#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

President—last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held NA); results—Gen. Dr. Samuel Kanyon DOE (NDPL) 50.9%, Jackson DOE (LAP) 26.4%, other 22.7%; note—President Doe was killed by rebel forces on 9 September 1990;

Senate—last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(26 total) NDPL 21, LAP 3, UP 1, LUP 1;

House of Representatives—last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(64 total) NDPL 51, LAP 8, UP 3, LUP 2

#Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Eugenia A. WORDSWORTH-STEVENSON; Chancery at 5201 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20011; telephone (202) 723-0437 through 0440; there is a Liberian Consulate General in New York;

US—Ambassador Peter J. de VOS; Embassy at 111 United Nations Drive, Monrovia (mailing address is P. O. Box 98, Monrovia, or APO New York 09155); telephone [231] 222991 through 222994

#Flag: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

*Economy #Overview: Civil war during 1990 destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Expatriate businessmen fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Many will not return. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products, while local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. Political instability threatens prospects for economic reconstruction and repatriation of some 750,000 Liberian refugees who fled to neighboring countries.

#GDP: $988 million, per capita $400; real growth rate 1.5% (1988)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: 43% urban (1988)

#Budget: revenues $242.1 million; expenditures $435.4 million, including capital expenditures of $29.5 million (1989)

#Exports: $505 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—iron ore 61%, rubber 20%, timber 11%, coffee;

partners—US, EC, Netherlands

#Imports: $394 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.);

commodities—rice, mineral fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, other foodstuffs;

partners—US, EC, Japan, China, Netherlands, ECOWAS

#External debt: $1.6 billion (December 1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 1.5% in manufacturing (1987); accounts for 22% of GDP

#Electricity: 400,000 kW capacity; 730 million kWh produced, 290 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: rubber processing, food processing, construction materials, furniture, palm oil processing, mining (iron ore, diamonds)

#Agriculture: accounts for about 40% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); principal products—rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava, palm oil, sugarcane, bananas, sheep, and goats; not self-sufficient in food, imports 25% of rice consumption

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $665 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $853 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $25 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $77 million

#Currency: Liberian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1—1.00 (fixed rate since 1940); unofficial parallel exchange rate of L$2.5 = US$1, January 1989

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 480 km total; 328 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 152 km 1.067-meter narrow gauge; all lines single track; rail systems owned and operated by foreign steel and financial interests in conjunction with Liberian Government

#Highways: 10,087 km total; 603 km bituminous treated, 2,848 km all weather, 4,313 km dry weather; there are also 2,323 km of private, laterite-surfaced roads open to public use, owned by rubber and timber companies

#Ports: Monrovia, Buchanan, Greenville, Harper (or Cape Palmas)

#Merchant marine: 1,563 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 53,053,254 DWT/94,597,871 DWT; includes 18 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger, 156 cargo, 47 refrigerated cargo, 15 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 67 vehicle carrier, 74 container, 5 barge carrier, 450 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 104 chemical, 60 combination ore/oil, 44 liquefied gas, 6 specialized tanker, 485 bulk, 1 multifunction large-load carrier, 30 combination bulk; note—a flag of convenience registry; all ships are foreign owned; the top four owning flags are US 19%, Japan 17%, Hong Kong 12%, and Norway 10%; China owns at least 28 ships, Bulgaria owns 3, and Poland owns 1

#Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 75 total, 58 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: telephone and telegraph service via radio relay network; main center is Monrovia; 8,500 telephones; stations—3 AM, 4 FM, 5 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

*Defense Forces #Branches: Armed Forces of Liberia (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Coast Guard, National Police Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 648,636; 346,349 fit for military service; no conscription

Defense expenditures: $NA, 2.4% of GDP (1987) % @Libya *Geography Total area: 1,759,540 km2; land area: 1,759,540 km2

#Comparative area: slightly larger than Alaska

#Land boundaries: 4,383 km total; Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

#Coastline: 1,770 km

#Maritime claims:

Territorial sea: 12 nm;

Gulf of Sidra closing line: 32o 30%19 N

#Disputes: claims and occupies the 100,000 km2 Aozou Strip in northern Chad; maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; Libya claims about 19,400 km2 in northern Niger; Libya claims about 19,400 km2 in southeastern Algeria

#Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

#Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

#Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, gypsum

#Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 8%; forest and woodland 0%; other 91%; includes irrigated NEGL%

#Environment: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; desertification; sparse natural surface-water resources

#Note: the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities

*People #Population: 4,350,742 (July 1991), growth rate 3.0% (1991)

#Birth rate: 36 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: 62 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

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

#Total fertility rate: 5.1 children born/woman (1991)

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

#Ethnic divisions: Berber and Arab 97%; some Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians

#Religion: Sunni Muslim 97%

#Language: Arabic; Italian and English widely understood in major cities

#Literacy: 64% (male 75%, female 50%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 1,000,000, includes about 280,000 resident foreigners; industry 31%, services 27%, government 24%, agriculture 18%

#Organized labor: National Trade Unions' Federation, 275,000 members; General Union for Oil and Petrochemicals; Pan-Africa Federation of Petroleum Energy and Allied Workers

*Government #Long-form name: Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

#Type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses); in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

#Capital: Tripoli

#Administrative divisions: 46 municipalities (baladiyat, singular—baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al Abyar, Al Aziziyah, Al Bayda, Al Jufrah, Al Jumayl, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, Al Marj, Al Qarabulli, Al Qubbah, Al Ujaylat, Ash Shati, Awbari, Az Zahra, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Bani Walid, Bin Jawwad, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Ghat, Jadu, Jalu, Janzur, Masallatah, Misratah, Mizdah, Murzuq, Nalut, Qaminis, Qasr Bin Ghashir, Sabha, Sabratah, Shahhat, Surman, Surt, Tajura, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Tukrah, Yafran, Zlitan, Zuwarah; note—the number of municipalities may have been reduced to 13 named Al Jabal al-Akhdar, Al Jabal al-Gharbi, Al Jabal al-Khums, Al Batnam, Al Kufrah, Al Marqab, Al Marzuq, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Khalij Surt, Sabha, Tripoli, Wadi al-Hayat

#Independence: 24 December 1951 (from Italy)

#Constitution: 11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

#Legal system: based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

#Executive branch: revolutionary leader, chairman of the General People's Committee, General People's Committee (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969);

Head of Government—Chairman of the General People's Committee (Premier) Abu Zayd Umar DURDA (since 7 October 1990)

#Political parties and leaders: none

#Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18

#Elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of revolutionary committees

#Political parties: none

#Communists: no organized party, negligible membership

#Other political or pressure groups: various Arab nationalist movements and the Arab Socialist Resurrection (Ba'th) party with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements

#Member of: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: none

#Flag: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)

*Economy #Overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all export earnings and about one-third of GNP. Since 1980, however, the sharp drop in oil prices and the resulting decline in export revenues have adversely affected economic development. In 1988 per capita GNP was the highest in Africa at $5,410, but it had been $2,000 higher in 1982. Severe cutbacks in imports over the past five years have led to shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs, although the reopening of the Libyan-Tunisian border in April 1988 and the Libyan-Egyptian border in December 1989 have somewhat eased shortages. Austerity budgets and a lack of trained technicians have undermined the government's ability to implement a number of planned infrastructure development projects. Windfall profits from the hike in world oil prices in late 1990 improved the foreign payments position and may permit Tripoli to ease austerity measures. The nonoil industrial and construction sectors, which account for about 22% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Although agriculture accounts for less than 5% of GNP, it employs 18% of the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, requiring Libya to import about 75% of its food requirements.

