*Antarctica, People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are seasonally staffed research stations Summer (January) population: over 4,115 total; Argentina 207, Australia 268, Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Chile 256, China NA, Ecuador NA, Finland 11, France 78, Germany 32, Greenpeace 12, India 60, Italy 210, Japan 59, South Korea 14, Netherlands 10, NZ 264, Norway 23, Peru 39, Poland NA, South Africa 79, Spain 43, Sweden 10, UK 116, Uruguay NA, US 1,666, former USSR 565 (1989-90) Winter (July) population: over 1,046 total; Argentina 150, Australia 71, Brazil 12, Chile 73, China NA, France 33, Germany 19, Greenpeace 5, India 1, Japan 38, South Korea 14, NZ 11, Poland NA, South Africa 12, UK 69, Uruguay NA, US 225, former USSR 313 (1989-90) Year-round stations: 42 total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 3, China 2, Finland 1, France 1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 2, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Poland 1, South Africa 3, UK 5, Uruguay 1, US 3, former USSR 6 (1990-91) Summer only stations: over 38 total; Argentina 7, Australia 3, Chile 5, Germany 3, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 4, NZ 2, Norway 1, Peru 1, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Sweden 2, UK 1, US numerous, former USSR 5 (1989-90); note - the disintegration of the former USSR has placed the status and future of its Antarctic facilities in doubt; stations may be subject to closings at any time because of ongoing economic difficulties

*Antarctica, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antarctica Digraph: AY Type: Antarctic Treaty Summary: The Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica. Administration is carried out through consultative member meetings—the 17th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was in Venice in November 1992. Currently, there are 41 treaty member nations: 26 consultative and 15 acceding. Consultative (voting) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 19 nonclaimant nations. The US and some other nations that have made no claims have reserved the right to do so. The US does not recognize the claims of others. The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted to full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory. Claimant nations are—Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are—Belgium, Brazil (1983), China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), the US, and Russia. Acceding (nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parentheses, are—Austria (1987), Bulgaria (1978), Canada (1988), Colombia (1988), Cuba (1984), Czechoslovakia (1962), Denmark (1965), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Switzerland (1990), and Ukraine (1992). Article 1: area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose Article 2: freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue Article 3: free exchange of information and personnel in cooperation with the UN and other international agencies Article 4: does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force Article 5: prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes Article 6: includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south Article 7: treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all activities and of the introduction of military personnel must be given Article 8: allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states Article 9: frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations

*Antarctica, Government

Article 10: treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty Article 11: disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ Article 12, 13, 14: deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations Other agreements: more than 170 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora (1964); Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but was subsequently rejected; in 1991 the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed and awaits ratification; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes on marine pollution, fauna, and flora, environmental impact assessments, waste management, and protected areas; it also prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; four parties have ratified Protocol as of June 1993 Legal system: US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such as murder, may apply to areas not under jurisdiction of other countries. Some US laws directly apply to Antarctica. For example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of statute: The taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected or scientific areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica. Violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and 1 year in prison. The Departments of Treasury, Commerce, Transportation, and Interior share enforcement responsibilities. Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans and Polar Affairs, Room 5801, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty. For more information contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Washington, DC 20550.

*Antarctica, Economy

Overview: No economic activity at present except for fishing off the coast and small-scale tourism, both based abroad.

*Antarctica, Communications

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only at most coastal stations Airports: 42 landing facilities at different locations operated by 15 national governments party to the Treaty; one additional air facility operated by commercial (nongovernmental) tourist organization; helicopter pads at 28 of these locations; runways at 10 locations are gravel, sea ice, glacier ice, or compacted snow surface suitable for wheeled fixed-wing aircraft; no paved runways; 16 locations have snow-surface skiways limited to use by ski-equipped planes—11 runways/skiways 1,000 to 3,000 m, 3 runways/skiways less than 1,000 m, 5 runways/skiways greater than 3,000 m, and 7 of unspecified or variable length; airports generally subject to severe restrictions and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal and geographic conditions; airports do not meet ICAO standards; advance approval from governments required for landing

*Antarctica, Defense Forces

Note: the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature, such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes

*Antigua and Barbuda, Geography

Location: in the eastern Caribbean Sea, about 420 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico Map references: Central America and the Caribbean, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 440 km2 land area: 440 km2 comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes Redonda Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 153 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher volcanic areas Natural resources: negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism Land use: arable land: 18% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 16% other: 59% Irrigated land: NA km2 Environment: subject to hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); insufficient freshwater resources; deeply indented coastline provides many natural harbors

*Antigua and Barbuda, People

Population: 64,406 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.51% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 17.51 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -6.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 19.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.83 years male: 70.81 years female: 74.95 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.67 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan Ethnic divisions: black African, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian Religions: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman Catholic Languages: English (official), local dialects Literacy: age 15 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1960) total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88% Labor force: 30,000 by occupation: commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983)

*Antigua and Barbuda, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda Digraph: AC Type: parliamentary democracy Capital: Saint John's Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint, John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip Independence: 1 November 1981 (from UK) Constitution: 1 November 1981 Legal system: based on English common law National holiday: Independence Day, 1 November (1981) Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party (ALP), Vere Cornwall BIRD, Sr., Lester BIRD; United Progressive Party (UPP), Baldwin SPENCER Other political or pressure groups: United Progressive Party (UPP), headed by Baldwin SPENCER, a coalition of three opposition political parties - the United National Democratic Party (UNDP); the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement (ACLM); and the Progressive Labor Movement (PLM); Antigua Trades and Labor Union (ATLU), headed by Noel THOMAS Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: House of Representatives: last held 9 March 1989 (next to be held NA 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (17 total) ALP 15, UPP 1, independent 1 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 Representatives Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Wilfred Ebenezer JACOBS (since 1 November 1981, previously Governor since 1976) Head of Government: Prime Minister Vere Cornwall BIRD, Sr. (since NA 1976); Deputy Prime Minister Lester BIRD (since NA) Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WCL, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick Albert LEWIS

*Antigua and Barbuda, Government

chancery: Suite 2H, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 362-5211 or 5166, 5122, 5225 consulate: Miami US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda, and, in his absence, the Embassy is headed by Charge d'Affaires Bryant J. SALTER embassy: Queen Elizabeth Highway, Saint John's mailing address: FPO AA 34054-0001 telephone: (809) 462-3505 or 3506 FAX: (809) 462-3516 Flag: red with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white with a yellow rising sun in the black band

