#Suffrage: universal adult at age NA

#Elections:

House of Assembly—last held 21 March 1989 (next to be held by 21 March 1994); seats—(14 total, 11 elected) PAM 6, SKNLP 2, NRP 2, CCM 1

#Communists: none known

#Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, IBRD, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IMF, INTERPOL, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO

#Diplomatic representation: Minister-Counselor (Deputy Chief of Mission), Charge d'Affaires ad interim Erstein M. EDWARDS; Chancery at Suite 540, 2501 M Street NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 833-3550;

US—none

#Flag: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red

*Economy #Overview: The economy has historically depended on the growing and processing of sugarcane and on remittances from overseas workers. In recent years, tourism and export-oriented manufacturing have assumed larger roles.

#GDP: $97.5 million, per capita $2,400; real growth rate 4.6% (1988)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: 15% (1989)

#Budget: revenues $38.1 million; expenditures $68.1 million, including capital expenditures of $31.5 million (1991)

#Exports: $32.8 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—sugar, clothing, electronics, postage stamps;

partners—US 53%, UK 22%, Trinidad and Tobago 5%, OECS 5% (1988)

#Imports: $89.6 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—foodstuffs, intermediate manufactures, machinery, fuels;

partners—US 36%, UK 17%, Trinidad and Tobago 6%, Canada 3%, Japan 3%, OECS 4% (1988)

#External debt: $26.4 million (1988)

#Industrial production: growth rate 11.8% (1988 est.); accounts for 17% of GDP

#Electricity: 15,800 kW capacity; 45 million kWh produced, 1,120 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages

#Agriculture: accounts for 10% of GDP; cash crop—sugarcane; subsistence crops—rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fishing potential not fully exploited; most food imported

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-88), $10.7 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $57 million

#Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural—dollars); 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1—2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 58 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge on Saint Kitts for sugarcane

#Highways: 300 km total; 125 km paved, 125 km otherwise improved, 50 km unimproved earth

#Ports: Basseterre (Saint Kitts), Charlestown (Nevis)

#Civil air: no major transport aircraft

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

#Telecommunications: good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radio connections and international link via Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin; 2,400 telephones; stations—2 AM, no FM, 4 TV

*Defense Forces #Branches: Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 38,090; NA fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP % @Saint Lucia *Geography Total area: 620 km2; land area: 610 km2

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

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 158 km

#Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 24 nm;

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August

#Terrain: volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

#Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

#Land use: arable land 8%; permanent crops 20%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and woodland 13%; other 54%; includes irrigated 2%

#Environment: subject to hurricanes and volcanic activity; deforestation; soil erosion

#Note: located 700 km southeast of Puerto Rico

*People #Population: 153,075 (July 1991), growth rate 2.2% (1991)

#Birth rate: 31 births/1,000 population (1991)

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 18 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 74 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Saint Lucian(s); adjective—Saint Lucian

#Ethnic divisions: African descent 90.3%, mixed 5.5%, East Indian 3.2%, Caucasian 0.8%

#Religion: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%

#Language: English (official), French patois

#Literacy: 67% (male 65%, female 69%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1980)

#Labor force: 43,800; agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)

#Organized labor: 20% of labor force

*Government #Long-form name: none

#Type: parliamentary democracy

#Capital: Castries

#Administrative divisions: 11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

#Independence: 22 February 1979 (from UK)

#Constitution: 22 February 1979

#Legal system: based on English common law

#National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

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

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

#Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Acting Governor General Sir Stanislaus Anthony JAMES (since 10 October 1988);

Head of Government—Prime Minister John George Melvin COMPTON (since 3 May 1982)

#Political parties and leaders: United Workers' Party (UWP), John COMPTON; Saint Lucia Labor Party (SLP), Julian HUNTE; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), George ODLUM

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

House of Assembly—last held 6 April 1987 (next to be held by April 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(17 total) UWP 10, SLP 7

#Communists: negligible

#Member of: ACCT (associate), ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Dr. Joseph Edsel EDMUNDS; Chancery at Suite 309, 2100 M Street NW, Washington DC 30037; telephone (202) 463-7378 or 7379; there is a Saint Lucian Consulate General in New York;

US—none

#Flag: blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

*Economy #Overview: Since 1983 the economy has shown an impressive average annual growth rate of almost 5% because of strong agricultural and tourist sectors. Saint Lucia also possesses an expanding industrial base supported by foreign investment in manufacturing and other activities, such as in data processing. The economy, however, remains vulnerable because the important agricultural sector is dominated by banana production. Saint Lucia is subject to periodic droughts and/or tropical storms, and its protected market agreement with the UK for bananas may end in 1992.

#GDP: $273 million, per capita $1,830; real growth rate 4.0% (1989)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: 16.0% (1988)

#Budget: revenues $131 million; expenditures $149 million, including capital expenditures of $71 million (FY90 est.)

#Exports: $111.9 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—bananas 54%, clothing 17%, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil;

partners—UK 51%, CARICOM 20%, US 19%, other 10%

#Imports: $265.9 million (c.i.f., 1989);

commodities—manufactured goods 23%, machinery and transportation equipment 27%, food and live animals 18%, chemicals 10%, fuels 6%;

partners—US 35%, CARICOM 16%, UK 15%, Japan 7%, Canada 4%, other 23%

#External debt: $54.5 million (1989)

#Industrial production: growth rate 3.5% (1990 est.); accounts for 7% of GDP

#Electricity: 32,500 kW capacity; 112 million kWh produced, 730 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing

#Agriculture: accounts for 16% of GDP and 43% of labor force; crops—bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus fruit, root crops, cocoa; imports food for the tourist industry

#Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $118 million

#Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural—dollars); 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1—2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

#Fiscal Year: 1 April-31 March

*Communications #Highways: 760 km total; 500 km paved; 260 km otherwise improved

#Ports: Castries

#Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 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

#Telecommunications: fully automatic telephone system; 9,500 telephones; direct radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; interisland troposcatter link to Barbados; stations—4 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV (cable)

*Defense Forces #Branches: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Coast Guard

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 38,050; NA fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP % @Saint Pierre and Miquelon (territorial collectivity of France) *Geography Total area: 242 km2; land area: 242 km2; includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

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

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 120 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France

#Climate: cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy

#Terrain: mostly barren rock

#Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

#Land use: arable land 13%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 4%; other 83%

#Environment: vegetation scanty

#Note: located 25 km south of Newfoundland, Canada, in the North Atlantic Ocean

*People #Population: 6,356 (July 1991), growth rate 0.4% (1991)

#Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (1991)

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

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

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

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

#Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women); adjective—French

#Ethnic divisions: originally Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

#Religion: Roman Catholic 98%

#Language: French

#Literacy: 99% (male 99%, female 99%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982)

#Labor force: 2,850 (1988)

#Organized labor: Workers' Force trade union

*Government #Long-form name: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

#Type: territorial collectivity of France

#Capital: Saint-Pierre

#Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France)

#Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France); note—has been under French control since 1763

#Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

#Legal system: French law

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

#Executive branch: commissioner of the Republic

#Legislative branch: unicameral General Council

#Judicial branch: Superior Tribunal of Appeals (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)

#Leaders:

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

Head of Government—Commissioner of the Republic Jean-Pierre MARQUIE (since February 1989); President of the General Council Marc PLANTEGENEST (since NA)

#Political parties and leaders: Socialist Party (PS); Union for French Democracy (UDF/CDS), Gerard GRIGNON

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

General Council—last held September-October 1988 (next to be held September 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(19 total) Socialist and other left-wing parties 13, UDF and right-wing parties 6;

French President—last held 8 May 1988 (next to be held May 1995); results—(second ballot) Jacques CHIRAC 56%, Francois MITTERRAND 44%;

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

French National Assembly—last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(1 total) UDF/CDS 1

#Member of: FZ, WFTU

#Diplomatic representation: as a territorial collectivity of France, local interests are represented in the US by France

#Flag: the flag of France is used

*Economy #Overview: The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre has dropped steadily over the years. In March 1989, an agreement between France and Canada set fish quotas for Saint Pierre's trawlers fishing in Canadian and Canadian-claimed waters for three years. The agreement settles a longstanding dispute that had virtually brought fish exports to a halt. The islands are heavily subsidized by France. Imports come primarily from Canada and France.

