Defense expenditures: $NA, 1.0% of GNP (1990 est.) % @Jarvis Island (territory of the US) *Geography Total area: 4.5 km2; land area: 4.5 km2

#Comparative area: about 7.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 8 km

#Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 12 nm;

Continental shelf: 200 m (depth);

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

#Terrain: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

#Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)

#Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%

#Environment: sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; lacks fresh water; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats

#Note: 2,090 km south of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, just south of the Equator, about halfway between Hawaii and the Cook Islands

*People #Population: uninhabited

#Note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators

*Government #Long-form name: none (territory of the US)

#Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System

*Economy #Overview: no economic activity

*Communications #Ports: none; offshore anchorage only—one boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island

#Note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

*Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard % @Jersey (British crown dependency) *Geography Total area: 117 km2; land area: 117 km2

#Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 70 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 3 nm

#Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers

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

#Natural resources: agricultural land

#Land use: arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and woodland NA%; other NA%; about 58% of land under cultivation

#Environment: about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier

#Note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; 27 km from France

*People #Population: 84,331 (July 1991), growth rate 0.8% (1991)

#Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: 6 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Channel Islander(s); adjective—Channel Islander

#Ethnic divisions: UK and Norman-French descent

#Religion: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian

#Language: English and French (official), with the Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

#Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education age 5 to 16

#Labor force: NA

#Organized labor: none

*Government #Long-form name: Bailiwick of Jersey

#Type: British crown dependency

#Capital: Saint Helier

#Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)

#Independence: none (British crown dependency)

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

#Legal system: English law and local statute

#National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

#Executive branch: British monarch, lieutenant governor, bailiff

#Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States

#Judicial branch: Royal Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);

Head of Government—Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air Marshal Sir John SUTTON (since NA 1990); Bailiff Peter CRILL (since NA)

#Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

#Suffrage: universal adult at age NA

#Elections:

Assembly of the States—last held NA (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(56 total, 52 elected) 52 independents

#Communists: probably none

#Member of: none

#Diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency)

#Flag: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag

*Economy #Overview: The economy is based largely on financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EC countries. In 1986 the finance sector overtook tourism as the main contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of the island's output. In recent years the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs.

#GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate 8% (1987 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1988 est.)

#Unemployment rate: NA%

#Budget: revenues $308.0 million; expenditures $284.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985)

#Exports: $NA;

commodities—light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles;

partners—UK

#Imports: $NA;

commodities—machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals;

partners—UK

#External debt: $NA

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: 50,000 kW standby capacity (1990); power supplied by France

#Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy

#Agriculture: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; dairy and cattle farming

#Economic aid: none

#Currency: Jersey pound (plural—pounds); 1 Jersey pound (5J) = 100 pence

#Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (5J) per US$1—0.5171 (January 1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

#Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

*Communications #Ports: Saint Helier, Gorey, Saint Aubin

#Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m (Saint Peter)

#Telecommunications: 63,700 telephones; stations—1 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 3 submarine cables

*Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK % @Johnston Atoll (territory of the US) *Geography Total area: 2.8 km2; land area: 2.8 km2

#Comparative area: about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 10 km

#Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 12 nm;

Continental shelf: 200 m (depth);

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation

#Terrain: mostly flat with a maximum elevation of 4 meters

#Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until about 1890)

#Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%

#Environment: some low-growing vegetation

#Note: strategic location 1,328 km west-southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way between Hawaii and the Marshall Islands; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to the public; former nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS)

*People #Population: 1,325 (December 1990); all US government personnel and contractors

*Government #Long-form name: none (territory of the US)

#Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) and managed cooperatively by DNA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

#Diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)

#Flag: the flag of the US is used

*Economy #Overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

#Electricity: supplied by the United States Military

*Communications #Ports: Johnston Island

#Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 2,743 m

#Telecommunications: excellent system including 60-channel submarine cable, Autodin/SRT terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), commercial satellite television system (receive only), and UHF/VHF air-ground radio, marine VHF/FM Channel 16

#Note: US Coast Guard operates a LORAN transmitting station

*Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the US % @Jordan (see separate West Bank entry) Note: The war between Israel and the Arab states in June 1967 ended with Israel in control of the West Bank. As stated in the 1978 Camp David Accords and reaffirmed by President Reagan's 1 September 1982 peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, their relationship with their neighbors, and a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties. The Camp David Accords further specify that these negotiations will resolve the location of the respective boundaries. Pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has yet to be determined.

*Geography #Total area: 91,880 km2; land area: 91,540 km2

#Comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana

#Land boundaries: 1,586 km total; Iraq 134 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 742 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

#Coastline: 26 km

#Maritime claims:

Territorial sea: 3 nm

#Disputes: differences with Israel over the location of the 1949 Armistice Line which separates the two countries

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

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

#Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil

#Land use: arable land 4%; permanent crops 0.5%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 0.5%; other 94%; includes irrigated 0.5%

#Environment: lack of natural water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

*People #Population: 3,412,553 (July 1991), growth rate 4.2% (1991)

#Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: 1 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 38 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 73 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 7.1 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Jordanian(s); adjective—Jordanian

#Ethnic divisions: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

#Religion: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 8%

#Language: Arabic (official); English widely understood among upper and middle classes

#Literacy: 80% (male 89%, female 70%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 572,000 (1988); agriculture 20%, manufacturing and mining 20% (1987 est.)

#Organized labor: about 10% of labor force

#Note: 1.5-1.7 million Palestinians live on the East Bank (55-60% of the population), most are Jordanian citizens

*Government #Long-form name: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

#Type: constitutional monarchy

#Capital: Amman

#Administrative divisions: 8 governorates (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah); Al Balqa, Al Karak, Al Mafraq, Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa, Irbid, Maan

#Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration; formerly Trans-Jordan)

#Constitution: 8 January 1952

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

#National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

#Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-Umma) consists of an upper house or House of Notables (Majlis al-Aayan) and a lower house or House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab); note—the House of Deputies was dissolved by King Hussein on 30 July 1988 as part of Jordanian disengagement from the West Bank and in November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held, with no seats going to Palestinians on the West Bank

#Judicial branch: Court of Cassation

#Leaders:

Chief of State—King HUSSEIN Ibn Talal I (since 11 August 1952);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Tahir al-MASRI (since 17 June 1991)

#Political parties and leaders: none; after the 1989 parliamentary elections, King Hussein promised to allow the formation of political parties; a national charter that sets forth the ground rules for democracy in Jordan—including the creation of political parties—has been completed but not yet approved

#Suffrage: universal at age 20

#Elections:

House of Representatives—last held 8 November 1989 (next to be held November 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(80 total) Muslim Brotherhood 22, Independent Islamic bloc 10, Democratic bloc (mostly leftist) 15, Liberal bloc (traditionalist) 7, Nationalist bloc (traditionalist) 14, independent 12

#Communists: party actively repressed, membership less than 500 (est.)

