held 25 June 1996);
\nresults–President Brig. Gen. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo was reelected without
\nopposition;<\/p>\n
Chamber of Deputies–last held 10 July 1988 (next to be
\nheld 10 July 1993);
\nresults–PDEG is the only party;
\nseats–(41 total) PDEG 41<\/p>\n
Communists: no significant number but some sympathizers<\/p>\n
Member of: ACP, AfDB, Conference of East and Central African
\nStates, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD,
\nIFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Damaso OBIANG NDONG; Chancery at
\n801 Second Avenue, Suite 1403, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 599-1523;
\nUS–Ambassador Chester E. NORRIS, Jr.; Embassy at Calle de Los Ministros,
\nMalabo (mailing address is P. O. Box 597, Malabo); telephone 2406 or 2507<\/p>\n
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a
\nblue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered
\nin the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars
\n(representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield
\nbearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto
\nUNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: The economy, destroyed during the regime of former
\nPresident Macias Nguema, is now based on agriculture, forestry,
\nand fishing, which account for about 60% of GNP and nearly all exports.
\nSubsistence agriculture predominates, with cocoa, coffee, and wood
\nproducts providing income, foreign exchange, and government
\nrevenues. There is little industry. Commerce accounts
\nfor about 10% of GNP, and the construction, public works, and service
\nsectors for about 34%. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium,
\niron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Oil exploration is
\ntaking place under concessions offered to US, French, and Spanish firms.<\/p>\n
GNP: $103 million, per capita $293; real growth rate NA% (1987)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): – 6.0% (1988 est.)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: NA%<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $23 million; expenditures $31 million, including
\ncapital expenditures of NA (1988)<\/p>\n
Exports: $30 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities–coffee,
\ntimber, cocoa beans;
\npartners–Spain 44%, FRG 19%, Italy 12%, Netherlands 11% (1987)<\/p>\n
Imports: $50 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities–petroleum,
\nfood, beverages, clothing, machinery;
\npartners–Spain 34%, Italy 16%, France 14%, Netherlands 8% (1987)<\/p>\n
External debt: $191 million (December 1988)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate NA%<\/p>\n
Electricity: 23,000 kW capacity; 60 million kWh produced,
\n170 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: fishing, sawmilling<\/p>\n
Agriculture: cash crops–timber and coffee from Rio Muni, cocoa
\nfrom Bioko; food crops–rice, yams, cassava, bananas, oil palm nuts,
\nmanioc, livestock<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY81-88), $11 million; Western
\n(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $100 million;
\nCommunist countries (1970-88), $55 million<\/p>\n
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural–francs);
\n1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF)
\nper US$1–287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987),
\n346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March<\/p>\n
Communications
\nHighways: Rio Muni–1,024 km; Bioko–216 km<\/p>\n
Ports: Malabo, Bata<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,413
\nGRT\/6,699 DWT; includes 1 cargo and 1 passenger-cargo<\/p>\n
Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 4 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways;
\nnone with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with
\nrunways 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: poor system with adequate government services;
\ninternational communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European
\ncountries; 2,000 telephones; stations–2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean
\nINTELSAT earth station<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Army, Navy, and possibly Air Force<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 77,363; 39,174 fit for military service<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 11% of GNP (FY81 est.)