#GDP: $50 million, per capita $7,900; real growth rate NA% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

#Unemployment rate: 8.3% (1988)

#Budget: revenues $18.3 million; expenditures $18.3 million, including capital expenditures of $5.5 million (1989)

#Exports: $24.1 million (f.o.b., 1988);

commodities—fish and fish products, fox and mink pelts;

partners—US 58%, France 17%, UK 11%, Canada, Portugal

#Imports: $61.6 million (c.i.f., 1988);

commodities—meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials;

partners—Canada, France, US, Netherlands, UK

#External debt: $NA

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: 10,000 kW capacity; 25 million kWh produced, 3,970 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

#Agriculture: vegetables, cattle, sheep and pigs for local consumption; fish catch, 20,500 metric tons (1989)

#Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $493 million

#Currency: French franc (plural—francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

#Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1—5.1307 (January 1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Highways: 120 km total; 60 km paved (1985)

#Ports: Saint Pierre

#Civil air: no major transport aircraft

#Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways, none with runways over 2,439 m; 1 with runway 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: 3,601 telephones; stations—1 AM, 3 FM, no TV; radiotelecommunication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic system

*Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of France % @Saint Vincent and the Grenadines *Geography Total area: 340 km2; land area: 340 km2

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

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 84 km

#Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 24 nm;

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

#Terrain: volcanic, mountainous; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent

#Natural resources: negligible

#Land use: arable land 38%; permanent crops 12%; meadows and pastures 6%; forest and woodland 41%; other 3%; includes irrigated 3%

#Environment: subject to hurricanes; Soufriere volcano is a constant threat

#Note: some islands of the Grenadines group are administered by Grenada

*People #Population: 114,221 (July 1991), growth rate 1.4% (1991)

#Birth rate: 27 births/1,000 population (1991)

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 31 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 72 years female (1991)

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

#Nationality: noun—Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s); adjectives—Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

#Ethnic divisions: mainly of black African descent; remainder mixed, with some white, East Indian, Carib Indian

#Religion: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist

#Language: English, some French patois

#Literacy: 96% (male 96%, female 96%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)

#Labor force: 67,000 (1984 est.)

#Organized labor: 10% of labor force

*Government #Long-form name: none

#Type: constitutional monarchy

#Capital: Kingstown

#Administrative divisions: 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

#Independence: 27 October 1979 (from UK)

#Constitution: 27 October 1979

#Legal system: based on English common law

#National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

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

#Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly

#Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 Septermber 1989);

Head of Government—Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984)

#Political parties and leaders: New Democratic Party (NDP), James (Son) MITCHELL; Saint Vincent Labor Party (SVLP), Vincent BEACH; United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian SAUNDERS; Movement for National Unity (MNU), Ralph GONSALVES; National Reform Party (NRP), Joel MIGUEL

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

House of Assembly—last held 16 May 1989 (next to be held July 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(21 total; 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators) NDP 15

#Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO

#Diplomatic representation: none

#Flag: three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

*Economy #Overview: Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of the economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The economy continues to have a high unemployment rate of 30% because of an overdependence on the weather-plagued banana crop as a major export earner. Government progress toward diversifying into new industries has been relatively unsuccessful.

#GDP: $146 million, per capita $1,315; real growth rate 5.9% (1989 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: 30% (1989 est.)

#Budget: revenues $62 million; expenditures $67 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY90 est.)

#Exports: $74.6 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—bananas 45%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), sweet potatoes, spices, light manufactures;

partners—UK 43%, CARICOM 37%, US 15%

#Imports: $127.5 million (c.i.f., 1989);

commodities—foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels;

partners—US 42%, CARICOM 19%, UK 15%

#External debt: $42.2 million (FY89)

#Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1989); accounts for 14% of GDP

#Electricity: 16,600 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced, 570 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: food processing (sugar, flour), cement, furniture, clothing, starch, sheet metal, beverage

#Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GDP and 60% of labor force; provides bulk of exports; products—bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, hogs, goats; small fish catch used locally

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $11 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $76 million

#Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural—dollars); 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1—2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

#Fiscal year: calendar year (as of January 1991); previously 1 July-30 June

*Communications #Highways: about 1,000 km total; 300 km paved; 400 km improved; 300 km unimproved

#Ports: Kingstown

#Merchant marine: 242 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,855,061 GRT/2,919,872 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 132 cargo, 11 container, 15 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 9 refrigerated cargo, 13 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 4 liquefied gas, 44 bulk, 6 combination bulk, 1 vehicle carrier; note—China owns 3 ships; a flag of convenience registry

#Civil air: no major transport aircraft

#Airports: 6 total, 6 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: islandwide fully automatic telephone system; 6,500 telephones; VHF/UHF interisland links to Barbados and the Grenadines; new SHF links to Grenada and Saint Lucia; stations—2 AM, no FM, 1 TV (cable)

*Defense Forces #Branches: Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 28,339; NA fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP % @San Marino *Geography Total area: 60 km2; land area: 60 km2

#Comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

#Land boundary: 39 km with Italy

#Coastline: none—landlocked

#Maritime claims: none—landlocked

#Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

#Terrain: rugged mountains

#Natural resources: building stones

#Land use: arable land 17%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 83%

#Environment: dominated by the Appenines

#Note: landlocked; world's smallest republic; enclave of Italy

*People #Population: 23,264 (July 1991), growth rate 0.6% (1991)

#Birth rate: 8 births/1,000 population (1991)

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

#Net migration rate: 5 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: 1.3 children born/woman (1991)

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

#Ethnic divisions: Sanmarinese, Italian

#Religion: Roman Catholic

#Language: Italian

#Literacy: 96% (male 96%, female 95%) age 14 and over can read and write (1976)

#Labor force: about 4,300

#Organized labor: Democratic Federation of Sanmarinese Workers (affiliated with ICFTU) has about 1,800 members; Communist-dominated General Federation of Labor, 1,400 members

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of San Marino

#Type: republic

#Capital: San Marino

#Administrative divisions: 9 municipalities (castelli, singular—castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Monte Giardino, San Marino, Serravalle

#Independence: 301 AD (by tradition)

#Constitution: 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution

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

#National holiday: Anniversary of the Foundation of the Republic, 3 September

#Executive branch: two captains regent, Congress of State (cabinet); real executive power is wielded by the secretary of state for foreign affairs and the secretary of state for internal affairs

#Legislative branch: unicameral Great and General Council (Consiglio Grande e Generale)