#Member of: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNAVEM, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Hussein A. HAMMAMI; Chancery at 3504 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 966-2664;

US—Ambassador Roger Gram HARRISON; Embassy on Jebel Amman, Amman (mailing address is P. O. Box 354, Amman, or APO New York 09892); telephone [962] (6) 644-371

#Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran

*Economy #Overview: Jordan was a secondary beneficiary of the oil boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when its annual GNP growth averaged 10-12%. Recent years, however, have witnessed a sharp reduction in grant aid from Arab oil-producing countries and a dropoff in worker remittances, with national growth averaging 1-2%. Imports—mainly oil, capital goods, consumer durables, and foodstuffs—have been outstripping exports by roughly $2 billion annually, the difference being made up by aid, remittances, and borrowing. In mid-1989, the Jordanian Government agreed to implement an IMF austerity program designed to tackle the country's serious economic problems. The program sought to gradually reduce the government's budget deficit over the next several years and implement badly needed structural reforms in the economy. In return for agreeing to the IMF program, Jordan was granted IMF standby loans of over $100 million. Recognizing that it would be unable to cover its debt obligations, the government also began debt rescheduling negotiations with creditors in mid-1989. The onset of the Gulf crisis in August 1990 forced the government to shelve the IMF program and suspend most debt payments and rescheduling negotiations. Economic prospects for 1991 are especially gloomy, given the unsettled conditions in the Middle East.

#GNP: $4.6 billion, per capita $1,400; real growth rate - 15% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (1990 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 30% (January 1991 est.)

#Budget: revenues $1.05 billion; expenditures $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)

#Exports: $0.9 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);

commodities—fruits and vegetables, phosphates, fertilizers;

partners—Iraq, Saudi Arabia, India, Kuwait, Japan, China, Yugoslavia, Indonesia

#Imports: $2.1 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.);

commodities—crude oil, textiles, capital goods, motor vehicles, foodstuffs;

partners—EC, US, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Turkey, Romania, China, Taiwan

#External debt: $8 billion (December 1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate - 15% (1990 est.); accounts for 20% of GDP

#Electricity: 981,000 kW capacity; 3,500 million kWh produced, 1,180 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing

#Agriculture: accounts for only 5% of GDP; principal products are wheat, barley, citrus fruit, tomatoes, melons, olives; livestock—sheep, goats, poultry; large net importer of food

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.7 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1.3 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.5 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $44 million

#Currency: Jordanian dinar (plural—dinars); 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils

#Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1—0.6670 (January 1991), 0.6636 (1990), 0.5704 (1989), 0.3709 (1988), 0.3387 (1987), 0.3499 (1986), 0.3940 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 619 km 1.050-meter gauge, single track

#Highways: 7,500 km; 5,500 km asphalt, 2,000 km gravel and crushed stone

#Pipelines: crude oil, 209 km

#Ports: Al Aqabah

#Merchant marine: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,870 GRT/38,187 DWT; includes 1 bulk, 1 cargo

#Civil air: 19 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 19 total, 16 usable; 14 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: adequate system of radio relay, cable, and radio; 81,500 telephones; stations—4 AM, 3 FM, 24 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT, 1 domestic TV receive-only; coaxial cable and radio relay to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria; radio relay to Lebanon is inactive; a microwave network linking Syria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Jordan

*Defense Forces #Branches: Jordan Arab Army, Royal Jordanian Air Force, Royal Jordanian Coast Guard, Public Security Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 778,353; 555,144 fit for military service; 39,879 reach military age (18) annually

Defense expenditures: $377 million, 12.4% of GNP (1990) % @Juan de Nova Island (French possession) *Geography Total area: 4.4 km2; land area: 4.4 km2

#Comparative area: about 7.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 24.1 km

#Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 12 nm;

Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation;

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: claimed by Madagascar

#Climate: tropical

#Terrain: undetermined

#Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers

#Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 90%; other 10%

#Environment: subject to periodic cyclones; wildlife sanctuary

#Note: located in the central Mozambique Channel about halfway between Africa and Madagascar

*People #Population: uninhabited

*Government #Long-form name: none

#Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic Daniel CONSTANTIN, resident in Reunion

*Economy #Overview: no economic activity

*Communications #Railroads: short line going to a jetty

#Airports: 1 with nonpermanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m

#Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

*Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of France % @Kenya *Geography Total area: 582,650 km2; land area: 569,250 km2

#Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

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

#Coastline: 536 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary; possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis

#Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

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

#Natural resources: gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barytes, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife

#Land use: arable land 3%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 7%; forest and woodland 4%; other 85%; includes irrigated NEGL%

#Environment: unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; glaciers on Mt. Kenya

#Note: Kenyan Highlands one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa

*People #Population: 25,241,978 (July 1991), growth rate 3.6% (1991)

#Birth rate: 45 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 69 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 60 years male, 64 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Kenyan(s); adjective—Kenyan

#Ethnic divisions: Kikuyu 21%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 11%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, Asian, European, and Arab 1%

#Religion: Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, Muslim 6%

#Language: English and Swahili (official); numerous indigenous languages

#Literacy: 69% (male 80%, female 58%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 9.2 million (includes unemployed); the total employed is 1.37 million (14.8% of the labor force); services 54.8%, industry 26.2%, agriculture 19.0% (1989)

#Organized labor: 390,000 (est.)

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Kenya

#Type: republic

#Capital: Nairobi

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

#Independence: 12 December 1963 (from UK; formerly British East Africa)

#Constitution: 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, and 1988

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

#National holiday: Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

#Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Bunge)

#Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—President Daniel Teroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); Vice President George SAITOTI (since 10 May 1989)

#Political parties and leaders: only party—Kenya African National Union (KANU), Daniel T. arap MOI, president

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

President—last held on 21 March 1988 (next to be held by March 1993); results—President Daniel T. arap MOI was reelected;

National Assembly—last held on 21 March 1988 (next to be held by March 1993); results—KANU is the only party; seats—(202 total, 188 elected) KANU 200

#Communists: may be a few Communists and sympathizers

#Other political or pressure groups: labor unions; exile opposition—Mwakenya and other groups

#Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Denis Daudi AFANDE; Chancery at 2249 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-6101; there are Kenyan Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York;

US—Ambassador Smith HEMPSTONE, Jr.; Embassy at the corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi (mailing address is P. O. Box 30137, Nairobi or APO New York 09675); telephone [254] (2) 334141; there is a US Consulate in Mombasa

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

*Economy #Overview: A serious underlying economic problem is Kenya's 3.6% annual population growth rate—one of the highest in the world. In the meantime, GDP growth in the near term has kept slightly ahead of population—annually averaging 4.9% in the 1986-90 period. Undependable weather conditions and a shortage of arable land hamper long-term growth in agriculture, the leading economic sector.

#GDP: $8.5 billion, per capita $360; real growth rate 4% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.9% (1990 est.)

#Unemployment rate: NA%, but there is a high level of unemployment and underemployment

#Budget: revenues $2.0 billion; expenditures $2.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY89)

#Exports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);

commodities—tea 25%, coffee 21%, petroleum products 7% (1989);

partners—EC 44%, Africa 25%, Asia 5%, US 5%, Middle East 4% (1988)

#Imports: $2.4 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.);

commodities—machinery and transportation equipment 29%, petroleum and petroleum products 15%, iron and steel 7%, raw materials, food and consumer goods (1989 est.);

partners—EC 45%, Asia 11%, Middle East 12%, US 5% (1988)

#External debt: $5.8 billion (December 1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 5.4% (1989 est.); accounts for 17% of GDP

#Electricity: 730,000 kW capacity; 2,700 million kWh produced, 110 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural processing, oil refining, cement, tourism

#Agriculture: most important sector, accounting for 29% of GDP, about 80% of the work force, and over 50% of exports; cash crops—coffee, tea, sisal, pineapple; food products—corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables, dairy products; food output not keeping pace with population growth

#Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis used mostly for domestic consumption; widespread cultivation of cannabis and qat on small plots; transit country for heroin and methaqualone en route from Southwest Asia to West Africa, Western Europe, and the US

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $839 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $6.7 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $74 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $83 million

