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Comparative area: about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 42.6 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: pleasant, modified by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year; moderate rainfall
Terrain: flat, low-lying coral atolls
Natural resources: fish
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation
Note: located 1,070 km southwest of Sumatra (Indonesia) in the Indian Ocean about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka
- People Population: 670 (July 1990), growth rate 2.1% (1990)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Cocos Islander(s); adjective—Cocos Islander(s)
Ethnic divisions: mostly Europeans on West Island and Cocos Malays on Home Island
Religion: NA
Language: English
Literacy: NA%
Labor force: NA
Organized labor: none
- Government Long-form name: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Type: territory of Australia
Capital: West Island
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
Constitution: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955
Legal system: based upon the laws of Australia and local laws
National holiday: NA
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general of Australia, administrator, chairman of the Islands Council
Legislative branch: unicameral Islands Council
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government—Administrator D. LAWRIE (since NA 1989); Chairman of the Islands Council Parson Bin YAPAT (since NA)
Suffrage: NA
Elections: NA
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)
Flag: the flag of Australia is used
- Economy Overview: Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Copra and fresh coconuts are the major export earners. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia.
GNP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment: NA
Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports: $NA; commodities—copra; partners—Australia
Imports: $NA; commodities—foodstuffs; partners—Australia
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: NA kW capacity; NA million kWh produced, NA kWh per capita
Industries: copra products
Agriculture: gardens provide vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
Aid: none
Currency: Australian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1—1.2784 (January 1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
- Communications Ports: none; lagoon anchorage only
Airports: 1 airfield with permanent-surface runway, 2,440-3,659 m; airport on West Island is a link in service between Australia and South Africa
Telecommunications: 250 radios (1985); linked by telephone, telex, and facsimile communications via satellite with Australia; stations—1 AM, no FM, no TV
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia —————————————————————————— Country: Colombia - Geography Total area: 1,138,910 km2; land area: 1,038,700 km2; includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank
Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Land boundaries: 7,408 km total; Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 2,900, Venezuela 2,050 km
Coastline: 3,208 km total (1,448 km North Pacific Ocean; 1,760 Caribbean Sea)
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: not specified;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela; territorial dispute with Nicaragua over Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank
Climate: tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
Terrain: mixture of flat coastal lowlands, plains in east, central highlands, some high mountains
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds
Land use: 4% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 29% meadows and pastures; 49% forest and woodland; 16% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides; periodic droughts
Note: only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
- People Population: 33,076,188 (July 1990), growth rate 2.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 27 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 38 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 73 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Colombian(s); adjective—Colombian
Ethnic divisions: 58% mestizo, 20% white, 14% mulatto, 4% black, 3% mixed black-Indian, 1% Indian
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic
Language: Spanish
Literacy: 88% (1987 est.), Indians about 40%
Labor force: 11,000,000 (1986); 53% services, 26% agriculture, 21% industry (1981)
Organized labor: 1,400,000 members (1987), about 12% of labor force; the Communist-backed Unitary Workers Central or CUT is the largest labor organization, with about 725,000 members (including all affiliate unions)
- Government Long-form name: Republic of Colombia
Type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure
Capital: Bogota
Administrative divisions: 23 departments (departamentos, singular—departamento), 5 commissariats* (comisarias, singular—comisaria), and 4 intendancies** (intendencias, singular—intendencia); Amazonas*, Antioquia, Arauca**, Atlantico, 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*; note—there may be a new special district (distrito especial) named Bogota
Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)
Constitution: 4 August 1886, with amendments codified in 1946 and 1968
Legal system: based on Spanish law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
Executive branch: president, presidential designate, cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives (Camara de Representantes)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica)
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—Virgilio BARCO Vargas (since 7 August 1986; term ends August 1990); Presidential Designate Victor MOSQUERA Chaux (since 13 October 1986); President-elect Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (since 27 May 1990, takes office 7 August 1990)
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party—Cesar Gaviria Trujillo, Virgilio Barco Vargas, Alfonso Lopez Michelson, Julio Cesar Turbay; Conservative Party—Misael Pastrana Borrero, Alvaro Gomez Hurtado; Patriotic Union (UP), is a legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Colombian Communist Party (PCC), Bernardo Jaramillo Ossa; 19th of April Movement (M-19), Rodrigo Lloreda
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: President—last held 27 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results—Cesar Gaviria Trujillo (Liberal) 47%, Alvaro Gomez Hurtado (Conservative) 24%, Antonio Novarro Wolff (Conservative) 13%, Rodrigo Lloreda (M-19) 12%;
Senate—last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(114 total) Liberal 68, Conservative 45, UP 1;
House of Representatives last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(199 total) Liberal 107, Conservative 82, UP 10
Communists: 18,000 members (est.), including Communist Party Youth Organization (JUCO)
Other political or pressure groups: Colombian Communist Party (PCC), Gilberto Vieira White; Communist Party/Marxist-Leninist (PCC/ML), Chinese-line Communist Party; Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC); National Liberation Army (ELN); People's Liberation Army (EPL)
Member of: FAO, G-77, GATT, Group of Eight, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB—Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, LAIA, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPEB, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Victor MOSQUERA; Chancery at 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-8338; there are Colombian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Tampa; US—Ambassador Thomas E. McNAMARA; Embassy at Calle 38, No.8-61, Bogota (mailing address is APO Miami 34038); telephone p57o (1) 285-1300 or 1688; there is a US Consulate in Barranquilla
Flag: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center
- Economy Overview: Economic activity has slowed gradually since 1986, but growth rates remain high by Latin American standards. Conservative economic policies have encouraged investment and kept inflation and unemployment under 30% and 10%, respectively. The rapid development of oil, coal, and other nontraditional industries over the past four years has helped to offset the decline in coffee prices—Colombia's major export. The collapse of the International Coffee Agreement in the summer of 1989, a troublesome rural insurgency, and drug-related violence dampen prospects for future growth.
GDP: $35.4 billion, per capita $1,110; real growth rate 3.7% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 27% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9.0% (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $4.39 billion; current expenditures $3.93 billion, capital expenditures $l.03 billion (1989 est.)
Exports: $5.76 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities—coffee 30%, petroleum 24%, coal, bananas, fresh cut flowers; partners—US 36%, EC 21%, Japan 5%, Netherlands 4%, Sweden 3%
Imports: $5.02 billion (c.i.f., 1989 est.); commodities—industrial equipment, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, paper products; partners—US 34%, EC 16%, Brazil 4%, Venezuela 3%, Japan 3%
External debt: $17.5 billion (1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 2.0% (1989 est.)
