|
Inland waterways: about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas
Pipelines: crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas 1,800 km
Ports: Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai
Merchant marine: total: 851 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,195,386 GRT/27,292,044 DWT ships by type: bulk 210, cargo 63, chemical tanker 7, combination ore/oil 7, container 41, liquefied gas tanker 41, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 264, passenger 10, passenger-cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 48, roll-on/roll-off cargo 43, short-sea passenger 30, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 79 note: Japan owns an additional 1,537 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 45,490,202 DWT that operate under Panamanian, Liberian, Vanuatu, Bahamian, Singaporian, Cypriot, Philippines, Hong Kong, and Maltese registry
Airports: total: 175 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 6 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 31 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 36 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 30 with paved runways under 914 m: 70 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2
@Japan:Communications
Telephone system: 64,000,000 telephones; excellent domestic and international service local: NA intercity: NA international: 5 INTELSAT (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) earth stations; submarine cables to US (via Guam), Philippines, China, and Russia
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 318, FM 58, shortwave 0 radios: 95 million
Television: broadcast stations: 12,350 (1 kW or greater 196) televisions: 100 million
@Japan:Defense Forces
Branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 31,947,532; males fit for military service 27,494,758; males reach military age (18) annually 910,970 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $47.2 billion, 1% of GDP (FY95/96)
JARVIS ISLAND
(territory of the US)
@Jarvis Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to the Cook Islands
Map references: Oceania
Area: total area: 4.5 sq km land area: 4.5 sq km comparative area: about 7.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 8 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment: current issues: no natural fresh water resources natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard international agreements: NA
Note: sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats
@Jarvis Island:People
Population: uninhabited; note - Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators
@Jarvis Island:Government
Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jarvis Island
Digraph: DQ
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System
Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
@Jarvis Island:Economy
Overview: no economic activity
@Jarvis Island:Transportation
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island
Note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
@Jarvis Island:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
JERSEY
(British crown dependency)
@Jersey:Geography
Location: Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Map references: Europe
Area: total area: 117 sq km land area: 117 sq km comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 70 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Natural resources: agricultural land
Land use: arable land: 57% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA
Note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
@Jersey:People
Population: 86,649 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (female 7,029; male 7,450) 15-64 years: 69% (female 30,156; male 29,916) 65 years and over: 14% (female 7,202; male 4,896) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.7% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 12.83 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 9.97 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.9 years male: 73.81 years female: 80.32 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.44 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic divisions: UK and Norman-French descent
Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian
Languages: English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy: NA%
Labor force: NA
@Jersey:Government
Names: conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Jersey
Digraph: JE
Type: British crown dependency
Capital: Saint Helier
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system: English law and local statute
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) Head of Government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air Marshal Sir John SUTTON (since NA 1990); Bailiff Sir Peter L. CRILL (since NA) cabinet: committees; appointed by the States
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States: elections last held NA (next to be held NA); results - no percent of vote by party since all are independents; seats - (56 total, 52 elected) 52 independents
Judicial branch: Royal Court
Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
Member of: none
Diplomatic representation in US: none (British crown dependency)
US diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency)
Flag: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag
@Jersey:Economy
Overview: The economy is based largely on financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. In 1986 the finance sector overtook tourism as the main contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of the island's output. In recent years the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs.
National product: GDP $NA
National product real growth rate: 8% (1987 est.)
National product per capita: $NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $308 million expenditures: $284.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985)
Exports: $NA commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles partners: UK
Imports: $NA commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals partners: UK
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: capacity: 50,000 kW standby production: power supplied by France consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)
Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy
Agriculture: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; dairy and cattle farming
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Jersey pound (#J) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (#J) per US$1 - 0.6250 (January 1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Jersey:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA
Ports: Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Merchant marine: none
Airports: total: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
@Jersey:Communications
Telephone system: 63,700 telephones local: NA intercity: NA international: 3 submarine cables
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA
@Jersey:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
JOHNSTON ATOLL
(territory of the US)
@Johnston Atoll:Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands
Map references: Oceania
Area: total area: 2.8 sq km land area: 2.8 sq km comparative area: about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 10 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly flat with a maximum elevation of 4 meters
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until about 1890)
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment: current issues: no natural fresh water resources natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA
Note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to the public; former nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some low-growing vegetation
@Johnston Atoll:People
Population: 327 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: NA
Net migration rate: NA
Infant mortality rate: NA
Life expectancy at birth: NA
Total fertility rate: NA
@Johnston Atoll:Government
Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Johnston Atoll
Digraph: JQ
Type: unincorportated territory of the US administered by the US Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) and managed cooperatively by DNA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Capital: none
Diplomatic representation in US: none (territory of the US)
US diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)
Flag: the flag of the US is used
@Johnston Atoll:Economy
Overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Electricity: supplied by the management and operations contractor
@Johnston Atoll:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA
Ports: Johnston Island
Airports: total: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
@Johnston Atoll:Communications
Telephone system: NA telephones; excellent system including 60-channel submarine cable, Autodin/SRT terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), and UHF/VHF air-ground radio local: NA intercity: NA international: NA
Radio: broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: commercial satellite television system televisions: NA
@Johnston Atoll:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
JORDAN
