National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $30.7 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 9.3% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $16,900 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1993)

Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues: $9 billion expenditures: $13 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)

Exports: $10.5 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: oil partners: France 16%, Italy 15%, Japan 12%, UK 11%

Imports: $6.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing partners: US 35%, Japan 12%, UK 9%, Canada 9%

External debt: $7.2 billion (December 1989 est.) note: external debt has grown substantially in 1991 and 1992 to pay for restoration of war damage

Industrial production: growth rate NA%; accounts for NA% of GDP

Electricity: capacity: 7,070,000 kW production: 11 billion kWh consumption per capita: 6,007 kWh (1993)

Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, building materials, salt, construction

Agriculture: practically none; extensive fishing in territorial waters and Indian Ocean

Economic aid: donor: pledged bilateral aid to less developed countries (1979-89), $18.3 billion

Currency: 1 Kuwaiti dinar (KD) = 1,000 fils

Exchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1 - 0.2991 (January 1995), 0.2976 (1994), 0.3017 (1993), 0.2934 (1992), 0.2843 (1991), 0.2915 (1990)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Kuwait:Transportation

Railroads: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,270 km paved: bituminous 3,370 km unpaved: gravel, sand, earth 900 km (est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 877 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 165 km

Ports: Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Merchant marine: total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,202,558 GRT/3,618,527 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, container 3, liquefied gas tanker 7, livestock carrier 4, oil tanker 24

Airports: total: 8 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 3 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1

@Kuwait:Communications

Telephone system: NA telephones; civil network suffered extensive damage as a result of the Gulf war and reconstruction is still under way with some restored international and domestic capabilities local: NA intercity: NA international: earth stations destroyed during Gulf war and not rebuilt yet; temporary mobile satellite antennae provide international telecommunications; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; service to Iraq is nonoperational

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 3 televisions: NA

@Kuwait:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Guard

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 610,205; males fit for military service 363,735; males reach military age (18) annually 16,170 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $3.4 billion, 13.3% of GDP (1995)



KYRGYZSTAN

@Kyrgyzstan:Geography

Location: Central Asia, west of China

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States - Central Asian States

Area: total area: 198,500 sq km land area: 191,300 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries: total 3,878 km, China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area

Climate: dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain: peaks of Tien Shan rise to 7,000 meters, and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation

Natural resources: abundant hydroelectric potential; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: NEGL% meadows and pastures: 42% forest and woodland: 0% other: 51%

Irrigated land: 10,320 sq km (1990)

Environment: current issues: water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells, as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

Note: landlocked

@Kyrgyzstan:People

Population: 4,769,877 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 37% (female 868,108; male 888,479) 15-64 years: 57% (female 1,377,221; male 1,345,990) 65 years and over: 6% (female 185,807; male 104,272) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.5% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 25.97 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 7.32 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 45.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.13 years male: 63.92 years female: 72.56 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.31 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Kyrgyz(s) adjective: Kyrgyz

Ethnic divisions: Kirghiz 52.4%, Russian 21.5%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian 2.5%, German 2.4%, other 8.3%

Religions: Muslim 70%, Russian Orthodox NA%

Languages: Kirghiz (Kyrgyz) - official language, Russian widely used

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 97% male: 99% female: 96%

Labor force: 1.836 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 38%, industry and construction 21%, other 41% (1990)

@Kyrgyzstan:Government

Names: conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: none former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Digraph: KG

Type: republic

Capital: Bishkek

Administrative divisions: 6 oblasttar (singular - oblast) and 1 city* (singular - shaar); Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol) note: names in parentheses are administrative centers when name differs from oblast name

Independence: 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: National Day, 2 December; Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Constitution: adopted 5 May 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990); election last held 12 October 1991 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Askar AKAYEV won in uncontested election with 95% of vote and with 90% of electorate voting; note - president elected by Supreme Soviet 28 October 1990, then by popular vote 12 October 1991; AKAYEV won 96% of the vote in a referendum on his status as president on 30 January 1994 head of government: Prime Minister Apas DJUMAGULOV (since NA December 1993) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers; subordinate to the president

Legislative branch: bicameral Assembly of Legislatures: elections last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held no later than NA 1998); 35-member house to which 19 members have been elected so far; next round of runoffs scheduled for 19 April 1995 Assembly of Representatives: elections last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held no later than NA 1998); 70-member house to which 60 members have been elected so far; next round of runoffs scheduled for 19 April 1995 note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ishenbai KADYRBEKOV, chairman; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan (DMK), Kazat AKHMATOV, chairman; National Unity, German KUZNETSOV; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan (PCK), Sherali SYDYKOV, chairman; Democratic Movement of Free Kyrgyzstan (ErK), Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV, chairman; Republican Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan, A. ALIYEV

Other political or pressure groups: National Unity Democratic Movement; Peasant Party; Council of Free Trade Unions; Union of Entrepreneurs; Agrarian Party

Member of: AsDB, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Almas CHUKIN chancery: (temporary) Suite 705, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 347-3732, 3733, 3718 FAX: [1] (202) 347-3718

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Eileen A. MALLOY embassy: Erkindik Prospekt #66, Bishkek 720002 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (3312) 22-29-20, 22-27-77, 22-26-31, 22-24-73 FAX: [7] (3312) 22-35-51

Flag: red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kirghiz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kirghiz yurt

@Kyrgyzstan:Economy

Overview: Kyrgyzstan is one of the smallest and poorest states of the former Soviet Union. Its economy is heavily agricultural, growing cotton and tobacco on irrigated land in the south and grain in the foothills of the north and raising sheep and goats on mountain pastures. Its small and obsolescent industrial sector, concentrated around Bishkek, has traditionally relied on Russia and other CIS countries for customers and industrial inputs, including most of its fuel. Since 1990, the economy has contracted by almost 50% as subsidies from Moscow vanished and trade links with other former Soviet republics eroded. At the same time, the Kyrgyz government stuck to tight monetary and fiscal policies in 1994 that succeeded in reducing inflation from 23% per month in 1993 to 5.4% per month in 1994. Moreover, Kyrgyzstan has been the most successful of the Central Asian states in reducing state controls over the economy and privatizing state industries. Nevertheless, restructuring proved to be a slow and painful process in 1994 despite relatively large flows of foreign aid and continued progress on economic reform. The decline in output in 1995 may be much smaller, perhaps 5%, compared with an estimated 24% in 1994.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $8.4 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)