Electricity: 9,250,000 kW capacity; 35,364 million kWh produced, 1,110 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, metal products, cement; mining—gold, coal, emeralds, iron, nickel, silver, salt
Agriculture: accounts for 22% of GDP; crops make up two-thirds and livestock one-third of agricultural output; climate and soils permit a wide variety of crops, such as coffee, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseeds, vegetables; forest products and shrimp farming are becoming more important
Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of cannabis and coca for the international drug trade; key supplier of marijuana and cocaine to the US and other international drug markets; drug production and trafficking accounts for an estimated 4% of GDP and 28% of foreign exchange earnings
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $1.6 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.9 billion; Communist countries (1970-88), $399 million
Currency: Colombian peso (plural—pesos); 1 Colombian peso (Col$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Colombian pesos (Col$) per US$1—439.68 (January 1990), 382.57 (1989), 299.17 (1988), 242.61 (1987), 194.26 (1986), 142.31 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 3,563 km, all 0.914-meter gauge, single track
Highways: 75,450 km total; 9,350 km paved, 66,100 km earth and gravel surfaces
Inland waterways: 14,300 km, navigable by river boats
Pipelines: crude oil, 3,585 km; refined products, 1,350 km; natural gas, 830 km; natural gas liquids, 125 km
Ports: Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Covenas, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco
Merchant marine: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 334,854 GRT/487,438 DWT; includes 23 cargo, 1 chemical tanker, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 9 bulk
Civil air: 106 major transport aircraft
Airports: 673 total, 622 usable; 66 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 124 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: nationwide radio relay system; 1,890,000 telephones; stations—413 AM, no FM, 33 TV, 28 shortwave 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations with 2 antennas and 11 domestic satellite stations
- Defense Forces Branches: armed forces include Police (Policia Nacional) and military—Army (Ejercito Nacional), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia), Navy (Armada Nacional)
Military manpower: males 15-49, 8,768,072; 5,953,729 fit for military service; 354,742 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 1.9% of GDP, or $700 million (1990 est.) —————————————————————————— Country: Comoros - Geography Total area: 2,170 km2; land area: 2,170 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 340 km
Maritime claims:
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claims French-administered Mayotte
Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: 35% arable land; 8% permanent crops; 7% meadows and pastures; 16% forest and woodland; 34% other
Environment: soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; cyclones possible during rainy season
Note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
- People Population: 460,188 (July 1990), growth rate 3.5% (1990)
Birth rate: 48 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 89 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 58 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Comoran(s); adjective—Comoran
Ethnic divisions: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Religion: 86% Sunni Muslim, 14% Roman Catholic
Language: Shaafi Islam (a Swahili dialect), Malagasy, French
Literacy: 15%
Labor force: 140,000 (1982); 80% agriculture, 3% government; 51% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: NA
- Government Long-form name: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
Type: independent republic
Capital: Moroni
Administrative divisions: 3 islands; Anjouan, Grande Comore, Moheli; note—there may also be 4 municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu
Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)
Constitution: 1 October 1978, amended October 1982 and January 1985
Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President Said Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990)
Political parties: Comoran Union for Progress (Udzima), Said Mohamed Djohar, president; National Union for Democracy (UNDC), Mohamed Taki
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: President—last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results—Said Mohamed Djohar (Udzima) 55%; Mohamed Taki Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45%;
Federal Assembly—last held 22 March 1987 (next to be held March 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(42 total) Udzima 42
Member of: ACP, AfDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, IDA, IDB—Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Amini Ali MOUMIN; Chancery (temporary) at the Comoran Permanent Mission to the UN, 336 East 45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 972-8010; US—Ambassador Howard K. WALKER, resides in Antananarivo (Madagascar); Embassy at address NA, Moroni (mailing address B. P. 1318, Moroni); telephone 73-12-03
Flag: green with a white crescent placed diagonally (closed side of the crescent points to the upper hoist-side corner of the flag); there are four white five-pointed stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent; the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago—Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (which is a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by the Comoros)
- Economy Overview: One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of several islands that have poor transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a low level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the leading sector of the economy. It contributes about 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production, and rice, the main staple, accounts for 90% of imports. During the period 1982-86 the industrial sector grew at an annual average rate of 5.3%, but its contribution to GDP was less than 4% in 1986. Despite major investment in the tourist industry, which accounts for about 25% of GDP, growth has stagnated since 1983.
GDP: $207 million, per capita $475; real growth rate 0.1% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.3% (1986)
Unemployment rate: over 16% (1988 est.)
Budget: revenues $75.2 million; expenditures $77.9 million, including capital expenditures of $4.8 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $12 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities—vanilla, cloves, perfume oil, copra; partners—US 53%, France 41%, Africa 4%, FRG 2%
Imports: $52 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities—rice and other foodstuffs, cement, petroleum products, consumer goods; partners—Europe 62% (France 22%, other 40%), Africa 5%, Pakistan, China
External debt: $238 million (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate 3.4% (1988 est.)
Electricity: 16,000 kW capacity; 24 million kWh produced, 55 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: perfume distillation
Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP; most of population works in subsistence agriculture and fishing; plantations produce cash crops for export—vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, and copra; principal food crops—coconuts, bananas, cassava; world's leading producer of essence of ylang-ylang (for perfumes) and second-largest producer of vanilla; large net food importer
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY80-88), $9 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $371 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $22 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $18 million
Currency: Comoran franc (plural—francs); 1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Comoran francs (CF) per US$1—287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985); note—linked to the French franc at 50 to 1 French franc
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Highways: 750 km total; about 210 km bituminous, remainder crushed stone or gravel
Ports: Mutsamudu, Moroni
Civil air: 4 major transport aircraft
Airports: 4 total, 4 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: sparse system of radio relay and high-frequency radio communication stations for interisland and external communications to Madagascar and Reunion; over 1,800 telephones; stations—2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV
- Defense Forces Branches: Army, Presidential Guard, Gendarmerie
Military manpower: males 15-49, 97,504; 58,274 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: 3% of GDP (1981) —————————————————————————— Country: Congo - Geography Total area: 342,000 km2; land area: 341,500 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries: 5,504 km total; Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Gabon 1,903 km, Zaire 2,410 km
Coastline: 169 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 200 nm
Disputes: long section with Zaire along the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)
Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas
Land use: 2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 29% meadows and pastures; 62% forest and woodland; 7% other
Environment: deforestation; about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them
- People Population: 2,242,274 (July 1990), growth rate 3.0% (1990)
Birth rate: 43 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 14 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 110 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 55 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.8 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Congolese (sing., pl.); adjective—Congolese or Congo
Ethnic divisions: about 15 ethnic groups divided into some 75 tribes, almost all Bantu; most important ethnic groups are Kongo (48%) in the south, Sangha (20%) and M'Bochi (12%) in the north, Teke (17%) in the center; about 8,500 Europeans, mostly French
Religion: 50% Christian, 48% animist, 2% Muslim
Language: French (official); many African languages with Lingala and Kikongo most widely used
Literacy: 62.9%
Labor force: 79,100 wage earners; 75% agriculture, 25% commerce, industry, and government; 51% of population of working age; 40% of population economically active (1985)
Organized labor: 20% of labor force (1979 est.)
- Government Long-form name: People's Republic of the Congo
Type: people's republic
Capital: Brazzaville
Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regions, singular—region); Bouenza, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha; note—there may be a new capital district of Brazzaville
Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France; formerly Congo/Brazzaville)
Constitution: 8 July 1979
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
National holiday: National Day, 15 August (1960)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 8 February 1979); Prime Minister Alphonse POATY-SOUCHLATY (since 6 August 1989)
Political parties and leaders: only party—Congolese Labor Party (PCT), President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, leader
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: President—last held 26-31 July 1989 (next to be held July 1993); results—President Sassou-Nguesso unanimously reelected leader of the PCT by the Party Congress, which automatically makes him president;
People's National Assembly—last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held 1993); results—PCT is the only party; seats—(153 total) single list of candidates nominated by the PCT
Communists: unknown number of Communists and sympathizers
Other political or pressure groups: Union of Congolese Socialist Youth (UJSC), Congolese Trade Union Congress (CSC), Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women (URFC), General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students (UGEEC)
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, Conference of East and Central African States, EAMA, ECA, EIB (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UEAC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Benjamin BOUNKOULOU; Chancery at 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington DC 20011; telephone (202) 726-5500; US—Ambassador-designate James Daniel PHILLIPS; Embassy at Avenue Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville (mailing address is B. P. 1015, Brazzaville, or Box C, APO New York 09662-0006); telephone 83-20-70 or 83-26-24
Flag: red with the national emblem in the upper hoist-side corner; the emblem includes a yellow five-pointed star above a crossed hoe and hammer (like the hammer and sickle design) in yellow, flanked by two curved green palm branches; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
- Economy Overview: Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing about two-thirds of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s rapidly rising oil revenues enabled Congo to finance large-scale development projects with growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The world decline in oil prices, however, has forced the government to launch an austerity program to cope with declining receipts and mounting foreign debts.