(also see separate West Bank entry)
@Jordan:Geography
Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Map references: Middle East
Area: total area: 89,213 sq km land area: 88,884 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total 1,619 km, Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Coastline: 26 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil
Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0.5% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 0.5% other: 94%
Irrigated land: 570 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
@Jordan:People
Population: 4,100,709 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (female 884,462; male 930,266) 15-64 years: 53% (female 1,058,060; male 1,119,347) 65 years and over: 3% (female 53,709; male 54,865) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.69% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 37.32 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 4.02 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 32.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.27 years male: 70.43 years female: 74.21 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.25 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian
Ethnic divisions: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 8%
Languages: Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1991) total population: 83% male: 91% female: 75%
Labor force: 600,000 (1992) by occupation: industry 11.4%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 10.5%, construction 10.0%, transport and communications 8.7%, agriculture 7.4%, other services 52.0% (1992)
@Jordan:Government
Names: conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan conventional short form: Jordan local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah local short form: Al Urdun former: Transjordan
Digraph: JO
Type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Amman
Administrative divisions: 8 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Ma'an
Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Constitution: 8 January 1952
Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King HUSSEIN Bin Talal Al Hashimi (since 11 August 1952) head of government: Prime Minister Zayd BIN SHAKIR (since 8 January 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-'Umma) House of Notables (Majlis al-A'ayan): consists of a 40-member body appointed by the king from designated categories of public figures House of Representatives: elections last held 8 November 1993 (next to be held NA November 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (80 total) Muslim Brotherhood (fundamentalist) 16, Independent Islamic bloc (generally traditionalist) 6, Radical leftist 3, pro-government 55 note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the King several times since 1974 and in November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held
Judicial branch: Court of Cassation
Political parties and leaders: Al-'Ahd (Pledge) Party, Sec. Gen. 'Abd al-Hadi al-MAJALI; Al-Ahrar (Liberals) Party, Sec. Gen. Ahmad al-ZU'BI; Al-Hurriyah (Freedom) Party, Sec. Gen. Fawwaz al-ZUBI; Al-Watan (Homeland) Party, leader 'Akif al-FAYIZ; Al-Yaqazah (Awakening) Party, Sec. Gen. 'Abd al-Ra'uf al-RAWABIDAH; Constitutional Jordanian Arab Front Party, leader Milhim al-TALL; Democratic Arab Islamic Movement Party-Du'a', Sec. Gen. Yusuf Abu BAKR; Democratic Arab Unionist Party-Wad, Sec. Gen. Anis al-MU'ASHIR; Islamic Action Front (IAF), Sec. Gen. Ishaq al-FARHAN; Jordanian Arab Democratic Party, Sec. Gen. Mu'nis al-RAZZAZ; Jordanian Arab Masses Party, Sec. Gen. 'Abd al-Khaliq SHATAT; Jordanian Arab Socialist Ba'th Party, Command First Secretary Taysir al-HIMSI; Jordanian Communist Party (JCP), Sec. Gen. Ya'qub ZAYADIN; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party, Sec. Gen. 'Azmi al-KHAWAJA; Jordanian Democratic Progressive Party, Sec. Gen. 'Ali 'AMIR; Jordanian National Alliance Party, Sec. Gen. Mijhim al-KHURAYSHAH; Jordanian People's Democratic Party-Hashd, Sec. Gen. Taysir al-ZIBRI; Jordanian Socialist Democratic Party, Sec. Gen. 'Isa MADANAT; Pan-Arab Action Front Party, Sec. Gen. Muhammad al-ZU'BI; Popular Unity Party-the Unionists, Sec. Gen. Talal al-RAMAHI; Progress and Justice Party, Sec. Gen. 'Ali al-SA'D; Progressive Arab Ba'th Party, Command Secretary Mahmud al-MA'AYITAH; Al-Mustaqbal (Future) Party, Sec. Gen. Sulayman 'ARAR
Member of: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Fayiz A. TARAWNEH chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Wesley E. EGAN, Jr. embassy: Jabel Amman, Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 820101 FAX: [962] (6) 820159
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran
@Jordan:Economy
Overview: Jordan benefited from increased Arab aid during the oil boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when its annual real GNP growth averaged more than 10%. In the remainder of the 1980s, however, reductions in both Arab aid and worker remittances slowed real economic growth to an average of roughly 2% per year. Imports - mainly oil, capital goods, consumer durables, and food - outstripped exports, with the difference covered by aid, remittances, and borrowing. In mid-1989, the Jordanian Government began debt-rescheduling negotiations and agreed to implement an IMF-supported program designed to gradually reduce the budget deficit and implement badly needed structural reforms. The Persian Gulf crisis that began in August 1990, however, aggravated Jordan's already serious economic problems, forcing the government to shelve the IMF program, stop most debt payments, and suspend rescheduling negotiations. Aid from Gulf Arab states, worker remittances, and trade contracted; and refugees flooded the country, producing serious balance-of-payments problems, stunting GDP growth, and straining government resources. The economy rebounded in 1992, largely due to the influx of capital repatriated by workers returning from the Gulf, but the recovery was uneven throughout 1994. The government is implementing the reform program adopted in 1992 and continues to secure rescheduling and write-offs of its heavy foreign debt. Debt, poverty, and unemployment remain Jordan's biggest on-going problems.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $17 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 5.5% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $4,280 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 16% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2 billion expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $630 million (1995 est.)
Exports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures partners: India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, EU, Indonesia, UAE
Imports: $3.5 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods partners: EU, US, Iraq, Japan, Turkey
External debt: $6 billion (March 1995 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 3% (1993 est.); accounts for 20% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 1,050,000 kW production: 4.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,072 kWh (1993)
Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing
Agriculture: accounts for about 8% of GDP; wheat, barley, citrus fruit, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry; large net importer of food
Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.7 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.5 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $44 million
Currency: 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1 - 0.6994 (January 1995), 0.5987 (1994), 0.6928 (1993), 0.6797 (1992), 0.6808 (1991), 0.6636 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Jordan:Transportation
Railroads: total: 789 km narrow gauge: 789 km 1.050-m gauge
Highways: total: 7,500 km paved: asphalt 5,500 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 2,000 km
Pipelines: crude oil 209 km
Ports: Al'Aqabah
Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 61,678 GRT/113,080 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, oil tanker 1
Airports: total: 17 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 9 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
@Jordan:Communications
Telephone system: 81,500 telephones; adequate telephone system local: NA microwave, cable, and radio links intercity: NA international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station; coaxial cable and microwave to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria; microwave link to Lebanon is inactive; participant in MEDARABTEL, a microwave radio relay network linking Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 8 and 1 TV receive-only satellite link televisions: NA
@Jordan:Defense Forces
Branches: Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; includes Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, and Royal Jordanian Air Force); Ministry of the Interior's Public Security Force (falls under JAF only in wartime or crisis situations)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 981,004; males fit for military service 699,891; males reach military age (18) annually 45,494 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $564.2 million, 9.1% of GDP (1995 est.)