#Currency: Kenyan shilling (plural—shillings); 1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: Kenyan shillings (KSh) per US$1—24.427 (January 1991), 22.915 (1990), 20.572 (1989), 17.747 (1988), 16.454 (1987), 16.226 (1986), 16.432 (1985)

#Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

*Communications #Railroads: 2,040 km 1.000-meter gauge

#Highways: 64,590 km total; 7,000 km paved, 4,150 km gravel, remainder improved earth

#Inland waterways: part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya; principal inland port is at Kisumu

#Pipelines: refined products, 483 km

#Ports: Mombasa, Lamu

#Civil air: 14 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 249 total, 213 usable; 22 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 47 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: in top group of African systems; consists of radio relay links, open-wire lines, and radiocommunication stations; 260,000 telephones; stations—11 AM, 4 FM, 4 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTLESAT

*Defense Forces #Branches: Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service Unit of the Police

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 5,444,247; 3,362,290 fit for military service; no conscription

Defense expenditures: $100 million, 1.0% of GDP (1989 est.) % @Kingman Reef (territory of the US) *Geography Total area: 1 km2; land area: 1 km2

#Comparative area: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 3 km

#Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 12 nm;

Continental shelf: 200 m (depth);

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds

#Terrain: low and nearly level with a maximum elevation of about 1 meter

#Natural resources: none

#Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%

#Environment: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; wet or awash most of the time

#Note: located 1,600 km south-southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa; maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes this a navigational hazard; closed to the public

*People #Population: uninhabited

*Government #Long-form name: none

#Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Navy

*Economy #Overview: no economic activity

*Communications #Airports: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938

#Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

*Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the US % @Kiribati *Geography Total area: 717 km2; land area: 717 km2; includes three island groups—Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands

#Comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 1,143 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

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

#Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

#Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 51%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 3%; other 46%

#Environment: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited

#Note: Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean—the others are Makatea in French Polynesia and Nauru

*People #Population: 71,137 (July 1991), growth rate 1.6% (1991)

#Birth rate: 33 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: - 5 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 63 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 58 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 4.2 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—I-Kiribati (sing., pl.); adjective—I-Kiribati

#Ethnic divisions: Micronesian

#Religion: Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)

#Language: English (official), Gilbertese

#Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

#Labor force: 7,870 economically active (1985 est.)

#Organized labor: Kiribati Trades Union Congress—2,500 members

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Kiribati; note—pronounced Kiribas

#Type: republic

#Capital: Tarawa

#Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note—a new administrative structure of 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) may have been changed to 20 island councils (one for each of the inhabited islands) named Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina

#Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands)

#Constitution: 12 July 1979

#National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

#Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)

#Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—President Ieremia TABAI (since 12 July 1979); Vice President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 20 July 1979)

#Political parties and leaders: Gilbertese National Party; Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO, secretary; essentially not organized on the basis of political parties

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

President—last held on 12 May 1987 (next to be held May 1991); results—Ieremia TABAI 50.1%, Tebruroro TITO 42.7%, Tetao TEANNAKI 7.2%;

House of Assembly—last held on 19 March l987 (next to be held May 1991); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA

#Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP (associate), IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador (vacant) lives in Tarawa (Kiribati);

US—none

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

*Economy #Overview: The country has few national resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Real GDP declined about 8% in 1987, as the fish catch fell sharply to only one-fourth the level of 1986 and copra production was hampered by repeated rains. Output rebounded strongly in 1988, with real GDP growing by 17%. The upturn in economic growth came from an increase in copra production and a good fish catch. Following the strong surge in output in 1988, GNP increased 1% in 1989 and again in 1990.

#GDP: $36.8 million, per capita $525; real growth rate 1.0% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.0% (1990 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 2% (1985); considerable underemployment

#Budget: revenues $29.9 million; expenditures $16.3 million, including capital expenditures of $14.0 million (1990 est.)

#Exports: $5.8 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);

commodities—fish 55%, copra 42%;

partners—EC 20%, Marshall Islands 12%, US 8%, American Samoa 4% (1985)

#Imports: $26.7 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.);

commodities—foodstuffs, fuel, transportation equipment;

partners—Australia 39%, Japan 21%, NZ 6%, UK 6%, US 3% (1985)

#External debt: $2.0 million (December 1989 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 0.0% (1988 est.); accounts for less than 4% of GDP

#Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 13 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: fishing, handicrafts

#Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP (including fishing); copra and fish contribute about 95% to exports; subsistence farming predominates; food crops—taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; not self-sufficient in food

#Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $258 million

#Currency: Australian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1—1.2834 (January 1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)

#Fiscal year: NA

*Communications #Highways: 640 km of motorable roads

#Inland waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands

#Ports: Banaba and Betio (Tarawa)

#Civil air: 2 Trislanders; no major transport aircraft

#Airports: 22 total; 21 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: 1,400 telephones; stations—1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: no military force maintained; the Police Force carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; there are small police posts on all islands

#Manpower availability: NA

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP % @Korea, North *Geography Total area: 120,540 km2; land area: 120,410 km2

#Comparative area: slightly smaller than Mississippi

#Land boundaries: 1,671 km total; China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, USSR 17 km

#Coastline: 2,495 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm;

Military boundary line: 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea (all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned)

#Disputes: short section of boundary with China is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea

#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

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

#Land use: arable land 18%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest and woodland 74%; other 7%; includes irrigated 9%

#Environment: mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated; late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding

#Note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and USSR

*People #Population: 21,814,656 (July 1991), growth rate 1.9% (1991)

#Birth rate: 24 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 30 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 72 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Korean(s); adjective—Korean

#Ethnic divisions: racially homogeneous

#Religion: Buddhism and Confucianism; religious activities now almost nonexistent

#Language: Korean

#Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

#Labor force: 9,615,000; agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%; shortage of skilled and unskilled labor (mid-1987 est.)

#Organized labor: 1,600,000 members; single-trade union system coordinated by the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea under the Central Committee

*Government #Long-form name: Democratic People's Republic of Korea; abbreviated DPRK

#Type: Communist state; dictatorship

#Capital: P'yongyang

#Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural); Chagang-do, Hamgyong-namdo, Hamgyong-bukto, Hwanghae-namdo, Hwanghae-bukto, Kaesong-si*, Kangwon-do, Namp'o-si*, P'yongan-bukto, P'yongan-namdo, P'yongyang-si*, Yanggang-do

#Independence: 9 September 1948

#Constitution: adopted 1948, revised 27 December 1972

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

#National holiday: Independence Day, 9 September (1948)

#Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, premier, eleven vice premiers, State Administration Council (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui)

#Judicial branch: Central Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President KIM Il-song (since 28 December 1972); Designated Successor KIM Chong-il (son of President, born 16 February 1942);

Head of Government—Premier YON Hyong-muk (since NA December 1988)

#Political parties and leaders: major party—Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KIM Il-song, general secretary, and his son, KIM Chong-il, secretary, Central Committee; Korean Social Democratic Party, YI Kye-paek, chairman; Chondoist Chongu Party, CHONG Sin-hyok, chairman

#Suffrage: universal at age 17

#Elections:

President—last held 24 May 1990 (next to be held 1994); results—President KIM Il-song was reelected without opposition;

Supreme People's Assembly—last held on 24 May 1990 (next to be held 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(687 total) the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats

#Communists: KWP claims membership of about 3 million

#Member of: FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, IFAD, IMF (observer), IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: none

#Flag: 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 #Overview: More than 90% of this command economy is socialized; agricultural land is collectivized; and state-owned industry produces 95% of manufactured goods. State control of economic affairs is unusually tight even for a Communist country because of the small size and homogeneity of the society and the strict one-man rule of Kim. Economic growth during the period 1984-90 averaged approximately 3%. Abundant natural resources and hydropower form the basis of industrial development. Output of the extractive industries includes coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals. Manufacturing emphasis is centered on heavy industry, with light industry lagging far behind. Despite the use of high-yielding seed varieties, expansion of irrigation, and the heavy use of fertilizers, North Korea has not yet become self-sufficient in food production. Four consecutive years of poor harvests, coupled with distribution problems, have led to chronic food shortages. North Korea remains far behind South Korea in economic development and living standards.