GDP: $2.2 billion, per capita $1,000; real growth rate - 3% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1988)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $382 million; expenditures $575 million, including capital expenditures of $118 million (1988)
Exports: $912 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities—crude petroleum 72%, lumber, plywood, coffee, cocoa, sugar, diamonds; partners—US, France, other EC
Imports: $494.4 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities—foodstuffs, consumer goods, intermediate manufactures, capital equipment; partners—France, Italy, other EC, US, FRG, Spain, Japan, Brazil
External debt: $4.5 billion (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate - 5.9% (1987)
Electricity: 133,000 kW capacity; 300 million kWh produced, 130 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: crude oil, cement, sawmills, brewery, sugar mill, palm oil, soap, cigarettes
Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); cassava accounts for 90% of food output; other crops—rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables; cash crops include coffee and cocoa; forest products important export earner; imports over 90% of food needs
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $56 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $15 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $338 million
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural—francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1—287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 797 km, 1.067-meter gauge, single track (includes 285 km that are privately owned)
Highways: 12,000 km total; 560 km bituminous surface treated; 850 km gravel, laterite; 5,350 km improved earth; 5,240 km unimproved roads
Inland waterways: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) Rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; the rest are used for local traffic only
Pipelines: crude oil 25 km
Ports: Pointe-Noire (ocean port), Brazzaville (river port)
Civil air: 4 major transport aircraft
Airports: 51 total, 46 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 17 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: services adequate for government use; primary network is composed of radio relay routes and coaxial cables; key centers are Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; 18,100 telephones; stations—3 AM, 1 FM, 4 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station
- Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary National People's Militia
Military manpower: males 15-49, 492,419; 250,478 fit for military service; 23,622 reach military age (20) annually
Defense expenditures: 4.6% of GDP (1987) —————————————————————————— Country: Cook Islands (free association with New Zealand) - Geography Total area: 240 km2; land area: 240 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 120 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or edge of continental margin;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain: low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: 4% arable land; 22% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 74% other
Environment: subject to typhoons from November to March
Note: located 4,500 km south of Hawaii in the South Pacific Ocean
- People Population: 18,187 (July 1990), growth rate 0.5% (1990)
Birth rate: 22 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 10 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 24 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 72 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Cook Islander(s); adjective—Cook Islander
Ethnic divisions: 81.3% Polynesian (full blood), 7.7% Polynesian and European, 7.7% Polynesian and other, 2.4% European, 0.9% other
Religion: Christian, majority of populace members of Cook Islands Christian Church
Language: English
Literacy: NA%
Labor force: 5,810; agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%, industry 15%, and other 4% (1981)
Organized labor: NA
- Government Long-form name: none
Type: self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the Cook Islands
Capital: Avarua
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action
Constitution: 4 August 1965
National holiday: NA
Executive branch: British monarch, representative of the UK, representative of New Zealand, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament; note—the unicameral House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative powers
Judicial branch: High Court
Leaders: Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Representative of the UK Sir Tangaroa TANGAROA (since NA); Representative of New Zealand Adrian SINCOCK (since NA);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Geoffrey HENRY (since NA February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since NA)
Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey Henry; Democratic Tumu Party, Vincent Ingram; Democratic Party, Dr. Vincent Pupuke Robati; Cook Islands Labor Party, Rena Jonassen; Cook Islands People's Party, Sadaraka Sadaraka
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA
Elections: Parliament—last held 19 January 1989 (next to be held by January 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(24 total) Cook Islands Party 12, Democratic Tumu Party 2, opposition coalition (including Democratic Party) 9, independent 1
Member of: ADB, ESCAP (associate member), IDA, IFC, IMF, SPEC, SPF
Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag
- Economy Overview: Agriculture provides the economic base. The major export earners are fruit, copra, and clothing. Manufacturing activities are limited to a fruit-processing plant and several clothing factories. Economic development is hindered by the isolation of the islands from foreign markets and a lack of natural resources and good transportation links. A large trade deficit is annually made up for by remittances from emigrants and from foreign aid. Current economic development plans call for exploiting the tourism potential and expanding the fishing industry.
GDP: $40.0 million, per capita $2,200 (1988 est.); real growth rate 5.3% (1986-88 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.0% (1988)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $33.8 million; expenditures $34.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
Exports: $4.0 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—copra, fresh and canned fruit, clothing; partners—NZ 80%, Japan
Imports: $38.7 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities—foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber; partners—NZ 49%, Japan, Australia, US
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 4,800 kW capacity; 15 million kWh produced, 830 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: fruit processing, tourism
Agriculture: export crops—copra, citrus fruits, pineapples, tomatoes, bananas; subsistence crops—yams, taro
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $128 million
Currency: New Zealand dollar (plural—dollars); 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1—1.6581 (January 1990), 1.6708 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications Highways: 187 km total (1980); 35 km paved, 35 km gravel, 84 km improved earth, 33 km unimproved earth
Ports: Avatiu
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: 7 total, 5 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: stations—2 AM, no FM, no TV; 10,000 radio receivers; 2,052 telephones; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand —————————————————————————— Country: Coral Sea Islands (territory of Australia) - Geography Total area: undetermined; includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 1 million km2, with Willis Islets the most important
Comparative area: undetermined
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 3,095 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other, mostly grass or scrub cover; Lihou Reef Reserve and Coringa-Herald Reserve were declared National Nature Reserves on 3 August 1982
Environment: subject to occasional tropical cyclones; no permanent fresh water; important nesting area for birds and turtles
Note: the islands are located just off the northeast coast of Australia in the Coral Sea
- People Population: 3 meteorologists
- Government Long-form name: Coral Sea Islands Territory
Type: territory of Australia administered by the Minister for Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism, and Territories Graham Richardson
Flag: the flag of Australia is used
- Economy Overview: no economic activity
- Communications Ports: none; offshore anchorages only
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors —————————————————————————— Country: Costa Rica - Geography Total area: 51,100 km2; land area: 50,660 km2; includes Isla del Coco
Comparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: 639 km total; Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Coastline: 1,290 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November)
Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Natural resources: hydropower potential
Land use: 6% arable land; 7% permanent crops; 45% meadows and pastures; 34% forest and woodland; 8% other; includes 1% irrigated
Environment: subject to occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active volcanoes; deforestation; soil erosion
- People Population: 3,032,795 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 16 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 79 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Costa Rican(s); adjective—Costa Rican
Ethnic divisions: 96% white (including mestizo), 2% black, 1% Indian, 1% Chinese
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic
Language: Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
Literacy: 93%
Labor force: 868,300; industry and commerce 35.1%, government and services 33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 est.)