National product real growth rate: -24% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $1,790 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% per month (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 0.7% includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of unregistered unemployed and underemployed workers (1994)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exports: $116 million to countries outside the FSU (1994) commodities: wool, chemicals, cotton, ferrous and nonferrous metals, shoes, machinery, tobacco partners: Russia 70%, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and others

Imports: $92.4 million from countries outside the FSU (1994) commodities: grain, lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery, textiles, footwear partners: other CIS republics

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate -24% (1994 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 3,660,000 kW production: 12.7 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,700 kWh (1994)

Industries: small machinery, textiles, food-processing industries, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, and rare earth metals

Agriculture: wool, tobacco, cotton, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle), vegetables, meat, grapes, fruits and berries, eggs, milk, potatoes

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator 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: IMF aid commitments were $80 million in 1993 and $400 million in 1994

Currency: introduced national currency, the som (10 May 1993)

Exchange rates: soms per US$1 - 10.6 (yearend 1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Kyrgyzstan:Transportation

Railroads: total: 370 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 370 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

Highways: total: 30,300 km paved and graveled: 22,600 km unpaved: earth 7,700 km (1990)

Pipelines: natural gas 200 km

Ports: Ysyk-Kol (Rybach'ye)

Airports: total: 54 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 4 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 32

@Kyrgyzstan:Communications

Telephone system: 342,000 telephones (1991); 76 telephones/1,000 persons (December 1991); poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones local: NA intercity: principally by microwave radio relay international: connections with other CIS countries by landline or microwave and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; 1 GORIZONT and 1 INTELSAT satellite link through Ankara to 200 other countries

Radio: broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA radios: 825,000 (radio receiver systems with multiple speakers for program diffusion 748,000)

Television: broadcast stations: NA; note - receives Turkish broadcasts televisions: 875,000

@Kyrgyzstan:Defense Forces

Branches: National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Civil Defense

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,154,683; males fit for military service 934,167; males reach military age (18) annually 44,526 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP



LAOS

@Laos:Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total area: 236,800 sq km land area: 230,800 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries: total 5,083 km, Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: boundary dispute with Thailand

Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 58% other: 35%

Irrigated land: 1,554 sq km (1992 est.)

Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water natural hazards: floods, droughts, and blight international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Note: landlocked

@Laos:People

Population: 4,837,237 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (female 1,084,615; male 1,111,928) 15-64 years: 51% (female 1,280,142; male 1,199,149) 65 years and over: 4% (female 86,390; male 75,013) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.84% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 42.64 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 14.28 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 99.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 52.2 years male: 50.66 years female: 53.81 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.98 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic divisions: Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Religions: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%

Languages: Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992) total population: 50% male: 65% female: 35%

Labor force: 1 million-1.5 million by occupation: agriculture 80% (1992 est.)

@Laos:Government

Names: conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: none

Digraph: LA

Type: Communist state

Capital: Vientiane

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday: National Day, 2 December (1975) (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic)

Constitution: promulgated 14 August 1991

Legal system: based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President NOUHAK PHOUMSAVAN (since 25 November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Gen. KHAMTAI SIPHANDON (since 15 August 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president, approved by the Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly: elections last held on 20 December 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (85 total) number of seats by party NA

Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court

Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president; other parties proscribed

Other political or pressure groups: non-Communist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975

Member of: ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador HIEM PHOMMACHANH chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416, 6417 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Victor L. TOMSETH embassy: Rue Bartholonie, Vientiane mailing address: B. P. 114, Vientiane; American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585 FAX: [856] (21) 212584

Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

@Laos:Economy

Overview: The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official Communist states - has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise since 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, have been striking - growth has averaged 7.5% annually since 1988. Even so, Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. In non-drought years, Laos is self-sufficient overall in food, but each year flood, pests, and localized drought cause shortages in various parts of the country. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend on aid from the IMF and other international sources; aid from the former USSR and Eastern Europe has been cut sharply. As in many developing countries, deforestation and soil erosion will hamper efforts to maintain the high rate of GDP growth.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $4 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 8.4% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $850 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 21% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA

Exports: $277 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: electricity, wood products, coffee, tin, garments partners: Thailand 57%, Germany 10%, France 10%, Japan 5% (1991)

Imports: $528 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures partners: Thailand 55%, Japan 16%, China 8%, Italy 4% (1991)

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate 7.5% (1992 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP (1992 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 260,000 kW production: 870 million kWh consumption per capita: 44 kWh (1993)

Industries: tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction

Agriculture: principal crops - rice (80% of cultivated land), sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, cotton; livestock - buffaloes, hogs, cattle, poultry

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, opium poppy for the international drug trade, fourth largest opium producer (85 metric tons in 1994); heroin producer; increasingly used as transshipment point for heroin produced in Burma

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $276 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $605 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $995 million; international assistance in loans and grant aid (1993/94) $217.7 million

Currency: 1 new kip (NK) = 100 at

Exchange rates: new kips (NK) per US$1 - 717 (1994 est.), 720 (July 1993). 710 (May 1992), 710 (December 1991), 700 (September 1990), 576 (1989)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

@Laos:Transportation

Railroads: 0 km

Highways: total: 14,130 km paved: 2,260 km unpaved: 11,870 km (1992 est.)

Inland waterways: about 4,587 km, primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional kilometers are sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m

Pipelines: petroleum products 136 km

Ports: none

Merchant marine: total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT

Airports: total: 52 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 25 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 17

@Laos:Communications

Telephone system: 7,390 telephones (1986); service to general public very poor; radio communications network provides generally erratic service to government users local: 16 telephone lines per 1,000 people intercity: radio communications international: 1 earth station

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 2 televisions: NA

@Laos:Defense Forces

Branches: Lao People's Army (LPA; includes riverine naval and militia elements), Air Force, National Police Department

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,051,105; males fit for military service 567,017; males reach military age (18) annually 51,437 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $105 million, 8.1% of GDP (FY92/93)



LATVIA

@Latvia:Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 64,100 sq km land area: 64,100 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total 1,078 km, Belarus 141 km, Estonia 267 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km

Coastline: 531 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

International disputes: the Abrene section of border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944

Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters

Terrain: low plain

Natural resources: minimal; amber, peat, limestone, dolomite

Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 13% forest and woodland: 39% other: 21%

Irrigated land: 160 sq km (1990)

Environment: current issues: air and water pollution because of a lack of waste conversion equipment; Gulf of Riga and Daugava River heavily polluted; contamination of soil and groundwater with chemicals and petroleum products at military bases natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

