#Independence: 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

#Constitution: 30 November 1990

#Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

#National holiday: Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

#Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica)

#Judicial branch: People's Courts at all levels

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6 November 1986);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Mario da Graca MACHUNGO (since 17 July 1986)

#Political parties and leaders: Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO)—formerly a Marxist organization with close ties to the USSR—was the only legal party before 30 November 1990 when the new Constitution went into effect establishing a multiparty system; note—the government has announced that multiparty elections will be held in 1991; parties such as the Liberal Democratic Party of Mozambique (PALMO), the Mozambique National Union (UNAMO), and the Mozambique National Movement (MONAMO) have already emerged

#Suffrage: universal adult at age 18

#Elections: electoral law—to be ratified in 1991—will provide for periodic, direct presidential and Assembly elections

#Communists: about 200,000 FRELIMO members; note—FRELIMO no longer considers itself a Communist party

#Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Hipolito PATRICIO; Chancery at Suite 570, 1990 M Street NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 293-7146;

US—Ambassador Townsend B. FRIEDMAN, Jr.; Embassy at Avenida Kenneth Kuanda, 193 Maputo (mailing address is P. O. Box 783, Maputo); telephone [258] (1) 49-27-97, 49-01-67, 49-03-50

#Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book

*Economy #Overview: One of Africa's poorest countries, with a per capita GDP of little more than $100, Mozambique has failed to exploit the economic potential of its sizable agricultural, hydropower, and transportation resources. Indeed, national output, consumption, and investment declined throughout the first half of the 1980s because of internal disorders, lack of government administrative control, and a growing foreign debt. A sharp increase in foreign aid, attracted by an economic reform policy, has resulted in successive years of economic growth since 1985. Agricultural output, nevertheless, is at about only 75% of its 1981 level, and grain has to be imported. Industry operates at only 20-40% of capacity. The economy depends heavily on foreign assistance to keep afloat.

#GDP: $1.6 billion, per capita $110; real growth rate 5.0% (1989 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 22.9% (1990 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 50% (1989 est.)

#Budget: revenues $186 million; expenditures $239 million, including capital expenditures of $208 million (1988 est.)

#Exports: $90 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—shrimp 48%, cashews 21%, sugar 10%, copra 3%, citrus 3%;

partners—US, Western Europe, GDR, Japan

#Imports: $764 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.), including aid;

commodities—food, clothing, farm equipment, petroleum;

partners—US, Western Europe, USSR

#External debt: $5.1 billion (1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 5% (1989 est.)

#Electricity: 2,265,000 kW capacity; 1,740 million kWh produced, 120 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), petroleum products, textiles, nonmetallic mineral products (cement, glass, asbestos), tobacco

#Agriculture: accounts for 90% of the labor force, 50% of GDP, and about 90% of exports; cash crops—cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, shrimp; other crops—cassava, corn, rice, tropical fruits; not self-sufficient in food

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $350 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.8 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $37 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $890 million

#Currency: metical (plural—meticais); 1 metical (Mt) = 100 centavos

#Exchange rates: meticais (Mt) per US$1—1,700 (November 1990), 800.00 (1989), 528.60 (1988), 289.44 (1987), 40.43 (1986), 43.18 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 3,288 km total; 3,140 km 1.067-meter gauge; 148 km 0.762-meter narrow gauge; Malawi-Nacala, Malawi-Beira, and Zimbabwe-Maputo lines are subject to closure because of insurgency

#Highways: 26,498 km total; 4,593 km paved; 829 km gravel, crushed stone, stabilized soil; 21,076 km unimproved earth

#Inland waterways: about 3,750 km of navigable routes

#Pipelines: 306 km crude oil (not operating); 289 km refined products

#Ports: Maputo, Beira, Nacala

#Merchant marine: 5 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,806 GRT/12,873 DWT

#Civil air: 5 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 197 total, 145 usable; 27 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 27 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: fair system of troposcatter, open-wire lines, and radio relay; 57,400 telephones; stations—15 AM, 3 FM, 1 TV; earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 3 domestic

*Defense Forces #Branches: Mozambique Armed Forces (including Army, Naval Command, Air Defense Forces, Border Guards), Militia

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 3,407,234; 1,957,123 fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $NA, 8.4% of GDP (1987) % @Namibia *Geography Total area: 824,290 km2; land area: 823,290 km2

#Comparative area: slightly more than half the size of Alaska

#Land boundaries: 3,935 km total; Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 966 km, Zambia 233 km

#Coastline: 1,489 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: short section of boundary with Botswana is indefinite; quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; claim by Namibia to Walvis Bay and 12 offshore islands administered by South Africa

#Climate: desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

#Terrain: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

#Natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and iron ore

#Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 64%; forest and woodland 22%; other 13%; includes irrigated NEGL%

#Environment: inhospitable with very limited natural water resources; desertification

#Note: Walvis Bay area is an exclave of South Africa in Namibia

*People #Population: 1,520,504 (July 1991), growth rate 3.6% (1991)

#Birth rate: 45 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: 69 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 58 years male, 63 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 6.6 children born/woman (1991)

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

#Ethnic divisions: black 86%, white 6.6%, mixed 7.4%; about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% from the Kavangos tribe

#Religion: predominantly Christian

#Language: English is official language; Afrikaans is common language of most of population and about 60% of white population, German 32%, English 7%; several indigenous languages

#Literacy: 38% (male 45%, female 31%) age 15 and over can read and write (1960)

#Labor force: 500,000; agriculture 60%, industry and commerce 19%, services 8%, government 7%, mining 6% (1981 est.)

#Organized labor: 20 trade unions representing about 90,000 workers

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Namibia

#Type: republic

#Capital: Windhoek

#Administrative divisions: the former administrative structure of 26 districts has been abolished and 14 temporary regions are still in the process of being determined; note—the 26 districts were Bethanien, Boesmanland, Caprivi Oos, Damaraland, Gobabis, Grootfontein, Hereroland Oos, Hereroland Wes, Kaokoland, Karasburg, Karibib, Kavango, Keetmanshoop, Luderitz, Maltahohe, Mariental, Namaland, Okahandja, Omaruru, Otjiwarongo, Outjo, Owambo, Rehoboth, Swakopmund, Tsumeb, Windhoek

#Independence: 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

#Constitution: ratified 9 February 1990

#Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

#National holiday: Independence Day, 21 March 1990

#Executive branch: president, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: bicameral; House of Review (upper house, to be established with elections in 1992 by planned new regional authorities); National Assembly (lower house elected by universal suffrage)

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—President Sam NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990)

#Political parties and leaders: South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Sam NUJOMA; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA), Dirk MUDGE; United Democratic Front (UDF), Justus GAROEB; Action Christian National (ACN), Kosie PRETORIUS; National Patriotic Front (NPF), Moses KATJIUONGUA; Federal Convention of Namibia (FCN), Hans DIERGAARDT; Namibia National Front (NNF), Vekuii RUKORO

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

President—last held 16 February 1990 (next to be held March 1995); Sam NUJOMA was elected president by the Constituent Assembly (now the National Assembly);

National Assembly—last held on 7-11 November 1989 (next to be held by November 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(72 total) SWAPO 41, DTA 21, UDF 4, ACN 3, NNF 1, FCN 1, NPF 1

#Communists: no Communist party

#Other political or pressure groups: NA

#Member of: C, ECA (associate), FAO, FLS, IAEA, IBRD, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, WCL, WFTU, WHO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Tuliameni KALOMOH; Chancery at 1413 K Street NW, 7th Floor, Washington, DC 20005 (mailing address is PO Box 34738, Washington DC 20043); telephone (202) 289-3871;

US—Ambassador Genta Hawkins HOLMES; Embassy at Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen St., Windhoek (mailing address is P. O. Box 9890, Windhoek 9000, Namibia); telephone [264] (61) 221-601, 222-675, 222-680

#Flag: a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left section, and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe which is contrasted by two narrow white edge borders

*Economy #Overview: The economy is heavily dependent on the mining industry to extract and process minerals for export. Mining accounts for almost 30% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Alluvial diamond deposits are among the richest in the world, making Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten, and it has substantial resources of coal. More than half the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood.