*Antigua and Barbuda, Economy

Overview: The economy is primarily service oriented, with tourism the most important determinant of economic performance. During the period 1987-90, real GDP expanded at an annual average rate of about 6%. Tourism makes a direct contribution to GDP of about 13% and also affects growth in other sectors - particularly in construction, communications, and public utilities. Although Antigua and Barbuda is one of the few areas in the Caribbean experiencing a labor shortage in some sectors of the economy, it has been hurt in 1991-92 by a downturn in tourism caused by the Persian Gulf war and the US recession. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $424 million (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: 1.4% (1991 est.) National product per capita: $6,600 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: 5% (1988 est.) Budget: revenues $105 million; expenditures $161 million, including capital expenditures of $56 million (1992) Exports: $32 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, food and live animals 4%, machinery and transport equipment 17% partners: OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and Tobago 2%, US 0.3% Imports: $317.5 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil partners: US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%, other 50% External debt: $250 million (1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 3% (1989 est.); accounts for 5% of GDP Electricity: 52,100 kW capacity; 95 million kWh produced, 1,482 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances) Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GDP; expanding output of cotton, fruits, vegetables, and livestock; other crops - bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; not self-sufficient in food Economic aid: US commitments, $10 million (1985-88); Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $50 million Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

*Antigua and Barbuda, Communications

Railroads: 64 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge and 13 km 0.610-meter gauge used almost exclusively for handling sugarcane Highways: 240 km Ports: Saint John's Merchant marine: 149 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 529,202 GRT/778,506 DWT; includes 96 cargo, 3 refrigerated cargo, 21 container, 5 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 multifunction large-load carrier, 2 oil tanker, 19 chemical tanker, 2 bulk; note - a flag of convenience registry Airports: total: 3 usable: 3 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0 Telecommunications: good automatic telephone system; 6,700 telephones; tropospheric scatter links with Saba and Guadeloupe; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV, 2 shortwave; 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Antigua and Barbuda, Defense Forces

Branches: Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (including the Coast Guard) Manpower availability: NA Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.4 million, 1% of GDP (FY90/91)

*Arctic Ocean, Geography

Location: body of water mostly north of the Arctic Circle Map references: Arctic Region, Asia, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 14.056 million km2 comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of the US; smallest of the world's four oceans (after Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean) note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, and other tributary water bodies Coastline: 45,389 km International disputes: some maritime disputes (see littoral states); Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute between Norway and Russia Climate: polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow Terrain: central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the ice pack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling land masses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonsov Ridge); maximum depth is 4,665 meters in the Fram Basin Natural resources: sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales) Environment: endangered marine species include walruses and whales; ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean and lasts about 10 months; permafrost in islands; virtually icelocked from October to June; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage Note: major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May; strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia, floating research stations operated by the US and Russia

*Arctic Ocean, Government

Digraph: XQ

*Arctic Ocean, Economy

Overview: Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

*Arctic Ocean, Communications

Ports: Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US) Telecommunications: no submarine cables Note: sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

*Argentina, Geography

Location: Eastern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Chile and Uruguay Map references: South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 2,766,890 km2 land area: 2,736,690 km2 comparative area: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US Land boundaries: total 9,665 km, Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km Coastline: 4,989 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: not specified territorial sea: 200 nm; overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm International disputes: short section of the boundary with Uruguay is in dispute; short section of the boundary with Chile is indefinite; claims British-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); claims British-administered South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica Climate: mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border Natural resources: fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 52% forest and woodland: 22% other: 13% Irrigated land: 17,600 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: Tucuman and Mendoza areas in Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike Pampas and northeast; irrigated soil degradation; desertification; air and water pollution in Buenos Aires

*Argentina, Geography

Note: second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)

*Argentina, People

Population: 33,533,256 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.13% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 19.75 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 8.64 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 30 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.19 years male: 67.91 years female: 74.65 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.72 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine Ethnic divisions: white 85%, mestizo, Indian, or other nonwhite groups 15% Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 90% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 6% Languages: Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 95% male: 96% female: 95% Labor force: 10.9 million by occupation: agriculture 12%, industry 31%, services 57% (1985 est.)

*Argentina, Government

Names: conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina Digraph: AR Type: republic Capital: Buenos Aires Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 federal district*, (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Distrito Federal*, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La, Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego (Territorio Nacional de la Tierra del Fuego, Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur), Tucuman note: the national territory is in the process of becoming a province; the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica Independence: 9 July 1816 (from Spain) Constitution: 1 May 1853 Legal system: mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Revolution Day, 25 May (1810) Political parties and leaders: Justicialist Party (JP), Carlos Saul MENEM, Peronist umbrella political organization; Radical Civic Union (UCR), Mario LOSADA, moderately left-of-center party; Union of the Democratic Center (UCD), Jorge AGUADO, conservative party; Intransigent Party (PI), Dr. Oscar ALENDE, leftist party; Dignity and Independence Political Party (MODIN), Aldo RICO, right-wing party; several provincial parties Other political or pressure groups: Peronist-dominated labor movement; General Confederation of Labor (CGT; Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business organizations; students; the Roman Catholic Church; the Armed Forces Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: Chamber of Deputies: last held in three phases during late 1991 for half of 254 seats; seats (254 total) - JP 122, UCR 85, UCD 10, other 37 (1993) President: last held 14 May 1989 (next to be held NA May 1995); results - Carlos Saul MENEM was elected

*Argentina, Government

Senate: last held May 1989, but provincial elections in late 1991 set the stage for indirect elections by provincial senators for one-third of 46 seats in the national senate in May 1992; seats (46 total) - JP 27, UCR 14, others 5 Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) 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 Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President (position vacant) Member of: AG (observer), Australian Group, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, AfDB, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MERCOSUR, MINURSO, OAS, PCA, RG, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos ORTIZ DE ROZAS chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 939-6400 through 6403 consulates general: Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulates: Baltimore, Chicago, and Los Angeles US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador James CHEEK (since 28 May 1993) embassy: 4300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires mailing address: APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (1) 774-7611 or 8811, 9911 FAX: [54] (1) 775-4205 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