Organized labor: 15.1% of labor force
- Government Long-form name: Republic of Costa Rica
Type: democratic republic
Capital: San Jose
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular—provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Constitution: 9 November 1949
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President Rafael Angel CALDERON Fournier (since 8 May 1990); First Vice President German SERRANO Pinto (since 8 May 1990); Second Vice President Arnoldo LOPEZ Echandi (since 8 May 1990)
Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Party (PLN), Carlos Manuel Castillo; Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), Rafael Angel Calderon Fournier; Marxist Popular Vanguard Party (PVP), Humberto Vargas Carbonell; New Republic Movement (MNR), Sergio Erick Ardon; Progressive Party (PP), Javier Solis; People's Party of Costa Rica (PPC), Lenin Chacon Vargas; Radical Democratic Party (PRD), Juan Jose Echeverria Brealey
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections: President—last held 4 February 1990 (next to be held February 1994); results—Rafael Calderon Fournier 51%, Carlos Manuel Castillo 47%;
Legislative Assembly—last held 4 February 1990 (next to be held February 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(57 total) PUSC 29, PLN 25, PVP/PPC 1, regional parties 2
Communists: 7,500 members and sympathizers
Other political or pressure groups: Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers (CCTD; Liberation Party affiliate), Confederated Union of Workers (CUT; Communist Party affiliate), Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers (CATD; Communist Party affiliate), Chamber of Coffee Growers, National Association for Economic Development (ANFE), Free Costa Rica Movement (MCRL; rightwing militants), National Association of Educators (ANDE)
Member of: CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB—Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, OAS, ODECA, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPEB, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Danilo JIMENEZ; Chancery at Suite 211, 1825 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 234-2945 through 2947; there are Costa Rican Consulates General at Albuquerque, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa, and Consulates in Austin, Buffalo, Honolulu, and Raleigh; US—Ambassador (vacant); Embassy at Pavas Road, San Jose (mailing address is APO Miami 34020); telephone p506o 33-11-55
Flag: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the red band
- Economy Overview: In 1988 the economy grew at a 3.8% rate, a drop from the 5.1% of the previous year. Gains in agricultural production (on the strength of good coffee and banana crops) and in construction, were partially offset by declines in the rates of growth for the industry and commerce sectors. In 1988 consumer prices rose by nearly 21% followed by a 10% rise in 1989. Unemployment is officially reported at about 6%, but much underemployment remains. External debt, on a per capita basis, is among the world's highest.
GDP: $4.7 billion, per capita $1,630; real growth rate 3.8% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 5.5% (March 1989)
Budget: revenues $719 million; expenditures $808 million, including capital expenditures of $103 million (1988)
Exports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar; partners—US 75%, FRG, Guatemala, Netherlands, UK, Japan
Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities—petroleum, machinery, consumer durables, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs; partners—US 35%, Japan, Guatemala, FRG
External debt: $4.5 billion (1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 2.1% (1988)
Electricity: 909,000 kW capacity; 2,928 million kWh produced, 990 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer
Agriculture: accounts for 20-25% of GDP and 70% of exports; cash commodities—coffee, beef, bananas, sugar; other food crops include corn, rice, beans, potatotes; normally self-sufficient in food except for grain; depletion of forest resources resulting in lower timber output
Illicit drugs: illicit production of cannabis on small scattered plots; transshipment country for cocaine from South America
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $1.3 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $706 million; Communist countries (1971-88), $27 million
Currency: Costa Rican colon (plural—colones); 1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1—84.689 (January 1990), 81.504 (1989), 75.805 (1988), 62.776 (1987), 55.986 (1986), 50.453 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 950 km total, all 1.067-meter gauge; 260 km electrified
Highways: 15,400 km total; 7,030 km paved, 7,010 km gravel, 1,360 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways: about 730 km, seasonally navigable
Pipelines: refined products, 176 km
Ports: Puerto Limon, Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puntarenas
Merchant marine: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,279 GRT/6,602 DWT
Civil air: 9 major transport aircraft
Airports: 193 total, 177 usable; 25 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 11 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: very good domestic telephone service; 292,000 telephones; connection into Central American Microwave System; stations—71 AM, no FM, 18 TV, 13 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces Branches: Civil Guard, Rural Assistance Guard; note—Constitution prohibits armed forces
Military manpower: males 15-49, 785,429; 530,986 fit for military service; 31,899 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 0.6% of GDP (1987) —————————————————————————— Country: Cuba - Geography Total area: 110,860 km2; land area: 110,860 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundary: 29.1 km with US Naval Base at Guantanamo; note—Guantanamo is leased and as such remains part of Cuba
Coastline: 3,735 km
Maritime claims:
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: US Naval Base at Guantanamo is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
Natural resources: cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica
Land use: 23% arable land; 6% permanent crops; 23% meadows and pastures; 17% forest and woodland; 31% other; includes 10% irrigated
Environment: averages one hurricane every other year
Note: largest country in Caribbean; 145 km south of Florida
- People Population: 10,620,099 (July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 18 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 1 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 12 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 78 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Cuban(s); adjective—Cuban
Ethnic divisions: 51% mulatto, 37% white, 11% black, 1% Chinese
Religion: at least 85% nominally Roman Catholic before Castro assumed power
Language: Spanish
Literacy: 98.5%
Labor force: 3,400,000 in state sector; 30% services and government, 22% industry, 20% agriculture, 11% commerce, 10% construction, 7% transportation and communications (1988); economically active population 4,500,000 (1987)
Organized labor: Workers Central Union of Cuba (CTC), only labor federation approved by government; 2,910,000 members; the CTC is an umbrella organization composed of 17 member unions
- Government Long-form name: Republic of Cuba
Type: Communist state
Capital: Havana
Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (provincias, singular—provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara
Independence: 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)
Constitution: 24 February 1976
Legal system: based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 January (1959)
Executive branch: president of the Council of State, first vice president of the Council of State, Council of State, president of the Council of Ministers, first vice president of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly of the People's Power (Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular)
Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (became Prime Minister in January 1959 and President since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976)
Political parties and leaders: only party—Cuban Communist Party (PCC), Fidel Castro Ruz, first secretary
Suffrage: universal at age 16
Elections: National Assembly of the People's Power—last held NA December 1986 (next to be held December 1991); results—PCC is the only party; seats—(510 total) PCC 510 (indirectly elected)
Communists: about 600,000 full and candidate members
Member of: CEMA, ECLA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB (nonparticipant), IAEA, IBEC, ICAO, IFAD, ICO, IHO, ILO, IMO, IRC, ISO, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, NAM, OAS (nonparticipant), PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO
Diplomatic representation: none; protecting power in the US is Czechoslovakia—Cuban Interests Section; Counselor Jose Antonio Arbesu FRAGA; 2630 and 2639 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 797-8518 or 8519, 8520, 8609, 8610; US—protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland—US Interests Section; Principal Officer John J. TAYLOR; Calzada entre L y M, Vedado Seccion, Havana; telephone 320551 or 320543
Flag: five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white five-pointed star in the center
- Economy Overview: The Soviet-style economy, centrally planned and largely state owned, is highly dependent on the agricultural sector and foreign trade. Sugar provides about 75% of export revenues and is mostly exported to the USSR and other CEMA countries. The economy has stagnated since 1985 under a program that has deemphasized material incentives in the workplace, abolished farmers' informal produce markets, and raised prices of government-supplied goods and services. Castro has complained that the ongoing CEMA reform process has interfered with the regular flow of goods to Cuba. Recently the government has been trying to increase trade with Latin America and China. Cuba has had difficulty servicing its foreign debt since 1982. The government currently is encouraging foreign investment in tourist facilities. Other investment priorities include sugar, basic foods, and nickel. The annual $4 billion Soviet subsidy, a main prop to Cuba's threadbare economy, may be cut in view of the USSR's mounting economic problems.