#GNP: $24 billion, per capita $5,860; real growth rate 3% (1989 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% (1988 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 2% (1988 est.)

#Budget: revenues $8.1 billion; expenditures $9.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (1989 est.)

#Exports: $6.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—petroleum, peanuts, hides;

partners—Italy, USSR, FRG, Spain, France, Belgium/Luxembourg, Turkey

#Imports: $6.2 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods;

partners—Italy, USSR, FRG, UK, Japan

#External debt: $3.5 billion, excluding military debt (December 1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%; accounts for 43% of GDP (including oil)

#Electricity: 4,705,000 kW capacity; 13,600 million kWh produced, 3,220 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

#Agriculture: 5% of GNP; cash crops—wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus fruits, peanuts; 75% of food is imported

#Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $242 million; no longer a recipient

#Currency: Libyan dinar (plural—dinars); 1 Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirhams

#Exchange rates: Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1—0.2669 (January 1991), 0.2699 (1990), 0.2922 (1989), 0.2853 (1988), 0.2706 (1987), 0.3139 (1986), 0.2961 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Highways: 32,500 km total; 24,000 km bituminous and bituminous treated, 8,500 km gravel, crushed stone and earth

#Pipelines: crude oil 4,383 km; natural gas 1,947 km; refined products 443 km (includes 256 km liquid petroleum gas)

#Ports: Tobruk, Tripoli, Banghazi, Misratah, Marsa el Brega

#Merchant marine: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 807,539 GRT/1,452,847 DWT; includes 3 short-sea passenger, 11 cargo, 4 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 11 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker

#Civil air: 59 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 131 total, 123 usable; 53 with permanent-surface runways; 7 with runways over 3,659 m; 31 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 44 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: modern telecommunications system using radio relay, coaxial cable, tropospheric scatter, and domestic satellite stations; 370,000 telephones; stations—18 AM, 3 FM, 13 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and 14 domestic; submarine cables to France and Italy; radio relay to Tunisia; tropospheric scatter to Greece; planned ARABSAT and Intersputnik satellite stations

*Defense Forces #Branches: Armed Peoples of the Libyan Arab Jamahariya (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command), National Police

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,023,335; 603,886 fit for military service; 52,059 reach military age (17) annually; conscription now being implemented

Defense expenditures: $NA, 11.1% of GNP (1987) % @Liechtenstein *Geography Total area: 160 km2; land area: 160 km2

#Comparative area: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: 78 km total; Austria 37 km, Switzerland 41 km

#Coastline: none—landlocked

#Maritime claims: none—landlocked

#Climate: continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

#Terrain: mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

#Natural resources: hydroelectric potential

#Land use: arable land 25%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 38%; forest and woodland 19%; other 18%

#Environment: variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

#Note: landlocked

*People #Population: 28,476 (July 1991), growth rate 0.6% (1991)

#Birth rate: 13 births/1,000 population (1991)

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 5 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 81 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Liechtensteiner(s); adjective—Liechtenstein

#Ethnic divisions: Alemannic 95%, Italian and other 5%

#Religion: Roman Catholic 87.3%, Protestant 8.3%, unknown 1.6%, other 2.8% (1988)

#Language: German (official), Alemannic dialect

#Literacy: 100% (male 100%, female 100%) age 10 and over can read and write (1981)

#Labor force: 12,258; 5,078 foreign workers (mostly from Switzerland and Austria); industry, trade, and building 54.4%; services 41.6%; agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 4.0%

#Organized labor: NA

*Government #Long-form name: Principality of Liechtenstein

#Type: hereditary constitutional monarchy

#Capital: Vaduz

#Administrative divisions: 11 communes (gemeinden, singular—gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz

#Independence: 23 January 1719, Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established

#Constitution: 5 October 1921

#Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

#National holiday: Saint Joseph's Day, 19 March

#Executive branch: reigning prince, hereditary prince, head of government, deputy head of government

#Legislative branch: unicameral Diet (Landtag)

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for criminal cases and Superior Court (Obergericht) for civil cases

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989; assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS von und zu Liechtenstein (born 11 June 1968);

Head of Government—Hans BRUNHART (since 26 April 1978); Deputy Head of Government Dr. Herbert WILLE (since 2 February 1986)

#Political parties and leaders: Fatherland Union (VU), Dr. Otto HASLER; Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP), Emanuel VOGT; Free Electoral List (FW)

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

Diet—last held on 5 March 1989 (next to be held by March 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(25 total) VU 13, FBP 12

#Communists: none

#Member of: CE, CSCE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO

#Diplomatic representation: in routine diplomatic matters, Liechtenstein is represented in the US by the Swiss Embassy;

US—the US has no diplomatic or consular mission in Liechtenstein, but the US Consul General at Zurich (Switzerland) has consular accreditation at Vaduz

#Flag: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band

*Economy #Overview: The prosperous economy is based primarily on small-scale light industry and tourism. Industry accounts for 54% of total employment, the service sector 42% (mostly based on tourism), and agriculture and forestry 4%. The sale of postage stamps to collectors is estimated at $10 million annually. Low business taxes (the maximum tax rate is 20%) and easy incorporation rules have induced about 25,000 holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein. Such companies, incorporated solely for tax purposes, provide 30% of state revenues. The economy is tied closely to that of Switzerland in a customs union, and incomes and living standards parallel those of the more prosperous Swiss groups.

#GDP: $630 million, per capita $22,300; real growth rate NA% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.0% (1989 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 0.1% (December 1986)

#Budget: revenues $240 million; expenditures $197 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1988)

#Exports: $1.28 billion (1988);

commodities—small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery;

partners—EC 40%, EFTA 22% (Switzerland 18%) (1988)

#Imports: $NA;

commodities—machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles;

partners—NA

#External debt: $NA

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: 23,000 kW capacity; 150 million kWh produced, 5,340 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism

#Agriculture: livestock, vegetables, corn, wheat, potatoes, grapes

#Economic aid: none

#Currency: Swiss franc, franken, or franco (plural—francs, franken, or franchi); 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi

#Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1—1.2724 (January 1991), 1.3892 (1990), 1.6359 (1989), 1.4633 (1988), 1.4912 (1987), 1.7989 (1986), 2.4571 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 18.5 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, electrified; owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways

#Highways: 130.66 km main roads, 192.27 km byroads

#Civil air: no transport aircraft

#Airports: none

#Telecommunications: automatic telephone system; 25,400 telephones; stations—no AM, no FM, no TV

*Defense Forces #Branches: Police Department

Note: defense is responsibility of Switzerland % @Luxembourg *Geography Total area: 2,586 km2; land area: 2,586 km2

#Comparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

#Land boundaries: 359 km total; Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

#Coastline: none—landlocked

#Maritime claims: none—landlocked

#Climate: modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

#Terrain: mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle floodplain in the southeast

#Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited)

#Land use: arable land 24%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 20%; forest and woodland 21%; other 34%

#Environment: deforestation

#Note: landlocked

*People #Population: 388,017 (July 1991), growth rate 1.1% (1991)

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

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

#Net migration rate: 8 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 80 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Luxembourger(s); adjective—Luxembourg

#Ethnic divisions: Celtic base, with French and German blend; also guest and worker residents from Portugal, Italy, and European countries

#Religion: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%

#Language: Luxembourgish, German, French; many also speak English

#Literacy: 100% (male 100%, female 100%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)

#Labor force: 169,600; one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and FRG; services 50%, industry 23.2%, government 14.4%, construction 9%, agriculture 3.4% (1987)

#Organized labor: 100,000 (est.) members of four confederated trade unions

*Government #Long-form name: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