*Argentina, Economy

Overview: Argentina is rich in natural resources and has a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Nevertheless, following decades of mismanagement and statist policies, the economy in the late 1980s was plagued with huge external debts and recurring bouts of hyperinflation. Elected in 1989, in the depths of recession, President MENEM has implemented a comprehensive economic restructuring program that shows signs of putting Argentina on a path of stable, sustainable growth. Argentina's currency has traded at par with the US dollar since April 1991, and inflation has fallen to its lowest level in 20 years. Argentines have responded to the relative price stability by repatriating flight capital and investing in domestic industry. Much remains to be done in the 1990s in dismantling the old statist barriers to growth and in solidifying the recent economic gains. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $112 billion (1992 est.) National product real growth rate: 7% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $3,400 (1992 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 17.7% (1992) Unemployment rate: 6.9% (1992) Budget: revenues $33.1 billion; expenditures $35.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.5 billion (1992) Exports: $12.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: meat, wheat, corn, oilseed, hides, wool partners: US 12%, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Netherlands Imports: $14.0 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, fuels and lubricants, agricultural products partners: US 22%, Brazil, Germany, Bolivia, Japan, Italy, Netherlands External debt: $54 billion (June 1992) Industrial production: growth rate 10% (1992 est.); accounts for 26% of GDP Electricity: 17,911,000 kW capacity; 51,305 million kWh produced, 1,559 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel Agriculture: accounts for 8% of GDP (including fishing); produces abundant food for both domestic consumption and exports; among world's top five exporters of grain and beef; principal crops - wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets Illicit drugs: increasing use as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for the US and Europe

*Argentina, Economy

Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.0 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.4 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $718 million Currency: 1 peso = 100 centavos Exchange rates: pesos per US$1 - 0.99000 (January1993), 0.99064 (1992), 0.95355 (1991), 0.48759 (1990), 0.04233 (1989), 0.00088 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Argentina, Communications

Railroads: 34,172 km total (includes 209 km electrified); includes a mixture of 1.435-meter standard gauge, 1.676-meter broad gauge, 1.000-meter narrow gauge, and 0.750-meter narrow gauge Highways: 208,350 km total; 47,550 km paved, 39,500 km gravel, 101,000 km improved earth, 20,300 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 11,000 km navigable Pipelines: crude oil 4,090 km; petroleum products 2,900 km; natural gas 9,918 km Ports: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, La Plata, Rosario, Santa Fe Merchant marine: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,695,420 GRT/1,073,904 DWT; includes 30 cargo, 5 refrigerated cargo, 4 container, 1 railcar carrier, 14 oil tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 4 bulk, 1 roll-on/roll-off Airports: total: 1,700 usable: 1,451 with permanet-surface runways: 137 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 31 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 326 Telecommunications: extensive modern system; 2,650,000 telephones (12,000 public telephones); microwave widely used; broadcast stations - 171 AM, no FM, 231 TV, 13 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; domestic satellite network has 40 earth stations

*Argentina, Defense Forces

Branches: Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic, Argentine Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Argentine Naval Prefecture (Coast Guard only), National Aeronautical Police Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 8,267,316; fit for military service 6,702,303; reach military age (20) annually 284,641 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

*Armenia, Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, between Turkey and Azerbaijan Map references: Africa, Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - European States, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 29,800 km2 land area: 28,400 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland Land boundaries: total 1,254 km, Azerbaijan (east) 566 km, Azerbaijan (south) 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: violent and longstanding dispute with Azerbaijan over ethnically Armenian exclave of Nagorno-Karabakh; some irredentism by Armenians living in southern Georgia; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have greatly subsided Climate: continental, hot, and subject to drought Terrain: high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 15% forest and woodland: 0% other: 56% Irrigated land: 3,050 km2 (1990) Environment: pollution of Razdan and Aras Rivers; air pollution in Yerevan; energy blockade has led to deforestation as citizens scavenge for firewood, use of Lake Sevan water for hydropower has lowered lake level, threatened fish population Note: landlocked

*Armenia, People

Population: 3,481,207 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.23% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 25.79 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -6.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 28.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.77 years male: 68.36 years female: 75.36 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.31 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian Ethnic divisions: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other 2% Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94% Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2% Literacy: age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% Labor force: 1.63 million by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 18%, other 40% (1990)

*Armenia, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic Digraph: AM Type: republic Capital: Yerevan Administrative divisions: none (all rayons are under direct republic jurisdiction) Independence: 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) Constitution: adopted NA April 1978; post-Soviet constitution not yet adopted Legal system: based on civil law system National holiday: NA Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Movement, Husik LAZARYAN, chairman; National Democratic Union; National Self-Determination Association; Armenian Democratic Liberal Organization, Ramkavar AZATAKAN, chairman; Dashnatktsutyan Party (Armenian Revolutionary Federation, ARF), Rouben MIRZAKHANIN; Chairman of Parliamentary opposition - Mekhak GABRIYELYAN; Christian Democratic Union; Constitutional Rights Union; Republican Party Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: President: last held 16 October 1991 (next to be held NA); results - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN 86%; radical nationalists about 7%; note - Levon TER-PETROSYAN was elected Chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet 4 August 1990 Supreme Soviet: last held 20 May 1990 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (240 total) non-aligned 149, Armenian National Movement 52, Armenian Democratic Liberal Organization 14, Dashnatktsutyan 12, National Democratic Union 9, Christian Democratic Union 1, Constitutional Rights Union 1, National Self-Determination Association 1, Republican Party 1 Executive branch: president, council of ministers, prime minister Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Soviet Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN (since 16 October 1991), Vice President Gagik ARUTYUNYAN (since 16 October 1991)

*Armenia, Government

Head of Government: Prime Minister Hrant BAGRATYAN (since NA February 1993); Supreme Soviet Chairman Babken ARARKTSYAN (since NA 1990) Member of: BSEC, CIS, CSCE, EBRD, IBRD, ICAO, IMF, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rouben SHUGARIAN chancery: 122 C Street NW, Suite 360, Washington, DC 20001 telephone: (202) 628-5766 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Designate Harry GILMORE embassy: 18 Gen Bagramian, Yerevan mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (7) (885) 215-1122, 215-1144 FAX: (7) (885) 215-1122 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold

*Armenia, Economy

Overview: Armenia under the old centrally planned Soviet system had built up textile, machine-building, and other industries and had become a key supplier to sister republics. In turn, Armenia had depended on supplies of raw materials and energy from the other republics. Most of these supplies enter the republic by rail through Azerbaijan (85%) and Georgia (15%). The economy has been severely hurt by ethnic strife with Azerbaijan over control of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, a mostly Armenian-populated enclave within the national boundaries of Azerbaijan. In addition to outright warfare, the strife has included interdiction of Armenian imports on the Azerbaijani railroads and expensive airlifts of supplies to beleaguered Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. An earthquake in December 1988 destroyed about one-tenth of industrial capacity and housing, the repair of which has not been possible because the supply of funds and real resources has been disrupted by the reorganization and subsequent dismantling of the central USSR administrative apparatus. Among facilities made unserviceable by the earthquake are the Yerevan nuclear power plant, which had supplied 40% of Armenia's needs for electric power and a plant that produced one-quarter of the output of elevators in the former USSR. Armenia has some deposits of nonferrous metal ores (bauxite, copper, zinc, and molybdenum) that are largely unexploited. For the mid-term, Armenia's economic prospects seem particularly bleak because of ethnic strife and the unusually high dependence on outside areas, themselves in a chaotic state of transformation. The dramatic drop in output in 1992 is attributable largely to the cumulative impact of the blockade; of particular importance was the shutting off in the summer of 1992 of rail and road links to Russia through Georgia due to civil strife in the latter republic. National product: GDP $NA National product real growth rate: -34% (1992) National product per capita: $NA Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% per month (first quarter 1993) Unemployment rate: 2% of officially registered unemployed but large numbers of underemployed Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Exports: $30 million to outside the successor states of the former USSR (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, light industrial products, processed food items (1991) partners: NA Imports: $300 million from outside the successor statees of the former USSR (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: machinery, energy, consumer goods (1991) partners: NA External debt: $650 million (December 1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -50% (1992 est.)

*Armenia, Economy

Electricity: 2,875,000 kW capacity; 9,000 million kWh produced, 2,585 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: diverse, including (in percent of output of former USSR) metalcutting machine tools (5.5%), forging-pressing machines (1.9%), electric motors (9%), tires (1.5%), knitted wear (4.4%), hosiery (3.0%), shoes (2.2%), silk fabric (0.8%), washing machines (2.0%), chemicals, trucks, watches, instruments, and microelectronics (1990) Agriculture: accounts for about 20% of GDP; only 29% of land area is arable; employs 18% of labor force; citrus, cotton, and dairy farming; vineyards near Yerevan are famous for brandy and other liqueurs Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe Economic aid: wheat from US, Turkey Currency: retaining Russian ruble as currency (January 1993) Exchange rates: rubles per US$1 - 415 (24 December 1992) but subject to wide fluctuations Fiscal year: calendar year

*Armenia, Communications

Railroads: 840 km; does not include industrial lines (1990) Highways: 11,300 km total; 10,500 km hard surfaced, 800 km earth (1990) Inland waterways: NA km Pipelines: natural gas 900 km (1991) Ports: none; landlocked Airports: total: 12 useable: 10 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3 Telecommunications: progress on installation of fiber optic cable and construction of facilities for mobile cellular phone service remains in the negotiation phase for joint venture agreement; Armenia has about 260,000 telephones, of which about 110,000 are in Yerevan; average telephone density is 8 per 100 persons; international connections to other former republics of the USSR are by landline or microwave and to other countries by satellite and by leased connection through the Moscow international gateway switch; broadcast stations - 100% of population receives Armenian and Russian TV programs; satellite earth station - INTELSAT

*Armenia, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air Force, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 848,223; fit for military service 681,058; reach military age (18) annually 28,101 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: 250 million rubles, NA% of GDP (1992 est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

*Aruba, Header

Affiliation: (part of the Dutch realm)

*Aruba, Geography

Location: in the southern Caribbean Sea, 28 km north of Venezuela and 125 km east of Colombia Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total area: 193 km2 land area: 193 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 68.5 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation Natural resources: negligible; white sandy beaches Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% Irrigated land: NA km2 Environment: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

*Aruba, People

Population: 65,117 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.66% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 15.33 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 6.05 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.3 years male: 72.65 years female: 80.13 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban Ethnic divisions: mixed European/Caribbean Indian 80% Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish Literacy: total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: NA by occupation: most employment is in the tourist industry (1986)

*Aruba, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba Digraph: AA Type: part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles Capital: Oranjestad Administrative divisions: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands) Independence: none (part of the Dutch realm; in 1990, Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996) Constitution: 1 January 1986 Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March Political parties and leaders: Electoral Movement Party (MEP), Nelson ODUBER; Aruban People's Party (AVP), Henny EMAN; National Democratic Action (ADN), Pedro Charro KELLY; New Patriotic Party (PPN), Eddy WERLEMEN; Aruban Patriotic Party (PPA), Benny NISBET; Aruban Democratic Party (PDA), Leo BERLINSKI; Democratic Action '86 (AD '86), Arturo ODUBER; Organization for Aruban Liberty (OLA), Glenbert CROES note: governing coalition includes the MEP, PPA, and ADN Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: Legislature: last held 8 January 1993 (next to be held by NA January 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) MEP 9, AVP 8, ADN 1, PPA 1, OLA 1, other 1 Executive branch: Dutch monarch, governor, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral legislature (Staten) Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice Leaders: Chief of State: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since NA) Head of Government: Prime Minister Nelson ODUBER (since NA February 1989) Member of: ECLAC (associate), INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WTO (associate) Diplomatic representation in US: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands) Flag: blue with two narrow horizontal yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner

*Aruba, Economy

Overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. Hotel capacity expanded rapidly between 1985 and 1989 and nearly doubled in 1990 alone. Unemployment has steadily declined from about 20% in 1986 to about 3% in 1991. The reopening of the local oil refinery, once a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, promises to give the economy an additional boost. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $900 million (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: 6% (1991 est.) National product per capita: $14,000 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.6% (1991) Unemployment rate: 3% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $145 million; expenditures $185 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1988) Exports: $902.4 million, including oil re-exports (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: mostly petroleum products partners: US 64%, EC Imports: $1,311.3 million, including oil for processing and re-export (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products partners: US 8%, EC External debt: $81 million (1987) Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 310,000 kW capacity; 945 million kWh produced, 14,610 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining Agriculture: poor quality soils and low rainfall limit agricultural activity to the cultivation of aloes, some livestock, and fishing Illicit drugs: drug money laundering center Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $220 million Currency: 1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1 - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Aruba, Communications