JUAN DE NOVA ISLAND
(possession of France)
@Juan De Nova Island:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique
Map references: Africa
Area: total area: 4.4 sq km land area: 4.4 sq km comparative area: about 7.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 24.1 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: claimed by Madagascar
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 90% other: 10%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: periodic cyclones international agreements: NA
Note: wildlife sanctuary
@Juan De Nova Island:People
Population: uninhabited
@Juan De Nova Island:Government
Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Juan de Nova
Digraph: JU
Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Capital: none; administered by France from Reunion
Independence: none (possession of France)
@Juan De Nova Island:Economy
Overview: no economic activity
@Juan De Nova Island:Transportation
Railroads: total: NA km; short line going to a jetty
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: total: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
@Juan De Nova Island:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
KAZAKHSTAN
@Kazakhstan:Geography
Location: Central Asia, northwest of China
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States - Central Asian States
Area: total area: 2,717,300 sq km land area: 2,669,800 sq km comparative area: slightly less than four times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total 12,012 km, China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) note: Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea (1,015 km) and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
International disputes: Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined
Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oasis and desert in Central Asia
Natural resources: major deposits of petroleum, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: NEGL% meadows and pastures: 57% forest and woodland: 4% other: 24%
Irrigated land: 23,080 sq km (1990)
Environment: current issues: radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its former defense industries and test ranges are found throughout the country and pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salinization from faulty irrigation practices natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Desertification
Note: landlocked
@Kazakhstan:People
Population: 17,376,615 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (female 2,589,509; male 2,664,952) 15-64 years: 63% (female 5,531,519; male 5,371,563) 65 years and over: 7% (female 820,900; male 398,172) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.62% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 19.26 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 7.93 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 40 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.25 years male: 63.61 years female: 73.13 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.43 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Kazakhstani(s) adjective: Kazakhstani
Ethnic divisions: Kazakh (Qazaq) 41.9%, Russian 37%, Ukrainian 5.2%, German 4.7%, Uzbek 2.1%, Tatar 2%, other 7.1% (1991 official data)
Religions: Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Languages: Kazakh (Qazaqz) official language spoken by over 40% of population, Russian (language of interethnic communication) spoken by two-thirds of population and used in everyday business
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 98% male: 99% female: 96%
Labor force: 7.356 million by occupation: industry and construction 31%, agriculture and forestry 26%, other 43% (1992)
@Kazakhstan:Government
Names: conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan conventional short form: Kazakhstan local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy local short form: none former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
Digraph: KZ
Type: republic
Capital: Almaty
Administrative divisions: 19 oblystar (singular - oblys) and 1 city (qalalar, singular - qala)*; Almaty Qalasy*, Almaty Oblysy, Aqmola Oblysy, Aqtobe Oblysy, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Kokshetau Oblysy, Mangghystau Oblysy (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Pavlodar Oblysy, Semey Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen; formerly Ust'-Kamenogorsk), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Petropavl), Taldyqorghan Oblysy, Torghay Oblysy, Zhambyl Oblysy, Zhezqazghan Oblysy note: names in parentheses are administrative centers when name differs from oblys name
Independence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 16 December (1991)
Constitution: adopted 28 January 1993
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Nursultan NAZARBAYEV (since NA April 1990); Vice President Yerik ASANBAYEV (since 1 December 1991); election last held 1 December 1991 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV ran unopposed; note - NAZARBAYEV has extended his term to the year 2000 by a nationwide referendum held 30 April 1995 head of government: Prime Minister Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN (since 12 October 1994); First Deputy Prime Ministers Nigmatzhan ISINGARIN (since 12 October 1994) and Vitalia METTE (since March 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council: elections last held 7 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (177 total) Union Peoples' Unity of Kazakhstan 33, Confederation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan 11, Peoples' Congress of Kazakhstan Party 9, Socialist Party of Kazakhstan 8, Peasant Union of the Republic Kazakhstan 4, Social Movement LAD 4, Organization of Veterans 1, Union of Youth of Kazakhstan 1, Democratic Committee for Human Rights 1, Association of Lawyers of Kazakhstan 1, International Public Committee "Aral-Asia-Kazakhstan" 1, Congress of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan 1, Deputies of the 12th Supreme Soviet 40, independents 62 note: the Supreme Council disbanded 12 March 1995 following a Constitutional Court ruling that the March 1994 elections were invalid
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: People's Unity Party (PUP; was Union of People's Unity), Kuanysh SULTANOV, chairman; People's Congress of Kazakhstan (PCK), Olzhas SULEYMENOV, chairman; Socialist Party of Kazakhstan (SPK; former Communist Party), Yermukhamet YERTYSHBAYEV, co-chairman; Republican Party (Azat), Kamal ORMANTAYEV, chairman; Democratic Progress (Russian) Party, Alexandra DOKUCHAYEVA, chairman; Confederation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Peasant Union of the Republic Kazakhstan (KPU); Social Movement LAD, V. MIKHAYLOV, chairman; Union of Youth of Kazakhstan; Democratic Committee for Human Rights; Association of Lawyers of Kazakhstan; International Public Committee "Aral-Asia-Kazakhstan"; Congress of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan; Deputies of the 12th Supreme Soviet; People's Cooperative Party, Umirzak SARSENOV, chairman; Organization of Veterans
Other political or pressure groups: Independent Trade Union Center (Birlesu; an association of independent trade union and business associations), Leonid SOLOMIN, president
Member of: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECO, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NACC, OIC (observer), OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tuleutai S. SULEYMENOV chancery: (temporary) 3421 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-4504 through 4507 FAX: [1] (202) 333-4509