GNP: $20.9 billion, per capita $2,000; real growth rate - 1% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment: 6% overall, 10% for women (1989)
Budget: revenues $11.7 billion; expenditures $13.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)
Exports: $5.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—sugar, nickel, shellfish, citrus, tobacco, coffee; partners—USSR 67%, GDR 6%, China 4% (1988)
Imports: $7.6 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities—capital goods, industrial raw materials, food, petroleum; partners—USSR 71%, other Communist countries 15% (1988)
External debt: $6.8 billion (convertible currency, July 1989)
Industrial production: 3% (1988)
Electricity: 3,991,000 kW capacity; 14,972 million kWh produced, 1,425 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: sugar milling, petroleum refining, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, paper and wood products, metals (particularly nickel), cement, fertilizers, consumer goods, agricultural machinery
Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GNP (including fishing and forestry); key commercial crops—sugarcane, tobacco, and citrus fruits; other products—coffee, rice, potatoes, meat, beans; world's largest sugar exporter; not self-sufficient in food
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $657.5 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $13.5 billion
Currency: Cuban peso (plural—pesos); 1 Cuban peso (Cu$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Cuban pesos (Cu$) per US$1—1.0000 (linked to the US dollar)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 14,925 km total; Cuban National Railways operates 5,295 km of 1.435-meter gauge track; 199 km electrified; 9,630 km of sugar plantation lines of 0.914-1.435-meter gauge
Highways: about 21,000 km total; 9,000 km paved, 12,000 km gravel and earth surfaced
Inland waterways: 240 km
Ports: Cienfuegos, Havana, Mariel, Matanzas, Santiago de Cuba; 7 secondary, 35 minor
Merchant marine: 91 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 701,418 GRT/1,014,014 DWT; includes 62 cargo, 7 refrigerated cargo, 3 cargo/training, 10 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 6 bulk; note—Cuba beneficially owns an additional 34 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 475,864 DWT under the registry of Panama, Cyprus, and Malta
Civil air: 59 major transport aircraft
Airports: 197 total, 168 usable; 72 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 14 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 17 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: stations—150 AM, 5 FM, 58 TV; 1,530,000 TV sets; 2,140,000 radio receivers; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces Branches: Revolutionary Armed Forces (Ground Forces, Revolutionary Navy, Air and Air Defense Force), Ministry of Interior Special Troops, Border Guard Troops, Territorial Militia Troops, Youth Labor Army
Military manpower: eligible 15-49, 6,027,131; of the 3,024,385 males 15-49, 1,897,175 are fit for military service; of the 3,002,746 females 15-49, 1,879,471 are fit for military service; 96,319 males and 92,765 females reach military age (17) annually
Defense expenditures: about 6% of GNP, or $1.2-$1.4 billion (1989 est.) —————————————————————————— Country: Cyprus - Geography Total area: 9,250 km2; land area: 9,240 km2
Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 648 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: 1974 hostilities divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas—a Greek area controlled by the Cypriot Government (60% of the island's land area) and a Turkish-Cypriot area (35% of the island) that are separated by a narrow UN buffer zone; in addition, there are two UK sovereign base areas (about 5% of the island's land area)
Climate: temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters
Terrain: central plain with mountains to north and south
Natural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
Land use: 40% arable land; 7% permanent crops; 10% meadows and pastures; 18% forest and woodland; 25% other; includes 10% irrigated (most irrigated lands are in the Turkish-Cypriot area of the island)
Environment: moderate earthquake activity; water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, and most potable resources concentrated in the Turkish-Cypriot area)
- People Population: 707,776 (July 1990), growth rate 1.0% (1990)
Birth rate: 19 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 78 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Cypriot(s); adjective—Cypriot
Ethnic divisions: 78% Greek; 18% Turkish; 4% other
Religion: 78% Greek Orthodox; 18% Muslim; 4% Maronite, Armenian, Apostolic, and other
Language: Greek, Turkish, English
Literacy: 99% (est.)
Labor force: Greek area—251,406; 42% services, 33% industry, 22% agriculture; Turkish area—NA (1986)
Organized labor: 156,000 (1985 est.)
- Government Long-form name: Republic of Cyprus
Type: republic; a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began after the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified following the Turkish invasion of the island in July 1974, which gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktash declared independence and the formation of a Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which has been recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly call for the resolution of intercommunal differences and creation of a new federal system of government
Capital: Nicosia
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos
Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK)
Constitution: 16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and to better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in 1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own Constitution and governing bodies within the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus, which was renamed the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983; a new Constitution for the Turkish area passed by referendum in May 1985
Legal system: based on common law, with civil law modifications
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October
Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet); note—there is a president, prime minister, and Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish area
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon); note—there is a unicameral Assembly of the Republic (Cumhuriyet Meclisi) in the Turkish area
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; note—there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish area
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President George VASSILIOU (since February 1988); note—Rauf R. DENKTAS was proclaimed President of the Turkish area on 13 February 1975
Political parties and leaders: Greek Cypriot—Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL; Communist Party), Dimitrios Christotias, Democratic Rally (DESY), Glafkos Clerides; Democratic Party (DEKO), Spyros Kyprianou; United Democratic Union of the Center (EDEK), Vassos Lyssarides;
Turkish area—National Unity Party (NUP), Dervis Eroglu; Communal Liberation Party (CLP), Ismail Bozkurt; Republican Turkish Party (RTP), Ozker Ozgur; New Birth Party (NBP), Aytac Besheshler; New Cyprus savey (NCP), Alpay Durduran
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: President—last held 14 February and 21 February 1988 (next to be held February 1993); results—George Vassiliou 52%, Glafkos Clerides 48%;
House of Representatives—last held 8 December 1985 (next to be held December 1990); results—Democratic Rally 33.56%, Democratic Party 27.65%, AKEL 27.43%, EDEK 11.07%; seats—(56 total) Democratic Rally 19, Democratic Party 16, AKEL (Communist) 15, EDEK 6;
Turkish Area: President—last held 9 June 1985 (next to be held June 1990); results—Rauf Denktash 70%;
Turkish Area: Legislative Assembly—last held 23 June 1985 (next to be held June 1990); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(50 total) National Unity Party (conservative) 24, Republican Turkish Party (Communist) 12, Communal Liberation Party (center-right) 10, New Birth Party 4
Communists: about 12,000
Other political or pressure groups: United Democratic Youth Organization (EDON; Communist controlled); Union of Cyprus Farmers (EKA; Communist controlled); Cyprus Farmers Union (PEK; pro-West); Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation (PEO; Communist controlled); Confederation of Cypriot Workers (SEK; pro-West); Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions (Turk-Sen); Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions (Dev-Is)
Member of: CCC, Commonwealth, Council of Europe, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO; Turkish Federated State of Cyprus—OIC (observer)
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Michael E. SHERIFIS; Chancery at 2211 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 462-5772; there is a Cypriot Consulate General in New York; US—(vacant); Embassy at the corner of Therissos Street and Dositheos Street, Nicosia (mailing address is FPO New York 09530); telephone p357o (2) 465151
Flag: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities
- Economy Overview: These data are for the area controlled by the Republic of Cyprus (information on the northern Turkish-Cypriot area is sparse). The economy is small, diversified, and prosperous. Industry contributes about 28% to GDP and employs 35% of the labor force, while the service sector contributes about 55% to GDP and employs 40% of the labor force. Rapid growth in exports of agricultural and manufactured products and in tourism have played important roles in the average 6% rise in GDP in recent years. While this growth put considerable pressure on prices and the balance of payments, the inflation rate has remained low and the balance-of-payments deficit manageable.