\n.pa
\nEthiopia
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 1,221,900 km2; land area: 1,101,000 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: 5,141 km total; Djibouti 459 km, Kenya 861 km,
\nSomalia 1,600 km, Sudan 2,221 km<\/p>\n
Coastline: 1,094 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: southern half of the boundary with Somalia is a Provisional
\nAdministrative Line; possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic
\nSomalis; territorial dispute with Somalia over the Ogaden; separatist movement
\nin Eritrea; antigovernment insurgencies in Tigray and other areas<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation;
\nprone to extended droughts<\/p>\n
Terrain: high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great
\nRift Valley<\/p>\n
Natural resources: small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash<\/p>\n
Land use: 12% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 41% meadows and pastures;
\n24% forest and woodland; 22% other; includes NEGL% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to
\nearthquakes, volcanic eruptions; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
\ndesertification; frequent droughts; famine<\/p>\n
Note: strategic geopolitical position along world’s busiest
\nshipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; major resettlement
\nproject ongoing in rural areas will significantly alter population distribution
\nand settlement patterns over the next several
\ndecades<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 51,666,622 (July 1990), growth rate 3.5% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 45 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 15 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: 5 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 116 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 49 years male, 52 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Ethiopian(s); adjective–Ethiopian<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 40% Oromo, 32% Amhara and Tigrean, 9% Sidamo, 6%
\nShankella, 6% Somali, 4% Afar, 2% Gurage, 1% other<\/p>\n
Religion: 40-45% Muslim, 35-40% Ethiopian Orthodox, 15-20% animist, 5%
\nother<\/p>\n
Language: Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Orominga, Arabic, English (major
\nforeign language taught in schools)<\/p>\n
Literacy: 55.2%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 18,000,000; 80% agriculture and animal
\nhusbandry, 12% government and services, 8% industry and construction
\n(1985)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: All Ethiopian Trade Union formed by the government in
\nJanuary 1977 to represent 273,000 registered trade union members<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia<\/p>\n
Type: Communist state<\/p>\n
Capital: Addis Ababa<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: 14 administrative regions (plural–NA,
\nsingular–kifle hager); Arsi, Bale, Eritrea, Gamo Gofa, Gojam,
\nGonder, Harerge, Ilubabor, Kefa, Shewa, Sidamo, Tigray, Welega,
\nWelo; note–the administrative structure may be changing to 25
\nadministrative regions (astedader akababiwach, singular–astedader
\nakababee) and 5 autonomous
\nregions* (rasgez akababiwach, singular–rasgez akababee); Addis Ababa,
\nArsi, Aseb*, Asosa, Bale, Borena, Dire Dawa*, East Gojam,
\nEast Harerge, Eritrea*, Gambela, Gamo Gofa, Ilubabor, Kefa, Metekel,
\nNazaret, North Gonder, North Shewa, North Welo, Ogaden*, Omo, Sidamo,
\nSouth Gonder, South Shewa, South Welo, Tigray*, Welega, West Gojam,
\nWest Harerge, West Shewa<\/p>\n
Independence: oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest
\nin the world–at least 2,000 years<\/p>\n
Constitution: 12 September 1987<\/p>\n
Legal system: complex structure with civil, Islamic, common, and
\ncustomary law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction<\/p>\n
National holiday: National Revolution Day, 12 September (1974)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: president, vice president, Council of State
\nprime minister, five deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Shengo)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State–President MENGISTU Haile-Mariam (Chairman from
\n11 September 1977 until becoming President on 10 September 1987);
\nVice President FISSEHA Desta (since 10 September 1987);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Prime Minister (Acting) and Deputy Prime
\nMinister HAILU Yimenu (since 7 November 1989);
\nDeputy Prime Minister WOLLE Chekol (since 21 November 1989);
\nDeputy Prime Minister ALEMU Abebe (since 10 September 1987);
\nDeputy Prime Minister TESFAYE Dinka (since 10 September 1987);
\nDeputy Prime Minister ASHAGRE Yigletu (since 21 November 1989)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: only party–Workers’ Party of
\nEthiopia (WPE), Mengistu Haile-Mariam, secretary general<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nPresident–last held 10 September 1987 (next to be held September
\n1992);
\nresults–National Assembly elected President Mengistu Haile-Mariam;<\/p>\n
National Assembly–last held 14 June 1987 (next to be
\nheld June 1992);
\nresults–WPE is the only party;
\nseats–(835 total) WPE 835<\/p>\n
Other political or pressure groups: important dissident groups include
\nEritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) in Eritrea; Tigrean People’s
\nLiberation Front (TPLF) and Ethiopian Peoples Democratic Movement