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador William H. COURTNEY embassy: 99/97 Furmanova Street, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan 480012
mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (3272) 63-24-26 FAX: [7] (3272) 63-38-83
Flag: sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in yellow
@Kazakhstan:Economy
Overview: Kazakhstan, the second largest of the former Soviet states in territory, possesses enormous untapped fossil-fuel reserves as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also has considerable agricultural potential with its vast steppe lands accommodating both livestock and grain production. Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and processing of these natural resources and also on a relatively large machine building sector specializing in construction equipment, tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The breakup of the USSR and the collapse of demand for Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products have resulted in a sharp contraction of the economy since 1991, with the steepest annual decline occurring in 1994. The government has pursued a moderate program of economic reform and privatization which is gradually lifting state controls over economic activity and shifting assets into the private sector. Nevertheless, government control over key sectors of the economy remains strong. Sustained economic hardships and continued pressures from industrial elites will make it difficult for the government to sustain its policies of monetary and fiscal discipline which had brought down inflation by the end of 1994. Continued lack of pipeline transportation for expanded oil exports has closed off a likely source of economic recovery.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $55.2 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)
National product real growth rate: -25% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $3,200 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 24% per month (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1.1% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers (1994)
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports: $3.1 billion (1994) commodities: oil, ferrous and nonferrous metals, chemicals, grain, wool, meat, coal partners: Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Imports: $3.5 billion (1994) commodities: machinery and parts, industrial materials, oil and gas partners: Russia and other former Soviet republics, China
External debt: less than $1 billion debt to Russia
Industrial production: growth rate -28% (1994)
Electricity: capacity: 17,380,000 kW production: 65.1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,750 kWh (1994)
Industries: accounts for 26% of net national product; extractive industries (oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur), iron and steel, nonferrous metal, tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials
Agriculture: accounts for 20% of GDP; employs about 26% of the labor force; grain, mostly spring wheat; meat, cotton, wool
Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe and North America from Southwest Asia
Economic aid: recipient: approximately $1 billion in foreign loans and credits allocated in 1994; disbursements projected at $700 billion through 1995
Currency: national currency the tenge introduced on 15 November 1993
Exchange rates: tenges per US$1 - 54 (yearend 1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Kazakhstan:Transportation
Railroads: total: 14,460 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 14,460 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)
Highways: total: 189,000 km paved and graveled: 108,100 km unpaved: earth 80,900 km (1990)
Inland waterways: Syrdariya River, Ertis River
Pipelines: crude oil 2,850 km; refined products 1,500 km; natural gas 3,480 km (1992)
Ports: Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)
Airports: total: 352 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 7 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 23 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 9 with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 9 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 25 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 65 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 190
@Kazakhstan:Communications
Telephone system: 2.2 million telephones; telephone service is poor; about 17 telephones/100 persons in urban areas and 7.6 telephones/100 persons in rural areas; Almaty has 184,000 telephones local: NA intercity: land line and microwave radio relay international: international traffic with other former USSR republics and China carried by landline and microwave, and with other countries by satellite and through 8 international telecommunications circuits at the Moscow international gateway switch; INTELSAT earth station; new satellite earth station established at Almaty with Turkish financial help (December 1992) with 2500 channel band width
Radio: broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA radios: 4.088 million (with multiple speakers for program diffusion 6,082,000)
Television: broadcast stations: Orbita (TV receive only) earth station televisions: 4.75 million
@Kazakhstan:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Republic National Guard, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 4,513,089; males fit for military service 3,605,584; males reach military age (18) annually 154,280 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: 69.3 billion rubles, NA% of GDP (forecast for 1993); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
KENYA
@Kenya:Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
Map references: Africa
Area: total area: 582,650 sq km land area: 569,250 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
Land boundaries: total 3,446 km, Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
Coastline: 536 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary; possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis
Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
Terrain: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
Natural resources: gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barytes, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 4% other: 85%
Irrigated land: 520 sq km (1989)
Environment: current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification
Note: the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers on Mt. Kenya; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value
@Kenya:People
Population: 28,817,227 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (female 6,841,235; male 6,957,908) 15-64 years: 50% (female 7,277,061; male 7,085,925) 65 years and over: 2% (female 359,659; male 295,439) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.99% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 41.66 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 12.04 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -19.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 73.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 52.41 years male: 50.72 years female: 54.16 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.76 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan
Ethnic divisions: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, Asian, European, and Arab 1%, other 15%
Religions: Protestant (including Anglican) 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, other 8%
Languages: English (official), Swahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 71% male: 81% female: 62%
Labor force: by occupation: agriculture 75%-80% (1993 est.), non-agriculture 20%-25% (1993 est.)