@Latvia:People

Population: 2,762,899 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (female 294,521; male 304,830) 15-64 years: 65% (female 933,003; male 870,128) 65 years and over: 13% (female 247,476; male 112,941) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.5% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 13.71 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 12.49 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 21 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.65 years male: 64.6 years female: 74.95 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian

Ethnic divisions: Latvian 51.8%, Russian 33.8%, Byelorussian 4.5%, Ukrainian 3.4%, Polish 2.3%, other 4.2%

Religions: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Languages: Lettish (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 99%

Labor force: 1.407 million by occupation: industry and construction 41%, agriculture and forestry 16%, other 43% (1990)

@Latvia:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Digraph: LG

Type: republic

Capital: Riga

Administrative divisions: 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Leipaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preiju Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons

Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 November (1918)

Constitution: newly elected Parliament in 1993 restored the 1933 constitution

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Guntis ULMANIS (since 7 July 1993); Parliament (Saeima) elected President ULMANIS in the third round of balloting on 7 July 1993 head of government: Prime Minister Maris GAILIS (since September 1994)

cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the Supreme Council

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Saeima): elections last held 5-6 June 1993 (next to be held NA October 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (100 total) LC 36, LNNK 15, Concord for Latvia 13, LZS 12, Equal Rights 7, LKDS 6, TUB 6, DCP 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Latvian Way Union (LC), Valdis BIRKAVS; Latvian Farmers Union (LZS), Alvars BERKIS; Latvian National Independence Movement (LNNK), Andrejs KRASTINS, Aristids LAMBERGS, cochairmen; Concord for Latvia, Janis JURKANS; Equal Rights, Sergejs DIMANIS; Christian Democrat Union (LKDS), Peteris CIMDINS, Andris SAULITIS, Janis RUSKO; Fatherland and Freedom (TUB), Maris GRINBLATS, Roberts MILBERGS, Oigerts DZENTIS; Democratic Center (DCP), Ints CALITIS; Popular Front of Latvia (LTF), Uldis AUGSTKALNS

Member of: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ojars Eriks KALNINS chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Ints M, SILINS embassy: Raina Boulevard 7, Riga 226050 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [371] (2) 213-962 FAX: [371] 882-0047 (cellular)

Flag: two horizontal bands of maroon (top and bottom), white (middle, narrower than other two bands)

@Latvia:Economy

Overview: Latvia is rapidly becoming a dynamic market economy, rivaled only by Estonia among the former Soviet states in the speed of its transformation. However, the transition has been painful; in 1994 the IMF reported a 2% growth in GDP, following steep declines in 1992-93. The government's tough monetary policies and reform program have kept inflation at less than 2% a month, supported a dynamic private sector now accounting for more than half of GDP, and spurred the growth of trade ties with the West. Much of agriculture is already privatized and the government plans to step up the pace of privatization of state enterprises. Latvia thus is in the midst of recovery, helped by the country's strategic location on the Baltic Sea, its well-educated population, and its diverse - albeit largely obsolete - industrial structure.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)

National product real growth rate: 2% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $4,480 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.9% (monthly average 1994)

Unemployment rate: 6.5% (December 1994)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exports: $1 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: oil products, timber, ferrous metals, dairy products, furniture, textiles partners: Russia, Germany, Sweden, Belarus

Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: fuels, cars, ferrous metals, chemicals partners: Russia, Germany, Sweden, Ukraine

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate -9.5% (1994 est.); accounts for 27% of GDP

Electricity: capacity: 2,080,000 kW production: 5.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,864 kWh (1993)

Industries: highly diversified; dependent on imports for energy, raw materials, and intermediate products; produces buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles

Agriculture: principally dairy farming and livestock feeding; products - meat, milk, eggs, grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; fishing and fish packing

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe; limited producer of illicit opium; mostly for domestic consumption; also produces illicit amphetamines for export

Economic aid: $NA

Currency: 1 lat = 100 cents; introduced NA March 1993

Exchange rates: lats per US$1 - 0.55 (December 1994), 0.5917 (January 1994), 1.32 (March 1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Latvia:Transportation

Railroads: total: 2,400 km broad gauge: 2,400 km 1.520-m gauge (270 km electrified)

Highways: total: 59,500 km paved and graveled: 33,000 km unpaved: earth 26,500 km (1990)

Inland waterways: 300 km perennially navigable

Pipelines: crude oil 750 km; refined products 780 km; natural gas 560 km (1992)

Ports: Daugavpils, Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils

Merchant marine: total: 85 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 774,182 GRT/1,010,517 DWT

ships by type: cargo 17, oil tanker 37, refrigerated cargo 24, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7

Airports: total: 50 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 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: 27 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 10

@Latvia:Communications

Telephone system: 660,000 telephones; 240 telephones/1,000 persons (1993); Latvia is better provided with telephone service than most of the other former Soviet republics; an NMT-450 analog cellular telephone network covers 75% of Latvia's population local: NA intercity: NA international: international traffic carried by leased connection to the Moscow international gateway switch and through the new Ericsson AXE local/transit digital telephone exchange in Riga and through the Finnish cellular net; electronic mail capability by Sprint data network

Radio: broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: NA televisions: NA

@Latvia:Defense Forces

Branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 658,193; males fit for military service 517,896; males reach military age (18) annually 18,736 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: 176 million rubles, 3% to 5% of GDP (1994); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the prevailing exchange rate could produce misleading results



LEBANON

Note—Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions and regaining its national sovereignty since the end of the devastating 16-year civil war which began in 1975. Under the Ta'if accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process. Since December 1990, the Lebanese have formed three cabinets and conducted the first legislative election in 20 years. Most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) has seized vast quantities of weapons used by the militias during the war and extended central government authority over about one-half of the country. Hizballah, the radical Sh'ia party, retains most of its weapons. Foreign forces still occupy areas of Lebanon. Israel maintains troops in southern Lebanon and continues to support a proxy militia, The Army of South Lebanon (ASL), along a narrow stretch of territory contiguous to its border. The ASL's enclave encompasses this self-declared security zone and about 20 kilometers north to the strategic town of Jazzine. As of December 1993, Syria maintained about 30,000-35,000 troops in Lebanon. These troops are based mainly in Beirut, North Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley. Syria's deployment was legitimized by the Arab League early in Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if accord. Citing the continued weakness of the LAF, Beirut's requests, and failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if accord, Damascus has so far refused to withdraw its troops from Beirut.