#Type: constitutional monarchy

#Capital: Luxembourg

#Administrative divisions: 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

#Independence: 1839

#Constitution: 17 October 1868, occasional revisions

#Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: National Day (public celebration of the Grand Duke's birthday), 23 June (1921)

#Executive branch: grand duke, prime minister, vice prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes); note—the Council of State (Conseil d'Etat) is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies

#Judicial branch: Superior Court of Justice (Cour Superieure de Justice)

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Grand Duke JEAN (since 12 November 1964); Heir Apparent Prince HENRI (son of Grand Duke Jean, born 16 April 1955);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Jacques SANTER (since 21 July 1984); Vice Prime Minister Jacques F. POOS (since 21 July 1984)

#Political parties and leaders: Christian Social Party (CSV), Jacques SANTER; Socialist Workers Party (LSAP), Jacques POOS; Liberal (DP), Colette FLESCH; Communist (KPL), Andre HOFFMANN; Green Alternative (GAP), Jean HUSS

#Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18

#Elections:

Chamber of Deputies—last held on 18 June 1989 (next to be held by June 1994); results—CSV 31.7%, LSAP 27.2%, DP 16.2%, Greens 8.4%, PAC 7.3%, KPL 5.1%, other 4.1%; seats—(60 total) CSV 22, LSAP 18, DP 11, Greens 4, PAC 4, KPL 1

#Communists: 500 party members (1982)

#Other political or pressure groups: group of steel industries representing iron and steel industry, Centrale Paysanne representing agricultural producers; Christian and Socialist labor unions; Federation of Industrialists; Artisans and Shopkeepers Federation

#Member of: ACCT, Benelux, CCC, CE, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, EMS, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LORCS, NATO, NEA, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Andre PHILIPPE; Chancery at 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-4171; there are Luxembourg Consulates General in New York and San Francisco;

US—Ambassador Edward M. ROWELL; Embassy at 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, 2535 Luxembourg City (mailing address is APO New York 09132); telephone [352] 460123

#Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

*Economy #Overview: The stable economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and negligible unemployment. Agriculture is based on small but highly productive family-owned farms. The industrial sector, until recently dominated by steel, has become increasingly more diversified, particularly toward high-technology firms. During the past decade, growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking, account for a growing proportion of the economy. Luxembourg participates in an economic union with Belgium on trade and most financial matters and is also closely connected economically to the Netherlands.

#GDP: $6.9 billion, per capita $18,000; real growth rate 2.5% (1990)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (1990 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 1.3% (1990 est.)

#Budget: revenues $2.5 billion; expenditures $2.3 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1988)

#Exports: $5.4 billion (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass, aluminum, other industrial products;

partners—EC 75%, US 5%

#Imports: $6.2 billion (c.i.f., 1989 est.);

commodities—minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods;

partners—Belgium 37%, FRG 31%, France 12%, US 2%

#External debt: $131.6 million (1989 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate - 1% (1990 est.); accounts for 25% of GDP

#Electricity: 1,500,000 kW capacity; 1,163 million kWh produced, 3,170 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

#Agriculture: accounts for less than 3% of GDP (including forestry); principal products—barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; cattle raising widespread

#Economic aid: none

#Currency: Luxembourg franc (plural—francs); 1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes

#Exchange rates: Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1—31.102 (January 1991), 33.418 (1990), 39.404 (1989), 36.768 (1988), 37.334 (1987), 44.672 (1986), 59.378 (1985); note—the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: Luxembourg National Railways (CFL) operates 270 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; 162 km double track; 162 km electrified

#Highways: 5,108 km total; 4,995 km paved, 57 km gravel, 56 km earth; about 80 km limited access divided highway

#Inland waterways: 37 km; Moselle River

#Pipelines: refined products, 48 km

#Ports: Mertert (river port)

#Merchant marine: 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,731 GRT/2,460 DWT

#Civil air: 13 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways less than 1,220 m

#Telecommunications: adequate and efficient system, mainly buried cables; 230,000 telephones; stations—2 AM, 4 FM, 6 TV; 2 communication satellite earth stations operating in EUTELSAT and domestic systems

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, National Gendarmerie

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 100,476; 83,724 fit for military service; 2,297 reach military age (19) annually

Defense expenditures: $90 million, 1.2% of GDP (1990) % @Macau (overseas territory of Portugal) *Geography Total area: 16 km2; land area: 16 km2

#Comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

#Land boundary: 0.34 km with China

#Coastline: 40 km

#Maritime claims: not known

#Disputes: scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China in 1999

#Climate: subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

#Terrain: generally flat

#Natural resources: negligible

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

#Environment: essentially urban; one causeway and one bridge connect the two islands to the peninsula on mainland

#Note: 27 km west southwest of Hong Kong on the southeast coast of China

*People #Population: 446,262 (July 1991), growth rate 1.0% (1991)

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

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 75 years male, 79 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Macanese (sing. and pl.); adjective—Macau

#Ethnic divisions: Chinese 95%, Portuguese 3%, other 2%

#Religion: Buddhist 45%, Roman Catholic 7%, Protestant 1%, none 45.8%, other 1.2% (1981)

#Language: Portuguese (official); Cantonese is the language of commerce

#Literacy: 90% (male 93%, female 86%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981)

#Labor force: 180,000 (1986)

#Organized labor: none

*Government #Long-form name: none

#Type: overseas territory of Portugal; scheduled to revert to China in 1999

#Capital: Macau

#Administrative divisions: 2 districts (concelhos, singular—concelho); Ilhas, Macau

#Independence: none (territory of Portugal); Portugal signed an agreement with China on 13 April 1987 to return Macau to China on 20 December 1999; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Macau's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle for 50 years after transition

#Constitution: 17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau

#Legal system: Portuguese civil law system

#National holiday: Day of Portugal, 10 June

#Executive branch: president of Portugal, governor, Consultative Council (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: Legislative Assembly

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President (of Portugal) Mario Alberto SOARES (since 9 March 1986);

Head of Government—Governor Gen. Vasco Joachim Rocha VIEIRA (since 20 March 1991)

#Political parties and leaders: Association to Defend the Interests of Macau; Macau Democratic Center; Group to Study the Development of Macau; Macau Independent Group

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

Legislative Assembly—last held on 9 November 1988 (next to be held November 1991); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(17 total; 6 elected by universal suffrage, 6 by indirect suffrage) number of seats by party NA

#Other political or pressure groups: wealthy Macanese and Chinese representing local interests, wealthy pro-Communist merchants representing China's interests; in January 1967 the Macau Government acceded to Chinese demands that gave China veto power over administration

#Member of: GATT, WTO (associate)

#Diplomatic representation: as Chinese territory under Portuguese administration, Macanese interests in the US are represented by Portugal;

US—the US has no offices in Macau and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong

#Flag: the flag of Portugal is used

*Economy #Overview: The economy is based largely on tourism (including gambling), and textile and fireworks manufacturing. Efforts to diversify have spawned other small industries—toys, artificial flowers, and electronics. The tourist sector has accounted for roughly 25% of GDP, and the clothing industry has provided about two-thirds of export earnings. Macau depends on China for most of its food, fresh water, and energy imports. Japan and Hong Kong are the main suppliers of raw materials and capital goods.

#GDP: $2.9 billion, per capita $6,560; real growth rate 6% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: 2% (1989 est.)

