 |
#Pipelines: refined products 1,167 km; crude 161 km; natural gas 3,300 km
#Civil air: 47 major transport aircraft
#Airports: 42 total, 42 usable; 24 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 14 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
#Telecommunications: excellent domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities; 4,720,000 telephones; stations—8 AM, 19 FM (42 relays), 25 TV (10 relays); 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT 3 Atlantic Ocean and EUTELSAT systems
*Defense Forces #Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie
#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 2,521,178; 2,115,935 fit for military service; 64,634 reach military age (19) annually
Defense expenditures: $4.8 billion, 2.5% of GDP (1990) % @Belize *Geography Total area: 22,960 km2; land area: 22,800 km2
#Comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts
#Land boundaries: 516 km total; Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
#Coastline: 386 km
#Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 3 nm
#Disputes: claimed by Guatemala, but boundary negotiations to resolve dispute are nearing completion
#Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)
#Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
#Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish
#Land use: arable land 2%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 2%; forest and woodland 44%; other 52%, includes irrigated NEGL%
#Environment: frequent devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding (especially in south); deforestation
#Note: national capital moved 80 km inland from Belize City to Belmopan because of hurricanes; only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
*People #Population: 228,069 (July 1991), growth rate 3.6% (1991)
#Birth rate: 38 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: 35 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
#Life expectancy at birth: male 67 years, female 72 years (1991)
#Total fertility rate: 4.7 children born/woman (1991)
#Nationality: noun—Belizean(s); adjective—Belizean
#Ethnic divisions: Creole 39.7%, Mestizo 33.1%, Maya 9.5%, Garifuna 7.6%, East Indian 2.1%, other 8.0%
#Religion: Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 30% (Anglican 12%, Methodist 6%, Mennonite 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, other 2%), none 2%, unknown 3%, other 3% (1980)
#Language: English (official), Spanish, Maya, Garifuna (Carib)
#Literacy: 91% (male 91%, female 91%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
#Labor force: 51,500; agriculture 30.0%, services 16.0%, government 15.4%, commerce 11.2%, manufacturing 10.3%; shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (1985)
#Organized labor: 12% of labor force; 7 unions currently active
*Government #Long-form name: none
#Type: parliamentary democracy
#Capital: Belmopan
#Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
#Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK; formerly British Honduras)
#Constitution: 21 September 1981
#Legal system: English law
#National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September
#Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
#Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
#Judicial branch: Supreme Court
#Leaders:
Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Elmira Minita GORDON (since 21 September 1981);
Head of Government—Prime Minister George Cadle PRICE (since 4 September 1989)
#Political parties and leaders: People's United Party (PUP), George PRICE, Florencio MARIN, Said MUSA; United Democratic Party (UDP), Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean LINDO, Dean BARROW; Belize Popular Party (BPP), Louis SYLVESTRE
#Suffrage: universal at age 18
#Elections:
National Assembly—last held 4 September 1989 (next to be held September 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(28 total) PUP 15 seats, UDP 13 seats; note—in January 1990 one member expelled from UDP joined PUP, making the seat count 16 PUP, UDP 12
#Communists: negligible
#Other political or pressure groups: Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR) headed by former PUP minister; United Workers Front
#Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WMO
#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador James V. HYDE; Chancery at Suite 2J, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 363-4505;
US—Ambassador Eugene L. SCASSA; Embassy at Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City (mailing address is P. O. Box 286, Belize City); telephone [501] 77161 through 77163
#Flag: blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland
*Economy #Overview: The economy is based primarily on agriculture and merchandising. Agriculture accounts for more than 30% of GDP and provides 75% of export earnings, while sugar, the chief crop, accounts for almost 40% of hard currency earnings. The US, Belize's main trading partner, is assisting in efforts to reduce dependency on sugar with an agricultural diversification program.
#GDP: $290 million, per capita $1,320; real growth rate 9% (1990 est.)
#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (1990 est.)
#Unemployment rate: 12% (1988)
#Budget: revenues $87.4 million; expenditures $130.5 million, including capital expenditures of $53.5 million (FY90 est.)
#Exports: $108 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
commodities—sugar, clothing, seafood, molasses, citrus, wood and wood products;
partners—US 47%, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada (1987)
#Imports: $204 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.);
commodities—machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;
partners—US 55%, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Mexico (1987)
#External debt: $169 million (December 1990)
#Industrial production: growth rate 9.7% (1989); accounts for 16% of GDP
#Electricity: 34,700 kW capacity; 90 million kWh produced, 410 kWh per capita (1990)
#Industries: garment production, citrus concentrates, sugar refining, rum, beverages, tourism
#Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP (including fish and forestry); commercial crops include sugarcane, bananas, coca, citrus fruits; expanding output of lumber and cultured shrimp; net importer of basic foods
#Illicit drugs: an illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; eradication program cut marijuana production from 200 metric tons in 1987 to 66 metric tons in 1989; transshipment point for cocaine
#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $104 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $199 million
#Currency: Belizean dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents
#Exchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1—2.00 (fixed rate)
#Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
*Communications #Highways: 2,710 km total; 500 km paved, 1,600 km gravel, 300 km improved earth, and 310 km unimproved earth
#Inland waterways: 825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable
#Ports: Belize City; additional ports for shallow draught craft include Corozol, Punta Gorda, Big Creek
#Civil air: no major transport aircraft
#Airports: 42 total, 32 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
#Telecommunications: 8,650 telephones; above-average system based on radio relay; stations—6 AM, 5 FM, 1 TV, 1 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
*Defense Forces #Branches: British Forces Belize, Belize Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police
#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 53,184; 31,790 fit for military service; 2,545 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: $4.8 million, 1.8% of GDP (1990 est.) % @Benin *Geography Total area: 112,620 km2; land area: 110,620 km2
#Comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
#Land boundaries: 1,989 km total; Burkina 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
#Coastline: 121 km
#Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 200 nm
#Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
#Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
#Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
#Land use: arable land 12%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 35%; other 45%, includes irrigated NEGL%
#Environment: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter; deforestation; desertification
#Note: recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; no natural harbors
*People #Population: 4,831,823 (July 1991), growth rate 3.3% (1991)
#Birth rate: 49 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: 119 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
#Life expectancy at birth: 49 years male, 52 years female (1991)
#Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1991)
#Nationality: noun—Beninese (sing., pl.); adjective—Beninese
#Ethnic divisions: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba); Europeans 5,500
#Religion: indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%
#Language: French (official); Fon and Yoruba most common vernaculars in south; at least six major tribal languages in north
#Literacy: 23% (male 32%, female 16%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
#Labor force: 1,900,000 (1987); agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less than 2%; 49% of population of working age (1985)
#Organized labor: about 75% of wage earners
*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Benin
#Type: dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991
#Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (de facto)
#Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou
#Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France; formerly Dahomey)
#Constitution: 2 December 1990
#Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
#National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1990)