#GNP: $1.8 billion, per capita $1,240; real growth rate - 2.0% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15.1% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: over 30% (1990)

#Budget: revenues $794.1 million; expenditures $999.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91 est.)

#Exports: $1,021 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—uranium, diamonds, zinc, copper, cattle, processed fish, karakul skins;

partners—Switzerland, South Africa, FRG, Japan

#Imports: $894 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—foodstuffs, petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment;

partners—South Africa, FRG, US, Switzerland

#External debt: about $27 million at independence; under a 1971 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, Namibia may not be liable for debt incurred during its colonial period

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: 486,000 kW capacity; 1,280 million kWh produced, 930 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, mining (copper, lead, zinc, diamond, uranium)

#Agriculture: mostly subsistence farming; livestock raising major source of cash income; crops—millet, sorghum, peanuts; fish catch potential of over 1 million metric tons not being fulfilled, 1987 catch reaching only 520,000 metric tons; not self-sufficient in food

#Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $47.2 million

#Currency: South African rand (plural—rand); 1 South African rand (R) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: South African rand (R) per US$1—2.625 (January 1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2685 (1986), 2.1911 (1985)

#Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

*Communications #Railroads: 2,341 km 1.067-meter gauge, single track

#Highways: 54,500 km; 4,079 km paved, 2,540 km gravel, 47,881 km earth roads and tracks

#Ports: Luderitz; primary maritime outlet is Walvis Bay (South Africa)

#Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 143 total, 123 usable; 21 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 67 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: good urban, fair rural services; radio relay connects major towns, wires extend to other population centers; 62,800 telephones; stations—2 AM, 40 FM, 3 TV

*Defense Forces #Branches: National Defense Force (Army), Police

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 309,978; 183,730 fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $NA, 4.9% of GNP (1986) % @Nauru *Geography Total area: 21 km2; land area: 21 km2

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

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 30 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)

#Terrain: sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

#Natural resources: phosphates

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

#Environment: only 53 km south of Equator

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

*People #Population: 9,333 (July 1991), growth rate 1.4% (1991)

#Birth rate: 19 births/1,000 population (1991)

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 41 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 69 years female (1991)

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

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

#Ethnic divisions: Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

#Religion: Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

#Language: Nauruan, a distinct Pacific Island language (official); English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes

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

#Labor force: NA

#Organized labor: NA

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Nauru

#Type: republic

#Capital: no capital city as such; government offices in Yaren District

#Administrative divisions: 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

#Independence: 31 January 1968 (from UN trusteeship under Australia, New Zealand, and UK); formerly Pleasant Island

#Constitution: 29 January 1968

#Legal system: own Acts of Parliament and British common law

#National holiday: Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

#Executive branch: president, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 12 December 1989)

#Political parties and leaders: none

#Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 20

#Elections:

President—last held 9 December 1989 (next to be held December 1992); results—Bernard DOWIYOGO elected by Parliament;

Parliament—last held on 9 December 1989 (next to be held December 1992); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(18 total) independents 18

#Member of: C (special), ESCAP, ICAO, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UPU

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador-designate Theodore Conrad MOSES resident in Melbourne (Australia); there is a Nauruan Consulate in Agana (Guam);

US—the US Ambassador to Australia is accredited to Nauru

#Flag: blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru

*Economy #Overview: Revenues come from the export of phosphates, the reserves of which are expected to be exhausted by the year 2000. Phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World—$10,000 annually. Few other resources exist so most necessities must be imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates constitute serious long-term problems. Substantial investment in trust funds, out of phosphate income, will help cushion the transition.

#GNP: over $90 million, per capita $10,000; real growth rate NA% (1989)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

#Unemployment rate: 0%

#Budget: revenues $69.7 million; expenditures $51.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY86 est.)

#Exports: $93 million (f.o.b., 1984);

commodities—phosphates;

partners—Australia, NZ

#Imports: $73 million (c.i.f., 1984);

commodities—food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery;

partners—Australia, UK, NZ, Japan

#External debt: $33.3 million

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: 14,000 kW capacity; 50 million kWh produced, 5,430 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: phosphate mining, financial services, coconuts

#Agriculture: negligible; almost completely dependent on imports for food and water

#Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries (1970-1988), $2 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: 1 July-30 June

*Communications #Railroads: 3.9 km; used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast

#Highways: about 27 km total; 21 km paved, 6 km improved earth

#Ports: Nauru

#Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,261 GRT/39,838 DWT; includes 1 passenger-cargo, 2 bulk

#Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft, one on order

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

#Telecommunications: adequate intraisland and international radio communications provided via Australian facilities; 1,600 telephones; 4,000 radios; stations—1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: no regular armed forces; Directorate of the Nauru Police Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, NA; NA fit for military service

Defense expenditures: no formal defense structure % @Navassa Island (territory of the US) *Geography Total area: 5.2 km2; land area: 5.2 km2

#Comparative area: about nine 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

#Disputes: claimed by Haiti

#Climate: marine, tropical

#Terrain: raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 meters high)

#Natural resources: guano

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

#Environment: mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

#Note: strategic location between Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica in the Caribbean Sea; 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo, Cuba

*People #Population: uninhabited; transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island

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

#Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Coast Guard

*Economy #Overview: no economic activity

*Communications #Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

*Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the US % @Nepal *Geography Total area: 140,800 km2; land area: 136,800 km2

#Comparative area: slightly larger than Arkansas

#Land boundaries: 2,926 km total; China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

#Coastline: none—landlocked

#Maritime claims: none—landlocked

#Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winter in south

#Terrain: Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north

#Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydroelectric potential, scenic beauty; small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

#Land use: arable land 17%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 13%; forest and woodland 33%; other 37%; includes irrigated 2%

#Environment: contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

#Note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India

*People #Population: 19,611,900 (July 1991), growth rate 2.4% (1991)

#Birth rate: 39 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: 98 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 51 years male, 50 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 5.5 children born/woman (1991)

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

#Ethnic divisions: Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas, as well as many smaller groups

#Religion: only official Hindu state in world, although no sharp distinction between many Hindu (about 90% of population) and Buddhist groups (about 5% of population); Muslims 3%, other 2% (1981)

#Language: Nepali (official); 20 languages divided into numerous dialects

#Literacy: 26% (male 38%, female 13%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 4,100,000; agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry 2%; severe lack of skilled labor

#Organized labor: Teachers' Union and many other nonofficially recognized unions

*Government #Long-form name: Kingdom of Nepal

#Type: constitutional monarchy

#Capital: Kathmandu

#Administrative divisions: 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

#Independence: 1768, unified by Prithyi Narayan Shah

#Constitution: 9 November 1990

#Legal system: based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December (1945)

#Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, Council of Ministers

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

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Sarbochha Adalat)

#Leaders:

Chief of State—King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (since 31 January 1972, crowned King 24 February 1985); Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, son of the King (born 21 June 1971);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 29 May 1991)

#Political parties and leaders:

ruling party—Nepali Congress Party (NCP), Girija Prasad KOIRALA, Ganesh Man SINGH, Krishna Prasad BHATTARAI;

center—the NDP has two factions: National Democratic Party/Chand (NDP/Chand), Lokinra Bahadur CHAND, and National Democratic Party/Thapa (NDP/Thapa), Surya Bahadur THAPA; Terai Rights Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party, G. N. Naryan SINGH;

Communist—Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist and Leninist (CPN/UML), Man Mohan ADIKHARY; United People's Front (UPF), N. K. PRASAI; Rohit Party, N. M. BIJUKCHHE; Democratic Party, leader NA

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

House of Representatives—last held on 12 May 1991 (next to be held May 1996); results—NCP 38%, CPN/UML 28%, NDP/Chand 6%, UPF 5%, NDP/Thapa 5%, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 4%, Rohit 2%, CPN (Democratic) 1%, independent 4%, other 7%; seats—(205 total) NCP 110, CPN/UML 69, UPF 9, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 6, NDP/Chand 3, Rohit 2, CPN (Democratic) 2, NDP/Thapa 1, independent 3;

note—the new Constitution of 9 November 1990 gives Nepal a multiparty democracy system for the first time in 32 years