Highways: NA km all-weather highways Ports: Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas Airports: total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0 note: government-owned airport east of Oranjestad accepts transatlantic flights Telecommunications: generally adequate; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links; 72,168 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten

*Aruba, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Header

Affiliation: (territory of Australia)

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Geography

Location: in the Indian Ocean, 320 km off the northwest coast of Australia, between Australia and Indonesia Map references: Oceania, Southeast Asia Area: total area: 5 km2 land area: 5 km2 comparative area: about 8.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 74.1 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploration exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical Terrain: low with sand and coral Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) Irrigated land: 0 km2 Environment: surrounded by shoals and reefs; Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are only seasonal caretakers

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Government

Names: conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands Digraph: AT Type: territory of Australia administered by the Australian Ministry for Arts, Sports, the Environment, Tourism, and Territories Capital: none; administered from Canberra, Australia Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia) Independence: none (territory of Australia) Legal system: relevant laws of the Northern Territory of Australia Diplomatic representation in US: none (territory of Australia) US diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Economy

Overview: no economic activity

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Communications

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force

*Atlantic Ocean, Geography

Location: body of water between the Western Hemisphere and Europe/Africa Map references: Africa, Antarctic Region, Arctic Region, Central America and the Caribbean, Europe, North America, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 82.217 million km2 comparative area: slightly less than nine times the size of the US; second-largest of the world's four oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than Indian Ocean or Arctic Ocean) note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies Coastline: 111,866 km International disputes: some maritime disputes (see littoral states) Climate: tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent from August to November Terrain: surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the north Atlantic, counterclockwise warm water gyre in the south Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin; maximum depth is 8,605 meters in the Puerto Rico Trench Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones Environment: endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea; icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; icebergs from Antarctica occur in the extreme southern Atlantic Note: ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north Atlantic from October to May and extreme south Atlantic from May to October; persistent fog can be a hazard to shipping from May to September; major choke points include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Dover Strait, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; north Atlantic shipping lanes subject to icebergs from February to August; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

*Atlantic Ocean, Government

Digraph: ZH

*Atlantic Ocean, Economy

Overview: Economic activity is limited to exploitation of natural resources, especially fish, dredging aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and crude oil and natural gas production (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

*Atlantic Ocean, Communications

Ports: Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (formerly Leningrad; Russia), Stockholm (Sweden) Telecommunications: numerous submarine cables with most between continental Europe and the UK, North America and the UK, and in the Mediterranean; numerous direct links across Atlantic via INTELSAT satellite network Note: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways

*Australia, Geography

Location: Oceania, between Indonesia and New Zealand Map references: Southeast Asia, Oceania, Antarctic Region, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 7,686,850 km2 land area: 7,617,930 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than the US note: includes Macquarie Island Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 25,760 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory) Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 58% forest and woodland: 14% other: 22% Irrigated land: 18,800 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: subject to severe droughts and floods; cyclones along coast; limited freshwater availability; irrigated soil degradation; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along west coast in summer; desertification Note: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country

*Australia, People

Population: 17,827,204 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.41% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 14.43 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 7.38 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 7.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.36 years male: 74.24 years female: 80.63 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian Ethnic divisions: Caucasian 95%, Asian 4%, Aboriginal and other 1% Religions: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3% Languages: English, native languages Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% Labor force: 8.63 million (September 1991) by occupation: finance and services 33.8%, public and community services 22.3%, wholesale and retail trade 20.1%, manufacturing and industry 16.2%, agriculture 6.1% (1987)

*Australia, Government

Names: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia Digraph: AS Type: federal parliamentary state Capital: Canberra Administrative divisions: 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales,, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria,, Western Australia Dependent areas: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies) Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901 Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January Political parties and leaders: government: Australian Labor Party, Paul John KEATING opposition: Liberal Party, John HEWSON; National Party, Timothy FISCHER; Australian Democratic Party, John COULTER Other political or pressure groups: Australian Democratic Labor Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Elections: House of Representatives: last held 13 March 1993 (next to be held by NA May 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (147 total) Labor 80, Liberal-National 65, independent 2 Senate: last held 13 March 1993 (next to be held by NA May 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (76 total) Liberal-National 36, Labor 30, Australian Democrats 7, Greens 2, independents 1 Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives Judicial branch: High Court

*Australia, Government

Leaders: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General William George HAYDEN (since 16 February 1989) Head of Government: Prime Minister Paul John KEATING (since 20 December 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Brian HOWE (since 4 June 1991) Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, COCOM, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, G-8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, PCA, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. COOK chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 797-3000 consulates general: Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: (vacant) embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (6) 270-5000 FAX: [61] (6) 270-5970 consulates general: Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney consulate: Brisbane Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars

*Australia, Economy

Overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP comparable to levels in industrialized West European countries. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Of the top 25 exports, 21 are primary products, so that, as happened during 1983-84, a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $293.5 billion (1992) National product real growth rate: 2.5% (1992) National product per capita: $16,700 (1992) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.8% (September 1992) Unemployment rate: 11.3% (December 1992) Budget: revenues $68.5 billion; expenditures $78.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93) Exports: $41.7 billion (f.o.b., FY91) commodities: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment partners: Japan 26%, US 11%, NZ 6%, South Korea 4%, Singapore 4%, UK, Taiwan, Hong Kong Imports: $37.8 billion (f.o.b., FY91) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, crude oil and petroleum products partners: US 24%, Japan 19%, UK 6%, FRG 7%, NZ 4% (1990) External debt: $130.4 billion (June 1991) Industrial production: growth rate NA%; accounts for 32% of GDP Electricity: 40,000,000 kW capacity; 150,000 million kWh produced, 8,475 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP and 37% of export revenues; world's largest exporter of beef and wool, second-largest for mutton, and among top wheat exporters; major crops - wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruit; livestock - cattle, sheep, poultry Illicit drugs: Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate Economic aid: donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $10.4 billion Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

*Australia, Economy

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4837 (January 1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2836 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