#Judicial branch: Council of Twelve (Consiglio dei XII)

#Leaders:

Co-Chiefs of State—Captain Regent Aldamiro BARTOLINI and Captain Regent Ottaviano ROSSI (since 1 April 1990);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Gabriele GATTI (since July 1986)

#Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party (DCS), Gabriele GATTI; San Marino Democratic Progressive Party (PPDS) formerly San Marino Communist Party (PCS), Gilberto GHIOTTI; San Marino Socialist Party (PSS), Remy GIACOMINI; Democratic Movement (MD), Emilio Della BALDA; San Marino Social Democratic Party (PSDS), Augusto CASALI; San Marino Republican Party (PRS), Cristoforo BUSCARINI

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

Grand and General Council—last held 29 May 1988 (next to be held by May 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(60 total) DCS 27, PCS 18, PSU 8, PSS 7

#Communists: about 300 members

#Other political parties or pressure groups: political parties influenced by policies of their counterparts in Italy

#Member of: CE, CSCE, ICAO, ICFTU, ILO, IMF (observer), IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM (guest), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: San Marino maintains honorary Consulates General in Washington and New York, and an honorary Consulate in Detroit;

US—no mission in San Marino, but the Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino; Consulate General at Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci, 38, 50123 Firenze, Italy (mailing address is APO New York 09019-0007); telephone [39] (55) 239-8276 through 8279 and 217-605

#Flag: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)

*Economy #Overview: More than 2 million tourists visit each year, contributing about 60% to GDP. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is another important income producer. The manufacturing sector employs nearly 40% of the labor force and agriculture less than 4%. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to northern Italy.

#GDP: $393 million, per capita $17,000; real growth rate 2% (1990 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1990)

#Unemployment rate: 6.5% (1985)

#Budget: revenues $99.2 million; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1983)

#Exports: trade data are included with the statistics for Italy; commodity trade consists primarily of exchanging building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, and ceramics for a wide variety of consumer manufactures

Imports: see Exports

#External debt: $NA

#Industrial production: growth rate NA%

#Electricity: supplied by Italy

#Industries: wine, olive oil, cement, leather, textile, tourist

#Agriculture: employs less than 4% of labor force; products—wheat, grapes, corn, olives, meat, cheese, hides; small numbers of cattle, pigs, horses; depends on Italy for food imports

#Economic aid: NA

#Currency: Italian lira (plural—lire); 1 Italian lira (Lit) = 100 centesimi; also mints its own coins

#Exchange rates: Italian lire (Lit) per US$1—1,134.4 (January 1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1,372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987), 1,490.8 (1986), 1,909.4 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Highways: 104 km

#Telecommunications: automatic telephone system; 11,700 telephones; stations—no AM, 20 FM, no TV; radio relay and cable links into Italian networks; no communication satellite facilities

*Defense Forces #Branches: public security or police force of less than 50 people

#Manpower availability: all fit men ages 16-60 constitute a militia that can serve as an army

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP % @Sao Tome and Principe *Geography Total area: 960 km2; land area: 960 km2

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

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 209 km

#Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines);

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

#Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

#Natural resources: fish

#Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops 20%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 75%; other 3%

#Environment: deforestation; soil erosion

#Note: located south of Nigeria and west of Gabon near the Equator in the North Atlantic Ocean

*People #Population: 128,499 (July 1991), growth rate 3.0% (1991)

#Birth rate: 38 births/1,000 population (1991)

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

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

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

#Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 68 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 5.3 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Sao Tomean(s); adjective—Sao Tomean

#Ethnic divisions: mestico, angolares (descendents of Angolan slaves), forros (descendents of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), and Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

#Religion: Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist

#Language: Portuguese (official)

#Literacy: 57% (male 73%, female 42%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981)

#Labor force: 21,096 (1981); most of population engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; labor shortages on plantations and of skilled workers; 56% of population of working age (1983)

#Organized labor: NA

*Government #Long-form name: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

#Type: republic

#Capital: Sao Tome

#Administrative divisions: 2 districts (concelhos, singular—concelho); Principe, Sao Tome

#Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

#Constitution: 5 November 1975, approved 15 December 1982

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

#National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

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

#Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly (Assembleia Popular Nacional)

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Daniel Lima Dos Santos DAIO (since 21 January 1991)

#Political parties and leaders: Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group (PCD-GR), Prime Minister Daniel Lima Dos Santos DAIO, secretary general; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe (MLSTP), Carlos da GRACIA; Christian Democratic Front (FDC), Alphonse Dos SANTOS; Democratic Opposition Coalition (CODO), leader NA; other small parties

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

President—last held 3 March 1991 (next to be held March 1996); results—Miguel TROVOADA was elected without opposition in Sao Tome's first multiparty presidential election;

National People's Assembly—last held 20 January 1991 (next to be held January 1996); results—PCD-GR 54.4%, MLSTP 30.5%, CODO 5.2%, FDC 1.5%, other 8.3%; seats—(55 total) PCD-GR 33, MLSTP 21, CODO 1; note—this was the first National Assembly multiparty election in Sao Tome

#Member of: ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Joaquim Rafael BRANCO; Chancery (temporary) at 801 Second Avenue, Suite 1504, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 697-4211;

US—Ambassador Keith L. WAUCHOPE in Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

#Flag: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

*Economy #Overview: The economy has remained dependent on cocoa since the country gained independence nearly 15 years ago. Since then, however, cocoa production has gradually deteriorated because of drought and mismanagement, so that by 1987 output had fallen to less than 50% of its former levels. As a result, a shortage of cocoa for export has created a serious balance-of-payments problem. Production of less important crops, such as coffee, copra, and palm kernels, has also declined. The value of imports generally exceeds that of exports by a ratio of 4 to 1. The emphasis on cocoa production at the expense of other food crops has meant that Sao Tome has to import 90% of food needs. It also has to import all fuels and most manufactured goods. Over the years, Sao Tome has been unable to service its external debt, which amounts to roughly 80% of export earnings. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also implemented a Five-Year Plan covering 1986-90 to restructure the economy and reschedule external debt service payments in cooperation with the International Development Association and Western lenders.

#GDP: $46.0 million, per capita $380; real growth rate 1.5% (1989)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 36% (1989 est.)

#Unemployment rate: NA%

#Budget: revenues $10.2 million; expenditures $36.8 million, including capital expenditures of $22.5 million (1989)

#Exports: $5.9 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—cocoa 85%, copra, coffee, palm oil;

partners—FRG, GDR, Netherlands, China

#Imports: $26.8 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—machinery and electrical equipment 54%, food products 23%, other 23%;

partners—Portugal, GDR, Angola, China

#External debt: $110 million (1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 7.1% (1986)

#Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 12 million kWh produced, 100 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: light construction, shirts, soap, beer, fisheries, shrimp processing

#Agriculture: dominant sector of economy, primary source of exports; cash crops—cocoa (85%), coconuts, palm kernels, coffee; food products—bananas, papaya, beans, poultry, fish; not self-sufficient in food grain and meat

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $8 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $59 million

#Currency: dobra (plural—dobras); 1 dobra (Db) = 100 centimos

#Exchange rates: dobras (Db) per US$1—122.48 (December 1988), 72.827 (1987), 36.993 (1986), 41.195 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Highways: 300 km (two-thirds are paved); roads on Principe are mostly unpaved and in need of repair