GDP: $4.2 billion, per capita $6,100; real growth rate 6.9% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.8% (1988)
Budget: revenues $1.2 billion; expenditures $1.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $178 million (1989 est.)
Exports: $767 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—citrus, potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing and shoes; partners—Middle East and North Africa 37%, UK 27%, other EC 11%, US 2%
Imports: $1.9 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities—consumer goods 23%, petroleum and lubricants 12%, food and feed grains, machinery; partners—EC 60%, Middle East and North Africa 7%, US 4%
External debt: $2.8 billion (1988)
Industrial production: growth rate 6.5% (1988)
Electricity: 620,000 kW capacity; 1,770 million kWh produced, 2,530 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: mining (iron pyrites, gypsum, asbestos); manufactured products—beverages, footwear, clothing, and cement—are principally for local consumption
Agriculture: accounts for 8% of GDP and employs 22% of labor force; major crops—potatoes, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, and citrus fruits; vegetables and fruit provide 25% of export revenues
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $272 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $223 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $62 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $24 million
Currency: Cypriot pound (plural—pounds) and in Turkish area, Turkish lira (plural—liras); 1 Cypriot pound (LC) = 100 cents and 1 Turkish lira (TL) = 100 kurus
Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds (LC) per US$1—0.4854 (January 1990), 0.4933 (1989), 0.4663 (1988), 0.4807 (1987), 0.5167 (1986), 0.6095 (1985); in Turkish area, Turkish liras (TL) per US$1—2,314.7 (November 1989), 1,422.3 (1988), 857.2 (1987), 674.5 (1986), 522.0 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Highways: 10,780 km total; 5,170 km bituminous surface treated; 5,610 km gravel, crushed stone, and earth
Ports: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos
Merchant marine: 1,100 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,093,340 GRT/32,148,550 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 12 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 434 cargo, 61 refrigerated cargo, 18 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 40 container, 94 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 specialized cargo, 3 liquefied gas, 13 chemical tanker, 29 combination ore/oil, 341 bulk, 3 vehicle carrier, 48 combination bulk carrier; note—a flag of convenience registry; Cuba owns at least 20 of these ships and Yugoslavia owns 1
Civil air: 8 major transport aircraft
Airports: 13 total, 13 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 7 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: excellent in the area controlled by the Cypriot Government (Greek area), moderately good in the Turkish-Cypriot administered area; 210,000 telephones; stations—13 AM, 7 (7 repeaters) FM, 2 (40 repeaters) TV; tropospheric scatter circuits to Greece and Turkey; 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations—INTELSAT, 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, and EUTELSAT systems
- Defense Forces Branches: Cyprus National Guard; Turkish area—Turkish Cypriot Security Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 180,946; 125,044 fit for military service; 5,083 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 2% of GDP, or $84 million (1990 est.) —————————————————————————— Country: Czechoslovakia - Geography Total area: 127,870 km2; land area: 125,460 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than New York State
Land boundaries: 3,446 km total; Austria 548 km, GDR 459 km, Hungary 676 km, Poland 1,309 km, USSR 98 km, FRG 356 km
Coastline: none—landlocked
Maritime claims: none—landlocked
Disputes: Nagymaros Dam dispute with Hungary
Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain: mixture of hills and mountains separated by plains and basins
Natural resources: coal, timber, lignite, uranium, magnesite, iron ore, copper, zinc
Land use: 40% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 13% meadows and pastures; 37% forest and woodland; 9% other; includes 1% irrigated
Environment: infrequent earthquakes; acid rain; water pollution; air pollution
Note: landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe
- People Population: 15,683,234 (July 1990), growth rate 0.3% (1990)
Birth rate: 14 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 11 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 11 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.0 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Czechoslovak(s); adjective—Czechoslovak
Ethnic divisions: 64.3% Czech, 30.5% Slovak, 3.8% Hungarian, 0.4% German, 0.4% Polish, 0.3% Ukrainian, 0.1% Russian, 0.2% other (Jewish, Gypsy)
Religion: 50% Roman Catholic, 20% Protestant, 2% Orthodox, 28% other
Language: Czech and Slovak (official), Hungarian
Literacy: 99%
Labor force: 8,200,000 (1987); 36.9% industry, 12.3% agriculture, 50.8% construction, communications, and other (1982)
Organized labor: Revolutionary Trade Union Movement (ROH), formerly regime-controlled; other industry-specific strike committees; new independent trade unions forming
- Government Long-form name: Czechoslovak Socialist Republic; abbreviated CSSR; note—on 23 March 1990 the name was changed to Czechoslovak Federative Republic; because of Slovak concerns about their status in the Federation, the Federal Assembly approved the name Czech and Slovak Federative Republic on 20 April 1990
Type: in transition from Communist state to republic
Capital: Prague
Administrative divisions: 2 socialist republics (socialisticke republiky, singular—socialisticka republika); Ceska Socialisticka Republika, Slovenska Socialisticka Republika
Independence: 18 October 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)
Constitution: 11 July 1960; amended in 1968 and 1970; new constitution under review (1 January 1990)
Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes, modified by Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Holiday of the Republic (Anniversary of the Liberation), 9 May (1945)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (Federalni Shromazdeni) consists of an upper house or House of Nations (Snemovna Narodu) and a lower house or House of the People (Snemovna Lidu)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State—President Vaclav HAVEL (since 28 December 1989);
Head of Government—Premier Marian CALFA (since 10 December 1989); First Deputy Premier Valtr KOMAREK (since 7 December 1989); Jan CARNOGURSKY (since 7 December 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Civic Forum, since December 1989 leading political force, loose coalition of former oppositionists headed by President Vaclav Havel; Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSC), Ladislav Adamec, chairman (since 20 December 1989); KSC toppled from power in November 1989 by massive antiregime demonstrations, minority role in coalition government since 10 December 1989
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: President—last held 22 May 1985 (next to be held 8 June 1990; will be a free election); results—Gustav Husak was reelected without opposition;
Federal Assembly—last held 23 and 24 May 1986 (next to be held 8 June 1990; will be a free election); results—KSC was the only party; seats—(350 total) KSC 350
Communists: 1.71 million party members (April 1988) and falling
Other political groups: Czechoslovak Socialist Party, Czechoslovak People's Party, Slovak Freedom Party, Slovak Revival Party, Christian Democratic Party; more than 40 political groups are expected to field candidates for the 8 June 1990 election
Member of: CCC, CEMA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBEC, ICAO, ICO, ILO, ILZSG, IMO, IPU, ISO, ITC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, Warsaw Pact, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Rita KLIMOVA; Chancery at 3900 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 363-6315 or 6316; US—Ambassador Shirley Temple BLACK; Embassy at Trziste 15-12548, Prague (mailing address is APO New York 09213); telephone p42o (2) 53 6641 through 6649
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
- Economy Overview: Czechoslovakia is highly industrialized and has a well-educated and skilled labor force. Its industry, transport, energy sources, banking, and most other means of production are state owned. The country is deficient, however, in energy and many raw materials. Moreover, its aging capital plant lags well behind West European standards. Industry contributes over 50% to GNP and construction 10%. About 95% of agricultural land is in collectives or state farms. The centrally planned economy has been tightly linked in trade (80%) to the USSR and Eastern Europe. Growth has been sluggish, averaging less than 2% in the period 1982-89. GNP per capita ranks next to the GDR as the highest in the Communist countries. As in the rest of Eastern Europe, the sweeping political changes of 1989 have been disrupting normal channels of supply and compounding the government's economic problems. Czechoslovakia is beginning the difficult transition from a command to a market economy.