#GNP: $29.7 billion, per capita $1,390; real growth rate 2% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

#Unemployment rate: officially none

#Budget: revenues $15.6 billion; expenditures $15.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)

#Exports: $1.95 billion (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural products, manufactures;

partners—USSR, China, Japan, Hong Kong, FRG, Singapore

#Imports: $2.85 billion (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—petroleum, machinery and equipment, coking coal, grain;

partners—USSR, Japan, China, Hong Kong, FRG, Singapore

#External debt: $7 billion (1991)

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: 6,440,000 kW capacity; 40,250 million kWh produced, 1,890 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: machine building, military products, electric power, chemicals, mining, metallurgy, textiles, food processing

#Agriculture: accounts for about 25% of GNP and 36% of work force; principal crops—rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; livestock and livestock products—cattle, hogs, pork, eggs; not self-sufficient in grain; fish catch estimated at 1.7 million metric tons in 1987

#Economic aid: Communist countries, $1.4 billion a year in the 1980s

#Currency: North Korean won (plural—won); 1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon

#Exchange rates: North Korean won (Wn) per US$1—2.2 (March 1991), 2.1 (January 1990), 2.3 (December 1989), 2.13 (December 1988), 0.94 (March 1987), NA (1986), NA (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 4,535 km total; 3,870 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 665 km 0.762-meter narrow gauge; 159 km double track; 3,175 km electrified; government owned (1989)

#Highways: about 30,000 km (1989); 98.5% gravel, crushed stone, or earth surface; 1.5% concrete or bituminous

#Inland waterways: 2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only

#Pipelines: crude oil, 37 km

#Ports: Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam, Namp'o, Wonsan, Songnim, Najin, Sonbong

#Merchant marine: 68 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 465,801 GRT/709,442 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger, 1 passenger-cargo, 58 cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 4 bulk, 1 combination bulk

#Airports: 55 total, 55 usable (est.); about 30 with permanent-surface runways; fewer than 5 with runways over 3,659 m; 20 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 30 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: stations—18 AM, no FM, 11 TV; 200,000 TV sets; 3,500,000 radio receivers; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Korean People's Army (includes of the Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil Security Forces

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 6,381,859; 3,899,606 fit for military service; 214,690 reach military age (18) annually

Defense expenditures: $NA, 20-25% of GNP (1991 est.); note—the officially announced but suspect figure is $1.7 billion, 6% of GNP (1991 est.) % @Korea, South *Geography Total area: 98,480 km2; land area: 98,190 km2

#Comparative area: slightly larger than Indiana

#Land boundary: 238 km with North Korea

#Coastline: 2,413 km

#Maritime claims:

Continental shelf: not specific

Territorial sea: 12 nm (3 nm in the Korea Strait)

#Disputes: Demarcation Line with North Korea; Liancourt Rocks claimed by Japan

#Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

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

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

#Land use: arable land 21%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 67%; other 10%; includes irrigated 12%

#Environment: occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; earthquakes in southwest; air pollution in large cities

#Notes: strategic location along the Korea Strait, Sea of Japan, and Yellow Sea

*People #Population: 43,134,386 (July 1991), growth rate 0.8% (1991)

#Birth rate: 15 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: - 1 migrant/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 73 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Korean(s); adjective—Korean

#Ethnic divisions: homogeneous; small Chinese minority (about 20,000)

#Religion: strong Confucian tradition; vigorous Christian minority (28% of the total population); Buddhism; pervasive folk religion (Shamanism); Chondokyo (religion of the heavenly way), eclectic religion with nationalist overtones founded in 19th century, claims about 1.5 million adherents

#Language: Korean; English widely taught in high school

#Literacy: 96% (male 99%, female 94%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 16,900,000; 52% services and other; 27% mining and manufacturing; 21% agriculture, fishing, forestry (1987)

#Organized labor: about 10% of nonagricultural labor force in government-sanctioned unions

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Korea; abbreviated ROK

#Type: republic

#Capital: Seoul

#Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 6 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-jikhalsi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-jikhalsi*, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-jikhalsi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-jikhalsi*, Taejon-jikhalsi*

#Independence: 15 August 1948

#Constitution: 25 February 1988

#Legal system: combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Independence Day, 15 August (1948)

#Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, State Council (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Kuk Hoe)

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President ROH Tae Woo (since 25 February 1988);

Head of Government—Prime Minister CHUNG Won Shik (since 24 May 1991); Deputy Prime Minister CHOI Kak Kyu (since 19 February 1991)

#Political parties and leaders:

ruling party—Democratic Liberal Party (DLP), ROH Tae Woo, president, KIM Young Sam, chairman; note—the DLP resulted from a merger of the Democratic Justice Party (DJP), Reunification Democratic Party (RDP), and New Democratic Republican Party (NDRP) on 9 February 1990;

opposition—New Democratic Party (NDP, formerly Party for Peace and Democracy or PPD), KIM Dae Jung, president; Democratic Party (DP), YI Ki Taek; several smaller parties

#Suffrage: universal at age 20

#Elections:

President—last held on 16 December 1987 (next to be held December 1992); results—ROH Tae Woo (DJP) 35.9%, KIM Young Sam (RDP) 27.5%, KIM Dae Jung (PPD) 26.5%, other 10.1%;

National Assembly—last held on 26 April 1988 (next to be held April 1992); results—DJP 34%, RDP 24%, PPD 19%, NDRP 15%, other 8%; seats—(299 total) DJP 125, PPD 70, RDP 59, NDRP 35, other 10; note—on 9 February 1990 the DJP, RDP, and NDRP merged to form the DLP; also the PPD became the NDP; as a result the distribution of seats changed to DLP 218, NDP 70, other 11 (June 1990)

#Communists: Communist party activity banned by government

#Other political or pressure groups: Korean National Council of Churches; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Council of College Student Representatives; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Council of Labor Unions; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Veterans' Association; Federation of Korean Industries; Korean Traders Association

#Member of: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador HYUN Hong Joo; Chancery at 2320 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-5600; there are Korean Consulates General in Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle;

US—Ambassador Donald P. GREGG; Embassy at 82 Sejong-Ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul (mailing address is APO San Francisco 96301); telephone [82] (2) 732-2601 through 2618; there is a US Consulate in Pusan

#Flag: white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

*Economy #Overview: The driving force behind the economy's dynamic growth has been the planned development of an export-oriented economy in a vigorously entrepreneurial society. Real GNP—which grew by 6.7% in 1989 after an average annual growth of over 12% between 1986-88—grew about 9% in 1990. Labor unrest—which led to substantial wage hikes in 1987-88—was noticeably calmer in 1990, unemployment averaged a low 2.5%, and investment was strong. Inflation rates, however, are beginning to challenge South Korea's strong economic performance. Consumer prices rose 8.6%, the highest rate in nine years. Policymakers are concerned higher prices could lead to a resurgence of labor unrest.