*Australia, Communications

Railroads: 40,478 km total; 7,970 km 1.600-meter gauge, 16,201 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 16,307 km 1.067-meter gauge; 183 km dual gauge; 1,130 km electrified; government owned (except for a few hundred kilometers of privately owned track) (1985) Highways: 837,872 km total; 243,750 km paved, 228,396 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized soil surface, 365,726 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 8,368 km; mainly by small, shallow-draft craft Pipelines: crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km Ports: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport, Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart, Launceston, Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville Merchant marine: 82 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,347,271 GRT/3,534,926 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 8 cargo, 7 container, 8 roll-on/roll-off, 1 vehicle carrier, 17 oil tanker, 3 chemical tanker, 4 liquefied gas, 30 bulk, 2 combination bulk Airports: total: 481 usable: 439 with permanent-surface runways: 243 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 20 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 268 Telecommunications: good international and domestic service; 8.7 million telephones; broadcast stations - 258 AM, 67 FM, 134 TV; submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; domestic satellite service; satellite stations - 4 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 6 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

*Australia, Defense Forces

Branches: Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 4,830,068; fit for military service 4,198,622; reach military age (17) annually 135,591 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $7.1 billion, 2.4% of GDP (FY92/93)

*Austria, Geography

Location: Central Europe, between Germany and Hungary Map references: Africa, Arctic Region, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 83,850 km2 land area: 82,730 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine Land boundaries: total 2,496 km, Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 262 km, Switzerland 164 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: none Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers Terrain: in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping Natural resources: iron ore, petroleum, timber, magnesite, aluminum, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 24% forest and woodland: 39% other: 19% Irrigated land: 40 km2 (1989) Environment: population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere Note: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube

*Austria, People

Population: 7,915,145 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.55% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 11.54 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 10.42 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 4.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.4 years male: 73.18 years female: 79.8 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian Ethnic divisions: German 99.4%, Croatian 0.3%, Slovene 0.2%, other 0.1% Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 6%, other 9% Languages: German Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1974) total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: 3.47 million (1989) by occupation: services 56.4%, industry and crafts 35.4%, agriculture and forestry 8.1% note: an estimated 200,000 Austrians are employed in other European countries; foreign laborers in Austria number 177,840, about 6% of labor force (1988)

*Austria, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich Digraph: AU Type: federal republic Capital: Vienna Administrative divisions: 9 states (bundeslander, singular - bundesland); Burgenland, Karnten, Niederosterreich, Oberosterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien Independence: 12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire) Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1945) Legal system: civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by a Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955) Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO), Franz VRANITZKY, chairman; Austrian People's Party (OVP), Erhard BUSEK, chairman; Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), Jorg HAIDER, chairman; Communist Party (KPO), Walter SILBERMAYER, chairman; Green Alternative List (GAL), Johannes VOGGENHUBER, chairman Other political or pressure groups: Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist); three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party (OVP) representing business, labor, and farmers; OVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action Suffrage: 19 years of age, universal; compulsory for presidential elections Elections: President: last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 1996); results of second ballot - Thomas KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43% National Council: last held 7 October 1990 (next to be held October 1994); results - SPO 43%, OVP 32.1%, FPO 16.6%, GAL 4.5%, KPO 0.7%, other 0.32%; seats - (183 total) SPO 80, OVP 60, FPO 33, GAL 10 Executive branch: president, chancellor, vice chancellor, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung) consists of an upper council or Federal Council (Bundesrat) and a lower council or National Council (Nationalrat)

*Austria, Government

Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for civil and criminal cases, Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) for bureaucratic cases, Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) for constitutional cases Leaders: Chief of State: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992) Head of Government: Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986); Vice Chancellor Erhard BUSEK (since 2 July 1991) Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, COCOM (cooperating country), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-9, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNDOF, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Friedrich HOESS chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: (202) 895-6700 FAX: (202) 895-6750 consulates general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Roy Michael HUFFINGTON chancery: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Unit 27937, Vienna mailing address: APO AE 09222 telephone: [43] (1) 31-339 FAX: [43] (1) 310-0682 consulate general: Salzburg Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

*Austria, Economy

Overview: Austria boasts a prosperous and stable socialist market economy with a sizable proportion of nationalized industry and extensive welfare benefits. Thanks to an excellent raw material endowment, a technically skilled labor force, and strong links to German industrial firms, Austria occupies specialized niches in European industry and services (tourism, banking) and produces almost enough food to feed itself with only 8% of the labor force in agriculture. Increased export sales resulting from German unification, continued to boost Austria's economy through 1991. However, Germany's economic difficulties in 1992 slowed Austria's GDP growth to 2% from the 3% of 1991. Austria's economy, moreover, is not expected to grow by more than 1% in 1993, and inflation is forecast to remain about 4%. Unemployment will likely remain at current levels at least until 1994. Living standards in Austria are comparable with the large industrial countries of Western Europe. Problems for the l990s include an aging population, the high level of subsidies, and the struggle to keep welfare benefits within budgetary capabilities. The continued opening of Eastern European markets, however, will increase demand for Austrian exports. Austria, a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), in 1992 ratified the European Economic Area Treaty, which will extend European Community rules on the free movement of people, goods, capital and services to the EFTA countries, and Austrians plan to hold a national referendum within the next two years to vote on EC membership. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $141.3 billion (1992) National product real growth rate: 1.8% (1992) National product per capita: $18,000 (1992) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.4% (1992 est.) Budget: revenues $47.8 billion; expenditures $53.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.) Exports: $43.5 billion (1992 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles, paper products, chemicals partners: EC 65.8% (Germany 39%), EFTA 9.1%, Eastern Europe/former USSR 9.0%, Japan 1.7%, US 2.8% (1991) Imports: $50.7 billion (1992 est.) commodities: petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals partners: EC 67.8% (Germany 43.0%), EFTA 6.9%, Eastern Europe/former USSR 6.0%, Japan 4.8%, US 3.9% (1991) External debt: $11.8 billion (1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 2.0% (1991) Electricity: 17,600,000 kW capacity; 49,500 million kWh produced, 6,300 kWh per capita (1992)

*Austria, Economy

Industries: foods, iron and steel, machines, textiles, chemicals, electrical, paper and pulp, tourism, mining, motor vehicles Agriculture: accounts for 3.2% of GDP (including forestry); principal crops and animals - grains, fruit, potatoes, sugar beets, sawn wood, cattle, pigs, poultry; 80-90% self-sufficient in food Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route Economic aid: donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $2.4 billion Currency: 1 Austrian schilling (S) = 100 groschen Exchange rates: Austrian schillings (S) per US$1 - 11.363 (January 1993), 10.989 (1992), 11.676 (1991), 11.370 (1990), 13.231 (1989), 12.348 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Austria, Communications