GNP: $123.2 billion, per capita $7,878; real growth rate 1.0% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 0.9% (1987)
Budget: revenues $22.4 billion; expenditures $21.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.7 billion (1986 state budget)
Exports: $24.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—machinery and equipment 58.5%; industrial consumer goods 15.2%; fuels, minerals, and metals 10.6%; agricultural and forestry products 6.1%, other products 15.2%; partners—USSR, GDR, Poland, Hungary, FRG, Yugoslavia, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, US
Imports: $23.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—machinery and equipment 41.6%; fuels, minerals, and metals 32.2%; agricultural and forestry products 11.5%; industrial consumer goods 6.7%; other products 8.0%; partners—USSR, GDR, Poland, Hungary, FRG, Yugoslavia, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, US
External debt: $7.4 billion, hard currency indebtedness (1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 2.1% (1988)
Electricity: 22,955,000 kW capacity; 85,000 million kWh produced, 5,410 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: iron and steel, machinery and equipment, cement, sheet glass, motor vehicles, armaments, chemicals, ceramics, wood, paper products, footwear
Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GNP (includes forestry); largely self-sufficient in food production; diversified crop and livestock production, including grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit, hogs, cattle, and poultry; exporter of forest products
Aid: donor—$4.2 billion in bilateral aid to non-Communist less developed countries (1954-88)
Currency: koruna (plural—koruny); 1 koruna (Kc) = 100 haleru
Exchange rates: koruny (Kcs) per US$1—17.00 (March 1990), 10.00 (1989), 5.63 (1988), 5.43 (1987), 5.95 (1986), 6.79 (1985), 6.65 (1984)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 13,116 km total; 12,868 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 102 km 1.524-meter broad gauge, 146 km 0.750- and 0.760-meter narrow gauge; 2,854 km double track; 3,530 km electrified; government owned (1986)
Highways: 73,805 km total; including 489 km superhighway (1986)
Inland waterways: 475 km (1986); the Elbe (Labe) is the principal river
Pipelines: crude oil, 1,448 km; refined products, 1,500 km; natural gas, 8,000 km
Ports: maritime outlets are in Poland (Gdynia, Gdansk, Szczecin), Yugoslavia (Rijeka, Koper), FRG (Hamburg), GDR (Rostock); principal river ports are Prague on the Vltava, Decin on the Elbe (Labe), Komarno on the Danube, Bratislava on the Danube
Merchant marine: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 208,471 GRT/ 308,072 DWT; includes 15 cargo, 6 bulk
Civil air: 40 major transport aircraft
Airports: 158 total, 158 usable; 40 with permanent-surface runways; 19 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 37 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: stations—58 AM, 16 FM, 45 TV; 14 Soviet TV relays; 4,360,000 TV sets; 4,208,538 radio receivers; at least 1 satellite earth station
- Defense Forces Branches: Czechoslovak People's Army, Frontier Guard, Air and Air Defense Forces
Military manpower: males 15-49, 4,019,311; 3,076,735 fit for military service; 137,733 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 28.4 billion koruny, 7% of total budget (1989); note—conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the official administratively set exchange rate would produce misleading results —————————————————————————— Country: Denmark - Geography Total area: 43,070 km2; land area: 42,370 km2; includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark, but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland
Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Massachusetts
Land boundaries: 68 km with FRG
Coastline: 3,379 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 4 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Disputes: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Iceland, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); Denmark has challenged Norway's maritime claims between Greenland and Jan Mayen
Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers
Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone
Land use: 61% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 6% meadows and pastures; 12% forest and woodland; 21% other; includes 9% irrigated
Environment: air and water pollution
Note: controls Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas
- People Population: 5,131,217 (July 1990), growth rate NEGL% (1990)
Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 11 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 79 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Dane(s); adjective—Danish
Ethnic divisions: Scandinavian, Eskimo, Faroese, German
Religion: 97% Evangelical Lutheran, 2% other Protestant and Roman Catholic, 1% other
Language: Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Eskimo dialect); small German-speaking minority
Literacy: 99%
Labor force: 2,760,000; 51% services, 34% industry, 8% government, 7% agriculture, forestry, and fishing (1988)
Organized labor: 65% of labor force
- Government Long-form name: Kingdom of Denmark
Type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Copenhagen
Administrative divisions: metropolitan Denmark—14 counties (amter, singular—amt) and 1 city* (stad); Arhus, Bornholm, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Staden Kobenhavn*, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjaelland, Viborg; note—see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland which are part of the Danish realm and self-governing administrative divisions
Independence: became a constitutional monarchy in 1849
Constitution: 5 June 1953
Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)
Executive branch: monarch, heir apparent, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Folketing)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State—Queen MARGRETHE II (since January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the Queen (born 26 May 1968);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Poul SCHLUTER (since 10 September 1982)
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic, Svend Auken; Liberal, Uffe Ellemann-Jensen; Conservative, Poul Schluter; Radical Liberal, Niels Helveg Petersen; Socialist People's, Gert Petersen; Communist, Ole Sohn; Left Socialist, Elizabeth Brun Olesen; Center Democratic, Mimi Stilling Jakobsen; Christian People's, Flemming Kofoed-Svendsen; Justice, Poul Gerhard Kristiansen; Progress Party, Aage Brusgaard; Socialist Workers Party, leader NA; Communist Workers' Party (KAP); Common Course, Preben Moller Hansen; Green Party, Inger Borlehmann
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections: Parliament—last held 10 May 1988 (next to be held by May 1992); results—Social Democrat 29.9%, Conservative 19.3%, Socialist People's 13.0%, Liberal 11.8%, Radical Liberal 9.0%, Center Democratic 5.6%, Christian People's 2.0%, Common Course 2.7%, other 6.7%; seats—(175 total; includes 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands) Social Democratic 55, Conservative 35, Socialist People's 24, Liberal 22, Progress 16, Radical Liberal 10, Center Democratic 9, Christian People's 4
Member of: ADB, CCC, Council of Europe, DAC, EC, EMS, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB, Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO, ITC, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, NATO, Nordic Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Peter Pedersen DYVIG; Chancery at 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 234-4300; there are Danish Consulates General at Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York; US—Ambassador Keith L. BROWN; Embassy at Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen O (mailing address is APO New York 09170); telephone p45o (31) 42 31 44
Flag: 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 and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden
- Economy Overview: This modern economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards, and high dependence on foreign trade. Growth in output, however, has been sluggish in 1987-89, and unemployment in early 1989 stood at 9.6% of the labor force. The government is trying to revitalize growth in preparation for the economic integration of Europe in 1992.