\nin Tigray, Welo, and border regions; Oromo Liberation Front in Welega and
\nHarerge regions<\/p>\n
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICO, ICAO, IDA,
\nIFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN,
\nUNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: Counselor, Charge d’Affaires ad interim
\nGIRMA Amare; Chancery at 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC 20008;
\ntelephone (202) 234-2281 or 2282;
\nUS–Charge d’Affaires Robert G. HOUDEK; Embassy at Entoto Street,
\nAddis Ababa (mailing address is P.O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa);
\ntelephone 254-233-4141<\/p>\n
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red;
\nEthiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa and the colors of her flag
\nwere so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they
\nbecame known as the pan-African colors<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: Ethiopia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in
\nAfrica. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which accounts for
\nabout 45% of GDP, 90% of exports, and 80% of total employment; coffee generates
\nover 60% of export earnings. The manufacturing sector is heavily dependent on
\ninputs from the agricultural sector. The economy is centrally planned, and over
\n90% of large-scale industry is state run. Favorable agricultural weather
\nlargely explains the 4.5% growth in output in FY89.<\/p>\n
GDP: $6.6 billion, per capita $130, real growth rate 4.5% (FY89 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.6% (FY89)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: NA; shortage of skilled manpower<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $1.4 billion; expenditures $1.9 billion, including
\ncapital expenditures of $0.7 billion (FY87)<\/p>\n
Exports: $418 million (f.o.b., FY88); commodities–coffee 60%,
\nhides;
\npartners–US, FRG, Djibouti, Japan, PDRY, France, Italy<\/p>\n
Imports: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., FY88),
\ncommodities–food, fuels, capital goods;
\npartners–USSR, Italy, FRG, Japan, UK, US, France<\/p>\n
External debt: $2.6 billion (1988)<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate – 0.2% (FY88 est.)<\/p>\n
Electricity: 330,000 kW capacity; 700 million kWh produced,
\n14 kWh per capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: cement, textiles, food processing, oil refinery<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 45% of GDP and is the most important sector of
\nthe economy even though frequent droughts, poor cultivation practices, and
\nstate economic policies keep farm output low; famines not uncommon;
\nexport crops of coffee and oilseeds grown partly on state farms;
\nestimated 50% of agricultural production at subsistence level;
\nprincipal crops and livestock–cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseeds,
\npotatoes, sugarcane, vegetables, hides and skins, cattle, sheep, goats<\/p>\n
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $471 million; Western
\n(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.6 billion;
\nOPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $8 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
\n$2.0 billion<\/p>\n
Currency: birr (plural–birr); 1 birr (Br) = 100 cents<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: birr (Br) per US$1–2.0700 (fixed rate)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: 8 July-7 July<\/p>\n
Communications
\nRailroads: 988 km total; 681 km 1.000-meter gauge; 307 km 0.950-meter
\ngauge (nonoperational)<\/p>\n
Highways: 44,300 km total; 3,650 km bituminous, 9,650 km gravel, 3,000 km
\nimproved earth, 28,000 km unimproved earth<\/p>\n
Ports: Aseb, Mitsiwa<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 71,837
\nGRT\/92,067 DWT; includes 10 cargo, 1 roll-on\/roll off cargo, 1 livestock
\ncarrier, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker<\/p>\n
Civil air: 21 major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 152 total, 111 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways;
\n2 with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 51 with runways
\n1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: open-wire and radio relay system adequate for
\ngovernment use; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; radio relay to Kenya and
\nDjibouti; stations–4 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 45,000 TV sets; 3,300,000 radios;
\n1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nBranches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense<\/p>\n
Military manpower: males 15-49, 11,438,616; 5,922,555 fit for military
\nservice; 589,231 reach military age (18) annually<\/p>\n
Defense expenditures: 8.5% of GDP (1988)
\n.pa
\nEuropa Island
\n(French possession)
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 28 km2; land area: 28 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 22.2 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: claimed by Madagascar<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical<\/p>\n
Terrain: NA<\/p>\n
Natural resources: negligible<\/p>\n
Land use: NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures;
\nNA% forest and woodland; NA% other; heavily wooded<\/p>\n
Environment: wildlife sanctuary<\/p>\n
Note: located in the Mozambique Channel 340 km west of Madagascar<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: uninhabited<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: none<\/p>\n
Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of
\nthe Republic Daniel CONSTANTIN, resident in Reunion<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: no economic activity<\/p>\n
Communications
\nAirports: 1 with runway 1,220 to 2,439 m<\/p>\n
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: 1 meteorological station<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nNote: defense is the responsibility of France
\n.pa
\nFalkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
\n(dependent territory of the UK)
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 12,170 km2; land area: 12,170 km2; includes the two
\nmain islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 1,288 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 100 meter depth;<\/p>\n
Exclusive fishing zone: 150 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Disputes: administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina<\/p>\n
Climate: cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on
\nmore than half of days in year; occasional snow all year, except in January
\nand February, but does not accumulate<\/p>\n
Terrain: rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains<\/p>\n
Natural resources: fish and wildlife<\/p>\n
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 99% meadows and pastures;
\n0% forest and woodland; 1% other<\/p>\n
Environment: poor soil fertility and a short growing season<\/p>\n
Note: deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 1,958 (July 1990), growth rate 0.5% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: NA births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: NA deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: NA migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: NA children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Falkland Islander(s); adjective–Falkland Island<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: almost totally British<\/p>\n
Religion: primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, and United Free Church;
\nEvangelist Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist<\/p>\n
Language: English<\/p>\n
Literacy: NA%, but compulsory education up to age 15<\/p>\n
Labor force: 1,100 (est.); about 95% in agriculture, mostly sheepherding<\/p>\n
Organized labor: Falkland Islands General Employees Union, 400 members<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: Colony of the Falkland Islands<\/p>\n
Type: dependent territory of the UK<\/p>\n
Capital: Stanley<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)<\/p>\n
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)<\/p>\n
Constitution: 3 October 1985<\/p>\n
Legal system: English common law<\/p>\n
National holiday: Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: British monarch, governor, Executive Council<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: Supreme Court<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State–Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Governor William Hugh FULLERTON (since NA 1988)<\/p>\n
Political parties: NA<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 18<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nLegislative Council–last held 3 October 1985 (next to be
\nheld October 1990); results–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(10 total, 8 elected) number of seats by party NA<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)<\/p>\n
Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
\nthe Falkland Island coat of arms in a white disk centered on the outer half of
\nthe flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the major
\neconomic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered
\nthe islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE
\nRIGHT<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: The economy is based on sheep farming, which directly or
\nindirectly employs most of the work force. A few dairy herds are kept to meet
\ndomestic consumption of milk and milk products, and crops grown are primarily
\nthose for providing winter fodder. Major sources of income are from the export
\nof high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of stamps and coins. Rich stocks of
\nfish in the surrounding waters are not presently exploited by the islanders, but
\ndevelopment plans called for the islands to have six trawlers by 1989.
\nIn 1987 the government began to sell fishing licenses to foreign trawlers
\noperating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license
\nfees amount to more than $25 million per year. To encourage tourism, the
\nFalkland Islands Development Corporation has built three lodges for
\nvisitors who are attracted by the abundant wildlife and trout fishing.<\/p>\n
GNP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: 0%<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $11 million; expenditures $11.8 million,
\nincluding capital expenditures of $1.2 million (FY87)<\/p>\n
Exports: at least $14.7 million;
\ncommodities–wool, hides and skins, and other;
\npartners–UK, Netherlands, Japan (1987 est.)<\/p>\n
Imports: at least $13.9 million;
\ncommodities–food, clothing, fuels, and machinery;
\npartners–UK, Netherlands Antilles (Curacao), Japan (1987 est.)<\/p>\n
External debt: $NA<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate NA%<\/p>\n
Electricity: 9,200 kW capacity; 17 million kWh produced, 8,700 kWh per