#Budget: revenues $305 million; expenditures $298 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)

#Exports: $1.7 billion (1989 est.);

commodities—textiles, clothing, toys;

partners—US 33%, Hong Kong 15%, FRG 12%, France 10% (1987)

#Imports: $1.6 billion (1989 est.);

commodities—raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods;

partners—Hong Kong 39%, China 21%, Japan 10% (1987)

#External debt: $91 million (1985)

#Industrial production: NA

#Electricity: 203,000 kW capacity; 495 million kWh produced, 1,120 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: clothing, textiles, toys, plastic products, furniture, tourism

#Agriculture: rice, vegetables; food shortages—rice, vegetables, meat; depends mostly on imports for food requirements

#Economic aid: none

#Currency: pataca (plural—patacas); 1 pataca (P) = 100 avos

#Exchange rates: patacas (P) per US$1—8.03 (1989), 8.044 (1988), 7.993 (1987), 8.029 (1986), 8.045 (1985); note—linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Highways: 42 km paved

#Ports: Macau

#Civil air: no major transport aircraft

#Airports: none useable, 1 under construction; 1 seaplane station

#Telecommunications: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services; 52,000 telephones; stations—4 AM, 3 FM, no TV; 75,000 radio receivers (est.); international high-frequency radio communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Manpower availability: males 15-49, 167,289; 93,142 fit for military service

Note: defense is responsibility of Portugal % @Madagascar *Geography Total area: 587,040 km2; land area: 581,540 km2

#Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 4,828 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island (all administered by France)

#Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

#Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

#Natural resources: graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish

#Land use: arable land 4%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 58%; forest and woodland 26%; other 11%; includes irrigated 2%

#Environment: subject to periodic cyclones; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

#Note: world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel

*People #Population: 12,185,318 (July 1991), growth rate 3.2% (1991)

#Birth rate: 47 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: 95 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 51 years male, 54 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 6.9 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Malagasy (sing. and pl.); adjective—Malagasy

#Ethnic divisions: basic split between highlanders of predominantly Malayo-Indonesian origin (Merina 1,643,000 and related Betsileo 760,000) on the one hand and coastal tribes, collectively termed the Cotiers, with mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry (Betsimisaraka 941,000, Tsimihety 442,000, Antaisaka 415,000, Sakalava 375,000), on the other; there are also 11,000 European French, 5,000 Indians of French nationality, and 5,000 Creoles

#Religion: indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian about 41%, Muslim 7%

#Language: French and Malagasy (official)

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

#Labor force: 4,900,000; 90% nonsalaried family workers engaged in subsistence agriculture; 175,000 wage earners—agriculture 26%, domestic service 17%, industry 15%, commerce 14%, construction 11%, services 9%, transportation 6%, other 2%; 51% of population of working age (1985)

#Organized labor: 4% of labor force

*Government #Long-form name: Democratic Republic of Madagascar

#Type: republic

#Capital: Antananarivo

#Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (plural—NA, singular—faritanin); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

#Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France; formerly Malagasy Republic)

#Constitution: 21 December 1975

#Legal system: based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

#Executive branch: president, Supreme Council of the Revolution, prime minister, Council of Ministers

#Legislative branch: unicameral Popular National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire)

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), High Constitutional Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle)

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President Adm. Didier RATSIRAKA (since 15 June 1975);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Guy RASANAMAZY (since 8 August 1991)

#Political parties and leaders: a presidential decree issued early last year, legalized the existence of political parties outside of the Ruling Front; some thirty political parties now exist in Madagascar, the most important of which are the Advance Guard of the Malagasy Revolution (AREMA), Didier RATSIRAKA; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence (AKFM), RAKOTOVAO-ANDRIATIANA; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence-Revival (AKFM-R), Pastor Richard ANDRIAMANJATO; Movement for National Unity (VONJY), Dr. Marojama RAZANABAHINY; Malagasy Christian Democratic Union (UDECMA), Norbert ANDRIAMORASATA; Militants for the Establishment of a Proletarian Regime (MFM), Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA; National Movement for the Independence of Madagascar (MONIMA), Monja JAONA; Socialist Organization Monima (VSM, an offshoot of MONIMA), Tsihozony MAHARANGA

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

President—last held on 12 March 1989 (next to be held March 1996); results—Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 62%, Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA (MFM/MFT) 20%, Dr. Jerome Marojama RAZANABAHINY (VONJY) 15%, Monja JAONA (MONIMA) 3%;

Popular National Assembly—last held on 28 May 1989 (next to be held May 1994); results—AREMA 88.2%, MFM 5.1%, AKFM 3.7%, VONJY 2.2%, other 0.8%; seats—(137 total) AREMA 120, MFM 7, AKFM 5, VONJY 4, MONIMA 1

#Communists: Communist party of virtually no importance; small and vocal group of Communists has gained strong position in leadership of AKFM, the rank and file of which is non-Communist

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

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Pierrot Jocelyn RAJAONARIVELO; Chancery at 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-5525 or 5526; there is a Malagasy Consulate General in New York;

US—Ambassador Howard K. WALKER; Embassy at 14 and 16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo (mailing address is B. P. 620, Antananarivo); telephone 212-57, 209-56, 200-89, 207-18

#Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

*Economy #Overview: Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. During the period 1980-85 it had a population growth of 3% a year and a - 0.4% GDP growth rate. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the mainstay of the economy, accounting for over 40% of GDP, employing about 80% of the labor force, and contributing to more than 70% of total export earnings. Industry is largely confined to the processing of agricultural products and textile manufacturing; in 1990 it accounted for only 16% of GDP and employed 3% of the labor force. In 1986 the government introduced a five-year development plan that stresses self-sufficiency in food (mainly rice) by 1990, increased production for exports, and reduced energy imports.

#GDP: $2.4 billion, per capita $200; real growth rate 3.8% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (1990)

#Unemployment rate: NA%

#Budget: revenues $390 million; expenditures $525 million, including capital expenditures of $240 million (1990 est.)

#Exports: $290 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);

commodities—coffee 45%, vanilla 15%, cloves 11%, sugar, petroleum products;

partners—France, Japan, Italy, FRG, US

#Imports: $436 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);

commodities—intermediate manufactures 30%, capital goods 28%, petroleum 15%, consumer goods 14%, food 13%;

partners—France, FRG, UK, other EC, US

#External debt: $3.6 billion (1989)

#Industrial production: growth rate 5.2% (1990 est.); accounts for 16% of GDP

#Electricity: 119,000 kW capacity; 430 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: agricultural processing (meat canneries, soap factories, breweries, tanneries, sugar refining plants), light consumer goods industries (textiles, glassware), cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum

#Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP; cash crops—coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa; food crops—rice, cassava, beans, bananas, peanuts; cattle raising widespread; almost self-sufficient in rice

#Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $136 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $2.9 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $491 million

#Currency: Malagasy franc (plural—francs); 1 Malagasy franc (FMG) = 100 centimes

#Exchange rates: Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1—1,454.6 (December 1990), 1,494.1 (1990), 1,603.4 (1989), 1,407.1 (1988), 1,069.2 (1987), 676.3 (1986), 662.5 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 1,020 km 1.000-meter gauge

#Highways: 40,000 km total; 4,694 km paved, 811 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil, 34,495 km improved and unimproved earth (est.)

#Inland waterways: of local importance only; isolated streams and small portions of Canal des Pangalanes

#Ports: Toamasina, Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toliara

#Merchant marine: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 59,416 GRT/82,869 DWT; includes 9 cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas

#Civil air: 5 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 148 total, 115 usable; 30 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 42 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: above average system includes open-wire lines, coaxial cables, radio relay, and troposcatter links; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations—1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT; over 38,200 telephones; stations—14 AM, 1 FM, 7 (30 repeaters) TV

*Defense Forces #Branches: Popular Armed Forces (includes Intervention Forces, Development Forces, Aeronaval Forces—includes Navy and Air Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 2,637,866; 1,570,393 fit for military service; 119,882 reach military age (20) annually

Defense expenditures: $37 million, 2.2% of GDP (1989 est.) % @Malawi *Geography Total area: 118,480 km2; land area: 94,080 km2

#Comparative area: slightly larger than Pennsylvania

#Land boundaries: 2,881 km total; Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

#Coastline: none—landlocked

#Maritime claims: none—landlocked

#Disputes: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)

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

#Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains

#Natural resources: limestone; unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

#Land use: arable land 25%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 20%; forest and woodland 50%; other 5%; includes irrigated NEGL%

#Environment: deforestation

#Note: landlocked

*People #Population: 9,438,462 (July 1991), growth rate 1.8% (1991); note—900,000 Mozambican refugees in Malawi (1990 est.)