GDP: $73.7 billion, per capita $14,300; real growth rate 1.4% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.25% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9.6% (1989)
Budget: revenues $34 billion; expenditures $34 billion, including capital expenditures of $19 billion (1988)
Exports: $27.7 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities—meat and meat products, dairy products, transport equipment, fish, chemicals, industrial machinery; partners—US 6.0%, FRG, Norway, Sweden, UK, other EC, Japan
Imports: $26.4 billion (c.i.f., 1989 est.); commodities—petroleum, machinery and equipment, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, textiles, paper; partners—US 7.0%, FRG, Netherlands, Sweden, UK, other EC
External debt: $41.1 billion (1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 0.9% (1988)
Electricity: 11,215,000 kW capacity; 30,910 million kWh produced, 6,030 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: food processing, machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing, chemical products, electronics, construction, furniture, and other wood products
Agriculture: accounts for 7% of GNP and employs 1.8% of labor force (includes fishing); farm products account for nearly 16% of export revenues; principal products—meat, dairy, grain, potatoes, rape, sugar beets, fish; self-sufficient in food production
Aid: donor—ODA and OOF commitments (1970-87) $4.8 billion
Currency: Danish krone (plural—kroner); 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 ore
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1—6.560 (January 1990), 7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988), 6.840 (1987), 8.091 (1986), 10.596 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 2,675 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; Danish State Railways (DSB) operate 2,025 km (1,999 km rail line and 121 km rail ferry services); 188 km electrified, 730 km double tracked; 650 km of standard-gauge lines are privately owned and operated
Highways: 66,482 km total; 64,551 km concrete, bitumen, or stone block; 1,931 km gravel, crushed stone, improved earth
Inland waterways: 417 km
Pipelines: crude oil, 110 km; refined products, 578 km; natural gas, 700 km
Ports: Alborg, Arhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia; numerous secondary and minor ports
Merchant marine: 252 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,498,611 GRT/6,711,011 DWT; includes 12 short-sea passenger, 82 cargo, 15 refrigerated cargo, 28 container, 36 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 railcar carrier, 37 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 13 chemical tanker, 12 liquefied gas, 4 livestock carrier, 12 bulk; note—Denmark has created a captive register called the Danish International Ship Register (DIS) as its own internal register; DIS ships do not have to meet Danish manning regulations, and they amount to a flag of convenience within the Danish register; by the end of 1990, most Danish flag ships will belong to the DIS
Civil air: 58 major transport aircraft
Airports: 130 total, 114 usable; 27 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 9 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: excellent telephone, telegraph, and broadcast services; 4,237,000 telephones; stations—2 AM, 15 (39 repeaters) FM, 27 (25 repeaters) TV stations; 7 submarine coaxial cables; 1 satellite earth station operating in INTELSAT, 4 Atlantic Ocean, EUTELSAT, and domestic systems
- Defense Forces Branches: Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,368,013; 1,180,865 fit for military service; 37,228 reach military age (20) annually
Defense expenditures: 2.1% of GDP, or $1.5 billion (1989 est.) —————————————————————————— Country: Djibouti - Geography Total area: 22,000 km2; land area: 21,980 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: 517 km total; Ethiopia 459 km, Somalia 58 km
Coastline: 314 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis
Climate: desert; torrid, dry
Terrain: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
Natural resources: geothermal areas
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 9% meadows and pastures; NEGL% forest and woodland; 91% other
Environment: vast wasteland
Note: strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia
- People Population: 337,386 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 43 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 17 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 119 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 46 years male, 49 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Djiboutian(s); adjective—Djiboutian
Ethnic divisions: 60% Somali (Issa); 35% Afar, 5% French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian
Religion: 94% Muslim, 6% Christian
Language: French (official); Arabic, Somali, and Afar widely used
Literacy: 20%
Labor force: NA, but a small number of semiskilled laborers at the port and 3,000 railway workers; 52% of population of working age (1983)
Organized labor: 3,000 railway workers
- Government Long-form name: Republic of Djibouti
Type: republic
Capital: Djibouti
Administrative divisions: 5 districts (cercles, singular—cercle); Ali Sahih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura
Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France; formerly French Territory of the Afars and Issas)
Constitution: partial constitution ratified January 1981 by the Chamber of Deputies
Legal system: based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders: Chief of State—President Hassan GOULED Aptidon (since 24 June 1977);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Barkat GOURAD Hamadou (since 30 September 1978)
Political parties and leaders: only party—People's Progress Assembly (RPP), Hassan Gouled Aptidon
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA
Elections: President—last held 24 April 1987 (next to be held April 1993); results—President Hassan Gouled Aptidon was reelected without opposition;
Chamber of Deputies—last held 24 April 1987 (next to be held April 1992); results—RPP is the only party; seats—(65 total) RPP 65
Communists: NA
Member of: ACP, AfDB, Arab League, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB—Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE; Chancery (temporary) at the Djiboutian Permanent Mission to the UN; 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 4011, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 753-3163; US—Ambassador Robert S. BARRETT IV; Embassy at Villa Plateau du Serpent Boulevard, Marechal Joffre, Djibouti (mailing address is B. P. 185, Djibouti); telephone p253o 35-38-49 or 35-39-95, 35-29-16, 35-29-17
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center
- Economy Overview: The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. It has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of over 50% continues to be a major problem.
GNP: $333 million, $1,070 per capita; real growth rate - 0.7% (1986)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.0% (1987)
Unemployment rate: over 50% (1987)
Budget: revenues $117 million; expenditures $163 billion, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1987 est.)
Exports: $128 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities—hides and skins, coffee (in transit); partners—Middle East 50%, Africa 43%, Western Europe 7%
Imports: $198 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities—foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products; partners—EC 36%, Africa 21%, Bahrain 14%, Asia 12%, US 2%
External debt: $250 million (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate - 1.6% (1986)
Electricity: 110,000 kW capacity; 190 million kWh produced, 580 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as dairy products and mineral-water bottling
Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP; scanty rainfall limits crop production to mostly fruit and vegetables; half of population pastoral nomads herding goats, sheep, and camels; imports bulk of food needs
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY78-88), $36 million; Western (non-US) countries, including ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $962 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $149 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $35 million
Currency: Djiboutian franc (plural—francs); 1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs (DF) per US$1—177.721 (fixed rate since 1973)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: the Ethiopian-Djibouti railroad extends for 97 km through Djibouti
Highways: 2,900 km total; 280 km bituminous surface, 2,620 km improved or unimproved earth (1982)
Ports: Djibouti
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Airports: 12 total, 9 usable; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: fair system of urban facilities in Djibouti and radio relay stations at outlying places; 7,300 telephones; stations—2 AM, 1 FM, 2 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station and 1 ARABSAT; 1 submarine cable to Saudi Arabia
- Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary National Security Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 88,132; 51,260 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: $29.9 million, 23% of central government budget (1986) —————————————————————————— Country: Dominica - Geography Total area: 750 km2; land area: 750 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 148 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Natural resources: timber
Land use: 9% arable land; 13% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures; 41% forest and woodland; 34% other
Environment: flash floods a constant hazard; occasional hurricanes
Note: located 550 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea
- People Population: 84,854 (July 1990), growth rate 1.7% (1990)
Birth rate: 26 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 4 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 13 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 79 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Dominican(s); adjective—Dominican
Ethnic divisions: mostly black; some Carib indians
Religion: 80% Roman Catholic; Anglican, Methodist
Language: English (official); French patois widely spoken
Literacy: 80% (est.)
Labor force: 25,000; 40% agriculture, 32% industry and commerce, 28% services (1984)
Organized labor: 25% of labor force
- Government Long-form name: Commonwealth of Dominica
Type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Roseau
Administrative divisions: 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Independence: 3 November 1978 (from UK)
Constitution: 3 November 1978
Legal system: based on English common law
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (includes 9 appointed senators and 21 elected representatives) |
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