#Ports: Sao Tome, Santo Antonio

#Civil air: 8 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: minimal system; 2,200 telephones; stations—1 AM, 2 FM, no TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, Navy, National Police

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 28,984; 15,287 fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $NA, 1.6% of GDP (1980) % @Saudi Arabia *Geography Total area: 2,149,690 km2; land area: 2,149,690 km2

#Comparative area: slightly less than one-fourth the size of US

#Land boundaries: 4,410 km total; Iraq 488 km, Iraq-Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone 198 km, Jordan 742 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 40 km, UAE 586 km, Yemen 1,458 km

#Coastline: 2,510 km

#Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 18 nm;

Continental shelf: not specific;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: no defined boundaries with Yemen and UAE; shares Neutral Zone with Iraq—in December 1981, Iraq and Saudi Arabia signed a boundary agreement that divides the zone between them, but the agreement must be ratified before it becomes effective; Kuwaiti ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim Islands is disputed by Saudi Arabia

#Climate: harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature

#Terrain: mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

#Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

#Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 39%; forest and woodland 1%; other 59%; includes irrigated NEGL%

#Environment: no perennial rivers or permanent water bodies; developing extensive coastal seawater desalination facilities; desertification

#Note: extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

*People #Population: 17,869,558 (July 1991), growth rate 4.2% (1991); note—the population figure is based on growth since the last official Saudi census of 1974 that reported a total of 7 million persons and included foreign workers; estimates from other sources may be 15-30% lower

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

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

#Net migration rate: 12 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

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

#Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 68 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 6.7 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Saudi(s); adjective—Saudi or Saudi Arabian

#Ethnic divisions: Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

#Religion: Muslim 100%

#Language: Arabic

#Literacy: 62% (male 73%, female 48%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 4,200,000; about 60% are foreign workers; government 34%, industry and oil 28%, services 22%, and agriculture 16%

#Organized labor: trade unions are illegal

*Government #Long-form name: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

#Type: monarchy

#Capital: Riyadh

#Administrative divisions: 14 emirates (imarat, singular—imarah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Al Qurayyat, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah, Asir, Hail, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk

#Independence: 23 September 1932 (unification)

#Constitution: none; governed according to Sharia (Islamic law)

#Legal system: based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

#Executive branch: monarch and prime minister, crown prince and deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers

#Legislative branch: none

#Judicial branch: Supreme Council of Justice

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the King, appointed heir to the throne 13 June 1982)

#Suffrage: none

#Elections: none

#Communists: negligible

#Member of: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador BANDAR Bin Sultan; Chancery at 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 342-3800; there are Saudi Arabian Consulates General in Houston, Los Angeles, and New York;

US—Ambassador Charles W. FREEMAN, Jr.; Embassy at Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh (mailing address is P. O. Box 9041, Riyadh 11143, or APO New York 09038); telephone [966] (1) 488-3800; there are US Consulates General in Dhahran and Jiddah (Jeddah)

#Flag: green with large white Arabic script (that may be translated as There is no God but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God) above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); green is the traditional color of Islam

*Economy #Overview: The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 70% of budget revenues, 33% of GDP, and almost all export earnings. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, plays a leading role in OPEC, and invests substantial amounts abroad.

#GDP: $79 billion, per capita $4,800; real growth rate 0.5% (1989 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0% (1990 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 0% (1989 est.)

#Budget: revenues $31.5 billion; expenditures $38.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $6.9 billion (1990)

#Exports: $28.3 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—petroleum and petroleum products 85%;

partners—US 22%, Japan 20%, Singapore 7%, France 5%

#Imports: $19.2 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—manufactured goods, transportation equipment, construction materials, processed food products;

partners—UK 17%, US 15%, Japan 12%, FRG 6%

#External debt: $18.9 billion (December 1989 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate - 1.1% (1989 est.); accounts for 37% of GDP, including petroleum

#Electricity: 25,205,000 kW capacity; 50,500 million kWh produced, 2,950 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, small steel-rolling mill, construction, fertilizer, plastic

#Agriculture: accounts for about 10% of GDP, 16% of labor force; fastest growing economic sector; subsidized by government; products—wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus fruit, mutton, chickens, eggs, milk; approaching self-sufficiency in food

#Economic aid: donor—pledged $64.7 billion in bilateral aid (1979-89)

#Currency: Saudi riyal (plural—riyals); 1 Saudi riyal (SR) = 100 halalas

#Exchange rates: Saudi riyals (SR) per US$1—3.7450 (fixed rate since late 1986), 3.7033 (1986), 3.6221 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Railroads: 886 km 1.435-meter standard gauge

#Highways: 74,000 km total; 35,000 km bituminous, 39,000 km gravel and improved earth

#Pipelines: 6,400 km crude oil; 150 km refined products; 2,200 km natural gas, includes 1,600 km of natural gas liquids

#Ports: Jiddah, Ad Dammam, Ras Tanura, Jizan, Al Jubayl, Yanbu al Bahr, Yanbu al Sinaiyah

#Merchant marine: 84 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,492,174 GRT/2,436,635 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 6 short-sea passenger, 14 cargo, 12 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 3 container, 6 refrigerated cargo, 5 livestock carrier, 26 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 8 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 1 specialized tanker, 1 bulk

#Civil air: 182 major transport aircraft available

#Airports: 207 total, 188 usable; 69 with permanent-surface runways; 13 with runways over 3,659 m; 38 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 103 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: good system with extensive microwave and coaxial cable systems; 1,624,000 telephones; stations—21 AM, 16 FM, 97 TV; radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait; submarine cable to Djibouti and Egypt; earth stations—3 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT, 1 INMARSAT, 1 ARABSAT

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Coast Guard, Frontier Force, Special Security Force, Public Security Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 6,663,217; 3,724,610 fit for military service; 165,167 reach military age (17) annually

Defense expenditures: $13.9 billion, 16.9% of GDP (1990 est.) % @Senegal *Geography Total area: 196,190 km2; land area: 192,000 km2

#Comparative area: slightly smaller than South Dakota

#Land boundaries: 2,640 km total; The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

#Coastline: 531 km

#Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 24 nm;

Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: short section of the boundary with The Gambia is indefinite; the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rendered its decision on the Guinea-Bissau/Senegal maritime boundary in favor of Senegal—that decision has been rejected by Guinea-Bissau; boundary with Mauritania

#Climate: tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (December to April) has strong southeast winds; dry season (May to November) dominated by hot, dry harmattan wind

#Terrain: generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

#Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore

#Land use: arable land 27%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 30%; forest and woodland 31%; other 12%; includes irrigated 1%

#Environment: lowlands seasonally flooded; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

#Note: The Gambia is almost an enclave

*People #Population: 7,952,657 (July 1991), growth rate 3.1% (1991)

#Birth rate: 44 births/1,000 population (1991)

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 86 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 56 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 6.2 children born/woman (1991)

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

#Ethnic divisions: Wolof 36%, Fulani 17%, Serer 17%, Toucouleur 9%, Diola 9%, Mandingo 9%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 2%

#Religion: Muslim 92%, indigenous beliefs 6%, Christian 2% (mostly Roman Catholic)

#Language: French (official); Wolof, Pulaar, Diola, Mandingo

#Literacy: 38% (male 52%, female 25%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 2,509,000; 77% subsistence agricultural workers; 175,000 wage earners—private sector 40%, government and parapublic 60%; 52% of population of working age (1985)