#Birth rate: 52 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 18 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: - 17 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 136 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 48 years male, 51 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 7.6 children born/woman (1991)

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

#Ethnic divisions: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European

#Religion: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%; traditional indigenous beliefs are also practiced

#Language: English and Chichewa (official); other languages important regionally

#Literacy: 22% (male 34%, female 12%) age 15 and over can read and write (1966)

#Labor force: 428,000 wage earners; agriculture 43%, manufacturing 16%, personal services 15%, commerce 9%, construction 7%, miscellaneous services 4%, other permanently employed 6% (1986)

#Organized labor: small minority of wage earners are unionized

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Malawi

#Type: one-party state

#Capital: Lilongwe

#Administrative divisions: 24 districts; Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ncheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhota Kota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba

#Independence: 6 July 1964 (from UK; formerly Nyasaland)

#Constitution: 6 July 1964; republished as amended January 1974

#Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1964)

#Executive branch: president, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly

#Judicial branch: High Court, Supreme Court of Appeal

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—President Dr. Hastings Kamuzu BANDA (since 6 July 1966; sworn in as President for Life 6 July 1971)

#Political parties and leaders: only party—Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Maxwell PASHANE, administrative secretary; John TEMBO, treasurer general; top party position of secretary general vacant since 1983

#Suffrage: universal at age 21

#Elections:

President—President BANDA sworn in as President for Life on 6 July 1971;

National Assembly—last held 27-28 May 1987 (next to be held by May 1992); results—MCP is the only party; seats—(133 total, 112 elected) MCP 133

#Communists: no Communist party

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

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Robert B. MBAYA; Chancery at 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 797-1007;

US—Ambassador George A. TRAIL, III; Embassy in new capital city development area, address NA (mailing address is P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe); telephone [265] 730-166

#Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band; similar to the flag of Afghanistan which is longer and has the national coat of arms superimposed on the hoist side of the black and red bands

*Economy #Overview: A landlocked country, Malawi ranks among the world's least developed with a per capita GDP of $175. The economy is predominately agricultural and operates under a relatively free enterprise environment, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for 40% of GDP and 90% of export revenues. After two years of weak performance, economic growth improved significantly in 1988-90 as a result of good weather and a broadly based economic adjustment effort by the government. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. The closure of traditional trade routes through Mozambique continues to be a constraint on the economy.

#GDP: $1.6 billion, per capita $175; growth rate 4.8% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.7% (1990)

#Unemployment rate: NA%

#Budget: revenues $398 million; expenditures $510 million, including capital expenditures of $154 million (FY91 est.)

#Exports: $390 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);

commodities—tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts;

partners—US, UK, Zambia, South Africa, FRG

#Imports: $560 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.);

commodities—food, petroleum, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment;

partners—South Africa, Japan, US, UK, Zimbabwe

#External debt: $1.4 billion (December 1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 4.9% (1989 est.); accounts for about 18% of GDP (1988)

#Electricity: 181,000 kW capacity; 535 million kWh produced, 60 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: agricultural processing (tea, tobacco, sugar), sawmilling, cement, consumer goods

#Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP; cash crops—tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, and corn; subsistence crops—potatoes, cassava, sorghum, pulses; livestock—cattle and goats

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $215 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $2.0 billion

#Currency: Malawian kwacha (plural—kwacha); 1 Malawian kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala

#Exchange rates: Malawian kwacha (MK) per US$1—2.6300 (January 1991), 2.7289 (1990), 2.7595 (1989), 2.5613 (1988), 2.2087 (1987), 1.8611 (1986), 1.7191 (1985)

#Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

*Communications #Railroads: 789 km 1.067-meter gauge

#Highways: 13,135 km total; 2,364 km paved; 251 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil; 10,520 km earth and improved earth

#Inland waterways: Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Shire River, 144 km

#Ports: Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, and Nkotakota—all on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)

#Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 48 total, 46 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: fair system of open-wire lines, radio relay links, and radio communication stations; 36,800 telephones; stations—8 AM, 4 FM, no TV; satellite earth stations—1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT

#Note: a majority of exports would normally go through Mozambique on the Beira or Nacala railroads, but now most go through South Africa because of insurgent activity and damage to rail lines

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (includes paramilitary Mobile Force Unit), paramilitary Malawi Young Pioneers

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,960,082; 995,864 fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $22 million, 1.6% of GDP (1989 est.) % @Malaysia *Geography Total area: 329,750 km2; land area: 328,550 km2

#Comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico

#Land boundaries: 2,669 km total; Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782, Thailand 506 km

#Coastline: 4,675 km total (2,068 km Peninsular Malaysia, 2,607 km East Malaysia)

#Maritime claims:

Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation, specified boundary in the South China Sea;

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam; state of Sabah claimed by the Philippines; Brunei may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides Brunei into two parts

#Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

#Terrain: coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

#Natural resources: tin, crude oil, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

#Land use: arable land 3%; permanent crops 10%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest and woodland 63%; other 24%; includes irrigated 1%

#Environment: subject to flooding; air and water pollution

#Note: strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

*People #Population: 17,981,698 (July 1991), growth rate 2.4% (1991)

#Birth rate: 30 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: 29 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 71 years female (1991)

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

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

#Ethnic divisions: Malay and other indigenous 59%, Chinese 32%, Indian 9%

#Religion: Peninsular Malaysia—Malays nearly all Muslim, Chinese predominantly Buddhists, Indians predominantly Hindu; Sabah—Muslim 38%, Christian 17%, other 45%; Sarawak—tribal religion 35%, Buddhist and Confucianist 24%, Muslim 20%, Christian 16%, other 5%

#Language: Peninsular Malaysia—Malay (official); English, Chinese dialects, Tamil; Sabah—English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate among Chinese; Sarawak—English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages

#Literacy: 78% (male 86%, female 70%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 6,800,000; agriculture 30.8%, manufacturing 17%, government 13.6%, construction 5.8%, finance 4.3%, business services, transport and communications 3.4%, mining 0.6%, other 24.5% (1989 est.)