#Executive branch: president, cabinet
#Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
#Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
#Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Nicephore SOGLO (since 4 April 1991)
#Political parties and leaders: the People's Revolutionary Party of Benin (PRPB) headed by President Mathieu KEREKOU, chairman of the Central Committee, was dissolved 30 April 1990; Alliance of the Democratic Union for the Forces of Progress (UDFP), Timothee ADANLIN; Movement for Democracy and Social Progress (MDPS), Jean-Roger AHOYO; and the Union for Liberty and Development (ULD), Marcellin DEGBE;
Alliance of the National Party for Democracy and Development (PNDD) and the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), Pascal Chabi KAO;
Alliance of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress (UNSP), Bruno AMOUSSOU;
Our Common Cause (NCC), Albert TEVEODJRE; National Rally for Democracy (RND), Joseph KEKE;
Alliance of the National Movement for Democracy and Development (MNDD); Movement for Solidarity, Union, and Progress (MSUP); and Union for Democracy and National Reconstruction (UDRN), Bertin BORNA;
Union for Democracy and National Solidarity (UDS), Mama Amadou N'DIAYE; Assembly of Liberal Democrats for National Reconstruction (RDL), Severin ADJOVI;
Alliance of the Alliance for Social Democracy (ASD) and Bloc for Social Democracy (BSD), Robert DOSSOU;
Alliance of the Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP) and Democratic Union for Social Renewal (UDRS), Bio Gado Seko N'GOYE; National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), Robert TAGNON; numerous other small parties
#Suffrage: universal at age 18
#Elections:
President—last held 10 and 24 March 1991 (next to be held March 1996); results—Nicephore SOGLO 68%, Mathieu KEREKOU 32%;
National Assembly—last held 10 and 24 March 1991 (next to be held March 1996); results—NA percent of the vote; seats—(64 total) UDFP-MDPS-ULD 12, PNDD/PRD 9, PSD/UNSP 8, NCC 7, RND 7, MNDD/MSUP/UDRN 6, UDS 5, RDL 4, ASD/BSD 3, ADP/UDRS 2, UNDP 1
#Communists: Communist Party of Dahomey (PCD) remains active
#Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Candide AHOUANSOU; Charge d'Affaires Corneille MEHISSOU; Chancery at 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-6656;
US—Ambassador Harriet ISOM; Embassy at Rue Caporal Anani Bernard, Cotonou (mailing address is B. P. 2012, Cotonou); telephone [229] 30-06-50
#Flag: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side
*Economy #Overview: Benin is one of the least developed countries in the world because of limited natural resources and a poorly developed infrastructure. Agriculture accounts for almost 40% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and generates a major share of foreign exchange earnings. The industrial sector contributes only about 15% to GDP and employs 2% of the work force. Persistently low prices in recent years have limited hard currency earnings from Benin's major exports of agricultural products and crude oil.
#GDP: $2.0 billion, per capita $400; real growth rate 2.6% (1990)
#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.0% (1990)
#Unemployment: NA%
#Budget: revenues $194 million; expenditures $390 million, including capital expenditures of $104 million (1990 est.)
#Exports: $250 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities—crude oil, cotton, palm products, cocoa;
partners—FRG 36%, France 16%, Spain 14%, Italy 8%, UK 4%
#Imports: $442 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
commodities—foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods;
partners—France 34%, Netherlands 10%, Japan 7%, Italy 6%, US 4%
#External debt: $1.0 billion (December 1990 est.)
#Industrial production: growth rate - 0.7% (1988); accounts for 30% of GDP
#Electricity: 28,000 kW capacity; 24 million kWh produced, 5 kWh per capita (1989)
#Industries: textiles,cigarettes, construction materials, beverages, food production, petroleum
#Agriculture: small farms produce 90% of agricultural output; production is dominated by food crops—corn, sorghum, cassava, beans, and rice; cash crops include cotton, palm oil, and peanuts; poultry and livestock output has not kept up with consumption
#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $46 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $19 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $101 million
#Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural—francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
#Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1—256.54 (January 1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)
#Fiscal year: calendar year
*Communications #Railroads: 578 km, all 1.000-meter gauge, single track
#Highways: 5,050 km total; 920 km paved, 2,600 laterite, 1,530 km improved earth
#Inland waterways: navigable along small sections, important only locally
#Ports: Cotonou
#Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft
#Airports: 6 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
#Telecommunications: fair system of open wire, submarine cable, and radio relay; 16,200 telephones; stations—2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth station
*Defense Forces #Branches: People's Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie, People's Militia, Presidential Guard
#Manpower availability: eligible 15-49, 2,089,646; of the 991,278 males 15-49, 507,482 are fit for military service; of the 1,098,368 females 15-49, 554,454 are fit for military service; about 57,106 males and 55,297 females reach military age (18) annually; both sexes are liable for military service
Defense expenditures: $38 million, 2.3% of GDP (1988) % @Bermuda (dependent territory of the UK) *Geography Total area: 50 km2; land area: 50 km2
#Comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
#Land boundaries: none
#Coastline: 103 km
#Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
#Climate: subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter
#Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions
#Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
#Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 20%; other 80%
#Environment: ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; consists of about 360 small coral islands
#Note: 1,050 km east of North Carolina; some reclaimed land leased by US Government
*People #Population: 58,433 (July 1991), growth rate 1.5% (1991)
#Birth rate: 15 births/1,000 population (1991)
#Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
#Net migration rate: 7 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
#Infant mortality rate: 12 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
#Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1991)
#Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1991)
#Nationality: noun—Bermudian(s); adjective—Bermudian
#Ethnic divisions: black 61%, white and other 39%
#Religion: Anglican 37%, Roman Catholic 14%, African Methodist Episcopal (Zion) 10%, Methodist 6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, other 28%
#Language: English
#Literacy: 98% (male 98%, female 99%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970)
#Labor force: 32,000; clerical 25%, services 22%, laborers 21%, professional and technical 13%, administrative and managerial 10%, sales 7%, agriculture and fishing 2% (1984)
#Organized labor: 8,573 members (1985); largest union is Bermuda Industrial Union
*Government #Long-form name: none
#Type: dependent territory of the UK
#Capital: Hamilton
#Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smiths, Southampton, Warwick
#Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
#Constitution: 8 June 1968
#Legal system: English law
#National holiday: Bermuda Day, 22 May
#Executive branch: British monarch, governor, deputy governor, premier, deputy premier, Executive Council (cabinet)
#Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
#Judicial branch: Supreme Court
#Leaders:
Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Sir Desmond LANGLEY (since NA October 1988);
Head of Government—Premier John William David SWAN (since NA January 1982)
#Political parties and leaders: United Bermuda Party (UBP), John W. D. SWAN; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), Frederick WADE; National Liberal Party (NLP), Gilbert DARRELL
#Suffrage: universal at age 21
#Elections:
House of Assembly—last held 9 February 1989 (next to be held by February 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(40 total) UBP 23, PLP 15, NLP 1, other 1
#Communists: negligible
#Other political or pressure groups: Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU), headed by Ottiwell SIMMONS
#Member of: CARICOM (observer), ICFTU, IOC
#Diplomatic representation: as a dependent territory of the UK, Bermuda's interests in the US are represented by the UK;
US—Consul General L. Ebersole GAINES; Consulate General at Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire, Hamilton (mailing address is P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX, or FPO New York 09560-5300); telephone (809) 295-1342
#Flag: red with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and blue shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag
*Economy #Overview: Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, having successfully exploited its location by providing luxury tourist facilities and financial services. The tourist industry attracts more than 90% of its business from North America. The industrial sector is small, and agriculture is severely limited by a lack of suitable land. About 80% of food needs are imported.
#GDP: $1.3 billion, per capita $22,400; real growth rate 2.0% (1989 est.)
#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.8% (June 1989)
#Unemployment: 2.0% (1988)
#Budget: revenues $307 million; expenditures $275 million, including capital expenditures of $31 million (FY90 est.)