@Kenya:Government
Names: conventional long form: Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya former: British East Africa
Digraph: KE
Type: republic
Capital: Nairobi
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
Independence: 12 December 1963 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
Constitution: 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, and 1992
Legal system: based on English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); Vice President George SAITOTI (since 10 May 1989); election last held on 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); results - President Daniel T. arap MOI was reelected with 37% of the vote; Kenneth Matiba (FORD-ASILI) 26%; Mwai Kibaki (SP) 19%, Oginga Odinga (FORD-Kenya) 17% cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Bunge): elections last held on 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (188 total) KANU 100, FORD-Kenya 31, FORD-Asili 31, DP 23, smaller parties 3; president nominates 12 additional members note: first multiparty election since repeal of one-party state law in 1991
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court
Political parties and leaders: ruling party is Kenya African National Union (KANU), President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI; opposition parties include Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD-Kenya), Michael WAMALWA; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD-Asili), Kenneth MATIBA; Democratic Party of Kenya (DP), Mwai KIBAKI
Other political or pressure groups: labor unions; Roman Catholic Church
Member of: ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIL, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Benjamin Edgar KIPKORIR chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia BRAZEAL embassy: corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (2) 334141 FAX: [254] (2) 340838
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center
@Kenya:Economy
Overview: Kenya in recent years has had one of the highest natural rates of growth in population, but the statistics have been complicated by the large-scale movement of nomadic groups and of Somalis back and forth across the border. Population growth has been accompanied by deforestation, deterioration in the road system, the water supply, and other parts of the infrastructure. In industry and services, Nairobi's reluctance to embrace IMF-supported reforms had held back investment and growth in 1991-93. Nairobi's push on economic reform in 1994, however, helped support a 3.3% increase in output.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $33.1 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 3.3% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $1,170 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 30% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 35% urban (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.4 billion expenditures: $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $740 million (1990 est.)
Exports: $1.45 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: tea 25%, coffee 18%, petroleum products 11% (1990) partners: EC 47%, Africa 23%, Asia 11%, US 4%, Middle East 3% (1991)
Imports: $1.85 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 29%, petroleum and petroleum products 15%, iron and steel 7%, raw materials, food and consumer goods (1989) partners: EC 46%, Asia 23%, Middle East 20%, US 5% (1991)
External debt: $7 billion (1994 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 3.9% (1991 est.); accounts for 14% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 810,000 kW production: 3.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 117 kWh (1993)
Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), processing agricultural products, oil refining, cement, tourism
Agriculture: most important sector, accounting for 27% of GDP and 65% of exports; cash crops - coffee, tea; food products - corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables, dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs
Illicit drugs: widespread harvesting of small, wild plots of marijuana and qat; most locally consumed; transit country for Southwest Asian heroin moving to West Africa and onward to Europe and North America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa
Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $839 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $7.49 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $74 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $83 million
Currency: 1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Kenyan shillings (KSh) per US$1 - 44.478 (January 1995), 56.051 (1994), 58.001 (1993), 32.217 (1992), 27.508 (1991), 22.915 (1990)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Kenya:Transportation
Railroads: total: 2,650 km narrow gauge: 2,650 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways: total: 64,590 km paved: 7,000 km unpaved: gravel 4,150 km; improved earth 53,440 km
Inland waterways: part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya
Pipelines: petroleum products 483 km
Ports: Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa
Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,883 GRT/6,255 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, oil tanker 1
Airports: total: 246 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 3 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 22 with paved runways under 914 m: 83 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 14 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 119
@Kenya:Communications
Telephone system: over 260,000 telephones; in top group of African systems local: NA intercity: consists primarily of microwave radio relay links international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) earth stations
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 4, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 6 televisions: NA
@Kenya:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service Unit of the Police
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 6,358,344; males fit for military service 3,932,506 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $136 million, 1.9% of GDP (FY93/94)
KINGMAN REEF
(territory of the US)
@Kingman Reef:Geography
Location: Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to American Samoa
Map references: Oceania
Area: total area: 1 sq km land area: 1 sq km comparative area: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 3 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds
Terrain: low and nearly level with a maximum elevation of about 1 meter
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes this a maritime hazard international agreements: NA
Note: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public
@Kingman Reef:People
Population: uninhabited
@Kingman Reef:Government
Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Kingman Reef
Digraph: KQ
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Navy, however it is awash the majority of the time, so it is not usable and is uninhabited
Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
@Kingman Reef:Economy
Overview: no economic activity
@Kingman Reef:Transportation
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938
@Kingman Reef:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
KIRIBATI
@Kiribati:Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator and the International Date Line, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Map references: Oceania
Area: total area: 717 sq km land area: 717 sq km comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,143 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 51% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 3% other: 46%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change
Note: 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia and Nauru
@Kiribati:People
Population: 79,386 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 1.95% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 31.25 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 12.31 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 98.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.16 years male: 52.56 years female: 55.78 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.73 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural) adjective: I-Kiribati
Ethnic divisions: Micronesian
Religions: Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)
Languages: English (official), Gilbertese
Literacy: NA%
Labor force: 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.)
@Kiribati:Government
Names: conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Kiribati former: Gilbert Islands
Digraph: KR
Type: republic
Capital: Tarawa
Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands note: in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island councils (Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina; note - one council for each of the inhabited islands)
Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Constitution: 12 July 1979
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994); Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); election last held on 30 September 1994 (next to be held by NA 1999) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president from an elected parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu): elections last held on 22 July 1994 (next to be held by NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (40 total; 39 elected) Maneaban Te Mauri 13, National Progressive Party 7, independents 19
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court
Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party, Teatao TEANNAKI; Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO; New Movement Party, leader NA; Liberal Party, Tewareka TENTOA; Maneaba Party, Roniti TEIWAKI; Maneaban Te Mauri, leader NA note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures
Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in US: Kiribati has no mission in the US
US diplomatic representation: the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati
Flag: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean
@Kiribati:Economy
Overview: A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few national resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Real GDP declined about 5% in 1987, as the fish catch fell sharply to only one-fourth the level of 1986 and copra production was hampered by repeated rains. Output rebounded strongly in 1988, with real GDP growing by 10%. The upturn in economic growth came from an increase in copra production and a good fish catch. GDP then fell by 2.2% in 1989 and by 2.9% in 1990, but has risen by about 3% annually in 1991-93. Foreign financial aid, largely from the UK and Japan, is a critical supplement to GDP, amounting to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $62 million (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate: 2.9% (1993 est.)
