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

Television: broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA

@South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands:Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK



SPAIN

@Spain:Geography

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, and North Atlantic Ocean, southwest of France

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 504,750 sq km land area: 499,400 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon note: includes Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera

Land boundaries: total 1,903.2 km, Andorra 65 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km

Coastline: 4,964 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: Gibraltar question with UK; Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas

Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast

Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north

Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 31% permanent crops: 10% meadows and pastures: 21% forest and woodland: 31% other: 7%

Irrigated land: 33,600 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; air pollution; deforestation; desertification natural hazards: periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

@Spain:People

Population: 39,404,348 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (female 3,214,606; male 3,446,643) 15-64 years: 68% (female 13,377,839; male 13,457,683) 65 years and over: 15% (female 3,461,367; male 2,446,210) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.27% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 11.21 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 8.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.91 years male: 74.67 years female: 81.39 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.41 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish

Ethnic divisions: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other sects 1%

Languages: Castilian Spanish, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1986) total population: 96% male: 98% female: 94%

Labor force: 14.621 million by occupation: services 53%, industry 24%, agriculture 14%, construction 9% (1988)

@Spain:Government

Names: conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local short form: Espana

Digraph: SP

Type: parliamentary monarchy

Capital: Madrid

Administrative divisions: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Canarias, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencia, Extremadura, Galicia, Islas Baleares, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco note: there are five places of sovereignty on and off the coast of Morocco (Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera) with administrative status unknown

Independence: 1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)

National holiday: National Day, 12 October

Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975) head of government: Prime Minister Felipe GONZALEZ Marquez (since 2 December 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Narcis SERRA y Serra (since 13 March 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; designated by the prime minister Council of State: is the supreme consultative organ of the government

Legislative branch: bicameral The General Courts or National Assembly (Las Cortes Generales) Senate (Senado): elections last held 6 June 1993 (next to be held by June 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (255 total) PSOE 117, PP 107, CiU 15, PNV 5, IU 2, other 9 Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados): elections last held 6 June 1993 (next to be held by June 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (350 total) PSOE 159, PP 141, IU 18, CiU 17, PNV 5, CC 4, HB 2, other 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo)

Political parties and leaders: principal national parties, from right to left: Popular Party (PP), Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez; Democratic Social Center (CDS), Rafael CALVO Ortega; Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), Felipe GONZALEZ Marquez, secretary general; Socialist Democracy Party (DS), Ricardo GARCIA Damborenea; Spanish Communist Party (PCE), Julio ANGUITA Gonzalez; United Left (IU - a coalition of parties including the PCE, a branch of the PSOE, and other small parties), Julio ANGUITA Gonzalez

chief regional parties: Convergence and Union (CiU), Miquel ROCA i Junyent, secretary general; Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), Xabier ARZALLUS Antia and Jose Antonio ARDANZA; Basque United People (HB), Jon IDIGORAS Guerricabeitia and Inaki ESNAOLA; Canarian Coalition (CC), a coalition of five parties

Other political or pressure groups: on the extreme left, the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) and the First of October Antifascist Resistance Group (GRAPO) use terrorism to oppose the government; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977) include the Communist-dominated Workers Commissions (CCOO); the Socialist General Union of Workers (UGT), and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union (USO); business and landowning interests; the Catholic Church; Opus Dei; university students

Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, EC, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, FAO, G- 8, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUSAL, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIH, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime De OJEDA Eiseley chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340 FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard N. GARDNER embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid mailing address: APO AE 09642 telephone: [34] (1) 577-4000 FAX: [34] (1) 577-5735 consulate(s) general: Barcelona consulate(s): Bilbao

Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

@Spain:Economy

Overview: Spain, with a per capita output approximately two-thirds that of the four leading economies of Western Europe, has shared with these countries the recession of the early 1990s and the upturn of their economic fortunes in 1994. But whereas unemployment in these countries has hovered just above 10%, Spain has been forced to cope with a 25% unemployment rate. Continued political turmoil has complicated the establishment of stable government policies toward budgetary restraint, interest rates, labor law reform, and Spain's role in the evolving economic integration of Western Europe. Because the recession has been so deep, the growth in industrial output, tourism, and other sectors in 1994, while welcome, falls far short of the growth required to bring unemployment down to, say, 10%. The recovery in the economies of major trade partners, the comparatively low inflation rate, lower interest rates, and prospects in the tourist sector suggest that Spain can make substantial progress in 1995.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $515.8 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 1.8% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $13,120 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.9% (1994)

