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ISSN 1553-8133 For additional and more current information on leadership in selected foreign countries, see World Leaders. Text Version   RSS   CIA - The World Factbook -- Mayotte a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Mayotte Introduction Mayotte Background: Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence. Geography Mayotte Location: Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Geographic coordinates: 12 50 S, 45 10 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 374 sq km land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 185.2 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) Terrain: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Benara 660 m Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA% Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: cyclones during rainy season Environment - current issues: NA Geography - note: part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands) People Mayotte Population: 223,765 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.3% (male 50,985/female 50,413) 15-64 years: 52.9% (male 63,395/female 54,882) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 2,085/female 2,005) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 17.2 years male: 18.1 years female: 16.4 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 3.317% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 39.79 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 56.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 61.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.91 years male: 60.65 years female: 65.24 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.5 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Mahorais (singular and plural) adjective: Mahoran Ethnic groups: NA Religions: Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3% Languages: Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population Literacy: NA Education expenditures: NA Government Mayotte Country name: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte conventional short form: Mayotte Dependency status: departmental collectivity of France Government type: NA Capital: name: Mamoudzou geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) Independence: none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Denis ROBIN (since 28 July 2008) head of government: President of the General Council Ahmed Attoumani DOUCHINA (since March 2008) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term; next election to be held in 2010 Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 9 and 16 March 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 8, Diverse Right 4, independents 4, Citizens and Republic Movement 1, Democratic Movement 1, Diverse Left 1; note - political parties are all French note: Mayotte elects two members of the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UC-UDF 1, UMP 1; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10-17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel Political parties and leaders: Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or FRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA]; Socialist Party or PS [Ibrahim ABUBACAR] (local branch of French Parti Socialiste); Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: InOC, UPU, WFTU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) Flag description: unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte centered on a white field, above which the name of the island appears in red capital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms, flanked on either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag is the national flag of France Economy Mayotte Economy - overview: Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism. GDP (purchasing power parity): $953.6 million (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $NA GDP - real growth rate: NA% GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,900 (2005 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $420 million expenditures: $394 million (2005) Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra, fish, livestock Industries: newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: NA kWh Electricity - consumption: 139.2 million kWh (2005) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% Exports: $6.5 million f.o.b. (2005) Exports - commodities: ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon Imports: $341 million f.o.b.; note - excludes petroleum imports (2005) Imports - commodities: food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals Economic aid - recipient: $201.3 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (2005) Debt - external: $NA Currency (code): euro (EUR) Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004) Communications Mayotte Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications domestic: NA international: country code - 262; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .yt Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: NA Transportation Mayotte Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) Ports and terminals: Dzaoudzi Military Mayotte Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 35,849 females age 16-49: 34,456 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 2,517 female: 2,511 (2009 est.) Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island Transnational Issues Mayotte Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Burundi a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Burundi Introduction Burundi Background: Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government, led by President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the country's last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many challenges. Geography Burundi Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo Geographic coordinates: 3 30 S, 30 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 27,830 sq km land: 25,650 sq km water: 2,180 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 974 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; two wet seasons (February to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January) Terrain: hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m highest point: Heha 2,670 m Natural resources: nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone Land use: arable land: 35.57% permanent crops: 13.12% other: 51.31% (2005) Irrigated land: 210 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 3.6 cu km (1987) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.29 cu km/yr (17%/6%/77%) per capita: 38 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: flooding, landslides, drought Environment - current issues: soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat loss threatens wildlife populations Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography - note: landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile People Burundi Population: note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.2% (male 2,087,315/female 2,063,518) 15-64 years: 51.3% (male 2,291,123/female 2,320,839) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 89,444/female 135,852) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 16.7 years male: 16.5 years female: 17 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 3.279% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 41.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 12.91 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 4.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 59.64 deaths/1,000 live births male: 66.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 52.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 52.09 years male: 51.2 years female: 53.01 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.33 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 110,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 11,000 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008) Nationality: noun: Burundian(s) adjective: Burundian Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000 Religions: Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10% Languages: Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 59.3% male: 67.3% female: 52.2% (2000 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 7 years male: 8 years female: 7 years (2006) Education expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2005) Government Burundi Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Burundi conventional short form: Burundi local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi local short form: Burundi former: Urundi Government type: republic Capital: name: Bujumbura geographic coordinates: 3 22 S, 29 21 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi Independence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962) Constitution: 28 February 2005; ratified by popular referendum Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: NA years of age; universal (adult) Executive branch: chief of state: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November 2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November 2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by parliament election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the parliament by a vote of 151 to 9; note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the legislature Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats, 60% Hutu and 40% Tutsi with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed by a National Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnic representation; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; 34 members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms, with remaining seats assigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of state) elections: National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010); Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 58.6%, FRODEBU 21.7%, UPRONA 7.2%, CNDD 4.1%, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2.1%, others 6.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 59, FRODEBU 25, UPRONA 10, CNDD 4, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 30, FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; High Court of Justice (composed of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court) Political parties and leaders: governing parties: Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Jeremie NGENDAKUMANA]; Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA] note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are: National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD [Leonard NYANGOMA]; National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA] Political pressure groups and leaders: Observatoire de lutte contre la corruption et les malversations economiques or OLUCOME [Gabriel RUFYIRI] (anti-corruption pressure group) other: Hutu and Tutsi militias (loosely organized) International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574 FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura telephone: [257] 223454 FAX: [257] 222926 Flag description: divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below) Economy Burundi Economy - overview: Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural with more than 90% of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi minority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and the coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the population. An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally. Only one in two children go to school, and approximately one in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply. Burundi's GDP grew around 5% annually in 2006-07, before increasing to 6% in 2008. Political stability and the end of the civil war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a weak legal system, and low administrative capacity - risk undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi will continue to remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors; the delay of funds after a corruption scandal cut off bilateral aid in 2007 reduced government's revenues and its ability to pay salaries. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.215 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $903 million (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $400 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32.9% industry: 21.3% services: 45.8% (2008 est.) Labor force: 2.99 million (2002) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 93.6% industry: 2.3% services: 4.1% (2002 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 68% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 32.8% (1998) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 28.4% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $292.2 million expenditures: $351.3 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 10.12% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 16.84% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $208.7 million (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $141 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $342 million (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides Industries: light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 87 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 120.9 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 40 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.6% hydro: 99.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 2,956 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 2,635 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: -$120 million (2008 est.) Exports: $47 million f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides Exports - partners: Germany 31.3%, Pakistan 6.8%, Belgium 5.8%, Sweden 4.3%, Rwanda 4.3%, France 4.2%, Sudan 4% (2007) Imports: $307 million f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 17%, Kenya 11.4%, Belgium 8.7%, France 6.1%, Uganda 5.4%, Germany 5.4%, India 4.8%, Pakistan 4.2% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $365 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $134 million (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $1.2 billion (2003) Currency (code): Burundi franc (BIF) Currency code: BIF Exchange rates: Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - 1,198 (2008 est.), 1,065 (2007), 1,030 (2006), 1,138 (2005), 1,100.91 (2004) Communications Burundi Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: primitive system; telephone density one of the lowest in the world; fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing but remains at a meager 3 per 100 persons domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .bi Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Burundi Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2007) Heliports: Roadways: total: 12,322 km paved: 1,286 km unpaved: 11,036 km (2004) Waterways: mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2008) Ports and terminals: Bujumbura Military Burundi Military branches: National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationales, FDN): Army (includes Naval Detachment and Air Wing), Gendarmerie (2008) Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; children as young as 10 years of age have been conscripted into the armed forces; the enrollment of children is still not prohibited (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 1,878,544 females age 16-49: 1,851,676 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 1,124,072 females age 16-49: 1,102,729 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 101,402 female: 101,897 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 5.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Transnational Issues Burundi Disputes - international: Burundi and Rwanda dispute sections of border on the Akanyaru/Kanyaru and the Kagera/Nyabarongo rivers, which have changed course since the 1960s, when the boundary was delimited; cross-border conflicts among Tutsi, Hutu, other ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces persist in the Great Lakes region Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 9,849 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) IDPs: 100,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2007) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Burundi is a source country for children trafficked for the purposes of child soldiering, domestic servitude, and commercial sexual exploitation; a small number of Burundian children may be trafficked internally for domestic servitude or commercial sexual exploitation; in early 2008, Burundian children were allegedly trafficked to Uganda, via Rwanda, for agricultural labor and commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Burundi is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year for its failure to provide sufficient evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; the government's inability to provide adequate protective services to children accused of association with armed groups and to conduct anti-trafficking law enforcement activities continue to be causes for concern; Burundi has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008) This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Paracel Islands a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Paracel Islands Introduction Paracel Islands Background: The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. China built a military installation on Mischief Reef in 1999. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. Geography Paracel Islands Location: Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines Geographic coordinates: 16 30 N, 112 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: NA Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 518 km Maritime claims: NA Climate: tropical Terrain: mostly low and flat Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: typhoons Environment - current issues: NA Geography - note: composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group People Paracel Islands Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons Government Paracel Islands Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands Economy Paracel Islands Economy - overview: China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. Transportation Paracel Islands Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) Ports and terminals: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded Military Paracel Islands Military - note: occupied by China Transnational Issues Paracel Islands Disputes - international: occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Lesotho a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Lesotho Introduction Lesotho Background: Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties continue to periodically demonstrate their distrust of the results. Geography Lesotho Location: Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Geographic coordinates: 29 30 S, 28 30 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 30,355 sq km land: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers Terrain: mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m Natural resources: water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone Land use: arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2005) Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 5.2 cu km (1987) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%) per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: periodic droughts Environment - current issues: population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level People Lesotho Population: note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.8% (male 373,159/female 368,271) 15-64 years: 60.2% (male 629,346/female 654,054) 65 years and over: 5% (male 42,074/female 63,915) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 21.4 years male: 20.9 years female: 22 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.116% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 24.41 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 22.33 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 77.4 deaths/1,000 live births male: 81.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 72.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.38 years male: 41.18 years female: 39.54 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.06 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 23.2% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 270,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 18,000 (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) adjective: Basotho Ethnic groups: Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Religions: Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Languages: Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.8% male: 74.5% female: 94.5% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 10 years (2006) Education expenditures: 13% of GDP (2006) Government Lesotho Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho local short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Maseru geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Constitution: 2 April 1993 Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998) cabinet: Cabinet elections: according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution that came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LCD 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4 Judicial branch: High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional court Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP including the Lesotho People's Congress or LCP [Kelebone MAOPE], the Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE], and a faction of the Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotho Batho Democratic Party or BBDP; Basotho Congress Party or BCP; Basotho Democratic National Party or BDNP [Thabang NYEOE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justin Metsing LEKHANYA]; Basotholand African National Congress or BANC; Christian Democratic Party or CDP [Enerst RAMOKOENA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD (the governing party) [Pakalitha MOSISILI]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI] Political pressure groups and leaders: Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Thabang MATJAMA] (pushes for media freedom) International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mabasia MOHOBANE chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert NOLAN embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 22 312666 FAX: [266] 22 310116 Flag description: three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence Economy Lesotho Economy - overview: Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 permitted the sale of water to South Africa and generated royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. In July 2007, Lesotho signed a Millennium Challenge Account Compact with the US worth $362.5 million. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.384 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1.652 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 5.9% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,600 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.1% industry: 46.7% services: 38.2% (2008 est.) Labor force: 838,000 (2000 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa industry and services: 14% (2002 est.) Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4% (2002 est.) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 39.2% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $523 million expenditures: $479.5 million (2008 est.) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 12.82% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 14.13% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $439.2 million (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $160.2 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: NA Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock Industries: food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 12% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 200 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 226 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 50 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2007 est.) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 1,400 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 1,500 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: $666 million (2008 est.) Exports: $1.06 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) Exports - partners: US 71.5%, Belgium 25.6%, Canada 1.2% (2007) Imports: $1.339 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products Imports - partners: China 30%, Hong Kong 29.6%, India 10%, South Korea 6.6%, Germany 6.4%, Pakistan 4.6% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $68.82 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $799 million (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $628 million (31 December 2008 est.) Currency (code): loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Currency code: LSL; ZAR Exchange rates: maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004) Communications Lesotho Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding domestic: privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a subscribership approaching 25 per 100 persons; rural services are scant international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (2007) Radios: NA (2002) Television broadcast stations: Televisions: NA Internet country code: .ls Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Lesotho Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (2007) Roadways: total: 7,091 km paved: 1,404 km unpaved: 5,687 km (2003) Military Lesotho Military branches: Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 525,203 females age 16-49: 522,485 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 267,083 females age 16-49: 240,868 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 26,039 female: 25,964 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 2.6% of GDP (2006) Military - note: Lesotho's declared policy is maintenance of its independent sovereignty and preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; restructuring of the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) and Ministry of Defense and Public Service over the past five years has focused on subordinating the defense apparatus to civilian control and restoring the LDF's cohesion; the restructuring has considerably improved capabilities and professionalism, but the LDF is disproportionately large for a small, poor country; the government has outlined a reduction to a planned 1,500-man strength, but these plans have met with vociferous resistance from the political opposition and from inside the LDF (2008) Transnational Issues Lesotho Disputes - international: none This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Sweden a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Sweden Introduction Sweden Background: A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. Geography Sweden Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 15 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 449,964 sq km land: 410,934 sq km water: 39,030 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than California Land boundaries: total: 2,233 km border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km Coastline: 3,218 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas) exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north Terrain: mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.41 m highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m Natural resources: iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower Land use: arable land: 5.93% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 94.06% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,150 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 179 cu km (2005) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 2.68 cu km/yr (37%/54%/9%) per capita: 296 cu m/yr (2002) Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic Environment - current issues: acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas People Sweden Population: 9,059,651 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.7% (male 733,597/female 692,194) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 3,003,358/female 2,927,038) 65 years and over: 18.8% (male 753,293/female 950,171) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 41.5 years male: 40.4 years female: 42.6 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.158% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 10.15 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 10.24 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.86 years male: 78.59 years female: 83.26 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.67 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 6,200 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 100 (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Swede(s) adjective: Swedish Ethnic groups: indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks Religions: Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13% Languages: Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 17 years (2006) Education expenditures: 7.1% of GDP (2005) Government Sweden Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Stockholm geographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar, Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane, Sodermanlands, Stockholm, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens, Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king) National holiday: Swedish Flag Day, 6 June (1916); National Day, 6 June (1983) Constitution: 1 January 1975 Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977) head of government: Prime Minister Fredrik REINFELDT (since 5 October 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by the parliament; election last held on 17 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2010) election results: Center-right coalition of Moderate, Center, Liberal, and Christian Democrats parties win 175 out of 349 votes; Fredrik REINFELDT becomes prime minister Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 17 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 37.2%, Moderates 27.8%, Center Party 8.3%, Liberal People's Party 8.0%, Christian Democrats 6.9%, Left Party 6.3%, Greens 5.4%; seats by party - Social Democrats 130, Moderates 97, Center Party 29, Liberal People's Party 28, Christian Democrats 24, Left Party 22, Greens 19 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the prime minister and the cabinet) Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Goran HAGGLUND]; Environment Party the Greens [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or V (formerly Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party [Jan BJORKLUND]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; Social Democratic Party [Mona SAHLIN] Political pressure groups and leaders: Children's Rights in Society; Central Association of Salarited Emplyees or TCO; Swedish Federation of Trade Unions or LO other: media International organization participation: ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jonas HAFSTROM chancery: 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, Robert J. SILVERMAN embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-11589 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, US Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00 FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64 Flag description: blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) Economy Sweden Economy - overview: Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole of the 20th century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. In September 2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system concerned about the impact on the economy and sovereignty. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 1% of GDP and 2% of employment. Until 2008, Sweden was in the midst of a sustained economic upswing, boosted by increased domestic demand and strong exports. This and robust finances offered the center-right government considerable scope to implement its reform program aimed at increasing employment, reducing welfare dependence, and streamlining the state's role in the economy. Despite strong finances and underlying fundamentals, the Swedish economy slid into recession in the third quarter of 2008 and growth continued downward in the fourth as deteriorating global conditions reduced export demand and consumption. On 3 February 2009, the Swedish Government announced a $6 billon rescue package for the banking sector. GDP (purchasing power parity): $358.4 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $512.9 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 0.9% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $39,600 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.5% industry: 28.9% services: 69.6% (2008 est.) Labor force: 4.9 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1.1% industry: 28.2% services: 70.7% (2008 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.4% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 22.2% (2000) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 19.6% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $270.5 billion expenditures: $258.6 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 36.5% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (November 2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 3.5% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of money: $217.1 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $48.49 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $630.8 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $612.5 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles Industrial production growth rate: 1.1% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 143.8 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 133.6 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 14.74 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - imports: 16.61 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 4% hydro: 50.8% nuclear: 43% other: 2.3% (2001) Oil - production: 2,350 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 353,700 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 219,200 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 581,000 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 1.006 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 1.006 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: $35.22 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $185.1 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals Exports - partners: Germany 10.4%, Norway 9.4%, US 7.6%, Denmark 7.4%, UK 7.1%, Finland 6.4%, Netherlands 5.1%, France 5%, Belgium 4.6% (2007) Imports: $166.6 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing Imports - partners: Germany 18.4%, Denmark 9.2%, Norway 8.3%, UK 6.8%, Finland 6.1%, Netherlands 5.8%, France 5%, China 4.3%, Belgium 4.1% (2007) Economic aid - donor: ODA, $3.955 billion (2006) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $31.04 billion (2006 est.) Debt - external: $598.2 billion (30 June 2006) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $225.9 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $289.6 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): Swedish krona (SEK) Currency code: SEK Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar - 6.4074 (2008 est.), 6.7629 (2007), 7.3731 (2006), 7.4731 (2005), 7.3489 (2004) Communications Sweden Telephones - main lines in use: 5.506 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 10.371 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure; ranked among leading countries for fixed-line, mobile-cellular, Internet and broadband penetration domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels international: country code - 46; submarine cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 124, shortwave 0 (2008) Radios: 8.25 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: Televisions: 4.6 million (1997) Internet country code: .se Internet hosts: 3.579 million (2008) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 7 million (2007) Transportation Sweden Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 152 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 75 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 38 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 98 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 92 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 786 km (2008) Railways: total: 11,528 km standard gauge: 11,528 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2006) Roadways: total: 425,300 km paved: 139,300 km (includes 1,740 km of expressways) unpaved: 286,000 km (2008) Waterways: 2,052 km (2007) Merchant marine: total: 195 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 23, carrier 1, chemical tanker 45, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 36, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 37, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 25 foreign-owned: 41 (Denmark 4, Estonia 2, Finland 12, Germany 5, Italy 9, Norway 7, UK 2) registered in other countries: 207 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 4, Barbados 7, Bermuda 20, Cook Islands 8, Cyprus 2, Denmark 6, Finland 2, France 9, Germany 1, Gibraltar 13, Isle of Man 1, Italy 1, Liberia 10, Malaysia 3, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands 28, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 34, Panama 6, Portugal 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Singapore 20, UK 17, US 5) (2008) Ports and terminals: Brofjorden, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Lulea, Malmo, Stenungsund, Stockholm, Trelleborg, Visby Military Sweden Military branches: Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army (Armen), Royal Swedish Navy (Marinen), Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvapnet) (2008) Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation: 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47 (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 2,052,890 females age 16-49: 1,980,550 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 1,705,746 females age 16-49: 1,645,070 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 62,262 female: 59,340 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1.5% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Sweden Disputes - international: none This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- United Arab Emirates a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   United Arab Emirates Introduction United Arab Emirates Background: The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region. Geography United Arab Emirates Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 54 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 83,600 sq km land: 83,600 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maine Land boundaries: total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km Coastline: 1,318 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas Land use: arable land: 0.77% permanent crops: 2.27% other: 96.96% (2005) Irrigated land: 760 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 0.2 cu km (1997) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 2.3 cu km/yr (23%/9%/68%) per capita: 511 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography - note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil People United Arab Emirates Population: note: estimate is based on the results of the 2005 census that included a significantly higher estimate of net inmigration of non-citizens than previous estimates (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.4% (male 500,928/female 478,388) 15-64 years: 78.7% (male 2,768,030/female 1,008,404) 65 years and over: 0.9% (male 27,601/female 15,140) note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2009 est.) Median age: total: 30.1 years male: 32 years female: 24.7 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 3.689% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 16.06 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 2.13 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 22.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.74 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.82 male(s)/female total population: 2.19 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.11 years male: 73.56 years female: 78.78 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.42 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.18% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Emirati(s) adjective: Emirati Ethnic groups: Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982) note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982) Religions: Muslim 96% (Shia 16%), other (includes Christian, Hindu) 4% Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77.9% male: 76.1% female: 81.7% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2003) Education expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2005) Government United Arab Emirates Country name: conventional long form: United Arab Emirates conventional short form: none local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah local short form: none former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States abbreviation: UAE Government type: federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates Capital: name: Abu Dhabi geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn (Quwayn) Independence: 2 December 1971 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 2 December (1971) Constitution: 2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996 Legal system: based on a dual system of Sharia and civil courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: none Executive branch: chief of state: President KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004); Vice President and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID Al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006) head of government: Prime Minister and Vice President MUHAMMAD bin Rashid Al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers SULTAN bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) and HAMDAN bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC for five-year terms (no term limits) from among the seven FSC members; election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (next to be held in 2009); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan elected president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MUHAMMAD bin Rashid Al-Maktum unanimously affirmed vice president after the 2006 death of his brother Sheikh Maktum bin Rashid Al-Maktum Legislative branch: unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; 20 members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states, 20 members elected to serve two-year terms) elections: elections for one half of the FNC (the other half remains appointed) held in the UAE on 18-20 December 2006; the new electoral college - a body of 6,689 Emiratis (including 1,189 women) appointed by the rulers of the seven emirates - were the only eligible voters and candidates; 456 candidates including 65 women ran for 20 contested FNC seats; one female from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi won a seat and 8 women were among the 20 appointed members note: reviews legislation but cannot change or veto Judicial branch: Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) Political parties and leaders: none; political parties are not allowed Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yousef bin Mani Saeed al-OTAIBA chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 consulate(s): New York, Houston Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard G. OLSON, Jr. embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200 FAX: [971] (2) 414-2603 consulate(s) general: Dubai Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side Economy United Arab Emirates Economy - overview: The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Successful efforts at economic diversification have reduced the portion of GDP based on oil and gas output to 25%. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE more than 30 years ago, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector involvement. In April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with Washington and in November 2004 agreed to undertake negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement with the US. The country's Free Trade Zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes - are helping to attract foreign investors. Higher oil revenue, strong liquidity, housing shortages, and cheap credit in 2005-07 led to a surge in asset prices (shares and real estate) and consumer inflation. The global financial crisis and the resulting tight international credit market and falling oil prices have already begun to deflate asset prices and will result in slower economic growth for 2009. Dependence on oil and a large expatriate workforce are significant long-term challenges. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on diversification and creating more opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment. GDP (purchasing power parity): $186.8 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $270 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 8.5% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $40,400 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.6% industry: 61.8% services: 36.6% (2008 est.) Labor force: 3.266 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 7% industry: 15% services: 78% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Investment (gross fixed): 20.8% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $83.15 billion expenditures: $48.3 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 22.4% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.4% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: NA Stock of money: $49.5 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $104.6 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $155.4 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $224.7 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish Industries: petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles Industrial production growth rate: 7.7% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 62.76 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 57.88 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 2.948 million bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 381,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 2.703 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil - imports: 232,300 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 97.8 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 48.79 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 43.11 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - exports: 6.848 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas - imports: 1.343 billion cu m (2005) Natural gas - proved reserves: 6.071 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: $36.41 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $207.7 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates Exports - partners: Japan 23.6%, South Korea 9.2%, Thailand 5%, India 4.8% (2007) Imports: $141.1 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food Imports - partners: China 12.8%, India 10%, US 8.7%, Japan 6.1%, Germany 5.9%, UK 5.3%, Italy 4.6% (2007) Economic aid - donor: since its founding in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has given about $5.2 billion in aid to 56 countries (2004) Economic aid - recipient: $5.36 million (2004) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $67.24 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $73.71 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $62.69 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $28.95 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): Emirati dirham (AED) Currency code: AED Exchange rates: Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar - 3.673 (2008 est.), 3.673 (2007), 3.673 (2006), 3.6725 (2005), 3.6725 (2004) note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002 Communications United Arab Emirates Telephones - main lines in use: 1.385 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 7.595 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable international: country code - 971; linked to the international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .ae Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 2.3 million (2007) Transportation United Arab Emirates Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: condensate 458 km; gas 2,129 km; liquid petroleum gas 220 km; oil 1,310 km; refined products 212 km; water 90 km (2008) Roadways: total: 4,080 km paved: 4,080 km (includes 253 km of expressways) (2008) Merchant marine: total: 58 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 9, chemical tanker 4, container 8, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 24, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 14 (Denmark 1, Greece 3, Kuwait 10) registered in other countries: 313 (Bahamas 23, Bahrain 1, Belize 5, Cambodia 2, Comoros 7, Cyprus 9, Dominica 1, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 3, Hong Kong 1, India 6, Indonesia 2, Iran 1, Jordan 13, North Korea 8, Liberia 23, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 15, Mexico 1, Netherlands 5, Panama 109, Papua New Guinea 6, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 18, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra Leone 8, Singapore 12, Somalia 1, Turkey 1, UK 9, unknown 6) (2008) Ports and terminals: Mina' Zayid (Abu Dhabi), Al Fujayrah, Mina' Jabal 'Ali (Dubai), Mina' Rashid (Dubai), Mina' Saqr (Ra's al Khaymah), Khawr Fakkan (Sharjah) Military United Arab Emirates Military branches: United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force and Air Defense, National Coast Guard (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) for voluntary military service; 18 years of age for officers and women; no conscription (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 2,405,884 (includes non-nationals) females age 16-49: 884,853 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 2,081,491 females age 16-49: 788,632 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 26,659 female: 23,793 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 3.1% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues United Arab Emirates Disputes - international: boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed maps showing the alignment have not been published; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which Iran occupies Illicit drugs: the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to Southwest Asian drug-producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering controls improving, but informal banking remains unregulated This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Bhutan a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Bhutan Introduction Bhutan Background: In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of over 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which would introduce major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater autonomy in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New Delhi. In July 2007, seven ministers of Bhutan's ten-member cabinet resigned to join the political process, and the cabinet acted as a caretaker regime until democratic elections for seats to the country's first parliament were completed in March 2008. The king ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008. Geography Bhutan Location: Southern Asia, between China and India Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N, 90 30 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: about one-half the size of Indiana Land boundaries: total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna Elevation extremes: lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate Land use: arable land: 2.3% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 97.27% (2005) Irrigated land: 400 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 95 cu km (1987) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.43 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%) per capita: 199 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season Environment - current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable water Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes People Bhutan Population: note: the Factbook population estimate is consistent with the first modern census of Bhutan, conducted in 2005; previous Factbook population estimates for this country, which were on the order of three times the total population reported here, were based on Bhutanese government publications that did not include the census (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.2% (male 106,410/female 102,164) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 235,988/female 208,484) 65 years and over: 5.5% (male 20,169/female 17,926) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 23.9 years male: 24.5 years female: 23.3 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.267% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 20.56 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: NA (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 49.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 50.38 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.13 years male: 65.33 years female: 66.97 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.38 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: fewer than 100 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008) Nationality: noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese Ethnic groups: Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15% Religions: Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25% Languages: Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47% male: 60% female: 34% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 10 years (2006) Education expenditures: 7% of GDP (2005) Government Bhutan Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan local long form: Druk Gyalkhap local short form: Druk Yul Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Thimphu geographic coordinates: 27 29 N, 89 36 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Gasa, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Tashi Yangtse, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang Independence: 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king) National holiday: National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907) Constitution: ratified 18 July 2008 Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him; the nearly two-year delay between the former King's abdication and his son's coronation on 6 November 2008 was to ensure an astrologically auspicious coronation date and to give the new King-who had limited experience-deeper administrative expertise under the guidance of this father head of government: Prime Minister Jigme THINLEY (since 9 April 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote; election of a new National Assembly occurred in March 2008; the leader of the majority party is nominated as the prime minister Legislative branch: new bicameral Parliament consists of the non-partisan National Council (25 seats; 20 members elected by each of the 20 electoral districts (dzongkhags) for four-year terms and 5 members nominated by the King); and the National Assembly (47 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote for five-year terms) elections: National Council elections last held on 31 December 2007 and 29 January 2008 (next to be held by December 2012); National Assembly elections last held on 24 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013) election results: National Council - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPT 67%, PDP 33%; seats by party - DPT 45, PDP 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch); note - the draft constitution establishes a Supreme Court, which will serve as chief court of appeal Political parties and leaders: Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT [Jigme THINLEY]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering TOBGAY] Political pressure groups and leaders: United Front for Democracy (exiled); Druk National Congress (exiled) other: Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community International organization participation: ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US; address: 763 First Avenue, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 682-2268; FAX [1] (212) 661-0551 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India) Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side Economy Bhutan Economy - overview: The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 60% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Model education, social, and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale, environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Hydropower exports to India have boosted Bhutan's GDP growth. New hydropower projects will be the driving force behind Bhutan's ability to create employment and sustain growth in the coming years. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.294 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1.368 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 7.8% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,800 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.3% industry: 37.9% services: 39.8% (2006) Labor force: NA note: major shortage of skilled labor Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 63% industry: 6% services: 31% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $272 million expenditures: $350 million note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (2005) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June Public debt: 81.4% of GDP (2004) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.9% (2007 est.) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 14% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $381.1 million (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $220.3 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $169.9 million (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs Industries: cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 9.3% (1996 est.) Electricity - production: 4.475 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 528.8 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - exports: 3.644 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 11 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 1,250 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 1,152 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: $116 million (2007 est.) Exports: $350 million f.o.b. (2006) Exports - commodities: electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices Exports - partners: India 58.6%, Hong Kong 30.1%, Bangladesh 7.3% (2007) Imports: $320 million c.i.f. (2006) Imports - commodities: fuel and lubricants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice Imports - partners: India 74.5%, Japan 7.4%, Sweden 3.2% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $941.2 million; note - substantial aid from India (2006) Debt - external: $713.3 million (2006) Currency (code): ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR) Currency code: BTN; INR Exchange rates: ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar - 41.487 (2007), 45.279 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003) note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee Communications Bhutan Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications services domestic: very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003 international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2007) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .bt Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: Transportation Bhutan Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) Roadways: total: 8,050 km paved: 4,991 km unpaved: 3,059 km (2003) Military Bhutan Military branches: Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan Police) (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 190,104 females age 16-49: 167,289 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 150,210 females age 16-49: 135,991 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 7,668 female: 7,379 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Bhutan Disputes - international: Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian Nagaland separatists; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial cartographic discrepancies, the largest of which lie in Bhutan's northwest and along the Chumbi salient This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Slovenia a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Slovenia Introduction Slovenia Background: The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational state, which was named Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. Geography Slovenia Location: Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia Geographic coordinates: 46 07 N, 14 49 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 20,273 sq km land: 20,151 sq km water: 122 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 1,086 km border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 455 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 199 km Coastline: 46.6 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east Terrain: a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Triglav 2,864 m Natural resources: lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests Land use: arable land: 8.53% permanent crops: 1.43% other: 90.04% (2005) Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 32.1 cu km (2005) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.9 per capita: 457 cu m/yr (2002) Natural hazards: flooding and earthquakes Environment - current issues: Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes People Slovenia Population: 2,005,692 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.5% (male 139,880/female 131,826) 15-64 years: 69.9% (male 707,219/female 695,470) 65 years and over: 16.5% (male 129,662/female 201,635) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 41.7 years male: 40.1 years female: 43.3 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: -0.113% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 8.99 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 10.51 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.92 years male: 73.25 years female: 80.84 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.28 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 280 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 100 (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Slovene(s) adjective: Slovenian Ethnic groups: Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census) Religions: Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census) Languages: Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4% (2002 census) Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 17 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2006) Education expenditures: 6% of GDP (2005) Government Slovenia Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia conventional short form: Slovenia local long form: Republika Slovenija local short form: Slovenija former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia Government type: parliamentary republic Capital: name: Ljubljana geographic coordinates: 46 03 N, 14 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina ) Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice, Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse, Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij, Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic, Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zuzemberk, Zrece note: the Government of Slovenia has reported 210 municipalities Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia) National holiday: Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991) Constitution: adopted 23 December 1991, amended 14 July 1997 and 25 July 2000 Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed) Executive branch: chief of state: President Danilo TURK (since 22 December 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Borut PAHOR (since 7 November 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 October and 11 November 2007 (next to be held in the 8 October 2012); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 9 November 2004 (next National Assembly elections to be held in October 2008) election results: Danilo TURK elected president; percent of vote - Danilo TURK 68.2%, Alojze PETERLE 31.8%; Borut PAHOR elected prime minister by National Assembly vote in 2008 Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of a National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 members are directly elected and 50 are elected on a proportional basis; note - the number of directly elected and proportionally elected seats varies with each election; the constitution mandates 1 seat each for Slovenia's Hungarian and Italian minorities; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Drzavni Svet (40 seats; members indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve five-year terms; note - this is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decision, and call national referenda) elections: National Assembly - last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held 8 October 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - SD 30.5%, SDS 29.3%, ZARES 9.4%, DeSUS 7.5%, SNS 5.5%, SLS+SMS 5.2%, LDS 5.2%, other 7.4%; seats by party - SD 29, SDS 28, ZARES 9, DeSUS 7, SNS 5, SLS+SMS 5, LDS 5, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and nominated by the president) Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democracy of Slovenia or LDS [Katarina KRESAL]; New Slovenia or NSi [Ljudmila NOVAK (acting)]; Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA]; Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia or DeSUS [Karl ERJAVEC]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Bojan SROT]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko KRANJC]; Social Democrats or SD [Borut PAHOR] (formerly ZLSD); ZARES [Gregor Golobic] Political pressure groups and leaders: Democratic Party of Slovenian Pensioners or DeSUS (protecting the rights of the older generation); Slovenian Roma Association [Jozek Horvat MUC] other: Catholic Church International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mariam MOZGAN chancery: 2410 California Street N.W., Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 386-6601 FAX: [1] (202) 386-6633 consulate(s) general: Cleveland, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Brad FREDEN embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, US Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500 FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th centuries); the seal is in the upper hoist side of the flag centered on the white and blue bands Economy Slovenia Economy - overview: Slovenia, which on 1 January 2007 became the first 2004 European Union entrant to adopt the euro, is a model of economic success and stability for the region. With the highest per capita GDP in Central Europe, Slovenia has excellent infrastructure, a well-educated work force, and a strategic location between the Balkans and Western Europe. Privatization has lagged since 2002, and the economy has one of highest levels of state control in the EU. Structural reforms to improve the business environment have allowed for somewhat greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and have helped to lower unemployment. In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. In December 2007, Slovenia was invited to begin the accession process for joining the OECD. Despite its economic success, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia has lagged behind the region average, and taxes remain relatively high. Furthermore, the labor market is often seen as inflexible, and legacy industries are losing sales to more competitive firms in China, India, and elsewhere. GDP (purchasing power parity): $61.79 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $57.01 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $30,800 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 34.2% services: 63.6% (2008 est.) Labor force: 920,000 (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2.5% industry: 36% services: 61.5% (2007) Unemployment rate: 6.7% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 21.4% (1998) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 27.8% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $23.16 billion expenditures: $22.93 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 22% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: NA Commercial bank prime lending rate: 6.82% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $9.347 billion (31 December 2006) note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders (31 December 2006) Stock of quasi money: $12.69 billion (31 December 2006) Stock of domestic credit: NA Market value of publicly traded shares: $28.96 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry Industries: ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting; electronics (including military electronics), trucks, automobiles, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools Industrial production growth rate: 4.5% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 14.13 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 13.4 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 5.894 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 6.14 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 35.2% hydro: 27.3% nuclear: 36.8% other: 0.7% (2001) Oil - production: 5 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 54,310 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 4,535 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 59,110 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 4 million cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 1.105 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 1.073 billion cu m (2005) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: -$3.706 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $34.27 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food Exports - partners: Germany 18.7%, Italy 12.5%, Croatia 8%, Austria 7.5%, France 5.9%, Russia 4.4% (2007) Imports: $38.12 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food Imports - partners: Germany 18.1%, Italy 17.1%, Austria 11.7%, France 5%, Croatia 4.6% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $484 million (2004-06) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $8.912 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $40.42 billion (30 June 2007) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $11.51 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $7.527 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 2007, the euro became Slovenia's currency; both the tolar and the euro were in circulation from 1 January until 15 January 2007 Currency code: SIT Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.67 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), tolars per US dollar - 190.85 (2006), 192.71 (2005), 192.38 (2004) note: Slovenia adopted the euro as its currency on 1 January 2007 Communications Slovenia Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.928 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: well-developed telecommunications infrastructure domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 140 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 386 Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 230, shortwave 0 (2006) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .si Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 1.3 million (2007) Transportation Slovenia Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2007) Pipelines: gas 840 km; oil 11 km (2008) Railways: total: 1,229 km standard gauge: 1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified) (2006) Roadways: total: 38,562 km paved: 38,562 km (includes 579 km of expressways) (2006) Waterways: some transport on Danube River (2008) Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 29 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Liberia 3, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 1, Slovakia 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Koper Military Slovenia Military branches: Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces) Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 494,496 females age 16-49: 481,180 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 402,484 females age 16-49: 390,559 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 10,192 female: 9,717 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1.7% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Slovenia Disputes - international: the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovenia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia Illicit drugs: minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Armenia a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Armenia Introduction Armenia Background: Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During World War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths. The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in 1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. Turkey imposed an economic blockade on Armenia and closed the common border because of the Armenian separatists' control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas. Geography Armenia Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 45 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 29,743 sq km land: 28,454 sq km water: 1,289 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 1,254 km border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters Terrain: Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley Elevation extremes: lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite Land use: arable land: 16.78% permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.21% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,860 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 10.5 cu km (1997) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 2.95 cu km/yr (30%/4%/66%) per capita: 977 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts Environment - current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a seismically active zone Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Geography - note: landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range People Armenia Population: 2,967,004 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.2% (male 289,119/female 252,150) 15-64 years: 71.1% (male 986,764/female 1,123,708) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 122,996/female 192,267) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 31.5 years male: 28.8 years female: 34.4 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: -0.03% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 12.53 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 8.34 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.15 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 20.21 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.68 years male: 69.06 years female: 76.81 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.36 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,400 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 200 (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian Ethnic groups: Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census) Religions: Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3% Languages: Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2001 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2006) Education expenditures: 3.2% of GDP (2001) Government Armenia Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic Government type: republic Capital: name: Yerevan geographic coordinates: 40 10 N, 44 30 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan Independence: 21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1991) Constitution: adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005 Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Serzh SARGSIAN (since 9 April 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Tigran SARGSIAN (since 9 April 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 February 2008 (next to be held February 2013); prime minister appointed by the president based on majority or plurality support in parliament; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program election results: Serzh SARGSIAN elected president; percent of vote - Serzh SARGSIAN 52.9%, Levon TER-PETROSSIAN 21.5%, Artur BAGHDASARIAN 16.7% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular vote, 90 members elected by party list and 41 by direct vote; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held in the spring of 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - HHK 33.9%, Prosperous Armenia 15.1%, ARF (Dashnak) 13.2%, Rule of Law 7.1%, Heritage Party 6%, other 24.7%; seats by party - HHK 64, Prosperous Armenia 18, ARF (Dashnak) 16, Rule of Law 9, Heritage Party 7, independent 17 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court) Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Congress or ANC [Levon TER-PETROSSIAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABYAN]; Armenian People's Party [Tigran KARAPETYAN]; Armenian Ramkavar Azadagan Party Alliance or HRAK (includes former Dashink Party, National Revival Party, and Ramkavar Liberal Party); Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARYAN]; Heritage Party [Raffi HOVHANNISYAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Unity Party [Artashes GEGHAMYAN]; People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Prosperous Armenia [Gagik TSAROUKYAN]; Republic Party [Aram SARKISYAN]; Republican Party of Armenia or HHK [Serzh SARGSIAN]; Rule of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) [Artur BAGHDASARIAN]; Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENYAN] Political pressure groups and leaders: Aylentrank (Impeachment) [Nikol PASHINYAN]; Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN] International organization participation: ACCT (observer), ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marie L. YOVANOVITCH embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 0082 mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, US Department of State, 7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020 telephone: [374](10) 464-700 FAX: [374](10) 464-742 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange Economy Armenia Economy - overview: Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia has made progress in implementing many economic reforms including privatization, price reforms, and prudent fiscal policies. The conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates. Economic growth has averaged over 10% in recent years. Armenia has managed to reduce poverty, slash inflation, stabilize its currency, and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics, in exchange for raw materials and energy. Armenia has since switched to small-scale agriculture and away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. Nuclear power plants built at Metsamor in the 1970s were closed following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, though they sustained no damage. One of the two reactors was re-opened in 1995, but the Armenian government is under international pressure to close it due to concerns that the Soviet era design lacks important safeguards. Metsamor provides 40 percent of the country's electricity - hydropower accounts for about one-fourth. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy sector. The electricity distribution system was privatized in 2002 and bought by Russia's RAO-UES in 2005. Construction of a pipeline to deliver natural gas from Iran to Armenia is scheduled for completion in Spring 2009. Armenia has some mineral deposits (copper, gold, bauxite). Pig iron, unwrought copper, and other nonferrous metals are Armenia's highest valued exports. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid, remittances from Armenians working abroad, and foreign direct investment. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. The government made some improvements in tax and customs administration in recent years, but anti-corruption measures will be more difficult to implement. Despite strong economic growth, Armenia's unemployment rate remains high. Armenia will need to pursue additional economic reforms in order to improve its economic competitiveness and to build on recent improvements in poverty and unemployment, especially given its economic isolation from two of its nearest neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan. The disruption of rail transit into Armenia during the Georgia-Russia conflict in August 2008 highlighted how Armenia's supply chains for key goods - such as gasoline - were vulnerable to instances of regional instability. GDP (purchasing power parity): $19.6 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $12.07 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 9.4% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $6,600 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.2% industry: 36.4% services: 46.4% (2007 est.) Labor force: 1.2 million (2007 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 46.2% industry: 15.6% services: 38.2% (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.1% (2007 est.) Population below poverty line: 26.5% (2006 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 41.3% (2004) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 34.1% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $2.438 billion expenditures: $2.696 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.2% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: note: this is the Refinancing Rate, the key monetary policy instrument of the Armenian National Bank (2 December 2008) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 17.52% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $1.507 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $765.2 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $1.256 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $105 million (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock Industries: diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 5.544 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 4.539 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 322.6 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 400.6 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 42.3% hydro: 27% nuclear: 30.7% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 41,090 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 44,670 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 2.05 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 2.05 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006) Current account balance: -$877 million (2008 est.) Exports: $1.225 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: pig iron, unwrought copper, nonferrous metals, diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy Exports - partners: Russia 17.5%, Germany 14.7%, Netherlands 13.5%, Belgium 8.7%, Georgia 7.6%, US 6.6%, Switzerland 4.3%, Bulgaria 4.1%, Ukraine 4% (2007) Imports: $3.546 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds Imports - partners: Russia 15.1%, Ukraine 7.7%, Kazakhstan 7.4%, Germany 6.8%, China 6%, France 4.6%, US 4.5%, Iraq 4.3% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $180 million (2007) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.954 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $1.372 billion (31 December 2007 est.) Currency (code): dram (AMD) Currency code: AMD Exchange rates: drams (AMD) per US dollar - 303.93 (2008 est.), 344.06 (2007), 414.69 (2006), 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004) Communications Armenia Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: telecommunications investments have made major inroads in modernizing and upgrading the outdated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; now 100% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion; mobile-cellular services monopoly terminated in late 2004 and a second provider began operations in mid-2005 domestic: reliable modern landline and mobile-cellular services are available across Yerevan in major cities and towns; significant but ever-shrinking gaps remain in mobile-cellular coverage in rural areas international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional international service is available by microwave radio relay and landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, through the Moscow international switch, and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 16, shortwave 1 (2006) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 48 (private television stations alongside 2 public networks; major Russian channels widely available) (2006) Televisions: Internet country code: .am Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Armenia Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) Pipelines: gas 2,233 km (2008) Railways: total: 839 km broad gauge: 839 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified) note: some lines are out of service (2006) Roadways: total: 7,700 km paved: 7,700 km (includes 1,561 km of expressways) (2006) Military Armenia Military branches: Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Air Force and Air Defense, Nagorno-Karabakh Self Defense Force (NKSDF) (2009) Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for voluntary or compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 809,576 females age 16-49: 870,864 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 642,734 females age 16-49: 729,047 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 27,293 female: 25,574 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 6.5% of GDP (FY01) Transnational Issues Armenia Disputes - international: Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy; Armenians continue to emigrate, primarily to Russia, seeking employment Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 113,295 (Azerbaijan) IDPs: 8,400 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, majority have returned home since 1994 ceasefire) (2007) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Armenia is primarily a source country for women and girls trafficked to the UAE and Turkey for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Armenian men and women are trafficked to Turkey and Russia for the purpose of forced labor tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Armenia is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fourth consecutive year; its efforts to increase compliance with the minimum standards were assessed based on its commitments to undertake future actions, particularly in the areas of improving victim protection and assistance; while the government elevated anti-trafficking responsibilities to the ministerial level, adopted a new National Action Plan, and drafted a National Referral Mechanism, it has yet to show tangible progress in identifying and protecting victims or in tackling trafficking complicity of government officials; the Armenian Government made some notable improvements in its anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, but it failed to demonstrate evidence of investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences of officials complicit in trafficking (2008) Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic consumption; minor transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Holy See (Vatican City) a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Holy See (Vatican City) Introduction Holy See (Vatican City) Background: Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the environment, the Middle East, China, the decline of religion in Europe, terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About one billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. Geography Holy See (Vatican City) Location: Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) Geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) Terrain: urban; low hill Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: NA Environment - current issues: NA Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification Geography - note: landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer residence) People Holy See (Vatican City) Population: 826 (July 2009 est.) Population growth rate: 0.003% (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: none adjective: none Ethnic groups: Italians, Swiss, other Religions: Roman Catholic Languages: Italian, Latin, French, various other languages Literacy: definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% Government Holy See (Vatican City) Country name: conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) Government type: ecclesiastical Capital: name: Vatican City geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: none Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century National holiday: Election Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 19 April (2005) Constitution: Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929) Legal system: based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old Executive branch: chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE (since 15 September 2006) cabinet: Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State Judicial branch: there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pope PIUS XII on 1 May 1946 Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) International organization participation: CE (observer), IAEA, Interpol, IOM (observer), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO (observer), UPU, WFTU, WIPO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro SAMBI chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Julieta NOYES embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 833, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-3411 Flag description: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the arms of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Peter surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the white band Economy Holy See (Vatican City) Economy - overview: This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world; by the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA Labor force: NA Labor force - by occupation: note: essentially services with a small amount of industry; nearly all dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and the approximately 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican Population below poverty line: NA% Budget: revenues: $310 million expenditures: $307 million (2006) Fiscal year: calendar year Industries: printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities Electricity - production: NA kWh Electricity - consumption: NA kWh Electricity - imports: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy; a small portion of electricity is self-produced from solar panels Currency (code): euro (EUR) Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004) Communications Holy See (Vatican City) Telephones - main lines in use: Telephone system: general assessment: automatic digital exchange domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network international: country code - 39; uses Italian system Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2008) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: Televisions: NA Internet country code: .va Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: Military Holy See (Vatican City) Military branches: Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) (2007) Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City) Disputes - international: none This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Albania a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Albania Introduction Albania Background: Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic development since first holding multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997, however, there have been claims of electoral fraud in every one of Albania's post-communist elections. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime and corruption, promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size of government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition of power, was considered an important step forward. Albania was invited to join NATO in April 2008 and is a potential candidate for EU accession. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure. Geography Albania Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 20 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 717 km border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Kosovo 112 km Coastline: 362 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower Land use: arable land: 20.1% permanent crops: 4.21% other: 75.69% (2005) Irrigated land: 3,530 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 41.7 cu km (2001) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 1.71 cu km/yr (27%/11%/62%) per capita: 546 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea) People Albania Population: 3,639,453 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.1% (male 440,528/female 400,816) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,251,001/female 1,190,841) 65 years and over: 9.8% (male 165,557/female 190,710) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 29.9 years male: 29.3 years female: 30.6 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.546% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 15.22 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 18.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.96 years male: 75.28 years female: 80.89 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian Ethnic groups: Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.) note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization) Religions: Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10% note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice Languages: Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects Literacy: definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.2% female: 98.3% (2001 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2004) Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2002) Government Albania Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Albania conventional short form: Albania local long form: Republika e Shqiperise local short form: Shqiperia former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania Government type: emerging democracy Capital: name: Tirana (Tirane) geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore Independence: 28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire) National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1912) Constitution: approved by parliament on 21 October 1998; adopted by popular referendum on 22 November 1998; promulgated 28 November 1998 Legal system: has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President of the Republic Bamir TOPI (since 24 July 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by parliament elections: president elected by the Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); four election rounds held between 8 and 20 July 2007 (next election to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Bamir TOPI elected president; Assembly vote, fourth round (three-fifths majority (84 votes) required): Bamir TOPI 85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 members are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD 56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19 note: Parliament in November 2008 approved an electoral reform package - which is awaiting presidential approval - that will transform the electoral system from a majority system to a regional proportional system; the code will also establish an electoral threshold limiting smaller party representation Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals and district courts Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA]; Communist Party of Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or AD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; G99 Political Movement [Erion VELIAJ]; Liberal Union Party or BLD [Arjan STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Artur ROSHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy Party of Albania or PDSSh [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]; Socialist Party 1991 [Petro KOCI]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNj [Vangjel DULE] Political pressure groups and leaders: Citizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA] International organization participation: BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. John L. WITHERS, II embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana mailing address: US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510 telephone: [355] (4) 2247285 FAX: [355] (4) 2232222 Flag description: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center Economy Albania Economy - overview: Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. Macroeconomic growth has averaged around 5% over the last five years and inflation is low and stable. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime, and recently adopted a fiscal reform package aimed at reducing the large gray economy and attracting foreign investment. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances from abroad representing about 15% of GDP, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. The agricultural sector, which accounts for over half of employment but only about one-fifth of GDP, is limited primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming because of lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Energy shortages because of a reliance on hydropower, and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment and lack of success in attracting new foreign investment. The completion of a new thermal power plant near Vlore has helped diversify generation capacity, and plans to improve transmission lines between Albania and Montenegro and Kosovo would help relieve the energy shortages. Also, with help from EU funds, the government is taking steps to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth. GDP (purchasing power parity): $23.07 billion note: Albania has a large gray economy that may be as large as 50% of official GDP (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $13.52 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $6,400 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.6% industry: 19.9% services: 59.5% (2008 est.) Labor force: 1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (September 2006 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 58% industry: 15% services: 27% (September 2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 12.5% official rate, but may exceed 30% due to preponderance of near-subsistence farming (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: 25% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24.4% (2004) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 22.8% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $3.771 billion expenditures: $4.538 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 51.2% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 6.25% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 14.1% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $2.707 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $6.433 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $7.341 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products Industries: food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 2.892 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 3.607 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 2.8 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 6,425 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 30,900 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 749 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil - imports: 24,860 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil - proved reserves: 199.1 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 30 million cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 30 million cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 849.5 million cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: -$1.639 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $1.416 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco Exports - partners: Italy 72%, Greece 8.8%, China 2.7% (2007) Imports: $4.844 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals Imports - partners: Italy 27.6%, Greece 14.8%, Turkey 7.4%, China 6.8%, Germany 5.6%, Switzerland 5%, Russia 4.2% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: ODA: $318.7 million note: top donors were Italy, EU, Germany (2005 est.) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.479 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $1.55 billion (2004) Currency (code): lek (ALL) note: the plural of lek is leke Currency code: ALL Exchange rates: leke (ALL) per US dollar - 79.546 (2008 est.), 92.668 (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004) Communications Albania Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.3 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100 people; cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is approximately 75 telephones per 100 persons domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003, two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of Albania's neighbors; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005; Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread outside the capital international: country code - 355; submarine cable provides connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey; international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 46, shortwave 1 (2005) Radios: 1 million (2001) Television broadcast stations: 65 (3 national, 62 local); 2 cable networks (2005) Televisions: Internet country code: .al Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Albania Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2008) Railways: total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 18,000 km paved: 7,020 km unpaved: 10,980 km (2002) Waterways: 43 km (2008) Merchant marine: total: 24 by type: cargo 22, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1) registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008) Ports and terminals: Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore Military Albania Military branches: Joint Force Command (includes Land, Naval, and Aviation Brigade Commands), Joint Support Command (includes Logistic Command), Training and Doctrine Command (2009) Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 944,592 females age 16-49: 908,527 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 800,665 females age 16-49: 768,536 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 34,778 female: 31,673 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1.49% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Albania Disputes - international: the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals; the mass emigration of unemployed Albanians remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly Greece and Italy Trafficking in persons: current situation: Albania is a source country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; it is no longer considered a major country of transit; Albanian victims are trafficked to Greece, Italy, Macedonia, and Kosovo, with many trafficked onward to Western European countries; children were also trafficked to Greece for begging and other forms of child labor; approximately half of all Albanian trafficking victims are under age 18; internal sex trafficking of women and children is on the rise tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Albania is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of victim protection; the government did not appropriately identify trafficking victims during 2007, and has not demonstrated that it is vigorously investigating or prosecuting complicit officials (2008) Illicit drugs: increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Curacao a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none} UNCLASSIFIED   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Curacao This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 22 October, 2008   UNCLASSIFIED CIA - The World Factbook -- South Africa a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   South Africa Introduction South Africa Background: Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of modern day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the East, founding the city of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902); however, the British and the Afrikaners, as the Boers became known, ruled together under the Union of South Africa. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The first multi-racial elections in 1994 brought an end to apartheid and ushered in black majority rule under the African National Congress (ANC). ANC infighting, which has grown in recent years, came to a head in September 2008 after President Thabo MBEKI resigned. Kgalema MOTLANTHE, the party's General-Secretary, succeeded as interim president until general elections scheduled for 2009. Geography South Africa Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Geographic coordinates: 29 00 S, 24 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1,219,912 sq km land: 1,219,912 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island) Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 4,862 km border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km Coastline: 2,798 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas Land use: arable land: 12.1% permanent crops: 0.79% other: 87.11% (2005) Irrigated land: 14,980 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 50 cu km (1990) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 12.5 cu km/yr (31%/6%/63%) per capita: 264 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: prolonged droughts Environment - current issues: lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland People South Africa Population: note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.9% (male 7,093,328/female 7,061,579) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 16,275,424/female 15,984,181) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,075,117/female 1,562,860) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 24.4 years male: 24.1 years female: 24.8 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.281% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 20.23 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 16.94 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2009 est.) Urbanization: urban population: 61% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-2010) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 44.42 deaths/1,000 live births male: 48.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 48.98 years male: 49.81 years female: 48.13 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.38 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 18.1% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5.7 million (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 350,000 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever and malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008) Nationality: noun: South African(s) adjective: South African Ethnic groups: black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census) Religions: Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census) Languages: IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.4% male: 87% female: 85.7% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2004) Education expenditures: 5.4% of GDP (2006) Government South Africa Country name: conventional long form: Republic of South Africa conventional short form: South Africa former: Union of South Africa abbreviation: RSA Government type: republic Capital: name: Pretoria (administrative capital) geographic coordinates: 25 42 S, 28 13 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital) Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape Independence: 31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) 27 April 1994 (majority rule) National holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April (1994) Constitution: 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 4 February 1997 Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 25 September 2008); Executive Deputy President Baleka MBETE (since 25 September 2008); note - Thabo MBEKI resigned as president effective 25 September 2008; the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 25 September 2008); Executive Deputy President Baleka MBETE (since 25 September 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 25 September 2008 (next to be held in April 2009); note - Kgalema MOTLANTHE is serving out the term of Thabo MBEKI election results: Kgalema MOTLANTHE elected president; National Assembly vote - Kgalema MOTLANTHE 269, Joe SEREMANE 50, other 41; note - Thabo MBEKI resigned as president effective 25 September 2008, Kgalema MOTLANTHE is serving the remainder of his term Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 4 February 1997, the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held on 14 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%; seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other 21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts Political parties and leaders: African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE]; African National Congress or ANC [Jacob ZUMA]; Congress of the People or COPE [Mosiuo LEKOTA]; Democratic Alliance or DA [Helen ZILLE]; Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI]; New National Party or NNP; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA] Political pressure groups and leaders: Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president] note: note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-20, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Welile Augustine NHLAPO chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eric BOST embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001 telephone: [27] (12) 431-4000 FAX: [27] (12) 342-2299 consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg Flag description: two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes Economy South Africa Economy - overview: South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that is 17th largest in the world; and modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. Growth was robust from 2004 to 2008 as South Africa reaped the benefits of macroeconomic stability and a global commodities boom, but began to slow in the second half of 2008 due to the global financial crisis' impact on commodity prices and demand. However, unemployment remains high and outdated infrastructure has constrained growth. At the end of 2007, South Africa began to experience an electricity crisis because state power supplier Eskom suffered supply problems with aged plants, necessitating "load-shedding" cuts to residents and businesses in the major cities. Daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era - especially poverty, lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups, and a shortage of public transportation. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative but pragmatic, focusing on controlling inflation, maintaining a budget surplus, and using state-owned enterprises to deliver basic services to low-income areas as a means to increase job growth and household income. GDP (purchasing power parity): $506.1 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $300.4 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 3.7% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $10,400 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.4% industry: 31.3% services: 65.3% (2008 est.) Labor force: 18.22 million economically active (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 9% industry: 26% services: 65% (2007 est.) Unemployment rate: 21.7% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 44.7% (2000) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 20.1% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $83.85 billion expenditures: $83.3 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March Public debt: 29.9% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.3% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 11% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 13.17% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $58.49 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $141.9 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $254.9 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $842 billion (January 2008) Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products Industries: mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 264 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - consumption: 241.4 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - exports: 13.77 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - imports: 11.32 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.5% hydro: 1.1% nuclear: 5.5% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 199,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 504,900 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 267,700 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 319,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - proved reserves: 15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 2.9 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 3.1 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2005) Natural gas - proved reserves: 27.16 million cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: -$21.67 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $81.47 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment Exports - partners: US 11.9%, Japan 11.1%, Germany 8%, UK 7.7%, China 6.6%, Netherlands 4.5% (2007) Imports: $87.3 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs Imports - partners: Germany 10.9%, China 10%, Spain 8.2%, US 7.2%, Japan 6.1%, UK 4.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.2% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $700 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $33.59 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $39.69 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $99.61 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $57.08 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): rand (ZAR) Currency code: ZAR Exchange rates: rand (ZAR) per US dollar - 7.9576 (2008 est.), 7.05 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004) Communications South Africa Telephones - main lines in use: 4.642 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 42.3 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 110 telephones per 100 persons; consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria international: country code - 27; the SAT-3/WASC and SAFE fiber optic cable systems connect South Africa to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 17 million (2001) Television broadcast stations: 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 6 million (2000) Internet country code: .za Internet hosts: 1.297 million (2008) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 5.1 million (2005) Transportation South Africa Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 146 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 13 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 582 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 300 under 914 m: 248 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: condensate 11 km; gas 908 km; oil 980 km; refined products 1,379 km (2008) Railways: total: 20,872 km narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,931 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 362,099 km paved: 73,506 km (includes 239 km of expressways) unpaved: 288,593 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 3 by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1) registered in other countries: 8 (Bahamas 1, Nigeria 1, NZ 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Seychelles 1, UK 3) (2008) Ports and terminals: Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay Military South Africa Military branches: South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army, South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint Operations Command, Military Intelligence, Military Health Services (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women have a long history of military service in noncombat roles dating back to World War I (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 11,622,507 females age 16-49: 11,501,537 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 7,641,557 females age 16-49: 6,518,793 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 511,616 female: 510,540 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1.7% of GDP (2006) Military - note: with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete Transnational Issues South Africa Disputes - international: South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction and political persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also supports large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500), and other states in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 10,772 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 7,818 (Somalia); 5,759 (Angola) (2007) Trafficking in persons: current situation: South Africa is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; women and girls are trafficked internally - and occasionally to European and Asian countries - for sexual exploitation; women from other African countries are trafficked to South Africa and, less frequently, onward to Europe for sexual exploitation; men and boys are trafficked from neighboring countries for forced agricultural labor; Asian and Eastern European women are trafficked to South Africa for debt-bonded sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - South Africa is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fourth consecutive year for its failure to show increasing efforts to address trafficking; the government provided inadequate data in 2007 on trafficking crimes investigated or prosecuted, or on resulting convictions or sentences; it also did not provide information on its efforts to protect victims of trafficking; the country continues to deport and/or prosecute suspected foreign victims without providing appropriate protective services (2008) Illicit drugs: transshipment center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a major cultivator of marijuana in its own right; cocaine and heroin consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries, but increasingly producing its own synthetic drugs for domestic consumption; attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African economy This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Antigua and Barbuda a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Antigua and Barbuda Introduction Antigua and Barbuda Background: The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands when COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. Geography Antigua and Barbuda Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico Geographic coordinates: 17 03 N, 61 48 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land: 442.6 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 153 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m Natural resources: NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism Land use: arable land: 18.18% permanent crops: 4.55% other: 77.27% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Total renewable water resources: 0.1 cu km (2000) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.005 cu km/yr (60%/20%/20%) per capita: 63 cu m/yr (1990) Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts Environment - current issues: water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor People Antigua and Barbuda Population: 85,632 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.8% (male 11,660/female 11,303) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 26,597/female 30,414) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 2,456/female 3,202) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 29.7 years male: 28.2 years female: 31.1 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.303% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 16.78 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 16.25 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.76 years male: 72.81 years female: 76.81 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.07 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan Ethnic groups: black 91%, mixed 4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001 census) Religions: Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census) Languages: English (official), local dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 85.8% male: NA% female: NA% (2003 est.) Education expenditures: 3.9% of GDP (2002) Government Antigua and Barbuda Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda Government type: constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government Capital: name: Saint John's geographic coordinates: 17 07 N, 61 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip Independence: 1 November 1981 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981) Constitution: 1 November 1981 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Louisse LAKE-TACK (since 17 July 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24 March 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2009 (next to be held in 2014) election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 50.9%, ALP 47.2%, BPM 1.1%; seats by party - UPP 9, ALP 7, BPM 1 Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court consisting of a High Court of Justice and a Court of Appeal (based in Saint Lucia; two judges of the Supreme Court are residents of the islands and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction); Magistrates' Courts; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three parties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, Progressive Labor Movement or PLM, United National Democratic Party or UNDP) Political pressure groups and leaders: Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL] International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda Flag description: red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band Economy Antigua and Barbuda Economy - overview: Antigua has a relatively high GDP per capita in comparison to most other Caribbean nations. The economy experienced solid growth from 2003 to 2007, reaching over 12% in 2006, driven by a construction boom in hotels and housing associated with the Cricket World Cup. Growth dropped off in 2008 with the end of the boom. Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for nearly 60% of GDP and 40% of investment. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and potential damages from natural disasters. Since taking office in 2004, the SPENCER government has adopted an ambitious fiscal reform program, and has been successful in reducing its public debt-to-GDP ratio from 120% to about 90%. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.615 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1.126 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $19,100 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 22% services: 74.3% (2002 est.) Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 7% industry: 11% services: 82% (1983) Unemployment rate: 11% (2001 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $123.7 million expenditures: $145.9 million (2000 est.) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2007 est.) Central bank discount rate: 6.5% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 10.44% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $294.8 million (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $902 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $1.002 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock Industries: tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances) Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 105 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 97.65 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 4,109 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 158 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 4,556 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: -$211 million (2007 est.) Exports: $84.3 million (2007 est.) Exports - commodities: petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals Imports: $522.8 million (2007 est.) Imports - commodities: food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil Economic aid - recipient: $7.23 million (2005) Debt - external: $359.8 million (June 2006) Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD) Currency code: XCD Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976 Communications Antigua and Barbuda Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: good automatic telephone system international: country code - 1-268; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .ag Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Antigua and Barbuda Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) Roadways: total: 1,165 km paved: 384 km unpaved: 781 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 1,146 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 50, cargo 651, carrier 4, chemical tanker 5, container 392, liquefied gas 12, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 20 foreign-owned: 1,113 (Australia 1, Colombia 2, Cyprus 18, Denmark 19, Estonia 23, France 1, Germany 941, Greece 3, Iceland 12, Italy 1, Latvia 13, Lithuania 5, Netherlands 20, NZ 2, Norway 8, Poland 2, Russia 4, Slovenia 6, Sweden 1, Switzerland 8, Turkey 6, UK 9, US 8) (2008) Ports and terminals: Saint John's Military Antigua and Barbuda Military branches: Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2009) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 19,560 females age 16-49: 18,977 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 17,271 females age 16-49: 19,586 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 744 female: 743 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: NA Transnational Issues Antigua and Barbuda Disputes - international: none Illicit drugs: considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- French Polynesia a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   French Polynesia Introduction French Polynesia Background: The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded. Geography French Polynesia Location: Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about half way between South America and Australia Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 140 00 W Map references: Oceania Area: total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km Area - comparative: slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 2,525 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical, but moderate Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower Land use: arable land: 0.75% permanent crops: 5.5% other: 93.75% (2005) Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January Environment - current issues: NA Geography - note: includes five archipelagoes (four volcanic, one coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru People French Polynesia Population: 287,032 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.3% (male 35,631/female 34,097) 15-64 years: 68.9% (male 102,537/female 95,317) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 9,821/female 9,629) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 29.1 years male: 29.4 years female: 28.8 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.391% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 16.16 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 4.67 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 2.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.71 years male: 74.26 years female: 79.29 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.92 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian Ethnic groups: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% Religions: Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% Languages: French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census) Literacy: definition: age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) Education expenditures: Government French Polynesia Country name: conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania Dependency status: overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004 Government type: NA Capital: name: Papeete geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent Independence: none (overseas lands of France) National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Adolphe COLRAT (since 7 July 2008) head of government: President of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 7 February 2009); President of the Territorial Assembly Eduoard FRITCH (since 12 February 2009) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the territorial government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no term limits) Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 27 January 2008 (first round) and 10 February 2008 (second round) (next to be held NA 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - Our Home alliance 45.2%, Union for Democracy alliance 37.2%, Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) 17.2% other 0.5%; seats by party - Our Home alliance 27, Union for Democracy alliance 20, Popular Rally 10 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PS 1, independent 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 10-17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif Political parties and leaders: Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; Our Home alliance; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: FZ, ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas lands of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas lands of France) Flag description: two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue, and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions Government - note: under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister Economy French Polynesia Economy - overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. GDP (purchasing power parity): $4.718 billion (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $6.1 billion (2004) GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): $18,000 (2004 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 20.4% services: 76.1% (2005) Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2002) Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $865 million expenditures: $644.1 million (1999) Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 475 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 441.8 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.7% hydro: 39.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 6,082 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 6,271 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Exports: $211 million f.o.b. (2005 est.) Exports - commodities: cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat Imports: $1.706 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment Economic aid - recipient: $579.8 million (2004) Debt - external: $NA Currency (code): Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) Currency code: XPF Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003) note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro Communications French Polynesia Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: Internet country code: .pf Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation French Polynesia Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 3 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 8 (2007) Heliports: Roadways: total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 15 by type: cargo 6, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2008) Ports and terminals: Papeete Military French Polynesia Military branches: no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 79,540 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 65,408 females age 16-49: 64,421 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 2,665 female: 2,552 (2009 est.) Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France Transnational Issues French Polynesia Disputes - international: none This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Colombia a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Colombia Introduction Colombia Background: Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A four-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders. Geography Colombia Location: Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 72 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 1,138,910 sq km land: 1,038,700 sq km water: 100,210 sq km note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 6,309 km border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km Coastline: 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km) Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands Terrain: flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower Land use: arable land: 2.01% permanent crops: 1.37% other: 96.62% (2005) Irrigated land: 9,000 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 2,132 cu km (2000) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 10.71 cu km/yr (50%/4%/46%) per capita: 235 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography - note: only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea People Colombia Population: 45,644,023 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.9% (male 6,679,701/female 6,522,976) 15-64 years: 65.4% (male 14,571,536/female 15,297,179) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 1,103,391/female 1,469,240) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 27.1 years male: 26.1 years female: 28 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.377% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 19.86 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Urbanization: urban population: 74% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-2010) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births male: 22.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.81 years male: 68.98 years female: 76.76 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.46 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 170,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 9,800 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008) Nationality: noun: Colombian(s) adjective: Colombian Ethnic groups: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, other 10% Languages: Spanish Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.8% male: 92.9% female: 92.7% (2004 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2006) Education expenditures: 4.7% of GDP (2006) Government Colombia Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Colombia conventional short form: Colombia local long form: Republica de Colombia local short form: Colombia Government type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure Capital: name: Bogota geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810) Constitution: 5 July 1991; amended many times Legal system: based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and reached full implemention in January 2008; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002) cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three largest parties that supported President URIBE's reelection - the PSUN, PC, and CR - and independents elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez reelected president; percent of vote - Alvaro URIBE Velez 62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%, Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other 4% Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010); House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 18, CR 15, PDI 10, other parties 21; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 8, other parties 41 Judicial branch: four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms) Political parties and leaders: Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Efrain Jose CEPEDA Sarabia]; Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz]; Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]; Social National Unity Party or U Party [Carlos FERRO Solanilla] note: Colombia has 15 formally recognized political parties, and numerous unofficial parties that did not meet the vote threshold in the March 2006 legislative elections required for recognition Political pressure groups and leaders: National Liberation Army or ELN; Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC note: two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia International organization participation: BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338 FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD embassy: Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogota, D.C. mailing address: Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C. telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197 Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center Economy Colombia Economy - overview: Colombia has experienced accelerating growth between 2002 and 2007, with expansion above 7% in 2007, chiefly due to advancements in domestic security, to rising commodity prices, and to President URIBE's promarket economic policies. Colombia's sustained growth helped reduce poverty by 20% and cut unemployment by 25% since 2002. Additionally, investor friendly reforms to Colombia's hydrocarbon sector and the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) negotiations have attracted record levels of foreign investment. Inequality, underemployment,and narcotrafficking remain significant challenges, and Colombia's infrastructure requires significant updating in order to sustain expansion. Economic growth slipped in 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis and weakening demand for Colombia's exports. In response, URIBE's administration has cut capital controls, arranged for emergency credit lines from multilateral institutions, and promoted investment incentives such as Colombia's modernized free trade zone mechanism, legal stability contracts, and new bilateral investment treaties and trade agreements. The government has also encouraged exporters to diversify their customer base away from the United States and Venezuela, Colombia's largest trading partners. Nevertheless, the business sector continues to be concerned about the impact of a global recession on Colombia's exports, as well as the approval of the CTPA, which is stalled in the US Congress. GDP (purchasing power parity): $407.2 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $249.8 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $9,000 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.4% industry: 36.6% services: 54% (2008 est.) Labor force: 21.3 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 22.4% industry: 18.8% services: 58.8% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 11.8% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 7.9% highest 10%: 34.3% (2004) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 23.1% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $76.42 billion expenditures: $78.49 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 48% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.7% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 9.5% (31 December 2008) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15.6% (31 December 2008) Stock of money: $21.81 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $27.25 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $57.2 billion (31 December 2008) Market value of publicly traded shares: $87 billion (31 December 2008) Agriculture - products: coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 53.6 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - consumption: 52.8 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - exports: 876.7 million kWh (2007) Electricity - imports: 38.4 million kWh (2007) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 26% hydro: 72.7% nuclear: 0% other: 1.3% (2001) Oil - production: 588,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil - consumption: 267,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 294,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil - imports: 12,480 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 1.506 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 7.22 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 7.22 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 122.9 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: -$5.592 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $41.08 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, cut flowers Exports - partners: US 35.4%, Venezuela 17.4%, Ecuador 4.3% (2007) Imports: $38.88 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity Imports - partners: US 26.2%, China 10.1%, Mexico 9.3%, Brazil 7.3%, Venezuela 4.2% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $511.1 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $23.66 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $41.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $65.69 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $10.88 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): Colombian peso (COP) Currency code: COP Exchange rates: Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar - 2,243.6 (2008), 2,013.8 (2007), 2,358.6 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004) Communications Colombia Telephones - main lines in use: 7.936 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 33.941 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: modern system in many respects; telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s; multiple providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services; fixed-line connections stand at about 18 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage is about 75 per 100 persons; competition among cellular service providers is resulting in falling local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep decline in the market share of fixed line services domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities international: country code - 57; submarine cables provide links to the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully digitalized international switching centers) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999) Radios: 21 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: Televisions: 4.59 million (1997) Internet country code: .co Internet hosts: 1.554 million (2008) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 12.1 million (2007) Transportation Colombia Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 103 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 12 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 831 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 216 under 914 m: 580 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 4,560 km; oil 6,094 km; refined products 3,383 km (2008) Railways: total: 3,304 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 164,257 km (2005) Waterways: 18,000 km (2008) Merchant marine: total: 17 by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 3, specialized tanker 1 registered in other countries: 6 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 4) (2008) Ports and terminals: Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Turbo Military Colombia Military branches: National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (Infanteria de Marina, Colmar), and Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation - 18 months (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 11,478,109 females age 16-49: 11,809,279 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 8,212,944 females age 16-49: 10,045,435 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 446,432 female: 437,164 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 3.4% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Colombia Disputes - international: in December 2007, ICJ allocates San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but does not rule on 82°W meridian as maritime boundary with Nicaragua; managed dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all neighboring borders and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries; Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 1.8-3.5 million (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers) (2007) Illicit drugs: illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator with 167,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2007, a 6% increase over 2006, producing a potential of 535 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to nearly all of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2005, aerial eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 130,000 hectares but aggressive replanting on the part of coca growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portion of narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange; important supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation is estimated to have fallen 25% between 2006 and 2007; most Colombian heroin is destined for the US market; (2008) This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Cocos (Keeling) Islands a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Cocos (Keeling) Islands Introduction Cocos (Keeling) Islands Background: There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island. Geography Cocos (Keeling) Islands Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 96 50 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 14 sq km land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island Area - comparative: about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 26 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year Terrain: flat, low-lying coral atolls Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: cyclone season is October to April Environment - current issues: fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs Geography - note: islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation; site of a World War I naval battle in November 1914 between the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney and the German raider SMS Emden; after being heavily damaged in the engagement, the Emden was beached by her captain on North Keeling Island People Cocos (Keeling) Islands Population: 596 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2009 est.) Population growth rate: 0% (2009 est.) Birth rate: NA (2008 est.) Death rate: NA (2008 est.) Net migration rate: NA (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.) Total fertility rate: NA (2008 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Cocos Islander(s) adjective: Cocos Islander Ethnic groups: Europeans, Cocos Malays Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) Languages: Malay (Cocos dialect), English Literacy: NA Government Cocos (Keeling) Islands Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Dependency status: non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department Government type: NA Capital: name: West Island geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia) Independence: none (territory of Australia) National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January (1788) Constitution: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 Legal system: based upon the laws of Australia and local laws Suffrage: NA Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) cabinet: NA elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia Legislative branch: unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats) elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2007 (next to be held in May 2009) Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: The Cocos Islands Youth Support Centre International organization participation: none Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia) Flag description: the flag of Australia is used Economy Cocos (Keeling) Islands Economy - overview: Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry. GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA Labor force: NA Labor force - by occupation: note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others Unemployment rate: 60% (2000 est.) Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June Agriculture - products: vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts Industries: copra products and tourism Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA Exports: $NA Exports - commodities: copra Imports: $NA Imports - commodities: foodstuffs Economic aid - recipient: $NA Currency (code): Australian dollar (AUD) Currency code: AUD Exchange rates: Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004) Communications Cocos (Keeling) Islands Telephones - main lines in use: Telephone system: general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system; a local mobile-cellular network is in operation domestic: NA international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat) (2001) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: NA Internet country code: .cc Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: NA Transportation Cocos (Keeling) Islands Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) Roadways: total: 22 km paved: 10 km unpaved: 12 km (2006) Ports and terminals: Port Refuge Military Cocos (Keeling) Islands Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force Transnational Issues Cocos (Keeling) Islands Disputes - international: none This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Anguilla a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Anguilla Introduction Anguilla Background: Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency. Geography Anguilla Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 63 10 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: about half the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 61 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds Terrain: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m Natural resources: salt, fish, lobster Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) Environment - current issues: supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system Geography - note: the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles People Anguilla Population: 14,436 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.5% (male 1,815/female 1,725) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 4,665/female 5,125) 65 years and over: 7.7% (male 534/female 572) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 32.6 years male: 31.5 years female: 33.8 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 2.272% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 13.11 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 4.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 14.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.65 years male: 78.11 years female: 83.26 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.75 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan Ethnic groups: black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other 1.5% (2001 census) Religions: Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%, Roman Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or unspecified 4.3% (2001 census) Languages: English (official) Literacy: definition: age 12 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2006) Education expenditures: 4% of GDP (2005) Government Anguilla Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Anguilla Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK Government type: NA Capital: name: The Valley geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 03 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK) Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) National holiday: Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967) Constitution: Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Andrew N. GEORGE (since 10 July 2006) head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March 2000) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, AUM 19.4%, ANSA 19.2%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA 2, AUM 1 Judicial branch: High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) Political parties and leaders: Anguilla United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS] (a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA); Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy ROGERS]; Anguilla Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU, WFTU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below Economy Anguilla Economy - overview: Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism industry has spurred the growth of the construction sector, contributing to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector, which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on favorable weather conditions. GDP (purchasing power parity): $108.9 million (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $108.9 million (2004 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 10.2% (2004 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $8,800 (2004 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (2002 est.) Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%, manufacturing 3%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, commerce 36%, services 29% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $22.8 million expenditures: $22.5 million (2000 est.) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.3% (2006 est.) Central bank discount rate: 6.5% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 9.76% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $23.57 million (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $470.1 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $447.7 million (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising Industries: tourism, boat building, offshore financial services Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (1997 est.) Electricity - production: NA kWh Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA Current account balance: -$42.87 million (2003 est.) Exports: $13 million (2006) Exports - commodities: lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum Imports: $143 million (2006) Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles Economic aid - recipient: $9 million (2004 est.) Debt - external: $8.8 million (1998) Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD) Currency code: XCD Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976 Communications Anguilla Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: modern internal telephone system international: country code - 1-264; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .ai Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Anguilla Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007) Roadways: total: 175 km paved: 82 km unpaved: 93 km (2004) Ports and terminals: Blowing Point, Road Bay Military Anguilla Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 3,538 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 2,955 females age 16-49: 3,308 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 107 female: 106 (2009 est.) Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK Transnational Issues Anguilla Disputes - international: none Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Denmark a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Denmark Introduction Denmark Background: Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs. Geography Denmark Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn) Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 10 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 43,094 sq km land: 42,394 sq km water: 700 sq km note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts Land boundaries: total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km Coastline: 7,314 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand Land use: arable land: 52.59% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 47.22% (2005) Irrigated land: 4,490 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 6.1 cu km (2003) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.67 cu km/yr (32%/26%/42%) per capita: 123 cu m/yr (2002) Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes Environment - current issues: air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen People Denmark Population: 5,500,510 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.1% (male 511,882/female 485,782) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,817,800/female 1,798,964) 65 years and over: 16.1% (male 387,142/female 498,940) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 40.5 years male: 39.6 years female: 41.3 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.28% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 10.71 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 10.25 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.3 years male: 75.96 years female: 80.78 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 4,800 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish Ethnic groups: Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian (includes Protestant and Roman Catholic) 3%, Muslim 2% Languages: Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) note: English is the predominant second language Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 17 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2006) Education expenditures: 8.3% of GDP (2005) Government Denmark Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Denmark local long form: Kongeriget Danmark local short form: Danmark Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Copenhagen geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: applies to continental Denmark only, not to the North Atlantic components Administrative divisions: metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular - region); Hovedstaden, Midtjylland, Nordjylland, Sjaelland, Syddanmark note: an extensive local government reform merged 271 municipalities into 98 and 13 counties into five regions, effective 1 January 2007 Independence: first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy National holiday: none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day Constitution: 5 June 1953 constitution allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26 May 1968) head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27 November 2001) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Folketinget (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms unless the Folketinget is dissolved earlier) elections: last held 13 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 26.2%, Social Democrats 25.5%, Danish People's Party 13.9%, Socialist People's Party 13.0%, Conservative People's Party 10.4%, Social Liberal Party 5.1%, New Alliance 2.8%, Red-Green Alliance 2.2%, other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 46, Social Democrats 45, Danish People's Party 25, Socialist People's Party 23, Conservative People's Party 18, Social Liberal Party 9, New Alliance 5, Red-Green Alliance 4; note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and the two seats from the Faroe Islands Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life) Political parties and leaders: Christian Democrats [Bjarne Hartung KIRKEGAARD] (was Christian People's Party); Conservative Party [Lene ESPERSEN] (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party); Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Liberal Alliance [Naser KHADER](formerly known as New Alliance); Red-Green Unity List (Alliance) [collective leadership] (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party); Social Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party [Margrethe VESTAGER]; Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL] Political pressure groups and leaders: Danish Free Press Society (freedom of speech); Danish National Socialist Movement or DNSB [Jonni HANSEN] (neo-Nazi organization) other: human rights groups International organization participation: ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAIN embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716 telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00 FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23 Flag description: red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side; the banner is referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) note: the shifted design element was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden Economy Denmark Economy - overview: This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards, a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Unemployment is low and capacity constraints limit growth potential. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. The government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but so far Denmark has decided not to join 15 other EU members in the euro. Nonetheless, the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro. Denmark's fiscal position is among the strongest in the EU. Economic growth gained momentum in 2004 and the upturn continued through 2006. After a long consumption-driven upswing, Denmark's economy began slowing in early 2007 with the end of a housing boom. This cyclical slowdown has been exacerbated by the global financial crisis through increased borrowing costs and lower export demand, consumer confidence, and investment. The slowing global economy cut growth to 0.3% in 2008. Because of high GDP per capita, welfare benefits, a low Gini index, and political stability, the Danish living standards are among the highest in the world. A major long-term issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio of workers to retirees. GDP (purchasing power parity): $213.6 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $369.6 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 0.3% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $38,900 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 25.9% services: 72.7% (2008 est.) Labor force: 2.86 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2.9% industry: 23.8% services: 72.7% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 2% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 22.4% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $192 billion expenditures: $177.6 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 21.8% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 4% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA Stock of money: $148.7 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $81.64 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $684.7 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $277.7 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish Industries: iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products, shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment Industrial production growth rate: 0.4% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 36.99 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 34.68 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 11.38 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 10.43 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 82.7% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 17.3% (2001) Oil - production: 313,800 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 190,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 320,000 bbl/day (2006) Oil - imports: 164,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - proved reserves: 1.188 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 9.223 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 4.555 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 4.517 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 70.51 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: $4.333 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $119.5 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture, windmills Exports - partners: Germany 17.4%, Sweden 14.5%, UK 8%, US 6.1%, Norway 5.7%, France 4.8%, Netherlands 4.8% (2007) Imports: $120.7 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods Imports - partners: Germany 21.6%, Sweden 14.4%, Netherlands 7.1%, Norway 6%, China 5.4%, UK 5.3%, Italy 4.1%, France 4% (2007) Economic aid - donor: ODA, $2.236 billion (2006) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $34.32 billion (2006 est.) Debt - external: $492.6 billion (30 June 2007) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $133.6 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $163.2 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): Danish krone (DKK) Currency code: DKK Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.0236 (2008 est.), 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004) Communications Denmark Telephones - main lines in use: 2.824 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 6.243 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems international: country code - 45; a series of fiber-optic submarine cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth stations - 18 (6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East)); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 6.02 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: Televisions: 3.121 million (1997) Internet country code: .dk Internet hosts: 3.642 million (2008) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 3.5 million (2007) Transportation Denmark Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 63 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 60 (2007) Pipelines: gas 2,858 km; oil 107 km (2008) Railways: total: 2,644 km standard gauge: 2,644 km 1.435-m gauge (636 km electrified) (2007) Roadways: total: 72,362 km paved: 72,362 km (includes 1,032 km of expressways) (2006) Waterways: 400 km (2008) Merchant marine: total: 327 by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 63, carrier 2, chemical tanker 78, container 84, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 42, petroleum tanker 29, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4 foreign-owned: 26 (Canada 1, Germany 1, Germany 9, Greece 4, Iceland 2, Norway 3, Sweden 6) registered in other countries: 534 (Antigua and Barbuda 19, Bahamas 67, Belgium 4, Brazil 2, Cayman Islands 3, Cyprus 4, Egypt 1, Estonia 1, France 2, Germany 1, Gibraltar 7, Hong Kong 24, Isle of Man 29, Italy 3, Jamaica 2, Liberia 12, Lithuania 5, Luxembourg 1, Malta 30, Marshall Islands 10, Mexico 2, Netherlands 29, Netherlands Antilles 2, Norway 25, Panama 40, Portugal 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16, Singapore 87, South Africa 1, Spain 2, Sweden 4, Togo 1, UAE 1, UK 62, US 31, Venezuela 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Kalundborg Military Denmark Military branches: Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet, Island Command Greenland, Tactical Air Command, Home Guard (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 1,235,067 females age 16-49: 1,215,418 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 1,013,223 females age 16-49: 998,837 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 37,231 female: 35,306 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1.5% of GDP (2006; 1.28% 2007 est.) Transnational Issues Denmark Disputes - international: Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue to study proposals for full independence; sovereignty dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Micronesia, Federated States of a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Micronesia, Federated States of Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of Background: In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid. Geography Micronesia, Federated States of Location: Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia Geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 15 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie) Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only) Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 6,112 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage Terrain: islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m Natural resources: forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate Land use: arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 45.71% other: 48.58% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December) Environment - current issues: overfishing, climate change, pollution Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: four major island groups totaling 607 islands People Micronesia, Federated States of Population: 107,434 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.8% (male 19,010/female 18,411) 15-64 years: 62.3% (male 33,286/female 33,629) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,317/female 1,781) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 22 years male: 21.5 years female: 22.5 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: -0.238% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 23.66 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 26.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 28.79 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.94 years male: 69.06 years female: 72.93 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.89 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese Ethnic groups: Chuukese 48.8%, Pohnpeian 24.2%, Kosraean 6.2%, Yapese 5.2%, Yap outer islands 4.5%, Asian 1.8%, Polynesian 1.5%, other 6.4%, unknown 1.4% (2000 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3% Languages: English (official and common language), Chuukese, Kosrean, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.) Education expenditures: 7.3% of GDP (2000) Government Micronesia, Federated States of Country name: conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none local long form: Federated States of Micronesia local short form: none former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts abbreviation: FSM Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004 Capital: name: Palikir geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 09 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap Independence: 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship) National holiday: Constitution Day, 10 May (1979) Constitution: 10 May 1979 Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007) cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the eight executive departments elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2007 (next to be held May 2011); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed election results: Emanuel MORI elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA; Alik L. ALIK elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA Legislative branch: unicameral Congress (14 seats; 4 - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote) elections: last held 6 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: no formal parties Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: ACP, ADB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yosiwo GEORGE chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Miriam K. HUGHES embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186 Flag description: light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern Economy Micronesia, Federated States of Economy - overview: Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. Under the original terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provided $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the current slow growth of the private sector. GDP (purchasing power parity): $238.1 million; note - supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $238.1 million (2008) GDP - real growth rate: 0.3% (2005 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $2,200 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28.9% industry: 15.2% services: 55.9% (2004 est.) Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 0.9% industry: 34.4% services: 64.7% note: two-thirds are government employees (FY05 est.) Unemployment rate: 22% (2000 est.) Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $166 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $152.7 million (FY07 est.) Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September Inflation rate (consumer prices): Commercial bank prime lending rate: 14.03% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $22.45 million (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $72.49 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: NA Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca), sakau (kava), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish; Kosraen citrus Industries: tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized aquaculture; craft items (from shell, wood, and pearls) Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 192 million kWh (2002) Electricity - consumption: 178.6 million kWh (2002) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002) Electricity - production by source: NA Current account balance: -$34.3 million (FY05 est.) Exports: $14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.) Exports - commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper, sakau (kava), betel nut Imports: $132.7 million f.o.b. (2004) Imports - commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages Economic aid - recipient: $106.4 million (2005) Debt - external: $60.8 million (FY05 est.) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Communications Micronesia, Federated States of Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002) Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 3 (cable TV also available) (2004) Televisions: Internet country code: .fm Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007) Roadways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (2000) Merchant marine: total: 3 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2 (2008) Ports and terminals: Tomil Harbor Military Micronesia, Federated States of Military branches: no regular military forces Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 26,686 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 21,845 females age 16-49: 23,401 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 1,273 female: 1,212 (2009 est.) Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of Disputes - international: none Illicit drugs: major consumer of cannabis This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Iran a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Iran Introduction Iran Background: Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader who, according to the constitution, is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts. US-Iranian relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987 and 1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US, UN, and EU economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and its nuclear weapons ambitions. Following the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and similarly a reformer Majles (parliament) in 2000, a campaign to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as conservative politicians, through the control of unelected institutions, prevented reform measures from being enacted and increased repressive measures. Starting with nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections in 2004, conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected government institutions, which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. The UN Security Council has passed a number of resolutions (1696 in July 2006, 1737 in December 2006, 1747 in March 2007, 1803 in March 2008, and 1835 in September 2008) calling for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations and responsibilities. Resolutions 1737, 1477, and 1803 subject a number of Iranian individuals and entities involved in Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs to sanctions. Additionally, several Iranian entities are subject to US sanctions under Executive Order 13382 designations for proliferation activities and EO 13224 designations for support of terrorism. Geography Iran Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 53 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 1.648 million sq km land: 1.636 million sq km water: 12,000 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than Alaska Land boundaries: total: 5,440 km border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km Coastline: 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf continental shelf: natural prolongation Climate: mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast Terrain: rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur Land use: arable land: 9.78% permanent crops: 1.29% other: 88.93% (2005) Irrigated land: 76,500 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 137.5 cu km (1997) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 72.88 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%) per capita: 1,048 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes Environment - current issues: air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation Geography - note: strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport People Iran Population: 66,429,284 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.7% (male 7,394,841/female 7,022,076) 15-64 years: 72.9% (male 24,501,544/female 23,914,172) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,725,828/female 1,870,823) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 27 years male: 26.8 years female: 27.2 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.883% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 16.89 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Urbanization: urban population: 68% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-2010) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 35.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 35.98 deaths/1,000 live births female: 35.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.14 years male: 69.65 years female: 72.72 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 86,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,300 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever and malaria note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds Nationality: noun: Iranian(s) adjective: Iranian Ethnic groups: Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1% Religions: Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2% Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77% male: 83.5% female: 70.4% (2002 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2005) Education expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2006) Government Iran Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran conventional short form: Iran local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran local short form: Iran former: Persia Government type: theocratic republic Capital: name: Tehran geographic coordinates: 35 40 N, 51 25 E time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Jonubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e Shomali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan Independence: 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed) National holiday: Republic Day, 1 April (1979) Constitution: 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership Legal system: based on Sharia law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005); First Vice President Parviz DAVUDI (since 11 September 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries note: also considered part of the Executive branch of government are three oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts (Majles-Khebregan), a popularly elected body charged with determining the succession of the Supreme Leader, reviewing his performance, and deposing him if deemed necessary; 2) Expediency Council or the Council for the Discernment of Expediency (Majma-e-Tashkise-Maslahat-e-Nezam) exerts supervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative branches and resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the Council of Guardians disagree and since 1989 has been used to advise national religious leaders on matters of national policy; in 2005 the Council's powers were expanded to act as a supervisory body for the government; 3) Council of Guardians of the Constitution or Council of Guardians or Guardians Council (Shora-ye Negaban-e Qanun-e Assassi) determines whether proposed legislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law, vets candidates for suitability, and supervises national elections elections: Supreme Leader is appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term and third nonconsecutive term); last held 17 June 2005 with a two-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next presidential election slated for 12 June 2009) election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi-RAFSANJANI 36% Legislative branch: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami or Majles (290 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 14 March 2008 with a runoff held 25 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - conservatives/Islamists 167, reformers 39, independents 74, religious minorities 5, other 5 Judicial branch: The Supreme Court (Qeveh Qazaieh) and the four-member High Council of the Judiciary have a single head and overlapping responsibilities; together they supervise the enforcement of all laws and establish judicial and legal policies; lower courts include a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court Political parties and leaders: formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political pressure groups rather than parties; often political parties or coalitions are formed prior to elections and disbanded soon thereafter; a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad Front, which includes political parties as well as less formal groups and organizations, achieved considerable success in elections for the sixth Majles in early 2000; groups in the coalition included the Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF), Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran), Solidarity Party, Islamic Labor Party, Mardom Salari, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO), and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004; following his defeat in the 2005 presidential elections, former MCS Secretary General and sixth Majles Speaker Mehdi KARUBI formed the National Trust Party; a new conservative group, Islamic Iran Developers Coalition (Abadgaran), took a leading position in the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004;; following the 2004 Majles elections, traditional and hardline conservatives have attempted to close ranks under the United Front of Principlists and the Broad Popular Coalition of Principlists; several reformist groups, such as the Islamic Revolution, came together as a reformist coalition in advance of the 2008 Majles electons; the IIPF has repeatedly complained that the overwhelming majority of its candidates have been unfairly disqualified from the 2008 elections Political pressure groups and leaders: groups that generally support the Islamic Republic: Ansar-e Hizballah-Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh); Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader; Islamic Engineers Society; Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat); active pro-reform student group: Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU); opposition groups: Baluchistan People's Party (BPP); Freedom Movement of Iran; Marz-e Por Gohar; National Front; and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been repressed by the government: Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI); Jundallah; Komala; Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO); People's Fedayeen; People's Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK) International organization participation: CP, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, SAARC (observer), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073 Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US Interests Section is located in the Swiss Embassy compound at Africa Avenue, West Farzan Street, number 32, Tehran, Iran; telephone [98] 21 8878 2964 or 21 8879 2364; FAX [98] 21 8877 3265 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band Economy Iran Economy - overview: Iran's economy is marked by an inefficient state sector, reliance on the oil sector, which provides the majority of government revenues, and statist policies, which create major distortions throughout the system. Most economic activity is controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically limited to small-scale workshops, farming, and services. Price controls, subsidies, and other rigidities weigh down the economy, undermining the potential for private-sector-led growth. Significant informal market activity flourishes. Corruption and shortages of goods are widespread. President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD has proposed reforms to Iran's system of price controls and subsidies, particularly on food and energy. However, previous government-led efforts at reform - such as fuel rationing in July 2007 and the imposition of the Value-Added Tax (VAT) in October 2008 - were met with stiff resistance and violent protests. High oil prices in recent years allowed Iran to greatly increase its export earnings and amass over $70 billion in foreign exchange reserves. But with oil prices currently below $40 per barrel, the Iranian government is facing difficulties. Tehran has formulated a 2009 budget that anticipates lower oil prices. The government has drawn down the country's Oil Stabilization Fund, and may be dipping into foreign exchange reserves. Iran continues to suffer from double-digit unemployment and inflation - inflation climbed to 26% as of June 2008. Underemployment among Iran's educated youth has convinced many to seek jobs overseas, resulting in a significant "brain drain." GDP (purchasing power parity): $859.7 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $382.3 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 6.4% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $13,100 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.8% industry: 44.3% services: 44.9% (2008 est.) Labor force: 24.35 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 25% industry: 31% services: 45% (June 2007) Unemployment rate: 12.5% according to the Iranian government (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: 18% (2007 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 33.7% (1998) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 27.7% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $51 billion expenditures: $103 billion (FY09/10 est.) Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March Public debt: 25% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): note: official Iranian estimate (2008 est.) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 12% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $46.13 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $68.71 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $109.7 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $45.57 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, sugar cane, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and non-ferrous metal fabrication, armaments Industrial production growth rate: 4.5% excluding oil (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 193 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 145 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 2.775 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - imports: 2.54 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 97.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 4.7 million bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 1.6 million bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 2.8 million bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - imports: 210,000 bbl/day (2007) Oil - proved reserves: 138.4 billion bbl based on Iranian claims (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 111.9 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 111.8 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 6.2 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 6.1 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 26.85 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: $27.47 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $106.4 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets Exports - partners: China 15%, Japan 14.3%, Turkey 7.4%, South Korea 7.3%, Italy 6.4% (2007) Imports: $67.79 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services Imports - partners: China 14.2%, Germany 9.6%, UAE 9.1%, South Korea 6.3%, Russia 5.7%, Italy 5% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $104 million (2005 est.) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $96.56 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $21.77 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $6.954 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $993 million (2008 est.) Currency (code): Iranian rial (IRR) Currency code: IRR Exchange rates: Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar - 9,142.8 (2008 est.), 9,407.5 (2007), 9,227.1 (2006), 8,964 (2005), 8,614 (2004) note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002 Communications Iran Telephones - main lines in use: 23.835 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 29.77 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: currently being modernized and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently connected domestic: the addition of new fiber cables and modern switching and exchange systems installed by Iran's state-owned telecom company have improved and expanded the main line network greatly; main line availability has more than doubled to nearly 24 million lines since 2000; additionally, mobile service has increased dramatically serving nearly 30 million subscribers in 2007 international: country code - 98; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; satellite earth stations - 13 (9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 72, FM 6, shortwave 5 (1998) Radios: 17 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 29 (plus 450 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 4.61 million (1997) Internet country code: .ir Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 23 million (2007) Transportation Iran Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 129 over 3,047 m: 40 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 32 under 914 m: 5 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 202 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 145 under 914 m: 46 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 12 km; gas 19,246 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 7,018 km; refined products 7,936 km (2008) Railways: total: 8,367 km broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge: 8,273 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (2006) Roadways: total: 172,927 km paved: 125,908 km (includes 1,429 km of expressways) unpaved: 47,019 km (2006) Waterways: 850 km (on Karun River; additional service on Lake Urmia) (2008) Merchant marine: total: 74 by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) registered in other countries: 115 (Barbados 2, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 15, Malta 79, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Assaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e-Eman Khomeyni Military Iran Military branches: Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force of the Military of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Niru-ye Hava'i-ye Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran, IRIAF; Air Defense Command being formed); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army); Law Enforcement Forces (2008) Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15 years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript military service obligation - 18 months; women exempt from military service (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 20,212,275 females age 16-49: 19,638,751 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 17,658,573 females age 16-49: 17,148,290 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 700,213 female: 664,846 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues Iran Disputes - international: Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 914,268 (Afghanistan); 54,024 (Iraq) (2007) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Iran is a source, transit, and destination country for women trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude; Iranian women are trafficked internally for the purpose of forced prostitution and for forced marriages to settle debts; Iranian children are trafficked internally and Afghan children are trafficked into Iran for the purpose of forced marriages, commercial sexual exploitation, and involuntary servitude as beggars or laborers tier rating: Tier 3 - Iran did not provide evidence of law enforcement activities against trafficking, and credible reports indicate that Iranian authorities punish victims of trafficking with beatings, imprisonment, and execution; Iran has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008) Illicit drugs: despite substantial interdiction efforts and considerable control measures along the border with Afghanistan, Iran remains one of the primary transshipment routes for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; suffers one of the highest opiate addiction rates in the world, and has an increasing problem with synthetic drugs; lacks anti-money laundering laws; has reached out to neighboring countries to share counter-drug intelligence This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Philippines a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Philippines Introduction Philippines Background: The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected president and was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a 10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese occupation during World War II, and US forces and Filipinos fought together during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Republic of the Philippines attained its independence. The 20-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a "people power" movement in Manila ("EDSA 1") forced him into exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was hampered by several coup attempts, which prevented a return to full political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by greater stability and progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice-president, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and another "people power" movement ("EDSA 2") demanded his resignation. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a six-year term as president in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats from three terrorist groups on the US Government's Foreign Terrorist Organization list, but in 2006 and 2007 scored some major successes in capturing or killing key wanted terrorists. Decades of Muslim insurgency in the southern Philippines have led to a peace accord with one group and on-again/off-again peace talks with another. Geography Philippines Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 122 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 300,000 sq km land: 298,170 sq km water: 1,830 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arizona Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 36,289 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in breadth exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation Climate: tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October) Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands Elevation extremes: lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m Natural resources: timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 16.67% other: 64.33% (2005) Irrigated land: 15,500 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 479 cu km (1999) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 28.52 cu km/yr (17%/9%/74%) per capita: 343 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis Environment - current issues: uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Geography - note: the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands; favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait People Philippines Population: 97,976,603 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.2% (male 17,606,352/female 16,911,376) 15-64 years: 60.6% (male 29,679,327/female 29,737,919) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,744,248/female 2,297,381) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 22.5 years male: 22 years female: 23 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.957% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 26.42 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -1.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Urbanization: urban population: 65% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-2010) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 20.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.09 years male: 68.17 years female: 74.15 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.27 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 8,300 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 200 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2008) Nationality: noun: Filipino(s) adjective: Philippine Ethnic groups: Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Ilocano 9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%, other 25.3% (2000 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 80.9%, Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census) Languages: Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 92.5% female: 92.7% (2000 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 12 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2006) Education expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2005) Government Philippines Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines conventional short form: Philippines local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas local short form: Pilipinas Government type: republic Capital: name: Manila geographic coordinates: 14 35 N, 121 00 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 80 provinces and 120 chartered cities provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu, Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela, Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte, Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago, Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batac, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan, Cabadbaran, Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan, Calbayog, Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao, Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan, General Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga, Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag, Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati, Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi, Marikina, Masbate, Mati, Meycauayan, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga, Navotas, Olongapo, Ormoc, Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan, Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos (in Pangasinan), San Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in Pampanga), San Jose, San Jose del Monte, San Juan, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay, Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran, Taguig, Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu), Talisay (in Negros Occidental), Tanauan, Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac, Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires, Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela, Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga (2009) Independence: 12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US) National holiday: Independence Day, 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 was date of declaration of independence from Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of independence from US Constitution: 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987 Legal system: based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001); note - president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of Commission of Appointments elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO) elected on separate tickets by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%, Fernando POE 37%, three others 23% Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected at large by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Nga Kinatawan (as a result of May 2007 election it has 240 seats including 218 members representing districts and 22 sectoral party-list members representing special minorities elected on the basis of 1 seat for every 2% of the total vote but limited to 3 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250 members) elections: Senate - last held on 14 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2010); House of Representatives - elections last held on 14 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas 4, LP 4, Nacionalista 3, NPC 2, PDP-Laban 2, PMP 2, Kampi 1, LDP 1, PRP 1, independents 3; note - there are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was elected mayor of Manila; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas 92, Kampi 54, NPC 25, LP 21, Party-list 22, independents 3, others 26; there are 238 rather than 240 sitting representatives because two died in office Judicial branch: Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70 years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special court for hearing corruption cases of government officials) Political parties and leaders: Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino or Kampi [Luis VILLAFUERTE]; Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or LDP [Edgardo ANGARA]; Lakas ng EDSA-Christian Muslim Democrats or Lakas-CMD [Prospero NOGRALES]; Liberal Party or LP [Manuel ROXAS]; Nacionalista Party or NP [Manuel VILLAR]; Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC [Frisco SAN JUAN]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL]; People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO]; Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (Force of the Philippine Masses) or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA]; United Opposition or UNO [Jejomar BINAY] Political pressure groups and leaders: ABONO [Robert ESTRELLA]; AKBAYAN [Anna Theresia BARAQUIEL]; An Waray [Florencio NOEL]; Anak Mindanao [Mujiv HATAMIN]; ANAKPAWIS [Rafael MARIANO]; ARC [Narciso SANTIAGO III]; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) [Ernesto PABLO and Edgar VALDEZ]; A TEACHER [Mariano PIAMONTE]; Bayan Muna [Satur OCAMPO and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.]; Black and White Movement [Vicente ROMANO]; BUHAY [Rene VELARDE, Carissa COSCOLLUELLA, and William TIENG]; BUTIL [Leonila CHAVEZ]; CIBAC [Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; COOP-NATCO [Jose PING-AY]; GABRIELA [Liza MAZA and Luzviminda ILAGAN]; Kilosbayan [Jovito SALONGA]; YACAP [Carol LOPEZ] International organization participation: ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Willy C. GAA chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300 FAX: [1] (202) 467-9417 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), San Francisco, Tamuning (Guam) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie A. KENNEY embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000, Manila mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000 telephone: [63] (2) 301-2000 FAX: [63] (2) 301-2399 Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing peace and justice) and red (representing courage); a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side represents equality; the center of the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary rays, each representing one of the first eight provinces that sought independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown upside down with the red band at the top Economy Philippines Economy - overview: Economic growth has averaged 5% since President MACAPAGAL-ARROYO took office in 2001. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO averted a fiscal crisis by pushing for new revenue measures and, until recently, tightening expenditures. Declining fiscal deficits, tapering debt and debt service ratios, as well as efforts to increase spending on infrastructure and social services heightened optimism over Philippine economic prospects. Although the general macroeconomic outlook has improved significantly, the economy faces several long term challenges. The Philippines must maintain the reform momentum in order to catch up with regional competitors, improve employment opportunities, and alleviate poverty. The Philippines will need still higher, sustained growth to make progress in alleviating poverty, given its high population growth and unequal distribution of income. The Philippine economy grew at its fastest pace in three decades in 2007 with real GDP growth exceeding 7%, but growth slowed to 4.5% in 2008 as a result of the world financial crisis. High government spending, a relatively small trade sector, a resilient service sector, and large remittances from the four- to five-million Filipinos who work abroad have helped cushion the economy from the current financial crisis. GDP (purchasing power parity): $327.2 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $168.6 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4.6% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $3,400 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.7% industry: 31.6% services: 53.7% (2008 est.) Labor force: 36.81 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 35% industry: 15% services: 50% (2008 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.4% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: 30% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 31.2% (2006) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 16.8% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $26.75 billion expenditures: $28.2 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 56.5% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.3% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 6% (31 December 2008) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 8.69% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $22.53 billion (31 December 2008) Stock of quasi money: $65.85 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $65.66 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $85.6 billion (31 December 2008) Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish Industries: electronics assembly, garments, footwear, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining, fishing Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 56.51 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 47.04 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.6% hydro: 17.5% nuclear: 0% other: 26.9% (2001) Oil - production: 23,930 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 340,100 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 41,160 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 355,800 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 138.5 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 2.2 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 2.2 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 98.54 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: $2.687 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $49 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits Exports - partners: US 17%, Japan 14.5%, Hong Kong 11.5%, China 11.4%, Netherlands 8.2%, Singapore 6.2%, Malaysia 5%, Germany 4.3% (2007) Imports: $58 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: electronic products, mineral fuels, machinery and transport equipment, iron and steel, textile fabrics, grains, chemicals, plastic Imports - partners: US 14.1%, Japan 12.3%, Singapore 11.2%, Taiwan 7.3%, China 7.2%, Saudi Arabia 6.4%, South Korea 5.9%, Malaysia 4.1%, Thailand 4.1% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $451.4 million in commitments (2006) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $36.15 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $53.48 billion (31 September 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $20.78 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $5.564 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): Philippine peso (PHP) Currency code: PHP Exchange rates: Philippine pesos (PHP) per US dollar - 44.439 (2008 est.), 46.148 (2007), 51.246 (2006), 55.086 (2005), 56.04 (2004) Communications Philippines Telephones - main lines in use: 3.633 million (2006) Telephones - mobile cellular: 51.795 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations; cellular communications now dominate the industry; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density about 60 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 63; a series of submarine cables together provide connectivity to Asia, US, the Middle East, and Europe; multiple international gateways (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 381, FM 628, shortwave 4 (each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the language of the target audience) (2007) Radios: 11.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 250 (plus 1,501 CATV networks) (2007) Televisions: 3.7 million (1997) Internet country code: .ph Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 5.3 million (2007) Transportation Philippines Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 84 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 10 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 171 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 68 under 914 m: 99 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: oil 107 km; refined products 112 km (2008) Railways: total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2006) Roadways: total: 200,037 km paved: 19,804 km unpaved: 180,233 km (2003) Waterways: 3,219 km (limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m) (2008) Merchant marine: total: 391 by type: bulk carrier 75, cargo 125, carrier 16, chemical tanker 17, container 6, liquefied gas 5, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 68, petroleum tanker 36, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 11, vehicle carrier 11 foreign-owned: 161 (Bermuda 34, China 4, Greece 4, Hong Kong 1, Japan 81, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 23, Norway 10, Singapore 1, Taiwan 1, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 11 (Comoros 1, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, Indonesia 1, Panama 7) (2008) Ports and terminals: Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Liman, Manila, Nasipit Harbor Transportation - note: the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift Military Philippines Military branches: Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age (officers 21-29) for compulsory and voluntary military service; applicants must be single male or female Philippine citizens (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 23,547,252 females age 16-49: 23,177,487 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 19,169,298 females age 16-49: 20,636,853 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 1,023,431 female: 986,434 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 0.9% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Philippines Disputes - international: Philippines claims sovereignty over certain of the Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf; maritime delimitation negotiations continue with Palau Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 300,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu Sayyaf groups) (2007) Illicit drugs: domestic methamphetamine production has been a growing problem in recent years despite government crackdowns; major consumer of amphetamines; longstanding marijuana producer mainly in rural areas where Manila's control is limited This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Introduction Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Background: Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced an Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982. Geography Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina Geographic coordinates: 51 45 S, 59 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,288 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate Terrain: rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m Natural resources: fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: strong winds persist throughout the year Environment - current issues: overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the 1986 Chornobyl disaster Geography - note: deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season People Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Population: 3,140 (July 2008 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2009 est.) Population growth rate: 0.011% (2009 est.) Birth rate: NA (2008 est.) Death rate: NA (2008 est.) Net migration rate: NA (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.) Total fertility rate: NA (2008 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island Ethnic groups: British Religions: Christian 67.2%, none 31.5%, other 1.3% (2006 census) Languages: English Literacy: NA Government Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina Government type: NA Capital: name: Stanley geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends third Sunday in April Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) National holiday: Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) Constitution: 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998 Legal system: English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor Alan HUCKLE (since 25 August 2006); Chief Executive Dr. Tim THOROGOOD (since 3 January 2008) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote; to serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor elections: last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction Political parties and leaders: none; all independents Political pressure groups and leaders: Falkland Islands Association (supports freedom of the people from external causes) International organization participation: UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT Economy Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Economy - overview: The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987, the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falkland Islands' exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which help support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date, no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost. GDP (purchasing power parity): $105.1 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $105.1 million (2002 est.) GDP - real growth rate: NA% GDP - per capita (PPP): $35,400 (2002 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 95% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 1,724 (est.) (1996) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing) industry and services: 5% (1996) Unemployment rate: full employment; labor shortage (2001) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $66.2 million expenditures: $67.9 million (FY98/99 est.) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March Inflation rate (consumer prices): Agriculture - products: fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products; fish, squid Industries: fish and wool processing; tourism Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 16 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 14.88 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 252 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 249 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Exports: $125 million (2004 est.) Exports - commodities: wool, hides, meat, fish, squid Imports: $90 million (2004 est.) Imports - commodities: fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing Economic aid - recipient: $0 (1997 est.) Debt - external: $NA Currency (code): Falkland pound (FKP) Currency code: FKP Exchange rates: Falkland pounds (FKP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound Communications Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service) (2006) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 2 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to members of UK Forces as well as islanders); cable television is available in Stanley (2006) Televisions: Internet country code: .fk Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4 under 914 m: 4 (2007) Roadways: total: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2008) Ports and terminals: Stanley Military Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Military branches: no regular military forces Military expenditures: NA Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK Transnational Issues Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Disputes - international: Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Senegal a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Senegal Introduction Senegal Background: The French colonies of Senegal and the French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted their independence as the Mali Federation in 1960. The union broke up after only a few months. Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982, but the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC) has led a low-level separatist insurgency in southern Senegal since the 1980s, and several peace deals have failed to resolve the conflict. Nevertheless, Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa. Senegal was ruled by a Socialist Party for 40 years until current President Abdoulaye WADE was elected in 2000. He was reelected in February 2007, but complaints of fraud led opposition parties to boycott June 2007 legislative polls. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping. Geography Senegal Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania Geographic coordinates: 14 00 N, 14 00 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 196,190 sq km land: 192,000 sq km water: 4,190 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota Land boundaries: total: 2,640 km border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km Coastline: 531 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind Terrain: generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore Land use: arable land: 12.51% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 87.25% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 39.4 cu km (1987) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 2.22 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%) per capita: 190 cu m/yr (2002) Natural hazards: lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts Environment - current issues: wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling Geography - note: westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal People Senegal Population: 13,711,597 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.2% (male 2,911,324/female 2,877,804) 15-64 years: 54.8% (male 3,728,664/female 3,786,000) 65 years and over: 3% (male 190,343/female 217,462) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.8 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 2.709% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 36.52 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 10.72 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 58.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 65.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59 years male: 57.12 years female: 60.93 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.95 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 67,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,800 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, dengue fever, malaria, Rift Valley fever, and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2008) Nationality: noun: Senegalese (singular and plural) adjective: Senegalese Ethnic groups: Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4% Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous beliefs 1% Languages: French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 39.3% male: 51.1% female: 29.2% (2002 est.) Education expenditures: 5% of GDP (2006) Government Senegal Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Senegal local long form: Republique du Senegal local short form: Senegal former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation Government type: republic Capital: name: Dakar geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 17 26 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor Independence: 4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960 National holiday: Independence Day, 4 April (1960) Constitution: adopted 7 January 2001 Legal system: based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government's accounting office; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Cheikh Hadjibou SOUMARE (since 19 June 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) under new constitution; election last held on 25 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Abdoulaye WADE reelected president in the first round of voting; percent of vote - Abdoulaye WADE 55.9%, Idrissa SECK 14.9%, Ousmane Tanor DIENG 13.6%, Moustapha NIASSE 5.9%, other 9.7% Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; 90 members elected by direct popular vote with the remaining members elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and the Senate reinstituted in 2007 (100 seats; 35 indirectly elected with the remaining 65 members to be appointed by the president) elections: National Assembly - last held on 3 June 2007 (next to be held 2012); note - the National Assembly in December 2005 voted to postpone legislative elections originally scheduled for 2006; legislative elections were first rescheduled to coincide with the 25 February 2007 presidential elections and later rescheduled for 3 June 2007; the June election was boycotted by 12 opposition parties, including the former ruling Socialist Party, that resulted in a record-low, 35-percent voter turnout; Senate - last held 19 August 2007 (next to be held - NA) election results: National Assembly results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 131, other 19; Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDS 34, AJ/PADS 1, 65 appointed by the president Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals Political parties and leaders: African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar [Macky Sall]; And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS [Landing SAVANE]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ [Cheikh Abdoulaye Bamba DIEYE]; Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; Jef-Jel [Talla SYLLA]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madior DIOUF]; People's Labor Party or PTP [Elhadji DIOUF]; Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim AGNE]; Rewmi Party [Idrissa Seck]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition [Abdoulaye WADE] (a coalition led by the PDS); Union for Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA] Political pressure groups and leaders: other: labor; students; Sufi brotherhoods, including the Mourides and Tidjanes; teachers International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP (associate), ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marcia S. BERNICAT embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar telephone: [221] 33-829-2100 FAX: [221] 33-822-2991 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia Economy Senegal Economy - overview: In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform program with the support of the international donor community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform program, with real growth in GDP averaging over 5% annually during 1995-2008. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the single digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. High unemployment, however, continues to prompt illegal migrants to flee Senegal in search of better job opportunities in Europe. Senegal was also beset by an energy crisis that caused widespread blackouts in 2006 and 2007. The phosphate industry has struggled for two years to secure capital, and reduced output has directly impacted GDP. In 2007, Senegal signed agreements for major new mining concessions for iron, zircon, and gold with foreign companies. Firms from Dubai have agreed to manage and modernize Dakar's maritime port, and create a new special economic zone. Senegal still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance. Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief program, Senegal has benefited from eradication of two-thirds of its bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector debt. In 2007, Senegal and the IMF agreed to a new, non-disbursing, Policy Support Initiative program. GDP (purchasing power parity): $22.98 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $13.9 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4.8% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,800 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16% industry: 19.4% services: 64.6% (2008 est.) Labor force: 4.973 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 77.5% industry and services: 22.5% (2007 est.) Unemployment rate: 48% (2007 est.) Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 33.4% (2001) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 25.4% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $3.141 billion expenditures: $3.799 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 21.4% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.6% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 4.25% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA Stock of money: $2.842 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $1.579 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $2.97 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish Industries: agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining; iron ore, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 2.28 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 1.657 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil - consumption: 36,200 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 4,298 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 40,450 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 50 million cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 50 million cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - exports: NA cu m Natural gas - imports: NA cu m Natural gas - proved reserves: NA cu m Current account balance: -$2.078 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $1.904 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton Exports - partners: Mali 18.9%, France 9.1%, Italy 5.9%, India 5.7%, Gambia, The 5.2% (2007) Imports: $4.654 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: food and beverages, capital goods, fuels Imports - partners: France 22.2%, Netherlands 10%, China 7.4%, UK 6.2%, Thailand 5.2%, Belgium 4.5% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $477 million (2007 est.) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.765 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $2.528 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States Currency code: XOF Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro Communications Senegal Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: 4.123 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: good system domestic: above-average urban system with a fiber-optic network; nearly two-thirds of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar where a call-center industry is emerging; expansion of fixed-line services in rural areas needed; mobile-cellular service is expanding rapidly; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system international: country code - 221; the SAT-3/WASC fiber optic cable provides connectivity to Europe and Asia while Atlantis-2 provides connectivity to South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 1.24 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .sn Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Senegal Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007) Pipelines: gas 43 km; refined products 8 km (2008) Railways: total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 13,576 km paved: 3,972 km (includes 7 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,604 km (2003) Waterways: 1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2008) Ports and terminals: Dakar Military Senegal Military branches: Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 2,943,619 females age 16-49: 2,955,179 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 2,038,508 females age 16-49: 2,207,510 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 154,249 female: 153,679 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1.4% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Senegal Disputes - international: The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem separatist violence, cross border raids, and arms smuggling into their countries from Senegal's Casamance region, and in 2006, respectively accepted 6,000 and 10,000 Casamance residents fleeing the conflict; 2,500 Guinea-Bissau residents fled into Senegal in 2006 to escape armed confrontations along the border Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 19,630 (Mauritania) IDPs: 22,400 (approximately 65% of the IDP population returned in 2005, but new displacement is occurring due to clashes between government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2007) Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Switzerland a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Switzerland Introduction Switzerland Background: The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality. Geography Switzerland Location: Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 41,290 sq km land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt Land use: arable land: 9.91% permanent crops: 0.58% other: 89.51% (2005) Irrigated land: 250 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 53.3 cu km (2005) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 2.52 cu km/yr (24%/74%/2%) per capita: 348 cu m/yr (2002) Natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography - note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps People Switzerland Population: 7,604,467 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.6% (male 616,561/female 571,610) 15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,609,673/female 2,567,245) 65 years and over: 16.3% (male 514,761/female 724,617) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 41 years male: 40 years female: 42 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.276% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 9.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 8.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 1.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4.18 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.85 years male: 78.03 years female: 83.83 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 25,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 500 (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss Ethnic groups: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% Religions: Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census) Languages: German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census) note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national and official languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 15 years (2006) Education expenditures: 5.8% of GDP (2005) Government Switzerland Country name: conventional long form: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh) local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh) Government type: formally a confederation but similar in structure to a federal republic Capital: name: Bern geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 26 cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich note: 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell-Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden - are styled half cantons because they elect only one member to the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are required, these six cantons only have a half vote Independence: 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) National holiday: Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) Constitution: revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially entered into force 1 January 2000 Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2009); Vice President Doris LEUTHARD (since 1 January 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government representing the Federal Council; the Federal Council is the formal chief of state and head of government whose council members, rotating in one-year terms as federal president, represent the Council head of government: President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2009); Vice President Doris LEUTHARD (since 1 January 2009); cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 10 December 2008 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: Hans-Rudolf MERZ elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 88.5%; Doris LEUTHARD elected vice president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 87.4% Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; to serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons in October 2007 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2011) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 12, SVP 7, SPS 9, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 29%, SPS 19.5%, FDP 15.6%, CVP 14.6%, Greens 9.6%, other 11.7%; seats by party - SVP 62, SPS 43, FDP 31, CVP 31, Green Party 20, other small parties 13 Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ueli LEUENBERGER]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Fulvio PELLI]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christian LEVRAT]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Toni BRUNNER]; and other minor parties Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Leigh CARTER embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44 Flag description: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag Economy Switzerland Economy - overview: Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP among the highest in the world. Switzerland's economy benefits from a highly developed service sector led by financial services and a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology, knowledge-based prodution. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness, but some trade protectionism remains, particularly for its small agricultural sector. Switzerland remains a safehaven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. The global financial crisis and resulting economic downturn could, however, put Switzerland in a recession in 2009, particularly as global export demand stalls. Switzerland's largest banks suffered significant losses in 2008 and the country's largest bank accepted a government rescue deal in late 2008. The Swiss National Bank, beginning in October 2008, cut interest rates on several consecutive occasions, effectively instituting a zero-rate policy in a bid to boost the economy. GDP (purchasing power parity): $309.9 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $492.6 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 1.9% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $40,900 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.5% industry: 34% services: 64.5% (2003 est.) Labor force: 4.04 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3.9% industry: 22.8% services: 73.2% (2005) Unemployment rate: 3% (December 2008) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (2000) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 21.5% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $173.6 billion expenditures: $168.2 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 44% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 2.05% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 3.15% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $207 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of quasi money: $477.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of domestic credit: $864.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Market value of publicly traded shares: $1.275 trillion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs Industries: machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (2006 est.) Electricity - production: 64.56 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 58.77 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 50.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 48.4 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 59.5% nuclear: 37.1% other: 2% (2001) Oil - production: 3,202 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 244,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 9,370 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 274,900 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: NA Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 3.232 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 3.232 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: $40.81 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $172.7 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products Exports - partners: Germany 20.3%, US 9.7%, Italy 8.7%, France 8.4%, UK 5.1% (2007) Imports: $212.8 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles Imports - partners: Germany 32.6%, Italy 10.8%, France 9.5%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 4.6%, Austria 4.2%, UK 4.2% (2007) Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.646 billion (2006) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $75.37 billion (2008 est.) Debt - external: $1.34 trillion (30 June 2007) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $333.8 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $621.7 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): Swiss franc (CHF) Currency code: CHF Exchange rates: Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.0774 (2008 est.), 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004) Communications Switzerland Telephones - main lines in use: 5 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 8.096 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 100 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 106 (plus many low-power stations), shortwave 3 (2008) Radios: 7.1 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: Televisions: 3.31 million (1997) Internet country code: .ch Internet hosts: 3.437 million (2008) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000) Internet users: 4.61 million (2007) Transportation Switzerland Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 16 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 under 914 m: 23 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 1,662 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2008) Railways: total: 4,839 km standard gauge: 3,561 km 1.435-m gauge (3,195 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,268 km 1.000-m gauge (1,274 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2006) Roadways: total: 71,298 km paved: 71,298 km (includes 1,758 of expressways) (2006) Waterways: 65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2008) Merchant marine: total: 35 by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 9, chemical tanker 6, container 6, specialized tanker 1 registered in other countries: 106 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Bahamas 1, France 3, Italy 8, Liberia 13, Malta 20, Marshall Islands 12, Panama 25, Portugal 2, Russia 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 2, Tonga 1, UK 1, Vanuatu 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Basel Military Switzerland Military branches: Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2009) Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; the Swiss Constitution states that "every Swiss male is obliged to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve at least 260 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by seven 3-week intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 1,852,580 females age 16-49: 1,807,667 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 1,510,259 females age 16-49: 1,475,993 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 48,076 female: 44,049 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Switzerland Disputes - international: none Illicit drugs: a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and Western European synthetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Guyana a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Guyana Introduction Guyana Background: Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006. Geography Guyana Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 214,970 sq km land: 196,850 sq km water: 18,120 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho Land boundaries: total: 2,949 km border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km Coastline: 459 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January) Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish Land use: arable land: 2.23% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 97.63% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,500 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 241 cu km (2000) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 1.64 cu km/yr (2%/1%/98%) per capita: 2,187 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons Environment - current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively People Guyana Population: note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.7% (male 101,319/female 97,505) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 268,058/female 262,595) 65 years and over: 5.5% (male 17,938/female 24,883) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 28.7 years male: 28.2 years female: 29.2 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.181% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 17.85 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 8.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -7.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 29.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 33.02 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.68 years male: 64.09 years female: 69.4 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.5% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 13,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008) Nationality: noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese Ethnic groups: East Indian 43.5%, black (African) 30.2%, mixed 16.7%, Amerindian 9.1%, other 0.5% (2002 census) Religions: Hindu 28.4%, Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%, Jehovah Witness 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, Muslim 7.2%, other 4.3%, none 4.3% (2002 census) Languages: English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Urdu Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.8% male: 99.1% female: 98.5% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2005) Education expenditures: 8.3% of GDP (2006) Government Guyana Country name: conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana Government type: republic Capital: name: Georgetown geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK) National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970) Constitution: 6 October 1980 Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN and was reelected in 2001, and again in 2006 head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since October 1992, except for a period as chief of state after the death of President Cheddi JAGAN on 6 March 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party list in parliamentary elections, which must be held at least every five years (no term limits); elections last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of vote 54.6% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; members elected by popular vote, also not more than 4 non-elected non-voting ministers and 2 non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 54.6%, PNC/R 34%, AFC 8.1%, other 3.3%; seats by party - PPP/C 36, PNC/R 22, AFC 5, other 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature, consisting of the High Court and the Court of Appeal, with right of final appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN and Khemraj RAMJATTAN]; Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Justice for All Party [C.N. SHARMA]; People's National Congress/Reform or PNC/R [Robert Herman Orlando CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; The Unity Party [Joey JAGAN]; Vision Guyana [Peter RAMSAROOP]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert ROOPNARAINE] Political pressure groups and leaders: Amerindian People's Association; Guyana Bar Association; Guyana Citizens Initiative; Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana Public Service Union or GPSU; Private Sector Commission; Trades Union Congress International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John Melvin JONES embassy: US Embassy, 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170 telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909 FAX: [592] 225-8497 Flag description: green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border between the yellow and the green Economy Guyana Economy - overview: The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in recent years and is based largely on agriculture and extractive industries. The economy is heavily dependent upon the export of six commodities - sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice - which represent nearly 60% of the country's GDP and are highly susceptible to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in commodity prices. Economic recovery since the 2005 flood-related contraction has been buoyed by increases in remittances and foreign direct investment in the sugar and rice industries as well as the mining sector. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near term from restructuring and partial privatization, and the state-owned sugar industry will conduct efficiency increasing modernizations. Export earnings from agriculture and mining have remained flat as rising commodity prices have offset declining production, while the import bill has risen, driven by higher energy costs. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. In March 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to nearly 48% of GDP, which along with other Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) debt forgiveness brought the debt-to-GDP ratio down from 183% in 2006 to 120% in 2007. Guyana became heavily indebted as a result of the inward-looking, state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and 1980s. Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006 has broadened the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.082 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1.134 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 3.2% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,000 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 31.9% industry: 21% services: 47.2% (2008 est.) Labor force: 418,000 (2001 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 33.8% (1999) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 40.5% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $463.7 million expenditures: $536 million (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.8% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 6.5% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 14.61% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $315.2 million (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $728.8 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $739.3 million (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $262.4 million (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: sugarcane, rice, shrimp, fish, edible oils; beef, pork, poultry Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 600 million kWh (2007) Electricity - consumption: 600 million kWh (2007) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 10,440 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 10,960 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: -$246 million (2008 est.) Exports: $736.9 million f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber Exports - partners: Canada 18.7%, US 16.5%, UK 9.1%, Portugal 7.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 5.2%, France 4.7%, Netherlands 4.6%, Jamaica 4% (2007) Imports: $1.162 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food Imports - partners: Trinidad and Tobago 26.2%, US 20.5%, Cuba 7.2%, China 7.1%, UK 5.4% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $136.8 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $309.7 million (30 September 2008) Debt - external: $804.3 million (30 September 2008) Currency (code): Guyanese dollar (GYD) Currency code: GYD Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar - 203.86 (2008 est.), 201.89 (2007), 200.28 (2006), 200.79 (2005), 198.31 (2004) Communications Guyana Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: fair system for long-distance service domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines; fixed-line teledensity is about 15 per 100 persons; many areas still lack fixed-line telephone services; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 37 per 100 persons in 2005 international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 3 (1 public station; 2 private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997) Televisions: Internet country code: .gy Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Guyana Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 6 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 84 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 69 (2007) Roadways: total: 7,970 km paved: 590 km unpaved: 7,380 km (2000) Waterways: 330 km note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2008) Merchant marine: total: 8 by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 registered in other countries: 3 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, unknown 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Georgetown Military Guyana Military branches: Guyana Defense Force: Army (includes Coast Guard, Air Corps) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 220,797 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 150,307 females age 16-49: 144,622 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 6,625 female: 6,365 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1.8% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues Guyana Disputes - international: all of the area west of the Essequibo River is claimed by Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration under provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters Trafficking in persons: current situation: Guyana is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; most trafficking appears to take place in remote mining camps in the country's interior; some women and girls are trafficked from northern Brazil; reporting from other nations suggests Guyanese women and girls are trafficked for sexual exploitation to neighboring countries and Guyanese men and boys are subject to labor exploitation in construction and agriculture; trafficking victims from Suriname, Brazil, and Venezuela transit Guyana en route to Caribbean destinations tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Guyana is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking, particularly in the area of law enforcement actions against trafficking offenders; the government has yet to produce an anti-trafficking conviction under the comprehensive Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, which became law in 2005; the government operates no shelters for trafficking victims, but did include limited funding for anti-trafficking NGOs in its 2008 budget; the government did not make any effort to reduce demand for commercial sex acts during 2007 (2008) Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising money laundering related to drug trafficking and human smuggling This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Oman a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Oman Introduction Oman Background: The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, but it never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said al-Said overthrew the restrictive rule of his father; he has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries. Geography Oman Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N, 57 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km Coastline: 2,092 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south Terrain: central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas Land use: arable land: 0.12% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 99.74% (2005) Irrigated land: 720 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 1 cu km (1997) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 1.36 cu km/yr (7%/2%/90%) per capita: 529 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts Environment - current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; limited natural fresh water resources Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil People Oman Population: note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.7% (male 744,265/female 714,116) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 1,079,511/female 783,243) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 55,180/female 41,770) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 18.8 years male: 21.1 years female: 16.7 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 3.138% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 35.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 3.68 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.38 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.32 male(s)/female total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 16.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.16 years male: 71.87 years female: 76.55 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.53 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,300 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani Ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African Religions: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu) 25% Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects Literacy: definition: NA total population: 81.4% male: 86.8% female: 73.5% (2003 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 11 years (2006) Education expenditures: 4% of GDP (2006) Government Oman Country name: conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Muscat and Oman Government type: monarchy Capital: name: Muscat geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat (Muscat)*, Musandam*, Zufar (Dhofar)* Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese) National holiday: Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940) Constitution: none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces are not allowed to vote Executive branch: chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary Legislative branch: bicameral Majlis Oman consists of Majlis al-Dawla or upper chamber (71 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and Majlis al-Shura or lower chamber (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has only advisory powers) elections: last held 27 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: new candidates won 46 seats and 38 members of the outgoing Majlis kept their positions; none of the 20 female candidates were elected Judicial branch: Supreme Court note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Sharia law Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 24-643-400 FAX: [968] 24-699771 Flag description: three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band Economy Oman Economy - overview: Oman is a middle-income economy that is heavily dependent on dwindling oil resources, but sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped build Oman's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. As a result of its dwindling oil resources, Oman is actively pursuing a development plan that focuses on diversification, industrialization, and privatization, with the objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to GDP to 9% by 2020. Some of these projects may be in jeopardy, however, because Muscat overestimated its ability to produce or secure the natural gas needed to power them. Oman actively seeks private foreign investors, especially in the industrial, information technology, tourism, and higher education fields. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports. The drop in oil prices and the global financial crisis in 2008 will affect Oman's fiscal position and it may post a deficit in 2009 if oil prices stay low. In addition, the global credit crisis is slowing the pace of investment and development projects - a trend that probably will continue into 2009. GDP (purchasing power parity): $67.45 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $56.32 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 6.7% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $20,400 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.1% industry: 37.2% services: 60.7% (2008 est.) Labor force: 920,000 (2002 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 15% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Investment (gross fixed): 17.9% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $14.6 billion expenditures: $16.7 billion (2009 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 2.4% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.5% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 1.98% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 7.29% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $4.984 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $11.04 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $13.88 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $23.49 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish Industries: crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 14.43 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - consumption: 11.19 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 758,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil - consumption: 69,100 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 593,700 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil - imports: 15,440 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 5.5 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 24.1 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 11 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 13.1 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: $5.669 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $33.9 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles Exports - partners: China 26.8%, South Korea 15.2%, Japan 14.3%, Thailand 10.4%, UAE 7.6%, US 4.3%, Iran 4.1% (2007) Imports: $13.32 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants Imports - partners: UAE 19.3%, Japan 17.6%, US 7.4%, Germany 5.2%, India 4.1% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $30.68 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $11.11 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $6.12 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $NA Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $NA Currency (code): Omani rial (OMR) Currency code: OMR Exchange rates: Omani rials (OMR) per US dollar - 0.3845 (2008 est.), 0.3845 (2007), 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004) Communications Oman Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.5 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: fixed-line phone service gradually being introduced to remote villages using wireless local loop systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership both increasing; open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: country code - 968; the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) Radios: 1.4 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 13 (plus 25 repeaters) (1999) Televisions: 1.6 million (1997) Internet country code: .om Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Oman Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 130 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 34 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 4,126 km; oil 3,558 km; refined products 263 km (2008) Roadways: total: 42,300 km paved: 16,500 km (includes 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,800 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 3 by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008) Ports and terminals: Mina' Qabus, Salalah Military Oman Military branches: Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 802,455 females age 16-49: 626,841 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 675,454 females age 16-49: 563,890 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 35,647 female: 34,407 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 11.4% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Oman Disputes - international: boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public Trafficking in persons: current situation: Oman is a destination country for men and women primarily from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan who migrate willingly, but some of whom become victims of trafficking when subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers; mistreatment includes non-payment of wages, restrictions on movement and withholding of passports, threats, and physical or sexual abuse; Oman may also be a destination country for women from Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Africa for commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 3 - Oman was rated as Tier 3 for the second consecutive year because it did not report any law enforcement efforts to prosecute and punish trafficking offenses in 2007 and continues to lack victim protection services or a systematic procedure to identify victims of trafficking (2008) This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Korea, North a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Korea, North Introduction Korea, North Background: An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist control. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against outside influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population. North Korea's history of regional military provocations, proliferation of military-related items, and long-range missile development - as well as its WMD programs and massive conventional armed forces - are of major concern to the international community. In December 2002, following revelations that the DPRK was pursuing a nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a 1994 agreement with the US to freeze and ultimately dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the international Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent." Beginning in August 2003, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the US have participated in the Six-Party Talks aimed at resolving the stalemate over the DPRK's nuclear programs. North Korea pulled out of the talks in November 2005. It test-fired ballistic missiles in July 2006 and conducted a nuclear test in October 2006. North Korea returned to the Six-Party Talks in December 2006 and subsequently signed two agreements on denuclearization. The 13 February 2007 Initial Actions Agreement led to the shut down of three of the North's nuclear facilities at Yongbyon in July 2007. In the 3 October 2007 Second Phase Actions Agreement, Pyongyang pledged to disable those three facilities and provide a correct and complete declaration of its nuclear programs by the end of the year. Under the supervision of US nuclear experts, North Korean personnel completed some of agreed-upon disablement actions at those three Yongbyon facilities by the end of 2007. North Korea began the discharge of spent fuel rods in December 2007 and provided a declaration of its nuclear program in June 2008. Geography Korea, North Location: Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 127 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 120,540 sq km land: 120,410 sq km water: 130 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Mississippi Land boundaries: total: 1,673 km border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km Coastline: 2,495 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer Terrain: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower Land use: arable land: 22.4% permanent crops: 1.66% other: 75.94% (2005) Irrigated land: 14,600 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 77.1 cu km (1999) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 9.02 cu km/yr (20%/25%/55%) per capita: 401 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall Environment - current issues: water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography - note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated People Korea, North Population: 22,665,345 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.3% (male 2,440,439/female 2,376,557) 15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,776,889/female 7,945,399) 65 years and over: 9.4% (male 820,504/female 1,305,557) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 33.5 years male: 32.1 years female: 34.9 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.42% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 14.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 7.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 51.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 58.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.81 years male: 61.23 years female: 66.53 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.96 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean Ethnic groups: racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese Religions: traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom Languages: Korean Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% Education expenditures: NA Government Korea, North Country name: conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea conventional short form: North Korea local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk local short form: Choson abbreviation: DPRK Government type: Communist state one-man dictatorship Capital: name: Pyongyang geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (si, singular and plural) provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan), Yanggang-do (Yanggang) municipalities: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin-Sonbong), Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang) Independence: 15 August 1945 (from Japan) National holiday: Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948) Constitution: adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992, and September 1998 Legal system: based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3 September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA reelected KIM Yong Nam president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials head of government: Premier KIM Yong Il (since 11 April 2007); Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun (since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003), THAE Jong Su (since 16 October 2007) cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA elections: last held in September 2003; date of next election NA election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 8 August 2009 (next due to be held in March 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; a token number of seats are reserved for minor parties Judicial branch: Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly) Political parties and leaders: major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control) Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participation: ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star Economy Korea, North Economy - overview: North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Large-scale military spending draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel from pre-1990 levels. Severe flooding in the summer of 2007 aggravated chronic food shortages caused by on-going systemic problems including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel. Large-scale international food aid deliveries have allowed the people of North Korea to escape widespread starvation since famine threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Since 2002, the government has allowed private "farmers' markets" to begin selling a wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming - on an experimental basis - in an effort to boost agricultural output. In October 2005, the government tried to reverse some of these policies by forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized food rationing system. By December 2005, the government terminated most international humanitarian assistance operations in North Korea (calling instead for developmental assistance only) and restricted the activities of remaining international and non-governmental aid organizations such as the World Food Program. External food aid now comes primarily from China and South Korea in the form of grants and long-term concessional loans. In May 2008, the US agreed to give 500,000 metric tons of food to North Korea via the World Food Program and US nongovernmental organizations; Pyongyang began receiving these shipments in mid-2008. During the October 2007 summit, South Korea also agreed to develop some of North Korea's infrastructure, natural resources, and light industry, but inter-Korean economic cooperation slowed in 2008 as Pyongyang restricted tourism and manufacturing joint ventures in the North, and food aid from South Korea was suspended. Firm political control remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations. GDP (purchasing power parity): $40 billion note: North Korea does not publish any reliable National Income Accounts data; the datum shown here is derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2008 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the result was rounded to the nearest $10 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $26.2 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: -1.1% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,800 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.3% industry: 43.1% services: 33.6% (2002 est.) Labor force: 20 million note: estimates vary widely (2004 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 37% industry and services: 63% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $2.88 billion expenditures: $2.98 billion Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Agriculture - products: rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs Industries: military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 21.72 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 18.18 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29% hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 141 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 24,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2006) Oil - imports: 10,520 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - proved reserves: NA bbl Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2007) Exports: $1.684 billion f.o.b. (2007) Exports - commodities: minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments), textiles, agricultural and fishery products Exports - partners: South Korea 45%, China 35%, Thailand 5% (2007) Imports: $3.055 billion c.i.f. (2007) Imports - commodities: petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textiles, grain Imports - partners: China 27%, South Korea 16%, Thailand 9%, Russia 7% (2006) Economic aid - recipient: $372 million note: approximately 65,000 metric tons in food aid through the World Food Program appeals in 2007, plus additional aid from bilateral donors and non-governmental organizations (2007 est.) Debt - external: $12.5 billion (2001 est.) Currency (code): North Korean won (KPW) Currency code: KPW Exchange rates: North Korean won (KPW) per US dollar - 140 (2007), 141 (2006), 170 (December 2004), market rate: North Korean won per US dollar - 3,400 (October 2008) Communications Korea, North Telephones - main lines in use: 1.18 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate system; currently mobile cellular telephone services are available in Pyongyang only domestic: fiber-optic links installed between cities; telephone directories unavailable; mobile cellular service, initiated in 2002, suspended in 2004; Orascom Telecom, an Egyptian company, launched mobile service on December 15, 2008 for the Pyongyang area only international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Russian - Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing (2008) Radio broadcast stations: AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central Broadcasting Station; North Korea has a "national intercom" cable radio station wired throughout the country that is a significant source of information for the average North Korean citizen; it is wired into most residences and workplaces and carries news and commentary), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2006) Radios: 3.36 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae Television, Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong Television targeting South Korea) (2003) Televisions: 1.2 million (1997) Internet country code: .kp Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: NA Transportation Korea, North Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 7 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: oil 154 km (2008) Railways: total: 5,235 km standard gauge: 5,235 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2006) Roadways: total: 25,554 km paved: 724 km unpaved: 24,830 km (2006) Waterways: 2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2008) Merchant marine: total: 167 by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 121, carrier 1, chemical tanker 4, container 3, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 19 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 1, Romania 4, Syria 1, UAE 8, Yemen 2) registered in other countries: 2 (Mongolia 1, Panama 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan Military Korea, North Military branches: North Korean People's Army: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force; civil security forces (2005) Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 6,225,747 females age 16-49: 6,188,270 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 4,104,964 females age 16-49: 4,492,374 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 191,759 female: 184,641 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: NA Transnational Issues Korea, North Disputes - international: risking arrest, imprisonment, and deportation, tens of thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine, economic privation, and political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents in the Yellow Sea with South Korea which claims the Northern Limiting Line as a maritime boundary; North Korea supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima) Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: undetermined (flooding in mid-2007 and famine during mid-1990s) (2007) Trafficking in persons: current situation: North Korea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the most common form of trafficking involves North Korean women and girls who cross the border into China voluntarily; additionally, North Korean women and girls are lured out of North Korea to escape poor social and economic conditions by the promise of food, jobs, and freedom, only to be forced into prostitution, marriage, or exploitative labor arrangements once in China tier rating: Tier 3 - North Korea does not fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government does not acknowledge the existence of human rights abuses in the country or recognize trafficking, either within the country or transnationally; North Korea has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008) Illicit drugs: for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December 2004; police investigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003 This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Cape Verde a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Cape Verde Introduction Cape Verde Background: The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Geography Cape Verde Location: Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 24 00 W Map references: Political Map of the World Area: total: 4,033 sq km land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 965 km Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic Terrain: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island) Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum Land use: arable land: 11.41% permanent crops: 0.74% other: 87.85% (2005) Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 0.3 cu km (1990) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.02 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%) per capita: 39 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active Environment - current issues: soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site People Cape Verde Population: 429,474 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.2% (male 76,012/female 74,993) 15-64 years: 58.5% (male 123,376/female 127,653) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 10,040/female 17,400) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 21.1 years male: 20.4 years female: 21.9 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.561% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 23.95 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -11.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 41.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 47.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 35.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.61 years male: 68.27 years female: 75.05 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.07 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.035% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: HIV/AIDS - deaths: 225 (as of 2001) Nationality: noun: Cape Verdean(s) adjective: Cape Verdean Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% Religions: Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) Languages: Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.6% male: 85.8% female: 69.2% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 12 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2006) Education expenditures: 6.3% of GDP (2006) Government Cape Verde Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde conventional short form: Cape Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde Government type: republic Capital: name: Praia geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975) Constitution: 25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995 substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica) Legal system: based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Pedro Verona PIRES (since 22 March 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 12 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%, UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia Political parties and leaders: African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO]; Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Jorge SANTOS]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM] Political pressure groups and leaders: other: environmentalists; political pressure groups International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Fatima Lima VEIGA chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820 FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207 consulate(s) general: Boston Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marianne M. MYLES embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00 FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55 Flag description: five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of the islands, is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side Economy Cape Verde Economy - overview: This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for about three-fourths of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. Cape Verde became a member of the WTO in July 2008. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.808 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1.845 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 7% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,200 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 16.9% services: 74.1% (2008 est.) Labor force: Unemployment rate: 21% (2000 est.) Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Investment (gross fixed): 41.3% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $525.4 million expenditures: $585.3 million (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 8.5% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 10.55% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $574 million (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $689 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $1.049 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish Industries: food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 47 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 43.71 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 2,117 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 1,785 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: -$167 million (2008 est.) Exports: $102 million f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides Exports - partners: Spain 37.2%, Portugal 29.9%, Morocco 7%, US 6.6% (2007) Imports: $887 million f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels Imports - partners: Portugal 40.7%, Netherlands 10.9%, France 6.5%, Spain 5.6%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.9%, Brazil 4.7%, Italy 4.7% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $160.6 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $459 million (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $325 million (2002) Currency (code): Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) Currency code: CVE Exchange rates: Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 73.84 (2008 est.), 81.235 (2007), 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004) Communications Cape Verde Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995 domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998; broadband services launched in 2004 international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2 fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 22 (plus 12 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2001) Radios: 100,000 (2002 est.) Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 7 repeaters) (2001) Televisions: 15,000 (2002 est.) Internet country code: .cv Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Cape Verde Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007) Roadways: total: 1,350 km paved: 932 km unpaved: 418 km (2000) Merchant marine: total: 8 by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 5 foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Porto Grande Military Cape Verde Military branches: People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) for selective compulsory military service; 14-month conscript service obligation (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 103,650 females age 16-49: 103,553 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 84,967 females age 16-49: 90,154 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 5,471 female: 5,349 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 0.7% of GDP (2005) Transnational Issues Cape Verde Disputes - international: none Illicit drugs: used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine destined for Western Europe, particularly because of Lusophone links to Brazil, Portugal, and Guinea-Bissau; has taken steps to deter drug money laundering, including a 2002 anti-money laundering reform that criminalizes laundering the proceeds of narcotics trafficking and other crimes and the establishment in 2008 of a Financial Intelligence Unit (2008) This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Atlantic Ocean a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Atlantic Ocean Introduction Atlantic Ocean Background: The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal (Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US) are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude. Geography Atlantic Ocean Location: body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern Ocean, and the Western Hemisphere Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 W Map references: Political Map of the World Area: total: 76.762 million sq km note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies Area - comparative: slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US Coastline: 111,866 km Climate: tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent from August to November Terrain: surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin Elevation extremes: lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m highest point: sea level 0 m Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones Natural hazards: icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December) Environment - current issues: endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea Geography - note: major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean Economy Atlantic Ocean Economy - overview: The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, dredging of aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea). Transportation Atlantic Ocean Ports and terminals: Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden) Transportation - note: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways; significant domestic commercial and recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of US; the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore Atlantic waters as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea off West Africa, the east coast of Brazil, and the Caribbean Sea; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen Transnational Issues Atlantic Ocean Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states) This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- India a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   India Introduction India Background: Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkic in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons testing in 1998 caused Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption. Geography India Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 3,287,590 sq km land: 2,973,190 sq km water: 314,400 sq km Area - comparative: slightly more than one-third the size of the US Land boundaries: total: 14,103 km border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km Coastline: 7,000 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north Terrain: upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m Natural resources: coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land Land use: arable land: 48.83% permanent crops: 2.8% other: 48.37% (2005) Irrigated land: 558,080 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 1,907.8 cu km (1999) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 645.84 cu km/yr (8%/5%/86%) per capita: 585 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal People India Population: 1,166,079,217 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.1% (male 190,075,426/female 172,799,553) 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 381,446,079/female 359,802,209) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 29,364,920/female 32,591,030) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 25.3 years male: 24.9 years female: 25.8 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.548% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 22.22 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Urbanization: urban population: 29% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 2.4% annual rate of change (2005-2010) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births male: 34.