@Lebanon:Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria

Map references: Middle East

Area: total area: 10,400 sq km land area: 10,230 sq km comparative area: about 0.8 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total 454 km, Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Coastline: 225 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: separated from Israel by the 1949 Armistice Line; Israeli troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976

Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Terrain: narrow coastal plain; Al Biqa' (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region

Land use: arable land: 21% permanent crops: 9% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 8% other: 61%

Irrigated land: 860 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills natural hazards: duststorms, sandstorms international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Note: Nahr al Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity

@Lebanon:People

Population: 3,695,921 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (female 657,403; male 682,757) 15-64 years: 58% (female 1,131,450; male 1,016,859) 65 years and over: 6% (female 111,585; male 95,867) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.15% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 27.9 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6.44 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 38 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.69 years male: 67.22 years female: 72.28 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.31 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Lebanese (singular and plural) adjective: Lebanese

Ethnic divisions: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Religions: Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant), Judaism NEGL%

Languages: Arabic (official), French (official), Armenian, English

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 80% male: 88% female: 73%

Labor force: 650,000 by occupation: industry, commerce, and services 79%, agriculture 11%, government 10% (1985)

@Lebanon:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Lebanon conventional short form: Lebanon local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah local short form: none

Digraph: LE

Type: republic

Capital: Beirut

Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Biqa, 'Al Janub, Ash Shamal, Bayrut, Jabal Lubnan

Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution: 23 May 1926, amended a number of times

Legal system: mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ilyas HARAWI (since 24 November 1989); note - by custom, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslim head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI (since 22 October 1992) cabinet: Cabinet; chosen by the president in consultation with the members of the National Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly: (Arabic - Majlis Alnuwab, French - Assemblee Nationale) Lebanon's first legislative election in 20 years was held in the summer of 1992; the National Assembly is composed of 128 deputies, one-half Christian and one-half Muslim; its mandate expires in 1996

Judicial branch: four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders: political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations

Member of: ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Riyad TABBARAH chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324 consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: (vacant) embassy: Antelias, Beirut address: P. O. Box 70-840, Beirut; PSC 815, Box 2, Beirut; FPO AE 09836-0002 telephone: [961] (1) 402200, 403300, 416502, 426183, 417774 FAX: [961] (1) 407112

Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band

@Lebanon:Economy

Overview: The 1975-1991 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. A tentative peace has enabled the central government to begin restoring control in Beirut, collect taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. The battered economy has also been propped up by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers. Family remittances, banking transactions, manufactured and farm exports, the narcotics trade, and international emergency aid are the main sources of foreign exchange. In the relatively settled year of 1991, industrial production, agricultural output, and exports showed substantial gains. The further rebuilding of the war-ravaged country was delayed in 1992 because of an upturn in political wrangling. In October 1992, Rafiq HARIRI was appointed Prime Minister. HARIRI, a wealthy entrepreneur, announced ambitious plans for Lebanon's reconstruction which involve a substantial influx of foreign aid and investment. Progress on restoring basic services is limited. Since Prime Minister HARIRI's appointment, the most significant improvement lies in the stabilization of the Lebanese pound, which had gained over 30% in value by yearend 1993. The years 1993 and 1994 were marked by efforts of the new administration to encourage domestic and foreign investment and to obtain additional international assistance. The construction sector led the 8.5% advance in real GDP in 1994.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $15.8 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 8.5% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $4,360 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 35% (1993 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.4 billion expenditures: $3.2 billion (1994 est.)

Exports: $925 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: agricultural products, chemicals, textiles, precious and semiprecious metals and jewelry, metals and metal products partners: Saudi Arabia 21%, Switzerland 9.5%, Jordan 6%, Kuwait 12%, US 5%

Imports: $4.1 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: consumer goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products partners: Italy 14%, France 12%, US 6%, Turkey 5%, Saudi Arabia 3%

External debt: $765 million (1994 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 25% (1993 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 1,220,000 kW production: 2.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 676 kWh (1993)

Industries: banking, food processing, textiles, cement, oil refining, chemicals, jewelry, some metal fabricating

Agriculture: principal products - citrus fruits, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco, hemp (hashish), sheep, goats; not self-sufficient in grain

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of hashish and heroin for the international drug trade; hashish production is shipped to Western Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America; increasingly a key locus of cocaine processing and trafficking; a Lebanese/Syrian 1994 eradication campaign eliminated the opium crop and caused a 50% decrease in the cannabis crop

Economic aid: the government estimates that it has received $1.7 billion in aid and has an additional $725 million in commitments to support its $3 billion National Emergency Recovery Program

Currency: 1 Lebanese pound (#L) = 100 piasters

Exchange rates: Lebanese pounds (#L) per US$1 - 1,644.6 (January 1995), 1,680.1 (1994), 1,741.4 (1993), 1,712.8 (1992), 928.23 (1991), 695.09 (1990)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Lebanon:Transportation

Railroads: total: 222 km standard gauge: 222 km 1.435-m note: system in disrepair, considered inoperable

Highways: total: 7,300 km paved: 6,200 km unpaved: gravel 450 km; improved earth 650 km

Pipelines: crude oil 72 km (none in operation)

Ports: Al Batrun, Al Mina, An Naqurah, Antilyas, Az Zahrani, Beirut, Jubayl, Juniyah, Shikka Jadidah, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre

Merchant marine: total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 260,383 GRT/381,937 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 41, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, livestock carrier 6, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 2

Airports: total: 9 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 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: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1

@Lebanon:Communications

Telephone system: 325,000 telephones; 95 telephones/1,000 persons; telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding still underway local: NA intercity: primarily microwave radio relay and cable international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) earth stations (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0; note - numerous AM and FM stations are operated sporadically by various factions radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 13 televisions: NA

@Lebanon:Defense Forces

Branches: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 857,698; males fit for military service 533,640 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $278 million, 5.5% of GDP (1994)



LESOTHO

@Lesotho:Geography

Location: Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 30,350 sq km land area: 30,350 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total 909 km, South Africa 909 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: none

Climate: temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain: mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Natural resources: water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 66% forest and woodland: 0% other: 24%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project will control, store, and redirect water to South Africa natural hazards: periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Note: landlocked; surrounded by South Africa

@Lesotho:People

Population: 1,992,960 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (female 407,213; male 416,709) 15-64 years: 54% (female 558,106; male 520,961) 65 years and over: 5% (female 51,809; male 38,162) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.44% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 33.39 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 8.96 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 67.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.56 years male: 60.74 years female: 64.43 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.41 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) adjective: Basotho