#Exports: $30 million (f.o.b., FY88);
commodities—semitropical produce, light manufactures;
partners—US 25%, Italy 25%, UK 14%, Canada 5%, other 31%
#Imports: $420 million (c.i.f., FY88);
commodities—fuel, foodstuffs, machinery;
partners—US 58%, Netherlands Antilles 9%, UK 8%, Canada 6%, Japan 5%, other 14%
#External debt: NA
#Industrial production: growth rate NA%
#Electricity: 154,000 kW capacity; 504 million kWh produced, 8,640 kWh per capita (1990)
#Industries: tourism, finance, structural concrete products, paints, pharmaceuticals, ship repairing
#Agriculture: accounts for less than 1% of GDP; most basic foods must be imported; produces bananas, vegetables, citrus fruits, flowers, dairy products
#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $34 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $267 million
#Currency: Bermudian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Bermudian dollar (Bd$) = 100 cents
#Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar (Bd$) per US$1—1.0000 (fixed rate)
#Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
*Communications #Highways: 210 km public roads, all paved (about 400 km of private roads)
#Ports: Freeport, Hamilton, Saint George
#Merchant marine: 84 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,826,756 GRT/6,932,981 DWT; includes 3 short-sea passenger, 8 cargo, 7 refrigerated cargo, 4 container, 8 roll-on/roll-off, 26 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 11 liquefied gas, 17 bulk; note—a flag of convenience registry
#Civil air: 16 major transport aircraft
#Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
#Telecommunications: modern with fully automatic telephone system; 52,670 telephones; stations—5 AM, 3 FM, 2 TV; 3 submarine cables; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
*Defense Forces #Branches: Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Reserve Constabulary
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK % @Bhutan *Geography Total area: 47,000 km2; land area: 47,000 km2
#Comparative area: slightly more than half the size of Indiana
#Land boundaries: 1,075 km total; China 470 km, India 605 km
#Coastline: none—landlocked
#Maritime claims: none—landlocked
#Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
#Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
#Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide, tourism potential
#Land use: arable land 2%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and woodland 70%; other 23%
#Environment: violent storms coming down from the Himalayas were the source of the country name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon
#Note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
*People #Population: 1,598,216 (July 1991), growth rate 2.0% (1991)
#Birth rate: 37 births/1,000 population (1991)
#Death rate: 17 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
#Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
#Infant mortality rate: 135 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
#Life expectancy at birth: 50 years male, 48 years female (1991)
#Total fertility rate: 4.9 children born/woman (1991)
#Nationality: noun—Bhutanese (sing., pl.); adjective—Bhutanese
#Ethnic divisions: Bhote 60%, ethnic Nepalese 25%, indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
#Religion: Lamaistic Buddhism 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
#Language: Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects—most widely spoken dialect is Dzongkha (official); Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
#Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
#Labor force: NA; agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2%; massive lack of skilled labor
#Organized labor: not permitted
*Government #Long-form name: Kingdom of Bhutan
#Type: monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
#Capital: Thimphu
#Administrative divisions: 18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
#Independence: 8 August 1949 (from India)
#Constitution: no written constitution or bill of rights
#Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
#National holiday: National Day (Ugyen Wangchuck became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)
#Executive branch: monarch, chairman of the Royal Advisory Council, Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), chairman of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog)
#Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Tshogdu)
#Judicial branch: High Court
#Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)
#Political parties: no legal parties
#Suffrage: each family has one vote in village-level elections
#Elections: no national elections
#Communists: no overt Communist presence
#Other political or pressure groups: Buddhist clergy, Indian merchant community; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign
#Member of: AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IOC, ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
#Diplomatic representation: no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassies in New Delhi (India); the Bhutanese mission to the UN in New York has consular jurisdiction in the US
#Flag: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is orange and the lower triangle is red; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
*Economy #Overview: The economy, one of the world's least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for 90% of the population and account for about 50% of GDP. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with that of India through strong trade and monetary links. Low wages in industry lead most Bhutanese to stay in agriculture. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are its most important natural resources.
#GDP: $273 million, per capita $199 (1988) real growth rate 4% (1989 est.)
#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9% (1990 est.)
#Unemployment: NA
#Budget: revenues $99 million; expenditures $128 million, including capital expenditures of $65 million (FY89 est.)
#Exports: $70.9 million (f.o.b., FY89);
commodities—cardamon, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit;
partners—India 93%
#Imports: $138.3 million (c.i.f., FY89 est.);
commodities—fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics;
partners—India 67%
#External debt: $70.1 million (FY89 est.)
#Industrial production: growth rate - 12.4% (1988 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP
#Electricity: 353,000 kW capacity; 2,000 million kWh produced, 1,280 kWh per capita (1990)
#Industries: cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide
#Agriculture: accounts for 50% of GDP; based on subsistence farming and animal husbandry; self-sufficient in food except for foodgrains; other production—rice, corn, root crops, citrus fruit, dairy, and eggs
#Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $86.0 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $11 million
#Currency: ngultrum (plural—ngultrum); 1 ngultrum (Nu) = 100 chetrum; note—Indian currency is also legal tender
#Exchange rates: ngultrum (Nu) per US$1—18.329 (January 1991), 17.504 (1990), 16.226 (1989), 13.917 (1988), 12.962 (1987), 12.611 (1986), 12.369 (1985); note—the Bhutanese ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee
#Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
*Communications #Highways: 1,304 km total; 418 km surfaced, 515 km improved, 371 km unimproved earth
#Civil air: 1 jet, 2 prop
#Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
#Telecommunications: inadequate; 1,990 telephones (1988); 22,000 radios (1990 est.); 85 TVs (1985); stations—1 AM, 1 FM, no TV (1990)
*Defense Forces #Branches: Royal Bhutan Army, Palace Guard, Militia
#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 398,263; 213,083 fit for military service; 17,321 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP % @Bolivia *Geography Total area: 1,098,580 km2; land area: 1,084,390 km2
#Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Montana
#Land boundaries: 6,743 km total; Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km
#Coastline: none—landlocked
#Maritime claims: none—landlocked
#Disputes: has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884; dispute with Chile over Rio Lauca water rights
#Climate: varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid
#Terrain: high plateau, hills, lowland plains
#Natural resources: tin, natural gas, crude oil, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron ore, lead, gold, timber
#Land use: arable land 3%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 25%; forest and woodland 52%; other 20%; includes irrigated NEGL%
#Environment: cold, thin air of high plateau is obstacle to efficient fuel combustion; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
#Note: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Peru
*People #Population: 7,156,591 (July 1991), growth rate 2.4% (1991)
#Birth rate: 34 births/1,000 population (1991)
#Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
#Net migration rate: - 1 migrant/1,000 population (1991)
#Infant mortality rate: 83 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
#Life expectancy at birth: 59 years male, 64 years female (1991)
#Total fertility rate: 4.6 children born/woman (1991)
#Nationality: noun—Bolivian(s); adjective Bolivian
#Ethnic divisions: Quechua 30%, Aymara 25%, mixed 25-30%, European 5-15%
#Religion: Roman Catholic 95%; active Protestant minority, especially Evangelical Methodist
#Language: Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara (all official)
#Literacy: 78% (male 85%, female 71%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
#Labor force: 1,700,000; agriculture 50%, services and utilities 26%, manufacturing 10%, mining 4%, other 10% (1983)
#Organized labor: 150,000-200,000, concentrated in mining, industry, construction, and transportation; mostly organized under Bolivian Workers' Central (COB) labor federation
*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Bolivia
#Type: republic
#Capital: La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of judiciary)
#Administrative divisions: 9 departments (departamentos, singular—departamento); Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, El Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija
#Independence: 6 August 1825 (from Spain)
#Constitution: 2 February 1967
#Legal system: based on Spanish law and Code Napoleon; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
#National holiday: Independence Day, 6 August (1825)
#Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
#Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)
#Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
#Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Jaime PAZ Zamora (since 6 August 1989); Vice President Luis OSSIO Sanjines (since 6 August 1989)