#Organized labor: 660,000, 10% of total labor force (1988)

*Government #Long-form name: none

#Type: Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963; constitutional monarchy nominally headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament; Peninsular Malaysian states—hereditary rulers in all but Penang and Melaka, where governors are appointed by Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by federal Constitution; Sabah—self-governing state, holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak—self-governing state within Malaysia, holds 27 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government

#Capital: Kuala Lumpur

#Administrative divisions: 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular—negeri) and 2 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular—wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*

#Independence: 31 August 1957 (from UK)

#Constitution: 31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963 when Federation of Malaya became Federation of Malaysia

#Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: National Day, 31 August (1957)

#Executive branch: paramount ruler, deputy paramount ruler, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlimen) consists of an upper house or Senate (Dewan Negara) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat)

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Paramount Ruler AZLAN Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Sultan Yusof Izzudin (since 26 April 1989); Deputy Paramount Ruler JA'AFAR ibni Abdul Rahman (since 26 April 1989);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister Abdul GHAFAR Baba (since 7 May 1986)

#Political parties and leaders: Peninsular Malaysia— National Front, a confederation of 13 political parties dominated by United Malays National Organization Baru (UMNO Baru), MAHATHIR bin Mohamad; Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), LING Liong Sik; Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, Datuk LIM Keng Yaik; Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), Datuk S. Samy VELLU;

Sabah—Berjaya Party, Datuk Haji Mohammed NOOR Mansor; Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Joseph Pairin KITINGAN; United Sabah National Organizaton (USNO), Tun Datu Haji MUSTAPHA;

Sarawak—coalition Sarawak National Front composed of the Party Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Datuk Patinggi Amar Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud; Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Datuk Amar Stephen YONG Kuet Tze; Sarawak National Party (SNAP), Datuk James WONG Kim Min; Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), Datuk Leo MOGGIE; major opposition parties are Democratic Action Party (DAP), LIM Kit Siang and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), Fadzil NOOR

#Suffrage: universal at age 21

#Elections:

House of Representatives—last held 21 October 1990 (next to be held by August 1995); results—National Front 52%, other 48%; seats—(180 total) National Front 127, DAP 20, PAS 7, independents 4, other 22; note—within the National Front, UMNO got 71 seats and MCA 18 seats

#Communists: Peninsular Malaysia—about 1,000 armed insurgents on Thailand side of international boundary and about 200 full time inside Malaysia surrendered on 2 December 1989; about 50 Communist insurgents in Sarawak surrendered on 17 October 1990

#Member of: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Abdul MAJID Mohamed; Chancery at 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 328-2700; there are Malaysian Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York;

US—Ambassador Paul M. CLEVELAND; Embassy at 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur (mailing address is P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur); telephone [60] (3) 248-9011

#Flag: fourteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US

*Economy #Overview: In 1988-90 booming exports helped Malaysia continue to recover from the severe 1985-86 recession. Real output grew by 8.8% in 1989 and 10% in 1990, helped by vigorous growth in manufacturing output, further increases in foreign direct investment, particularly from Japanese and Taiwanese firms facing higher costs at home, and increased oil production in 1990. Malaysia has become the world's third-largest producer of semiconductor devices (after the US and Japan) and the world's largest exporter of semiconductor devices. Inflation remained low as unemployment stood at 6% of the labor force and as the government followed prudent fiscal/monetary policies. The country is not self-sufficient in food, and some of the rural population subsists at the poverty level. Malaysia's high export dependence leaves it vulnerable to a recession in the OECD countries or a fall in world commodity prices.

#GDP: $43.1 billion, per capita $2,460; real growth rate 10% (1990)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (1990 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 6% (1990)

#Budget: revenues $12.6 billion; expenditures $11.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.2 billion (1991 est.)

#Exports: $28.9 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);

commodities—natural rubber, palm oil, tin, timber, petroleum, electronics, light manufactures;

partners—Singapore, US, Japan, EC

#Imports: $26.5 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);

commodities—food, crude oil, consumer goods, intermediate goods, capital equipment, chemicals;

partners—Japan, US, Singapore, FRG, UK

#External debt: $20.0 billion (1990)

#Industrial production: growth rate 15.8% (1990 est.); accounts for 27% of GDP

#Electricity: 5,600,000 kW capacity; 16,500 million kWh produced, 940 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries:

Peninsular Malaysia—rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing timber;

Sabah—logging, petroleum production;

Sarawak—agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging

#Agriculture:

Peninsular Malaysia—natural rubber, palm oil, rice;

Sabah—mainly subsistence, but also rubber, timber, coconut, rice;

Sarawak—rubber, timber, pepper; there is a deficit of rice in all areas; fish catch of 608,000 metric tons in 1987

#Illicit drugs: transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe, and the Third World

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-84), $170 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $4.5 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $42 million

#Currency: ringgit (plural—ringgits); 1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen

#Exchange rates: ringgits (M$) per US$1—2.7151 (January 1991), 1.7048 (1990), 2.7088 (1989), 2.6188 (1988), 2.5196 (1987), 2.5814 (1986), 2.4830 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads:

Peninsular Malaysia—1,665 km 1.04-meter gauge; 13 km double track, government owned;

Sabah—136 km 1.000-meter gauge

#Highways:

Peninsular Malaysia—23,600 km (19,352 km hard surfaced, mostly bituminous-surface treatment, and 4,248 km unpaved);

Sabah—3,782 km;

Sarawak—1,644 km

#Inland waterways:

Peninsular Malaysia—3,209 km;

Sabah—1,569 km;

Sarawak—2,518 km

#Ports: Tanjong Kidurong, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Tawau

#Merchant marine: 157 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,530,756 GRT/2,246,358 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 65 cargo, 22 container, 2 vehicle carrier, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 livestock carrier, 31 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 3 chemical tanker, 6 liquefied gas, 1 passenger-cargo, 23 bulk

#Civil air: 53 major transport aircraft

#Pipelines: crude oil, 1,307 km; natural gas, 379 km

#Airports: 125 total, 119 usable; 32 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 7 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 18 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: good intercity service provided to peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave relay, adequate intercity radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; international service good; good coverage by radio and television broadcasts; 994,860 telephones (1984); stations—28 AM, 3 FM, 33 TV; submarine cables extend to India and Sarawak; SEACOM submarine cable links to Hong Kong and Singapore; satellite earth stations—1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT, and 2 domestic

*Defense Forces #Branches: Royal Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 4,620,418; 2,815,910 fit for military service; 180,991 reach military age (21) annually

Defense expenditures: $1.7 billion, 3.9% of GDP (1990) % @Maldives *Geography Total area: 300 km2; land area: 300 km2

#Comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 644 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive economic zone: 35-310 nm (defined by geographic coordinates; segment of zone coincides with maritime boundary with India);

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

#Terrain: flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters

#Natural resources: fish

#Land use: arable land 10%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 3%; forest and woodland 3%; other 84%

#Environment: 1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls

#Note: archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

*People #Population: 226,200 (July 1991), growth rate 3.7% (1991)

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

#Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

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

#Infant mortality rate: 72 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 61 years male, 65 years female (1991)

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

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

#Ethnic divisions: admixtures of Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, and black

#Religion: Sunni Muslim

#Language: Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic); English spoken by most government officials

#Literacy: 92% (male 92%, female 92%) age 15 and over can read and write (1985)

#Labor force: 66,000 (est.); 25% engaged in fishing industry

#Organized labor: none

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Maldives

#Type: republic

#Capital: Male

#Administrative divisions: 19 district (atolls); Aliff, Baa, Daalu, Faafu, Gaafu Aliff, Gaafu Daalu, Haa Aliff, Haa Daalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Laviyani, Meemu, Naviyani, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Waavu

#Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)

#Constitution: 4 June 1964

#Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

#Executive branch: president, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: unicameral Citizens' Council (Majlis)

#Judicial branch: High Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978)

#Political parties and leaders: no organized political parties; country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries

#Suffrage: universal at age 21

#Elections:

President—last held 23 September 1988 (next to be held September 1994); results—President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected;

Citizens' Council—last held on 7 December 1989 (next to be held 7 December 1994); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(48 total, 40 elected)

#Communists: negligible

#Member of: AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Maldives does not maintain an embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York;

US—the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there; US Consular Agency, Midhath Hilmy, Male; telephone 2581

#Flag: red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag

*Economy #Overview: The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and shipping. Agriculture is limited to the production of a few subsistence crops that provide only 10% of food requirements. Fishing is the largest industry, employing 25% of the work force and accounting for over 60% of exports; it is also an important source of government revenue. During the 1980s tourism has become one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1988 industry accounted for about 5% of GDP. Real GDP is officially estimated to have increased by about 10% annually during the period 1974-87, and GDP estimates for 1988 show a further growth of 9% on the strength of a record fish catch and an improved tourist season.