#Communists: Communist Party of Nepal (CPN)

#Other political or pressure groups: numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups

#Member of: AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Mohan Man SAINJU; Chancery at 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 667-4550; there is a Nepalese Consulate General in New York;

US—Ambassador Julia Chang BLOCH; Embassy at Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu; telephone [977] (1) 411179 or 412718, 411601, 411613, 413890

#Flag: red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

*Economy #Overview: Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with a per capita income of less than $200. Real growth averaged 4% in the 1980s until FY89, when it plunged to 1.5% because of a trade/transit dispute with India. Though the impasse is over, political turmoil and inflated energy costs will probably constrain growth to under 4%. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 90% of the population and accounting for 60% of GDP. Industrial activity is limited, mainly involving the processing of agricultural produce (jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain). Production of textiles and carpets has expanded recently and accounted for 87% of foreign exchange earnings in FY89. Apart from agricultural land and forests, the only other exploitable natural resources are mica, hydropower, and tourism. Agricultural production in the late 1980s grew by about 5%, compared with a population growth of 2.6%. Forty percent or more of the population is undernourished partly because of poor distribution. Economic prospects for the 1990s are poor, with economic growth probably outpacing population growth only slightly.

#GDP: $3.0 billion, per capita $160; real growth rate 2.1% (FY90)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.0% (FY90 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 5%; underemployment estimated at 25-40% (1987)

#Budget: revenues $316.5 million; expenditures $618.5 million, including capital expenditures of $398 (FY91 est.)

#Exports: $125 million (f.o.b., FY90), but does not include unrecorded border trade with India;

commodities—clothing, carpets, leather goods, grain;

partners—India 38%, US 23%, UK 6%, other Europe 9% (FY88)

#Imports: $454.3illion (c.i.f., FY90 est.);

commodities—petroleum products 20%, fertilizer 11%, machinery 10%;

partners—India 36%, Japan 13%, Europe 4%, US 1% (FY88)

#External debt: $2.5 billion (April 1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 6% (FY90 est.); accounts for 7% of GDP

#Electricity: 280,000 kW capacity; 540 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette, textiles, carpets, cement, brick; tourism

#Agriculture: accounts for 60% of GDP and 90% of work force; farm products—rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk, buffalo meat; not self-sufficient in food, particularly in drought years

#Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $304 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-88), $2.0 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $30 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $286 million

#Currency: Nepalese rupee (plural—rupees); 1 Nepalese rupee (NR) = 100 paisa

#Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees (NRs) per US$1—30.805 (January 1991), 29.370 (1990), 27.189 (1989), 23.289 (1988), 21.819 (1987), 21.230 (1986), 18.246 (1985)

#Fiscal year: 16 July-15 July

*Communications #Railroads: 52 km (1990), all 0.762-meter narrow gauge; all in Terai close to Indian border; 10 km from Raxaul to Birganj is government owned

#Highways: 7,080 km total (1990); 2,898 km paved, 1,660 km gravel or crushed stone; also 2,522 km of seasonally motorable tracks

#Civil air: 5 major and 11 minor transport aircraft

#Airports: 37 total, 37 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 8 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radio communication and broadcast service; international radio communication service is poor; 50,000 telephones (1990); stations—88 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Royal Nepalese Army, Royal Nepalese Army Air Service, Nepalese Police Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 4,669,421; 2,420,398 fit for military service; 233,404 reach military age (17) annually

Defense expenditures: $38 million, 2% of GDP (FY91) % @Netherlands *Geography Total area: 37,290 km2; land area: 33,940 km2

#Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

#Land boundaries: 1,027 km total; Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

#Coastline: 451 km

#Maritime claims:

Continental shelf: not specific;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

#Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

#Natural resources: natural gas, crude oil, fertile soil

#Land use: arable land 25%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 34%; forest and woodland 9%; other 31%; includes irrigated 15%

#Environment: 27% of the land area is below sea level and protected from the North Sea by dikes

#Note: located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, Schelde)

*People #Population: 15,022,393 (July 1991), growth rate 0.6% (1991)

#Birth rate: 13 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, 81 years female (1991)

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

#Nationality: noun—Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women); adjective—Dutch

#Ethnic divisions: Dutch 96%, Moroccans, Turks, and other 4% (1988)

#Religion: Roman Catholic 36%, Protestant 27%, other 6%, unaffiliated 31% (1988)

#Language: Dutch

#Literacy: 99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.)

#Labor force: 5,300,000; services 50.1%, manufacturing and construction 28.2%, government 15.9%, agriculture 5.8% (1986)

#Organized labor: 29% of labor force

*Government #Long-form name: Kingdom of the Netherlands

#Type: constitutional monarchy

#Capital: Amsterdam, but government resides at The Hague

#Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (provincien, singular—provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland

#Dependent areas: Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

#Independence: 1579 (from Spain)

#Constitution: 17 February 1983

#Legal system: civil law system incorporating French penal theory; judicial review in the Supreme Court of legislation of lower order rather than Acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

#National holiday: Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)

#Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, vice prime minister, Cabinet, Cabinet of Ministers

#Legislative branch: bicameral legislature (Staten Generaal) consists of an upper chamber or First Chamber (Eerste Kamer) and a lower chamber or Second Chamber (Tweede Kamer)

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court (De Hoge Raad)

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER, Prince of Orange, son of Queen Beatrix (born 27 April 1967);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Ruud (Rudolph) F. M. LUBBERS (since 4 November 1982); Vice Prime Minister Wim KOK (since 2 November 1989)

#Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Willem van VELZEN; Labor (PvdA), Wim KOK; Liberal (VVD), Joris VOORHOEVE; Democrats '66 (D'66), Hans van MIERIO; Communist (CPN), Henk HOEKSTRA; a host of minor parties

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

First Chamber—last held on 9 June l987 (next to be held 9 June 1991); results—elected by the country's 12 provincial councils; seats—(75 total) percent of seats by party NA;

Second Chamber—last held on 6 September 1989 (next to be held by September 1993); results—CDA 35.3%, PvdA 31.9%, VVD 14.6%, D'66 7.9%, other 10.3%; seats—(150 total) CDA 54, PvdA 49, VVD 22, D'66 12, other 13

#Communists: about 6,000

#Other political or pressure groups: large multinational firms; Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises; and IKV—Interchurch Peace Council

#Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMS, ESA, ESCAP, FAO, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NATO, NEA, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Johan Hendrick MEESMAN; Chancery at 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-5300; there are Dutch Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco;

US—Ambassador C. Howard WILKINS, Jr.; Embassy at Lange Voorhout 102, The Hague (mailing address APO New York 09159); telephone [31] (70) 362-4911; there is a US Consulate General in Amsterdam

#Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg which uses a lighter blue and is longer

*Economy #Overview: This highly developed and affluent economy is based on private enterprise. The government makes its presence felt, however, through many regulations, permit requirements, and welfare programs affecting most aspects of economic activity. The trade and financial services sector contributes over 50% of GDP. Industrial activity provides about 25% of GDP and is led by the food-processing, oil-refining, and metalworking industries. The highly mechanized agricultural sector employs only 5% of the labor force, but provides large surpluses for export and the domestic food-processing industry. An unemployment rate of 6.8% and a sizable budget deficit are currently the most serious economic problems.

#GDP: $218.0 billion, per capita $14,600; real growth rate 3.1% (1990)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (1990 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 6.8% (1990 est.)