#Political parties and leaders: Movement of the Revolutionary Left (MIR), Jaime PAZ Zamora; Nationalist Democratic Action (ADN), Hugo BANZER Suarez; Nationalist Revolutionary Movement (MNR), Gonzalo SANCHEZ de Lozada; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Jorge AGREDO; Free Bolivia Movement (MBL), led by Antonio ARANIBAR; United Left (IU), a coalition of leftist parties which includes Patriotic National Convergency Axis (EJE-P) led by Walter DELGADILLO, and Bolivian Communist Party (PCB) led by Humberto RAMIREZ; Conscience of the Fatherland (CONDEPA), Carlos PALENQUE Aviles; Revolutionary Vanguard-9th of April (VR-9), Carlos SERRATE Reich; Civic Union Solidarity (UCS), Max FERNANDEZ
#Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18 (married) or 21 (single)
#Elections:
President—last held 7 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993); results—Gonzalo SANCHEZ de Lozada (MNR) 23%, Hugo BANZER Suarez (ADN) 22%, Jaime PAZ Zamora (MIR) 19%; no candidate received a majority of the popular vote; Jaime PAZ Zamora (MIR) formed a coalition with Hugo BANZER (ADN); with ADN support PAZ Zamora won the congressional runoff election on 4 August and was inaugurated on 6 August 1989;
Senate—last held 7 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993); results—percent of vote NA; seats (27 total) MNR 9, ADN 7, MIR 8, CONDEPA 2, PDC 1;
Chamber of Deputies—last held 7 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats (130 total) MNR 40, ADN 35, MIR 33, IU 10, CONDEPA 9, PDC 3
#Member of: AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jorge CRESPO; Chancery at 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-4410 through 4412; there are Bolivian Consulates General in Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco;
US—Ambassador Robert S. GELBARD; Embassy at Banco Popular del Peru Building, corner of Calles Mercado y Colon, La Paz (mailing address is P. O. Box 425, La Paz, or APO Miami 34032); telephone [591] (2) 350251 or 350120
#Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band
*Economy #Overview: The Bolivian economy steadily deteriorated between 1980 and 1985 as La Paz financed growing budget deficits by expanding the money supply and inflation spiraled—peaking at 11,700%. An austere orthodox economic program adopted by newly elected President Paz Estenssoro in 1985, however, succeeded in reducing inflation to between 10% and 20% annually since 1987, eventually restarting economic growth. President Paz Zamora has retained the economic policies of the previous government, keeping inflation down and continuing the moderate growth begun under his predecessor. Nevertheless, Bolivia continues to be one of the poorest countries in Latin America, and it remains vulnerable to price fluctuations for its limited exports—agricultural products, minerals, and natural gas. Moreover, for many farmers, who constitute half of the country's work force, the main cash crop is coca, which is sold for cocaine processing.
#GDP: $4.85 billion, per capita $690; real growth rate 2.7% (1990)
#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18% (1990)
#Unemployment rate: 21.5% (1990 est.)
#Budget: revenues $2.5 billion; expenditures $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $850 million (1990 est.)
#Exports: $927 million (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities—metals 45%, natural gas 30%, other 25% (coffee, soybeans, sugar, cotton, timber);
partners—US 15%, Argentina
#Imports: $716 million (c.i.f., 1990);
commodities—food, petroleum, consumer goods, capital goods;
partners—US 22%
#External debt: $3.7 billion (December 1990)
#Industrial production: growth rate 5% (1990); accounts for almost 30% of GDP
#Electricity: 833,000 kW capacity; 1,763 million kWh produced, 260 kWh per capita (1990)
#Industries: mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverage, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing; illicit drug industry reportedly produces significant revenues
#Agriculture: accounts for about 20% of GDP (including forestry and fisheries); principal commodities—coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, timber; self-sufficient in food
#Illicit drugs: world's second-largest producer of coca (after Peru) with an estimated 51,900 hectares under cultivation; government considers all but 12,000 hectares illicit; intermediate coca products and cocaine exported to or through Colombia and Brazil to the US and other international drug markets
#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $990 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1.7 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $340 million
#Currency: boliviano (plural—bolivianos); 1 boliviano ($B) = 100 centavos
#Exchange rates: bolivianos ($B) per US$1—3.3732 (December 1990), 3.1727 (1990), 2.6917 (1989), 2.3502 (1988), 2.0549 (1987), 1.9220 (1986), 0.4400 (1985)
#Fiscal year: calendar year
*Communications #Railroads: 3,675 km total; 3,643 km 1.000-meter gauge and 32 km 0.760-meter gauge, all government owned, single track
#Highways: 38,836 km total; 1,300 km paved, 6,700 km gravel, 30,836 km improved and unimproved earth
#Inland waterways: 10,000 km of commercially navigable waterways
#Pipelines: crude oil 1,800 km; refined products 580 km; natural gas 1,495 km
#Ports: none; maritime outlets are Arica and Antofagasta in Chile and Matarani in Peru
#Merchant marine: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 14,051 GRT/22,155 DWT
#Civil air: 56 major transport aircraft
#Airports: 807 total, 659 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 8 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 120 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
#Telecommunications: radio relay system being expanded; improved international services; 144,300 telephones; stations—129 AM, no FM, 43 TV, 68 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
*Defense Forces #Branches: Bolivian Army, Bolivian Navy (including Marines), Bolivian Air Force, National Police Force
#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,679,352; 1,091,368 fit for military service; 72,979 reach military age (19) annually
Defense expenditures: $162 million, 4% of GNP (1988 est.) % @Botswana *Geography Total area: 600,370 km2; land area: 585,370 km2
#Comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas
#Land boundaries: 4,013 km total; Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
#Coastline: none—landlocked
#Maritime claims: none—landlocked
#Disputes: short section of the boundary with Namibia is indefinite; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement
#Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
#Terrain: predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
#Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver, natural gas
#Land use: arable land 2%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 75%; forest and woodland 2%; other 21%; includes irrigated NEGL%
#Environment: rains in early 1988 broke six years of drought that had severely affected the important cattle industry; overgrazing; desertification
#Note: landlocked
*People #Population: 1,258,392 (July 1991), growth rate 2.7% (1991)
#Birth rate: 36 births/1,000 population (1991)
#Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
#Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
#Infant mortality rate: 43 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
#Life expectancy at birth: 59 years male, 65 years female (1991)
#Total fertility rate: 4.6 children born/woman (1991)
#Nationality: noun and adjective—Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
#Ethnic divisions: Batswana 95%; Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi about 4%; white about 1%
#Religion: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%
#Language: English (official), Setswana
#Literacy: 23% (male 32%, female 16%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
#Labor force: 400,000; 182,200 formal sector employees, most others are engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1988 est.); 19,000 are employed in various mines in South Africa (1988)
#Organized labor: 19 trade unions
*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Botswana
#Type: parliamentary republic
#Capital: Gaborone
#Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Central, Chobe, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Ngamiland, North-East, South-East, Southern; note—in addition, there may now be 4 town councils named Francistown, Gaborone, Lobaste, Selebi-Pikwe
#Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK; formerly Bechuanaland)
#Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
#Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
#National holiday: Botswana Day, 30 September (1966)
#Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
#Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of an upper house or House of Chiefs and a lower house or National Assembly
#Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal
#Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Quett K. J. MASIRE (since 13 July 1980); Vice President Peter S. MMUSI (since 3 January 1983)
#Political parties and leaders: Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Quett MASIRE; Botswana National Front (BNF), Kenneth KOMA; Botswana People's Party (BPP), Knight MARIPE; Botswana Independence Party (BIP), Motsamai MPHO
#Suffrage: universal at age 21
#Elections:
President—last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994); results—President Quett K. J. MASIRE was reelected by the National Assembly;
National Assembly—last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(38 total, 34 elected) BDP 35, BNF 3
#Communists: no known Communist organization; Kenneth Koma of BNF has long history of Communist contacts
#Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Botsweletse Kingsley SEBELE; Chancery at Suite 404, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-4990 or 4991;
US—Ambassador David PASSAGE; Embassy at Botswana Road, Gaborone (mailing address is P. O. Box 90, Gaborone); telephone [267] 353-982 through 353-984
#Flag: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center
*Economy #Overview: The economy has historically been based on cattle raising and crops. Agriculture today provides a livelihood for over 80% of the population, but produces only about 50% of food needs and contributes a small 3% to GDP. The driving force behind the rapid economic growth of the 1970s and 1980s has been the mining industry. This sector, mostly on the strength of diamonds, has gone from generating 25% of GDP in 1980 to over 50% in 1989. No other sector has experienced such growth, especially not agriculture, which is plagued by erratic rainfall and poor soils. The unemployment rate remains a problem at 25%.