#GNP: $238 billion, per capita $5,600; real growth rate 9% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.6% (1990)

#Unemployment rate: 2.5% (1990)

#Budget: revenues $38 billion; expenditures $38 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)

#Exports: $65 billion (f.o.b., 1990);

commodities—textiles, clothing, electronic and electrical equipment, footwear, machinery, steel, automobiles, ships, fish;

partners—US 30%, Japan 19%

#Imports: $70 billion (c.i.f., 1990);

commodities—machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains;

partners—Japan 27%, US 24% (1990)

#External debt: $31.7 billion (1990)

#Industrial production: growth rate 8.6% (1990 est.); accounts for about 45% of GDP

#Electricity: 21,000,000 kW capacity; 85,000 million kWh produced, 1,970 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing, chemicals, steel, electronics, automobile production, ship building

#Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GNP and employs 21% of work force (including fishing and forestry); principal crops—rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; livestock and livestock products—cattle, hogs, chickens, milk, eggs; self-sufficient in food, except for wheat; fish catch of 2.9 million metric tons, seventh-largest in world

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.9 billion; non-US countries (1970-89), $3.0 billion

#Currency: South Korean won (plural—won); 1 South Korean won (W) = 100 chon (theoretical)

#Exchange rates: South Korean won (W) per US$1—718.14 (January 1991), 707.76 (1990), 671.46 (1989), 731.47 (1988), 822.57 (1987), 881.45 (1986), 870.02 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 3,106 km operating in 1983; 3,059 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 47 km 0.610-meter narrow gauge, 712 km double track, 418 km electrified; government owned

#Highways: 62,936 km total (1982); 13,476 km national highway, 49,460 km provincial and local roads

#Inland waterways: 1,609 km; use restricted to small native craft

#Pipelines: 455 km refined products

#Ports: Pusan, Inchon, Kunsan, Mokpo, Ulsan

#Merchant marine: 439 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,182,519 GRT/11,906,897 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 138 cargo, 45 container, 11 refrigerated cargo, 11 vehicle carrier, 48 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 10 chemical tanker, 13 liquefied gas, 7 combination ore/oil, 146 bulk, 7 combination bulk, 1 multifunction large-load carrier

#Civil air: 93 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 110 total, 102 usable; 60 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 21 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 17 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: adequate domestic and international services; 4,800,000 telephones; stations—79 AM, 46 FM, 256 TV (57 of 1 kW or greater); satellite earth stations—2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 12,859,511; 8,294,624 fit for military service; 429,088 reach military age (18) annually

Defense expenditures: $10.4 billion, 4.5% of GNP (1991) % @Kuwait *Geography Total area: 17,820 km2; land area: 17,820 km2

#Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey

#Land boundaries: 462 km total; Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

#Coastline: 499 km

#Maritime claims:

Continental shelf: not specific;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: Iraqi forces invaded and occupied Kuwait from 2 August 1990 until 27 February 1991; in April 1991 official Iraqi acceptance of UN Security Council Resolution 687, which demands that Iraq accept its internationally recognized border with Kuwait, ended earlier claims to Bubiyan and Warbah Islands or to all of Kuwait; ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim Islands disputed by Saudi Arabia

#Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

#Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain

#Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

#Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 8%; forest and woodland NEGL%; other 92%; includes irrigated NEGL%

#Environment: some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide most of water; air and water pollution; desertification

#Note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

*People #Population: 2,204,400 (July 1991), growth rate 3.6% (1991)

#Birth rate: 29 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 2 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: 10 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 15 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 76 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 3.7 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Kuwaiti(s); adjective—Kuwaiti

#Ethnic divisions: Kuwaiti 27.9%, other Arab 39%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 20.1%

#Religion: Muslim 85% (Shia 30%, Sunni 45%, other 10%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%

#Language: Arabic (official); English widely spoken

#Literacy: 74% (male 78%, female 69%) age 15 and over can read and write (1985)

#Labor force: 566,000 (1986); services 45.0%, construction 20.0%, trade 12.0%, manufacturing 8.6%, finance and real estate 2.6%, agriculture 1.9%, power and water 1.7%, mining and quarrying 1.4%; 70% of labor force was non-Kuwaiti

#Organized labor: labor unions exist in oil industry and among government personnel

*Government #Long-form name: State of Kuwait

#Type: nominal constitutional monarchy

#Capital: Kuwait

#Administrative divisions: 4 governorates (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, Hawalli; note—there may be a new governorate of Farwaniyyah

#Independence: 19 June 1961 (from UK)

#Constitution: 16 November 1962 (some provisions suspended since 29 August 1962)

#Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: National Day, 25 February

#Executive branch: amir, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: National Assembly (Majlis al Umma) dissolved 3 July 1986

#Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Amir Shaykh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-SABAH (since 31 December 1977);

Head of Government—Prime Minister and Crown Prince Sad al-Abdallah al-Salim al-SABAH (since 8 February 1978); Deputy Prime Minister Salim al-Sabah al-Salim al-SABAH

#Political parties and leaders: none

#Suffrage: adult males who resided in Kuwait before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21; note—out of all citizens, only 8.3% are eligible to vote and only 3.5% actually vote

#Elections:

National Assembly—dissolved 3 July 1986; new elections are scheduled for October 1992

#Communists: insignificant

#Other political or pressure groups: large (150,000) Palestinian community; several small, clandestine leftist and Shia fundamentalist groups are active; prodemocracy opposition

#Member of: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Shaykh Saud Nasir al-SABAH; Chancery at 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 966-0702;

US—Ambassador Edward (Skip) GNEHM; Embassy at Bneid al-Gar (opposite the Hilton Hotel), Kuwait City (mailing address is P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait City); telephone [965] 242-4151 through 4159

#Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side

*Economy #Overview: Up to the invasion by Iraq in August 1990, the oil sector had dominated the economy. Kuwait has the third-largest oil reserves in the world after Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Earnings from hydrocarbons generated over 90% of both export and government revenues and contributed about 40% to GDP. Most of the nonoil sector has traditionally been dependent upon oil-derived government revenues. Iraq's destruction of Kuwait's oil industry during the Gulf war has devastated the economy. Iraq destroyed or damaged more than 80% of Kuwait's 950 operating oil wells, as well as sabotaging key surface facilities. Western firefighters had brought about 140 of the 600 oil well fires and blowouts under control as of early June 1991. It could take two to three years to restore Kuwait's oil production to its prewar level of about 2.0 million barrels per day.

#GDP: $19.8 billion, per capita $9,700; real growth rate 3.5% (1989)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: 0% (1989)

#Budget: revenues $7.1 billion; expenditures $10.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (FY88)

#Exports: $11.5 billion (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—oil 90%;

partners—Japan, Italy, FRG, US

#Imports: $6.3 billion (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing;

partners—Japan, US, FRG, UK

#External debt: $7.2 billion (December 1989 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 3% (1988); accounts for 52% of GDP

#Electricity: 8,290,000 kW capacity; 10,000 million kWh produced, 5,000 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, salt, construction

#Agriculture: virtually none; dependent on imports for food; about 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported

#Economic aid: donor—pledged $18.3 billion in bilateral aid to less developed countries (1979-89)

#Currency: Kuwaiti dinar (plural—dinars); 1 Kuwaiti dinar (KD) = 1,000 fils

#Exchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1—0.2915 (January 1990), 0.2937 (1989), 0.2790 (1988), 0.2786 (1987), 0.2919 (1986), 0.3007 (1985)

#Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

*Communications #Highways: 3,000 km total; 2,500 km bituminous; 500 km earth, sand, light gravel