#Organized labor: majority of wage-labor force represented by unions; however, dues-paying membership very limited; major confederation is National Confederation of Senegalese Labor (CNTS), an affiliate of governing party

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Senegal

#Type: republic under multiparty democratic rule

#Capital: Dakar

#Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions, singular—region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor

#Independence: 4 April 1960 (from France); The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 (effective 1 February 1982) that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989

#Constitution: 3 March 1963, last revised in 1984

#Legal system: based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court, which also audits the government's accounting office; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

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

#Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President Abdou DIOUF (since 1 January 1981);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Habib THIAM (since 7 April 1991)

#Political parties and leaders: Socialist Party (PS), President Abdou DIOUF; Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), Abdoulaye WADE; 13 other small uninfluential parties

#Suffrage: universal at age 21

#Elections:

President—last held 28 February 1988 (next to be held February 1993); results—Abdou DIOUF (PS) 73%, Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 26%, other 1%;

National Assembly—last held 28 February 1988 (next to be held February 1993); results—PS 71%, PDS 25%, other 4%; seats—(120 total) PS 103, PDS 17

#Communists: small number of Communists and sympathizers

#Other political or pressure groups: students, teachers, labor, Muslim Brotherhoods

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

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ibra Deguene KA; Chancery at 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 234-0540 or 0541;

US—Ambassador George E. MOOSE; Embassy on Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Avenue Kleber, Dakar (mailing address is B. P. 49, Dakar); telephone [221] 23-42-96 or 23-34-24

#Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

*Economy #Overview: The agricultural sector accounts for about 20% of GDP and provides employment for about 75% of the labor force. About 40% of the total cultivated land is used to grow peanuts, an important export crop. The principal economic resource is fishing, which brought in about $200 million or about 25% of total foreign exchange earnings in 1987. Mining is dominated by the extraction of phosphate, but production has faltered because of reduced worldwide demand for fertilizers in recent years. Over the past 10 years tourism has become increasingly important to the economy.

#GDP: $4.6 billion, per capita $615; real growth rate 0.6% (1989)



#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.4% (1989 est.)

#Unemployment rate: 3.5% (1987)

#Budget: revenues $921 million; expenditures $1,024 million; including capital expenditures of $14 million (FY89 est.)

#Exports: $801 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—manufactures 30%, fish products 27%, peanuts 11%, petroleum products 11%, phosphates 10%;

partners—US, France, other EC, Ivory Coast, India

#Imports: $1.0 billion (c.i.f., 1989 est.);

commodities—semimanufactures 30%, food 27%, durable consumer goods 17%, petroleum 12%, capital goods 14%;

partners—US, France, other EC, Nigeria, Algeria, China, Japan

#External debt: $4.1 billion (1989)

#Industrial production: growth rate 4.7% (1989); accounts for 17% of GDP

#Electricity: 210,000 kW capacity; 760 million kWh produced, 100 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: fishing, agricultural processing, phosphate mining, petroleum refining, building materials

#Agriculture: including fishing, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than 75% of labor force; major products—peanuts (cash crop), millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; estimated two-thirds self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 299,000 metric tons in 1987

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $551 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $4.8 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $589 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $295 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 July-30 June

*Communications #Railroads: 1,034 km 1.000-meter gauge; all single track except 70 km double track Dakar to Thies

#Highways: 14,000 km total; 3,770 km paved, 10,230 km laterite or improved earth

#Inland waterways: 900 km total; 785 km on the Senegal, 115 km on the Saloum

#Ports: Dakar, Kaolack

#Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 9,263 GRT/15,167 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 bulk

#Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 25 total, 20 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 15 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: above-average urban system, using radio relay and cable; 40,200 telephones; stations—8 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 3 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie; Surete Nationale

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,749,540; 913,806 fit for military service; 91,607 reach military age (18) annually

Defense expenditures: $100 million, 2% of GDP (1989 est.) % @Seychelles *Geography Total area: 455 km2; land area: 455 km2

#Comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 491 km

#Maritime claims:

Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: claims Tromelin Island

#Climate: tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)

#Terrain: Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

#Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees

#Land use: arable land 4%; permanent crops 18%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 18%; other 60%

#Environment: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible; no fresh water, catchments collect rain; 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

#Note: located north-northeast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean

*People #Population: 68,932 (July 1991), growth rate 0.9% (1991)

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

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

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

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

#Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 75 years female (1991)

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

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

#Ethnic divisions: Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

#Religion: Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2%

#Language: English and French (official); Creole

#Literacy: 58% (male 56%, female 60%) age 15 and over can read and write (1971)

#Labor force: 27,700; industry and commerce 31%, services 21%, government 20%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 12%, other 16% (1985); 57% of population of working age (1983)

#Organized labor: three major trade unions

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Seychelles

#Type: republic

#Capital: Victoria

#Administrative divisions: 23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe Island), Grand' Anse (on Praslin Island), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka

#Independence: 29 June 1976 (from UK)

#Constitution: 5 June 1979

#Legal system: based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law

#National holiday: Liberation Day (anniversary of coup), 5 June (1977)

#Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers

#Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly (Assemblee du Peuple)

#Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977)

#Political parties and leaders: only party—Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF), France Albert RENE

#Suffrage: universal at age 17

#Elections:

President—last held 9-11 June 1989 (next to be held June 1994); results—President France Albert RENE reelected without opposition;

National Assembly—last held 5 December 1987 (next to be held December 1992); results—SPPF is the only party; seats—(25 total, 23 elected) SPPF 23

#Communists: negligible, although some Cabinet ministers espouse pro-Soviet line

#Other political or pressure groups: trade unions, Roman Catholic Church

#Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Second Secretary, Charge d'Affaires ad interim Marc R. MARENGO; Chancery (temporary) at 820 Second Avenue, Suite 201, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 687-9766;

US—Ambassador James B. MORAN; Embassy at 4th Floor, Victoria House, Victoria (mailing address is Box 148, Victoria, and Victoria House, Box 251, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles, or APO New York 09030-0006); telephone (248) 25256

#Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), white (wavy), and green; the white band is the thinnest, the red band is the thickest

*Economy #Overview: In this small, open, tropical island economy, the tourist industry employs about 30% of the labor force and provides the main source of hard currency earnings. In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the high dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing.

#GDP: $283 million, per capita $4,100; real growth rate 7.0% (1989)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: 9% (1987)

#Budget: revenues $170 million; expenditures $173 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)

#Exports: $31 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—fish, copra, cinnamon bark, petroleum products (reexports);

partners—France 63%, Pakistan 12%, Reunion 10%, UK 7% (1987)

#Imports: $164 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);

commodities—manufactured goods, food, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products;

partners—UK 20%, France 14%, South Africa 13%, PDRY 13%, Singapore 8%, Japan 6% (1987)

#External debt: $171 million (1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 7% (1987); accounts for 10% of GDP

#Electricity: 25,000 kW capacity; 67 million kWh produced, 960 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: tourism, processing of coconut and vanilla, fishing, coir rope factory, boat building, printing, furniture, beverage

#Agriculture: accounts for 7% of GDP, mostly subsistence farming; cash crops—coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla; other products—sweet potatoes, cassava, bananas; broiler chickens; large share of food needs imported; expansion of tuna fishing under way

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY78-89), $26 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1978-88), $310 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $5 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $60 million