\ncapita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: wool processing<\/p>\n
Agriculture: predominantly sheep farming; small dairy herds and
\nfodder crops<\/p>\n
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
\n(1970-87), $102 million<\/p>\n
Currency: Falkland pound (plural–pounds); 1 Falkland pound
\n(LF) = 100 pence<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Falkland pound (LF) per US$1–0.6055 (January 1990),
\n0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985);
\nnote–the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March<\/p>\n
Communications
\nHighways: 510 km total; 30 km paved, 80 km gravel, and 400 km unimproved
\nearth<\/p>\n
Ports: Port Stanley<\/p>\n
Civil air: no major transport aircraft<\/p>\n
Airports: 5 total, 5 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways;
\nnone with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
\nnone with runways 1,220 to 2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: government-operated radiotelephone and private
\nVHF\/CB radio networks provide effective service to almost all points on
\nboth islands; 590 telephones; stations–2 AM, 3 FM, no TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean
\nINTELSAT earth station with links through London to other countries<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nNote: defense is the responsibility of the UK
\n.pa
\nFaroe Islands
\n(part of the Danish realm)
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 1,400 km2; land area: 1,400 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly less than eight times the size of
\nWashington, DC<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 764 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims:<\/p>\n
Contiguous zone: 4 nm;<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;<\/p>\n
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 3 nm<\/p>\n
Climate: mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy<\/p>\n
Terrain: rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast<\/p>\n
Natural resources: fish<\/p>\n
Land use: 2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
\n0% forest and woodland; 98% other<\/p>\n
Environment: precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal
\nlowlands; archipelago of 18 inhabited islands and a few uninhabited
\nislets<\/p>\n
Note: strategically located along important sea lanes in
\nnortheastern Atlantic about midway between Iceland and Shetland Islands<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 47,715 (July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 17 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 8 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: 0 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 81 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Faroese (sing., pl.); adjective–Faroese<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: homogeneous Scandinavian population<\/p>\n
Religion: Evangelical Lutheran<\/p>\n
Language: Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish<\/p>\n
Literacy: 99%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 17,585; largely engaged in fishing, manufacturing,
\ntransportation, and commerce<\/p>\n
Organized labor: NA<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form name: none<\/p>\n
Type: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas
\nadministrative division of Denmark<\/p>\n
Capital: Torshavn<\/p>\n
Administrative divisions: none (self-governing overseas
\nadministrative division of Denmark)<\/p>\n
Independence: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas
\nadministrative division of Denmark<\/p>\n
Constitution: Danish<\/p>\n
Legal system: Danish<\/p>\n
National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)<\/p>\n
Executive branch: Danish monarch, high commissioner, prime minister,
\ndeputy prime minister, Cabinet (Landsstyri)<\/p>\n
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Logting)<\/p>\n
Judicial branch: none<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\nChief of State–Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by
\nHigh Commissioner Bent KLINTE (since NA);<\/p>\n
Head of Government–Prime Minister Jogvan SUNDSTEIN (since 17 January
\n1989)<\/p>\n
Political parties and leaders: four-party ruling
\ncoalition–People’s Party, Jogvan Sundstein; Republican Party,
\nSigner Hansen; Progressive and Fishing Industry Party combined with the
\nChristian People’s Party (CPP-PFIP); Home Rule Party, Hilmar Kass;
\nopposition–Social Democratic Party, Atli P. Dam; Cooperation
\nCoalition Party, Pauli Ellefsen; Progress Party<\/p>\n
Suffrage: universal at age 20<\/p>\n
Elections:
\nParliament–last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held November
\n1992); results–percent of vote by party NA;
\nseats–(32 total) three-party coalition 21 (People’s Party 8, Cooperation
\nCoalition Party 7, Republican Party 6);
\nSocial Democrat 7, CPP-PFIP 2, Home Rule 2<\/p>\n
Communists: insignificant number<\/p>\n
Member of: Nordic Council<\/p>\n
Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing overseas administrative
\ndivision of Denmark)<\/p>\n
Flag: white with a red cross outlined in blue that extends to the edges of
\nthe flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the
\nstyle of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)<\/p>\n
Economy
\nOverview: The Faroese enjoy the high standard of living
\ncharacteristic of the Danish and other Scandinavian economies.