Unemployment rate: 24.5% (yearend 1994)

Budget: revenues: $97.7 billion expenditures: $128 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)

Exports: $72.8 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: cars and trucks, semifinished manufactured goods, foodstuffs, machinery partners: EC 71.2%, US 4.8%, other developed countries 7.9% (1992)

Imports: $92.5 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, fuels, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals partners: EC 60.7%, US 7.4%, other developed countries 11.5%, Middle East 5.9% (1992)

External debt: $90 billion (1993 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 4% (1994 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 43,800,000 kW production: 148 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,545 kWh (1993)

Industries: textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism

Agriculture: accounts for about 5% of GDP and 14% of labor force; major products - grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus fruit, beef, pork, poultry, dairy; largely self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 1.4 million metric tons is among top 20 nations

Illicit drugs: key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $1.9 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-79), $545 million note: not currently a recipient

Currency: 1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos

Exchange rates: pesetas (Ptas) per US$1 - 132.61 (January 1995), 133.96 (1994), 127.26 (1993), 102.38 (1992), 103.91 (1991), 101.93 (1990)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Spain:Transportation

Railroads: total: 14,400 km broad gauge: 12,111 km 1.668-m gauge (6,404 km electrified; 2,295 km double track) standard gauge: 515 km 1.435-m gauge (515 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,774 km (privately owned: 1,727 km 1.000-m gauge, 560 km electrified; 28 km 0.914-m gauge, 28 km electrified; government owned: 19 km 1.000-m gauge, all electrified)

Highways: total: 331,961 km paved: 328,641 km (2,700 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,320 km (1991)

Inland waterways: 1,045 km, but of minor economic importance

Pipelines: crude oil 265 km; petroleum products 1,794 km; natural gas 1,666 km

Ports: Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Puerto de Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo

Merchant marine: total: 157 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 868,326 GRT/1,382,335 DWT ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 41, chemical tanker 11, container 9, liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 25, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 34, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 2

Airports: total: 106 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 15 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 12 with paved runways under 914 m: 34 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: 16

@Spain:Communications

Telephone system: 15,350,464 telephones; generally adequate, modern facilities local: NA intercity: NA international: 22 coaxial submarine cables; 2 earth stations for INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); earth stations for working the EUTELSAT, INMARSAT, and MARECS satellite communications systems; microwave tropospheric scatter links to adjacent countries

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 190, FM 406 (repeaters 134), shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 100 (repeaters 1,297) televisions: NA

@Spain:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police, Coastal Civil Guard

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 10,435,970; males fit for military service 8,434,460; males reach military age (20) annually 335,967 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $8 billion, 1.6% of GDP (1994)



SPRATLY ISLANDS

@Spratly Islands:Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, group of reefs in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total area: NA sq km but less than 5 km2 land area: less than 5 sq km comparative area: NA note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over the South China Sea

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 926 km

Maritime claims: NA

International disputes: all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive economic zone, which encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed the island

Climate: tropical

Terrain: flat

Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals international agreements: NA

Note: strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

@Spratly Islands:People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are scattered garrisons

@Spratly Islands:Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Digraph: PG

@Spratly Islands:Economy

Overview: Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Industries: none

@Spratly Islands:Transportation

Ports: none

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

@Spratly Islands:Communications

Telephone system: local: NA intercity: NA international: NA

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

Television: broadcast stations: NA televisions: NA

@Spratly Islands:Defense Forces

Note: about 50 small islands or reefs are occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam



SRI LANKA

@Sri Lanka:Geography

Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Map references: Asia

Area: total area: 65,610 sq km land area: 64,740 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,340 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)

Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay

Land use: arable land: 16% permanent crops: 17% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 37% other: 23%

Irrigated land: 5,600 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Marine Life Conservation

Note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

@Sri Lanka:People

Population: 18,342,660 (July 1995 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of late 1992, nearly 115,000 were housed in refugee camps in south India, another 95,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought political asylum in the West

Age structure: 0-14 years: 29% (female 2,597,969; male 2,713,696) 15-64 years: 65% (female 6,042,228; male 5,902,343) 65 years and over: 6% (female 547,715; male 538,709) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.15% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 18.13 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.78 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 21.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.14 years male: 69.58 years female: 74.82 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.08 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic divisions: Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%

Religions: Buddhist 69%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 8%

Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken by about 10% of the population

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

Labor force: 6.6 million by occupation: agriculture 45.9%, mining and manufacturing 13.3%, trade and transport 12.4%, services and other 28.4% (1985 est.)