#Pipelines: crude oil, 877 km; refined products, 40 km; natural gas, 165 km

#Ports: Ash Shuaybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Mina al Ahmadi

#Merchant marine: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over), totaling 1,332,159 GRT/2,099,303 DWT; includes 1 cargo, 4 livestock carrier, 20 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 5 liquefied gas, 1 bulk; note—all Kuwaiti ships greater than 1,000 GRT were outside Kuwaiti waters at the time of the Iraqi invasion; many of these ships transferred to the Liberian flag or to the flags of other Persian Gulf states; Kuwaiti tankers are currently managed from London and Kuwaiti cargo and container ships are managed from Dubai

#Civil air: 19 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 7 total, 4 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: excellent international, adequate domestic facilities; 258,000 telephones; stations—3 AM, 2 FM, 3 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT; 1 INMARSAT, 1 ARABSAT; coaxial cable and radio relay to Iraq and Saudi Arabia

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Guard

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 738,812; 441,611 fit for military service; 19,452 reach military age (18) annually

Defense expenditures: $1.1 billion, 4.8% of GDP (1990) % @Laos *Geography Total area: 236,800 km2; land area: 230,800 km2

#Comparative area: slightly larger than Utah

#Land boundaries: 5,083 km total; Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

#Coastline: none—landlocked

#Maritime claims: none—landlocked

#Disputes: boundary dispute with Thailand

#Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)

#Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

#Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

#Land use: arable land 4%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 3%; forest and woodland 58%; other 35%; includes irrigated 1%

#Environment: deforestation; soil erosion; subject to floods

#Note: landlocked

*People #Population: 4,113,223 (July 1991), growth rate 2.2% (1991)

#Birth rate: 37 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 15 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 124 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 49 years male, 52 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 5.0 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Lao (sing., Lao or Laotian); adjective—Lao or Laotian

#Ethnic divisions: Lao 50%, Phoutheung (Kha) 15%, tribal Thai 20%, Meo, Hmong, Yao, and other 15%

#Religion: Buddhist 85%, animist and other 15%

#Language: Lao (official), French, and English

#Literacy: 84% (male 92%, female 76%) age 15 to 45 can read and write (1985 est.)

#Labor force: 1-1.5 million; 85-90% in agriculture (est.)

#Organized labor: Lao Federation of Trade Unions is subordinate to the Communist party

*Government #Long-form name: Lao People's Democratic Republic

#Type: Communist state

#Capital: Vientiane

#Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamsai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louang Namtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Saravan, Savannakhet, Sekong, Vientiane, Vientiane*, Xaignabouri, Xiangkhoang

#Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)

#Constitution: draft constitution under discussion since 1976

#Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: National Day (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic), 2 December (1975)

#Executive branch: president, chairman and four vice chairmen of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: Supreme People's Assembly

#Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President KAYSONE PHOMVIHAN (since 15 August 1991);

Head of Government—Chairman of the Council of Ministers General Gen. KHAMTAI SIPHANDON (since 15 August 1991)

#Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), KAYSONE PHOMVIHAN, party chairman; includes Lao Patriotic Front and Alliance Committee of Patriotic Neutralist Forces; other parties moribund

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

Supreme People's Assembly—last held on 26 March 1989 (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(79 total) number of seats by party NA

#Other political or pressure groups: non-Communist political groups moribund; most leaders have fled the country

#Member of: ACCT (associate), AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Charge d'Affaires LINTHONG PHETSAVAN; Chancery at 2222 S Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-6416 or 6417;

US—Charge d'Affaires Charles B. SALMON, Jr.; Embassy at Rue Bartholonie, Vientiane (mailing address is B. P. 114, Vientiane, or Box V, APO San Francisco 96346); telephone 2220, 2357, 2384

#Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

*Economy #Overview: One of the world's poorest nations, Laos has had a Communist centrally planned economy with government ownership and control of productive enterprises of any size. Recently, however, the government has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise. Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure, that is, it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, limited external and internal telecommunications, and electricity available in only a limited area. Subsistence agriculture is the main occupation, accounting for over 60% of GDP and providing about 85-90% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend for its survival on foreign aid from the IMF and other international sources; foreign aid from the USSR and Eastern Europe is being cut sharply.

#GDP: $600 million, per capita $150; real growth rate 5% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 22% (1990 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 21% (1989 est.)

#Budget: revenues $83 million; expenditures $188.5 million, including capital expenditures of $94 million (1990 est.)

#Exports: $72 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);

commodities—electricity, wood products, coffee, tin;

partners—Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, USSR, US

#Imports: $238 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.);

commodities—food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures;

partners—Thailand, USSR, Japan, France, Vietnam

#External debt: $1.1 billion (1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 8% (1989 est.); accounts for about 20% of GDP

#Electricity: 176,000 kW capacity; 1,100 million kWh produced, 270 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: tin mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction

#Agriculture: accounts for 60% of GDP and employs most of the work force; subsistence farming predominates; normally self-sufficient in non-drought years; principal crops—rice (80% of cultivated land), sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, cotton; livestock—buffaloes, hogs, cattle, chicken

#Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and opium poppy for the international drug trade

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $276 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $546 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $995 million

#Currency: new kip (plural—kips); 1 new kip (NK) = 100 at

#Exchange rates: new kips (NK) per US$1—695 (April 1991), 700 (September 1990), 576 (1989), 385 (1988), 200 (1987), 108 (1986), 95 (1985)

#Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

*Communications #Highways: about 27,527 km total; 1,856 km bituminous or bituminous treated; 7,451 km gravel, crushed stone, or improved earth; 18,220 km unimproved earth and often impassable during rainy season mid-May to mid-September

#Inland waterways: about 4,587 km, primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional kilometers are sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m

#Pipelines: 136 km, refined products

#Ports: none

#Airports: 65 total, 51 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 13 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: service to general public considered poor; radio network provides generally erratic service to government users; 7,390 telephones (1986); stations—10 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 satellite earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Lao People's Army (LPA; including naval, aviation, and militia elements), Air Force, National Police Department

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 991,864; 531,084 fit for military service; 45,548 reach military age (18) annually; conscription age NA

Defense expenditures: $NA, 3.8% of GDP (1987) % @Lebanon *Geography Total area: 10,400 km2; land area: 10,230 km2

#Comparative area: about 0.8 times the size of Connecticut

#Land boundaries: 454 km total; Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

#Coastline: 225 km

#Maritime claims:

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: separated from Israel by the 1949 Armistice Line; Israeli troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982; Syrian troops in northern Lebanon since October 1976

#Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers

#Terrain: narrow coastal plain; Al Biqa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

#Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt; water-surplus state in a water-deficit region

#Land use: arable land 21%; permanent crops 9%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 8%; other 61%; includes irrigated 7%

#Environment: rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, ethnicity; deforestation; soil erosion; air and water pollution; desertification

#Note: Nahr al Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary

*People #Population: 3,384,626 (July 1991), growth rate 1.4% (1991)

#Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: - 7 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 48 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 71 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 3.6 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Lebanese (sing., pl.); adjective—Lebanese

#Ethnic divisions: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

#Religion: Islam 75%, Christian 25%, Judaism NEGL%; 17 legally recognized sects—4 Orthodox Christian (Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Nestorean, Syriac Orthodox), 7 Uniate Christian (Armenian Catholic, Caldean, Greek Catholic, Maronite, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Syrian Catholic), 5 Islam (Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Ismailite, Shia, Sunni), and 1 Jewish

#Language: Arabic and French (both official); Armenian, English

#Literacy: 80% (male 88%, female 73%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 650,000; industry, commerce, and services 79%, agriculture 11%, goverment 10% (1985)

#Organized labor: 250,000 members (est.)