Ethnic divisions: Sotho 99.7%, Europeans 1,600, Asians 800

Religions: Christian 80%, rest indigenous beliefs

Languages: Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1966) total population: 59% male: 44% female: 68%

Labor force: 689,000 economically active by occupation: 86.2% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 60% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa

@Lesotho:Government

Names: conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland

Digraph: LT

Type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Maseru

Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution: 2 April 1993

Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King MOSHOESHOE II (since February 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Ntsu MOKHEHLE (since 2 April 1993) cabinet: Cabinet

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consisting of the Assembly or lower house whose members are chosen by popular election and the Senate or upper house whose members consist of the 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party; election last held in March 1993 (first since 1971); all 65 seats in the Assembly were won by the BCP

Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal, Magistrate's Court, customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders: Basotho National Party (BNP), Evaristus SEKHONYANA; Basotho Congress Party (BCP), Ntsu MOKHEHLE; National Independent Party (NIP), A. C. MANYELI; Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), Vincent MALEBO; United Democratic Party, Charles MOFELI; Communist Party of Lesotho (CPL), Jacob M. KENA

Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Mokhali A. LITHEBE (since 2 July 1994) chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Myrick BISMARCK embassy: address NA, Maseru mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 312666 FAX: [266] 310116

Flag: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner

@Lesotho:Economy

Overview: Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho has no important natural resources other than water. Its economy is based on agriculture, light manufacturing, and remittances from laborers employed in South Africa (these remittances supplement domestic income by as much as 45%). The great majority of households gain their livelihoods from subsistence farming and migrant labor; a large portion of the adult male work force is employed in South African mines. Manufacturing depends largely on farm products to support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries; other industries include textile, clothing, and construction. Although drought has decreased agricultural activity over the past few years, improvement of a major hydropower facility will permit the sale of water to South Africa and allow Lesotho's economy to continue its moderate growth.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.6 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 6% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $1,340 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 13.9% (1993)

Unemployment rate: substantial unemployment and underemployment

Budget: revenues: $438 million expenditures: $430 million, including capital expenditures of $155 million (FY93/94 est.)

Exports: $109 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: wool, mohair, wheat, cattle, peas, beans, corn, hides, skins, baskets partners: South Africa 42%, EC 28%, North and South America 25% (1991)

Imports: $964 million (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: mainly corn, building materials, clothing, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum partners: South Africa 94%, Asia 3%, EC 1% (1991)

External debt: $512 million (1993)

Industrial production: growth rate 10%; accounts for 17% of GDP (1993 est.)

Electricity: power supplied by South Africa

Industries: food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts, tourism

Agriculture: accounts for 50% of GDP (1993 est.); exceedingly primitive, mostly subsistence farming and livestock; principal crops corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $268 million; US (1992), $10.3 million; US (1993 est.), $10.1 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $819 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $4 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $14 million

Currency: 1 loti (L) = 100 lisente

Exchange rates: maloti (M) per US$1 - 3.5389 (January 1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990); note - the Basotho loti is at par with the South African rand

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Lesotho:Transportation

Railroads: total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways: total: 7,215 km paved: 572 km unpaved: gravel, stabilized earth 2,337 km; improved earth 1,806 km; unimproved earth 2,500 km (1988)

Ports: none

Airports: total: 29 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 23 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4

@Lesotho:Communications

Telephone system: 5,920 telephones; rudimentary system local: NA intercity: consists of a few land lines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radio communication system international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

@Lesotho:Defense Forces

Branches: Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air Wing), Lesotho Mounted Police

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 453,844; males fit for military service 244,767 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $25 million, NA% of GDP (1994)



LIBERIA

@Liberia:Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 111,370 sq km land area: 96,320 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries: total 1,585 km, Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km

Coastline: 579 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast

Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 39% other: 55%

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: tropical rain forest subject to deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of rivers from the dumping of iron ore tailings and of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

@Liberia:People

Population: 3,073,245 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (female 674,155; male 680,952) 15-64 years: 52% (female 768,147; male 844,326) 65 years and over: 4% (female 55,575; male 50,090) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.32% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 43.08 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 12.05 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) note: if the Ghanaian-led peace negotiations, under way in 1995, are successful, many Liberian refugees may return from exile

Infant mortality rate: 110.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 58.17 years male: 55.67 years female: 60.75 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.3 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian

Ethnic divisions: indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella), Americo-Liberians 5% (descendants of former slaves)

Religions: traditional 70%, Muslim 20%, Christian 10%

Languages: English 20% (official), Niger-Congo language group about 20 local languages come from this group

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 40% male: 50% female: 29%

Labor force: 510,000 including 220,000 in the monetary economy by occupation: agriculture 70.5%, services 10.8%, industry and commerce 4.5%, other 14.2% note: non-African foreigners hold about 95% of the top-level management and engineering jobs

@Liberia:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia

Digraph: LI

Type: republic

Capital: Monrovia

Administrative divisions: 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, Sinoe

Independence: 26 July 1847

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution: 6 January 1986

Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: Chairman of the Council of State David KPOMAKPOR (since March 1994); election last held on 15 October 1985; results - Gen. Dr. Samuel Kanyon DOE (NDPL) 50.9%, Jackson DOE (LAP) 26.4%, other 22.7% note: constitutional government ended in September 1990 when President Samuel Kanyon DOE was killed by rebel forces; civil war ensued and in July 1993 the Cotonou Peace Treaty was negotiated by the major warring factions under UN auspices; a transitional coalition government under David KROMAKPOR was formed in March 1994 but has been largely ineffective and unable to implement the provisions of the peace treaty; Ghanaian-led negotiations are now underway to seat a new interim government that would oversee elections proposed for late 1995

cabinet: Cabinet; selected by the leaders of the major factions in the civil war

Legislative branch: unicameral Transitional Legislative Assembly, the members of which are appointed by the leaders of the major factions in the civil war note: the former bicameral legislature no longer exists and there is no assurance that it will be reconstituted very soon

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL), Augustus CAINE, chairman; Liberian Action Party (LAP), Emmanuel KOROMAH, chairman; Unity Party (UP), Joseph KOFA, chairman; United People's Party (UPP), Gabriel Baccus MATTHEWS, chairman; National Patriotic Party (NPP), Charles TAYLOR, chairman; Liberian Peoples Party (LPP), Dusty WOLOKOLLIE, chairman

Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Konah K. BLACKETT chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437 consulate(s) general: New York

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d' Affaires William P. TWADDELL embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, Monrovia mailing address: P. O. Box 100098, Mamba Point, Monrovia telephone: [231] 222991 through 222994 FAX: [231] 223710

Flag: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

@Liberia:Economy

Overview: Civil war since 1990 has destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Many will not return. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products, while local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. Political instability threatens prospects for economic reconstruction and repatriation of some 750,000 Liberian refugees who have fled to neighboring countries. The political impasse between the interim government and rebel leader Charles TAYLOR has prevented restoration of normal economic life, including the re-establishment of a strong central government with effective economic development programs. The economy deteriorated further in 1994.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.3 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: NA%

National product per capita: $770 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $242.1 million expenditures: $435.4 million, including capital expenditures of $29.5 million (1989 est.)