#GDP: $3.1 billion, per capita $2,500; real growth rate 6.3% (1990)
#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.0% (1990)
#Unemployment rate: 25% (1989)
#Budget: revenues $1,719 million; expenditures $1,792 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92 est.)
#Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
commodities—diamonds 77%, copper and nickel 12%, meat 4%, cattle, animal products;
partners—Switzerland, UK, US, SACU (Southern African Customs Union)
#Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.);
commodities—foodstuffs, vehicles and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products;
partners—Switzerland, SACU (Southern African Customs Union), UK, US
#External debt: $780 million (December 1990 est.)
#Industrial production: growth rate 16.8% (FY86); accounts for about 57% of GDP, including mining
#Electricity: 217,000 kW capacity; 630 million kWh produced, 510 kWh per capita (1989)
#Industries: mining of diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing
#Agriculture: accounts for only 3% of GDP; subsistence farming predominates; cattle raising supports 50% of the population; must import large share of food needs
#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $257 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1.8 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $43 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $29 million
#Currency: pula (plural—pula); 1 pula (P) = 100 thebe
#Exchange rates: pula (P) per US$1—1.8720 (January 1991), 1.8601 (1990), 2.0125 (1989), 1.8159 (1988), 1.6779 (1987), 1.8678 (1986), 1.8882 (1985)
#Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
*Communications #Railroads: 712 km 1.0 67-meter gauge
#Highways: 11,514 km total; 1,600 km paved; 1,700 km crushed stone or gravel, 5,177 km improved earth, 3,037 km unimproved earth
#Civil air: 6 major transport aircraft
#Airports: 100 total, 87 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 26 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
#Telecommunications: the small system is a combination of open-wire lines, radio relay links, and a few radiocommunication stations; 17,900 telephones; stations—2 AM, 3 FM, no TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
*Defense Forces #Branches: Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing), Botswana National Police
#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 260,290; 137,038 fit for military service; 14,767 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: $99 million, 8.2% of GNP (1989) % @Bouvet Island (territory of Norway) *Geography Total area: 58 km2; land area: 58 km2
#Comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
#Land boundaries: none
#Coastline: 29.6 km
#Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 4 nm
#Climate: antarctic
#Terrain: volcanic; maximum elevation about 800 meters; coast is mostly inacessible
#Natural resources: none
#Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100% (ice)
#Environment: covered by glacial ice
#Note: located in the South Atlantic Ocean 2,575 km south-southwest of the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
*People #Population: uninhabited
*Government #Long-form name: none
#Type: territory of Norway
*Economy #Overview: no economic activity
*Communications #Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
#Telecommunications: automatic meteorological station
*Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of Norway % @Brazil *Geography Total area: 8,511,965 km2; land area: 8,456,510 km2; includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo
#Comparative area: slightly smaller than the US
#Land boundaries: 14,691 km total; Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia 1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km, Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km
#Coastline: 7,491 km
#Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 200 nm
#Disputes: short section of the boundary with Paraguay (just west of Guaira Falls on the Rio Parana) is in dispute; two short sections of boundary with Uruguay are in dispute (Arroyo de la Invernada area of the Rio Quarai and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Quarai and the Uruguay); has noted possible Latin claims in Antarctica
#Climate: mostly tropical, but temperate in south
#Terrain: mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt
#Natural resources: iron ore, manganese, bauxite, nickel, uranium, phosphates, tin, hydropower, gold, platinum, crude oil, timber
#Land use: arable land 7%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 19%; forest and woodland 67%; other 6%; includes irrigated NEGL%
#Environment: recurrent droughts in northeast; floods and frost in south; deforestation in Amazon basin; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo
#Note: largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
*People #Population: 155,356,073 (July 1991), growth rate 1.8% (1991)
#Birth rate: 26 births/1,000 population (1991)
#Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
#Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
#Infant mortality rate: 68 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
#Life expectancy at birth: 62 years male, 68 years female (1991)
#Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (1991)
#Nationality: noun—Brazilian(s); adjective—Brazilian
#Ethnic divisions: Portuguese, Italian, German, Japanese, black, Amerindian; white 55%, mixed 38%, black 6%, other 1%
#Religion: Roman Catholic (nominal) 90%
#Language: Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
#Literacy: 81% (male 82%, female 80%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
#Labor force: 57,000,000 (1989 est.); services 42%, agriculture 31%, industry 27%
#Organized labor: 13,000,000 dues paying members (1989 est.)