Railroads: 5,749 km total; 5,652 km government owned and 97 km privately owned (0.760-, 1.435- and 1.000-meter gauge); 5,394 km 1.435-meter standard gauge of which 3,154 km is electrified and 1,520 km is double tracked; 339 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge of which 84 km is electrified Highways: 95,412 km total; 34,612 km are the primary network (including 1,012 km of autobahn, 10,400 km of federal, and 23,200 km of provincial roads); of this number, 21,812 km are paved and 12,800 km are unpaved; in addition, there are 60,800 km of communal roads (mostly gravel, crushed stone, earth) Inland waterways: 446 km Pipelines: crude oil 554 km; natural gas 2,611 km; petroleum products 171 km Ports: Vienna, Linz (Danube river ports) Merchant marine: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 154,159 GRT/256,765 DWT; includes 23 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 1 oil tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 3 bulk Airports: total: 55 usable: 55 with permanent-surface runways: 20 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 4 Telecommunications: highly developed and efficient; 4,014,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 21 (545 repeaters) FM, 47 (870 repeaters) TV; satellite ground stations for Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and EUTELSAT systems

*Austria, Defense Forces

Branches: Army (including Flying Division) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,016,464; fit for military service 1,694,140; reach military age (19) annually 50,259 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.7 billion, 0.9% of GDP (1993 est.)

*Azerbaijan, Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, between Armenia and Turkmenistan, bordering the Caspian Sea Map references: Africa, Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - Central Asian States, Commonwealth of Independent States - European States, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 86,600 km2 land area: 86,100 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Maine note: includes the Nakhichevan' Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast; region's autonomy was abolished by Azerbaijan Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991 Land boundaries: total 2,013 km, Armenia (west) 566 km, Armenia (southwest) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran (south) 432 km, Iran (southwest) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) note: Azerbaijan does border the Caspian Sea (800 km, est.) Maritime claims: NA note: Azerbaijani claims in Caspian Sea unknown; 10 nm fishing zone provided for in 1940 treaty regarding trade and navigation between Soviet Union and Iran International disputes: violent and longstanding dispute with Armenia over status of Nagorno-Karabakh, lesser dispute concerns Nakhichevan; some Azerbaijanis desire absorption of and/or unification with the ethnically Azeri portion of Iran; minor irredentist disputes along Georgia border Climate: dry, semiarid steppe; subject to drought Terrain: large, flat Kura-Aras Lowland (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Karabakh Upland in west; Baku lies on Aspheson Peninsula that juts into Caspian Sea Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina Land use: arable land: 18% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 25% forest and woodland: 0% other: 57% Irrigated land: 14,010 km2 (1990)

*Azerbaijan, Geography

Environment: local scientists consider Apsheron Peninsula, including Baku and Sumgait, and the Caspian Sea to be "most ecologically devastated area in the world" because of severe air and water pollution Note: landlocked

*Azerbaijan, People

Population: 7,573,435 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.5% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 24.09 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 6.61 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 35.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.6 years male: 66.77 years female: 74.63 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.76 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Azerbaijani(s) adjective: Azerbaijani Ethnic divisions: Azeri 82.7%, Russian 5.6%, Armenian 5.6%, Daghestanis 3.2%, other 2.9%, note - Armenian share may be less than 5.6% because many Armenians have fled the ethnic violence since 1989 census Religions: Moslem 87%, Russian Orthodox 5.6%, Armenian Orthodox 5.6%, other 1.8% Languages: Azeri 82%, Russian 7%, Armenian 5%, other 6% Literacy: age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% Labor force: 2.789 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 32%, industry and construction 26%, other 42% (1990)

*Azerbaijan, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan conventional short form: Azerbaijan local long form: Azarbaijchan Respublikasy local short form: none former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic Digraph: AJ Type: republic Capital: Baku (Baky) Administrative divisions: 1 autonomous republic (avtomnaya respublika); Nakhichevan (administrative center at Nakhichevan) note: all rayons except for the exclave of Nakhichevan are under direct republic jurisdiction; 1 autonomous oblast, Nagorno-Karabakh (officially abolished by Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991) has declared itself Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Independence: 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) Constitution: adopted NA April 1978; writing a new constitution mid-1993 Legal system: based on civil law system National holiday: NA Political parties and leaders: New Azerbaijan Party, ALIYEV; Musavat Party (Azerbaijan Popular Front - APF), Isa GAMBAROV; National Independence Party (main opposition party), Etibar MAMEDOV; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Zardusht Ali ZADE; Party of Revolutionary Revival (successor to the Communist Party), Sayad Afes OGLV, general secretary; Party of Independent Azerbaijan, SOVLEYMANOV Other political or pressure groups: self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: President: last held 8 June 1992 (next to be held NA); results - Abdulfaz Ali ELCHIBEY, won 60% of vote National Council: last held 30 September and 14 October 1990 for the Supreme Soviet (next expected to be held late 1993 for the National Council); seats for Supreme Soviet - (360 total) Communists 280, Democratic Bloc 45 (grouping of opposition parties), other 15, vacant 20; note - on 19 May 1992 the Supreme Soviet was disbanded in favor of a Popular Front-dominated National Council; seats - (50 total) 25 Popular Front, 25 opposition elements Executive branch: president, council of ministers Legislative branch: National Parliament (National Assembly or Milli Mejlis)

*Azerbaijan, Government

Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: President Ebulfez ELCHIBEY (since 7 June 1992) Head of Government: Prime Minister Penah HUSEYNOV (since 29 April 1993; resigned 7 June 1993; likely replacement - E'tibar MAMEDOV); National Parliament Chairman Isa GAMBAROV (since 19 May 1992; resigned 13 June 1993; likely replacement Geydar ALIYEV) Member of: BSEC, CSCE, EBRD, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, IDB, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, ITU, NACC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz PASHAYEV chancery: 1615 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: NA US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard MILES embassy: Hotel Intourist, Baku mailing address: APO AE 09862 telephone: 7-8922-91-79-56 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