Exports: $505 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.) commodities: iron ore 61%, rubber 20%, timber 11%, coffee partners: US, EC, Netherlands

Imports: $394 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.) commodities: mineral fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, rice and other foodstuffs partners: US, EC, Japan, China, Netherlands, ECOWAS

External debt: $2.1 billion (September 1993 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate NA% (1993-94); much industrial damage caused by factional warfare

Electricity: capacity: 330,000 kW production: 440 million kWh consumption per capita: 143 kWh (1993)

Industries: rubber processing, food processing, construction materials, furniture, palm oil processing, mining (iron ore, diamonds)

Agriculture: accounts for about 40% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); principal products - rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava, palm oil, sugarcane, bananas, sheep, goats; not self-sufficient in food, imports 25% of rice consumption

Illicit drugs: increasingly a transshipment point for heroin and cocaine

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $665 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $870 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $25 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $77 million

Currency: 1 Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1 - 1.00 (officially fixed rate since 1940); unofficial parallel exchange rate of US$1 - L$7 (January 1992), unofficial rate floats against the US dollar

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Liberia:Transportation

Railroads: total: 490 km (single track); note - three rail systems owned and operated by foreign steel and financial interests in conjunction with Liberian Government; one of these, the Lamco Railroad, closed in 1989 after iron ore production ceased; the other two have been shut down by the civil war standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways: total: 10,087 km paved: 603 km unpaved: gravel 5,171 km (includes 2,323 km of private roads of rubber and timber firms, open to the public); earth 4,313 km

Ports: Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia

Merchant marine: total: 1,549 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 56,709,634 GRT/97,038,680 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 392, cargo 121, chemical tanker 114, combination bulk 33, combination ore/oil 57, container 124, liquefied gas tanker 75, oil tanker 459, passenger 32, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 58, roll-on/roll-off cargo 18, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 54 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes 53 countries; the 10 major fleet flags are: United States 232 ships, Japan 190, Norway 166, Greece 125, Germany 125, United Kingdom 102, Hong Kong 95, China 45, Russia 41, and the Netherlands 34

Airports: total: 59 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 43 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 3 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 11

@Liberia:Communications

Telephone system: NA telephones; telephone and telegraph service via radio relay network; main center is Monrovia; most telecommunications services inoperable due to insurgency movement local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 5 televisions: NA

@Liberia:Defense Forces

Branches: NA; the ultimate structure of the Liberian military force will depend on who is the victor in the ongoing civil war

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 732,063; males fit for military service 390,849 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $30 million, 2% of GDP (1994)



LIBYA

@Libya:Geography

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 1,759,540 sq km land area: 1,759,540 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries: total 4,383 km, Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline: 1,770 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm Gulf of Sidra closing line: 32 degrees 30 minutes north

International disputes: the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in February 1994 that the 100,000 sq km Aozou Strip between Chad and Libya belongs to Chad, and that Libya must withdraw from it by 31 May 1994; Libya has withdrawn some its forces in response to the ICJ ruling, but still maintains an airfield in the disputed area; maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; claims part of northern Niger and part of southeastern Algeria

Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 8% forest and woodland: 0% other: 90%

Irrigated land: 2,420 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; duststorms, sandstorms international agreements: party to - Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

@Libya:People

Population: 5,248,401 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (female 1,226,851; male 1,269,813) 15-64 years: 49% (female 1,261,424; male 1,331,093) 65 years and over: 3% (female 76,017; male 83,203) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.7% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 44.89 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 7.91 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.29 years male: 62.12 years female: 66.57 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.32 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan

Ethnic divisions: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%

Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1984) total population: 60% male: 77% female: 42%

Labor force: 1 million (includes about 280,000 resident foreigners) by occupation: industry 31%, services 27%, government 24%, agriculture 18%

@Libya:Government

Names: conventional long form: Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya conventional short form: Libya local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishirakiyah local short form: none

Digraph: LY

Type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Capital: Tripoli

Administrative divisions: 25 municipalities (baladiyah, singular - baladiyat); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan

Independence: 24 December 1951 (from Italy)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Constitution: 11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Legal system: based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Mu'ammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969) head of government: Chairman of the General People's Committee (Premier) Abd al Majid al-Qa'ud (since 29 January 1994) cabinet: General People's Committee; established by the General People's Congress note: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of peoples' committees

Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of peoples' committees

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: none

Other political or pressure groups: various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements

Member of: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: none

US diplomatic representation: none

Flag: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)

@Libya:Economy

Overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all export earnings and about one-third of GDP. In 1990 per capita GDP was the highest in Africa at $5,410, but GDP growth rates have slowed and fluctuated sharply in response to changes in the world oil market. Import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. Windfall revenues from the hike in world oil prices in late 1990 improved the foreign payments position and resulted in a current account surplus through 1992. The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Although agriculture accounts for only 5% of GDP, it employs 18% of the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food requirements. The UN sanctions imposed in April 1992 have not yet had a major impact on the economy because Libya's oil revenues generate sufficient foreign exchange which sustains imports of food, consumer goods, and equipment for the oil industry and ongoing development projects.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $32.9 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: -0.9% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $6,510 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $8.1 billion expenditures: $9.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (1989 est.)