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.89 years male: 67.46 years female: 72.61 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.72 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2.4 million (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 310,000 (2001 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008) Nationality: noun: Indian(s) adjective: Indian Ethnic groups: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000) Religions: Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census) Languages: Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9% note: English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the most widely spoken language and primary tongue of 41% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61% male: 73.4% female: 47.8% (2001 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 9 years (2005) Education expenditures: 3.2% of GDP (2005) Government India Country name: conventional long form: Republic of India conventional short form: India local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya local short form: India/Bharat Government type: federal republic Capital: name: New Delhi geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal Independence: 15 August 1947 (from UK) National holiday: Republic Day, 26 January (1950) Constitution: 26 January 1950; amended many times Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Pratibha PATIL (since 25 July 2007); Vice President Hamid ANSARI (since 11 August 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held in July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012); vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held in August 2007 (next to be held August 2012); prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held no later than May 2009) election results: Pratibha PATIL elected president; percent of vote - 65.8%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT - 34.2% Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members up to 12 of whom are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: People's Assembly - last held 20 April through 10 May 2004 (next must be held by May 2009) election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party (as of July 2008 confidence vote) - INC 153, BJP 122, CPI (M) 42, SP 33, RJD 24, BSP 17, DMK 16, NCP 11, SS 11, BJD 10, CPI 10, SAD 7, JD (U) 6, PMK 6, JMM 5, LJSP 4, TDP 3, MDMK 2, TRS 2, independent 6, other 27, vacant 2; note - 20 members expelled from their party for failing to vote against the government; 6 members expelled from their party for failing to vote to support the government Judicial branch: Supreme Court (one chief justice and 25 associate justices are appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65 or are removed for "proved misbehavior") Political parties and leaders: Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Rajnath SINGH]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI-M [Prakash KARAT]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI]; Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) [Sharad YADAV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [Shibu SOREN]; Left Front (an alliance of Indian leftist parties); Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP [Ram Vilas PASWAN]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [S. RAMADOSS]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Parkash Singh BADAL]; Shiv Sena or SS [Bal THACKERAY]; note - India has dozens of national and regional political parties; only parties or coalitions with four or more seats in the People's Assembly are listed Political pressure groups and leaders: All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley (separatist group); Bajrang Dal (religious organization); National Socialist Council of Nagaland in the northeast (separatist group); Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (religious organization); Vishwa Hindu Parishad (religious organization other: numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations; various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy International organization participation: ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, C, CERN (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra Ronen SEN chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [91] (011) 2419-8000 FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017 consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay) Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band Economy India Economy - overview: India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for more than half of India's output with less than one third of its labor force. Slightly more than half of the work force is in agriculture, leading the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to articulate a rural economic development program that includes creating basic infrastructure to improve the lives of the rural poor and boost economic performance. The government has reduced controls on foreign trade and investment. Higher limits on foreign direct investment were permitted in a few key sectors, such as telecommunications. However, tariff spikes in sensitive categories, including agriculture, and incremental progress on economic reforms still hinder foreign access to India's vast and growing market. Privatization of government-owned industries remains stalled and continues to generate political debate; populist pressure from within the UPA government had restrained needed initiatives. The economy has posted an average growth rate of more than 7% in the decade since 1997, reducing poverty by about 10 percentage points. India achieved 8.5% GDP growth in 2006, 9.0% in 2007, and 7.3% in 2008, significantly expanding manufactures through late 2008. India also is capitalizing on its large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to become a major exporter of software services and software workers. Strong growth combined with easy consumer credit, a real estate boom, and fast-rising commodity prices fueled inflation concerns from mid-2006 to August 2008. Rising tax revenues from better tax administration and economic expansion helped New Delhi make progress in reducing its fiscal deficit for three straight years before skyrocketing global commodity prices more than doubled the cost of government energy and fertilizer subsidies. The ballooning subsidies, amidst slowing growth, brought the return of a large fiscal deficit in 2008. In the long run, the huge and growing population is the fundamental social, economic, and environmental problem. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.319 trillion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1.237 trillion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 7.3% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $2,900 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.2% industry: 29.1% services: 53.7% (2008 est.) Labor force: 523.5 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 60% industry: 12% services: 28% (2003) Unemployment rate: 6.8% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: 25% (2007 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 31.1% (2004) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 39% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $153.5 billion expenditures: $205.3 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March Public debt: 78% of GDP (federal and state debt combined) (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.8% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 5.5% (31 January 2009) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 8.5% (31 January 2009) Stock of money: $250.9 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $647.3 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $769.3 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $650 billion (31 December 2008) Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; onions, dairy products, sheep, goats, poultry; fish Industries: textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software Industrial production growth rate: 4.8% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 665.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 517.2 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 378 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - imports: 3.189 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81.7% hydro: 14.5% nuclear: 3.4% other: 0.3% (2001) Oil - production: 880,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 2.722 million bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 450,700 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil - imports: 2.159 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil - proved reserves: 5.625 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 31.7 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 41.7 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 10 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.075 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: -$38.39 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $175.7 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: petroleum products, textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures Exports - partners: US 15%, China 8.7%, UAE 8.7%, UK 4.4% (2007) Imports: $287.5 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals Imports - partners: China 10.6%, US 7.8%, Germany 4.4%, Singapore 4.4% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $1.724 billion (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $250 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $163.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $142.9 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $54.21 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): Indian rupee (INR) Currency code: INR Exchange rates: Indian rupees (INR) per US dollar - 43.319 (2008 est.), 41.487 (2007), 45.3 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004) Communications India Telephones - main lines in use: 38.76 million (2008) Telephones - mobile cellular: 296.08 million (2008) Telephone system: general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid growth; local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private-public investors, but combined fixed and mobile telephone density remains low at about 30 for each 100 persons nationwide and much lower for persons in rural areas; extremely rapid growth in cellular service with modest declines in fixed lines domestic: mobile cellular service introduced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan areas and 19 telecom circles each with about three private service providers and one state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), with 6 satellites supporting 33,000 very small aperture terminals (VSAT) international: country code - 91; a number of major international submarine cable systems, including Sea-Me-We-3 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with a landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with a landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE) with a landing site at Cochin, the i2i cable network linking to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic; satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); 9 gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam (2008) Radio broadcast stations: AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998) Radios: 116 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: Televisions: 63 million (1997) Internet country code: .in Internet hosts: 2.707 million (2008) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 80 million (2007) Transportation India Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 250 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 52 1,524 to 2,437 m: 75 914 to 1,523 m: 84 under 914 m: 21 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 47 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: condensate/gas 2 km; gas 6,061 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,156 km; oil 7,678 km; refined products 6,876 km (2008) Railways: total: 63,221 km broad gauge: 46,807 km 1.676-m gauge (17,343 km electrified) narrow gauge: 13,290 km 1.000-m gauge (165 km electrified); 3,124 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 3,316,452 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2006) Waterways: 14,500 km note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for mechanized vessels (2008) Merchant marine: total: 501 by type: bulk carrier 102, cargo 241, carrier 1, chemical tanker 19, container 13, liquefied gas 18, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 11, petroleum tanker 92, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 12 (China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 1, UAE 6, UK 2) registered in other countries: 61 (Barbados 1, Comoros 2, Cyprus 2, Dominica 2, Liberia 2, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 27, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7, Singapore 13, unknown 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Chennai, Haldia, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mormugao, Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam Military India Military branches: Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force (Bharatiya Vayu Sena), Coast Guard (2009) Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women officers allowed in noncombat roles only (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 301,094,084 females age 16-49: 283,047,141 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 237,042,868 females age 16-49: 243,276,310 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 11.795 million female: 10,820,590 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues India Disputes - international: since China and India launched a security and foreign policy dialogue in 2005, consolidated discussions related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, Indian claims that China transferred missiles to Pakistan, and other matters continue; various talks and confidence-building measures have cautiously begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India and Pakistan have maintained the 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show its Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat State; discussions with Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, to exchange territory for 51 Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111 Indian exclaves in Bangladesh, to allocate divided villages, and to stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the border; dispute with Bangladesh over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; India seeks cooperation from Bhutan and Burma to keep Indian Nagaland and Assam separatists from hiding in remote areas along the borders; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues to examine contested boundary sections, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India maintains a strict border regime to keep out Maoist insurgents and control illegal cross-border activities from Nepal Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 77,200 (Tibet/China); 69,609 (Sri Lanka); 9,472 (Afghanistan) IDPs: at least 600,000 (about half are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir) (2007) Trafficking in persons: current situation: India is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; internal forced labor may constitute India's largest trafficking problem; men, women, and children are held in debt bondage and face forced labor working in brick kilns, rice mills, agriculture, and embroidery factories; women and girls are trafficked within the country for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced marriage; children are subjected to forced labor as factory workers, domestic servants, beggars, and agriculture workers, and have been used as armed combatants by some terrorist and insurgent groups; India is also a destination for women and girls from Nepal and Bangladesh trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Indian women are trafficked to the Middle East for commercial sexual exploitation; men and women from Bangladesh and Nepal are trafficked through India for forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation in the Middle East tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - India is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fifth consecutive year for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; despite the reported extent of the trafficking crisis in India, government authorities made uneven efforts to prosecute traffickers and protect trafficking victims; government authorities continued to rescue victims of commercial sexual exploitation and forced child labor and child armed combatants, and began to show progress in law enforcement against these forms of trafficking; a critical challenge overall is the lack of punishment for traffickers, effectively resulting in impunity for acts of human trafficking; India has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008) Illicit drugs: world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries and throughout Southwest Asia; illicit producer of methaqualone; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system; licit ketamine and precursor production This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Mozambique a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Mozambique Introduction Mozambique Background: Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development until the mid 1990's. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His elected successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, promised to continue the sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment. Mozambique has seen very strong economic growth since the end of the civil war largely due to post-conflict reconstruction. Geography Mozambique Location: Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania Geographic coordinates: 18 15 S, 35 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 801,590 sq km land: 784,090 sq km water: 17,500 sq km Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California Land boundaries: total: 4,571 km border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km Coastline: 2,470 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical to subtropical Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m Natural resources: coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite Land use: arable land: 5.43% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 94.28% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,180 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 216 cu km (1992) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.63 cu km/yr (11%/2%/87%) per capita: 32 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country People Mozambique Population: note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997 Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.3% (male 4,829,272/female 4,773,209) 15-64 years: 52.8% (male 5,605,227/female 5,842,679) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 257,119/female 361,772) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 17.4 years male: 17 years female: 17.8 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.791% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 38.21 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 20.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: NA (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 105.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 108.57 deaths/1,000 live births female: 103 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 41.18 years male: 41.83 years female: 40.53 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.18 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 12.5% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.5 million (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 81,000 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008) Nationality: noun: Mozambican(s) adjective: Mozambican Ethnic groups: African 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08% Religions: Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census) Languages: Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8% (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe 7.6%, Cisena 6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%, other foreign languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.8% male: 63.5% female: 32.7% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 8 years male: 9 years female: 7 years (2005) Education expenditures: 5% of GDP (2005) Government Mozambique Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: Mozambique local long form: Republica de Mocambique local short form: Mocambique former: Portuguese East Africa Government type: republic Capital: name: Maputo geographic coordinates: 25 57 S, 32 35 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia Independence: 25 June 1975 (from Portugal) National holiday: Independence Day, 25 June (1975) Constitution: 30 November 1990 Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2 February 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February 2004) cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote - Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7% Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - FRELIMO 62%, RENAMO 29.7%, other 8.3%; seats by party - FRELIMO 160, RENAMO 90 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts note: although the constitution provides for a separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases Political parties and leaders: Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA]; Mozambique National Resistance (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana) or RENAMO [Afonso DHLAKAMA] Political pressure groups and leaders: Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa, chairman]; Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general]; Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president] International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marcos Geraldo NAMASHULUA chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Todd C. CHAPMAN embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo telephone: [258] (21) 492797 FAX: [258] (21) 490114 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book Economy Mozambique Economy - overview: At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s, and although it returned to double digits in 2000-06, in 2007 inflation had slowed to 8%, while GDP growth reached 7.5%. Fiscal reforms, including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the country's work force. A substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the Mozal aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment project to date, has increased export earnings. At the end of 2007, and after years of negotiations, the government took over Portugal's majority share of the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectricity (HCB) company, a dam that was not transferred to Mozambique at independence because of the ensuing civil war and unpaid debts. More power is needed for additional investment projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment manufacturing that could further close the import/export gap. Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a manageable level. In July 2007 the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) signed a Compact with Mozambique; the Mozambican government moved rapidly to ratify the Compact and propose a plan for funding. GDP (purchasing power parity): $19.68 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $9.788 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 6.9% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $900 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.4% industry: 30.7% services: 45.9% (2008 est.) Labor force: 10.04 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 81% industry: 6% services: 13% (1997 est.) Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.) Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 39.4% (2002) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 24% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $2.786 billion expenditures: $3.108 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 21.4% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.2% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 9.95% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 19.52% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $1.261 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $1.467 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $877.2 million (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers; beef, poultry Industries: food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco Industrial production growth rate: 9% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 14.62 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 9.555 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 12.83 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - imports: 9.839 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 14,390 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 13,240 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 1.65 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 1.45 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: -$981 million (2008 est.) Exports: $2.693 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity Exports - partners: Italy 19.4%, Belgium 18.4%, Spain 12.5%, South Africa 12.3%, UK 7.3%, China 4.1% (2007) Imports: $3.292 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles Imports - partners: South Africa 36.7%, Australia 8.5%, China 4.6% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $1.286 billion (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.067 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $4.316 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Currency (code): metical (MZM) Currency code: MZM Exchange rates: meticais (MZM) per US dollar - 24.125 (2008 est.), 26.264 (2007), 25.4 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004) note: in 2006 Mozambique revalued its currency, with 1000 old meticais equal to 1 new meticais Communications Mozambique Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: 3.3 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: fair system with an extremely low density of less than 1 fixed line per 100 persons domestic: the telecommunications sector is shackled with a heavy state presence, lack of competition, and high operating costs and charges; stagnation in the fixed-line network contrasts with rapid growth in the mobile-cellular network; mobile-cellular coverage now includes all the main cities and key roads, including those from Maputo to the South African and Swaziland borders, the national highway through Gaza and Inhambane provinces, the Beira corridor, and from Nampula to Nacala international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .mz Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Mozambique Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 125 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 79 (2007) Pipelines: gas 918 km; refined products 278 km (2008) Railways: total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (2000) Waterways: 460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa Lake) (2008) Merchant marine: total: 2 by type: cargo 2 foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2008) Ports and terminals: Beira, Maputo, Nacala Military Mozambique Military branches: Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 4,545,975 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 2,366,897 females age 16-49: 2,209,764 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 263,994 female: 265,058 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 0.8% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues Mozambique Disputes - international: none Trafficking in persons: current situation: Mozambique is a source and, to a much lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the use of forced and bonded child laborers is a common practice in Mozambique's rural areas; women and girls are trafficked from rural to urban areas of Mozambique, as well as to South Africa, for domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; young men and boys are trafficked to South Africa for farm work and mining tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for the second consecutive year, Mozambique is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; while the government conducted investigations into cases of human trafficking, there were no prosecutions or convictions of traffickers; government efforts to protect victims of trafficking continued to suffer from limited resources and a lack of political commitment (2008) Illicit drugs: southern African transit point for South Asian hashish and heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa); corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- New Caledonia a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   New Caledonia Introduction New Caledonia Background: Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence. Geography New Caledonia Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 2,254 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper Land use: arable land: 0.32% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005) Irrigated land: 100 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: cyclones, most frequent from November to March Environment - current issues: erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires Geography - note: consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls People New Caledonia Population: 227,436 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.8% (male 31,191/female 29,870) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 75,189/female 74,552) 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 7,681/female 8,953) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 28.7 years male: 28.2 years female: 29.2 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.136% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 17.39 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: NA note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.98 years male: 71.99 years female: 78.12 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.18 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian Ethnic groups: Melanesian 44.1%, European 34.1%, Wallisian & Futunian 9%, Tahitian 2.6%, Indonesian 2.5%, Vietnamese 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 5.2% (1996 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% Languages: French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male: 96.8% female: 95.5% (1996 census) Government New Caledonia Country name: conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie Dependency status: territorial collectivity of France since 1998 Government type: NA Capital: name: Noumea geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province Sud Independence: none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014 National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Commissioner Yves DASSONVILLE (since 9 November 2007) head of government: President of the Government Harold MARTIN (since 7 August 2007) cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 7 August 2007 when Harold MARTIN was elected following the resignation of Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU as president on 24 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012) Legislative branch: elections: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held in 10 May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3 note: New Caledonia currently holds two seats in the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held not later than September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to be held on June 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court Political parties and leaders: Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independence) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of France) Flag description: the flag of France is used Economy New Caledonia Economy - overview: New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.158 billion (2003 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $3.3 billion (2003 est.) GDP - real growth rate: NA% GDP - per capita (PPP): $15,000 (2003 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 8.8% services: 76.2% (2003) Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2002) Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $996 million expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (2000 est.) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish Industries: nickel mining and smelting Industrial production growth rate: Electricity - production: 1.602 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 1.49 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 76.3% hydro: 23.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 11,560 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 356 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 11,780 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Exports: $1.341 billion f.o.b. (2006) Exports - commodities: ferronickels, nickel ore, fish Exports - partners: Japan 20.1%, China 14.5%, Taiwan 14.2%, France 11.6%, Belgium 10.4%, Spain 8.6%, South Africa 6.9% (2007) Imports: $1.998 billion f.o.b. (2006) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs Imports - partners: France 36.7%, Singapore 14.7%, Australia 12.1%, NZ 5.2%, Germany 4.6% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $524.3 million annual subsidy from France (2004) Debt - external: $79 million (1998 est.) Currency (code): Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) Currency code: XPF Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 95.025 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003) Communications New Caledonia Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: a submarine cable network connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007, is expected to significantly increase network capacity and improve high-speed connectivity and access to international networks international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: Internet country code: .nc Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation New Caledonia Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 2 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 6 (2007) Heliports: Roadways: total: 5,622 km (2006) Merchant marine: total: 2 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2008) Ports and terminals: Noumea Military New Caledonia Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 57,738 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 48,288 females age 16-49: 48,959 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 2,160 female: 2,087 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: NA Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France Transnational Issues New Caledonia Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Pakistan a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Pakistan Introduction Pakistan Background: The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002. Mounting public dissatisfaction with President MUSHARRAF, coupled with the assassination of the prominent and popular political leader, Benazir BHUTTO, in late 2007, and MUSHARRAF's resignation in August 2008, led to the September presidential election of Asif ZARDARI, BHUTTO's widower. Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control Islamist militants, many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan. The November 2008 Mumbai attacks again inflamed Indo-Pakistan relations. The Pakistani Government is also faced with a deteriorating economy as foreign exchange reserves decline, the currency depreciates, and the current account deficit widens. Geography Pakistan Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 803,940 sq km land: 778,720 sq km water: 25,220 sq km Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California Land boundaries: total: 6,774 km border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km Coastline: 1,046 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m Natural resources: land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone Land use: arable land: 24.44% permanent crops: 0.84% other: 74.72% (2005) Irrigated land: 182,300 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 233.8 cu km (2003) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 169.39 cu km/yr (2%/2%/96%) per capita: 1,072 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) Environment - current issues: water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography - note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent People Pakistan Population: 176,242,949 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.2% (male 33,739,547/female 31,868,065) 15-64 years: 58.6% (male 52,849,607/female 50,378,198) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 3,475,927/female 3,931,605) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 20.8 years male: 20.6 years female: 21 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.947% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 28.35 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 7.85 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Urbanization: urban population: 36% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-2010) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 65.14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 65.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 65.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.49 years male: 63.4 years female: 65.64 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.6 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 96,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 5,100 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008) Nationality: noun: Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani Ethnic groups: Punjabi 44.68%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.42%, Sindhi 14.1%, Sariaki 8.38%, Muhagirs 7.57%, Balochi 3.57%, other 6.28% Religions: Muslim 95% (Sunni 75%, Shia 20%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 5% Languages: Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski and other 8% Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 49.9% male: 63% female: 36% (2005 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 7 years male: 7 years female: 6 years (2006) Education expenditures: 2.6% of GDP (2006) Government Pakistan Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan local short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan Government type: federal republic Capital: name: Islamabad geographic coordinates: 33 42 N, 73 10 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas Independence: 14 August 1947 (from British India) National holiday: Republic Day, 23 March (1956) Constitution: 12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003; suspended 3 November 2007; restored on 15 December 2007 Legal system: based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims Executive branch: chief of state: President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 9 September 2008) note: following President Pervez MUSHARRAF's resignation on 18 August 2008, elections were held on 6 September in which Asif Ali ZARDARI won a clear majority; ZARDARI'S inauguration as president of Pakistan on 9 September solidified the country's return to civilian government after more than eight years of military rule head of government: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI (since 25 March 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the prime minister elections: the president is elected by secret ballot through an Electoral College comprising the members of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies for a five-year term; election last held on 6 September 2008 (next to be held not later than 2013); note - any person who is a Muslim and not less than 45 years of age and is qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly can contest the presidential election; the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly; election last held on 24 March 2008 election results: Asif Ali ZARDARI elected president; ZARDARI 481 votes, SIDDIQUE 153 votes, SYED 44 votes; Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI elected prime minister; GILANI 264 votes, Pervaiz ELAHI 42 votes; several abstentions Legislative branch: bicameral parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies and the territories' representatives in the National Assembly to serve six-year terms; one half are elected every three years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members elected by popular vote; 60 seats reserved for women; 10 seats reserved for non-Muslims; to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009); National Assembly - last held on 18 February 2008 with by-elections on 26 June 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML 38, MMA 18, PPPP 10, MQM 6, PML-N 4, PKMAP 3, ANP 2, PPP-S 2, BNP-A 1, BNP-M 1, JWP 1, NA 1, PML-F 1, independents 12; National Assembly results (as of 26 June 2008) - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party - PPPP 124, PML-N 91, PML 54, MQM 25, ANP 13, MMA 7, PML-F 5, BNP-A 1, NPP 1, PPP-S 1, independents 17; note - 3 seats remain unfilled Judicial branch: Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Sharia Court Political parties and leaders: Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Party-Hayee Group or BNP-H [Dr. Hayee BALOCH]; Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat Ahle Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Fazlur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Sami-ul HAQ or JUI-S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat Ulema-i Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]; Muttahida Majlis-e Amal or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement or MQM [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National Alliance or NA [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI] (merged with PML); National Peoples Party or NPP; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Sharif or PML-N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; Pakistan Peoples Party-SHERPAO or PPP-S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians or PPPP [Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI, chairman; Asif Ali ZARDARI, co-chairman]; Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehrik-i Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI] note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently Political pressure groups and leaders: other: military (most important political force); ulema (clergy); landowners; industrialists; small merchants International organization participation: ADB, ARF, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Husain HAQQANI chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 686-1544 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale (California) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200 telephone: [92] (51) 208-0000 FAX: [92] (51) 2276427 consulate(s) general: Karachi consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar Flag description: green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam Economy Pakistan Economy - overview: Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign investment, and declining exports of manufactures. Faced with untenable budgetary deficits, high inflation, and hemorrhaging foreign exchange reserves, the government agreed to an International Monetary Fund Standby Arrangement in November 2008. Between 2004-07, GDP growth in the 6-8% range was spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors, despite severe electricity shortfalls. Poverty levels decreased by 10% since 2001, and Islamabad steadily raised development spending in recent years. In 2008 the fiscal deficit - a result of chronically low tax collection and increased spending - exceeded Islamabad's target of 4% of GDP. Inflation remains the top concern among the public, jumping from 7.7% in 2007 to 24.4% in 2008, primarily because of rising world fuel and commodity prices. In addition, the Pakistani rupee has depreciated significantly as a result of political and economic instability. GDP (purchasing power parity): $454.2 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $160.9 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $2,600 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.4% industry: 26.6% services: 53% (2008 est.) Labor force: 50.58 million note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 43% industry: 20.3% services: 36.6% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.4% plus substantial underemployment (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: 24% (FY05/06 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 26.3% (2002) Distribution of family income - Gini index: 30.6 (FY07/08) Investment (gross fixed): 20% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $22.14 billion expenditures: $32.09 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June Public debt: 49.8% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20.8% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 15% (31 November 2008) Stock of money: $52.76 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $18.42 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $65.05 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $70.26 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs Industries: textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp Industrial production growth rate: 4.6% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 93.26 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 68.4 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 68.8% hydro: 28.2% nuclear: 3% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 68,670 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 345,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 28,060 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 290,600 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 289.2 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 30.8 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 30.8 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 792.8 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: -$10.57 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $20.62 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs Exports - partners: US 18%, UAE 10.4%, Afghanistan 8.4%, China 5.2%, UK 4.7% (2007) Imports: $35.38 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea Imports - partners: China 16.2%, Saudi Arabia 10.9%, UAE 10.1%, US 5.7%, Kuwait 4.9%, Japan 4.4% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $1.666 billion (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $9.104 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $43.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $25.31 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $1.032 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): Pakistani rupee (PKR) Currency code: PKR Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - 70.64 (2008 est.), 60.6295 (2007), 60.35 (2006), 59.515 (2005), 58.258 (2004) Communications Pakistan Telephones - main lines in use: 4.546 million (2008) Telephones - mobile cellular: 88.02 million (2008) Telephone system: general assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line and mobile networks; mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, reaching some 88 million in 2008, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; main line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting main line service to rural areas domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks international: country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (2008) Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 68, shortwave NA (2006) Radios: 13.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 20 (5 state-run channels and 15 privately-owned satellite channels) (2006) Televisions: 3.1 million (1997) Internet country code: .pk Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 17.5 million (2007) Transportation Pakistan Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 92 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 10 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 54 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 24 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 10,402 km; oil 2,076 km; refined products 792 km (2008) Railways: total: 8,163 km broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 259,758 km paved: 162,879 km (includes 711 km of expressways) unpaved: 96,879 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 15 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, petroleum tanker 4 registered in other countries: 19 (Comoros 4, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3) (2008) Ports and terminals: Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim Military Pakistan Military branches: Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines and Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya) (2008) Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 42,633,765 females age 16-49: 40,114,017 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 33,690,322 females age 16-49: 32,602,910 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 2,089,936 female: 1,964,090 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 3% of GDP (2007 est.) Transnational Issues Pakistan Disputes - international: various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show the Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State; by 2005, Pakistan, with UN assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees leaving slightly more than a million, many of whom remain at their own choosing; Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan protests construction of a fence and laying of mines along portions of their porous border; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal areas to monitor and control the border with Afghanistan and to stem terrorist or other illegal activities Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 1,043,984 (Afghanistan) IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South Waziristan); 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake; most of those displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006) (2007) Illicit drugs: significant transit area for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Iran, Western markets, the Gulf States, Africa, and Asia; financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems; opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 2,300 hectares in 2007 with 600 of those hectares eradicated; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that utilizes forced eradication, fines, and arrests This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Greece a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Greece Introduction Greece Background: Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. Geography Greece Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 22 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 131,940 sq km land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alabama Land boundaries: total: 1,228 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km Coastline: 13,676 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m Natural resources: lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential Land use: arable land: 20.45% permanent crops: 8.59% other: 70.96% (2005) Irrigated land: 14,530 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 72 cu km (2005) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 8.7 cu km/yr (16%/3%/81%) per capita: 782 cu m/yr (1997) Natural hazards: severe earthquakes Environment - current issues: air pollution; water pollution Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds Geography - note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands People Greece Population: 10,737,428 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.3% (male 788,722/female 742,270) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 3,568,660/female 3,578,344) 65 years and over: 19.2% (male 902,617/female 1,156,815) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 41.8 years male: 40.7 years female: 42.9 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.127% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 9.54 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 10.42 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 2.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.66 years male: 77.11 years female: 82.37 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.37 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 11,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 100 (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek Ethnic groups: population: Greek 93%, other (foreign citizens) 7% (2001 census) note: percents represent citizenship, since Greece does not collect data on ethnicity Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% Languages: Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97.8% female: 94.2% (2001 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 17 years male: 17 years female: 17 years (2006) Education expenditures: 4.4% of GDP (2005) Government Greece Country name: conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece Government type: parliamentary republic Capital: name: Athens geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*; Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire) National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821) Constitution: 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001 Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos (Kostas) KARAMANLIS (since 7 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held by February 2010); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of parliamentary votes, 279 out of 300 Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: elections last held 16 September 2007 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - ND 41.8%, PASOK 38.1%, KKE 8.2%, Synaspismos 5%, LAOS 3.8%, other 3.1%; seats by party - ND 152, PASOK 102, KKE 22, Synaspismos 14, LAOS 10 Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council Political parties and leaders: Coalition of the Radical Left (Syriza - formerly Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS]; Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) [Gr. KONSTANTOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; Democratic Revival [Stelios PAPATHEMELIS]; Democratic Universal Hellas [Stergio KRIKELISI]; Ecologist Greens [Ioanna KONTOULI]; Fighting Socialist Party [Nikos KARGOPOULOS]; Greek Ecologists [Dimosthenis VERGIS]; Liberal Alliance [Foris PERIKOS]; Liberal Party [Manolis KALIGIANNIS]; Light-Truth-Justice [Konstantinos MELISSOURGOS]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Organization for the Reconstruction of the Communist Party of Greece [Ilias ZAFIROPOULOS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally or LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]; Radical Left Front [D. DESILLAS]; Regional Urban Development [Nikolaos KOLITIS]; Salvation Party Christian Democracy [Alkiviadis STOILIS]; Union of Centrists [Vassilis LEVENTIS]; United Anti-Capitalist Left [Konstantinos PAPDAKIS] Political pressure groups and leaders: Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Dimitris DASKALOPOULOS]; General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Ioannis PANAGOPOULOS] International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandros P. MALLIAS chancery: 2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tampa consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel V. SPECKHARD embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country Economy Greece Economy - overview: Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP at least 75% of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year between 2003 and 2007, due partly to infrastructural spending related to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and in part to an increased availability of credit, which has sustained record levels of consumer spending. But growth dropped to 2.8% in 2008, as a result of the world financial crisis and tightening credit conditions. Greece violated the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of no more than 3% of GDP from 2001 to 2006, but finally met that criteria in 2007-08. Public debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average, but are falling. The Greek Government continues to grapple with cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, and reforming the labor and pension systems, in the face of often vocal opposition from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public. The economy remains an important domestic political issue in Greece and, while the ruling New Democracy government has had some success in improving economic growth and reducing the budget deficit, Athens faces long-term challenges in its effort to continue its economic reforms, especially social security reform and privatization. GDP (purchasing power parity): $351.3 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $373.5 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 2.8% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $32,800 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 23.4% services: 73.1% (2008 est.) Labor force: 4.96 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 12.4% industry: 22.4% services: 65.1% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 8% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 26% (2000 est.) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 24.9% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $132.4 billion expenditures: $143.8 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 90.1% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: NA Commercial bank prime lending rate: 7.71% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders Stock of quasi money: NA Stock of domestic credit: $392.4 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $264.9 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products Industries: tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 59.33 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 55.98 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 269 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 5.894 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.5% hydro: 3.8% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001) Oil - production: 4,265 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 441,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 125,100 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 527,200 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 10 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 24 million cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 4.069 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 4.1 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.982 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: -$36.26 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $27.4 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles Exports - partners: Germany 11.6%, Italy 10.8%, Cyprus 6.6%, Bulgaria 6.5%, UK 5.5%, Romania 4.5%, France 4.2%, US 4.2% (2007) Imports: $82.28 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals Imports - partners: Germany 12.9%, Italy 11.7%, Russia 5.6%, France 5.6%, China 5%, Netherlands 5% (2007) Economic aid - donor: $424 million (2006) Economic aid - recipient: $8 billion annually from EU (2000-06); Greece will receive about $3.8 billion per year between 2007-13 under the EU's Community Support Funds IV Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.425 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $92.19 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $55.19 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $25.33 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): euro (EUR) Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004) Communications Greece Telephones - main lines in use: 6.227 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 11.997 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands international: country code - 30; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and Asia; a number of smaller submarine cables provide connectivity to various parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Cyprus; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat - Indian Ocean region) Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998) Radios: 5.02 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 36 (plus 1,341 repeaters); also 2 stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995) Televisions: 2.54 million (1997) Internet country code: .gr Internet hosts: 1.626 million (2008) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 2.54 million (2007) Transportation Greece Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 9 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 12 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 1,197 km; oil 75 km (2008) Railways: total: 2,571 km standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified) narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2006) Roadways: total: 117,533 km paved: 107,895 km (includes 880 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,638 km (2005) Waterways: 6 km note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2008) Merchant marine: total: 869 by type: bulk carrier 260, cargo 66, carrier 1, chemical tanker 66, combination ore/oil 2, container 45, liquefied gas 10, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 115, petroleum tanker 274, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 2 foreign-owned: 64 (Belgium 16, Cyprus 7, Turkey 1, UK 32, US 8) registered in other countries: 2,357 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Bahamas 209, Barbados 12, Belize 1, Bermuda 9, Brazil 1, Cambodia 3, Cayman Islands 16, China 2, Comoros 6, Cyprus 259, Denmark 4, Dominica 10, Egypt 8, Georgia 5, Gibraltar 6, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 22, Isle of Man 50, Italy 6, Jamaica 6, North Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Liberia 358, Maldives 1, Malta 452, Marshall Islands 269, Norway 3, Panama 510, Philippines 4, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 71, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 15, Slovakia 2, Turkey 1, UAE 3, Uruguay 1, Vanuatu 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 5) (2008) Ports and terminals: Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki Military Greece Military branches: Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2009) Military service age and obligation: 19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 1 year for all services; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 2,535,174 females age 16-49: 2,517,273 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 2,067,878 females age 16-49: 2,050,289 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 53,401 female: 50,084 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 4.3% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Greece Disputes - international: Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia; the mass migration of unemployed Albanians still remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly Greece and Italy Illicit drugs: a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Saint Helena a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Saint Helena Introduction Saint Helena Background: Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha. Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903. Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena and it served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War, and it remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic. Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island. Geography Saint Helena Location: islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2300 nm southwest of Saint Helena Geographic coordinates: Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 413 sq km land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 90 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 201 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: Saint Helena: 60 km Ascension Island: NA Tristan da Cunha: 40 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) Terrain: the islands of this group result from volcanic activity associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m Natural resources: fish, lobster Land use: arable land: 12.9% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.1% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961 Environment - current issues: NA Geography - note: Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa People Saint Helena Population: note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 712/female 685) 15-64 years: 70.4% (male 2,744/female 2,629) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 412/female 455) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 37.6 years male: 37.7 years female: 37.5 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.445% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 11.45 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 6.58 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: NA (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 17.63 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.44 years male: 75.52 years female: 81.5 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.56 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian note: referred to locally as "Saints" Ethnic groups: African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% Religions: Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic Languages: English Literacy: definition: age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.) Education expenditures: NA Government Saint Helena Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK Government type: NA Capital: name: Jamestown geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) Constitution: 1 January 1989 Legal system: English common law and statutes, supplemented by local statutes Suffrage: NA years of age Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Andrew GURR (since 11 November 2007) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative Council elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, three ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12 Judicial branch: Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: other: private sector; unions International organization participation: UPU, WFTU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship Economy Saint Helena Economy - overview: The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $27 million in FY06/07 or almost 70% of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK. GDP (purchasing power parity): $18 million (1998 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $NA GDP - real growth rate: NA% GDP - per capita (PPP): $2,500 (1998 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 6% industry: 48% services: 46% (1987 est.) Unemployment rate: 14% (1998 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $12.33 million expenditures: $30.28 million note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07 est.) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (1997 est.) Agriculture - products: coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock Industries: construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 8 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 7.44 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 60 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 85 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Exports: $19 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports - commodities: fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts Imports: $45 million c.i.f. (2004 est.) Imports - commodities: food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts Economic aid - recipient: $27.84 million obtained in a grant from the United Kingdom (FY06/07) Debt - external: $NA Currency (code): Saint Helenian pound (SHP) Currency code: SHP Exchange rates: Saint Helenian pounds (SHP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound Communications Saint Helena Telephones - main lines in use: Telephone system: general assessment: can communicate worldwide domestic: automatic digital network international: country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island) - 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1) Radio broadcast stations: Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 0 (3 television channels are received via satellite and distributed by UHF) (2005) Televisions: Internet country code: .sh; note - Ascension Island assigned .ac Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 1,000; note - includes Ascension Island (2003) Communications - note: South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island Transportation Saint Helena Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007) Roadways: total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km) paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) (2002) Ports and terminals: Saint Helena: Jamestown Ascension Island: Georgetown Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor Transportation - note: there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010 Military Saint Helena Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 1,586 females age 16-49: 1,600 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 47 female: 45 (2009 est.) Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK Transnational Issues Saint Helena Disputes - international: none This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Aruba a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Aruba Introduction Aruba Background: Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. Geography Aruba Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela Geographic coordinates: 12 30 N, 69 58 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 193 sq km land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 68.5 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m Natural resources: NEGL; white sandy beaches Land use: arable land: 10.53% permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005) Irrigated land: 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) Natural hazards: hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened Environment - current issues: NA Geography - note: a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) People Aruba Population: note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-1999 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.1% (male 9,921/female 9,758) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 34,676/female 37,752) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 4,351/female 6,607) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 37.8 years male: 36 years female: 39.5 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.478% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 12.81 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 9.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 13.79 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.28 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.28 years male: 72.25 years female: 78.38 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch Ethnic groups: mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20% Religions: Roman Catholic 80.8%, Protestant 9%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 5.6%, none or unspecified 4.6% Languages: Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census) Literacy: definition: NA total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006) Education expenditures: 4.8% of GDP (2005) Government Aruba Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba Dependency status: member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Oranjestad geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March (1976) Constitution: 1 January 1986 Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held in 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1 Judicial branch: Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch) Political parties and leaders: Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF] Political pressure groups and leaders: other: environmental groups International organization participation: Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba Flag description: blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner Economy Aruba Economy - overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the country's oil refinery reopened in 1993, providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings, and growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority. GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.258 billion (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2.258 billion (2005 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (2005 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $21,800 (2004 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.4% industry: 33.3% services: 66.3% (2002 est.) Labor force: 41,500 (2004 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining Unemployment rate: 6.9% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $507.9 million expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 46.3% of GDP (2005) Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: 5% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 11.01% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $640.9 million (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $792.9 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $1.348 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: aloes; livestock; fish Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 800 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 744 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 2,356 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 7,102 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 233,300 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 238,200 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: NA Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006) Exports: $124 million f.o.b.; note - includes oil reexports (2006) Exports - commodities: live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment Exports - partners: Panama 29.7%, Colombia 17%, Netherlands Antilles 13.2%, US 11.3%, Venezuela 10.9%, Netherlands 9.2% (2007) Imports: $1.054 billion f.o.b. (2006) Imports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs Imports - partners: US 54.6%, Netherlands 12%, UK 4.7% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $11.3 million (2004) Debt - external: $478.6 million (2005 est.) Currency (code): Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) Currency code: AWG Exchange rates: Aruban guilders/florins (AWG) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003) Communications Aruba Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .aw Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: Transportation Aruba Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007) Ports and terminals: Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas Military Aruba Military branches: no regular military forces; the Netherlands maintains a detachment of marines, a frigate, and an amphibious combat detachment in the neighboring Netherlands Antilles (2009) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 24,585 females age 16-49: 25,742 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 20,287 females age 16-49: 21,232 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 722 female: 711 (2009 est.) Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Transnational Issues Aruba Disputes - international: none Illicit drugs: transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Botswana a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Botswana Introduction Botswana Background: Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease. Geography Botswana Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 24 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 600,370 sq km land: 585,370 sq km water: 15,000 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas Land boundaries: total: 4,013 km border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers Terrain: predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver Land use: arable land: 0.65% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.34% (2005) Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 14.7 cu km (2001) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.19 cu km/yr (41%/18%/41%) per capita: 107 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility Environment - current issues: overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country People Botswana Population: note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.8% (male 352,399/female 340,058) 15-64 years: 61.4% (male 613,714/female 608,003) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 31,155/female 45,547) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 21.7 years male: 21.5 years female: 21.9 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.937% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 22.96 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 14.02 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 5 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 12.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.85 years male: 61.72 years female: 61.99 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 23.9% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 300,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 11,000 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008) Nationality: noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) Ethnic groups: Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7% Religions: Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census) Languages: Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.2% male: 80.4% female: 81.8% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2005) Education expenditures: 8.7% of GDP (2007) Government Botswana Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana local long form: Republic of Botswana local short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland Government type: parliamentary republic Capital: name: Gaborone geographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northeast, Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966) Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); vice president appointed by the president election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52%: note - MOGAE stepped down on 1 April 2008 and designated KHAMA to serve out the remainder of his term Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body with 8 ex-officio members consisting of the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non-permanent members serving 5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3 members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (63 seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote, 4 are appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and Attorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 51.7%, BNF 26.1%, BCP 16.6%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1 Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district) Political parties and leaders: Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Gilson SALESHANDO]; Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Ian KHAMA]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or BPP [Bernard BALIKANI]; MELS Movement of Botswana or MELS [Themba JOINA]; New Democratic Front or NDF [Dick BAYFORD] note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats - includes the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE] Political pressure groups and leaders: First People of the Kalahari (Bushman organization); Pitso Ya Ba Tswana; Society for the Promotion of Ikalanga Language (Kalanga elites) other: diamond mining companies International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen J. NOLAN embassy: Embassy Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 395-3982 FAX: [267] 395-6947 Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center Economy Botswana Economy - overview: Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966, though growth slowed to about 5% annually in 2006-08. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of nearly $15,800 in 2008. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism, financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially was 23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond mining production overshadows long-term prospects. GDP (purchasing power parity): $29.17 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $13.81 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 5.2% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $15,800 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.6% industry: 52.6% (including 36% mining) services: 45.8% (2008 est.) Labor force: 288,400 formal sector employees (2004) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 7.5% (2007 est.) Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 23.9% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $4.556 billion expenditures: $4.127 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March Public debt: 5.1% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.5% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 14.5% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 16.22% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $1.026 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $4.336 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: NA Market value of publicly traded shares: $5.887 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 979 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 2.574 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 1.959 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 11,640 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 14,500 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: $1.611 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $5.127 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles Imports: $3.931 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products Economic aid - recipient: $70.89 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $10.28 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $395 million (31 December 2008 est.) Currency (code): pula (BWP) Currency code: BWP Exchange rates: pulas (BWP) per US dollar - 6.7907 (2008 est.), 6.2035 (2007), 5.8447 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004) Communications Botswana Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.427 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of mobile-cellular service and participation in regional development; system is fully digital with fiber-optic cables linking the major population centers in the east; fixed-line connections declined in recent years and now stand at roughly 8 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density currently is about 80 per 100 persons domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile-cellular service is growing fast international: country code - 267; international calls are made via satellite, using international direct dialing; 2 international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 2 (1 state-owned, 1 private) Televisions: Internet country code: .bw Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Botswana Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 74 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 54 under 914 m: 17 (2007) Railways: total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 25,798 km paved: 8,410 km unpaved: 17,388 km (2005) Military Botswana Military branches: Botswana Defense Force: Ground Forces (includes Air Wing) (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 487,853 females age 16-49: 464,278 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 341,190 females age 16-49: 315,588 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 23,420 female: 22,904 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 3.3% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues Botswana Disputes - international: Botswana still struggles to seal its border from thousands of Zimbabweans who flee economic collapse and political persecution; Namibia has long supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River at Kazungula crossing, thereby de facto recognizing the short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Arctic Ocean a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Arctic Ocean Introduction Arctic Ocean Background: The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean. Geography Arctic Ocean Location: body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north of the Arctic Circle Geographic coordinates: 90 00 N, 0 00 E Map references: Arctic Region Area: total: 14.056 million sq km note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US Coastline: 45,389 km Climate: polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow Terrain: central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that, on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure ridges may be three times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge) Elevation extremes: lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m highest point: sea level 0 m Natural resources: sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales) Natural hazards: ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May Environment - current issues: endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack Geography - note: major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months Economy Arctic Ocean Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals. Transportation Arctic Ocean Ports and terminals: Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US) Transportation - note: sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways Transnational Issues Arctic Ocean Disputes - international: the littoral states are engaged in various stages of demonstrating the limits of their continental shelves beyond 200 nautical miles from their declared baselines in accordance with Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; record summer melting of sea ice in the Arctic has restimulated interest in maritime shipping lanes and sea floor exploration This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Monaco a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Monaco Introduction Monaco Background: The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present-day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family secured control in the late 13th century, and a principality was established in 1338. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center. Geography Monaco Location: Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy Geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 24 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 1.95 sq km land: 1.95 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km Coastline: 4.1 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 12 nm Climate: Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers Terrain: hilly, rugged, rocky Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: NA Environment - current issues: NA Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban People Monaco Population: 32,965 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.6% (male 2,466/female 2,349) 15-64 years: 62.4% (male 10,184/female 10,395) 65 years and over: 23% (male 3,068/female 4,503) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 45.7 years male: 43.6 years female: 47.7 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.394% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 9.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 12.96 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 7.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.09 years male: 76.3 years female: 84.09 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.75 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s) adjective: Monegasque or Monacan Ethnic groups: French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21% Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, other 10% Languages: French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) Education expenditures: 4.4% of GDP (2004) Government Monaco Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Monaco conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco local short form: Monaco Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Monaco geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo Independence: 1419 (beginning of rule by the House of Grimaldi) National holiday: National Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857) Constitution: 17 December 1962; modified 2 April 2002 Legal system: based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005) head of government: Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June 2005) cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch elections: the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government Legislative branch: unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16 members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional representation; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 3 February 2008 (next to be held February 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - UPM 52.2%, REM 40.5%, Monaco Together 7.3%; seats by party - UPM 21, REM 3 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council) Political parties and leaders: Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM); Rally and Issues for Monaco or REM; Monaco Together Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador to the US and UN Gilles NOGHES chancery: 3400 Interntional Drive NW, Suite 2K-100, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 234-1530 FAX: (202) 552-5778 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Ambassador to France is accredited to Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France), under the authority of the US ambassador to France, handles routine diplomatic and consular matters concerning Monaco Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red Economy Monaco Economy - overview: Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. The principality also is a major banking center and has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. GDP (purchasing power parity): $976.3 million note: Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates are extremely rough (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $NA GDP - real growth rate: 0.9% (2000 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $30,000 (2006 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0% industry: 4.9% services: 95.1% (2005) Labor force: note: includes workers from all foreign countries (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $863 million expenditures: $920.6 million (2005 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: none Industries: tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - consumption: NA kWh Electricity - imports: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France Exports: $716.3 million note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France (2005) Imports: $916.1 million note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France (2005) Economic aid - recipient: $NA Debt - external: $18 billion (2000 est.) Currency (code): euro (EUR) Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004) Communications Monaco Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: modern automatic telephone system; the country's sole fixed line operator offers a full range of services to residential and business customers domestic: combined fixed line and mobile telephone density exceeds 100% international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 11, shortwave 1 (2008) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .mc Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Monaco Heliports: Roadways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km (2007) Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 70 (Bahamas 15, Georgia 4, Isle of Man 3, Liberia 8, Marshall Islands 13, Norway 5, Panama 16, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Vanuatu 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Monaco Military Monaco Military branches: no regular military forces; the Palace Guard performs ceremonial duties Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 6,687 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 5,495 females age 16-49: 5,406 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 190 female: 182 (2009 est.) Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France Transnational Issues Monaco Disputes - international: none This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Israel a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Israel Introduction Israel Background: Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories Israel occupied since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve a permanent settlement. Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo Accords") guiding an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working in conjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the "Quartet" - took the lead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005, based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However, progress toward a permanent status agreement was undermined by Israeli-Palestinian violence between September 2003 and February 2005. An Israeli-Palestinian agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in February 2005, along with an internally-brokered Palestinian ceasefire, significantly reduced the violence. In the summer of 2005, Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, evacuating settlers and its military while retaining control over most points of entry into the Gaza Strip. The election of HAMAS in January 2006 to head the Palestinian Legislative Council froze relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). Ehud OLMERT became prime minister in March 2006; he shelved plans to unilaterally evacuate from most of the West Bank following an Israeli military operation in Gaza in June-July 2006 and a 34-day conflict with Hizballah in Lebanon in June-August 2006. OLMERT in June 2007 resumed talks with the PA after HAMAS seized control of the Gaza Strip and PA President Mahmoud ABBAS formed a new government without HAMAS. OLMERT in September 2008 resigned in the wake of several corruption allegations, but remains prime minister until a new government is formed after the general election in February 2009. Geography Israel Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon Geographic coordinates: 31 30 N, 34 45 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 20,770 sq km land: 20,330 sq km water: 440 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 1,017 km border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km Coastline: 273 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m Natural resources: timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand Land use: arable land: 15.45% permanent crops: 3.88% other: 80.67% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,940 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 1.7 cu km (2001) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 2.05 cu km/yr (31%/7%/62%) per capita: 305 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes Environment - current issues: limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography - note: there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites - including 100 small outpost communities in the West Bank - as well as 42 sites in the Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.); Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source People Israel Population: note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.9% (male 1,031,629/female 984,230) 15-64 years: 62.3% (male 2,283,034/female 2,221,301) 65 years and over: 9.9% (male 311,218/female 402,289) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 29.1 years male: 28.4 years female: 29.8 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.671% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 20.02 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 2.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.73 years male: 78.62 years female: 82.95 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5,100 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 200 (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Israeli(s) adjective: Israeli Ethnic groups: Jewish 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%, Europe/America-born 22.6%, Africa-born 5.9%, Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly Arab) (2004) Religions: Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004) Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.1% male: 98.5% female: 95.9% (2004 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2006) Education expenditures: 6.9% of GDP (2004) Government Israel Country name: conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local long form: Medinat Yisra'el local short form: Yisra'el Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Jerusalem geographic coordinates: 31 46 N, 35 14 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in March; ends the Sunday between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv Administrative divisions: 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv Independence: 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May Constitution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law; note - since May 2003 the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee of the Knesset has been working on a draft constitution Legal system: mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Shimon PERES (since 15 July 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Ehud OLMERT (since May 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Tzipora "Tzipi" LIVNI; note - Prime Minister OLMERT resigned on 17 September 2008, but will serve as acting prime minister until a new government is formed cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by the Knesset for a seven-year term (one-term limit); election last held 13 June 2007 (next to be held in 2014 but can be called earlier); following legislative elections, the president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition election results: Shimon PERES elected president; number of votes in first round - Shimon PERES 58, Reuven RIVLIN 37, Colette AVITAL 21; PERES elected president in second round with 86 votes (unopposed) Legislative branch: unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 10 February 2009 (next scheduled election to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - Kadima 23.2%, Likud-Ahi 22.3%, Yisrael Beiteinu 12.1%, Labor 10.2%, SHAS 8.8%, United Torah Judaism 4.5%, United Arab List 3.5%, NU 3.4%, Hadash 3.4%, The Jewish Home 3%, The New Movement-Meretz 3%, Balad 2.6%; seats by party - Kadima 28, Likud-Ahi 27, Yisrael Beiteinu 15, Labor 13, SHAS 11, United Torah Judaism 5, United Arab List 4, NU 4, HADASH 4, The Jewish Home 3, The New Movement-Meretz 3, Balad 3 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (justices appointed by Judicial Selection Committee - made up of all three branches of the government; mandatory retirement age is 70) Political parties and leaders: Balad [Azmi BISHARA]; Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (HADASH) [Muhammad BARAKEH]; Kadima [Tzipora "Tzipi" LIVNI]; Labor Party [Ehud BARAK]; Likud [Binyamin NETANYAHU]; National Union [Yaakov KATZ]; The Jewish Home (HaBayit HaYehudi) [Daniel HERSCHKOWITZ]; SHAS [Eliyahu YISHAI]; The New Movement-Meretz [Haim ORON]; United Arab List-Ta'al [Ibrahim SARSUR]; United Torah Judaism or UTJ [Yaakov LITZMAN]; Yisrael Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN] Political pressure groups and leaders: B'Tselem [Jessica MONTELL, Executive Director] monitors human rights abuses; Peace Now [Yariv OPPENHEIMER, Secretary General] supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; YESHA Council of Settlements [Danny DAYAN, Chairman] promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise International organization participation: BIS, BSEC (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Salai MERIDOR chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James B. CUNNINGHAM embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903 mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575 FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government Flag description: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag Economy Israel Economy - overview: Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial, though diminishing, government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel imports substantial quantities of grain but is largely self-sufficient in other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable trade deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the US, its major source of economic and military aid. Israel's GDP, after contracting slightly in 2001 and 2002 due to the Palestinian conflict and troubles in the high-technology sector, has grown by about 5% per year since 2003. The economy grew an estimated 4.2% in 2008, slowed by the global financial crisis. The government's prudent fiscal policy and structural reforms over the past few years have helped to induce strong foreign investment, tax revenues, and private consumption, setting the economy on a solid growth path. GDP (purchasing power parity): $205.7 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $188.7 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $28,900 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 31.7% services: 65.6% (2008 est.) Labor force: 2.95 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2% industry: 16% services: 82% (30 September 2008) Unemployment rate: 6.1% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: note: Israel's poverty line is $7.30 per person per day (2005) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 24.2% (2007) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 18% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $68.44 billion expenditures: $70.06 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 75.7% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.7% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 4% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 6.27% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $15.36 billion (31 December 2006) Stock of quasi money: $154.3 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $113.4 billion (31 December 2006) Market value of publicly traded shares: $236.4 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products Industries: high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles, footwear Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 48.7 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 44.74 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 1.844 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 5,966 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 232,300 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 82,910 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 334,300 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 1.94 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 2.35 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 2.27 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 30.44 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: $1.893 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $54.16 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel Exports - partners: US 35%, Belgium 7.5%, Hong Kong 5.8% (2007) Imports: $62.52 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods Imports - partners: US 13.9%, Belgium 7.9%, Germany 6.2%, China 6.1%, Switzerland 5.1%, UK 4.7%, Italy 4.1% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $240 million from US (FY06) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $38.66 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $91.25 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $68.06 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $51.94 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency abbreviation; ILS is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) code for the NIS Currency code: ILS Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004) Communications Israel Telephones - main lines in use: 3.005 million (2006) Telephones - mobile cellular: 8.902 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital; four privately-owned mobile-cellular service providers with countrywide coverage; mobile-cellular teledensity is 140 per 100 persons international: country code - 972; submarine cables provide links to Europe, Cyprus, and parts of the Middle East; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 3.07 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 17 (plus 36 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 1.69 million (1997) Internet country code: .il Internet hosts: 1.415 million (2008) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 2 million (2007) Transportation Israel Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 30 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 6 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 20 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 176 km; oil 442 km; refined products 261 km (2008) Railways: total: 853 km standard gauge: 853 km 1.435-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 17,870 km paved: 17,870 km (includes 146 km of expressways) (2007) Merchant marine: total: 11 by type: cargo 2, container 9 registered in other countries: 60 (Bermuda 3, Cyprus 4, Georgia 2, Honduras 1, Liberia 23, Malta 18, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Slovakia 4) (2008) Ports and terminals: Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa Military Israel Military branches: Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Naval Forces (INF), Israel Air Force (IAF) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are obligated to military service; conscript service obligation - 36 months for enlisted men, 21 months for enlisted women, 48 months for officers; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), 24 (women) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 1,717,362 females age 16-49: 1,636,574 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 1,474,966 females age 16-49: 1,404,712 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 61,223 female: 58,219 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 7.3% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues Israel Disputes - international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the West Bank in August 2005; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights); since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 150,000-420,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in northern Israel) (2007) Illicit drugs: increasingly concerned about ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan; money-laundering center This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Tajikistan a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Tajikistan Introduction Tajikistan Background: The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely contested and not fully reestablished until 1925. Much of present-day Sughd province was transferred from the Uzbekistan SSR to newly formed Tajikistan SSR in 1929. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Sughd province. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and it is now in the process of strengthening its democracy and transitioning to a free market economy after its 1992-97 civil war. There have been no major security incidents in recent years, although the country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Attention by the international community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought increased economic development and security assistance, which could create jobs and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace. Geography Tajikistan Location: Central Asia, west of China Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 71 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 143,100 sq km land: 142,700 sq km water: 400 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin Land boundaries: total: 3,651 km border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains Terrain: Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest Elevation extremes: lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m Natural resources: hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold Land use: arable land: 6.52% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.59% (2005) Irrigated land: 7,220 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 99.7 cu km (1997) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 11.96 cu km/yr (4%/5%/92%) per capita: 1,837 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: earthquakes and floods Environment - current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR People Tajikistan Population: 7,349,145 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.3% (male 1,282,681/female 1,238,607) 15-64 years: 62.1% (male 2,260,552/female 2,303,034) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 112,334/female 151,937) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 21.9 years male: 21.5 years female: 22.4 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.878% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 27.18 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 41.03 deaths/1,000 live births male: 45.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 35.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.33 years male: 62.29 years female: 68.52 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.99 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.3% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 10,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 500 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008) Nationality: noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani Ethnic groups: Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6% (2000 census) Religions: Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.) Languages: Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.5% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2000 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years male: 12 years female: 10 years (2006) Education expenditures: 3.4% of GDP (2006) Government Tajikistan Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston local short form: Tojikiston former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: republic Capital: name: Dushanbe geographic coordinates: 38 35 N, 68 48 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses Independence: 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991) Constitution: 6 November 1994 Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2013); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON 79.3%, Olimjon BOBOEV 6.2%, other 14.5% Legislative branch: bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (34 seats; 25 members selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; 1 seat reserved for the former president; to serve five-year terms) and the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 25 March 2005 (next to be held in February 2010); Assembly of Representatives 27 February and 13 March 2005 (next to be held in February 2010) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDPT 29, CPT 2, independents 3; Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 74.9%, CPT 13.6%, Islamic Revival Party 8.9%, other 2.5%; seats by party - PDPT 51, CPT 5, Islamic Revival Party 2, independents 5 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Amir QARAQULOV]; Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV (imprisoned October 2005); Rahmatullo VALIYEV, deputy]; Islamic Revival Party [Muhiddin KABIRI]; Party of Economic Reform or PER [Olimjon BOBOEV]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn NARZIEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV] Political pressure groups and leaders: splinter parties recognized by the government but not by the base of the party: Democratic Party or DPT [Masud SOBIROV] (splintered from ISKANDAROV's DPT); Socialist Party or SPT [Abduhalim GHAFFOROV] (splintered from NARZIEV's SPT) unregistered political parties: Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo NASREDDINOV]; Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV]; Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV] International organization participation: ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdujabbor SHIRINOV chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090 FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON embassy: 109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue, Dushanbe 734019 mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Dulles, VA 20189 telephone: [992] (37) 229-20-00 FAX: [992] (37) 229-20-50 Flag description: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe Economy Tajikistan Economy - overview: Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15 former Soviet republics. Only 7% of the land area is arable. Cotton is the most important crop, but this sector is burdened with debt and an obsolete infrastructure. Mineral resources include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. Tajikistan's economic situation remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, corruption, weak governance, widespread unemployment, seasonal power shortages, and the external debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002 including a $250 million write-off of Tajikistan's $300 million debt. Completion of the Sangtuda I hydropower dam - built with Russian investment - and the Sangtuda II and Rogun dams will add substantially to electricity output. If finished according to Tajik plans, Rogun will be the world's tallest dam. Tajikistan has also received substantial infrastructure development loans from the Chinese government to improve roads and an electricity transmission network. To help increase north-south trade, the US funded a $36 million bridge which opened in August 2007 and links Tajikistan and Afghanistan. While, Tajikistan has experienced steady economic growth since 1997, nearly two-thirds of the population continues to live in poverty. Economic growth reached 10.6% in 2004, but dropped to roughly 8% in 2005-07, and 4.5% in 2008, as the effects of the international financial crisis began to register - mainly in the form of lower prices for key commodities. GDP (purchasing power parity): $13.04 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $4.788 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,800 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 29.4% services: 47.6% (2008 est.) Labor force: 2.1 million (2007) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 67.2% industry: 7.5% services: 25.3% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 2.4% official rate; actual unemployment is higher (2007 est.) Population below poverty line: 60% (2007 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 25.6% (2007 est.) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 13.6% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $872.3 million expenditures: $886.8 million (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): 21% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 15% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 22.87% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $91.59 million (31 December 2006) Stock of quasi money: $161 million (31 December 2006) Stock of domestic credit: $417.4 million (31 December 2006) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats Industries: aluminum, zinc, lead; chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 17.4 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - consumption: 17.9 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - exports: 4.259 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 4.36 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.9% hydro: 98.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 281 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 31,590 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 248 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 7,600 bbl/day (2007) Oil - proved reserves: 12 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 32 million cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 842 million cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 810 million cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: -$584 million (2008 est.) Exports: $1.675 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles Exports - partners: Netherlands 38.9%, Turkey 32.5%, Russia 6.6%, Uzbekistan 5.9%, Iran 5.1% (2007) Imports: $3.798 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs Imports - partners: Russia 32.1%, Kazakhstan 13.1%, China 10.8%, Uzbekistan 8.4% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $241.4 million from US (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $394 million (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $1.681 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $88.93 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $8.463 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): somoni (TJS) Currency code: TJS Exchange rates: Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar - 3.4563 (2008 est.), 3.4418 (2007), 3.3 (2006), 3.1166 (2005), 2.9705 (2004) Communications Tajikistan Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not linked to the national network domestic: the domestic telecommunications network has historically been under funded and poorly maintained; main line availability has not changed significantly since 1998; cellular telephone use is growing but geographic coverage remains limited international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 3 (2 Intelsat and 1 Orbita) (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002) Radios: 1.291 million (1991) Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .tj Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Tajikistan Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8 under 914 m: 8 (2007) Pipelines: gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2008) Railways: total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 27,767 km (2000) Waterways: 200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2008) Military Tajikistan Military branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Force (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 1,897,356 females age 16-49: 1,911,594 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 1,428,218 females age 16-49: 1,603,779 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 80,819 female: 78,460 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 3.9% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Tajikistan Disputes - international: in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to commence demarcation of the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; talks continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove minefields; disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with Kyrgyzstan Trafficking in persons: current situation: Tajikistan is a source country for women trafficked through Kyrgyzstan and Russia to the UAE, Turkey, and Russia for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; men are trafficked to Russia and Kazakhstan for the purpose of forced labor, primarily in the construction and agricultural industries; boys and girls are trafficked internally for various purposes, including forced labor and forced begging tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Tajikistan is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, especially efforts to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence traffickers; despite evidence of low- and mid-level officials' complicity in trafficking, the government did not punish any public officials for trafficking complicity during 2007; lack of capacity and poor coordination between government institutions remained key obstacles to effective anti-trafficking efforts (2008) Illicit drugs: major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistan seizes roughly 80% of all drugs captured in Central Asia and stands third worldwide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium); significant consumer of opiates This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Seychelles a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Seychelles Introduction Seychelles Background: A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. President France-Albert RENE, who had served since 1977, was re-elected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James MICHEL took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term. Geography Seychelles Location: archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar Geographic coordinates: 4 35 S, 55 40 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 455 sq km land: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 491 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May) Terrain: Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees Land use: arable land: 2.17% permanent crops: 13.04% other: 84.79% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible Environment - current issues: water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: 41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands People Seychelles Population: 87,476 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.8% (male 10,201/female 9,732) 15-64 years: 70.1% (male 31,870/female 29,439) 65 years and over: 7.1% (male 2,321/female 3,913) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 31.4 years male: 30.9 years female: 32 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.999% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 15.6 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.02 years male: 68.33 years female: 77.85 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.93 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective: Seychellois Ethnic groups: mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab Religions: Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census) Languages: Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.8% male: 91.4% female: 92.3% (2002 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2007) Education expenditures: 6.5% of GDP (2006) Government Seychelles Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles local long form: Republic of Seychelles local short form: Seychelles Government type: republic Capital: name: Victoria geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka Independence: 29 June 1976 (from UK) National holiday: Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993) Constitution: 18 June 1993 Legal system: based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President James Alix MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote - James MICHEL 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 45.71%, Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in April 2004 Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats; 25 members elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 10-12 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 56.2%, SNP 43.8%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party) Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church other: trade unions International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Ronald JUMEAU chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles Flag description: five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side Economy Seychelles Economy - overview: Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the pre-independence, near-subsistence level, moving the island into the upper-middle income group of countries. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years, the government has encouraged foreign investment to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. Sharp drops illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf War and once again following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Economic growth slowed in 1998-2002 and fell in 2003-04, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors, but resumed in 2005-07. Real GDP grew by 5.8% in 2007, driven by tourism and a boom in tourism-related construction. The Seychelles rupee was allowed to depreciate in 2006 after being overvalued for years and fell by 10% in the first 9 months of 2007. Despite these actions, the Seychelles economy is struggling to maintain its gains and in 2008 suffered from food and oil price shocks, a foreign exchange shortage, high inflation and large financing gaps. In July 2008 the government defaulted on a Euro amortizing note worth roughly US$80 million, leading to a downgrading of Seychelles credit rating. Seychelles requested an IMF Stand-By Agreement in December 2008. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.537 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $779 million (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $18,700 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.9% industry: 28.3% services: 69.9% (2008 est.) Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 23% services: 74% (2006) Unemployment rate: 2% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Investment (gross fixed): 10.1% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $318.1 million expenditures: $324.6 million (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 92.6% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25.8% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 5.13% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 10.89% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $330.8 million (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $249 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $660.2 million (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna Industries: fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 208 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 193.4 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 6,560 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2006) Oil - imports: 5,722 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: -$307 million (2008 est.) Exports: $425 million f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports) Exports - partners: UK 23.7%, France 19.8%, Mauritius 10%, Japan 8.3%, Italy 5.7%, Spain 5.1% (2007) Imports: $952 million f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 17.6%, Germany 10.8%, France 8.1%, Spain 7.6%, South Africa 6.4%, Singapore 5.8% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $18.81 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $59 million (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $1.161 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Currency (code): Seychelles rupee (SCR) Currency code: SCR Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar - 8 (2008 est.), 6.5 (2007), 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004) Communications Seychelles Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: effective system domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 125 telephones per 100 persons; radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (2001) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: Internet country code: .sc Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Seychelles Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2007) Roadways: total: 458 km paved: 440 km unpaved: 18 km (2003) Merchant marine: total: 8 by type: cargo 1, carrier 1, chemical tanker 6 foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Victoria Military Seychelles Military branches: Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 23,598 females age 16-49: 24,424 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 19,702 females age 16-49: 19,780 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 714 female: 685 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2006 est.) Transnational Issues Seychelles Disputes - international: together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory) This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Morocco a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Morocco Introduction Morocco Background: In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature, which first met in 1997. The country has made improvements in human rights under King MOHAMMED VI and its press is moderately free. Despite the continuing reforms, ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch. Geography Morocco Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 5 00 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 446,550 sq km land: 446,300 sq km water: 250 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than California Land boundaries: total: 2,017.9 km border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km Coastline: 1,835 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior Terrain: northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 2% other: 79% (2005) Irrigated land: 14,450 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 29 cu km (2003) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 12.6 cu km/yr (10%/3%/87%) per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts Environment - current issues: land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification Geography - note: strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar People Morocco Population: 34,859,364 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 5,333,396/female 5,131,886) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 11,261,139/female 11,305,792) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 781,089/female 1,046,062) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 25 years male: 24.5 years female: 25.6 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.479% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 21.31 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 5.49 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 36.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 40.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 33.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.8 years male: 69.42 years female: 74.3 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.51 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 21,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2% Religions: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2% Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52.3% male: 65.7% female: 39.6% (2004 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 9 years (2005) Education expenditures: NA Government Morocco Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco conventional short form: Morocco local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah local short form: Al Maghrib Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Rabat geographic coordinates: 34 01 N, 6 49 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government; portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco also claims Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, another region which falls entirely within Western Sahara Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France) National holiday: Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) Constitution: 10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996 Legal system: based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law systems; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003) Executive branch: chief of state: King MOHAMMED VI (since 30 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Abbas EL FASSI (since 19 September 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of a Chamber of Counselors (or upper house) (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are elected every three years) and Chamber of Representatives (or lower house) (325 seats; 295 members elected by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 8 September 2006 (next to be held in 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 7 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PI 17, MP 14, RNI 13, USFP 11, UC 6, PND 4, PPS 4, Al Ahd 4, other 17; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PI 52, PJD 46, MP 41, RNI 39, USFP 38, UC 27, PPS 17, FFD 9, MDS 9, Al Ahd 8, other 39 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch) Political parties and leaders: Action Party or PA [Mohammed EL IDRISSI]; Al Ahd (The Covenant) Party [Najib EL OUAZZANI]; Alliance des Libert'es (Alliance of Liberty) or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or An-Nahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM [Mohamed Cheikh BIADILLAH]; Choura et Istiqlal (Consultation and Independence) Party or PCI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Citizens' Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizenship and Development Initiative or ICD [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union Party or UC [Mohammed ABIED]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Touhami EL KHIARI]; Democratic Socialist Vanguard Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Democratic Society Party or PSD [Zhor CHEKKAFI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI [Abbas EL FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Abdelilah BENKIRANE]; Labor Party or PT [Abdelkrim BENATIK]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Mustapha EL MANSOURI]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Progress and Socialism Party or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Renaissance and Virtue Party or PRV [Mohamed KHALIDI]; Renewal and Equity Party or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Democratic Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abdelwahed RADI]; Unified Socialist Left Party or PGSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER] Political pressure groups and leaders: Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK] International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert P. JACKSON embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca Flag description: red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912 Economy Morocco Economy - overview: Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic stability to the country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth sufficient to reduce unemployment - nearing 20% in urban areas - despite the Moroccan Government's ongoing efforts to diversify the economy. Morocco's GDP growth rose to 5.3% in 2008, with the economy recovering from a draught in 2007 that severely reduced agricultural output and necessitated wheat imports at rising world prices. Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs are key to domestic security and development. In 2005, Morocco launched the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), a $2 billion social development plan to address poverty and unemployment and to improve the living conditions of the country's urban slums. Moroccan authorities are implementing reform efforts to open the economy to international investors. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible for current account transactions. In 2000, Morocco entered an Association Agreement with the EU and, in 2006, entered a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US. Long-term challenges include improving education and job prospects for Morocco's youth, and closing the income gap between the rich and the poor, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles. GDP (purchasing power parity): $137.4 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $90.47 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 5.3% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,000 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.7% industry: 38.9% services: 46.5% (2008 est.) Labor force: 11.5 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 44.6% industry: 19.8% services: 35.5% (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 2.1% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: 15% (2007 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1999) Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40 (2005 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 31.9% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $26.09 billion expenditures: $28.41 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 60.2% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.6% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 3.25% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA Stock of money: $67.42 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $16.23 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $71.9 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $75.49 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock Industries: phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 5.8% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 21.88 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 19.58 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 1.998 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.4% hydro: 4.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 3,746 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 179,700 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 24,360 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil - imports: 192,500 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil - proved reserves: 836,000 bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 60 million cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 60 million cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.557 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: -$1.667 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $16.14 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: clothing and textiles, electric components, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, citrus fruits, vegetables, fish Exports - partners: Spain 21.2%, France 19%, Italy 4.9%, UK 4.6%, India 4.2% (2007) Imports: $34.44 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics Imports - partners: France 16.1%, Spain 13.6%, China 7.3%, Italy 6.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.4%, Germany 5.9%, US 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $651.8 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $27.29 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $21.11 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $35.36 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $582 million (2008 est.) Currency (code): Moroccan dirham (MAD) Currency code: MAD Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 7.526 (2008 est.), 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004) Communications Morocco Telephones - main lines in use: 2.394 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 20.029 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however, density is low with only 7 fixed lines available for each 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership reached 60 per 100 persons in 2007 domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay international: country code - 212; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998) Radios: 6.64 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 3.1 million (1997) Internet country code: .ma Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 7.3 million (2007) Transportation Morocco Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 27 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 33 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 830 km; oil 439 km (2008) Railways: total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2006) Roadways: total: 57,625 km paved: 35,664 km (includes 639 km of expressways) unpaved: 21,961 km (2006) Merchant marine: total: 35 by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 8, passenger/cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 16 (France 14, Germany 2) registered in other countries: 4 (Gibraltar 4) (2008) Ports and terminals: Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Safi Military Morocco Military branches: Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal Moroccan Army (includes Air Defense), Navy (includes Marines), Royal Moroccan Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawyiya al Malakiya Marakishiya; Force Aerienne Royale Marocaine) (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 9,152,580 females age 16-49: 9,080,830 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 7,779,589 females age 16-49: 7,881,024 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 356,014 female: 343,520 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 5% of GDP (2003 est.) Transnational Issues Morocco Disputes - international: claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation, setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction, since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa Illicit drugs: one of the world's largest producers of illicit hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; significant consumer of cannabis This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Namibia a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Namibia Introduction Namibia Background: South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that became Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence in 1990. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule. Geography Namibia Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 17 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 825,418 sq km land: 825,418 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: slightly more than half the size of Alaska Land boundaries: total: 3,936 km border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km Coastline: 1,572 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic Terrain: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m Natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore Land use: arable land: 0.99% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99% (2005) Irrigated land: 80 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 45.5 cu km (1991) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.3 cu km/yr (24%/5%/71%) per capita: 148 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip People Namibia Population: note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.9% (male 381,904/female 375,059) 15-64 years: 60.2% (male 641,995/female 627,146) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 36,894/female 45,667) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 21 years male: 20.9 years female: 21.1 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.95% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 23.19 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 14.07 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 45.51 deaths/1,000 live births male: 48.98 deaths/1,000 live births female: 41.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.24 years male: 51.61 years female: 50.86 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.69 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 15.3% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 200,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 5,100 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008) Nationality: noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian Ethnic groups: black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5% note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups include Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5% Religions: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20% Languages: English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85% male: 86.8% female: 83.5% (2001 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2006) Education expenditures: 6.9% of GDP (2003) Government Namibia Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia local long form: Republic of Namibia local short form: Namibia former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa Government type: republic Capital: name: Windhoek geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April Administrative divisions: 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa Independence: 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) National holiday: Independence Day, 21 March (1990) Constitution: ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990 Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA 5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2% Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held 29-30 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2010); National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%, other 0.9%; seats by party - SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP 1.9%, MAG 0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, NUDO 3, UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1 note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission) Political parties and leaders: All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI]; Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Jurie VILJOEN]; National Democratic Movement for Change or NamDMC; National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Kuaima RIRUAKO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Hidipo HAMUTENYA]; Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]; South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Usutuaije MAAMBERUA]; South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hifikepunye POHAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB] Political pressure groups and leaders: Earthlife Namibia [Berthchen KOHRS] (environmentalist group); National Society for Human Rights or NSHR; The World Information Services of Energy or WISE (group against nuclear power) International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador G. Dennise MATHIEU embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 295-8500 FAX: [264] (61) 295-8603 Flag description: a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green Economy Namibia Economy - overview: The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 8% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the population while about half of the population depends on subsistence agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, hides one of the world's most unequal income distributions. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Increased payments from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) put Namibia's budget into surplus in 2007 for the first time since independence, but SACU payments will decline after 2008 as part of a new revenue sharing formula. Increased fish production and mining of zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-07, but growth in recent years was undercut by poor fish catches and high costs for metal inputs. GDP (purchasing power parity): $11.59 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $7.781 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 3.9% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $5,500 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.4% industry: 36.2% services: 53.4% (2008 est.) Labor force: 667,000 (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 47% industry: 20% services: 33% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 5% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: the UNDP's 2005 Human Development Report indicated that 34.9% of the population live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per day Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 64.5% (2003) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 27.4% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $2.668 billion expenditures: $2.896 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March Public debt: 24.8% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.3% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 10.5% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 12.88% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $2.149 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $1.493 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $4.446 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $702 million (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish Industries: meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper) Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 1.606 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 3.194 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 40 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 1.948 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2006 est.) Electricity - production by source: NA Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 19,840 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 17,750 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: $326 million (2008 est.) Exports: $2.98 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins Imports: $3.56 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $123.4 million (2005 est.) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.375 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $1.151 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $NA Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $NA Currency (code): Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR) Currency code: NAD; ZAR Exchange rates: Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.18 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004) Communications Namibia Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: good system with a combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity of about 45 per 100 persons domestic: core fiber-optic network links most centers and connections are now digital; Namibia's first mobile-cellular network, launched in 1994, provides coverage to 86 percent of Namibia by area international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to the South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cable through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .na Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Namibia Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 21 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 116 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 20 (2007) Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 42,237 km paved: 5,406 km unpaved: 36,831 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 1 by type: cargo 1 registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Luderitz, Walvis Bay Military Namibia Military branches: Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 527,948 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 329,614 females age 16-49: 294,490 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 25,857 female: 25,505 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 3.7% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues Namibia Disputes - international: concerns from international experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 4,700 (Angola) (2007) This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- British Virgin Islands a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   British Virgin Islands Introduction British Virgin Islands Background: First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. Geography British Virgin Islands Location: Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Geographic coordinates: 18 30 N, 64 30 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 153 sq km land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke Area - comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 80 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds Terrain: coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Sage 521 m Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments) Geography - note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico People British Virgin Islands Population: 24,491 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.8% (male 2,454/female 2,387) 15-64 years: 74.4% (male 9,346/female 8,881) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 734/female 689) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 32.3 years male: 32.4 years female: 32.2 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.837% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 14.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 4.37 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 8.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 14.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.26 years male: 76.03 years female: 78.55 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander Ethnic groups: black 83.4%, white 7%, mixed 5.4%, Indian 3.4%, other 0.8% (1991 census) Religions: Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 2% (1991) Languages: English (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 17 years male: 15 years female: 19 years (2005) Education expenditures: 3.7% of GDP (2006) Government British Virgin Islands Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing Government type: NA Capital: name: Road Town geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK) Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) National holiday: Territory Day, 1 July (1956) Constitution: 13 June 2007 Legal system: English law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor David PEAREY (since 18 April 2006) head of government: Premier Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 23 August 2007) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the House of Assembly elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (13 elected seats and 1 non-voting ex officio member in the attorney general; members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of nine electoral districts, 4 at-large members; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - VIP 45.2%, NDP 39.6%, independent 15.2%; seats by party - VIP 10, NDP 2, independent 1 Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction Political parties and leaders: Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL] Political pressure groups and leaders: The Family Support Network; The Women's Desk other: environmentalists International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WFTU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) Economy British Virgin Islands Economy - overview: The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 820,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2005. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, made the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the US dollar as its currency since 1959. GDP (purchasing power parity): $853.4 million (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $839.7 million (2003) GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2002 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $38,500 (2004 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.) Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 0.6% industry: 40% services: 59.4% (2005) Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $204.7 million expenditures: $180.4 million (2004) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March Inflation rate (consumer prices): Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish Industries: tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 45 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 41.85 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 650 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 650 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: $134.3 million (1999) Exports: $25.3 million (2002) Exports - commodities: rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand Imports: $187 million (2002 est.) Imports - commodities: building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery Economic aid - recipient: $NA Debt - external: $36.1 million (1997) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Communications British Virgin Islands Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: worldwide telephone service domestic: NA international: country code - 1-284; connected via submarine cable to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997) Televisions: Internet country code: .vg Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation British Virgin Islands Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) Roadways: total: 200 km paved: 200 km (2007) Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Road Town Military British Virgin Islands Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 7,101 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 5,979 females age 16-49: 5,738 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 178 female: 173 (2009 est.) Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK Transnational Issues British Virgin Islands Disputes - international: none Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Ireland a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Ireland Introduction Ireland Background: Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. In 1949, Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland is gradually being implemented despite some difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British governments developed and began to implement the St. Andrews Agreement, building on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998. Geography Ireland Location: Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 8 00 W Map references: Europe Area: total: 70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km Coastline: 1,448 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time Terrain: mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m Natural resources: natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite Land use: arable land: 16.82% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 83.15% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Total renewable water resources: 46.8 cu km (2003) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 1.18 cu km/yr (23%/77%/0%) per capita: 284 cu m/yr (1994) Natural hazards: NA Environment - current issues: water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation Geography - note: strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 100 km of Dublin People Ireland Population: 4,203,200 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.9% (male 454,571/female 424,022) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,411,336/female 1,409,760) 65 years and over: 12% (male 224,850/female 278,661) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 35 years male: 34.2 years female: 35.7 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.12% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 14.33 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 4.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.24 years male: 75.6 years female: 81.06 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5,500 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 100 (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish Ethnic groups: Irish 87.4%, other white 7.5%, Asian 1.3%, black 1.1%, mixed 1.1%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census) Languages: English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 18 years male: 17 years female: 18 years (2006) Education expenditures: 4.7% of GDP (2005) Government Ireland Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire Government type: republic, parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Dublin geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow Independence: 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty) National holiday: Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March Constitution: adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937 Legal system: based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Brian COWEN (since 7 May 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6% note: government coalition - Fianna Fail, the Green Party, the Progressive Democrats (disbanding), and independent members of Parliament Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 49 members elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held in July 2007 (next to be held by July 2012); House of Representatives - last held 24 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fianna Fail 28, Fine Gael 14, Labor Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, Green Party 2, Sein Fein 1, independents 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.6%, Fine Gael 27.3%, Labor Party 10.1%, Sinn Fein 6.9%, Green Party 4.7%, Progressive Democrats 2.7%, other 6.7%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 78, Fine Gael 51, Labor Party 20, Sinn Fein 4, Green Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, independents 4, Speaker of the Dail 1 note: the Progressive Democrats are disbanding and members expected to be independents Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet) Political parties and leaders: Fianna Fail [Brian COWEN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [John GORMLEY]; Labor Party [Eamon GILMORE]; Progressive Democrats [Ciaran CANNON] (disbanding); Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Mick FINNEGAN] Political pressure groups and leaders: Families Acting for Innocent Relatives or FAIR [Brian McCONNELL] (seek compensation for victims of violence); Families Against Intimidation and Terror or FAIT (oppose terrorism); Gaeltacht Civil Rights Campaign (Coiste Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeilge) or CCSG (encourages the use of the Irish language and campaigns for greater civil rights in Irish speaking areas); Irish Republican Army or IRA (terrorist group); Keep Ireland Open (environmental group); Midland Railway Action Group or MRAG [Willie ALLEN] (transportation promoters); Rail Users Ireland (formerly the Platform 11 - transportation promoters); 32 Country Sovereignty Movement or 32CSM (supports a fully sovereign Ireland); Ulster Defence Association or UDA (terrorist group) International organization participation: ADB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael COLLINS chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert J. FAUCHER embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777 FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red Economy Ireland Economy - overview: Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy. GDP growth averaged 6% in 1995-2007, but economic activity dropped sharply in 2008 and Ireland entered into a recession for the first time in more than a decade with the onset of the world financial crisis and subsequent severe slowdown in the property and construction markets. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Although the export sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, remains a key component of Ireland's economy, construction most recently fueled economic growth along with strong consumer spending and business investment. Property prices rose more rapidly in Ireland in the decade up to 2006 than in any other developed world economy. Per capita GDP also surged during Ireland's high-growth years, and in 2007 surpassed that of the United States. The Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb price and wage inflation, invest in infrastructure, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. In 2008 the COWEN government moved to guarantee all bank deposits, recapitalize the banking system, and establish partly-public venture capital funds in response to the country's economic downturn. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations. GDP (purchasing power parity): $198.5 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $285 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: -0.7% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $47,800 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.) Labor force: 2.27 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 6% industry: 27% services: 67% (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.2% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: 7% (2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 27.2% (2000) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 19.8% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $93.84 billion expenditures: $110.8 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 31.5% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: NA Commercial bank prime lending rate: 6.52% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders Stock of quasi money: NA Stock of domestic credit: $768.9 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $144 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products Industries: steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment; glass and crystal; software, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2007 est.) Electricity - production: 25.77 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - consumption: 25.67 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 82 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 1.412 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.9% hydro: 2.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil - consumption: 200,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 29,780 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 194,000 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 457 million cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 4.984 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 4.552 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: -$8.621 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $128 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products Exports - partners: UK 18.7%, US 17.9%, Belgium 14.5%, Germany 7.4%, France 5.8% (2007) Imports: $91.27 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing Imports - partners: UK 38.3%, US 11.3%, Germany 9.7%, Netherlands 5%, France 4.2% (2007) Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.022 billion (2006) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $926.2 million (2006 est.) Debt - external: $1.841 trillion (30 June 2007) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $216 billion (2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $149.1 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): euro (EUR) Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6689 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004) Communications Ireland Telephones - main lines in use: 2.112 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 4.94 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: system privatized but dominated by former state monopoly operator; increasing levels of broadband access international: country code - 353; landing point for the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable with links to the US, Canada, and UK; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 2.55 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 4 (many repeaters); (projected digital broadcasting scheduled to be launched in 2009) (2008) Televisions: 1.82 million (2001) Internet country code: .ie Internet hosts: 1.242 million (2008) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 1.708 million (2007) Transportation Ireland Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 16 (2007) Pipelines: gas 1,550 km (2008) Railways: total: 3,237 km broad gauge: 1,872 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2006) Roadways: total: 96,602 km paved: 96,602 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2003) Waterways: 956 km (pleasure craft only) (2008) Merchant marine: total: 29 by type: cargo 25, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 2 (US 2) registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 3, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands 10, Slovakia 1, UK 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Cork, Dublin, Shannon Foynes Military Ireland Military branches: Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps (Aer-Chor na h-Eireann)) (2008) Military service age and obligation: 17-25 years of age for male or female voluntary military service (17-27 years of age for the Naval Service); enlistees 16 years of age can be recruited for apprentice specialist positions; maximum obligation 12 years; 17-35 years of age for the Reserve Defense Forces; EU citizenship or 5-year residence in Ireland required (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 1,024,635 females age 16-49: 1,024,276 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 857,162 females age 16-49: 854,416 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 28,072 female: 26,400 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 0.9% of GDP (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Ireland Disputes - international: Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Taiwan a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Taiwan Introduction Taiwan Background: In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic political and economic reform. Geography Taiwan Location: Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 35,980 sq km land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,566.3 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% other: 75% (2001) Irrigated land: NA Total renewable water resources: 67 cu km (2000) Natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons Environment - current issues: air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status Geography - note: strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait People Taiwan Population: 22,974,347 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 1,996,905/female 1,844,611) 15-64 years: 72.6% (male 8,416,300/female 8,267,675) 65 years and over: 10.7% (male 1,183,382/female 1,265,474) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 36.5 years male: 35.9 years female: 37.1 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.227% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 8.99 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 6.65 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.96 years male: 75.12 years female: 81.05 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.14 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Taiwan (singular and plural) note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan adjective: Taiwan Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2% Religions: mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: NA female: NA (2003) Education expenditures: NA Government Taiwan Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan former: Formosa Government type: multiparty democracy Capital: name: Taipei geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural) note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while a modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, the city of Taipei has adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are taken from the Taiwan Yearbook 2007 published by the Government Information Office in Taipei. counties: Changhua, Chiayi [county], Hsinchu, Hualien, Kaohsiung [county], Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taichung, Tainan, Taipei [county], Taitung, Taoyuan, Yilan, and Yunlin municipalities: Chiayi [city], Hsinchu, Keelung, Taichung, Tainan special municipalities: Kaohsiung [city], Taipei [city] National holiday: Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911) Constitution: 25 December 1947; amended in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005 note: constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on 25 December 1947 Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President MA Ying-jeou (since 20 May 2008); Vice President Vincent SIEW (since 20 May 2008) head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) LIU Chao-shiuan (since 20 May 2008); Vice Premier (Vice President of Executive Yuan) Paul CHIU (CHANG-hsiung) (since 20 May 2008) cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier election results: MA Ying-jeou elected president on 22 March 2008; percent of vote - MA Ying-jeou 58.45%, Frank HSIEH 41.55%; MA Ying-jeou took office on 20 May 2008 Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (113 seats - 73 district members elected by popular vote, 34 at-large members elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 6 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve four-year terms); parties must receive 5% of vote to qualify for at-large seats elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 12 January 2008 (next to be held in December 2011 or January 2012) election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT 53.5%, DPP 38.2%, NPSU 2.4%, PFP 0.3%, others 1.6%, independents 4%; seats by party - KMT 81, DPP 27, NPSU 3, PFP 1, independent 1 Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan) Political parties and leaders: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [TSAI Ing-wen]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung]; Non-Partisan Solidarity Union or NPSU [LIN Pin-kuan]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG] Political pressure groups and leaders: Organization for Taiwan Nation Building; World United Formosans for Independence other: environmental groups; independence movement; various business groups note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad public consensus has developed that the government enjoys popular sovereignty and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding unification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; advocates of eventual unification predicate their goal on the democratic transformation of the mainland International organization participation: ADB, APEC, BCIE, ICC, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WFTU, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), which has its headquarters in Taipei and in the US in Washington, DC; there are also branch offices called Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162 Flag description: red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays Economy Taiwan Economy - overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by the authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large, state-owned banks and industrial firms have been privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a large trade surplus, and its foreign reserves are among the world's largest. Recently opened cross-strait travel, transportation, and tourism links are likely to increase Taiwan's economic interdependence on China, which has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market and its second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Growth fell below 2% in 2008 because of the global slowdown. GDP (purchasing power parity): $738.8 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $401.6 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 1.9% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $31,900 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.5% industry: 27.8% services: 70.7% (2008 est.) Labor force: 10.85 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 5.1% industry: 36.8% services: 58% (2008 est.) Unemployment rate: 4.1% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: 0.95% (2007 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 6.7% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 20.9% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $50.91 billion expenditures: $54.7 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 30.9% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.7% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: NA Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA Stock of money: NA Stock of quasi money: NA Stock of domestic credit: NA Market value of publicly traded shares: $654 billion (28 December 2007) Agriculture - products: rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish Industries: electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals Industrial production growth rate: -2% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 225.3 billion kWh (2008 est.) Electricity - consumption: 233 billion kWh (2008 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2008) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 6% nuclear: 22.6% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 1,306 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 935,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 340,200 bbl/day (2007) Oil - imports: 660,400 bbl/day (2007) Oil - proved reserves: 1.88 million bbl (2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 416 million cu m (2007) Natural gas - consumption: 13.6 billion cu m (2007) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural gas - imports: 10.9 billion cu m (2007) Natural gas - proved reserves: 6.229 billion cu m (1 January 2008) Current account balance: $25 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $255.7 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: electronics, flat panels, machinery, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals, auto parts (2008) Exports - partners: China 32.6%, US 12.9%, Hong Kong 8.6%, Japan 6.4%, Singapore 5% (2007) Imports: $236 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: electronics, machinery, petroleum, precision instruments, organic chemicals, metals (2008) Imports - partners: Japan 22.7%, US 13.3%, China 11.2%, South Korea 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.8%, Singapore 4.6% (2007) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $296.4 billion (31 December 2008) Debt - external: $109.6 billion (31 December 2008) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $102.3 billion (2008) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $135.3 billion (2008) Currency (code): New Taiwan dollar (TWD) Currency code: TWD Exchange rates: New Taiwan dollars (TWD) per US dollar - 31.53 (2008 est.), 32.84 (2007), 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004) Communications Taiwan Telephones - main lines in use: 14.313 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 24.302 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized international: country code - 886; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Radio broadcast stations: AM 21, FM 143, shortwave 1 (2008) Radios: 16 million (1994) Television broadcast stations: 76 (5 television networks with 46 digital and 30 analog stations) (2007) Televisions: 8.8 million (1998) Internet country code: .tw Internet hosts: 5.225 million (2008) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 14.76 million (2007) Transportation Taiwan Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 38 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 3 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 406 km (2008) Railways: total: 1,588 km standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,093 km 1.067-m gauge note: 150 km .762-m gauge (belonging primarily to Taiwan Sugar Corporation and Taiwan Forestry Bureau; some to other entities) (2007) Roadways: total: 40,262 km paved: 38,171 km (includes 976 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,091 km (2007) Merchant marine: total: 102 by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 19, chemical tanker 1, container 24, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Canada 2, France 1) registered in other countries: 536 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 1, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Italy 13, Kiribati 5, Liberia 91, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 320, Philippines 1, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 72, Thailand 1, UK 11, unknown 3) (2008) Ports and terminals: Chilung (Keelung), Kaohsiung, Taichung Military Taiwan Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command Military service age and obligation: 19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; service obligation 14 months (reducing to 1 year in 2009); women may enlist; women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles; reserve obligation to age 30 (Army); the Ministry of Defense has announced plans to implement an incremental voluntary enlistment system beginning 2010, with 10% fewer conscripts each year thereafter, although nonvolunteers will still be required to perform alternative service or go through 3-4 months of military training (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 6,283,134 females age 16-49: 6,098,599 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 5,106,730 females age 16-49: 5,008,563 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 165,738 female: 154,123 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 2.2% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues Taiwan Disputes - international: involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting Illicit drugs: regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and precursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Serbia a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Serbia Introduction Serbia Background: The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Various paramilitary bands resisted Nazi Germany's occupation and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945, but fought each other and ethnic opponents as much as the invaders. The military and political movement headed by Josip TITO (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when German and Croatian separatist forces were defeated in 1945. Although Communist, TITO's new government and his successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In 1989, Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Serbian Republic and his ultranationalist calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines. In 1991, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence, followed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992 and under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia led various military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." These actions led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992, but Serbia continued its - ultimately unsuccessful - campaign until signing the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. MILOSEVIC kept tight control over Serbia and eventually became president of the FRY in 1997. In 1998, an ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo provoked a Serbian counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo. The MILOSEVIC government's rejection of a proposed international settlement led to NATO's bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999 and to the eventual withdrawal of Serbian military and police forces from Kosovo in June 1999. UNSC Resolution 1244 in June 1999 authorized the stationing of a NATO-led force (KFOR) in Kosovo to provide a safe and secure environment for the region's ethnic communities, created a UN interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to foster self-governing institutions, and reserved the issue of Kosovo's final status for an unspecified date in the future. In 2001, UNMIK promulgated a constitutional framework that allowed Kosovo to establish institutions of self-government and led to Kosovo's first parliamentary election. FRY elections in September 2000 led to the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as president. A broad coalition of democratic reformist parties known as DOS (the Democratic Opposition of Serbia) was subsequently elected to parliament in December 2000 and took control of the government. DOS arrested MILOSEVIC in 2001 and allowed for him to be tried in The Hague for crimes against humanity. (MILOSEVIC died in March 2006 before the completion of his trial.) In 2001, the country's suspension from the UN was lifted. In 2003, the FRY became Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics with a federal level parliament. Widespread violence predominantly targeting ethnic Serbs in Kosovo in March 2004 caused the international community to open negotiations on the future status of Kosovo in January 2006. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right to secede from the federation and - following a successful referendum - it declared itself an independent nation on 3 June 2006. Two days later, Serbia declared that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro. A new Serbian constitution was approved in October 2006 and adopted the following month. After 15 months of inconclusive negotiations mediated by the UN and four months of further inconclusive negotiations mediated by the US, EU, and Russia, on 17 February 2008, the UNMIK-administered province of Kosovo declared itself independent of Serbia. Geography Serbia Location: Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary Geographic coordinates: 44 00 N, 21 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 77,474 sq km land: 77,474 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina Land boundaries: total: 2,026 km border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km, Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia 241 km, Hungary 151 km, Kosovo 352 km, Macedonia 62 km, Montenegro 124 km, Romania 476 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall); in other parts, continental and Mediterranean climate (relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns) Terrain: extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills Elevation extremes: lowest point: NA highest point: Midzor 2,169 m Natural resources: oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land Land use: arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA Irrigated land: NA Total renewable water resources: 208.5 cu km (note - includes Kosovo) (2003) Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes Environment - current issues: air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East People Serbia Population: note: all population data includes Kosovo (July 2008 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.4% (male 586,806/female 549,900) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,503,194/female 2,502,807) 65 years and over: 16.8% (male 508,606/female 728,026) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 41 years male: 39.3 years female: 42.7 years (2008 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and above: 0.7 male(s)/female total populaton: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.29 years male: 72.7 years female: 78.09 years (2008 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.69 children born/woman (2008 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds Nationality: noun: Serb(s) adjective: Serbian Ethnic groups: Serb 82.9%, Hungarian 3.9%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.4%, Yugoslavs 1.1%, Bosniaks 1.8%, Montenegrin 0.9%, other 8% (2002 census) Religions: Serbian Orthodox 85%, Catholic 5.5%, Protestant 1.1%, Muslim 3.2%, unspecified 2.6%, other, unknown, or atheist 2.6% (2002 census) Languages: Serbian 88.3% (official), Hungarian 3.8%, Bosniak 1.8%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 4.1%, unknown 0.9% (2002 census) note: Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak, Ukrainian, and Croatian all official in Vojvodina Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.4% male: 98.9% female: 94.1% (2003 census) note: includes Montenegro Education expenditures: NA Government Serbia Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Serbia conventional short form: Serbia local long form: Republika Srbija local short form: Srbija former: People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia Government type: republic Capital: name: Belgrade (Beograd) geographic coordinates: 44 50 N, 20 30 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 161 municipalities (opcstine, singular - opcstina) Serbia Proper: Beograd: Barajevo, Cukavica, Grocka, Lazarevac, Mladnovac, Novi Beograd, Obrenovac, Palilula, Rakovica, Savski Venac, Sopot, Stari Grad, Surcin, Vozdovac, Vracar, Zemun, Zrezdara; Borski Okrug: Bor, Kladovo, Majdanpek, Negotin; Branicevski Okrug: Golubac, Kucevo, Malo Crnice, Petrovac, Pozarevac, Veliko Gradiste, Zabari, Zagubica; Jablanicki Okrug: Bojnik, Crna Trava, Lebane, Leskovac, Medvedja, Vlasotince; Kolubarski Okrug: Lajkovac, Ljig, Mionica, Osecina, Ub, Valjevo; Macvanski Okrug: Bogatic, Koceljeva, Krupanj, Ljubovija, Loznica, Mali Zvornik, Sabac, Vladimirci; Moravicki Okrug: Cacak, Gornkji Milanovac, Ivanjica, Lucani; Nisavski Okrug: Aleksinac, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Merosina, Nis, Razanj, Svrljig; Pcinjski Okrug: Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Presevo, Surdulica, Trgoviste, Vladicin Han, Vranje; Pirotski Okrug: Babusnica, Bela Palanka, Dimitrovgrad, Pirot; Podunavski Okrug: Smederevo, Smederevskia Palanka, Velika Plana; Pomoravski Okrug: Cuprija, Despotovac, Jagodina, Paracin, Rckovac, Svilajnac; Rasinski Okrug: Aleksandrovac, Brus, Cicevac, Krusevac, Trstenik, Varvarin; Raski Okrug: Kraljevo, Novi Pazar, Raska, Tutin, Vrnjacka Banja; Sumadijski Okrug: Arandjelovac, Batocina, Knic, Kragujevac, Lapovo, Raca, Topola; Toplicki Okrug: Blace, Kursumlija, Prokuplje, Zitoradja; Zajecarski Okrug: Boljevac, Knjazevac, Sokobanja, Zalecar; Zlatiborski Okrug: Arilje, Bajina Basta, Cajetina, Kosjeric, Nova Varos, Pozega, Priboj, Prijepolje, Sjenica, Uzice Vojvodina Autonomous Province: Juzno-Backi Okrug: Backi Petrovac, Beocin, Novi Sad, Sremski Karlovci, Temerin, Titel, Zabalj; Juzno Banatski Okrug: Alibunar, Bela Crkva, Kovacica, Kovin, Opovo, Pancevo, Plandiste, Vrsac; Severno-Backi Okrug: Backa Topola, Mali Idjos, Subotica; Severno-Banatski Okrug: Ada, Coka, Kanjiza, Kikinda, Novi Knezevac, Senta; Srednje-Banatski Okrug: Nova Crnja, Novi Becej, Secanj, Zitiste, Zrenjanin; Sremski Okrug: Indjija, Irig, Pecinci, Ruma, Sid, Sremska Mitrovica, Stara Pazova; Zapadno-Backi Okrug: Apatin, Kula, Odzaci, Sombor Independence: 5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro) National holiday: National Day, 15 February Constitution: adopted 8 November 2006; effective 10 November 2006 Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Boris TADIC (since 11 July 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Mirko CVETKOVIC (since 7 July 2008) cabinet: Federal Ministries act as cabinet elections: president elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister elected by the Assembly election results: Boris TADIC elected president in the second round of voting; Boris TADIC received 51.2% of the vote and Tomislav NIKOLIC 48.8% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (250 seats; deputies elected according to party lists to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 11 May 2008 (next to be held in May 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - For a European Serbia coalition 38.4%, SRS 29.5%, DSS-NS 11.6%, SPS-led coalition 7.6%, LPD 5.2%, other 7.7%; seats by party - For a European Serbia coalition 102, SRS 77, DSS-NS 30, SNS 21, SPS-led coalition 20, LDP 13, other 7; note - the seat allocation for the SNS and SRS is uncertain because of an ongoing dispute with the SRS Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (to become court of cassation under new constitution), appellate courts, district courts, municipal courts Political parties and leaders: Coalition of Albanians of the Presevo Valley or KAPD [Riza HALIMI]; Coalition for Sandzak or KZS [Sulejman UGLJANIN]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh [Ragmi MUSTAFA]; Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party or DS [Boris TADIC]; Democratic Union of the Valley or BDL [Skender DESTANI]; For a European Serbia [Boris TADIC]; Force of Serbia Movement or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC]; G17 Plus [Mladjan DINKIC]; League of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Istvan PASTOR]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Cedomir JOVANOVIC]; Movement for Democratic Progress or LPD [Jonuz MUSLIU]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Party of Democratic Action or PVD [Riza HALIMI]; People's Party or NS [Maja GOJKOVIC]; Roma Party or RP [Srdjan SAJN]; Serbian Progressive Party or SNS [Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav SESELJ (currently on trial at The Hague), with Dragan TODOROVIC as acting leader]; Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC]; Union of Roma of Serbia or URS [Rajko DJURIC] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD (suspended), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC; note - will leave office in March chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron MUNTER embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070 telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344 FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230 Flag description: three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white; charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the hoist side Economy Serbia Economy - overview: MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of international economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in September 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government implemented stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000, Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June 2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. In November 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reschedule the country's $4.5 billion public debt and wrote off 66% of the debt. In July 2004, the London Club of private creditors forgave $1.7 billion of debt just over half the total owed. Belgrade has made progress in trade liberalization and enterprise restructuring and privatization, including telecommunications and small and medium size firms. It has made halting progress towards EU membership despite signing a Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels in May 2008. Serbia is also pursuing membership in the World Trade Organization. Unemployment and the large current account deficit remain ongoing political and economic problems. GDP (purchasing power parity): $83.14 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $52.18 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 5.6% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $8,200 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.3% industry: 24.2% services: 63.5% (2007 est.) Labor force: 2.961 million (2002 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 30% industry: 46% services: 24% (2002) Unemployment rate: 18.8% (2007 est.) Population below poverty line: 6.5% (2007 est.) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 20.1% of GDP (2007 est.) Budget: revenues: $9.6 billion expenditures: $9.8 billion (2007 est.) Public debt: 37% of GDP (2007 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: 9.57% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 11.13% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $4.632 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $12.19 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $13.44 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $23.93 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: wheat, maize, sugar beets, sunflower, raspberries, beef, pork, milk Industries: sugar, agricultural machinery, electrical and communication equipment, paper and pulp, lead, transportation equipment Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (2007 est.) Electricity - production: 33.87 billion kWh (2004) Electricity - consumption: NA kWh Electricity - exports: 12.05 billion kWh (2004 est.) Electricity - imports: 11.23 billion kWh (2004) Oil - production: 11,410 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 85,000 bbl/day (2003 est.) Oil - exports: NA bbl/day Oil - imports: NA bbl/day Oil - proved reserves: 77.5 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 650 million cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 2.55 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas - imports: 2.1 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 48.14 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: -$6.889 billion (2007 est.) Exports: $8.824 billion (2007 est.) Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment Imports: $18.35 billion (2007 est.) Economic aid - recipient: $2 billion pledged in 2001 to Serbia and Montenegro (disbursements to follow over several years; some aid pledged by EU and US has been placed on hold because of lack of cooperation by Serbia in handing over General Ratko MLADIC to the criminal court in The Hague) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $14.22 billion (2007 est.) Debt - external: $26.24 billion (includes debt for Montenegro and Kosovo) (2007 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $11.95 billion (2006 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $NA Currency (code): Serbian dinar (RSD) Exchange rates: Serbian dinars (RSD) per US dollar - 54.5 (2007), 59.98 (2006) Communications Serbia Telephones - main lines in use: 2.993 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 8.453 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has been slow as a result of damage stemming from the 1999 war and transition to a competitive market-based system; network was 90% digitalized in 2006 domestic: teledensity remains below the average for neighboring states; GSM wireless service, available through multiple providers with national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best telecommunications service limited to urban centers international: country code - 381 Radio broadcast stations: 153 (station types NA) (2001) Internet country code: .rs Internet hosts: NA Internet users: 1.5 million (2007) Transportation Serbia Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 12 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 1,921 km; oil 323 km (2008) Railways: total: 3,379 km standard gauge: 3,379 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 1,254 km) (2006) Roadways: total: 36,875 km paved: 31,392 km unpaved: 5,483 km note: roadways in Kosovo listed separately (2006) Waterways: 587 km (primarily on Danube and Sava rivers) (2008) Military Serbia Military branches: Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Land Forces Command (includes Riverine Component, consisting of a river flotilla on the Danube), Joint Operations Command, Air and Air Defense Forces Command (2008) Military service age and obligation: 19-35 years of age for compulsory military service; under a state of war or impending war, conscription can begin at age 16; conscription is to be abolished in 2010; 9-month service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 60 for men and 50 for women (2007) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 1,415,007 females age 16-49: 1,379,541 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 44,601 female: 41,845 (2009 est.) Transnational Issues Serbia Disputes - international: Serbia with several other states protest the U.S. and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaring itself as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo; Serbia delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 71,111 (Croatia); 27,414 (Bosnia and Herzegovina); 206,000 (Kosovo), note - mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999 (2007) Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Panama a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Panama Introduction Panama Background: Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15. Geography Panama Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 80 00 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 78,200 sq km land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina Land boundaries: total: 555 km border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km Coastline: 2,490 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin Climate: tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) Terrain: interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower Land use: arable land: 7.26% permanent crops: 1.95% other: 90.79% (2005) Irrigated land: 430 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 148 cu km (2000) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.82 cu km/yr (67%/5%/28%) per capita: 254 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography - note: strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean People Panama Population: 3,360,474 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.3% (male 501,950/female 481,750) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,085,435/female 1,061,530) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 106,934/female 122,875) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 27 years male: 26.6 years female: 27.3 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.503% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 20.68 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 4.71 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 12.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.25 years male: 74.47 years female: 80.16 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.53 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 20,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008) Nationality: noun: Panamanian(s) adjective: Panamanian Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% Languages: Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.9% male: 92.5% female: 91.2% (2000 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006) Education expenditures: 3.8% of GDP (2004) Government Panama Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama Government type: constitutional democracy Capital: name: Panama geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 11 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Comarca Kuna Yala, Comarca Ngobe-Bugle, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*(Kuna Yala), and Veraguas Independence: 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821) National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1903) Constitution: 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004 Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1 September 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (not eligible for immediate reelection; president and vice presidents must sit out two additional terms (10 years) before becoming eligible for reelection); election last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held on 3 May 2009); note - beginning in 2009, Panama will have only one vice president election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent of vote - Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany 30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9% note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party), PP (Popular Party) Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in 2009, the number of seats will change to 71 elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 41, PA 17, PS 9, MOLIRENA 4, CD 3, PLN 3, PP 1 note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based formula Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of appeal Political parties and leaders: Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS Espino]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Sergio GONZALEZ-Ruiz]; Panamenista Party or PA [Juan Carlos VARELA] (formerly the Arnulfista Party); Patriotic Union Party or PU (combination of the Liberal National Party or PLN and the Solidarity Party or PS)[Guillermo "Billy" FORD and Anibal GALINDO]; Popular Party or PP [Rene ORILLAC] (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) Political pressure groups and leaders: Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council of Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private Enterprise or CONEP; National Union of Construction and Similar Workers (SUNTRACS); Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE; Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP International organization participation: BCIE, CAN (observer), CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407 FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara J. STEPHENSON embassy: Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas Panama, Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002 telephone: [507] 207-7000 FAX: [507] 317-5568 Flag description: divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center Economy Panama Economy - overview: Panama's dollarized economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for 80% of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. Economic growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and is scheduled to be completed by 2014 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 25% of current GDP. The expansion project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate ships that are now too large to transverse the transoceanic crossway, and should help to reduce the high unemployment rate. Strong economic performance has reduced the national poverty level to 29% in 2008; however, Panama has the second most unequal income distribution in Latin America. The government has implemented tax reforms, as well as social security reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and development of tourism. Not a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006 independently negotiated a free trade agreement with the US, which, when implemented, will help promote the country's economic growth. GDP (purchasing power parity): $39.33 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $23.42 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): $11,900 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.2% industry: 16.1% services: 77.6% (2008 est.) Labor force: 1.392 million note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 15% industry: 18% services: 67% (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.3% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: 28.6% (2006 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 43% (2003) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 24.9% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $6.09 billion expenditures: $6 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 46.4% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.6% (2008 est.) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 8.25% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $3.054 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $14.26 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $17.4 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $6.219 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp Industries: construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling Industrial production growth rate: 6.6% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 5.805 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 4.768 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 124.9 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 8.74 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 37% hydro: 61.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 92,790 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 4,447 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 88,790 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: -$2.536 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $10.37 billion f.o.b.; note - includes the Colon Free Zone (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing Exports - partners: US 35.6%, Netherlands 10.2%, China 6%, Sweden 5.5%, UK 5.4%, Costa Rica 5.1%, Spain 5% (2007) Imports: $15.18 billion f.o.b. note: includes the Colon Free Zone (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals Imports - partners: US 32.8%, Netherlands Antilles 7.6%, China 5.6%, Japan 5.1%, Costa Rica 5.1%, South Korea 4.1% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $19.54 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.655 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $10.89 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $NA Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $NA Currency (code): balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD) Currency code: PAB; USD Exchange rates: balboas (PAB) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004) note: the US dollar is the legal currency Communications Panama Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.392 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: domestic and international facilities well developed domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is approaching 90 per 100 persons international: country code - 507; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), the MAYA-1, and PAN-AM submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 38 (including repeaters) (1998) Televisions: Internet country code: .pa Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Panama Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 54 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 29 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 62 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 50 (2007) Heliports: Railways: total: 355 km standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 278 km 0.914-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 11,978 km paved: 4,300 km unpaved: 7,343 km (2002) Waterways: 800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2008) Merchant marine: total: 6,323 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2,143, cargo 1,208, carrier 13, chemical tanker 565, combination ore/oil 6, container 790, liquefied gas 189, passenger 44, passenger/cargo 71, petroleum tanker 557, refrigerated cargo 265, roll on/roll off 128, specialized tanker 29, vehicle carrier 313 foreign-owned: 5,394 (Albania 2, Argentina 8, Australia 4, Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 9, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 2, British Virgin Islands 1, Bulgaria 3, Burma 1, Canada 18, Chile 12, China 532, Colombia 4, Croatia 3, Cuba 10, Cyprus 19, Denmark 40, Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 4, Egypt 17, Estonia 5, Finland 2, France 5, Gabon 1, Germany 44, Gibraltar 1, Greece 510, Hong Kong 130, India 27, Indonesia 31, Iran 7, Israel 3, Italy 28, Japan 2,335, Jordan 13, North Korea 1, South Korea 303, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8, Lebanon 5, Lithuania 7, Malaysia 12, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 2, Monaco 16, Netherlands 14, Nigeria 10, Norway 89, Oman 2, Pakistan 9, Peru 16, Philippines 7, Poland 11, Portugal 9, Qatar 1, Romania 7, Russia 18, Saudi Arabia 16, Singapore 100, Spain 50, Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 25, Syria 32, Taiwan 320, Thailand 10, Tunisia 1, Turkey 94, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, Ukraine 10, UAE 109, UK 59, US 126, Venezuela 10, Vietnam 30, Yemen 6) registered in other countries: 3 (Marshall Islands 1, Sierra Leone 1, Venezuela 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Balboa, Colon, Cristobal Military Panama Military branches: no regular military forces; Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the Panamanian National Police (PNP), National Maritime Service (NMS), and National Air Service (NAS) (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 851,044 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 705,160 females age 16-49: 710,521 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 31,089 female: 29,939 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2006) Military - note: on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force but allowing the temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of "external aggression" Transnational Issues Panama Disputes - international: organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama Trafficking in persons: current situation: Panama is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are Panamanian women and children trafficked within the country into the sex trade; rural children in Panama may be trafficked internally to urban areas for labor exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Panama is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly with respect to prosecuting, convicting, and sentencing human traffickers for their crimes, and for failing to provide adequate victim assistance (2008) Illicit drugs: major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major problem This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Iraq a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Iraq Introduction Iraq Background: Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. US forces remained in Iraq under a UNSC mandate until 31 December 2008 and under a bilateral Security Agreement thereafter, helping to provide security and to support the freely elected government. In October 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and, pursuant to this document, elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (CoR) in December 2005. After the election, Ibrahim al-JAAFARI was selected as prime minister; he was replaced by Nuri al-MALIKI in May 2006. The CoR approved most cabinet ministers in May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half century. On 31 January 2009, Iraq held elections for provincial councils in all provinces except for the three provinces comprising the Kurdistan Regional Government and at-Ta'mim (Kirkuk) province. Geography Iraq Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 437,072 sq km land: 432,162 sq km water: 4,910 sq km Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho Land boundaries: total: 3,650 km border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km Coastline: 58 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: not specified Climate: mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak is neither Gundah Zhur 3,607 m nor Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur Land use: arable land: 13.12% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 86.27% (2005) Irrigated land: 35,250 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 96.4 cu km (1997) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 42.7 cu km/yr (3%/5%/92%) per capita: 1,482 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms, floods Environment - current issues: government water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification Geography - note: strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf People Iraq Population: 28,945,657 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.8% (male 5,709,688/female 5,531,359) 15-64 years: 58.2% (male 8,529,956/female 8,310,164) 65 years and over: 3% (male 408,266/female 456,224) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 20.4 years male: 20.3 years female: 20.5 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 2.507% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 30.77 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 5.14 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: NA (2009 est.) Urbanization: urban population: 67% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-2010) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 43.82 deaths/1,000 live births male: 49.38 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.94 years male: 68.6 years female: 71.34 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.86 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: fewer than 500 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds Nationality: noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi Ethnic groups: Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian, or other 5% Religions: Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3% Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.1% male: 84.1% female: 64.2% (2000 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 8 years (2005) Education expenditures: NA Government Iraq Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al-Iraqiyah local short form: Al Iraq Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Baghdad geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 23 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) and 1 region*; Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Kurdistan Regional Government*, Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit Independence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi-controlled Government National holiday: Republic Day, July 14 (1958); note - the Government of Iraq has yet to declare an official national holiday but still observes Republic Day Constitution: ratified on 15 October 2005 (subject to review by the Constitutional Review Committee and a possible public referendum ) Legal system: based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework outlined in the Iraqi Constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005); Vice Presidents Adil ABD AL-MAHDI and Tariq al-HASHIMI (since 22 April 2006); note - the president and vice presidents comprise the Presidency Council) head of government: Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI (since 20 May 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH (since 20 May 2006)and Rafi al-ISSAWI (since 19 July 2008) cabinet: 36 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI and Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Rafi al-ISSAWI elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of Representatives Legislative branch: Council of Representatives (consisting of 275 members elected by a closed-list, proportional representation system) elections: last held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of Representatives (next to be held December 2009); the Council of Representatives elected the Presidency Council and approved the prime minister and two deputy prime ministers election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Unified Iraqi Alliance 41%, Kurdistan Alliance 22%, Tawafuq Coalition 15%, Iraqi National List 8%, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 4%, other 10%; number of seats by party (as of November 2007) - Unified Iraqi Alliance (including the Sadrist bloc with 30 and Fadilah with 15) 130, Kurdistan Alliance 53, Tawafuq Front 44, Iraqi National List 25, Fadilah 15, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 11, other 12 Judicial branch: the Iraq Constitution calls for the federal judicial power to be comprised of the Higher Judicial Council, Federal Supreme Court, Federal Court of Cassation, Public Prosecution Department, Judiciary Oversight Commission and other federal courts that are regulated in accordance with the law Political parties and leaders: Assyrian Democratic Movement [Yunadim KANNA]; Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI]; Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa al-Islamiya Party [Nuri al-MALIKI]; General Conference of Iraqi People [Adnan al-DULAYMI]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB]; Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid MAJID]; Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Salih al-MUTLAQ]; Iraqi Hizballah [Karim Mahmud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent Democrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP [Tariq al-HASHIMI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]; Iraqi National Council for Dialogue or INCD [Khalaf Ulayan al-Khalifawi al-DULAYMI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad al-KUBAYSI]; Islamic Action Organization or IAO [Ayatollah Muhammad al-MUDARRISI]; Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Abd al-Aziz al-HAKIM]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Muhammad Ali al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI]; Kurdistan Islamic Union [Salah ad-Din Muhammad BAHA al-DIN]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]; Sadrist Trend [Muqtada al-SADR] (not an organized political party, but it fields independent candidates affiliated with Muqtada al-SADR); Sahawa al-Iraq [Ahmad al-RISHAWI] note: the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List, Tawafuq Front, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, and Unified Iraqi Alliance were only electoral slates consisting of the representatives from the various Iraqi political parties Political pressure groups and leaders: Sunni militias; Shia militias, some associated with political parties International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD (suspended), AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDI chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 742-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 333-1129 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER embassy: Baghdad mailing address: APO AE 09316 telephone: 1-240-553-0589 ext. 5340 or 5635; note - Consular Section FAX: NA Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great") in green Arabic script is centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors; Council of Representatives approved this flag as a compromise temporary replacement for Ba'athist Saddam-era flag Economy Iraq Economy - overview: Decreasing insurgent attacks and an improving security environment in many parts of the country are helping to spur economic activity. Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided over 90% of foreign exchange earnings. Oil exports are around levels seen before Operation Iraqi Freedom. Total government revenues have benefited from high oil prices in recent years; however, revenues have declined significantly since the oil price drop in fall 2008. Iraq is making some progress in building the institutions needed to implement economic policy. In March 2009 Iraq will conclude a Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF that details economic reforms. The SBA has allowed an 80% reduction of the debt owed to Paris Club creditor nations. The International Compact with Iraq was established in May 2007 to integrate Iraq into the regional and global economy, and the Iraqi government is seeking to pass laws to strengthen its economy. This legislation includes a hydrocarbon law to establish a modern legal framework to allow Iraq to develop its resources and a revenue sharing law to equitably divide oil revenues within the nation, although both are still under contentious political negotiation. Some foreign entities have expressed interest in reinvigorating Iraq's industrial sector. The government of Iraq is pursueing a strategy to gain foreign participation in joint ventures with State-owned enterprises. Provincial Councils are also using their own budgets to promote and facilitate investment at the local level. The Central Bank has been successful in controlling inflation through appreciation of the dinar against the US dollar. However, Iraq's challenge will be to use macroeconomic gains to improve the lives of ordinary Iraqis. Reducing corruption and implementing structural reforms, such as bank restructuring and developing the private sector, will be key to Iraq's economic success. GDP (purchasing power parity): $113.9 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $93.8 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 9.8% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,000 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 68% services: 27% (2006 est.) Labor force: 7.74 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 18.2% to 30% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: $42.4 billion expenditures: $49.9 billion (FY08 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.8% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 15% (31 December 2008) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 19.74% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $18.81 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $3.67 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: NA Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep, poultry Industries: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing Industrial production growth rate: 10.5% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 36.92 billion kWh (2008 est.) Electricity - consumption: 39.88 billion kWh (2008 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2008) Electricity - imports: 2.95 billion kWh (2008 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.4% hydro: 1.