#Currency: Seychelles rupee (plural—rupees); 1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SR) per US$1—5.0878 (January 1991), 5.3369 (1990), 5.6457 (1989), 5.3836 (1988), 5.6000 (1987), 6.1768 (1986), 7.1343 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Highways: 260 km total; 160 km bituminous, 100 km crushed stone or earth

#Ports: Victoria

#Merchant marine: 1 refrigerated cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,827 GRT/2,170 DWT

#Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 14 total, 14 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: direct radio communications with adjacent islands and African coastal countries; 13,000 telephones; stations—2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station; USAF tracking station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force, Militia

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 17,399; 8,933 fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $12 million, 6% of GDP (1990 est.) % @Sierra Leone *Geography Total area: 71,740 km2; land area: 71,620 km2

#Comparative area: slightly smaller than South Carolina

#Land boundaries: 958 km total; Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

#Coastline: 402 km

#Maritime claims:

Territorial sea: 200 nm

#Climate: tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)

#Terrain: coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east

#Natural resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

#Land use: arable land 25%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 31%; forest and woodland 29%; other 13%; includes irrigated NEGL%

#Environment: extensive mangrove swamps hinder access to sea; deforestation; soil degradation

*People #Population: 4,274,543 (July 1991), growth rate 2.6% (1991)

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

#Death rate: 20 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

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

#Infant mortality rate: 151 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 42 years male, 48 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 6.1 children born/woman (1991)

#Nationality: noun—Sierra Leonean(s); adjective—Sierra Leonean

#Ethnic divisions: native African 99% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%); Creole, European, Lebanese, and Asian 1%; 13 tribes

#Religion: Muslim 30%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%, other or none 30%

#Language: English (official); regular use limited to literate minority; principal vernaculars are Mende in south and Temne in north; Krio is the language of the resettled ex-slave population of the Freetown area and is lingua franca

#Literacy: 21% (male 31%, female 11%) age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 1,369,000 (est.); agriculture 65%, industry 19%, services 16% (1981); only about 65,000 earn wages (1985); 55% of population of working age

#Organized labor: 35% of wage earners

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Sierra Leone

#Type: republic under presidential regime

#Capital: Freetown

#Administrative divisions: 4 provinces; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western

#Independence: 27 April 1961 (from UK)

#Constitution: 14 June 1978

#Legal system: based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

#National holiday: Republic Day, 27 April (1961)

#Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, Cabinet

#Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government—President Gen. Joseph Saidu MOMOH (since 28 November 1985); First Vice President Abu Bakar KAMARA (since 4 April 1987); Second Vice President Salia JUSU-SHERIFF (since 4 April 1987)

#Political parties and leaders: only party—All People's Congress (APC), Gen. Joseph Saidu MOMOH; note—constitutional referendum to adopt a multiparty system is scheduled for June 1991

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

President—last held 1 October 1985 (next to be held October 1992); results—Gen. Joseph Saidu MOMOH was elected without opposition;

House of Representatives—last held 30 May 1986 (next to be held February 1992); results—APC is the only party; seats—(127 total, 105 elected) APC 105

#Communists: no party, although there are a few Communists and a slightly larger number of sympathizers

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

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador George CAREW; Chancery at 1701 19th Street NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 939-9261;

US—Ambassador Johnny YOUNG; Embassy at the corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown; telephone [232] (22) 26481

#Flag: three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue

*Economy #Overview: The economic and social infrastructure is not well developed. Subsistence agriculture dominates the economy, generating about one-third of GDP and employing about two-thirds of the working population. Manufacturing accounts for less than 10% of GDP, consisting mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Diamond mining provides an important source of hard currency. The economy suffers from high unemployment, rising inflation, large trade deficits, and a growing dependency on foreign assistance. The government in 1990 was attempting to get the budget deficit under control and, in general, to bring economic policy in line with the recommendations of the IMF and the World Bank.

#GDP: $1,302 million, per capita $325; real growth rate 1.8% (FY89)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): over 100% (1990)

#Unemployment rate: NA%

#Budget: revenues $134 million; expenditures $187 million, including capital expenditures of $32 million (FY91 est.)

#Exports: $138 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—rutile 50%, bauxite 17%, cocoa 11%, diamonds 3%, coffee 3%;

partners—US, UK, Belgium, FRG, other Western Europe

#Imports: $183 million (c.i.f., 1989);

commodities—capital goods 40%, food 32%, petroleum 12%, consumer goods 7%, light industrial goods;

partners—US, EC, Japan, China, Nigeria

#External debt: $632 million (1990 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate - 19% (FY88 est.); accounts for 8% of GDP

#Electricity: 83,000 kW capacity; 180 million kWh produced, 45 kWh per capita (1989)

#Industries: mining (diamonds, bauxite, rutile), small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear), petroleum refinery

#Agriculture: accounts for over 30% of GDP and two-thirds of the labor force; largely subsistence farming; cash crops—coffee, cocoa, palm kernels; harvests of food staple rice meets 80% of domestic needs; annual fish catch averages 53,000 metric tons

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $161 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $698 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $18 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $101 million

#Currency: leone (plural—leones); 1 leone (Le) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: leones per US$1—196.0784 (January 1991), 144.9275 (1990), 58.1395 (1989), 31.2500 (1988), 30.7692 (1987), 8.3963 (1986), 4.7304 (1985)

#Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

*Communications #Railroads: 84 km 1.067-meter narrow-gauge mineral line is used on a limited basis because the mine at Marampa is closed

#Highways: 7,400 km total; 1,150 km bituminous, 490 km laterite (some gravel), remainder improved earth

#Inland waterways: 800 km; 600 km navigable year round

#Ports: Freetown, Pepel

#Civil air: no major transport aircraft

#Airports: 12 total, 8 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: marginal telephone and telegraph service; national microwave radio relay system unserviceable at present; 23,650 telephones; stations—1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, Navy, Police

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 939,214; 453,877 fit for military service; no conscription

Defense expenditures: $6 million, 0.7% of GDP (1988 est.) % @Singapore *Geography Total area: 632.6 km2; land area: 622.6 km2

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

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 193 km

#Maritime claims:

Exclusive fishing zone: not specific;

Territorial sea: 3 nm

#Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy; no pronounced rainy or dry seasons; thunderstorms occur on 40% of all days (67% of days in April)

#Terrain: lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve

#Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

#Land use: arable land 4%; permanent crops 7%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 5%; other 84%

#Environment: mostly urban and industrialized

#Note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

*People #Population: 2,756,330 (July 1991), growth rate 1.3% (1991)

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

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 77 years female (1991)

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

#Nationality: noun—Singaporean(s), adjective—Singapore

#Ethnic divisions: Chinese 76.4%, Malay 14.9%, Indian 6.4%, other 2.3%

#Religion: majority of Chinese are Buddhists or atheists; Malays are nearly all Muslim (minorities include Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Taoists, Confucianists)

#Language: Chinese, Malay, Tamil, and English (all official); Malay (national)

#Literacy: 88% (male 93%, female 84%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 1,280,000; financial, business, and other services 35.3%, manufacturing 29.0%, commerce 22.8%, construction 6.6%, other 6.3% (1989)

#Organized labor: 210,000; 16.1% of labor force (1989)

*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Singapore

#Type: republic within Commonwealth

#Capital: Singapore

#Administrative divisions: none

#Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

#Constitution: 3 June 1959, amended 1965; based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution

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

#National holiday: National Day, 9 August (1965)