Exports: $7.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas partners: Italy, Germany, Spain, France, UK, Turkey, Greece, Egypt

Imports: $6.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods partners: Italy, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Turkey, Tunisia, Eastern Europe

External debt: $3.5 billion excluding military debt (1991 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 10.5% (1990)

Electricity: capacity: 4,600,000 kW production: 16.1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,078 kWh (1993)

Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Agriculture: 5% of GDP; cash crops - wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus fruits, peanuts; 75% of food is imported

Economic aid: recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $242 million note: no longer a recipient

Currency: 1 Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirhams

Exchange rates: Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1 - 0.3555 (January 1995), 0.3596 (1994), 0.3250 (1993), 0.3013 (1992), 0.2684 (1991), 0.2699 (1990)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Libya:Transportation

Railroads: note: Libya has had no railroad in operation since 1965, all previous systems having been dismantled; current plans are to construct a 1.435-m standard gauge line from the Tunisian frontier to Tripoli and Misratah, then inland to Sabha, center of a mineral-rich area, but there has been no progress; other plans made jointly with Egypt would establish a rail line from As Sallum, Egypt, to Tobruk with completion set for mid-1994; no progress has been reported

Highways: total: 19,300 km paved: bituminous 10,800 km unpaved: gravel, earth 8,500 km

Inland waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 4,383 km; petroleum products 443 km (includes liquified petroleum gas 256 km); natural gas 1,947 km

Ports: Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah

Merchant marine: total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 686,136 GRT/1,208,194 DWT

ships by type: cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 10, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, short-sea passenger 4

Airports: total: 146 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 24 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 6 with paved runways under 914 m: 21 with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 4 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 17 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 44

@Libya:Communications

Telephone system: 370,000 telephones; modern telecommunications system

local: NA intercity: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, tropospheric scatter, and 14 domestic satellites international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) satellite earth stations; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; planned ARABSAT and Intersputnik satellite earth stations

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 12 televisions: NA

@Libya:Defense Forces

Branches: Armed Peoples of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriyah (includes Army, Navy, and Air and Air Defense Command), Police

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,131,175; males fit for military service 672,571; males reach military age (17) annually 54,676 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.4 billion, 6.1% of GDP (1994 est.)



LIECHTENSTEIN

@Liechtenstein:Geography

Location: Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 160 sq km land area: 160 sq km comparative area: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total 78 km, Austria 37 km, Switzerland 41 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: claims 1,600 square kilometers of Czech territory confiscated from its royal family in 1918; the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the Communists seized power

Climate: continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Terrain: mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Natural resources: hydroelectric potential

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 38% forest and woodland: 19% other: 18%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Note: landlocked; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

@Liechtenstein:People

Population: 30,654 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (female 2,897; male 2,974) 15-64 years: 71% (female 10,853; male 10,777) 65 years and over: 10% (female 1,930; male 1,223) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.2% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 12.95 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6.56 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.52 years male: 73.86 years female: 81.17 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein

Ethnic divisions: Alemannic 95%, Italian and other 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 87.3%, Protestant 8.3%, unknown 1.6%, other 2.8% (1988)

Languages: German (official), Alemannic dialect

Literacy: age 10 and over can read and write (1981) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Labor force: 19,905 of which 11,933 are foreigners; 6,885 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day by occupation: industry, trade, and building 53.2%, services 45%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 1.8% (1990)

@Liechtenstein:Government

Names: conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Furstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein

Digraph: LS

Type: hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital: Vaduz

Administrative divisions: 11 communes (gemeinden, singular - gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz

Independence: 23 January 1719 (Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established)

National holiday: Assumption Day, 15 August

Constitution: 5 October 1921

Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Prince Hans ADAM II (since 13 November 1989; assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS von und zu Liechtenstein (born 11 June 1968) head of government: Mario FRICK (since 15 December 1993); Deputy Head of Government Dr. Thomas BUECHEL (since 15 December 1993) cabinet: Cabinet; elected by the Diet; confirmed by the sovereign

Legislative branch: unicameral Diet (Landtag): elections last held on 24 October 1993 (next to be held by March 1997); results - VU 50.1%, FBP 41.3%, FL 8.5%; seats - (25 total) VU 13, FBP 11, FL 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for criminal cases, Superior Court (Obergericht) for civil cases

Political parties and leaders: Fatherland Union (VU), Dr. Oswald KRANTZ; Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP), Otmar HASLER; The Free List (FL)

Member of: CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, GATT, IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO

Diplomatic representation in US: in routine diplomatic matters, Liechtenstein is represented in the US by the Swiss Embassy

US diplomatic representation: the US has no diplomatic or consular mission in Liechtenstein, but the US Consul General at Zurich (Switzerland) has consular accreditation at Vaduz

Flag: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band

@Liechtenstein:Economy

Overview: Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital service sector and living standards on par with its large European neighbors. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced about 25,000 holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. Liechtenstein plans to join the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between EFTA and EU) in 1995.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $630 million (1990 est.)

National product real growth rate: NA%

National product per capita: $22,300 (1990 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 1.5% (1994)

Budget: revenues: $259 million expenditures: $292 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

Exports: $NA commodities: small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery partners: EC countries 42.7%, EFTA countries 20.9% (Switzerland 15.4%), other 36.4% (1990)

Imports: $NA commodities: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles partners: NA

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: capacity: 23,000 kW production: 150 million kWh consumption per capita: 5,230 kWh (1992)

Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism

Agriculture: livestock, vegetables, corn, wheat, potatoes, grapes

Economic aid: none

Currency: 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi

Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.2880 (January 1995), 1.3677 (1994), 1.4776 (1993), 1.4062 (1992), 1.4340 (1991), 1.3892 (1990)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Liechtenstein:Transportation

Railroads: total: 18.5 km; note - owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)

Highways: total: 322.93 km paved: 322.93 km

Ports: none

Airports: none

@Liechtenstein:Communications

Telephone system: 25,400 telephones; limited, but sufficient automatic telephone system local: NA intercity: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and radio relay

Radio: broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA radios: NA note: linked to Swiss networks

Television: broadcast stations: NA televisions: NA note: linked to Swiss networks

@Liechtenstein:Defense Forces

Note: defense is responsibility of Switzerland



LITHUANIA

@Lithuania:Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 65,200 sq km land area: 65,200 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total 1,273 km, Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Coastline: 108 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: dispute with Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) over the position of the Nemunas (Nemen) River border presently located on the Lithuanian bank and not in midriver as by international standards

Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters and summers

Terrain: lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Natural resources: peat

Land use: arable land: 49.1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 22.2% forest and woodland: 16.3% other: 12.4%

Irrigated land: 430 sq km (1990)

Environment: current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

@Lithuania:People

Population: 3,876,396 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (female 426,616; male 444,556) 15-64 years: 65% (female 1,299,052; male 1,227,420) 65 years and over: 12% (female 313,217; male 165,535) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.71% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 14.46 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 10.95 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.37 years male: 66.68 years female: 76.3 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian

Ethnic divisions: Lithuanian 80.1%, Russian 8.6%, Polish 7.7%, Byelorussian 1.5%, other 2.1%