\nFishing is the dominant economic activity. It employs over
\n25% of the labor force, accounts for about 25% of GDP, and
\ncontributes over 80% to export revenues. A handicraft industry
\nemploys about 20% of the labor force. Because of cool summers
\nagricultural activities are limited to raising sheep and to
\npotato and vegetable cultivation. There is a labor shortage, and
\nimmigrant workers accounted for 5% of the work force in 1989. Denmark
\nannually subsidizes the economy, perhaps on the order of 15% of GDP.<\/p>\n
GDP: $662 million, per capita $14,000; real growth rate 3%
\n(1989 est.)<\/p>\n
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.0% (1988)<\/p>\n
Unemployment rate: labor shortage<\/p>\n
Budget: revenues $176 million; expenditures $176 million, including
\ncapital expenditures of NA (FY86)<\/p>\n
Exports: $267 million (f.o.b., 1986);
\ncommodities–fish and fish products 86%, animal feedstuffs, transport
\nequipment;
\npartners–Denmark 18%, US 14%, FRG, France, UK, Canada<\/p>\n
Imports: $363 million (c.i.f., 1986);
\ncommodities–machinery and transport equipment 38%, food and livestock
\n11%, fuels 10%, manufactures 10%, chemicals 5%;
\npartners: Denmark 46%, FRG, Norway, Japan, UK<\/p>\n
External debt: $NA<\/p>\n
Industrial production: growth rate NA%<\/p>\n
Electricity: 80,000 kW capacity; 280 million kWh produced, 5,910 kWh
\nper capita (1989)<\/p>\n
Industries: fishing, shipbuilding, handicrafts<\/p>\n
Agriculture: accounts for 27% of GDP and employs 27% of labor force;
\nprincipal crops–potatoes and vegetables; livestock–sheep; annual fish catch
\nabout 360,000 metric tons<\/p>\n
Aid: none<\/p>\n
Currency: Danish krone (plural–kroner); 1 Danish krone
\n(DKr) = 100 ore<\/p>\n
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1–6.560 (January
\n1990), 7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988), 6.840 (1987), 8.091 (1986), 10.596 (1985)<\/p>\n
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March<\/p>\n
Communications
\nHighways: 200 km<\/p>\n
Ports: Torshavn, Tvoroyri; 8 minor<\/p>\n
Merchant marine: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,249
\nGRT\/11,887 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 2 cargo, 2 roll-on\/roll-off
\ncargo, 2 refrigerated cargo; note–a subset of the Danish register<\/p>\n
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m<\/p>\n
Telecommunications: good international communications; fair domestic
\nfacilities; 27,900 telephones; stations–1 AM, 3 (10 repeaters) FM,
\n3 (29 repeaters) TV; 3 coaxial submarine cables<\/p>\n
Defense Forces
\nNote: defense is the responsibility of Denmark
\n.pa
\nFiji
\nGeography
\nTotal area: 18,270 km2; land area: 18,270 km2<\/p>\n
Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey<\/p>\n
Land boundaries: none<\/p>\n
Coastline: 1,129 km<\/p>\n
Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)<\/p>\n
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;<\/p>\n
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;<\/p>\n
Territorial sea: 12 nm<\/p>\n
Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation<\/p>\n
Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin<\/p>\n
Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper; offshore oil
\npotential<\/p>\n
Land use: 8% arable land; 5% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures;
\n65% forest and woodland; 19% other; includes NEGL% irrigated<\/p>\n
Environment: subject to hurricanes from November to January;
\nincludes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited<\/p>\n
Note: located 2,500 km north of New Zealand in the South Pacific
\nOcean<\/p>\n
People
\nPopulation: 759,567 (July 1990), growth rate 1.5% (1990)<\/p>\n
Birth rate: 28 births\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Death rate: 6 deaths\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Net migration rate: – 7 migrants\/1,000 population (1990)<\/p>\n
Infant mortality rate: 22 deaths\/1,000 live births (1990)<\/p>\n
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 70 years female (1990)<\/p>\n
Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born\/woman (1990)<\/p>\n
Nationality: noun–Fijian(s); adjective–Fijian<\/p>\n
Ethnic divisions: 49% Indian, 46% Fijian, 5% European, other Pacific
\nIslanders, overseas Chinese, and others<\/p>\n
Religion: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu with a Muslim
\nminority<\/p>\n
Language: English (official); Fijian; Hindustani<\/p>\n
Literacy: 80%<\/p>\n
Labor force: 176,000; 60% subsistence agriculture, 40% wage earners (1979)<\/p>\n
Organized labor: about 45,000 employees belong to some 46 trade
\nunions, which are organized along lines of work and ethnic origin (1983)<\/p>\n
Government
\nLong-form<\/p>\n