@Sri Lanka:Government

Names: conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka conventional short form: Sri Lanka former: Ceylon

Digraph: CE

Type: republic

Capital: Colombo

Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western

Independence: 4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence and National Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution: adopted 16 August 1978

Legal system: a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE is the Prime Minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist; election last held 9 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 2000); results - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (People's Alliance) 62%, Srima DISSANAYAKE (United National Party) 37%, other 1% cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament: elections last held 16 August 1994 (next to be held by August 2000); results - PA 49.0%, UNP 44.0%, SLMC 1.8%, TULF 1.7%, SLPF 1.1%, EPDP 0.3%, UPF 0.3%, PLOTE 0.1%, other 1.7%; seats - (225 total) PA 105, UNP 94, EPDP 9, SLMC 7, TULF 5, PLOTE 3, SLPF 1, UPF 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), C. G. Kumar PONNAMBALAM; Ceylon Workers Congress (CLDC), S. THONDAMAN; Communist Party, K. P. SILVA; Communist Party/Beijing (CP/B), N. SHANMUGATHASAN; Democratic People's Liberation Front (DPLF), leader NA; Democratic United National Front (DUNF), G. M. PREMACHANDRA; Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), Douglas DEVANANDA; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRL), Suresh PREMACHANDRAN; Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students (EROS), Shankar RAJI; Lanka Socialist Party/Trotskyite (LSSP, or Lanka Sama Samaja Party), Colin R. DE SILVA; Liberal Party (LP), Chanaka AMARATUNGA; New Socialist Party (NSSP, or Nava Sama Samaja Party), Vasudeva NANAYAKKARA; People's Alliance (PA), Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Dharmalingam SIDARTHAN; People's United Front (MEP, or Mahajana Eksath Peramuna), Dinesh GUNAWARDENE; Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), M. H. M. ASHRAFF; Sri Lanka People's Party (SLMP, or Sri Lanka Mahajana Party), Ossie ABEYGUNASEKERA; Sri Lanka Progressive Front (SLPF), leader NA; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO), leader NA; Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), M. SIVASITHAMBARAM; United National Party (UNP), Ranil WICKREMANSINGHE; Upcountry People's Front (UPF), leader NA; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either parliament or provincial councils note: the United Socialist Alliance (USA), which was formed in 1987 and included the NSSP, LSSP, SLMP, CP/M, and CP/B, was defunct as of 1993, following the formation of the People's Alliance Party (PA)

Other political or pressure groups: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and other smaller Tamil separatist groups; other radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups; Buddhist clergy; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups; labor unions

Member of: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jayantha DHANAPALA chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 through 4028 FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 consulate(s): New York

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Teresita C. SCHAFFER embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3 mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo telephone: [94] (1) 448007 FAX: [94] (1) 437345

Flag: yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border that goes around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

@Sri Lanka:Economy

Overview: Industry - dominated by the fast-growing apparel industry - has surpassed agriculture as the main source of export earnings and accounts for over 16% of GDP. The economy has been plagued by high rates of unemployment since the late 1970s. Economic growth, which has been depressed by ethnic unrest, accelerated in 1991-94 as domestic conditions began to improve and conditions for foreign investment brightened. Currently, however, the new government's emphasis on populist measures has clouded Sri Lanka's economic prospects.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $57.6 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 5% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $3,190 (1994 est.)

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

Unemployment rate: 13.6% (1993 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.3 billion expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.5 billion (1993)

Exports: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: garments and textiles, teas, diamonds, other gems, petroleum products, rubber products, other agricultural products, marine products, graphite partners: US 35.2%, Germany, UK, Belgium-Luxembourg, Japan, Netherlands, France (1993)

Imports: $4 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: textiles and textile materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, petroleum, building materials partners: Japan, India, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China (1993)

External debt: $7.2 billion (1993 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 9% (1993 est.); accounts for 16% of GDP

Electricity: capacity: 1,410,000 kW production: 3.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 168 kWh (1993)

Industries: processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco

Agriculture: accounts for one-fourth of GDP; field crops - rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseeds, roots, spices; cash crops - tea, rubber, coconuts; animal products - milk, eggs, hides, meat; not self-sufficient in rice production

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $5.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $169 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $369 million