National product per capita: $800 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Budget: revenues: $29.6 million expenditures: $32.8 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1993 est.)
Exports: $4.2 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: copra 50%, seaweed 16%, fish 15% partners: Denmark, Fiji, US
Imports: $33.1 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel partners: Australia 40%, Japan 18%, Fiji 17%, NZ 6%, US 4% (1991)
External debt: $2 million (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 0.7% (1992 est.); accounts for less than 4% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 5,000 kW production: 13 million kWh consumption per capita: 131 kWh (1993)
Industries: fishing, handicrafts
Agriculture: accounts for 23% of GDP (including fishing); copra and fish contribute about 65% to exports; subsistence farming predominates; food crops - taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; not self-sufficient in food
Economic aid: recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $273 million
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3058 (January 1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990)
Fiscal year: NA
@Kiribati:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 640 km paved: NA unpaved: NA
Inland waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands
Ports: Banaba, Betio, English Harbor, Kanton
Merchant marine: total: 1 passenger-cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT
Airports: total: 21 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 5 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 11
@Kiribati:Communications
Telephone system: 1,400 telephones local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA
@Kiribati:Defense Forces
Branches: Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; there are small police posts on all islands); no military force is maintained
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP
KOREA, NORTH
@Korea, North:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and Russia
Map references: Asia
Area: total area: 120,540 sq km land area: 120,410 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Mississippi
Land boundaries: total 1,673 km, China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km
Coastline: 2,495 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm military boundary line: 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned
International disputes: short section of boundary with China is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea
Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
Terrain: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 18% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 74% other: 7%
Irrigated land: 14,000 sq km (1989)
Environment: current issues: localized air pollution attributable to inadequate industrial controls; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water natural hazards: late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
Note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated
@Korea, North:People
Population: 23,486,550 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (female 3,402,672; male 3,540,313) 15-64 years: 66% (female 7,840,465; male 7,741,155) 65 years and over: 4% (female 622,250; male 339,695) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.78% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 23.31 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 5.47 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 26.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.05 years male: 66.96 years female: 73.29 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.34 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean
Ethnic divisions: racially homogeneous
Religions: Buddhism and Confucianism, some Christianity and syncretic Chondogyo note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom
Languages: Korean
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write Korean (1990 est.) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99%
Labor force: 9.615 million by occupation: agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64% note: shortage of skilled and unskilled labor (mid-1987 est.)
@Korea, North:Government
Names: conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea conventional short form: North Korea local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk local short form: none note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country
Abbreviation: DPRK
Digraph: KN
Type: Communist state; Stalinist dictatorship
Capital: P'yongyang
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang Province), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon Province), Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (P'yongyang City), Yanggang-do (Yanggang Province)
Independence: 9 September 1948 note: 15 August 1945, date of independence from the Japanese and celebrated in North Korea as National Liberation Day
National holiday: DPRK Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)
Constitution: adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992
Legal system: based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: KIM Chong-il, is the son of and designated successor to former President KIM Il-song (who died 8 July 1994); formal succession has not yet taken place (January 1995); election last held 24 May 1990 (next to be held by NA); results - President KIM Il-song was reelected without opposition head of government: Premier KANG Song-san (since December 1992) cabinet: State Administration Council; appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui): elections last held on 7-9 April 1990 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (687 total) the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats
Judicial branch: Central Court
Political parties and leaders: major party - Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KIM Chong-il, secretary, Central Committee; Korean Social Democratic Party, KIM Pyong-sik, chairman; Chondoist Chongu Party, YU Mi-yong, chairwoman
Member of: ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: none
US diplomatic representation: none
Flag: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star
@Korea, North:Economy
Overview: More than 90% of this command economy is socialized; agricultural land is collectivized; and state-owned industry produces 95% of manufactured goods. State control of economic affairs is unusually tight even for a Communist country because of the small size and homogeneity of the society and the strict rule of KIM Il-song in the past and now his son, KIM Chong-il. Economic growth during the period 1984-88 averaged 2%-3%, but output declined by 3%-5% annually during 1989-92 because of systemic problems and disruptions in socialist-style economic relations with the former USSR and China. In 1992, output dropped sharply, by perhaps 7%-9%, as the economy felt the cumulative effect of the reduction in outside support. The leadership insisted on maintaining its high level of military outlays from a shrinking economic pie. Moreover, a serious drawdown in inventories and critical shortages in the energy sector have led to increasing interruptions in industrial production. Abundant mineral resources and hydropower have formed the basis of industrial development since World War II. Output of the extractive industries includes coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals. Manufacturing is centered on heavy industry, including military industry, with light industry lagging far behind. Despite the use of improved seed varieties, expansion of irrigation, and the heavy use of fertilizers, North Korea has not yet become self-sufficient in food production. Indeed, a shortage of arable lands, several years of poor harvests, and a cumbersome distribution system have resulted in chronic food shortages. The collapse of Communism in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in 1989-91 has disrupted important technological links. North Korea remains far behind South Korea in economic development and living standards. GDP is stagnant.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $21.3 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 0% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $920 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $19.3 billion expenditures: $19.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
Exports: $1.02 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural and fishery products, manufactures (including armaments) partners: China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Germany, Hong Kong