*Government #Long-form name: Federative Republic of Brazil
#Type: federal republic
#Capital: Brasilia
#Administrative divisions: 26 states (estados, singular—estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins; note—the former territories of Amapa and Roraima became states in January 1991
#Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
#Constitution: 5 October 1988
#Legal system: based on Latin codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
#National holiday: Independence Day, 7 September (1822)
#Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
#Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congresso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Federal Senate (Senado Federal) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara dos Deputados)
#Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal
#Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Fernando Affonso COLLOR de Mello (since 15 March 1990); Vice President Itamar FRANCO (since 15 March 1990)
#Political parties and leaders: National Reconstruction Party (PRN), Daniel TOURINHO, president; Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), Orestes QUERCIA, president; Liberal Front Party (PFL), Hugo NAPOLEAO, president; Workers' Party (PT), Luis Ignacio (Lula) da SILVA, president; Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), Luiz GONZAGA de Paiva Muniz, president; Democratic Labor Party (PDT), Leonel BRIZOLA, president; Democratic Social Party (PDS), Amaral NETTO, president; Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), Mario COVAS, president; Brazilian Communist Party (PCB), Salomao MALINA, secretary general; Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB), Joao AMAZONAS, president; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Eduardo CAMPOS, president
#Suffrage: voluntary at age 16; compulsory between ages 18 and 70; voluntary at age 70
#Elections:
President—last held 15 November 1989, with runoff on 17 December 1989 (next to be held November 1994); results—Fernando COLLOR de Mello 53%, Luis Inacio da SILVA 47%; note—first free, direct presidential election since 1960;
Senate—last held 3 October 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(81 total as of 3 February 1991) PMDB 27, PFL 15, PSDB 10, PTB 8, PDT 5, other 16;
Chamber of Deputies—last held 3 October 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results—PMDB 21%, PFL 17%, PDT 9%, PDS 8%, PRN 7.9%, PTB 7%, PT 7%, other 23.1%; seats—(503 total as of 3 February 1991) PMDB 108, PFL 87, PDT 46, PDS 43, PRN 40, PTB 35, PT 35, other 109;
#Communists: about 30,000
#Other political or pressure groups: left wing of the Catholic Church and labor unions allied to leftist Worker's Party are critical of government's social and economic policies
#Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNAVEM, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Marcilio Marques MOREIRA; Chancery at 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 745-2700; there are Brazilian Consulates General in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, and New York, and Consulates in Dallas, Houston, and San Francisco;
US—Ambassador Richard MELTON; Embassy at Avenida das Nocoes, Lote 3, Brasilia, Distrito Federal (mailing address is APO Miami 34030); telephone [55] (6) 321-7272; there are US Consulates General in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, and Consulates in Porto Alegre and Recife
#Flag: green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 23 white five-pointed stars (one for each state) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)
*Economy #Overview: The economy, with large agrarian, mining, and manufacturing sectors, entered the 1990s with declining real growth, runaway inflation, an unserviceable foreign debt of $122 billion, and a lack of policy direction. In addition, the economy remained highly regulated, inward-looking, and protected by substantial trade and investment barriers. Ownership of major industrial and mining facilities is divided among private interests—including several multinationals—and the government. Most large agricultural holdings are private, with the government channeling financing to this sector. Conflicts between large landholders and landless peasants have produced intermittent violence. The government is seeking an IMF standby loan despite several failed agreements over the past decade. Relations with foreign commercial banks remain strained because of mounting interest arrears on Brazil's long-term debt. The Collor government, which assumed office in March 1990, is embarked on an ambitious reform program that seeks to modernize and reinvigorate the economy by stabilizing prices, deregulating the economy, and opening it to increased foreign competition. A major long-run strength is Brazil's vast natural resources.
#GDP: $388 billion, per capita $2,540; real growth rate - 4.6% (1990)
#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1,795% (December 1990)
#Unemployment rate: 4.4% (1990)
#Budget: revenues $36.5 billion; expenditures $48.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.6 billion (1988)
#Exports: $31.4 billion (1990);
commodities—iron ore, soybean bran, orange juice, footwear, coffee
partners—EC 29%, US 23%, Latin America 10%, Japan 7% (1989)
#Imports: $20.4 billion (1990);
commodities—crude oil, capital goods, chemical products, foodstuffs, coal;
partners—US 21%, Middle East and Africa 20%, EC 20%, Latin America 18%, Japan 7% (1989)
#External debt: $122 billion (December 1990)
#Industrial production: growth rate - 8.9% (1990); accounts for 35% of GDP
#Electricity: 55,773,000 kW capacity; 214,116 million kWh produced, 1,400 kWh per capita (1990)
#Industries: textiles and other consumer goods, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, steel, motor vehicles and auto parts, metalworking, capital goods, tin
#Agriculture: accounts for 12% of GDP; world's largest producer and exporter of coffee and orange juice concentrate and second-largest exporter of soybeans; other products—rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, beef; self-sufficient in food, except for wheat
#Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and coca, mostly for domestic consumption; government has a modest eradication program to control cannabis and coca cultivation
#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $2.5 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $9.9 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $284 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $1.3 billion
#Currency: cruzeiro (plural—cruzeiros); 1 cruzeiro (Cr$) = 100 centavos
#Exchange rates: cruzeiros (Cr$) per US$1—193.189 (January 1991), 68.300 (1990), 2.834 (1989), 0.26238 (1988), 0.03923 (1987), 0.01366 (1986), 0.00620 (1985)
#Fiscal year: calendar year
*Communications #Railroads: 29,694 km total; 25,268 km 1.000-meter gauge, 4,339 km 1.600-meter gauge, 74 km mixed 1.600-1.000-meter gauge, 13 km 0.760-meter gauge; 2,308 km electrified
#Highways: 1,448,000 km total; 48,000 km paved, 1,400,000 km gravel or earth
#Inland waterways: 50,000 km navigable
#Pipelines: crude oil, 2,000 km; refined products, 3,804 km; natural gas, 1,095 km
#Ports: Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos
#Merchant marine: 263 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,898,838 GRT/9,975,272 DWT; includes 2 passenger-cargo, 59 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 13 container, 7 roll-on/roll-off, 60 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 15 chemical tanker, 11 liquefied gas, 14 combination ore/oil, 79 bulk, 2 combination bulk; additionally, 2 naval tanker and 4 military transport are sometimes used commercially
#Civil air: 176 major transport aircraft
#Airports: 3,751 total, 3,078 usable; 401 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 22 with runways 2,240-3,659 m; 533 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
#Telecommunications: good system; extensive radio relay facilities; 9.86 million telephones; stations—1,223 AM, no FM, 112 TV, 151 shortwave; 3 coaxial submarine cables 3 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations with total of 3 antennas; 64 domestic satellite stations
*Defense Forces #Branches: Brazilian Army, Navy of Brazil (including Marines), Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police Force
#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 40,559,052; 27,364,392 fit for military service; 1,637,434 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: $1.1 billion, 2.6% of GDP (1990) % @British Indian Ocean Territory (dependent territory of the UK) *Geography Total area: 60 km2; land area: 60 km2
#Comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
#Land boundaries: none
#Coastline: 698 km
#Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 3 nm
#Disputes: the entire Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Mauritius
#Climate: tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
#Terrain: flat and low (up to 4 meters in elevation)
#Natural resources: coconuts, fish
#Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
#Environment: archipelago of 2,300 islands
#Note: Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean
*People #Population: no permanent civilian population; formerly about 3,000 islanders
#Ethnic divisions: civilian inhabitants, known as the Ilois, evacuated to Mauritius before construction of UK and US defense facilities
*Government #Long-form name: British Indian Ocean Territory (no short-form name); abbreviated BIOT
#Type: dependent territory of the UK
#Capital: none
#Leaders:
Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government—Commissioner and Administrator R. EDIS (since NA 1988); note—resides in the UK
#Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
#Flag: white with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and six blue wavy horizontal stripes bearing a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
*Economy #Overview: All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands.