Currency: 1 Sri Lankan rupee (SLRe) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Sri Lankan rupees (SLRes) per US$1 - 50.115 (January 1995), 49.415 (1994), 48.322 (1993), 43.830 (1992), 41.372 (1991), 40.063 (1990)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Sri Lanka:Transportation

Railroads: total: 1,948 km broad gauge: 1,948 km 1.868-m gauge (102 km double track) (1990)

Highways: total: 75,263 km paved: mostly bituminous treated 27,637 km unpaved: crushed stone, gravel 32,887 km; improved, unimproved earth 14,739 km

Inland waterways: 430 km; navigable by shallow-draft craft

Pipelines: crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987)

Ports: Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee

Merchant marine: total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 289,115 GRT/453,609 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 12, container 1, oil tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 8

Airports: total: 14 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: 7 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1

@Sri Lanka:Communications

Telephone system: 114,000 telephones (1982); very inadequate domestic service, good international service local: NA intercity: NA international: submarine cables extend to Indonesia and Djibouti; 2 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth stations

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 5, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 5 televisions: NA

@Sri Lanka:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 4,990,661; males fit for military service 3,888,372; males reach military age (18) annually 178,926 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $412 million, 3.6% of GDP (1994)



SUDAN

@Sudan:Geography

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 2,505,810 sq km land area: 2.376 million sq km comparative area: slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Land boundaries: total 7,687 km, Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km, Zaire 628 km

Coastline: 853 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: administrative boundary with Kenya does not coincide with international boundary; administrative boundary with Egypt does not coincide with international boundary creating the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km, tensions over this disputed area began to escalate in 1992 and remain high

Climate: tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season (April to October)

Terrain: generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in east and west

Natural resources: small reserves of petroleum, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 24% forest and woodland: 20% other: 51%

Irrigated land: 18,900 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification natural hazards: dust storms international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification

Note: largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

@Sudan:People

Population: 30,120,420 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (female 6,801,001; male 7,124,892) 15-64 years: 52% (female 7,706,864; male 7,830,980) 65 years and over: 2% (female 280,297; male 376,386) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.35% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 41.29 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 11.74 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) note: the flow of refugees from the civil war in Sudan into neighboring countries continues, often at the rate of tens of thousands annually; Uganda was the main recipient of Sudanese refugees in the past year; repatriation of Eritrean and Ethiopean refugees in Sudan continues

Infant mortality rate: 77.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.71 years male: 53.81 years female: 55.65 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

Ethnic divisions: black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Languages: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English note: program of Arabization in process

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1983) total population: 32% male: 44% female: 21%

Labor force: 6.5 million by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 10%, government 6% note: labor shortages for almost all categories of skilled employment (1983 est.)

@Sudan:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan conventional short form: Sudan local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan local short form: As-Sudan former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Digraph: SU

Type: ruling military junta - Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) - dissolved on 16 October 1993 and government civilianized

Capital: Khartoum

Administrative divisions: 9 states (wilayat, singular - wilayat or wilayah*); A'ali an Nil, Al Wusta*, Al Istiwa'iyah*, Al Khartum, Ash Shamaliyah*, Ash Sharqiyah*, Bahr al Ghazal, Darfur, Kurdufan note: on 14 February 1994, the 9 states comprising Sudan were divided into 26 new states; the new state boundary alignments are undetermined

Independence: 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Constitution: 12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989

Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states; the council is still studying criminal provisions under Islamic law; Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: none

Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Lt. General Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); prior to 16 October 1993, BASHIR served concurrently as Chief of State, Chairman of the RCC, Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence (since 30 June 1989); First Vice President Major General al-Zubayr Muhammad SALIH (since 19 October 1993); Second Vice President (Police) Maj. General George KONGOR (since NA February 1994); note - upon its dissolution on 16 October 1993, the RCC's executive and legislative powers were devolved to the President and the Transitional National Assembly (TNA), Sudan's appointed legislative body cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president; note - on 30 October 1993, President BASHIR announced a new, predominantly civilian cabinet, consisting of 20 federal ministers, most of whom retained their previous cabinet positions; on 9 February 1995, he abolished three ministries and redivided their portfolios to create several new ministries; these changes increased National Islamic Front presence at the ministerial level and consolidated its control over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; President BASHIR's government is dominated by members of Sudan's National Islamic Front, a fundamentalist political organization formed from the Muslim Brotherhood in 1986; front leader Hasan al-TURABI controls Khartoum's overall domestic and foreign policies