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 2.42 million bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil - consumption: 295,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 1.83 million bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil - imports: NA bbl/day Oil - proved reserves: 115 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 15.66 billion cu m (2008 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 9.454 billion cu m note: 1.48 billion cu m were flared (2008 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 3.17 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: $22.6 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $66.1 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and live animals 5% Exports - partners: US 36.8%, Italy 12.6%, South Korea 9.5%, Taiwan 6.3%, Spain 5.2%, Canada 4.7%, France 4.4%, Netherlands 4.2% (2007) Imports: $43.5 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: food, medicine, manufactures Imports - partners: Syria 30.5%, Turkey 19.8%, US 11.1%, Jordan 5%, China 4.8% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $21.65 billion (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $46.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $40.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Currency (code): New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004 Currency code: NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004 Exchange rates: New Iraqi dinars (NID) per US dollar - 1,176 (2008), 1,255 (2007), 1,466 (2006), 1,475 (2005), 1,890 (second half, 2003) Communications Iraq Telephones - main lines in use: 1.547 million (2005) Telephones - mobile cellular: 14.021 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: the 2003 liberation of Iraq severely disrupted telecommunications throughout Iraq including international connections; widespread government efforts to rebuild domestic and international communications through fiber optic links are in progress; the mobile cellular market has expanded rapidly with an estimated 14 million current users in 2007 domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during 2003 continue; additional switching capacity is improving access; cellular service is available and centered on 3 GSM networks which are being expanded beyond their regional roots, improving country-wide connectivity; wireless local loop licenses have been issued with the hope of overcoming the lack of fixed-line infrastructure international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region, and 1 Arabsat (inoperative)); local microwave radio relay connects border regions to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; planned international fiber-optic connections to Iran (terrestrial) with a link to the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine fiber-optic cable (2007) Radio broadcast stations: Radios: 4.85 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: Televisions: 1.75 million (1997) Internet country code: .iq Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Iraq Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 76 over 3,047 m: 19 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 9 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 10 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 2,501 km; liquid petroleum gas 918 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,637 km (2008) Railways: total: 2,272 km standard gauge: 2,272 km 1.435-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 44,900 km paved: 37,851 km unpaved: 7,049 km (2002) Waterways: 5,279 km note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third River (565 km) are principal waterways (2008) Merchant marine: total: 14 by type: cargo 10, petroleum tanker 4 (2008) Ports and terminals: Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr Military Iraq Military branches: Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Army (includes Iraqi Special Operations Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former Iraqi Coastal Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air Corps) (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18-49 years of age for voluntary military service (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 7,086,200 females age 16-49: 6,808,954 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 6,203,425 females age 16-49: 6,065,009 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 313,500 female: 304,923 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 8.6% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues Iraq Disputes - international: coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring internal and cross-border security; approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan, and lesser numbers to Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 10,000-15,000 (Palestinian Territories); 11,773 (Iran); 16,832 (Turkey) IDPs: 2.4 million (ongoing US-led war and ethno-sectarian violence) (2007) This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- China a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   China Introduction China Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight. Geography China Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 105 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 9,596,960 sq km land: 9,326,410 sq km water: 270,550 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the US Land boundaries: total: 22,117 km border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km Coastline: 14,500 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north Terrain: mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m Natural resources: coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest) Land use: arable land: 14.86% permanent crops: 1.27% other: 83.87% (2005) Irrigated land: 545,960 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 2,829.6 cu km (1999) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 549.76 cu km/yr (7%/26%/68%) per capita: 415 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence Environment - current issues: air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in endangered species Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US); Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak People China Population: 1,338,612,968 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.8% (male 140,877,745/female 124,290,090) 15-64 years: 72.1% (male 495,724,889/female 469,182,087) 65 years and over: 8.1% (male 51,774,115/female 56,764,042) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 34.1 years male: 33.5 years female: 34.7 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.655% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 13.71 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 7.03 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Urbanization: urban population: 43% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-2010) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 20.25 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.47 years male: 71.61 years female: 75.52 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 700,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 39,000 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds Nationality: noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese Ethnic groups: Han Chinese 91.5%, Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uyghur, Tujia, Yi, Mongol, Tibetan, Buyi, Dong, Yao, Korean, and other nationalities 8.5% (2000 census) Religions: Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2% note: officially atheist (2002 est.) Languages: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.9% male: 95.1% female: 86.5% (2000 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2006) Education expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (1999) Government China Country name: conventional long form: People's Republic of China conventional short form: China local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo local short form: Zhongguo abbreviation: PRC Government type: Communist state Capital: name: Beijing geographic coordinates: 39 55 N, 116 23 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular and plural) provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan) autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang Uygur, Xizang (Tibet) municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau Independence: 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic of China); 1 October 1949 (People's Republic of China established) National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1 October (1949) Constitution: most recent promulgation 4 December 1982 Legal system: based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003); Vice President XI Jinping (since 15 March 2008) head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Executive Vice Premier LI Keqiang (17 March 2008), Vice Premier HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003), Vice Premier ZHANG Deijiang (since 17 March 2008), and Vice Premier WANG Qishan (since 17 March 2008) cabinet: State Council appointed by National People's Congress (NPC) elections: president and vice president elected by National People's Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 15-17 March 2008 (next to be held in mid-March 2013); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress election results: HU Jintao elected president by National People's Congress with a total of 2,963 votes; XI Jinping elected vice president with a total of 2,919 votes Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,987 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and provincial people's congresses, and People's Liberation Army to serve five-year terms) elections: last held December 2007-February 2008; date of next election - late 2012 to early 2013 election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - 2,987 Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's Congress); Local People's Courts (comprise higher, intermediate, and basic courts); Special People's Courts (primarily military, maritime, railway transportation, and forestry courts) Political parties and leaders: Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP Political pressure groups and leaders: the China Democracy Party; the Falungong spiritual movement note: no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the government has identified the organizations listed above as subversive groups International organization participation: ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), APEC, APT, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CDB, EAS, FAO, G-20, G-24 (observer), G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador ZHOU Wenzhong chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr. embassy: 55 An Jia Lou Lu, 100600 Beijing mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (10) 8531-3000 FAX: [86] (10) 8531-3300 consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner Economy China Economy - overview: China's economy during the past 30 years has changed from a centrally planned system that was largely closed to international trade to a more market-oriented economy that has a rapidly growing private sector and is a major player in the global economy. Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment. China has generally implemented reforms in a gradualist or piecemeal fashion, including the sale of minority shares in four of China's largest state banks to foreign investors and refinements in foreign exchange and bond markets in 2005. After keeping its currency tightly linked to the US dollar for years, China in July 2005 revalued its currency by 2.1% against the US dollar and moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. Cumulative appreciation of the renminbi against the US dollar since the end of the dollar peg was more than 20% by late 2008. The restructuring of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, China in 2008 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still lower middle-income. Annual inflows of foreign direct investment in 2007 rose to nearly $84 billion. By the end of 2007, nearly 7,000 domestic Chinese enterprises had made an aggregate $118 billion in direct investments in 173 countries and regions around the world. The Chinese government faces numerous economic development challenges, including: (a) sustaining adequate job growth for tens of millions of migrants, new entrants to the work force, and workers laid off from state-owned enterprises; (b) reducing corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) containing environmental damage and social strife related to the economy's rapid transformation. Economic development has been more rapid in coastal provinces than in the interior, and approximately 200 million rural laborers and their dependents have relocated to urban areas to find work. One demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the north - is another long-term problem. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. In 2007 China intensified government efforts to improve environmental conditions, tying the evaluation of local officials to environmental targets, publishing a national climate change policy, and establishing a high level leading group on climate change, headed by Premier WEN Jiabao. The Chinese government seeks to add energy production capacity from sources other than coal and oil. In late 2008, as China commemorated the 30th anniversary of its historic economic reforms, the global economic downturn began to slow foreign demand for Chinese exports for the first time in several years. The government vowed to continue reforming the economy and emphasized the need to increase domestic consumption in order to make China less dependent on foreign exports for GDP growth in the future. GDP (purchasing power parity): $7.8 trillion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $4.222 trillion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 9.8% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $6,100 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.6% industry: 49.2% services: 40.2% (2008 est.) Labor force: 807.7 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 43% industry: 25% services: 32% (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 4% officially in urban areas, but including migrants may be as high as 9%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: note: 21.5 million rural population live below the official "absolute poverty" line (approximately $90 per year); and an additional 35.5 million rural population above that but below the official "low income" line (approximately $125 per year) (2006 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 34.9% (2004) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 40.2% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $868.6 billion expenditures: $850.5 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 15.7% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 3.06% (17 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 5.58% (17 December 2007) Stock of money: $2.3 trillion (31 October 2008) Stock of quasi money: $4.331 trillion (31 October 2008) Stock of domestic credit: $5.316 trillion (31 October 2008) Market value of publicly traded shares: $6.226 trillion (31 December 2007 est.) Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, apples, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish Industries: mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing; transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships, and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles, satellites Industrial production growth rate: 10.7% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 3.256 trillion kWh (2007) Electricity - consumption: 3.271 trillion kWh (2007) Electricity - exports: 14.56 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 4.251 billion kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 80.2% hydro: 18.5% nuclear: 1.2% other: 0.1% (2001) Oil - production: 3.725 million bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil - consumption: 7.88 million bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 399,000 bbl/day (2007) Oil - imports: 4.21 million bbl/day (2007) Oil - proved reserves: 16 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 69.27 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 70.51 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 5.36 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 3.871 billion cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 2.265 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: $368.2 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $1.465 trillion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: electrical and other machinery, including data processing equipment, apparel, textile, iron and steel, optical and medical equipment Exports - partners: US 19.1%, Hong Kong 15.1%, Japan 8.4%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany 4% (2007) Imports: $1.156 trillion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: electrical and other machinery, oil and mineral fuels, optical and medical equipment, metal ores, plastics, organic chemicals Imports - partners: Japan 14%, South Korea 10.9%, Taiwan 10.5%, US 7.3%, Germany 4.7% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $1.641 billion (FY07) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.033 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $420.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $758.9 billion (2007 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $139.3 billion (2008 est.) Currency (code): Renminbi (RMB); note - also referred to by the unit yuan (CNY) Currency code: CNY Exchange rates: Renminbi yuan (RMB) per US dollar - 6.9385 (2008 est.), 7.61 (2007), 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004) Communications China Telephones - main lines in use: 365.4 million (2007) Telephones - mobile cellular: 547.286 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: domestic and international services are increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and many towns; China continues to develop its telecommunications infrastructure, and is partnering with foreign providers to expand its global reach; China in the summer of 2008 began a major restructuring of its telecommunications industry, resulting in the consolidation of its six telecom service operators to three, China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom, each providing both fixed-line and mobile services domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular telephone systems have been installed; mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing rapidly; the number of Internet users exceeded 250 million by summer 2008; a domestic satellite system with 55 earth stations is in place international: country code - 86; a number of submarine cables provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean; 1 Intersputnik - Indian Ocean region; and 1 Inmarsat - Pacific and Indian Ocean regions) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998) Radios: 417 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31 are provincial TV stations, and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997) Televisions: 400 million (1997) Internet country code: .cn Internet hosts: 14.306 million (2008) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: 253 million (2008) Transportation China Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 403 over 3,047 m: 58 2,438 to 3,047 m: 128 1,524 to 2,437 m: 130 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 67 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 64 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 26 (2007) Heliports: Pipelines: gas 28,132 km; oil 20,204 km; refined products 9,746 km (2008) Railways: total: 75,438 km standard gauge: 75,438 km 1.435-m gauge (20,151 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 1,930,544 km paved: 1,575,571 km (includes 41,005 km of expressways) unpaved: 354,973 km (2005) Waterways: 110,000 km navigable (2008) Merchant marine: total: 1,826 by type: barge carrier 4, bulk carrier 451, cargo 689, carrier 2, chemical tanker 69, combination ore/oil 1, container 162, liquefied gas 44, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 83, petroleum tanker 244, refrigerated cargo 33, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 17 foreign-owned: 20 (Ecuador 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 12, Indonesia 1, Japan 2, South Korea 1, Norway 1) registered in other countries: 1,441 (Bahamas 10, Bangladesh 1, Belize 71, Bermuda 10, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 193, Cyprus 10, France 5, Georgia 10, Germany 2, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 324, India 1, Indonesia 2, Kiribati 15, South Korea 1, Liberia 11, Malta 12, Marshall Islands 7, Mongolia 1, Norway 36, Panama 532, Philippines 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 94, Sierra Leone 15, Singapore 14, Thailand 1, Tuvalu 16, unknown 39) (2008) Ports and terminals: Dalian, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin Military China Military branches: People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes airborne forces), and Second Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed Police (PAP); PLA Reserve Force (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18-22 years of age for selective compulsory military service, with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all officers are volunteers); 18-19 years of age for women high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military jobs (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 375,009,345 females age 16-49: 354,314,328 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 314,459,083 females age 16-49: 296,763,134 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 10,621,373 female: 9,533,880 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 4.3% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues China Disputes - international: continuing talks and confidence-building measures work toward reducing tensions over Kashmir that nonetheless remains militarized with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; China and India continue their security and foreign policy dialogue started in 2005 related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, and other matters; China claims most of India's Arunachal Pradesh to the base of the Himalayas; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes due to cartographic discrepancies; Chinese maps show an international boundary symbol off the coasts of the littoral states of the South China Seas, where China has interrupted Vietnamese hydrocarbon exploration; China asserts sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" eased tensions in the Spratly's but is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Vietnam and China continue to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly's and in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; China and Taiwan continue to reject both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared equidistance line in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation; certain islands in the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in dispute with North Korea; North Korea and China seek to stem illegal migration to China by North Koreans, fleeing privations and oppression, by building a fence along portions of the border and imprisoning North Koreans deported by China; China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with their 2004 Agreement; China and Tajikistan have begun demarcating the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary is expected to be completed by the end of 2008, while the maritime boundary delimitation and fisheries agreements in the Gulf of Tonkin, ratified in June 2004, have been implemented; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China has reconsidered construction of 13 dams on the Salween River, but energy-starved Burma, with backing from Thailand, remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream despite regional and international protests; Chinese and Hong Kong authorities met in March 2008 to resolve ownership and use of lands recovered in Shenzhen River channelization, including 96-hectare Lok Ma Chau Loop; Hong Kong developing plans to reduce 2,000 out of 2,800 hectares of its restricted Closed Area by 2010 Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 300,897 (Vietnam); estimated 30,000-50,000 (North Korea) IDPs: 90,000 (2007) Trafficking in persons: current situation: China is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; the majority of trafficking in China occurs within the country's borders, but there is also considerable international trafficking of Chinese citizens to Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America; Chinese women are lured abroad through false promises of legitimate employment, only to be forced into commercial sexual exploitation, largely in Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan; women and children are trafficked to China from Mongolia, Burma, North Korea, Russia, and Vietnam for forced labor, marriage, and prostitution; some North Korean women and children seeking to leave their country voluntarily cross the border into China and are then sold into prostitution, marriage, or forced labor tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - China is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the fourth consecutive year for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of punishment of trafficking crimes and the protection of Chinese and foreign victims of trafficking; victims are sometimes punished for unlawful acts that were committed as a direct result of their being trafficked, such as violations of prostitution or immigration/emigration controls; the Chinese Government continued to treat North Korean victims of trafficking solely as economic migrants, routinely deporting them back to horrendous conditions in North Korea; additional challenges facing the Chinese Government include the enormous size of its trafficking problem and the significant level of corruption and complicity in trafficking by some local government officials (2008) Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle region of Southeast Asia; growing domestic consumption of synthetic drugs, and heroin from Southeast and Southwest Asia; source country for methamphetamine and heroin chemical precursors, despite new regulations on its large chemical industry This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Liberia a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Liberia Introduction Liberia Background: Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) maintains a strong presence throughout the country, but the security situation is still fragile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country will take many years. Geography Liberia Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 111,370 sq km land: 96,320 sq km water: 15,050 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee Land boundaries: total: 1,585 km border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km Coastline: 579 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower Land use: arable land: 3.43% permanent crops: 1.98% other: 94.59% (2005) Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 232 cu km (1987) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.11 cu km/yr (27%/18%/55%) per capita: 34 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation Geography - note: facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture People Liberia Population: 3,441,790 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.1% (male 760,989/female 758,554) 15-64 years: 53% (male 904,770/female 920,704) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 47,013/female 49,760) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 18 years male: 17.9 years female: 18.2 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 2.665% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 42.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 21.45 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: 5.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 138.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 153.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 122.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 41.84 years male: 40.71 years female: 43 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.79 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 35,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,300 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever animal contact disease: rabies (2008) Nationality: noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian Ethnic groups: indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves) Religions: Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40% Languages: English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.5% male: 73.3% female: 41.6% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 8 years (2000) Education expenditures: NA Government Liberia Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia Government type: republic Capital: name: Monrovia geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe Independence: 26 July 1847 National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847) Constitution: 6 January 1986 Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 59.6%, George WEAH 40.4% Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; note - number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDC 15, LP 9, COTOL 8, UP 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15 note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH]; Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL [H. Varney SHERMAN]; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Roland MASSAQUOI]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF] Political pressure groups and leaders: other: demobilized former military officers International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Milton Nathaniel BARNES chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437 FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 98, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [231] 7-705-4826 FAX: [231] 7-701-0370 Flag description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag Economy Liberia Economy - overview: Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, some have returned. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private investment. Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted, opening new sources of revenue for the government. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as infrastructure and power generation. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.741 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $926 million (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 9.4% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $500 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 76.9% industry: 5.4% services: 17.7% (2002 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 70% industry: 8% services: 22% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 85% (2003 est.) Population below poverty line: 80% (2000 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Budget: revenues: NA expenditures: NA Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.2% (2007 est.) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15.05% (31 December 2007) Stock of money: $145.6 million (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $49.89 million (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $1.157 billion (31 December 2007) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber Industries: rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 320 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 297.6 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 3,687 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 23 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 3,593 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: -$224 million (2007) Exports: $1.197 billion f.o.b. (2006) Exports - commodities: rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee Exports - partners: Malaysia 27.5%, Poland 18.5%, Germany 11.5%, US 10.5%, Spain 8.2%, Norway 5.5% (2007) Imports: $7.143 billion f.o.b. (2006) Imports - commodities: fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs Imports - partners: South Korea 31.4%, Singapore 22.1%, Japan 14.9%, China 10.1% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $236.2 million (2005) Debt - external: $3.2 billion (2005 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $NA Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $NA Currency (code): Liberian dollar (LRD) Currency code: LRD Exchange rates: Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003) Communications Liberia Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: the limited services available are found almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia; coverage extended to a number of other towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular network operators domestic: fixed line service stagnant and extremely limited; mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity approaching 20 per 100 persons international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2007) Radios: Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2007) Televisions: Internet country code: .lr Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Liberia Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 38 (2007) Railways: total: 490 km standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge note: sections of railway are inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil war (2008) Roadways: total: 10,600 km paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km (2000) Merchant marine: total: 2,204 by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 390, cargo 107, chemical tanker 241, combination ore/oil 7, container 750, liquefied gas 84, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 460, refrigerated cargo 103, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 36 foreign-owned: 2,109 (Argentina 3, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Canada 7, China 11, Croatia 2, Cyprus 63, Denmark 12, Estonia 1, France 5, Germany 849, Gibraltar 5, Greece 358, Hong Kong 44, India 2, Indonesia 2, Isle of Man 5, Israel 23, Italy 41, Japan 116, South Korea 3, Latvia 21, Lebanon 2, Mexico 2, Monaco 8, Netherlands 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 40, Poland 13, Qatar 4, Romania 2, Russia 94, Saudi Arabia 27, Singapore 32, Slovenia 3, Sweden 10, Switzerland 13, Taiwan 91, Turkey 7, Ukraine 25, UAE 23, UK 20, US 98, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 4) (2008) Ports and terminals: Buchanan, Monrovia Military Liberia Military branches: Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 729,813 females age 16-49: 741,223 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 387,417 females age 16-49: 382,334 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 34,059 female: 33,281 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Transnational Issues Liberia Disputes - international: although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of 18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January 2007, Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 12,600 (Cote d'Ivoire) IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in November 2004) (2007) Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Uruguay a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Uruguay Introduction Uruguay Background: Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century established widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent. Geography Uruguay Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil Geographic coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 176,220 sq km land: 173,620 sq km water: 2,600 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the state of Washington Land boundaries: total: 1,648 km border countries: Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km Coastline: 660 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or edge of continental margin Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m Natural resources: arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries Land use: arable land: 7.77% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 91.99% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,100 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 139 cu km (2000) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 3.15 cu km/yr (2%/1%/96%) per capita: 910 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind that blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts Environment - current issues: water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation Geography - note: second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising People Uruguay Population: 3,494,382 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 397,942/female 385,253) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 1,115,963/female 1,129,478) 65 years and over: 13.3% (male 187,176/female 278,570) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 33.4 years male: 32 years female: 34.8 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 0.466% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 14.17 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 9.12 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 11.32 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.73 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.35 years male: 73.1 years female: 79.72 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.92 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 10,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 500 (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan Ethnic groups: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically nonexistent) Religions: Roman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%, nondenominational 23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%, other 1.1% (2006) Languages: Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 97.6% female: 98.4% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 16 years (2006) Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2006) Government Uruguay Country name: conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay local short form: Uruguay former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province Government type: constitutional republic Capital: name: Montevideo geographic coordinates: 34 53 S, 56 11 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres Independence: 25 August 1825 (from Brazil) National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1825) Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective 15 February 1967; suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997 Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with parliamentary approval elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009) election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote - Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LARRANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING 10.3%; other 4.1% Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; vice president has one vote in the Senate) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Broad Front (Frente Amplio) - formerly known as the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA [Jorge BROVETTO] (a broad governing coalition that includes Movement of the Popular Participation or MPP [Jose MUJICA], New Space Party (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael MICHELINI], Progressive Alliance (Alianza Progresista) [Rodolfo NIN NOVOA], Socialist Party [Eduardo FERNANDEZ], the Communist Party [Marina ARISMENDI], Uruguayan Assembly (Asamblea Uruguay) [Danilo ASTORI], and Vertiente Artiguista [Mariano ARANA]); Colorado Party (Foro Batllista) [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI]; National Party or Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE and Jorge LARRANAGA] Political pressure groups and leaders: Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization); Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association); Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization); PIT/CNT (powerful federation of Uruguayan Unions - umbrella labor organization); Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association); Uruguayan Construction League; Uruguayan Network of Political Women other: Catholic Church; students International organization participation: CAN (associate), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto GIANELLI Derois chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316 FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington, DC consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Frank E. BAXTER embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200 mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777 FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611 Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy Economy Uruguay Economy - overview: Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during 1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn, stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. In 2001-02 Argentine citizens made massive withdrawals of dollars deposited in Uruguayan banks after bank deposits in Argentina were frozen, which led to a plunge in the Uruguayan peso, a banking crisis, and a sharp economic contraction. Real GDP fell in four years by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year. The unemployment rate rose, inflation surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Financial assistance from the IMF helped stem the damage. Uruguay restructured its external debt in 2003 without asking creditors to accept a reduction on the principal. Economic growth for Uruguay resumed, and averaged 8% annually during the period 2004-08. GDP (purchasing power parity): $42.72 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $31.3 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 8.5% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $12,300 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.8% industry: 32.8% services: 57.4% (2008 est.) Labor force: 1.641 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 9% industry: 15% services: 76% (2007 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.6% (2008 est.) Population below poverty line: 27.4% of households (2006) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 34% (2003) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 15.1% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $8.204 billion expenditures: $8.526 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 57% of GDP (September 2008) Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: 10% (February 2009) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 7% (February 2009) Stock of money: $2.5 billion (31 November 2008) Stock of quasi money: $7.919 billion (31 December 2007) Stock of domestic credit: $7.8 billion (31 December 2008) Market value of publicly traded shares: $159 million (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, soybeans, barley; livestock, beef; fish; forestry Industries: food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages Industrial production growth rate: 14.1% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 9.2 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - consumption: 7.03 billion kWh (2007) Electricity - exports: 995.4 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 788.4 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.7% hydro: 99.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.3% (2001) Oil - production: 936 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 33,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - exports: 4,410 bbl/day (2007) Oil - imports: 43,670 bbl/day (2007) Oil - proved reserves: NA Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 102.8 million cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 116.9 million cu m (2007) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: -$1 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $6 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products Exports - partners: Brazil 15.5%, US 9.4%, Argentina 8.4%, Mexico 6.6%, China 6.1%, Germany 4.8% (2007) Imports: $7 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: crude petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, paper, plastics Imports - partners: Brazil 19.1%, Argentina 17.9%, US 9.5%, China 9.1%, Paraguay 7.7%, Nigeria 4.7% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $14.62 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $11.48 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $4.19 billion (2007) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $156 million (2007) Currency (code): Uruguayan peso (UYU) Currency code: UYU Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos (UYU) per US dollar - 20.936 (2008 est.), 23.947 (2007), 24.048 (2006), 24.479 (2005), 28.704 (2004) Communications Uruguay Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: 3.004 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: fully digitalized domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 115 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 598; the UNISOR submarine cable system provides direct connectivity to Brazil and Argentina; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002) Radio broadcast stations: AM 93, FM 191, shortwave 7 (2005) Radios: 1.97 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .uy Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Uruguay Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 29 (2007) Pipelines: gas 226 km; oil 155 km (2008) Railways: total: 2,073 km standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in partial use (2006) Roadways: total: 77,732 km paved: 7,743 km unpaved: 69,989 km (2004) Waterways: 1,600 km (2008) Merchant marine: total: 17 by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 10 (Argentina 3, Greece 1, Spain 6) registered in other countries: 3 (Liberia 3) (2008) Ports and terminals: Montevideo Military Uruguay Military branches: Uruguayan Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito), Navy (Armada Nacional; includes naval air arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya, FAU) (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; enlistment is voluntary in peacetime, but the government has the authority to conscript in emergencies (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 837,252 females age 16-49: 824,096 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 708,545 females age 16-49: 693,622 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 27,452 female: 26,479 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1.6% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues Uruguay Disputes - international: in Jan 2007, ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin construction of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina, while the court examines further whether Argentina has the legal right to stop such construction with potential environmental implications to both countries; uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina Illicit drugs: small-scale transit country for drugs mainly bound for Europe, often through sea-borne containers; law enforcement corruption; money laundering because of strict banking secrecy laws; weak border control along Brazilian frontier; increasing consumption of cocaine base and synthetic drugs This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Ghana a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Ghana Introduction Ghana Background: Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a long series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. Kufuor is constitutionally barred from running for a third term in upcoming Presidential elections, which are scheduled for December 2008. Geography Ghana Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 2 00 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 239,460 sq km land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon Land boundaries: total: 2,094 km border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km Coastline: 539 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm Climate: tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north Terrain: mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m Natural resources: gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone Land use: arable land: 17.54% permanent crops: 9.22% other: 73.24% (2005) Irrigated land: 310 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 53.2 cu km (2001) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.98 cu km/yr (24%/10%/66%) per capita: 44 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts Environment - current issues: recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography - note: Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake People Ghana Population: note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.3% (male 4,503,331/female 4,393,104) 15-64 years: 59.1% (male 7,039,696/female 7,042,208) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 393,364/female 460,792) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 20.7 years male: 20.5 years female: 21 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 1.882% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 29.22 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 9.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 51.09 deaths/1,000 live births male: 55.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 46.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.85 years male: 58.98 years female: 60.75 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.68 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.9% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 260,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 21,000 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds Nationality: noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian Ethnic groups: Akan 45.3%, Mole-Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan 4%, Gurma 3.6%, Grusi 2.6%, Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes 1.4%, other 7.8% (2000 census) Religions: Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1% (2000 census) Languages: Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Fante 9.9%, Boron (Brong) 4.6%, Dagomba 4.3%, Dangme 4.3%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.7%, Akyem 3.4%, Ga 3.4%, Akuapem 2.9%, other 36.1% (includes English (official)) (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.9% male: 66.4% female: 49.8% (2000 census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2007) Education expenditures: 5.4% of GDP (2005) Government Ghana Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast Government type: constitutional democracy Capital: name: Accra geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western Independence: 6 March 1957 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 6 March (1957) Constitution: approved 28 April 1992 Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 2009); Vice President John MAHAMA (since 7 January 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 2009); Vice President John MAHAMA (since 7 January 2009) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 December 2008 with a second round held 28 December 2008 (next to be held 7 December 2012) election results: John Evans Atta MILLS elected president in run-off election; percent of vote - John Evans Atta MILLS 50.23%, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO 49.77% Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (230 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2008 (next to be held 7 December 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDC 114, NPP 107, PNC 2, CPP 1, independent 4, other 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Convention People's Party or CPP [Ladi NYLANDER]; Democratic Freedom Party or DFP [Alhaji Abudu Rahman ISSAKAH]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTEY]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Kwabena ADJEI]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter MAC-MANU]; People's National Convention or PNC [Alhaji Amed RAMADAN]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU]; United Renaissance Party or URP [Charles WAYO] Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian Aid (water rights); Committee for Joint Action or CJA (education reform); National Coalition Against the Privatization of Water or CAP (water rights); Oxfam (water rights); Public Citizen (water rights); Students Coalition Against EPA [Kwabena Ososukene OKAI] (education reform); Third World Network (education reform) International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Kwame BAWUAH-EDUSEI chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520 FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald G. TEITELBAUM embassy: 24 4th Circular Rd. Cantonments, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 741-000 FAX: [233] (21) 741-389 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band Economy Ghana Economy - overview: Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold and cocoa production, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around agriculture, which accounts for about 35% of GDP and employs about 55% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural sector. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, and is also benefiting from the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative that took effect in 2006. Thematic priorities under its current Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy, which also provides the framework for development partner assistance, are: macroeconomic stability; private sector competitiveness; human resource development; and good governance and civic responsibility. Sound macro-economic management along with high prices for gold and cocoa helped sustain GDP growth in 2008. GDP (purchasing power parity): $34.52 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $17.72 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 6.3% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,500 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 37.3% industry: 25.3% services: 37.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 11.52 million (2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 56% industry: 15% services: 29% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 11% (2000 est.) Population below poverty line: 28.5% (2007 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 31.9% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $4.021 billion expenditures: $5.521 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Public debt: 66.5% of GDP (2008 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16.4% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 13.5% (31 December 2007) Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA Stock of money: $2.179 billion (31 December 2006) Stock of quasi money: $2.174 billion (31 December 2006) Stock of domestic credit: $4.173 billion (31 December 2006) Market value of publicly traded shares: $2.38 billion (31 December 2007) Agriculture - products: cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 8.204 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 6.76 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 755 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - imports: 629 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 5% hydro: 95% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 7,571 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 49,300 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 5,709 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 45,520 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Current account balance: -$1.807 billion (2008 est.) Exports: $5.439 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds, horticulture Exports - partners: Netherlands 11%, UK 9%, France 6.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.6%, Belgium 4.4% (2007) Imports: $9.816 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs Imports - partners: Nigeria 15.1%, China 14.9%, UK 5.2%, US 5.1% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $1.316 billion in loans and grants (2007) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.301 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $5.697 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $NA Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $NA Currency (code): Ghana cedi (GHC) Currency code: GHC Exchange rates: cedis (GHC) per US dollar - 1.1 (2008 est.), 0.95 (2007), 9,174.8 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6 (2004) note: in 2007 Ghana revalued its currency with 10,000 old cedis equal to 1 new cedis Communications Ghana Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: 7.604 million (2007) Telephone system: general assessment: outdated and unreliable fixed-line infrastructure heavily concentrated in Accra; competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with subscribership about 35 per 100 persons and rising domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: country code - 233; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors (2007) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 86, shortwave 3 (2007) Radios: 12.5 million (2001) Television broadcast stations: Televisions: 1.9 million (2001) Internet country code: .gh Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Ghana Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2007) Pipelines: oil 5 km; refined products 309 km (2008) Railways: total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 62,221 km paved: 9,955 km unpaved: 52,266 km (2006) Waterways: 1,293 km note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta (2008) Merchant marine: total: 4 by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3 foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2008) Ports and terminals: Tema Military Ghana Military branches: Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 5,802,096 females age 16-49: 5,729,939 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 3,849,113 females age 16-49: 3,840,083 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 272,954 female: 266,186 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 0.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Transnational Issues Ghana Disputes - international: Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 35,653 (Liberia); 8,517 (Togo) (2007) Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a well developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money laundering center; significant domestic cocaine and cannabis use This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Guinea a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Guinea Introduction Guinea Background: Guinea has had a history of authoritarian rule since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 when the military seized the government after the death of the first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003, though all the polls were marred by irregularities. History repeated itself in December 2008 when following President CONTE's death, Capt. Moussa Dadis CAMARA led a military coup, seizing power and suspending the constitution as well as political and union activity. Guinea has maintained some semblance of internal stability despite spillover effects from conflict in Sierra Leone and Liberia. As those countries have rebuilt, however, Guinea's own vulnerability to political and economic crisis has increased. Declining economic conditions and popular dissatisfaction with corruption and bad governance prompted two massive strikes in 2006, and a third nationwide strike in early 2007. Geography Guinea Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 10 00 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 245,857 sq km land: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km Coastline: 320 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds Terrain: generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt Land use: arable land: 4.47% permanent crops: 2.64% other: 92.89% (2005) Irrigated land: 950 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 226 cu km (1987) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 1.51 cu km/yr (8%/2%/90%) per capita: 161 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season Environment - current issues: deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands People Guinea Population: 10,057,975 (July 2009 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 2,175,852/female 2,128,518) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,701,184/female 2,704,161) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 153,053/female 195,207) (2009 est.) Median age: total: 18.5 years male: 18.2 years female: 18.7 years (2008 est.) Population growth rate: 2.572% (2009 est.) Birth rate: 37.84 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Death rate: 11.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Net migration rate: -0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 65.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 68.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 61.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 57.09 years male: 55.63 years female: 58.6 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.2 children born/woman (2009 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.6% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 87,000 (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,500 (2007 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2008) Nationality: noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean Ethnic groups: Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10% Religions: Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7% Languages: French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 29.5% male: 42.6% female: 18.1% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 8 years male: 10 years female: 7 years (2006) Education expenditures: 1.6% of GDP (2005) Government Guinea Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea Government type: republic Capital: name: Conakry geographic coordinates: 9 33 N, 13 42 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 2 October (1958) Constitution: 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale) Legal system: based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Capt. Moussa Dadis CAMARA, President of the National Council for Democracy and Development, who led a military coup following the death of President Lansana CONTE on 22 December 2008 head of government: Prime Minister Kabine KOMARA (since 30 December 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be held in December 2010); the prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE 95.3%, Mamadou Bhoye BARRY 4.6% Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by a mixed system of direct popular vote and proportional party lists) elections: last held 30 June 2002 (legislative elections due in 2007 were rescheduled for 2008, but again delayed to an unspecified date) election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%, other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9 note: legislative elections were due in 2007 but have been postponed Judicial branch: Court of First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme Political parties and leaders: National Union for Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP (the governing party) [Sekou KONATE]; People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Charles Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Ousmane BAH] Political pressure groups and leaders: National Confederation of Guinean Workers-Labor Union of Guinean Workers or CNTG-USTG Alliance (includes National Confederation of Guinean Workers or CNTG [Rabiatou Sarah DIALLO] and Labor Union of Guinean Workers or USTG [Dr. Ibrahima FOFANA]); National Council of Civil Society Organizations of Guinea or CNOSCG [Ben Sekou SYLLA]; Syndicate of Guinean Teachers and Researchers or SLECG [Dr. Louis M'Bemba SOUMAH] International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mory Karamoko KABA chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-9420 FAX: [1] (202) 483-8688 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Elizabeth RASPOLIC embassy: Koloma, Conakry, east of Hamdallaye Circle mailing address: B. P. 603, Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry telephone: [224] 65-10-40-00 FAX: [224] 65-10-42-97 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia Economy Guinea Economy - overview: Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country has almost half of the world's bauxite reserves. The mining sector accounts for over 70% of exports. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Investor confidence has been sapped by rampant corruption, a lack of electricity and other infrastructure, a lack of skilled workers, and the political uncertainty due to the failing health of President Lansana CONTE. Guinea is trying to reengage with the IMF and World Bank, which cut off most assistance in 2003, and is working closely with technical advisors from the U.S. Treasury Department, the World Bank and IMF, seeking to return to a fully funded program. Growth rose slightly in 2006-08, primarily due to increases in global demand and commodity prices on world markets, but the standard of living fell. The Guinea franc depreciated sharply as the prices for basic necessities like food and fuel rose beyond the reach of most Guineans. Dissatisfaction with economic conditions prompted nationwide strikes in February and June 2006. GDP (purchasing power parity): $11.07 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $4.454 billion (2008 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 1.8% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,100 (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.4% industry: 40.9% services: 36.6% (2008 est.) Labor force: 3.7 million (2006 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 76% industry and services: 24% (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 47% (2006 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 41% (2006) Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): 11.7% of GDP (2008 est.) Budget: revenues: $315 million expenditures: $796.5 million (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): 30% (2008 est.) Central bank discount rate: 22.25% (31 December 2005) Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA Stock of money: $309.8 million (31 December 2005) Stock of quasi money: NA Stock of domestic credit: $422.1 million (31 December 2005) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber Industries: bauxite, gold, diamonds, iron; alumina refining; light manufacturing, and agricultural processing Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2008 est.) Electricity - production: 800 million kWh note: excludes electricity generated at interior mining sites (2006 est.) Electricity - consumption: 744 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 45.5% hydro: 54.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil - consumption: 8,559 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil - imports: 8,811 bbl/day (2005) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: -$535 million (2008 est.) Exports: $1.202 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Exports - commodities: bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products Exports - partners: Russia 10.8%, Ukraine 9.6%, Spain 8.8%, US 7.5%, Germany 7.4%, South Korea 7.2%, France 7%, Ireland 5.5%, China 5% (2007) Imports: $1.392 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Imports - commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs Imports - partners: China 10%, France 7%, Netherlands 6.3% (2007) Economic aid - recipient: $182.1 million (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $92 million (31 December 2008 est.) Debt - external: $3.529 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Currency (code): Guinean franc (GNF) Currency code: GNF Exchange rates: Guinean francs (GNF) per US dollar - 5,500 (2008 est.), 4,122.8 (2007), 5,350 (2006), 3,644.3 (2005), 2,225 (2004) Communications Guinea Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system domestic: Conakry reasonably well served; coverage elsewhere remains inadequate and large companies tend to rely on their own systems for nationwide links; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 2 per 100 persons international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2006) Radios: Television broadcast stations: Televisions: Internet country code: .gn Internet hosts: Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Internet users: Transportation Guinea Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2007) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2007) Railways: total: 837 km standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2006) Roadways: total: 44,348 km paved: 4,342 km unpaved: 40,006 km (2003) Waterways: 1,300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2008) Ports and terminals: Conakry, Kamsar Military Guinea Military branches: Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine Guineenne, includes Marines), Air Force, Presidential Guard (2008) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 2,230,049 females age 16-49: 2,193,236 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 1,396,278 females age 16-49: 1,435,387 (2009 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 110,281 female: 107,879 (2009 est.) Military expenditures: 1.7% of GDP (2006) Transnational Issues Guinea Disputes - international: conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in neighboring states have spilled over into Guinea, resulting in domestic instability; Sierra Leone considers Guinea's definition of the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers excessive and protests Guinea's continued occupation of these lands, including the hamlet of Yenga, occupied since 1998 Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 21,856 (Liberia); 5,259 (Sierra Leone); 3,900 (Cote d'Ivoire) IDPs: 19,000 (cross-border incursions from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone) (2007) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Guinea is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children, and internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking; within the country, girls are trafficked primarily for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation, while boys are trafficked for forced agricultural labor, and as forced beggars, street vendors, shoe shiners, and laborers in gold and diamond mines; some Guinean men are also trafficked for agricultural labor within Guinea; transnationally, girls are trafficked into Guinea for domestic servitude and likely also for sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Guinea is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking over 2006; Guinea demonstrated minimal law enforcement efforts for a second year in a row, while protection efforts diminished over efforts in 2006; the government did not report any trafficking convictions in 2007; due to a lack of resources, the government does not provide shelter services for trafficking victims; the government took no measures to reduce the demand for commercial sexual exploitation (2008) This page was last updated on 1 January 2003 This page was last updated on 19 March, 2009   CIA - The World Factbook -- Brunei a { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none}   Country List | World Factbook Home The World Factbook   Brunei Introduction Brunei Background: The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia. Geography Brunei Location: Southeas