Imports: $1.64 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum, grain, coking coal, machinery and equipment, consumer goods partners: China, Russia, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Singapore
External debt: $8 billion (1992 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate -7% to -9% (1992 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 9,500,000 kW production: 50 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,053 kWh (1993)
Industries: machine building, military products, electric power, chemicals, mining, metallurgy, textiles, food processing
Agriculture: accounts for about 25% of GDP and 36% of work force; principal crops - rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; livestock and livestock products - cattle, hogs, pork, eggs; not self-sufficient in grain
Economic aid: recipient: Communist countries, $1.4 billion a year in the 1980s, but very little now
Currency: 1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon
Exchange rates: North Korean won (Wn) per US$1 - 2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990), 2.3 (December 1989)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Korea, North:Transportation
Railroads: total: 4,915 km standard gauge: 4,250 km 1.435-m gauge (3,397 km electrified; 159 km double track) narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge (1989)
Highways: total: 30,000 km paved: 1,861 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, earth 28,139 km (1992)
Inland waterways: 2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only
Pipelines: crude oil 37 km
Ports: Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan
Merchant marine: total: 87 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 727,631 GRT/1,149,291 DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 70, combination bulk 1, oil tanker 3, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: North Korea owns an additional 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling approximately 32,405 DWT that operate under Honduran registry
Airports: total: 49 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 5 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 12 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 6
@Korea, North:Communications
Telephone system: telephone system is believed to be available only to government officials and not to private individuals local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 earth station near P'yongyang, uses an Indian Ocean INTELSAT satellite; other international connections through Moscow and Beijing
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 18, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: 3.5 million
Television: broadcast stations: 11 televisions: 350,000 (1989)
@Korea, North:Defense Forces
Branches: Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil Security Forces
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 6,753,400; males fit for military service 4,094,854; males reach military age (18) annually 193,480 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - about $5 billion, 20%-25% of GDP (1991 est.); note - the officially announced but suspect figure is $2.2 billion (1994), about 12% of total spending
KOREA, SOUTH
@Korea, South:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea, south of North Korea
Map references: Asia
Area: total area: 98,480 sq km land area: 98,190 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Indiana
Land boundaries: total 238 km, North Korea 238 km
Coastline: 2,413 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 nm; 3 nm in the Korea Strait
International disputes: Demarcation Line with North Korea; Liancourt Rocks claimed by Japan
Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south
Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 21% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 67% other: 10%
Irrigated land: 13,530 sq km (1989)
Environment: current issues: air pollution in large cities; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; driftnet fishing natural hazards: occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; earthquakes in southwest international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
@Korea, South:People
Population: 45,553,882 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (female 5,280,998; male 5,640,789) 15-64 years: 71% (female 15,877,182; male 16,291,183) 65 years and over: 5% (female 1,554,512; male 909,218) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.04% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 15.63 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 6.18 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.89 years male: 67.69 years female: 74.29 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.66 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean
Ethnic divisions: homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)
Religions: Christianity 48.6%, Buddhism 47.4%, Confucianism 3%, pervasive folk religion (shamanism), Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) 0.2%
Languages: Korean, English widely taught in high school
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 96% male: 99% female: 94%
Labor force: 20 million by occupation: services and other 52%, mining and manufacturing 27%, agriculture, fishing, forestry 21% (1991)
@Korea, South:Government
Names: conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min'guk local short form: none note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Hanguk" to refer to their country
Abbreviation: ROK
Digraph: KS
Type: republic
Capital: Seoul
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 6 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-jikhalsi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-jikhalsi*, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-jikhalsi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-jikhalsi*, Taejon-jikhalsi*
Independence: 15 August 1948
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 August (1948)
Constitution: 25 February 1988
Legal system: combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President KIM Yong-sam (since 25 February 1993); election last held on 18 December 1992 (next to be held NA December 1997); results - KIM Yong-sam (DLP) 41.9%, KIM Tae-chung (DP) 33.8%, CHONG Chu-yong (UPP) 16.3%, other 8% head of government: Prime Minister YI Hong-ku (since 17 December 1994); Deputy Prime Minister HONG Chae-yong (since 4 October 1994) and Deputy Prime Minister KIM Tok (since 23 December 1994) cabinet: State Council; appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Kukhoe): elections last held on 24 March 1992; results - DLP 38.5%, DP 29.2%, Unification National Party (UNP) 17.3% (name later changed to UPP), other 15%; seats - (299 total) DLP 149, DP 97, UNP 31, other 22; the distribution of seats as of January 1994 was DLP 172, DP 96, UPP 11, other 20 note: the change in the distribution of seats reflects the fluidity of the current situation where party members are constantly switching from one party to another
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: majority party: Democratic Liberal Party (DLP), KIM Yong-sam, president opposition: Democratic Party (DP), YI Ki-taek, executive chairman; United People's Party (UPP), KIM Tong-kil, chairman; several smaller parties note: the DLP resulted from a merger of the Democratic Justice Party (DJP), Reunification Democratic Party (RDP), and New Democratic Republican Party (NDRP) on 9 February 1990
Other political or pressure groups: Korean National Council of Churches; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Student Associations; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Council of Labor Unions; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Veterans' Association; Federation of Korean Industries; Korean Traders Association
Member of: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador PAK Kun-u chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador James T. LANEY embassy: 82 Sejong-Ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, Seoul; APO AP 96205-0001 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845 consulate(s): Pusan
Flag: white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field
@Korea, South:Economy
Overview: The driving force behind the economy's dynamic growth has been the planned development of an export-oriented economy in a vigorously entrepreneurial society. Real GDP increased more than 10% annually between 1986 and 1991. This growth ultimately led to an overheated situation characterized by a tight labor market, strong inflationary pressures, and a rapidly rising current account deficit. As a result, in 1992, economic policy focused on slowing the growth rate of inflation and reducing the deficit. Annual growth slowed to 5%, still above the rate in most other countries of the world, and recovered to 6.3% in 1993. The economy expanded by 8.3% in 1994, driven by booming exports.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $508.3 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 8.3% (1994)