Religions: Roman Catholic, Lutheran, other

Languages: Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98%

Labor force: 1.836 million by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 18%, other 40% (1990)

@Lithuania:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania conventional short form: Lithuania local long form: Lietuvos Respublika local short form: Lietuva former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Digraph: LH

Type: republic

Capital: Vilnius

Administrative divisions: 44 regions (rajonai, singular - rajonas) and 11 municipalities*: Akmenes Rajonas, Alytaus Rajonas, Alytus*, Anyksciu Rajonas, Birsionas*, Birzu Rajonas, Druskininkai*, Ignalinos Rajonas, Jonavos Rajonas, Joniskio Rajonas, Jurbarko Rajonas, Kaisiadoriu Rajonas, Marijampoles Rajonas, Kaunas*, Kauno Rajonas, Kedainiu Rajonas, Kelmes Rajonas, Klaipeda*, Klaipedos Rajonas, Kretingos Rajonas, Kupiskio Rajonas, Lazdiju Rajonas, Marijampole*, Mazeikiu Rajonas, Moletu Rajonas, Neringa* Pakruojo Rajonas, Palanga*, Panevezio Rajonas, Panevezys*, Pasvalio Rajonas, Plunges Rajonas, Prienu Rajonas, Radviliskio Rajonas, Raseiniu Rajonas, Rokiskio Rajonas, Sakiu Rajonas, Salcininky Rajonas, Siauliai*, Siauliu Rajonas, Silales Rajonas, Siltues Rajonas, Sirvinty Rajonas, Skuodo Rajonas, Svencioniu Rajonas, Taurages Rajonas, Telsiu Rajonas, Traky Rajonas, Ukmerges Rajonas, Utenos Rajonas, Varenos Rajonas, Vilkaviskio Rajonas, Vilniaus Rajonas, Vilnius*, Zarasu Rajonas

Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 February (1918)

Constitution: adopted 25 October 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 25 November 1992; elected acting president by Parliament 25 November 1992 and elected by direct vote 15 February 1993); election last held 14 February 1993 (next to be held NA 1997); results - Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS was elected; note - on 25 November 1992 BRAZAUSKAS was elected chairman of Parliament and, as such, acting president of the Republic; he was confirmed in office by direct balloting 15 February 1993 head of government: Premier Adolfas SLEZEVICIUS (since 10 March 1993) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Seimas (parliament): elections last held 26 October and 25 November 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - LDDP 51%; seats - (141 total) LDDP 73, Conservative Party 30, LKDP 17, LTS 8, Farmers' Union 4, LLS 4, Center Union 2, others 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party (LKDP), Povilas KATILIUS, chairman; Democratic Labor Party of Lithuania (LDDP), Adolfas SLEZEVICIUS, chairman; Lithuanian Nationalist Union (LTS), Rimantas SMETONA, chairman; Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), Aloyzas SAKALAS, chairman; Farmers' Union, Jonas CIULEVICIUS, chairman; Center Union, Romualdas OZOLAS, chairman; Conservative Party, Vytautas LANDSBERGIS, chairman; Lithuanian Polish Union (LLS), Rytardas MACIKIANEC, chairman

Other political or pressure groups: Homeland Union; Lithuanian Future Forum; Farmers Union

Member of: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alfonsas EIDINTAS chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860, 2639 FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 consulate(s) general: New York

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador James W. SWIHART, Jr. embassy: Akmenu 6, Vilnius 2600 mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [370] (2) 223-031 FAX: [370] (2) 222-779

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

@Lithuania:Economy

Overview: Since independence in September 1991, Lithuania has made steady progress in developing a market economy. Almost 50% of state property has been privatized and trade is diversifying with a gradual shift away from the former Soviet Union to Western markets. In addition, the Lithuanian government has adhered to a disciplined budgetary and financial policy which has brought inflation down from a monthly average of around 14% in first half 1993 to an average of 3.1% in 1994. Nevertheless, the process has been painful with industrial output in 1993 less than half the 1991 level. The economy appeared to have bottomed out in 1994, and Vilnius's policies have laid the groundwork for vigorous recovery over the next few years. Recovery will build on Lithuanian's strategic location with its ice-free port at Klaipeda and its rail and highway hub in Vilnius connecting it with Eastern Europe, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, and on its agriculture potential, highly skilled labor force, and diversified industrial sector. Lacking important natural resources, it will remain dependent on imports of fuels and raw materials.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $13.5 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)

National product real growth rate: -0.5% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $3,500 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (monthly average 1994)

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (January 1995)

Budget: revenues: $258.5 million expenditures: $270.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Exports: $2.2 billion (1994) commodities: electronics 18%, petroleum products 5%, food 10%, chemicals 6% (1989) partners: Russia, Ukraine, Germany

Imports: $2.7 billion (1994) commodities: oil 24%, machinery 14%, chemicals 8%, grain NA% (1989) partners: Russia, Germany, Belarus

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate -52% (1992); accounts for 35% of GDP

Electricity: capacity: 6,190,000 kW production: 18.9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 4,608 kWh (1993)

Industries: industry's share in the economy has been declining substantially over the past year, due to the economic crisis and the growth of services in the economy; among branches which are still important: metal-cutting machine tools 6.6%, electric motors 4.6%, television sets 6.2%, refrigerators and freezers 5.4%; other branches: petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, and amber

Agriculture: employs around 18% of labor force; accounts for 25% of GDP; sugar, grain, potatoes, sugar beets, vegetables, meat, milk, dairy products, eggs, fish; most developed are the livestock and dairy branches, which depend on imported grain; net exporter of meat, milk, and eggs

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe; limited producer of illicit opium; mostly for domestic consumption

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (1992), $10 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-86), $NA million; Communist countries (1971-86), $NA million

Currency: introduced the convertible litas in June 1993

Exchange rates: litai per US$1 - 4 (fixed rate 1 May 1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Lithuania:Transportation

Railroads: total: 2,010 km broad gauge: 2,010 km 1.524-m gauge (120 km electrified) (1990)

Highways: total: 44,200 km paved: 35,500 km unpaved: earth 8,700 km (1990)

Inland waterways: 600 km perennially navigable

Pipelines: crude oil, 105 km; natural gas 760 km (1992)

Ports: Kaunas, Klaipeda

Merchant marine: total: 44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 275,893 GRT/321,440 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 28, combination bulk 11, railcar carrier 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1

Airports: total: 96 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: 4 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 14 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 6 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 63