#Budget: revenues $68 billion; expenditures $76 billion, including capital expenditures of $7 billion (1990)

#Exports: $107.8 billion (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—agricultural products, processed foods and tobacco, natural gas, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing;

partners—EC 74.9% (FRG 28.3%, Belgium-Luxembourg 14.2%, France 10.7%, UK 10.2%), US 4.7% (1988)

#Imports: $104.2 billion (c.i.f., 1989);

commodities—raw materials and semifinished products, consumer goods, transportation equipment, crude oil, food products;

partners—EC 63.8% (FRG 26.5%, Belgium-Luxembourg 23.1%, UK 8.1%), US 7.9% (1988)

#External debt: none

#Industrial production: growth rate 4.8% (1990 est.); accounts for 25% of GDP

#Electricity: 22,216,000 kW capacity; 63,570 million kWh produced, 4,300 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, fishing, construction, microelectronics

#Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GDP; animal production predominates; crops—grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; shortages of grain, fats, and oils

#Economic aid: donor—ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $19.4 billion

#Currency: Netherlands guilder, gulden, or florin (plural—guilders, gulden, or florins); 1 Netherlands guilder, gulden, or florin (f.) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: Netherlands guilders, gulden, or florins (f.) per US$1—1.7018 (January 1991), 1.8209 (1990), 2.1207 (1989), 1.9766 (1988), 2.0257 (1987), 2.4500 (1986), 3.3214 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 3,037 km track (includes 1,871 km electrified and 1,800 km double track); 2,871 km 1.435-meter standard gauge operated by Netherlands Railways (NS); 166 km privately owned

#Highways: 108,360 km total; 92,525 km paved (including 2,185 km of limited access, divided highways); 15,835 km gravel, crushed stone

#Inland waterways: 6,340 km, of which 35% is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger

#Pipelines: 418 km crude oil; 965 km refined products; 10,230 km natural gas

#Ports: maritime—Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Den Helder, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Ijmuiden, Rotterdam, Scheveningen, Terneuzen, Vlissingen; inland—29 ports

#Merchant marine: 344 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,722,838 GRT/3,822,230 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 187 cargo, 32 refrigerated cargo, 23 container, 12 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 3 livestock carrier, 12 multifunction large-load carrier, 17 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 29 chemical tanker, 10 liquefied gas, 2 specialized tanker, 3 combination ore/oil, 9 bulk, 3 combination bulk; note—many Dutch-owned ships are also registered in the captive Netherlands Antilles register

#Civil air: 98 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 28 total, 28 usable; 18 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 12 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: highly developed, well maintained, and integrated; extensive system of multiconductor cables, supplemented by radio relay links; 9,418,000 telephones; stations—6 AM, 20 (33 repeaters) FM, 22 (8 repeaters) TV; 5 submarine cables; communication satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean) and EUTELSAT systems

*Defense Forces #Branches: Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (including Naval Air Service and Marine Corp), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 4,141,910; 3,658,056 fit for military service; 105,829 reach military age (20) annually

Defense expenditures: $6.8 billion, 2.7% of GDP (1990) % @Netherlands Antilles (part of the Dutch realm) *Geography Total area: 960 km2; land area: 960 km2; includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

#Comparative area: slightly less than 5.5 times the size of Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 364 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical; modified by northeast trade winds

#Terrain: generally hilly, volcanic interiors

#Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

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

#Environment: Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt, so rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October

#Note: consists of two island groups—Curacao and Bonaire are located off the coast of Venezuela, and Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius lie 800 km to the north

*People #Population: 183,872 (July 1991), growth rate 0.2% (1991)

#Birth rate: 18 births/1,000 population (1991)

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 8 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—Netherlands Antillean(s); adjective—Netherlands Antillean

#Ethnic divisions: mixed African 85%; remainder Carib Indian, European, Latin, and Oriental

#Religion: predominantly Roman Catholic; Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist

#Language: Dutch (official); Papiamento, a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect predominates; English widely spoken; Spanish

#Literacy: 94% (male 94%, female 93%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981)

#Labor force: 89,000; government 65%, industry and commerce 28% (1983)

#Organized labor: 60-70% of labor force

*Government #Long-form name: none

#Type: part of the Dutch realm—full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954

#Capital: Willemstad

#Administrative divisions: none (part of the Dutch realm)

#Independence: none (part of the Dutch realm)

#Constitution: 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended

#Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence

#National holiday: Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)

#Executive branch: Dutch monarch, governor, prime minister, vice prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: legislature (Staten)

#Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since October 1989);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Maria LIBERIA-PETERS (since 17 May 1988, previously served from September 1984 to November 1985)

#Political parties and leaders: political parties are indigenous to each island:

Curacao—National People's Party (PNP), Maria LIBERIA-PETERS; New Antilles Movement (MAN), Domenico Felip MARTINA; Workers' Liberation Front (FOL), Wilson (Papa) GODETT; Socialist Independent (SI), George HUECK and Nelson MONTE; Democratic Party of Curacao (DP), Augustin DIAZ; Nos Patria, Chin BEHILIA;

Bonaire—Patriotic Union of Bonaire (UPB), C. V. Winklaar; Democratic Party of Bonaire (PDB), John Evert (Jopie) ABRAHAM; New Force, Rudy ELLIS;

Sint Maarten—Democratic Party of Sint Maarten (DP-St.M), Claude WATHEY; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten (SPM), Romeo PAPLOPHLET;

Sint Eustatius—Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius (DP-St.E), Albert K. Van PUTTEN; Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM), Eric HENRIQUEZ;

Saba—Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM Saba), Will JOHNSTON; Saba Democratic Labor Movement, Vernon HASSELL; Saba Unity Party, Carmen SIMMONDS

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

Staten—last held on 16 March 1990 (next to be held March 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(22 total) PNP 7, FOL-SI-Curacao 3, UPB 3, MAN 2, Democratic Party of Sint Maarten 2, Democratic Party of Curacao 1, SPM-Sint Maarten 1, WIPM 1, Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius 1, Nos Patria-Curacao 1; note—the government of Prime Minister Maria LIBERIA-PETERS is a coalition of several parties

#Communists: small leftist groups

#Member of: CARICOM (observer), ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WTO (associate)

#Diplomatic representation: as an autonomous part of the Netherlands, Netherlands Antillean interests in the US are represented by the Netherlands;

US—Consul General Sharon P. WILKINSON; Consulate General at Sint Anna Boulevard 19, Willemstad, Curacao (mailing address P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao); telephone [599] (9) 613066

#Flag: white with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band also centered; five white five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

*Economy #Overview: Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of the economy. The islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Unlike many Latin American countries, the Netherlands Antilles has avoided large international debt. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US being the major supplier.

#GDP: $1.0 billion, per capita $5,500; real growth rate 3% (1988 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: 20% (1988)

#Budget: revenues $454 million; expenditures $525 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1989 est.)

#Exports: $959 million (f.o.b., 1988);

commodities—petroleum products 98%;

partners—US 55%, UK 7%, Jamaica 5%

#Imports: $935 million (c.i.f., 1988);

commodities—crude petroleum 64%, food, manufactures;

partners—Venezuela 52%, Nigeria 15%, US 12%

#External debt: $701.2 million (December 1987)

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: 125,000 kW capacity; 365 million kWh produced, 1,990 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: tourism (Curacao and Sint Maarten), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

#Agriculture: hampered by poor soils and scarcity of water; chief products—aloes, sorghum, peanuts, fresh vegetables, tropical fruit; not self-sufficient in food

#Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $428 million

#Currency: Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (plural—guilders, gulden, or florins); 1 Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (NAf.) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: Netherlands Antillean guilders, gulden, or florins (NAf.) per US$1—1.79 (fixed rate since 1989; 1.80 fixed rate 1971-88)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Highways: 950 km total; 300 km paved, 650 km gravel and earth

#Ports: Willemstad, Philipsburg, Kralendijk

#Merchant marine: 54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 431,958 GRT/441,056 DWT; includes 4 passenger, 19 cargo, 8 refrigerated cargo, 6 container, 6 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 7 multifunction large-load carrier, 1 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 2 bulk; note—all but a few are foreign owned, mostly in the Netherlands

#Civil air: 5 major transport aircraft

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

#Telecommunications: generally adequate facilities; extensive interisland radio relay links; stations—9 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV; 2 submarine cables; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

*Defense Forces #Branches: Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49 49,249; 27,803 fit for military service; 1,634 reach military age (20) annually

Note: defense is responsibility of the Netherlands % @New Caledonia (overseas territory of France) *Geography Total area: 19,060 km2; land area: 18,760 km2

#Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 2,254 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

#Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains

#Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

#Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 14%; forest and woodland 51%; other 35%

#Environment: typhoons most frequent from November to March

#Note: located 1,750 km east of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean

*People #Population: 171,559 (July 1991), growth rate 1.9% (1991)

#Birth rate: 23 births/1,000 population (1991)

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 17 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—New Caledonian(s); adjective—New Caledonian

#Ethnic divisions: Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3.0%

#Religion: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

#Language: French; 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

#Literacy: 91% (male 91%, female 90%) age 15 and over can read and write (1976)

#Labor force: 50,469; foreign workers for plantations and mines from Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, and French Polynesia (1980 est.)