Legislative branch: appointed 300-member Transitional National Assembly; officially assumes all legislative authority for Sudan until the proposed 1995 resumption of national elections

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Special Revolutionary Courts

Political parties and leaders: none; banned following 30 June 1989 coup

Other political or pressure groups: National Islamic Front, Hasan al-TURABI

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

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ahmad SULAYMAN chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565 through 8570 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald K. PETTERSON embassy: Shar'ia Ali Abdul Latif, Khartoum mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829 telephone: 74700, 74611 (operator assistance required) FAX: Telex 22619 AMEMSD

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

@Sudan:Economy

Overview: Sudan is buffeted by civil war, chronic political instability, adverse weather, high inflation, a drop in remittances from abroad, and counterproductive economic policies. Governmental entities account for more than 70% of new investment. The private sector's main areas of activity are agriculture and trading, with most private industrial investment predating 1980. Agriculture employs 80% of the work force. Industry mainly processes agricultural items. Sluggish economic performance over the past decade, attributable largely to declining annual rainfall, has reduced levels of per capita income and consumption. A large foreign debt and huge arrearages continue to cause difficulties. In 1990 the International Monetary Fund took the unusual step of declaring Sudan noncooperative because of its nonpayment of arrearages to the Fund. After Sudan backtracked on promised reforms in 1992-93, the IMF threatened to expel Sudan from the Fund. To avoid expulsion, Khartoum agreed to make payments on its arrears to the Fund, liberalize exchange rates, and reduce subsidies. These measures have been partially implemented. The government's continued prosecution of the civil war and its growing international isolation led to a further deterioration of the nonagricultural sectors of the economy during 1994. Agriculture, on the other hand, after several disappointing years, enjoyed a bumper fall harvest in 1994; its strong performance produced an overall growth rate in GDP of perhaps 7%.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $23.7 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 7% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $870 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 112% (FY93/94 est.)

Unemployment rate: 30% (FY92/93 est.)

Budget: revenues: $493 million expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $225 million (1994 est.)

Exports: $419 million (f.o.b., FY93/94) commodities: gum arabic 29%, livestock/meat 24%, cotton 13%, sesame, peanuts partners: Western Europe 46%, Saudi Arabia 14%, Eastern Europe 9%, Japan 9%, US 3% (FY87/88)

Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., FY93/94) commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum products, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles partners: Western Europe 32%, Africa and Asia 15%, US 13%, Eastern Europe 3% (FY87/88)

External debt: $17 billion (June 1993 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 6.8% (FY92/93 est.); accounts for 11% of GDP

Electricity: capacity: 500,000 kW production: 1.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 42 kWh (1993)

Industries: cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining

Agriculture: accounts for 35% of GDP; major products - cotton, oilseeds, sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sheep; marginally self-sufficient in most foods

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.5 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $5.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $3.1 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $588 million

Currency: 1 Sudanese pound (#Sd) = 100 piastres

Exchange rates: official rate - Sudanese pounds (#Sd) per US$1 - 434.8 (January 1995), 277.8 (1994), 153.8 (1993), 69.4 (1992), 5.4288 (1991), 4.5004 (1990); note - the commercial rate is 300 Sudanese pounds per US$1

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Sudan:Transportation

Railroads: total: 5,516 km narrow gauge: 4,800 km 1.067-m gauge; 716 km 1.6096-m gauge plantation line

Highways: total: 20,703 km paved: bituminous treated 2,000 km unpaved: gravel 4,000 km; improved earth 2,304 km; unimproved earth 12,399 km

Inland waterways: 5,310 km navigable

Pipelines: refined products 815 km

Ports: Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan, Sawakin

Merchant marine: total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 43,024 GRT/122,379 DWT ships by type: cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2

Airports: total: 70 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 13 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 14 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 33

@Sudan:Communications

Telephone system: NA telephones; large, well-equipped system by African standards, but barely adequate and poorly maintained by modern standards local: NA intercity: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radio communications, troposcatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 stations international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 3 televisions: NA

@Sudan:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force Militia

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 6,806,588; males fit for military service 4,185,206; males reach military age (18) annually 313,958 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $600 million, 7.3% of GDP (FY93/94 est.)