*Government #Note: Between early 1975 and late 1976 Lebanon was torn by civil war between its Christians—then aided by Syrian troops—and its Muslims and their Palestinian allies. The cease-fire established in October 1976 between the domestic political groups generally held for about six years, despite occasional fighting. Syrian troops constituted as the Arab Deterrent Force by the Arab League have remained in Lebanon. Syria's move toward supporting the Lebanese Muslims and the Palestinians and Israel's growing support for Lebanese Christians brought the two sides into rough equilibrium, but no progress was made toward national reconciliation or political reforms—the original cause of the war.

Continuing Israeli concern about the Palestinian presence in Lebanon led to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June 1982. Israeli forces occupied all of the southern portion of the country and mounted a summer-long siege of Beirut, which resulted in the evacuation of the PLO from Beirut in September under the supervision of a multinational force (MNF) made up of US, French, and Italian troops.

Within days of the departure of the MNF, Lebanon's newly elected president, Bashir Gemayel, was assassinated. In the wake of his death, Christian militiamen massacred hundreds of Palestinian refugees in two Beirut camps. This prompted the return of the MNF to ease the security burden on Lebanon's weak Army and security forces. In late March 1984 the last MNF units withdrew.

Lebanese Parliamentarians met in Taif, Saudi Arabia in late 1989 and concluded a national reconciliation pact that codified a new power-sharing formula, specifiying a Christian president but giving Muslims more authority. Rene Muawad was subsequently elected president on 4 November 1989, ending a 13-month period during which Lebanon had no president and rival Muslim and Christian governments. Muawad was assassinated 17 days later, on 22 November; on 24 November Ilyas Harawi was elected to succeed Muawad.

In October 1990, the chances for ending the 16 year old civil war and implementing Ta'if were markedly improved when Syrian and Lebanese forces ousted renegade Christian General Awn from his stronghold in East Beirut. Awn had defied the legitimate government and established a separate mini-state within East Beirut after being appointed acting Prime Minister by outgoing President Gemayel in 1988. Awn and his supporters feared Ta'if would diminish Christian power in Lebanon and increase the influence of Syria.

Since the removal of Awn, the Lebanese Government has reunited the capital city and implemented a phased plan to disarm the militias and gradually reestablish authority throughout Lebanon. The army has deployed from Beirut north along the coast road to Tripoli, southeast into the Shuf mountains, and south to the vicinity of Sidon. Many militiamen from Christian and Muslim groups have evacuated Beirut for their strongholds in the north, south, and east of the country. Some heavy weapons possessed by the militias have been turned over to the government, which has begun a plan to integrate some militiamen into the military and the internal security forces.

Lebanon and Syria signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation in May 1991. Lebanon continues to be partially occupied by Syrian troops, which are deployed in East and West Beirut, its southern suburbs, the Bekaa Valley, and throughout northern Lebanon.

Iran also maintains a small contingent of revolutionary guards in the Bekaa Valley and South Lebanon to support Lebanese Islamic fundamentalist groups.

Israel withdrew the bulk of its forces from the south in 1985, although it still retains troops in a 10-km-deep security zone north of its border with Lebanon. Israel arms and trains the Army of South Lebanon (ASL), which also occupies the security zone and is Israel's first line of defense against attacks on its northern border.

The following description is based on the present constitutional and customary practices of the Lebanese system.

#Long-form name: Republic of Lebanon; note—may be changed to Lebanese Republic

#Type: republic

#Capital: Beirut

#Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah); Al Biqa, Al Janub, Ash Shamal, Bayrut, Jabal Lubnan

#Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

#Constitution: 26 May 1926 (amended)

#Legal system: mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

#Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet; note—by custom, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shia Muslim

#Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Arabic—Majlis Alnuwab, French—Assemblee Nationale)

#Judicial branch: four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases)

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Ilyas HARAWI (since 24 November 1989);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Umar KARAMI (since 20 December 1990)

#Political parties and leaders: political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations; most parties have well-armed militias, which are still involved in occasional clashes

#Suffrage: compulsory for all males at age 21; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education

#Elections:

National Assembly—elections should be held every four years but security conditions have prevented elections since May 1972

#Communists: the Lebanese Communist Party was legalized in 1970; members and sympathizers estimated at 2,000-3,000

#Member of: ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Nassib S. LAHOUD; Chancery at 2560 28th Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-6300; there are Lebanese Consulates General in Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles;

US—Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER; Embassy at Antelias, Beirut (mailing address is P. O. Box 70-840, Beirut, and FPO New York 09530); telephone [961] 417774 or 415802, 415803, 402200, 403300

#Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band

*Economy #Overview: Since 1975 civil war has seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, disrupted economic activity, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Following October 1990, however, a tentative peace has enabled the central government to begin restoring control in Beirut, collect taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. The battered economy has also been propped up by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers. Family remittances, foreign financial support to political factions, the narcotics trade, and international emergency aid are main sources of foreign exchange. Economic prospects for 1991 have brightened, particularly if the Syrian-backed government is able to maintain law and order and reestablish business confidence. Rebuilding war-ravaged Beirut is likely to provide a major stimulus to the Lebanese economy in 1991.

#GDP: $3.3 billion, per capita $1,000; real growth rate - 15% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 100% (1990 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 35% (1990 est.)

#Budget: revenues $120 million; expenditures $1.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

#Exports: $1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—agricultural products, chemicals, textiles, precious and semiprecious metals and jewelry, metals and metal products;

partners—Saudi Arabia 16%, Switzerland 8%, Jordan 6%, Kuwait 6%, US 5%

#Imports: $1.9 billion (c.i.f., 1989 est.);

commodities—NA;

partners—Italy 14%, France 12%, US 6%, Turkey 5%, Saudi Arabia 3%

#External debt: $900 million (1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: 1,381,000 kW capacity; 3,870 million kWh produced, 1,170 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: banking, food processing, textiles, cement, oil refining, chemicals, jewelry, some metal fabricating

#Agriculture: accounts for about one-third of GDP; principal products—citrus fruits, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco, hemp (hashish), sheep, and goats; not self-sufficient in grain

#Illicit drugs: illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; opium poppy production in Al Biqa is increasing; hashish production is shipped to Western Europe, Israel, and the Middle East

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $356 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $608 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $962 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $9 million

#Currency: Lebanese pound (plural—pounds); 1 Lebanese pound (5L) = 100 piasters

#Exchange rates: Lebanese pounds (5L) per US$1—974.22 (January 1991), 695.09 (1990), 496.69 (1989), 409.23 (1988), 224.60 (1987), 38.37 (1986), 16.42 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 378 km total; 296 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 82 km 1.050-meter gauge; all single track; system almost entirely inoperable

#Highways: 7,370 km total; 6,270 km paved, 450 km gravel and crushed stone, 650 km improved earth

#Pipelines: crude oil, 72 km (none in operation)

#Ports: Beirut, Tripoli, Ras Silata, Juniyah, Sidon, Az Zahrani, Tyre, Shikka; northern ports are occupied by Syrian forces and southern ports are occupied or partially quarantined by Israeli forces

#Merchant marine: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 257,220 GRT/379,691 DWT; includes 39 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 2 vehicle carrier, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 container, 8 livestock carrier, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 3 bulk, 1 combination bulk

#Civil air: 15 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 9 total, 8 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m; none under the direct control of the Lebanese Government