#Organized labor: NA

*Government #Long-form name: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

#Type: overseas territory of France since 1956

#Capital: Noumea

#Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud

#Independence: none (overseas territory of France); note—a referendum on independence will be held in 1998, with a review of the issue in 1992

#Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

#Legal system: the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law

#National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

#Executive branch: high commissioner, Consultative Committee (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly

#Judicial branch: Court of Appeal

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981);

Head of Government High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Bernard GRASSET (since 15 July 1988)

#Political parties: white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique (RPCR), conservative, Jacques LAFLEUR—affiliated to France's Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR); Melanesian proindependence Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), Paul NEAOUTYINE; Melanesian moderate Kanak Socialist Liberation (LKS), Nidoish NAISSELINE; National Front (FN), extreme right, Guy GEORGE; Caledonie Demain (CD), right-wing, Bernard MARANT; Union Oceanienne (UO), conservative, Michel HEMA; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak (FULK), proindependence, Yann CELENE

#Suffrage: universal adult at age 18

#Elections:

Territorial Assembly—last held 11 June 1989 (next to be held NA 1993); results—percent of vote by party—RPCR 44.5%, FLNKS 28.5%, FN 7%, CD 5%, UO 4%, other 11%; seats—(54 total) RPCR 27, FLNKS 19, FN 3, other 5; note—election boycotted by FULK;

French Senate—last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(1 total) RPCR 1;

French National Assembly—last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results—percent of vote by party—RPR 83.5%, FN 13.5%, other 3%; seats—(2 total) RPCR 2

#Communists: number unknown; Palita extreme left party; some politically active Communists deported during 1950s; small number of North Vietnamese

#Member of: FZ, SPC, WFTU, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: as an overseas territory of France, New Caledonian interests are represented in the US by France

#Flag: the flag of France is used

*Economy #Overview: New Caledonia has more than 25% of the world's known nickel resources. In recent years the economy has suffered because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export earnings. Only a negligible amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 25% of imports.

#GNP: $973 million, per capita $5,790; real growth rate 2.4% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: 16.0% (1989)

#Budget: revenues $224.0 million; expenditures $211.0 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985)

#Exports: $344 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—nickel metal 87%, nickel ore;

partners—France 52.3%, Japan 15.8%, US 6.4%

#Imports: $389 million (c.i.f., 1989);

commodities—foods, fuels, minerals, machines, electrical equipment;

partners—France 44.0%, US 10%, Australia 9%

#External debt: $NA

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: 400,000 kW capacity; 2,200 million kWh produced, 12,790 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: nickel mining

#Agriculture: large areas devoted to cattle grazing; coffee, corn, wheat, vegetables; 60% self-sufficient in beef

#Illicit drugs: illicit cannabis cultivation is becoming a principal source of income for some families

#Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.9 billion

#Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (plural—francs); 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

#Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1—93.28 (January 1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988), 109.27 (1987), 125.92 (1986), 163.35 (1985); note—linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Highways: 6,340 km total; only about 10% paved (1987)

#Ports: Noumea, Nepoui, Poro, Thio

#Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 29 total, 27 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: 32,578 telephones (1987); stations—5 AM, 3 FM, 7 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Gendarmerie, Police Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 46,388; NA fit for military service

Note: defense is the responsibility of France % @New Zealand *Geography Total area: 268,680 km2; land area: 268,670 km2; includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

#Comparative area: about the size of Colorado

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 15,134 km

#Maritime claims:

Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

#Climate: temperate with sharp regional contrasts

#Terrain: predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

#Natural resources: natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

#Land use: arable land 2%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 53%; forest and woodland 38%; other 7%; includes irrigated 1%

#Environment: earthquakes are common, though usually not severe

*People #Population: 3,308,973 (July 1991), growth rate 0.4% (1991)

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

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

#Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

#Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 79 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—New Zealander(s); adjective—New Zealand

#Ethnic divisions: European 88%, Maori 8.9%, Pacific Islander 2.9%, other 0.2%

#Religion: Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 9% (1986)

#Language: English (official), Maori

#Literacy: 99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970)

#Labor force: 1,591,900; services 67.4%, manufacturing 19.8%, primary production 9.3% (1987)

#Organized labor: 681,000 members; 43% of labor force (1986)

*Government #Long-form name: none; abbreviated NZ

#Type: parliamentary democracy

#Capital: Wellington

#Administrative divisions: 93 counties, 9 districts*, and 3 town districts**; Akaroa, Amuri, Ashburton, Bay of Islands, Bruce, Buller, Chatham Islands, Cheviot, Clifton, Clutha, Cook, Dannevirke, Egmont, Eketahuna, Ellesmere, Eltham, Eyre, Featherston, Franklin, Golden Bay, Great Barrier Island, Grey, Hauraki Plains, Hawera*, Hawke's Bay, Heathcote, Hikurangi**, Hobson, Hokianga, Horowhenua, Hurunui, Hutt, Inangahua, Inglewood, Kaikoura, Kairanga, Kiwitea, Lake, Mackenzie, Malvern, Manaia**, Manawatu, Mangonui, Maniototo, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata, Mount Herbert, Ohinemuri, Opotiki, Oroua, Otamatea, Otorohanga*, Oxford, Pahiatua, Paparua, Patea, Piako, Pohangina, Raglan, Rangiora*, Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua*, Runanga, Saint Kilda, Silverpeaks, Southland, Stewart Island, Stratford, Strathallan, Taranaki, Taumarunui, Taupo, Tauranga, Thames-Coromandel*, Tuapeka, Vincent, Waiapu, Waiheke, Waihemo, Waikato, Waikohu, Waimairi, Waimarino, Waimate, Waimate West, Waimea, Waipa, Waipawa*, Waipukurau*, Wairarapa South, Wairewa, Wairoa, Waitaki, Waitomo*, Waitotara, Wallace, Wanganui, Waverley**, Westland, Whakatane*, Whangarei, Whangaroa, Woodville

#Dependent areas: Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

#Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK)

#Constitution: no formal, written constitution; consists of various documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments; Constitution Act 1986 was to have come into force 1 January 1987, but has not been enacted

#Legal system: based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

#National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty), 6 February (1840)

#Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (commonly called Parliament)

#Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II ( since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Catherine TIZARD (since 12 December 1990);

Head of Government—Prime Minister James BOLGER (since 29 October 1990); Deputy Prime Minister Donald McKINNON (since 2 November 1990)

#Political parties and leaders: National Party (NP; government), James BOLGER; New Zealand Labor Party (NZLP; opposition), Michael MOORE; New Labor Party (NLP), Jim ANDERTON; Democratic Party, Neil MORRISON; Green Party, no official leader; Socialist Unity Party (SUP; pro-Soviet), Kenneth DOUGLAS

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

House of Representatives—last held on 27 October 1990 (next to be held October 1993); results—NP 49%, LP 35%, Green Party 7%, New Labor 5%; seats—(97 total) NP 67, LP 29, NLP 1

#Communists: SUP about 140, other groups, about 200

#Member of: ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, AsDB, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, OECD, PCA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador-designate Denis Bazely Gordon McLEAN; Chancery at 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 328-4800; there are New Zealand Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York;

US—Ambassador Della M. NEWMAN; Embassy at 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington (mailing address is P. O. Box 1190, Wellington, or FPO San Francisco 96690-0001); telephone [64] (4) 722-068; there is a US Consulate General in Auckland

#Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation

*Economy #Overview: Since 1984 the government has been reorienting an agrarian economy dependent on a guaranteed British market to an open free market economy that can compete on the global scene. The government has hoped that dynamic growth would boost real incomes, reduce inflationary pressures, and permit the expansion of welfare benefits. The results have been mixed: inflation is down from double-digit levels but growth has been sluggish and unemployment, always a highly sensitive issue, has been at a record high 7.4%. In 1988 GDP fell by 1%, in 1989 grew by a moderate 2.4%, and was flat in 1990.