#GDP: $136 million, per capita $670; real growth rate 9.2% (1988)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (1988 est.)

#Unemployment rate: NEGL%

#Budget: revenues $51 million; expenditures $50 million, including capital expenditures of $25 million (1988 est.)

#Exports: $39.4 million (f.o.b., 1988);

commodities—fish 57%, clothing 39%;

partners—Thailand, Western Europe, Sri Lanka

#Imports: $105.7 million (c.i.f., 1988);

commodities—intermediate and capital goods 47%, consumer goods 42%, petroleum products 11%;

partners—Japan, Western Europe, Thailand

#External debt: $70 million (December 1989)

#Industrial production: growth rate - 5.0% (1988); accounts for 5% of GDP

#Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 11 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts

#Agriculture: accounts for almost 30% of GDP (including fishing); fishing more important than farming; limited production of coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; most staple foods must be imported; fish catch of 63,000 tons (1988 est.)

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $28 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $105 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $14 million

#Currency: rufiyaa (plural—rufiyaa); 1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laaris

#Exchange rates: rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1—9.937 (January 1991), 9.509 (1990), 9.0408 (1989), 8.7846 (1988), 9.2230 (1987), 7.1507 (1986), 7.0981 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Highways: Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city

#Ports: Male, Gan

#Merchant marine: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 53,131 GRT/85,770 DWT; includes 14 cargo, 1 container, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 bulk

#Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 2 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m

#Telecommunications: minimal domestic and international facilities; 2,804 telephones; stations—2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: National Security Service (paramilitary police force)

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 50,788; 28,378 fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $1.8 million, NA% of GDP (1984 est.) % @Mali *Geography Total area: 1,240,000 km2; land area: 1,220,000 km2

#Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

#Land boundaries: 7,243 km total; Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Ivory Coast 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km

#Coastline: none—landlocked

#Maritime claims: none—landlocked

#Disputes: the disputed international boundary between Burkina and Mali was submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October 1983 and the ICJ issued its final ruling in December 1986, which both sides agreed to accept; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger

#Climate: subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

#Terrain: mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

#Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium; bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

#Land use: arable land 2%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 25%; forest and woodland 7%; other 66%; includes irrigated NEGL%

#Environment: hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; desertification

#Note: landlocked

*People #Population: 8,338,542 (July 1991), growth rate 2.4% (1991)

#Birth rate: 51 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 21 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

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

#Infant mortality rate: 114 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 45 years male, 47 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1991)

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

#Ethnic divisions: Mande (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole) 50%, Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 5%, other 10%

#Religion: Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

#Language: French (official); Bambara spoken by about 80% of the population; numerous African languages

#Literacy: 32% (male 41%, female 24%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 2,666,000 (1986 est.); agriculture 80%, services 19%, industry and commerce 1% (1981); 50% of population of working age (1985)

#Organized labor: National Union of Malian Workers (UNTM) is umbrella organization for over 13 national unions

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Mali

#Type: republic; the single-party constitutional government was overthrown on 26 March 1991; the new ruling National Reconciliation Council has promised a multiparty democracy

#Capital: Bamako

#Administrative divisions: 7 regions (regions, singular—region); Gao, Kayes, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou; note—there may be a new capital district of Bamako

#Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France; formerly French Sudan)

#Constitution: 2 June 1974, effective 19 June 1979; amended September 1981 and March 1985; suspended following the coup of 26 March 1991

#Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Section of Court of State; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22 September (1960)

#Executive branch: National Conciliation Council led by the military, following the coup of 26 March 1991

#Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemble Nationale)

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

#Leaders:

Chief of State—following the military coup of 26 March 1991 President Gen. Moussa TRAORE was deposed and the National Reconciliation Council, led by Lt. Col. Amadou Toumani TOURE and Lt. Col. Kafougouna KONE, was installed;

Head of Government—Interim Premier Soumana SACKO (since 2 April 1991)

#Political parties and leaders: formerly the only party, the Democratic Union of Malian People (UDPM), was disbanded after the coup of 26 March 1991, and the new regime legalized the formation of political parties on 5 April 1991; new political parties are—Union of Democratic Forces (UFD), Demba DIALLO; Union for Democracy and Development (UDD), Moussa Bala COULIBALY; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally (US-RDA), Mamadou Madeira KEITA; African Party for Solidarity and Justice (ADEMA), Alpha Oumar KONARE; Party for Democracy and Progress (PDP), Idrissa TRAORE; Democratic Party for Justice (PDJ), Abdul BA; Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Almany SYLLA; Party for the Unity of Malian People (PUPM), Nock AGATTIA; Hisboulah al Islamiya, Hamidou DRAMERA; Union of Progressive Forces (UFP), Yacouba SIDIBE; National Congress of Democratic Initiative (CNID), Mountaga TALL; Assembly for Justice and Progress, Kady DRAME; other parties forming

#Suffrage: universal at age 21

#Elections:

President—last held on 9 June 1985 (next to be held June 1991); results—General Moussa TRAORE was reelected without opposition;

National Assembly—last held on 26 June 1988 (next to be held June 1991); results—UDPM is the only party; seats—(82 total) UDPM 82; note—following the military coup of 26 March 1991 President TRAORE was deposed and the UDPM was disbanded; the new ruling National Reconciliation Council, formed of 17 soldiers, has promised to institute a multiparty democracy and is expected to hold elections by December 1991

#Communists: a few Communists and some sympathizers (no legal Communist party)

#Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Mohamed Alhousseyni TOURE; Chancery at 2130 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-2249 or 939-8950;

US—Ambassador Herbert D. GELBER; Embassy at Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V., Bamako (mailing address is B. P. 34, Bamako); telephone [223] 223712

#Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

*Economy #Overview: Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with about 70% of its land area desert or semidesert. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population live as nomads and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities.

#GDP: $2.0 billion, per capita $250; real growth rate 9.9% (1989 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% (1987)

#Unemployment rate: NA%

#Budget: revenues $329 million; expenditures $519 million, including capital expenditures of $178 (1989 est.)

#Exports: $285 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, skins;

partners—mostly franc zone and Western Europe

#Imports: $513 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery, sugar, cereals;

partners—mostly franc zone and Western Europe

#External debt: $2.2 billion (1989 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 19.9% (1989 est.); accounts for 7% of GDP

#Electricity: 253,000 kW capacity; 730 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: small local consumer goods and processing, construction, phosphate, gold, fishing

#Agriculture: accounts for 50% of GDP; most production based on small subsistence farms; cotton and livestock products account for over 70% of exports; other crops—millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; livestock—cattle, sheep, and goats

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $349 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $2.65 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $92 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $190 million

#Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural—francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

#Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1—256.54 (January 1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 642 km 1.000-meter gauge; linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes

#Highways: about 15,700 km total; 1,670 km bituminous, 3,670 km gravel and improved earth, 10,360 km unimproved earth

#Inland waterways: 1,815 km navigable

#Civil air: no major transport aircraft

#Airports: 37 total, 29 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 10 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service with radio relay, wire, and radio communications stations; expansion of radio relay in progress; 11,000 telephones; stations—2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, Air Force; paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, National Police

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,631,445; 940,954 fit for military service; no conscription

Defense expenditures: $45 million, 2.4% of GDP (1988) % @Malta *Geography Total area: 320 km2; land area: 320 km2

#Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 140 km

#Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 24 nm;

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

Exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

#Terrain: mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

#Natural resources: limestone, salt

#Land use: arable land 38%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 59%; includes irrigated 3%