#Telecommunications: rebuilding program disrupted; had fair system of radio relay, cable; 325,000 telephones; stations—5 AM, 3 FM, 15 TV; 1 inactive Indian Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth station; 3 submarine coaxial cables; radio relay to Jordan and Syria, inoperable

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army (includes Navy and Air Force)

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 725,974; 449,912 fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $168 million, 7.3% of GDP (1991) % @Lesotho *Geography Total area: 30,350 km2; land area: 30,350 km2

#Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

#Land boundary: 909 km with South Africa

#Coastline: none—landlocked

#Maritime claims: none—landlocked

#Climate: temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

#Terrain: mostly highland with some plateaus, hills, and mountains

#Natural resources: some diamonds and other minerals, water, agricultural and grazing land

#Land use: arable land 10%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 66%; forest and woodland 0%; other 24%

#Environment: population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, soil exhaustion; desertification

#Note: landlocked; surrounded by South Africa; Highlands Water Project will control, store, and redirect water to South Africa

*People #Population: 1,801,174 (July 1991), growth rate 2.6% (1991)

#Birth rate: 36 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 78 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 59 years male, 63 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 4.8 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Mosotho (sing.), Basotho (pl.); adjective—Basotho

#Ethnic divisions: Sotho 99.7%; Europeans 1,600, Asians 800

#Religion: Christian 80%, rest indigenous beliefs

#Language: Sesotho (southern Sotho) and English (official); also Zulu and Xhosa

#Literacy: 59% (male 44%, female 68%) age 15 and over can read and write (1966)

#Labor force: 689,000 economically active; 86.2% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 60% of active male labor force works in South Africa

#Organized labor: there are two trade union federations; the government favors formation of a single, umbrella trade union confederation

*Government #Long-form name: Kingdom of Lesotho

#Type: constitutional monarchy

#Capital: Maseru

#Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qachas Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

#Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK; formerly Basutoland)

#Constitution: 4 October 1966, suspended January 1970

#Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

#Executive branch: monarch, chairman of the Military Council, Military Council, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: none—the bicameral Parliament was dissolved following the military coup in January 1986; note—a National Constituent Assembly convened in June 1990 to rewrite the constitution and debate issues of national importance, but it has no legislative authority

#Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal

#Leaders:

Chief of State—King LETSIE III (since 12 November 1990 following dismissal of his father, exiled King MOSHOESHOE II, by Maj. Gen. LEKHANYA);

Head of Government—Chairman of the Military Council Col. Elias Phisoana RAMAEMA (since 30 April 1991)

#Political parties and leaders: Basotho National Party (BNP), Matete MAJARA (interim leader); Basutoland Congress Party (BCP), Ntsu MOKHEHLE; National Independent Party (NIP), A. C. MANYELI; Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), S. H. MAPHELEBA; United Democratic Party, Charles MOFELI; Communist Party of Lesotho (CPL), Jacob KENYA

#Suffrage: universal at age 21

#Elections:

National Assembly—dissolved following the military coup in January 1986; military has pledged elections will take place in June 1992

#Communists: small Lesotho Communist Party

#Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador W. T. VAN TONDER; Chancery at 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 797-5 534;

US—Ambassador Leonard H.O. SPEARMAN, Jr.; Embassy at address NA, Maseru (mailing address is P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100); telephone [266] 312666

#Flag: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner

*Economy #Overview: Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho has no important natural resources other than water. Its economy is based on agriculture, light manufacturing, and remittances from laborers employed in South Africa ($153 million in 1989). The great majority of households gain their livelihoods from subsistence farming and migrant labor. Manufacturing depends largely on farm products to support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries; other industries include textile, clothing, and light engineering. Industry's share of GDP rose from 6% in 1982 to 15% in 1989. Political and economic instability in South Africa raise uncertainties for Lesotho's economy, especially with respect to migrant worker remittances—over one-third of GDP.

#GDP: $420 million, per capita $240; real growth rate 4.0% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (1990 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 23% (1988)

#Budget: revenues $280 million; expenditures $288 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92 est.)

#Exports: $66 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—wool, mohair, wheat, cattle, peas, beans, corn, hides, skins, baskets;

partners—South Africa 53%, EC 30%, North and South America 13% (1989)

#Imports: $499 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—mainly corn, building materials, clothing, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum, oil, and lubricants;

partners—South Africa 95%, EC 2% (1989)

#External debt: $370 million (December 1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 7.8% (1989 est.); accounts for 15% of GDP

#Electricity: power supplied by South Africa

#Industries: food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts, tourism

#Agriculture: accounts for 18% of GDP and employs 60-70% of all households; exceedingly primitive, mostly subsistence farming and livestock; principal crops are corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $268 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $754 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $4 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $14 million

#Currency: loti (plural—maloti); 1 loti (L) = 100 lisente

#Exchange rates: maloti (M) per US$1—2.5625 (January 1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2685 (1986), 2.1911 (1985); note—the Basotho loti is at par with the South African rand

#Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

*Communications #Railroads: 1.6 km; owned, operated, and included in the statistics of South Africa

#Highways: 5,167 km total; 508 km paved; 1,585 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil; 946 km improved earth, 2,128 km unimproved earth

#Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 28 total, 28 usable; 3 with permanent surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: rudimentary system consisting of a few land lines, a small radio relay system, and minor radiocommunication stations; 5,920 telephones; stations—2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Royal Lesotho Defense Force (RLDF; includes Army, Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 394,829; 212,967 fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $55 million, 8.6% of GDP (1990 est.) % @Liberia *Geography Total area: 111,370 km2; land area: 96,320 km2

#Comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee

#Land boundaries: 1,585 km total; Guinea 563 km, Ivory Coast 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km

#Coastline: 579 km

#Maritime claims:

Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation;

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

#Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold

#Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 2%; forest and woodland 39%; other 55%; includes irrigated NEGL%

#Environment: West Africa's largest tropical rain forest, subject to deforestation

*People #Population: 2,730,446 (July 1991), growth rate 3.4% (1991)

#Birth rate: 45 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 124 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 59 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Liberian(s); adjective—Liberian

#Ethnic divisions: indigenous African tribes, including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella 95%; descendants of repatriated slaves known as Americo-Liberians 5%

#Religion: traditional 70%, Muslim 20%, Christian 10%

#Language: English (official); more than 20 local languages of the Niger-Congo language group; English used by about 20%

#Literacy: 40% (male 50%, female 29%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 510,000, including 220,000 in the monetary economy; agriculture 70.5%, services 10.8%, industry and commerce 4.5%, other 14.2%; non-African foreigners hold about 95% of the top-level management and engineering jobs; 52% of population of working age

#Organized labor: 2% of labor force

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Liberia

#Type: republic

#Capital: Monrovia

#Administrative divisions: 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Jide, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, Rivercess, Sino

#Independence: 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

#National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

#Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

#Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—interim President Dr. Amos SAWYER (since 15 November 1990); interim Vice President Ronald DIGGS (since 15 November 1990); note—this is an interim government appointed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that will be replaced after elections are held under a West African-brokered peace plan; rival rebel factions led by Prince Y. JOHNSON and Charles TAYLOR are challenging the Sawyer government's legitimacy while observing a tenuous cease fire; the former president, Gen. Dr. Samuel Kanyon DOE, was ousted and killed on 9 September 1990 in a coup led by Prince Y. JOHNSON

#Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL), Augustus CAINE, chairman; Liberian Action Party (LAP), Emmanuel KOROMAH, chairman; Unity Party (UP), Carlos SMITH, chairman; United People's Party (UPP), Gabriel Baccus MATTHEWS, chairman