#GDP: $40.2 billion, per capita $12,200; real growth rate 0.7% (1990)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (FY90)

#Unemployment rate: 7.4% (March 1990)

#Budget: revenues $17.6 billion; expenditures $18.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91 est.)

#Exports: $8.8 billion (f.o.b., FY90);

commodities—wool, lamb, mutton, beef, fruit, fish, cheese, manufactures, chemicals, forestry products;

partners—EC 18.3%, Japan 17.9%, Australia 17.5%, US 13.5%, China 3.6%, South Korea 3.1%

#Imports: $8.1 billion (f.o.b., FY90);

commodities—petroleum, consumer goods, motor vehicles, industrial equipment;

partners—Australia 19.7%, Japan 16.9%, EC 16.9%, US 15.3%, Taiwan 3.0%

#External debt: $17.4 billion (1989)

#Industrial production: growth rate 1.9% (1990); accounts for about 20% of GDP

#Electricity: 7,800,000 kW capacity; 28,000 million kWh produced, 8,500 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining

#Agriculture: accounts for about 9% of GNP and 10% of the work force; livestock predominates—wool, meat, dairy products all export earners; crops—wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, and vegetables; surplus producer of farm products; fish catch reached a record 503,000 metric tons in 1988

#Economic aid: donor—ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $526 million

#Currency: New Zealand dollar (plural—dollars); 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1—1.6798 (January 1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6711 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064 (1985)

#Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

*Communications #Railroads: 4,716 km total; all 1.067-meter gauge; 274 km double track; 113 km electrified; over 99% government owned

#Highways: 92,648 km total; 49,547 km paved, 43,101 km gravel or crushed stone

#Inland waterways: 1,609 km; of little importance to transportation

#Pipelines: 1,000 km natural gas; 160 km refined products; 150 km condensate

#Ports: Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, Tauranga

#Merchant marine: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 204,269 GRT/281,375 DWT; includes 5 cargo, 1 container, 4 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 railcar carrier, 4 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 5 bulk

#Civil air: about 40 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 157 total, 157 usable; 33 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 46 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: excellent international and domestic systems; 2,110,000 telephones; stations 64 AM, 2 FM, 14 TV; submarine cables extend to Australia and Fiji; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

*Defense Forces #Branches: New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 874,443; 740,831 fit for military service; 28,814 reach military age (20) annually

Defense expenditures: $832 million, 1-2% of GDP (FY90) % @Nicaragua *Geography Total area: 129,494 km2; land area: 120,254 km2

#Comparative area: slightly larger than New York State

#Land boundaries: 1,231 km total; Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

#Coastline: 910 km

#Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 25 nm security zone (status of claim uncertain);

Continental shelf: not specified;

Territorial sea: 200 nm

#Disputes: territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; unresolved maritime boundary in Golfo de Fonseca

#Climate: tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

#Terrain: extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

#Natural resources: gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

#Land use: arable land 9%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 43%; forest and woodland 35%; other 12%; including irrigated 1%

#Environment: subject to destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasional severe hurricanes; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

*People #Population: 3,751,884 (July 1991), growth rate 2.8% (1991)

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

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 60 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 60 years male, 65 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 4.7 children born/woman (1991)

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

#Ethnic divisions: mestizo 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Indian 5%

#Religion: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%

#Language: Spanish (official); English- and Indian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast

#Literacy: 57% (male 57%, female 57%) age 15 and over can read and write (1971)

#Labor force: 1,086,000; service 43%, agriculture 44%, industry 13% (1986)

#Organized labor: 35% of labor force

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Nicaragua

#Type: republic

#Capital: Managua

#Administrative divisions: 9 administrative regions encompassing 16 departments (departamentos, singular—departamento); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, Zelaya; note—Zelaya may have been replaced by 2 autonomous regions (regiones autonomistas, singular—region autonomista) named North Atlantic Coast and South Atlantic Coast

#Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

#Constitution: January 1987

#Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts

#National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

#Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) and municipal courts

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—President Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (since 25 April 1990); Vice President Virgilio GODOY (since 25 April 1990)

#Political parties and leaders:

ruling coalition—National Opposition Union (UNO) is a 14-party alliance—National Conservative Party (PNC), Silviano MATAMOROS; Conservative Popular Alliance Party (PAPC), Myriam ARGUELLO; National Conservative Action Party (PANC), Hernaldo ZUNIGA; National Democratic Confidence Party (PDCN), Augustin JARQUIN; Independent Liberal Party (PLI), Wilfredo NAVARRO; Neo-Liberal Party (PALI), Andres ZUNIGA; Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC), Jose Ernesto SOMARRIBA; National Action Party (PAN), Eduardo RIVAS; Nicaraguan Socialist Party (PSN), Gustavo TABLADA; Communist Party of Nicaragua (PCdeN), Eli ALTIMIRANO; Popular Social Christian Party (PPSC), Luis HUMBERTO; Nicaraguan Democratic Movement (MDN), Roberto URROZ; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Guillermo POTOY; Central American Integrationist Party (PIAC), Alejandro PEREZ;

opposition parties—Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), Daniel ORTEGA; Central American Unionist Party (PUCA), Blanca ROJAS; Democratic Conservative Party of Nicaragua (PCDN), Jose BRENES; Liberal Party of National Unity (PLUIN), Eduardo CORONADO; Movement of Revolutionary Unity (MUR), Francisco SAMPER; Social Christian Party (PSC), Erick RAMIREZ; Revolutionary Workers' Party (PRT), Bonifacio MIRANDA; Social Conservative Party (PSOC), Fernando AGUERRO; Popular Action Movement—Marxist-Leninist (MAP-ML), Isidro TELLEZ; Popular Social Christian Party (PPSC), Mauricio DIAZ

#Suffrage: universal at age 16

#Elections:

President—last held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held February 1996); results—Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (UNO) 54.7%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 40.8%, other 4.5%;

National Assembly—last held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held February 1996); results—UNO 53.9%, FSLN 40.8%, PSC 1.6%, MUR 1.0%; seats—(92 total) UNO 51, FSLN 39, PSC 1, MUR 1

#Communists: 15,000-20,000

#Other political or pressure groups: Permanent Congress of Workers (CPT), Confederation of Labor Unification (CUS), Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN-A), Independent General Confederation of Workers (CTG-I), Communist Labor Action and Unity Central (CAUS), Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CST); Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) is an umbrella group of 11 different business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Industry, and the Nicaraguan Development Institute (INDE)

#Member of: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ernesto PALAZIO; Chancery at 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 387-4371 or 4372;

US—Ambassador Harry W. SHLAUDEMAN; Embassy at Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur., Managua (mailing address is APO Miami 34021); telephone [505] (2) 666010 or 666013, 666015 through 18, 666026, 666027, 666032 through 34

#Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

*Economy #Overview: Government control of the economy historically has been extensive, although the Chamorro government has pledged to reduce it. The financial system is directly controlled by the state, which also regulates wholesale purchasing, production, sales, foreign trade, and distribution of most goods. Over 50% of the agricultural and industrial firms are state owned. Sandinista economic policies and the war have produced a severe economic crisis. The foundation of the economy continues to be the export of agricultural commodities, largely coffee and cotton. Farm production fell by roughly 7% in 1989, the fifth successive year of decline. The agricultural sector employs 44% of the work force and accounts for 23% of GDP and 86% of export earnings. Industry, which employs 13% of the work force and contributes about 25% to GDP, showed a drop of 7% in 1989 and remains below pre-1979 levels. External debt is one of the highest in the world on a per capita basis. In 1990 the annual inflation rate was 11,800%, sharply up from 1,800% in 1989.