SURINAME

@Suriname:Geography

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana

Map references: South America

Area: total area: 163,270 sq km land area: 161,470 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total 1,707 km, Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: claims area in French Guiana between Litani Rivier and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa Rivier); claims area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Natural resources: timber, hydropower potential, fish, shrimp, bauxite, iron ore, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold

Land use: arable land: NEGL% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 97% other: 3%

Irrigated land: 590 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: deforestation as foreign producers obtain timber concessions natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Note: mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna which for the most part is not threatened because of the lack of development; relatively small population most of which lives along the coast

@Suriname:People

Population: 429,544 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (female 70,845; male 74,330) 15-64 years: 61% (female 130,153; male 133,693) 65 years and over: 5% (female 10,897; male 9,626) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.58% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 24.72 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.91 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 30.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.76 years male: 67.24 years female: 72.41 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.73 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Surinamer(s) adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic divisions: Hindustani (also known locally as "East" Indians; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed European and African ancestry) 31%, Javanese 15.3%, "Bush Black" (also known as "Bush Creole" whose ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves) 10.3%, Amerindian 2.6%, Chinese 1.7%, Europeans 1%, other 1.1%

Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%

Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95%

Labor force: NA

@Suriname:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Suriname conventional short form: Suriname local long form: Republiek Suriname local short form: Suriname former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Digraph: NS

Type: republic

Capital: Paramaribo

Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Ronald R. VENETIAAN (since 16 September 1991); Prime Minister Jules R. AJODHIA (since 16 September 1991); election last held 6 September 1991 (next to be held NA May 1996); results - elected by the National Assembly - Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) 80% (645 votes), Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP) 14% (115 votes), Hans PRADE (DA '91) 6% (49 votes) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president from members of the National Assembly note: Commander in Chief of the National Army maintains significant power

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): elections last held 25 May 1991 (next to be held NA May 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (51 total) NF 30, NDP 10, DA '91 9, independents 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: The New Front (NF), a coalition of four parties (NPS, VHP, KTPI, SPA), leader Ronald R. VENETIAAN; Progressive Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath LACHMON; National Party of Suriname (NPS), Ronald VENETIAAN; Party of National Unity and Solidarity (KTPI), Willy SOEMITA; Suriname Labor Party (SPA), Fred DERBY; Democratic Alternative '91 (DA '91), Winston JESSURUN, a coalition of four parties (AF, HPP, Pendawa Lima, BEP) formed in January 1991; Alternative Forum (AF), Gerard BRUNINGS, Winston JESSURUN; Reformed Progressive Party (HPP), Panalal PARMESSAR; Party for Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (BEP), Caprino ALLENDY; Pendawa Lima, Marsha JAMIN; National Democratic Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers' Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS, chairman;

Other political or pressure groups: Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA), Ronnie BRUNSWIJK, Johan "Castro" WALLY; Union for Liberation and Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement, Leendert ADAMS; Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO

Member of: ACP, CARICOM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT chancery: Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488, 7490 through 7492 FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878 consulate(s) general: Miami

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Roger R. GAMBLE embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo telephone: [597] 472900, 477881, 476459 FAX: [597] 410025

Flag: five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band

@Suriname:Economy

Overview: The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for 15% of GDP and about 70% of export earnings. Paramaribo has failed to initiate the economic reforms necessary to stabilize the economy or win renewed Dutch aid disbursements. The government continues to finance deficit spending with monetary emissions. As a result, high inflation, high unemployment, widespread black market activity, and hard currency shortfalls continue to mark the economy.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: -0.8% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $2,800 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 225% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA

Budget: revenues: $300 million expenditures: $700 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (1994 est.)

Exports: $443.3 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas partners: Norway 33%, Netherlands 26%, US 13%, Japan 6%, Brazil 6%, UK 3% (1992)

Imports: $520.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods partners: US 42%, Netherlands 22%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%, Brazil 5% (1992)

External debt: $180 million (March 1993 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 3.5% (1992 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP

Electricity: capacity: 420,000 kW production: 1.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,123 kWh (1993)

Industries: bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing, fishing

Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GDP and 25% of export earnings; paddy rice planted on 85% of arable land and represents 60% of total farm output; other products - bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts, beef, chicken; shrimp and forestry products of increasing importance; self-sufficient in most foods

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $2.5 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion

Currency: 1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1 - 1.7850 (fixed rate); parallel rate 510 (December 1994), 109 (January 1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Suriname:Transportation

Railroads: total: 166 km (single track) standard gauge: 80 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 86 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways: total: 8,800 km paved: 500 km unpaved: bauxite, gravel, crushed stone 5,400 km; improved and unimproved earth 2,900 km