#Electricity: provided by the US military
*Communications #Highways: short stretch of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia
#Ports: Diego Garcia
#Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways over 3,659 m on Diego Garcia
#Telecommunications: minimal facilities; stations (operated by the US Navy)—1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
*Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK % @British Virgin Islands (dependent territory of the UK) *Geography Total area: 150 km2; land area: 150 km2
#Comparative area: about 0.8 times the size of Washington, DC
#Coastline: 80 km
#Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
#Climate: subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
#Terrain: coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
#Natural resources: negligible
#Land use: arable land 20%; permanent crops 7%; meadows and pastures 33%; forest and woodland 7%; other 33%
#Environment: subject to hurricanes and tropical storms from July to October
#Note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
*People #Population: 12,396 (July 1991), growth rate 1.1% (1991)
#Birth rate: 19 births/1,000 population (1991)
#Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
#Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
#Infant mortality rate: 14 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
#Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 77 years female (1991)
#Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (1991)
#Nationality: noun—British Virgin Islander(s); adjective—British Virgin Islander
#Ethnic divisions: black over 90%, remainder of white and Asian origin
#Religion: Protestant 86% (Methodist 45%, Anglican 21%, Church of God 7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 6%, none 2%, other 6% (1981)
#Language: English (official)
#Literacy: 98% (male 98%, female 98%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970)
#Labor force: 4,911 (1980)
#Organized labor: NA% of labor force
*Government #Long-form name: none
#Type: dependent territory of the UK
#Capital: Road Town
#Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
#Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
#Constitution: 1 June 1977
#Legal system: English law
#National holiday: Territory Day, 1 July
#Executive branch: British monarch, governor, chief minister, Executive Council (cabinet)
#Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council
#Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
#Leaders:
Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor John Mark Ambrose HERDMAN (since NA 1986);
Head of Government—Chief Minister H. Lavity STOUTT (since NA 1986)
#Political parties and leaders: United Party (UP), Conrad MADURO; Virgin Islands Party (VIP), H. Lavity STOUTT; Independent People's Movement (IPM), Cyril B. ROMNEY
#Suffrage: universal at age 18
#Elections:
Legislative Council—last held 12 November 1990 (next to be held by November 1995); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(9 total) VIP 6, IPM 1, independent 2
#Communists: probably none
#Member of: CARICOM (observer), CDB, ECLAC (associate), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)
#Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
#Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
*Economy #Overview: The economy is highly dependent on the tourist industry, which generates about 21% of the national income. In 1985 the government offered offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and, in consequence, incorporation fees generated about $2 million in 1987. Livestock raising is the most significant agricultural activity. The islands' crops, limited by poor soils, are unable to meet food requirements.
#GDP: $106.7 million, per capita $8,900; real growth rate 2.5% (1987)
#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.0% (1987)
#Unemployment rate: NEGL%
#Budget: revenues $32.8 million; expenditures $32.4 million, including capital expenditures of $6.3 million (FY90)
#Exports: $2.7 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities—rum, fresh fish, gravel, sand, fruits, animals;
partners—Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
#Imports: $11.5 million (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities—building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery;
partners—Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
#External debt: $4.5 million (1985)
#Industrial production: growth rate - 4.0% (1985)
#Electricity: 10,500 kW capacity; 43 million kWh produced, 3,510 kWh per capita (1990)
#Industries: tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
#Agriculture: livestock (including poultry), fish, fruit, vegetables
#Economic aid: NA
#Currency: US currency is used
#Exchange rates: US currency is used
#Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
*Communications #Highways: 106 km motorable roads (1983)
#Ports: Road Town
#Airports: 3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways less than 1,220 m
#Telecommunications: 3,000 telephones; worldwide external telephone service; submarine cable communication links to Bermuda; stations—1 AM, no FM, 1 TV
*Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK % @Brunei *Geography Total area: 5,770 km2; land area: 5,270 km2
#Comparative area: slightly larger than Delaware
#Land boundary: 381 km with Malaysia
#Coastline: 161 km
#Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
#Disputes: may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides the country
#Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy
#Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
#Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, timber
#Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 79%; other 18%; includes irrigated NEGL%
#Environment: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
#Note: close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave of Malaysia
*People #Population: 397,777 (July 1991), growth rate 6.3% (1991)
#Birth rate: 22 births/1,000 population (1991)
#Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
#Net migration rate: 45 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
#Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
#Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 77 years female (1991)
#Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1991)
#Nationality: noun—Bruneian(s); adjective—Bruneian
#Ethnic divisions: Malay 64%, Chinese 20%, other 16%
#Religion: Muslim (official) 63%, Buddhism 14%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs and other 15% (1981)
#Language: Malay (official), English, and Chinese
#Literacy: 77% (male 85%, female 69%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981)
#Labor force: 89,000 (includes members of the Army); 33% of labor force is foreign (1988); government 47.5%; production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 41.9%; agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.8% (1986)
#Organized labor: 2% of labor force
*Government #Long-form name: Negara Brunei Darussalam
#Type: constitutional sultanate
#Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
#Administrative divisions: 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular—daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong
#Independence: 1 January 1984 (from UK)
#Constitution: 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)
#Legal system: based on Islamic law
#National holiday: National Day, 23 February (1984)
#Executive branch: sultan, prime minister, Council of Cabinet Ministers
#Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (Majlis Masyuarat Megeri)
#Judicial branch: Supreme Court
#Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—Sultan and Prime Minister Sir Muda HASSANAL BOLKIAH Muizzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967)
#Political parties and leaders: Brunei United National Party (inactive), Anak HASANUDDIN, chairman; Brunei National Democratic Party (the first legal political party and now banned), leader NA
#Suffrage: none
#Elections:
Legislative Council—last held in March 1962; in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the sultan and no elections are planned
#Communists: probably none
#Member of: APEC, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, ICAO, IDB, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WMO
#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Dato Paduka Haji Mohamed SUNI bin Haji Idris; Chancery at 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 342-0159;
US—Ambassador Christopher H. PHILLIPS; Embassy at Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan (mailing address is P. O. Box 2991, Bandar Seri Begawan and Box B, APO San Francisco, 96528); telephone [673] (2) 229-670
#Flag: yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands
*Economy #Overview: The economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare measures, and village tradition. It is almost totally supported by exports of crude oil and natural gas, with revenues from the petroleum sector accounting for more than 50% of GDP. Per capita GDP of $9,600 is among the highest in the Third World, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes food and housing.
#GDP: $3.3 billion, per capita $9,600; real growth rate 2.7% (1989 est.)
#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.3% (1989 est.)
#Unemployment: 2.5%, shortage of skilled labor (1989 est.)
#Budget: revenues $1.2 billion; expenditures $1.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $230 million (1988 est.)