#GDP: $1.7 billion, per capita $470; real growth rate - 1.0% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11,800% (1990)

#Unemployment rate: 35% (1990)

#Budget: revenues $244 million; expenditures $550 million, including capital expenditures of $73 million (1988)

#Exports: $298 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—coffee, cotton, sugar, bananas, seafood, meat, chemicals;

partners—OECD 75%, USSR and Eastern Europe 15%, other 10%

#Imports: $710 million (c.i.f., 1989);

commodities—petroleum, food, chemicals, machinery, clothing;

partners—Latin America 30%, US 25%, EC 20%, USSR and Eastern Europe 10%, other 15% (1990 est.)

#External debt: $9 billion (December 1990)

#Industrial production: growth rate - 7% (1989); accounts for about 25% of GDP

#Electricity: 415,000 kW capacity; 1,342 million kWh produced, 360 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: food processing, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear

#Agriculture: accounts for 23% of GDP and 44% of work force; cash crops—coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton; food crops—rice, corn, cassava, citrus fruit, beans; variety of animal products—beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy; normally self-sufficient in food

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $294 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1,186 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $3.5 billion

#Currency: cordoba (plural—cordobas); 1 cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos

#Exchange rates: cordobas (C$) per US$1—13,300,000 (January 1991), 15,655 (1989), 270 (1988), 102.60 (1987), 97.48 (1986), 38.90 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 373 km 1.067-meter gauge, government owned; majority of system not operating; 3 km 1.435-meter gauge line at Puerto Cabezas (does not connect with mainline)

#Highways: 25,930 km total; 4,000 km paved, 2,170 km gravel or crushed stone, 5,425 km earth or graded earth, 14,335 km unimproved; Pan-American highway 368.5 km

#Inland waterways: 2,220 km, including 2 large lakes

#Pipelines: crude oil, 56 km

#Ports: Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama

#Merchant marine: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,161 GRT/2,500 DWT

#Civil air: 12 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 251 total, 162 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: low-capacity radio relay and wire system being expanded; connection into Central American Microwave System; 60,000 telephones; stations—45 AM, no FM, 7 TV, 3 shortwave; earth stations—1 Intersputnik and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 845,961; 521,425 fit for military service; 44,222 reach military age (18) annually

Defense expenditures: $70 million, 3.8% of GDP (1991) % @Niger *Geography Total area: 1,267,000 km2; land area: 1,266,700 km2

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

#Land boundaries: 5,697 km total; Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

#Coastline: none—landlocked

#Maritime claims: none—landlocked

#Disputes: Libya claims about 19,400 km2 in northern Niger; demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger

#Climate: desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

#Terrain: predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north

#Natural resources: uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates

#Land use: arable land 3%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 7%; forest and woodland 2%; other 88%; includes irrigated NEGL%

#Environment: recurrent drought and desertification severely affecting marginal agricultural activities; overgrazing; soil erosion

#Note: landlocked

*People #Population: 8,154,145 (July 1991), growth rate 3.4% (1991)

#Birth rate: 50 births/1,000 population (1991)

#Death rate: 16 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

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

#Infant mortality rate: 129 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 49 years male, 53 years female (1991)

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

#Nationality: noun—Nigerien(s) adjective—Nigerien

#Ethnic divisions: Hausa 56%; Djerma 22%; Fula 8.5%; Tuareg 8%; Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%; Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%; about 4,000 French expatriates

#Religion: Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians

#Language: French (official); Hausa, Djerma

#Literacy: 28% (male 40%, female 17%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 2,500,000 wage earners (1982); agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%; 51% of population of working age (1985)

#Organized labor: negligible

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Niger

#Type: republic; presidential system in which military officers hold key offices

#Capital: Niamey

#Administrative divisions: 7 departments (departements, singular—departement); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey, Tahoua, Zinder

#Independence: 3 August 1960 (from France)

#Constitution: adopted NA December 1989 after 15 years of military rule

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

#National holidays: Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

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

#Legislative branch: National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

#Judicial branch: State Court (Cour d'Etat), Court of Appeal (Cour d'Apel)

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President Brig. Gen. Ali SAIBOU (since 14 November 1987);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Aliou MAHAMIDOU (since 2 March 1990)

#Political parties and leaders: National Movement for the Development Society (MNSD), leader NA; other political parties now forming

#Suffrage: universal adult at age 18

#Elections:

President—last held December 1989 (next to be held NA 1996); results—President Ali SAIBOU was reelected without opposition;

National Assembly—last held 10 December 1989 (next to be held NA); results—MNSD was the only party; seats—(150 total) MNSD 150 (indirectly elected); note—Niger is to hold a national conference to decide upon a transitional government and an agenda for multiparty elections

#Communists: no Communist party; some sympathizers in outlawed Sawaba party

#Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, 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 Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE; Chancery at 2204 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-4224 through 4227;

US—Ambassador Carl C. CUNDIFF; Embassy at Avenue des Ambassades, Niamey (mailing address is B. P. 11201, Niamey); telephone [227] 72-26-61 through 64

#Flag: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India which has a blue, spoked wheel centered in the white band

*Economy #Overview: About 90% of the population is engaged in farming and stock rearing, activities which generate almost half the national income. The economy also depends heavily on exploitation of large uranium deposits. Uranium production grew rapidly in the mid-1970s, but tapered off in the early 1980s, when world prices declined. France is a major customer, while Germany, Japan, and Spain also make regular purchases. The depressed demand for uranium has contributed to an overall sluggishness in the economy, a severe trade imbalance, and a mounting external debt.

#GDP: $2.0 billion, per capita $270; real growth rate - 3.3% (1989 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): - 2.8% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: NA%

#Budget: revenues $220 million; expenditures $446 million, including capital expenditures of $190 million (FY89 est.)

#Exports: $308 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—uranium 75%, livestock products, cowpeas, onions;

partners—France 65%, Nigeria 11%, Ivory Coast, Italy

#Imports: $386 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.);

commodities—petroleum products, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, electronic equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemical products, cereals, foodstuffs;

partners—France 32%, Ivory Coast 11%, Germany 5%, Italy 4%, Nigeria 4%

#External debt: $1.8 billion (December 1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 3.0% (1989 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP

#Electricity: 102,000 kW capacity; 225 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses, and a few other small light industries; uranium production began in 1971

#Agriculture: accounts for roughly 40% of GDP and 90% of labor force; cash crops—cowpeas, cotton, peanuts; food crops—millet, sorghum, cassava, rice; livestock—cattle, sheep, goats; self-sufficient in food except in drought years

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $380 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.0 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $504 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $61 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: 1 October-30 September

*Communications #Highways: 39,970 km total; 3,170 km bituminous, 10,330 km gravel and laterite, 3,470 km earthen, 23,000 km tracks

#Inland waterways: Niger river is navigable 300 km from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March

#Civil air: no major transport aircraft

#Airports: 31 total, 29 usable; 7 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: small system of wire, radiocommunications, and radio relay links concentrated in southwestern area; 11,900 telephones; stations—15 AM, 5 FM, 16 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and 4 domestic

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

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,713,566; 923,634 fit for military service; 90,801 reach military age (18) annually

Defense expenditures: $20.6 million, 0.9% of GDP (1988) % @Nigeria *Geography Total area: 923,770 km2; land area: 910,770 km2

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

#Land boundaries: 4,047 km total; Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km

#Coastline: 853 km

#Maritime claims:

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

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 30 nm

#Disputes: demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; Nigerian proposals to reopen maritime boundary negotiations and redemarcate the entire land boundary have been rejected by Cameroon