National product per capita: $11,270 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.6% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 2% (November 1994)
Budget: revenues: $63 billion expenditures: $63 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Exports: $96.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: electronic and electrical equipment, machinery, steel, automobiles, ships, textiles, clothing, footwear, fish partners: US 26%, Japan 17%, EU 14%
Imports: $102.3 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains partners: Japan 26%, US 24%, EU 15%
External debt: $44.1 billion (1993)
Industrial production: growth rate 12.1% (1994 est.); accounts for about 45% of GNP
Electricity: capacity: 26,940,000 kW production: 137 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,847 kWh (1993)
Industries: electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing
Agriculture: accounts for 8% of GDP and employs 21% of work force (including fishing and forestry); principal crops - rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; livestock and livestock products - cattle, hogs, chickens, milk, eggs; self-sufficient in food, except for wheat; fish catch of 2.9 million metric tons, seventh-largest in world
Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.9 billion; non-US countries (1970-89), $3 billion
Currency: 1 South Korean won (W) = 100 chun (theoretical)
Exchange rates: South Korean won (W) per US$1 - 790.48 (January 1995), 803.44 (1994), 802.67 (1993), 780.65 (1992), 733.35 (1991), 707.76 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Korea, South:Transportation
Railroads: total: 6,763 km standard gauge: 6,716 km 1.435-meter gauge (525 km electrified; 847 km double track) narrow gauge: 47 km 0.610-meter gauge
Highways: total: 63,200 km paved: expressways 1,550 km unpaved: NA undifferentiated: national highway 12,190 km; provincial, local roads 49,460 km (1991)
Inland waterways: 1,609 km; use restricted to small native craft
Pipelines: petroleum products 455 km
Ports: Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, Pohang, Pusan, Ulsan, Yosu
Merchant marine: total: 412 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,129,796 GRT/9,985,197 DWT ships by type: bulk 123, cargo 125, chemical tanker 17, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 61, liquefied gas tanker 13, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 51, refrigerated cargo 9, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 9
Airports: total: 114 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 14 with paved runways under 914 m: 63 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4
@Korea, South:Communications
Telephone system: 13.3 million telephones; excellent domestic and international services local: NA intercity: NA international: 3 INTELSAT (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) earth stations
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 79, FM 46, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 256 (1 kW or greater 57) televisions: NA
@Korea, South:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (Coast Guard)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 13,580,832; males fit for military service 8,701,742; males reach military age (18) annually 405,290 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $14 billion, 3.3% of GNP (1995 est.)
KUWAIT
@Kuwait:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
Map references: Middle East
Area: total area: 17,820 sq km land area: 17,820 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: total 464 km, Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
Coastline: 499 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands; ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim islands disputed by Saudi Arabia
Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 8% forest and woodland: 0% other: 92%
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification natural hazards: sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April, they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and duststorms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping
Note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
@Kuwait:People
Population: 1,817,397 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (female 302,908; male 319,659) 15-64 years: 64% (female 467,163; male 697,849) 65 years and over: 2% (female 13,476; male 16,342) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 7.46% (1995 est.) note: this rate reflects the continued post-Gulf crisis return of nationals and expatriates
Birth rate: 21.07 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 2.2 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 55.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.64 years male: 73.33 years female: 78.06 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.93 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti
Ethnic divisions: Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%
Religions: Muslim 85% (Shi'a 30%, Sunni 45%, other 10%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%
Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1985) total population: 74% male: 78% female: 69%
Labor force: 566,000 (1986) by occupation: services 45.0%, construction 20.0%, trade 12.0%, manufacturing 8.6%, finance and real estate 2.6%, agriculture 1.9%, power and water 1.7%, mining and quarrying 1.4% note: 70% of labor force non-Kuwaiti (1986)
@Kuwait:Government
Names: conventional long form: State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt
Digraph: KU
Type: nominal constitutional monarchy
Capital: Kuwait
Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al 'Ahmadi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, Hawalli, Al Farwaniyah
Independence: 19 June 1961 (from UK)
National holiday: National Day, 25 February (1948)
Constitution: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962
Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: adult males who resided in Kuwait before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21 note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for thirty years will be eligible to vote
Executive branch: chief of state: Amir Shaykh JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) head of government: Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978); Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the Prime Minister and approved by the Amir
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-umma): dissolved 3 July 1986; new elections were held on 5 October 1992 with a second election in the 14th and 16th constituencies held February 1993
Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: none
Other political or pressure groups: small, clandestine leftist and Shi'a fundamentalist groups are active; several groups critical of government policies are publicly active
Member of: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim Al SABAH chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER embassy: Bneid al-Gar (opposite the Kuwait International Hotel), Kuwait City mailing address: P.O. Box 77 SAFAT, 13001 SAFAT, Kuwait; Unit 69000, Kuwait; APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 2424151 through 2424159 FAX: [965] 2442855
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side
@Kuwait:Economy
Overview: Kuwait is a small and relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Kuwait has rebuilt its war-ravaged petroleum sector; its crude oil production reached at least 2.0 million barrels per day by the end of 1993. The government ran a sizable fiscal deficit in 1993. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP and 90% of export and government revenues. Kuwait lacks water and has practically no arable land, thus preventing development of agriculture. With the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Because of its high per capita income, comparable with Western European incomes, Kuwait provides its citizens with extensive health, educational, and retirement benefits. Per capita military expenditures are among the highest in the world. The economy improved moderately in 1994, with the growth in industry and finance, and should see further gains in 1995, especially if oil prices go up. The World Bank has urged Kuwait to push ahead with privatization, including in the oil industry, but the government will move slowly on this front. |
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