#Exports: $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities—crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products;
partners—Japan 60%, Thailand 10%, Singapore 4% (1988)
#Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1989);
commodities—machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals;
partners—Singapore 36%, UK 26%, Switzerland 7%, US 7%, Japan 6% (1988)
#External debt: none
#Industrial production: growth rate 12.9% (1987); accounts for 52.4% of GDP
#Electricity: 310,000 kW capacity; 890 million kWh produced, 2,400 kWh per capita (1990)
#Industries: petroleum, liquefied natural gas, construction
#Agriculture: imports about 80% of its food needs; principal crops and livestock include rice, cassava, bananas, buffaloes, and pigs
#Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $20.6 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $143.7 million
#Currency: Bruneian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents
#Exchange rates: Bruneian dollars (B$) 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); note—the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar
#Fiscal year: calendar year
*Communications #Railroads: 13 km 0.610-meter narrow-gauge private line
#Highways: 1,090 km total; 370 km paved (bituminous treated) and another 52 km under construction, 720 km gravel or unimproved
#Inland waterways: 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 meters
#Ports: Kuala Belait, Muara
#Merchant marine: 7 liquefied gas carriers (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT
#Pipelines: crude oil, 135 km; refined products, 418 km; natural gas, 920 km
#Civil air: 4 major transport aircraft (3 Boeing 757-200, 1 Boeing 737-200)
#Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runway over 3,659 m; 1 with runway 1,406 m
#Telecommunications: service throughout country is adequate for present needs; international service good to adjacent Malaysia; radiobroadcast coverage good; 33,000 telephones (1987); stations—4 AM/FM, 1 TV; 74,000 radio receivers (1987); satellite earth stations—1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT
*Defense Forces #Branches: Royal Brunei Armed Forces (including Ground Forces, Flotilla, and Air Wing), Royal Brunei Police
#Manpower availability: males 15-49, 110,727; 63,730 fit for military service; 3,199 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: $233.1 million, 7.1% of GDP (1988) % @Bulgaria *Geography Total area: 110,910 km2; land area: 110,550 km2
#Comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee
#Land boundaries: 1,881 km total; Greece 494 km, Romania 608 km, Turkey 240 km, Yugoslavia 539 km
#Coastline: 354 km
#Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
#Disputes: Macedonia question with Greece and Yugoslavia
#Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
#Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and south
#Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
#Land use: arable land 34%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 18%; forest and woodland 35%; other 10%; includes irrigated 11%
#Environment: subject to earthquakes, landslides; deforestation; air pollution
#Note: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
*People #Population: 8,910,622 (July 1991), growth rate - 0.2% (1991)
#Birth rate: 13 births/1,000 population (1991)
#Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
#Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
#Infant mortality rate: 13 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
#Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1991)
#Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (1991)
#Nationality: noun—Bulgarian(s); adjective—Bulgarian
#Ethnic divisions: Bulgarian 85.3%, Turk 8.5%, Gypsy 2.6%, Macedonian 2.5%, Armenian 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, other 0.6%
#Religion: Bulgarian Orthodox 85%; Muslim 13%; Jewish 0.8%; Roman Catholic 0.5%; Uniate Catholic 0.2%; Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 0.5%
#Language: Bulgarian; secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown
#Literacy: 93% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.)
#Labor force: 4,300,000; industry 33%, agriculture 20%, other 47% (1987)
#Organized labor: Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (KNSB); Edinstvo (Unity) People's Trade Union (splinter confederation from KNSB); Podkrepa (Support) Labor Confederation, legally registered in January 1990
*Government #Long-form name: Republic of Bulgaria
#Type: emerging democracy, continuing significant Communist party influence
#Capital: Sofia
#Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (oblasti, singular—oblast); Burgas, Grad Sofiya, Khaskovo, Lovech, Mikhaylovgrad, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Sofiya, Varna
#Independence: 22 September 1908 (from Ottoman Empire)
#Constitution: 16 May 1971, effective 18 May 1971; a new constitution is likely to be adopted in 1991
#Legal system: based on civil law system, with Soviet law influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the State Council; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
#National holiday: Liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire, 3 March (1878)
#Executive branch: president, chairman of the Council of Ministers (premier), three deputy chairmen of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers
#Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Narodno Sobranie)
#Judicial branch: Supreme Court
#Leaders:
Chief of State—President Zhelyu ZHELEV (since 1 August 1990);
Head of Government—Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Premier) Dimitur POPOV (since 19 December 1990); Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers Aleksandur TOMOV (since 19 December 1990); Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers Viktor VULKOV (since 19 December 1990); Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers Dimitur LUDZHEV (since 19 December 1990);
#Political parties and leaders: government—Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), formerly Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP), Aleksandur LILOV, chairman;
opposition—Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), Filip DIMITROV, chairman, consisting of Nikola Petkov Bulgarian Agrarian National Union, Milan DRENCHEV, secretary of Permanent Board; Bulgarian Social Democratic Party, Petur DERTLIEV; Green Party; Christian Democrats; Radical Democratic Party; Rights and Freedoms Movement (pro-Muslim party), Ahmed DOGAN; Bulgarian Agrarian National Union (BZNS), Viktor VULKOV
#Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
#Elections:
Chairman of the State Council—last held 1 August 1990 (next to be held May 1991); results—Zhelyo ZHELEV was elected by the National Assembly;
National Assembly—last held 10 and 17 June 1990 (next to be held in autumn 1991); results—BSP 48%, UDF 32%; seats—(400 total) BSP 211, UDF 144, Rights and Freedoms Movement 23, Agrarian Party 16, Nationalist parties 3, independents and other 3
#Communists: Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), formerly Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP), 501,793 members
#Other political or pressure groups: Ecoglasnost; Podkrepa (Support) Labor Confederation; Fatherland Union; Bulgarian Democratic Youth (formerly Communist Youth Union); Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (KNSB); Committee for Defense of National Interests; Peasant Youth League; National Coalition of Extraparliamentary Political Forces; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas
#Member of: BIS, CCC, CSCE, ECE, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBEC, ICAO, IIB, ILO, IMO, INMARSAT, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
#Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ognyan PISHEV; Chancery at 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-7969;
US—Ambassador H. Kenneth HILL; Embassy at 1 Alexander Stamboliski Boulevard, Sofia (mailing address is APO New York 09213-5740); telephone [359] (2) 88-48-01 through 05
#Flag: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been removed—it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
*Economy #Overview: Growth in the lackluster Bulgarian economy fell to the 2% annual level in the 1980s. By 1990 Sofia's foreign debt had skyrocketed to over $10 billion—giving a debt service ratio of more than 40% of hard currency earnings and leading the regime to declare a moratorium on its hard currency payments. The post-Zhivkov regime faces major problems of renovating an aging industrial plant; coping with worsening energy, food, and consumer goods shortages; keeping abreast of rapidly unfolding technological developments; investing in additional energy capacity (the portion of electric power from nuclear energy reached over one-third in 1990); and motivating workers, in part by giving them a share in the earnings of their enterprises. A major decree of January 1989 summarized and extended the government's economic restructuring efforts, which include a partial decentralization of controls over production decisions and foreign trade. In October 1990 the Lukanov government proposed an economic reform program based on a US Chamber of Commerce study. It was never instituted because of a political stalemate between the BSP and the UDF. The new Popov government launched a similar reform program in January 1991, but full implementation has been slowed by continuing political disputes.
#GNP: $47.3 billion, per capita $5,300; real growth rate - 6.0% (1990)
#Inflation rate (consumer prices): 100% (1990 est.)
#Unemployment rate: 2% (1990 est.)
#Budget: revenues $26 billion; expenditures $28 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (1988)
#Exports: $16.0 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities—machinery and equipment 60.5%; agricultural products 14.7%; manufactured consumer goods 10.6%; fuels, minerals, raw materials, and metals 8.5%; other 5.7%;
partners—Communist countries 82.5% (USSR 61%, GDR 5.5%, Czechoslovakia 4.9%); developed countries 6.8% (FRG 1.2%, Greece 1.0%); less developed countries 10.7% (Libya 3.5%, Iraq 2.9%)
#Imports: $15.0 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities—fuels, minerals, and raw materials 45.2%; machinery and equipment 39.8%; manufactured consumer goods 4.6%; agricultural products 3.8%; other 6.6%;
partners—Communist countries 80.5% (USSR 57.5%, GDR 5.7%), developed countries 15.1% (FRG 4.8%, Austria 1.6%); less developed countries 4.4% (Libya 1.0%, Brazil 0.9%) |
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