#Climate: varies—equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

#Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north

#Natural resources: crude oil, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas

#Land use: arable land 31%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 23%; forest and woodland 15%; other 28%; includes irrigated NEGL%

#Environment: recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities; desertification; soil degradation, rapid deforestation

*People #Population: 122,470,574 (July 1991), growth rate 3.0% (1991)

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

#Death rate: 16 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

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

#Infant mortality rate: 118 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 48 years male, 50 years female (1991)

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

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

#Ethnic divisions: more than 250 tribal groups; Hausa and Fulani of the north, Yoruba of the southwest, and Ibos of the southeast make up 65% of the population; about 27,000 non-Africans

#Religion: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

#Language: English (official); Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani, and several other languages also widely used

#Literacy: 51% (male 62%, female 40%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 42,844,000; agriculture 54%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 15%; 49% of population of working age (1985)

#Organized labor: 3,520,000 wage earners belong to 42 recognized trade unions, which come under a single national labor federation—the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC)

*Government #Long-form name: Federal Republic of Nigeria

#Type: military government since 31 December 1983

#Capital: Lagos; note—some government departments have relocated to the designated new capital in Abuja

#Administrative divisions: 21 states and 1 territory*; Abuja Capital Territory*, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bendel, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Gongola, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto

#Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK)

#Constitution: 1 October 1979, amended 9 February 1984, revised 1989

#Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic, and tribal law

#National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960)

#Executive branch: president of the Armed Forces Ruling Council, Armed Forces Ruling Council, National Council of State, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

#Legislative branch: National Assembly was dissolved after the military coup of 31 December 1983

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeal

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—President and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Ibrahim BABANGIDA (since 27 August 1985)

#Political parties and leaders: two political parties established by the government in 1989—Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC)

#Suffrage: universal at age 21

#Elections:

President—scheduled for 1 October 1992;

National Assembly—scheduled for early 1992

#Communists: the pro-Communist underground consists of a small fraction of the Nigerian left; leftist leaders are prominent in the country's central labor organization but have little influence on the government

#Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMO, IMF, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Hamzat AHMADU; Chancery at 2201 M Street NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 822-1500; there are Nigerian Consulates General in Atlanta, New York and San Francisco;

US—Ambassador Lannon WALKER; Embassy at 2 Eleke Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos (mailing address is P. O. Box 554, Lagos); telephone [234] (1) 610097; there is a US Consulate General in Kaduna

#Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

*Economy #Overview: Although Nigeria is Africa's leading oil-producing country, it remains poor with a $280 per capita GDP. In 1990, despite rising oil prices and a sharp drop in inflation, performance remained slack with continuing underutilization of industrial capacity and a second year of relatively weak agricultural performance. Agricultural production was up only 4.2% in 1990, still below the 1987 level. Industrial output showed a 7.2% increase, but remained below the 1985 level. Government efforts to reduce Nigeria's dependence on oil exports and to sustain noninflationary growth have fallen short due to inadequate new investment funds. Living standards continue to deteriorate from the higher level of the early 1980s oil boom.

#GDP: $27.2 billion, per capita $230; real growth rate 2.7% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16% (1990)

#Unemployment rate: NA%

#Budget: revenues $8.0 billion; expenditures $8.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

#Exports: $13.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);

commodities—oil 95%, cocoa, rubber;

partners—EC 51%, US 32%

#Imports: $9.5 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.);

commodities—consumer goods, capital equipment, chemicals, raw materials;

partners—EC, US

#External debt: $35 billion (December 1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 7.2% (1990 est.); accounts for 23% of GDP, including petroleum

#Electricity: 4,737,000 kW capacity; 11,270 million kWh produced, 100 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: crude oil and mining—coal, tin, columbite; primary processing industries—palm oil, peanut, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins; manufacturing industries—textiles, cement, building materials, food products, footwear, chemical, printing, ceramics, steel

#Agriculture: accounts for 28% of GNP and half of labor force; inefficient small-scale farming dominates; once a large net exporter of food and now an importer; cash crops—cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, rubber; food crops—corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava, yams; livestock—cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; fishing and forestry resources extensively exploited

#Illicit drugs: illicit heroin and some cocaine trafficking; marijuana cultivation for domestic consumption and export; major transit country for heroin en route from Southwest Asia via Africa to Western Europe and the US; growing transit route for cocaine from South America via West Africa to Western Europe and the US

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $705 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.5 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $2.2 billion

#Currency: naira (plural—naira); 1 naira (4) = 100 kobo

#Exchange rates: naira (4) per US$1—8.707 (December 1990), 8.038 (1990), 7.3647 (1989), 4.5370 (1988), 4.0160 (1987), 1.7545 (1986), 0.8938 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 3,505 km 1.067-meter gauge

#Highways: 107,990 km total 30,019 km paved (mostly bituminous-surface treatment); 25,411 km laterite, gravel, crushed stone, improved earth; 52,560 km unimproved

#Inland waterways: 8,575 km consisting of Niger and Benue Rivers and smaller rivers and creeks

#Pipelines: 2,042 km crude oil; 500 km natural gas; 3,000 km refined products

#Ports: Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Warri, Onne, Sapele

#Merchant marine: 28 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 420,658 GRT/668,951 DWT; includes 18 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 6 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 bulk

#Civil air: 76 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 81 total, 68 usable; 32 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 14 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 21 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: above-average system limited by poor maintenance; major expansion in progress; radio relay and cable routes; 155,000 telephones; stations—37 AM, 19 FM, 38 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, domestic, with 19 stations; 1 coaxial submarine cable

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

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 28,070,431; 16,040,870 fit for military service; 1,302,970 reach military age (18) annually

Defense expenditures: $300 million, 1% of GNP (1990 est.) % @Niue (free association with New Zealand) *Geography Total area: 260 km2; land area: 260 km2

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

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 64 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

#Terrain: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

#Natural resources: fish, arable land

#Land use: arable land 61%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 19%; other 12%

#Environment: subject to typhoons

#Note: one of world's largest coral islands; located about 460 km east of Tonga

*People #Population: 1,908 (July 1991), growth rate - 0.1% (1991)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#Ethnic divisions: Polynesian, with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans

#Religion: Ekalesia Nieue (Niuean Church)—a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society 75%, Mormon 10%, Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%

#Language: Polynesian tongue closely related to Tongan and Samoan; English

#Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education age 5 to 14

#Labor force: 1,000 (1981 est.); most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

#Organized labor: NA

*Government #Long-form name: none

#Type: self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs

#Capital: Alofi

#Administrative divisions: none

#Independence: became a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand on 19 October 1974

#Constitution: 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

#Legal system: English common law

#National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty), 6 February (1840)

#Executive branch: British monarch, premier, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: Legislative Assembly

#Judicial branch: Appeal Court of New Zealand, High Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by New Zealand Representative John SPRINGFORD (since 1974);

Head of Government—Premier Sir Robert R. REX (since NA October 1974)

#Suffrage: universal adult at age 18

#Political parties and leaders: Niue Island Party (NIP), Young VIVIAN

#Elections:

Legislative Assembly—last held on 8 April 1990 (next to be held March 1993); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(20 total, 6 elected) independents 5, NIP 1

#Member of: ESCAP (associate), SPC, SPF

#Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

#Flag: yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars—a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross

*Economy #Overview: The economy is heavily dependent on aid from New Zealand. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, with the shortfall made up by grants from New Zealand—the grants are used to pay wages to public employees. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration of Niueans to New Zealand.

#GNP: $2.1 million, per capita $1,000; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.6% (1984)

#Unemployment rate: NA%

#Budget: revenues $5.5 million; expenditures $6.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY85 est.)

#Exports: $175,274 (f.o.b., 1985);

commodities—canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion fruit products, pawpaw, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts;

partners—NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia

#Imports: $3.8 million (c.i.f., 1985);

commodities—food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs;

partners—NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Western Samoa, Australia, US

#External debt: $NA

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: 1,500 kW capacity; 3 million kWh produced, 1,490 kWh per capita (1990)