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

#Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—President WEE Kim Wee (since 3 September 1985);

Head of Government—Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990); Deputy Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990); Deputy Prime Minister ONG Teng Cheong (since 2 January 1985)

#Political parties and leaders:

government—People's Action Party (PAP), LEE Kuan Yew, secretary general;

opposition—Workers' Party (WP), J. B. JEYARETNAM; Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), CHIAM See Tong; National Solidarity Party (NSP), SOON Kia Seng; United People's Front (UPF), Harbans SINGH; Barisan Sosialis (BS, Socialist Front), leader NA

#Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 20

#Elections:

President—last held 31 August 1989 (next to be held August 1993); results—President WEE Kim Wee was reelected by Parliament without opposition;

Parliament—last held 3 September 1988 (next to be held 31 August 1991); results—PAP 61.8%, WP 18.4%, SDP 11.5%, NSP 3.7%, UPF 1.3%, other 3.3%; seats—(81 total) PAP 80, SDP 1; note—BS has 1 nonvoting seat

#Communists: 200-500; Barisan Sosialis infiltrated by Communists; note—Communist party illegal

#Member of: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador S. R. NATHAN; Chancery at 1824 R Street NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 667-7555;

US—Ambassador Robert D. ORR; Embassy at 30 Hill Street, Singapore 0617 (mailing address is FPO San Francisco 96699); telephone [65] 338-0251

#Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

*Economy #Overview: Singapore has an open entrepreneurial economy with strong service and manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links derived from its entrepot history. During the 1970s and early 1980s, the economy expanded rapidly, achieving an average annual growth rate of 9%. Per capita GDP is among the highest in Asia. In 1985 the economy registered its first drop in 20 years and achieved less than a 2% increase in 1986. Recovery was strong based on rising demand for Singapore's products in OECD countries and improved competitiveness of domestic manufactures. The economy grew 8.3% in 1990. Singapore's position as a major oil refining and services center helped it weather the Persian Gulf crisis.

#GDP: $34.6 billion, per capita $12,700; real growth rate 8.3% (1990)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (1990)

#Unemployment rate: 1.7% (1990)

#Budget: revenues $8.0 billion; expenditures $7.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.4 billion (FY90 est.)

#Exports: $52.5 billion (f.o.b., 1990);

commodities—includes transshipments to Malaysia—petroleum products, rubber, electronics, manufactured goods;

partners—US 21%, EC 14%, Malaysia 13%, Japan 9%

#Imports: $60.6 billion (c.i.f., 1990);

commodities—includes transshipments from Malaysia—capital equipment, petroleum, chemicals, manufactured goods, foodstuffs;

partners—Japan 20%, US 16%, Malaysia 14%, EC 13%

#External debt: $3.9 billion (1990)

#Industrial production: growth rate 9% (1990 est.); accounts for 29% of GDP (1989)

#Electricity: 4,000,000 kW capacity; 14,400 million kWh produced, 5,300 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: petroleum refining, electronics, oil drilling equipment, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, financial services, biotechnology

#Agriculture: occupies a position of minor importance in the economy; self-sufficient in poultry and eggs; must import much of other food; major crops—rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $590 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $882 million

#Currency: Singapore dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: Singapore dollars per US$1—1.7454 (January 1991), 1.8125 (1990), 1.9503 (1989), 2.0124 (1988), 2.1060 (1987), 2.1774 (1986), 2.2002 (1985)

#Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

*Communications #Railroads: 38 km of 1.000-meter gauge

#Highways: 2,597 km total (1984)

#Ports: Singapore

#Merchant marine: 435 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,259,085 GRT/13,553,438 DWT; includes 1 passenger-cargo, 121 cargo, 66 container, 6 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 11 refrigerated cargo, 18 vehicle carrier, 1 livestock carrier, 118 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 5 chemical tanker, 3 combination ore/oil, 1 specialized tanker, 7 liquefied gas, 75 bulk, 2 combination bulk; note—many Singapore flag ships are foreign owned

#Civil air: 38 major transport aircraft (est.)

#Airports: 9 total, 9 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: good domestic facilities; good international service; good radio and television broadcast coverage; 1,110,000 telephones; stations—13 AM, 4 FM, 2 TV; submarine cables extend to Malaysia (Sabah and peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations—1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT

*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 842,721; 625,546 fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $1.7 billion, 4% of GDP (1990 est.) % @Solomon Islands *Geography Total area: 28,450 km2; land area: 27,540 km2

#Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

#Land boundaries: none

#Coastline: 5,313 km

#Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines);

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

#Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

#Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates

#Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 93%; other 4%

#Environment: subject to typhoons, which are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors

#Note: located just east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean

*People #Population: 347,115 (July 1991), growth rate 3.5% (1991)

#Birth rate: 40 births/1,000 population (1991)

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 39 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 72 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 6.2 children born/woman (1991)

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

#Ethnic divisions: Melanesian 93.0%, Polynesian 4.0%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%

#Religion: almost all at least nominally Christian; Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%

#Language: 120 indigenous languages; Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English spoken by 1-2% of population

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

#Labor force: 23,448 economically active; agriculture, forestry, and fishing 32.4%; services 25%; construction, manufacturing, and mining 7.0%; commerce, transport, and finance 4.7% (1984)

#Organized labor: NA, but most of the cash-economy workers have trade union representation

*Government #Long-form name: none

#Type: independent parliamentary state within Commonwealth

#Capital: Honiara

#Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western

#Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK; formerly British Solomon Islands)

#Constitution: 7 July 1978

#Legal system: common law

#National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

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

#Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament

#Judicial branch: High Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General George LEPPING (since 27 June 1989, previously acted as governor general since 7 July 1988);

Head of Government—Prime Minister Solomon MAMALONI (since 28 March 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Baddeley DEVESI (since NA October 1990)

#Political parties and leaders: People's Alliance Party (PAP); United Party (UP), Sir Peter KENILOREA; Solomon Islands Liberal Party (SILP), Bartholemew ULUFA'ALU; Nationalist Front for Progress (NFP), Andrew NORI; Labor Party (LP), Joses TUHANUKU

#Suffrage: universal at age 21

#Elections:

National Parliament—last held 22 February 1989 (next to be held February 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(38 total) PAP 13, UP 6, NFP 4, SILP 4, LP 2, independents 9

#Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador (vacant) resides in Honiara (Solomon Islands);

US—the ambassador in Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands; Embassy at Mud Alley, Honiara (mailing address is American Embassy, P. O. Box 561, Honiara); telephone (677) 23890

#Flag: divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green

*Economy #Overview: About 90% of the population depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Agriculture, fishing, and forestry contribute about 75% to GDP, with the fishing and forestry sectors being important export earners. The service sector contributes about 25% to GDP. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. The economy suffered from a severe cyclone in mid-1986 that caused widespread damage to the infrastructure.

#GDP: $156 million, per capita $500 (1988); real growth rate 5.0% (1989 est.)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.9% (1989)

#Unemployment rate: NA%

#Budget: revenues $44 million; expenditures $45 million, including capital expenditures of $22 million (1989 est.)

#Exports: $75 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities—fish 46%, timber 31%, copra 5%, palm oil 5%;

partners—Japan 51%, UK 12%, Thailand 9%, Netherlands 8%, Australia 2%, US 2% (1985)

#Imports: $117 million (f.o.b., 1988);

commodities—plant and machinery 30%, fuel 19%, food 16%;

partners—Japan 36%, US 23%, Singapore 9%, UK 9%, NZ 9%, Australia 4%, Hong Kong 4%, China 3% (1985)

#External debt: $128 million (1988 est.)

#Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1987); accounts for 5% of GDP

#Electricity: 21,000 kW capacity; 39 million kWh produced, 115 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: copra, fish (tuna)

#Agriculture: including fishing and forestry, accounts for about 75% of GDP; mostly subsistence farming; cash crops—cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, timber; other products—rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit, cattle, pigs; not self-sufficient in food grains; 90% of the total fish catch of 44,500 metric tons was exported (1988)

#Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1985), $16.1 million

#Currency: Solomon Islands dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents

#Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1—2.5934 (January 1991), 2.5288 (1990), 2.2932 (1989), 2.0825 (1988), 2.0033 (1987), 1.7415 (1986), 1.4808 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Highways: about 2,100 km total (1982); 30 km sealed, 290 km gravel, 980 km earth, 800 private logging and plantation roads of varied construction

#Ports: Honiara, Ringi Cove

#Civil air: no major transport aircraft

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

#Telecommunications: 3,000 telephones; stations—4 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Police Force

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 77,169; NA fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP % @Somalia *Geography Total area: 637,660 km2; land area: 627,340 km2

#Comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas

#Land boundaries: 2,340 km total; Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

#Coastline: 3,025 km

#Maritime claims:

Territorial sea: 200 nm

#Disputes: southern half of boundary with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden; possible claims to Djibouti and parts of Ethiopia and Kenya based on unification of ethnic Somalis

#Climate: desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), cooler southwest monsoon (May to October); irregular rainfall; hot, humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons

#Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

#Natural resources: uranium, and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt

#Land use: arable land 2%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 46%; forest and woodland 14%; other 38%; includes irrigated 3%

#Environment: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

#Note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

*People #Population: 6,709,161 (July 1991), growth rate 3.3% (1991)

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

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

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

#Infant mortality rate: 116 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

#Life expectancy at birth: 56 years male, 56 years female (1991)

#Total fertility rate: 7.2 children born/woman (1991)

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

#Ethnic divisions: Somali 85%, rest mainly Bantu; Arabs 30,000, Europeans 3,000, Asians 800

#Religion: almost entirely Sunni Muslim

#Language: Somali (official); Arabic, Italian, English

#Literacy: 24% (male 36%, female 14%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

#Labor force: 2,200,000; very few are skilled laborers; pastoral nomad 70%, agriculture, government, trading, fishing, handicrafts, and other 30%; 53% of population of working age (1985)

#Organized labor: General Federation of Somali Trade Unions is controlled by the government

*Government #Long-form name: Somali Democratic Republic

#Type: republic

#Capital: Mogadishu

#Administrative divisions: 16 regions (plural—NA, singular—gobolka); Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

#Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

#Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

#National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 21 October (1969)

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

#Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly (Golaha Shacbiga)

#Judicial branch: Supreme Court

#Leaders:

Chief of State—Interim President ALI Mahdi Mohamed (since 27 January 1991);

Head of Government—Prime Minister OMAR Arteh Ghalib (since 27 January 1991); Deputy Prime Minister MOHAMED Abshir Mussa (since 27 January 1991)

#Political parties and leaders: the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the former regime on 27 January 1991; note—formerly the only party was the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP), headed by former President and Commander in Chief of the Army Maj. Gen. Mohamed Siad BARRE

#Suffrage: universal at age 18

#Elections:

President—last held 23 December 1986 (next to be held NA); results—President Siad was reelected without opposition;

People's Assembly—last held 31 December 1984 (next to be held NA); results—SRSP was the only party; seats—(177 total, 171 elected) SRSP 171; note—the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Maj. Gen. Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the provisional government has promised that a democratically elected government will be established

#Communists: probably some Communist sympathizers in the government hierarchy

#Member of: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador ABDIKARIM Ali Omar; Chancery at Suite 710, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 342-1575; there is a Somali Consulate General in New York;

US—Ambassador James K. BISHOP; Embassy at K-7, AFGOI Road, Mogadishu (mailing address is P. O. Box 574, Mogadishu); telephone [252] (01) 39971; note—US Embassy evacuated and closed indefinitely in January 1991

#Flag: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)

*Economy #Overview: One of the world's poorest and least developed countries, Somalia has few resources. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, with the livestock sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and seminomads who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihoods make up more than half of the population. Crop production generates only 10% of GDP and employs about 20% of the work force. The main export crop is bananas; sugar, sorghum, and corn are grown for the domestic market. The small industrial sector is based on the processing of agricultural products and accounts for less than 10% of GDP. Serious economic problems facing the nation are the external debt of $1.9 billion and double-digit inflation.

#GDP: $1.7 billion, per capita $210; real growth rate - 1.4% (1988)

#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 81.7% (1988 est.)

#Unemployment rate: NA%

#Budget: revenues $190 million; expenditures $195 million, including capital expenditures of $111 million (1989 est.)

#Exports: $58.0 million (f.o.b., 1988);

commodities—livestock, hides, skins, bananas, fish;

partners—US 0.5%, Saudi Arabia, Italy, FRG (1986)

#Imports: $354.0 million (c.i.f., 1988);

commodities—textiles, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials;

partners—US 13%, Italy, FRG, Kenya, UK, Saudi Arabia (1986)

#External debt: $1.9 billion (1989)

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

#Electricity: 72,000 kW capacity; 60 million kWh produced, 7 kWh per capita (1990)

#Industries: a few small industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining

#Agriculture: dominant sector, led by livestock raising (cattle, sheep, goats); crops—bananas, sorghum, corn, mangoes, sugarcane; not self-sufficient in food; fishing potential largely unexploited

#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $639 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $3.2 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $1.1 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $336 million

#Currency: Somali shilling (plural—shillings); 1 Somali shilling (So.Sh.) = 100 centesimi

#Exchange rates: Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1—3,800.00 (December 1990), 490.7 (1989), 170.45 (1988), 105.18 (1987), 72.00 (1986), 39.49 (1985)

#Fiscal year: calendar year

*Communications #Highways: 15,215 km total; including 2,335 km bituminous surface, 2,880 km gravel, and 10,000 km improved earth or stabilized soil (1983)

#Pipelines: 15 km crude oil

#Ports: Mogadishu, Berbera, Chisimayu

#Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,913 GRT/9,457 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo

#Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft

#Airports: 61 total, 46 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

#Telecommunications: minimal telephone and telegraph service; radio relay and troposcatter system centered on Mogadishu connects a few towns; 6,000 telephones; stations—2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station; scheduled to receive an ARABSAT station

*Defense Forces #Branches: Somali National Army (including Navy, Air Force, and Air Defense Force), National Police Force, National Security Service

#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,601,690; 902,732 fit for military service

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP % @South Africa *Geography Total area: 1,221,040 km2; land area: 1,221,040 km2; includes Walvis Bay, Marion Island, and Prince Edward Island

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

#Land boundaries: 4,973 km total; Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 1,078 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

#Coastline: 2,881 km

#Maritime claims:

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

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

#Disputes: claim by Namibia to Walvis Bay exclave and 12 offshore islands administered by South Africa

#Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along coast; sunny days, cool nights

#Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

#Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

#Land use: arable land 10%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 65%; forest and woodland 3%; other 21%; includes irrigated 1%