*Azerbaijan, Economy

Overview: Azerbaijan is less developed industrially than either Armenia or Georgia, the other Transcaucasian states. It resembles the Central Asian states in its majority Muslim population, high structural unemployment, and low standard of living. The economy's most prominent products are cotton, oil, and gas. Production from the Caspian oil and gas field has been in decline for several years. With foreign assistance, the oil industry might generate the funds needed to spur industrial development. However, civil unrest, marked by armed conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region between Muslim Azeris and Christian Armenians, makes foreign investors wary. Azerbaijan accounted for 1.5% to 2% of the capital stock and output of the former Soviet Union. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the ex-Soviet republics in making the transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its propects somewhat. Old economic ties and structures have yet to be replaced. A particularly galling constraint on economic revival is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said to consume 25% of Azerbaijan's economic resources. National product: GDP $NA National product real growth rate: -25% (1992) National product per capita: $NA Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% per month (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: 0.2% includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992) Exports: $821 million to outside the successor states of the former USSR (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: oil and gas, chemicals, oilfield equipment, textiles, cotton (1991) partners: mostly CIS and European countries Imports: $300 million from outside the successor states of the former USSR (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: machinery and parts, consumer durables, foodstuffs, textiles (1991) partners: European countries External debt: $1.3 billion (1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -27% (1992) Electricity: 6,025,000 kW capacity; 22,300 million kWh produced, 2,990 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles Agriculture: cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep and goats

*Azerbaijan, Economy

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and opium; mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment points for illicit drugs to Western Europe Economic aid: wheat from Turkey Currency: 1 manat (abbreviation NA) = 10 Russian rubles; ruble still used Exchange rates: NA Fiscal year: calendar year

*Azerbaijan, Communications

Railroads: 2,090 km; does not include industrial lines (1990) Highways: 36,700 km total (1990); 31,800 km hard surfaced; 4,900 km earth Pipelines: crude oil 1,130 km, petroleum products 630 km, natural gas 1,240 km Ports: inland - Baku (Baky) Airports: total: 65 useable: 33 with permanent-surface runways: 26 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 8 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 23 Telecommunications: domestic telephone service is of poor quality and inadequate; 644,000 domestic telephone lines (density - 9 lines per 100 persons (1991)), 202,000 persons waiting for telephone installations (January 1991); connections to other former USSR republics by cable and microwave and to other countries via the Moscow international gateway switch; INTELSAT earth station installed in late 1992 in Baku with Turkish financial assistance with access to 200 countries through Turkey; domestic and Russian TV programs are received locally and Turkish and Iranian TV is received from an INTELSAT satellite through a receive-only earth station

*Azerbaijan, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air Force, Navy, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,842,917; fit for military service 1,497,640; reach military age (18) annually 66,928 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: 2,848 million rubles, NA% of GDP (1992 est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

*The Bahamas, Geography

Location: in the western North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida and northwest of Cuba Map references: Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 13,940 km2 land area: 10,070 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 3,542 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream Terrain: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 32% other: 67% Irrigated land: NA km2 Environment: subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood damage Note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain

*The Bahamas, People

Population: 268,726 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.62% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 18.97 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 2.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 31.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.02 years male: 68.19 years female: 75.96 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian Ethnic divisions: black 85%, white 15% Religions: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2% Languages: English, Creole, among Haitian immigrants Literacy: age 15 and over but definition of literacy not available (1963) total population: 90% male: 90% female: 89% Labor force: 127,400 by occupation: government 30%, hotels and restaurants 25%, business services 10%, agriculture 5% (1989)

*The Bahamas, Government

Names: conventional long form: The Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas Digraph: BF Type: commonwealth Capital: Nassau Administrative divisions: 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK) Constitution: 10 July 1973 Legal system: based on English common law National holiday: National Day, 10 July (1973) Political parties and leaders: Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Sir Lynden O. PINDLING; Free National Movement (FNM), Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM; Vanguard Nationalist and Socialist Party (VNPS), Lionel CAREY, chairman; People's Democratic Force (PDF), Fred MITCHELL Other political or pressure groups: Vanguard Nationalist and Socialist Party (VNSP), a small leftist party headed by Lionel CAREY; Trade Union Congress (TUC), headed by Arlington MILLER Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: House of Assembly: last held 19 August 1992 (next to be held by August 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (49 total) FNM 32, PLP 17 Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an appointed upper house or Senate and a directly elected lower house or House of Assembly Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford DARLING (since 2 January 1992) Head of Government: Prime Minister Hubert INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) Member of: ACP, C, CCC, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

*The Bahamas, Government

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy Baswell DONALDSON chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 319-2660 consulates general: Miami and New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Chic HECHT embassy: Mosmar Building, Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau telephone: (809) 322-1181 or 328-2206 FAX: (809) 328-7838 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

*The Bahamas, Economy

Overview: The Bahamas is a stable, middle-income, developing nation whose economy is based primarily on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone provides about 50% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs about 50,000 people or 40% of the local work force. The economy has slackened in recent years, as the annual increase in the number of tourists slowed. Nonetheless, per capita GDP is one of the highest in the region. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.6 billion (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: 3% (1991) National product per capita: $10,200 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.2% (1991) Unemployment rate: 16% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $627.5 million; expenditures $727.5 million, including capital expenditures of $100 million (1992 est.) Exports: $306 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish partners: US 41%, Norway 30%, Denmark 4% Imports: $1.14 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, mineral fuels, crude oil partners: US 35%, Nigeria 21%, Japan 13%, Angola 11% External debt: $1.2 billion (December 1990) Industrial production: growth rate 3% (1990); accounts for 15% of GDP Electricity: 424,000 kW capacity; 929 million kWh produced, 3,599 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt production, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral welded steel pipe Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP; dominated by small-scale producers; principal products-citrus fruit, vegetables, poultry; large net importer of food Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $1.0 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $345 million Currency: 1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1-1.00 (fixed rate) Fiscal year: calendar year

*The Bahamas, Communications

Highways: 2,400 km total; 1,350 km paved, 1,050 km gravel Ports: Freeport, Nassau Merchant marine: 853 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,136,078 GRT/33,119,750 DWT; includes 53 passenger, 18 short-sea passenger, 159 cargo, 40 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 48 container, 6 vehicle carrier, 181 oil tanker, 14 liquefied gas, 22 combination ore/oil, 43 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 159 bulk, 7 combination bulk, 102 refrigerated cargo; note-a flag of convenience registry Airports: total: 60 usable: 55 with permanent-surface runways: 31 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3, 659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 26 Telecommunications: highly developed; 99,000 telephones in totally automatic system; tropospheric scatter and submarine cable links to Florida; broadcast stations-3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 3 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station