#Environment: numerous bays provide good harbors; fresh water very scarce—increasing reliance on desalination

#Note: strategic location in central Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily, 290 km north of Libya

*People #Population: 356,427 (July 1991), growth rate 0.8% (1991)

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

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 79 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 2.0 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Maltese (sing. and pl.); adjective—Maltese

#Ethnic divisions: mixture of Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, English

#Religion: Roman Catholic 98%

#Language: Maltese and English (official)

#Literacy: 84% (male 86%, female 82%) age 15 and over can read and write (1985)

#Labor force: 126,135; government (excluding job corps) 37%, services 26%, manufacturing 22%, training programs 9%, construction 4%, agriculture 2% (1989)

#Organized labor: about 40% of labor force

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Malta

#Type: parliamentary democracy

#Capital: Valletta

#Administrative divisions: none (administration directly from Valletta)

#Independence: 21 September 1964 (from UK)

#Constitution: 26 April 1974, effective 2 June 1974

#Legal system: based on English common law and Roman civil law; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

#National holiday: Freedom Day, 31 March

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

#Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives

#Judicial branch: Constitutional Court and Court of Appeal

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President Vincent (Censu) TABONE (since 4 April 1989);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Dr. Edward (Eddie) FENECH ADAMI (since 12 May 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Guido DE MARCO (since 14 May 1987)

#Political parties and leaders: Nationalist Party, Edward FENECH ADAMI; Malta Labor Party, Karmenu MIFSUD BONNICI

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

House of Representatives—last held on 9 May 1987 (next to be held by May 1992); results—NP 51.1%, MLP 48.9%; seats—(usually 65 total, but additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority; current total 69) MLP 34, NP 31 before popular vote adjustment; MLP 34, NP 35 after adjustment

#Communists: fewer than 100 (est.)

#Member of: C, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Salvatore J. STELLINI; Chancery at 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 462-3611 or 3612; there is a Maltese Consulate General in New York;

US—Ambassador Sally J. NOVETZKE; Embassy at 2nd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, Valletta (mailing address is P. O. Box 535, Valletta); telephone [356] 240424, 240425, 243216, 243217, 243653, 223654

#Flag: two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red

*Economy #Overview: Significant resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited freshwater supplies, and has no domestic energy sources. Consequently, the economy is highly dependent on foreign trade and services. Manufacturing and tourism are the largest contributors to the economy. Manufacturing accounts for about 27% of GDP, with the electronics and textile industries major contributors. In 1989 inflation was held to a low 0.9%. Per capita GDP at $5,500 places Malta in the middle-income range of the world's nations.

#GDP: $1.9 billion, per capita $5,500 (1988); real growth rate 6.4% (1989)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.9% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: 3.7% (1989)

#Budget: revenues $1,020 million; expenditures $1,230 million, including capital expenditures of $380 million (1990 est.)

#Exports: $866 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—clothing, textiles, footwear, ships;

partners—Italy 30%, FRG 22%, UK 11%

#Imports: $1,328 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—food, petroleum, machinery and semimanufactured goods;

partners—Italy 30%, UK 16%, FRG 13%, US 4%

#External debt: $90 million, medium and long-term (December 1987)

#Industrial production: growth rate 19.2% (1989); accounts for 27% of GDP

#Electricity: 328,000 kW capacity; 1,110 million kWh produced, 2,990 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: tourism, electronics, ship repair yard, construction, food manufacturing, textiles, footwear, clothing, beverages, tobacco

#Agriculture: accounts for 3% of GDP; overall, 20% self-sufficient; main products—potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers, hogs, poultry, eggs; generally adequate supplies of vegetables, poultry, milk, pork products; seasonal or periodic shortages in grain, animal fodder, fruits, other basic foodstuffs

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $172 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $333 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $76 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $48 million

#Currency: Maltese lira (plural—liri); 1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: Maltese liri (LM) per US$1—0.3004 (January 1991), 0.3172 (1990), 0.3483 (1989), 0.3306 (1988), 0.3451 (1987), 0.3924 (1986), 0.4676 (1985)

#Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

*Communications #Highways: 1,291 km total; 1,179 km paved (asphalt), 77 km crushed stone or gravel, 35 km improved and unimproved earth

#Ports: Valletta, Marsaxlokk

#Merchant marine: 415 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,005,791 GRT/8,644,369 DWT; includes 3 passenger, 8 short-sea passenger, 160 cargo, 5 container, 2 passenger-cargo, 13 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 3 vehicle carrier, 1 barge carrier, 6 refrigerated cargo, 9 chemical tanker, 8 combination ore/oil, 2 specialized tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 79 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 104 bulk, 11 combination bulk; note—a flag of convenience registry; China owns 1 ship, USSR owns 7, Cuba owns 7, and Vietnam owns 1

#Civil air: 7 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m

#Telecommunications: modern automatic system centered in Valletta; 163,800 telephones; stations—9 AM, 4 FM, 2 TV; 1 submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Armed Forces, Maltese Police Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 94,081; 75,222 fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $21.9 million, 1.3% of GDP (1989 est.) % @Man, Isle of (British crown dependency) *Geography Total area: 588 km2; land area: 588 km2

#Comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 113 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 3 nm

#Climate: cool summers and mild winters; humid; overcast about half the time

#Terrain: hills in north and south bisected by central valley

#Natural resources: lead, iron ore

#Land use: arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and woodland NA%; other NA%; extensive arable land and forests

#Environment: strong westerly winds prevail

#Note: located in Irish Sea equidistant from England, Scotland, and Ireland

*People #Population: 64,075 (July 1991), growth rate 0.1% (1991)

#Birth rate: 11 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 14 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

#Net migration rate: 4 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

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

#Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Manxman, Manxwoman, adjective—Manx

#Ethnic divisions: native Manx of Norse-Celtic descent; British

#Religion: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends

#Language: English, Manx Gaelic

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

#Labor force: 25,864 (1981)

#Organized labor: 22 labor unions patterned along British lines

*Government #Long-form name: none

#Type: British crown dependency

#Capital: Douglas

#Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)

#Independence: none (British crown dependency)

#Constitution: 1961, Isle of Man Constitution Act

#Legal system: English law and local statute

#National holiday: Tynwald Day, 5 July

#Executive branch: British monarch, lieutenant governor, prime minister, Executive Council (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: bicameral Tynwald consists of an upper house or Legislative Council and a lower house or House of Keys

#Judicial branch: High Court of Justice

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Air Marshal Sir Laurence JONES (since NA 1990);

Head of Government—President of the Legislative Council Sir Charles KERRUISH (since NA 1990)

#Political parties and leaders: there is no party system and members sit as independents

#Suffrage: universal at age 21

#Elections:

House of Keys—last held in 1986 (next to be held 1991); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(24 total) independents 24

#Communists: probably none

#Member of: none

#Diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency)

#Flag: red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used

*Economy #Overview: Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government's policy of offering incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GNP. Banking now contributes over 20% to GNP and manufacturing about 15%. Trade is mostly with the UK.

#GNP: $490 million, per capita $7,573; real growth rate NA% (1988)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

#Unemployment rate: 1.5% (1988)

#Budget: revenues $130.4 million; expenditures $114.4 million, including capital expenditures of $18.1 million (FY85 est.)

#Exports: $NA;

commodities—tweeds, herring, processed shellfish meat;

partners—UK

#Imports: $NA;

commodities—timber, fertilizers, fish;

partners—UK

#External debt: $NA

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: 61,000 kW capacity; 190 million kWh produced, 2,930 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: an important offshore financial center; financial services, light manufacturing, tourism