Inland waterways: 1,200 km; most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways

Ports: Albina, Moengo, Nieuw Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,421 GRT/2,990 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, container 1

Airports: total: 46 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 38 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 7

@Suriname:Communications

Telephone system: 27,500 telephones; international facilities good local: NA intercity: microwave radio relay network international: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 14, shortwave 1 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 6 televisions: NA

@Suriname:Defense Forces

Branches: National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements), Civil Police

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 116,456; males fit for military service 69,011 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP



SVALBARD

(territory of Norway)

@Svalbard:Geography

Location: Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total area: 62,049 sq km land area: 62,049 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,587 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia territorial sea: 4 nm

International disputes: focus of maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia

Climate: arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain: wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about half the year; fjords along west and north coasts

Natural resources: coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (no trees and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: ice floes often block up the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic international agreements: NA

Note: northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

@Svalbard:People

Population: 2,914 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: -3.5% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

Ethnic divisions: Russian 64%, Norwegian 35%, other 1% (1981)

Languages: Russian, Norwegian

Labor force: NA

@Svalbard:Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Svalbard

Digraph: SV

Type: territory of Norway administered by the Ministry of Industry, Oslo, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was given to Norway

Capital: Longyearbyen

Independence: none (territory of Norway)

National holiday: NA

Legal system: NA

Executive branch: Chief of State: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991) Head of Government: Governor Odd BLOMDAL (since NA); Assistant Governor Jan-Atle HANSEN (since NA September 1993)

Member of: none

Flag: the flag of Norway is used

@Svalbard:Economy

Overview: Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. By treaty (9 February 1920), the nationals of the treaty powers have equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some trapping of seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus.

Budget: revenues: $13.3 million expenditures: $13.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 21,000 kW production: 45 million kWh consumption per capita: 13,860 kWh (1992)

Currency: 1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1 - 6.7014 (January 1995), 7.0469 (1994), 7.0941 (1993), 6.2145 (1992), 6.4829 (1991), 6.2597 (1990)

@Svalbard:Transportation

Railroads: 0 km

Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA

Ports: Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Merchant marine: none

Airports: total: 4 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 3

@Svalbard:Communications

Telephone system: NA telephones; local telephone service local: NA intercity: NA international: satellite communication with Norwegian mainland

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1 (repeaters 2), shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

Note: there are 5 meteorological/radio stations

@Svalbard:Defense Forces

Note: demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)



SWAZILAND

@Swaziland:Geography

Location: Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 17,360 sq km land area: 17,200 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total 535 km, Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom

Climate: varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Natural resources: asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use: arable land: 10.9% permanent crops: 0.2% meadows and pastures: 62.2% forest and woodland: 6.9% other: 19.8%

Irrigated land: 640 sq km (1993 est.)

Environment: current issues: limited access to potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Note: landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

@Swaziland:People

Population: 966,977 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (female 222,544; male 221,003) 15-64 years: 52% (female 261,973; male 238,726) 65 years and over: 2% (female 13,291; male 9,440) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.23% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 43.06 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 10.8 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

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

Infant mortality rate: 90.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 56.84 years male: 52.83 years female: 60.96 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.1 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi

Ethnic divisions: African 97%, European 3%

Religions: Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%

Languages: English (official; government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1986) total population: 67% male: 70% female: 65%

Labor force: NA by occupation: private sector about 65%, public sector 35%

@Swaziland:Government

Names: conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form: Swaziland

Digraph: WZ

Type: monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital: Mbabane (administrative); Lobamba (legislative)

Administrative divisions: 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence: 6 September 1968 (from UK)

National holiday: Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution: none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but has not been formally presented to the people

Legal system: based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts, Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: none

Executive branch: chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Prince Jameson Mbilini DLAMINI (since 12 November 1993) cabinet: Cabinet; designated by the monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament is advisory Senate: consists of 30 members (10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the king) House of Assembly: elections last held NA October 1993 (next to be held NA); results - NA; seats - (65 total, 55 directly elected, 10 appointed by the king) - balloting held on a non-party basis

Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: note: political parties are banned by the Constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978; illegal parties are prohibited from holding large public gatherings illegal parties: Peoples' United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Kilson SHONOWE; Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYCO), Benedict TSABEDZE; Swaziland Communist Party (SWACOPA), Mphandlana SHONGWE

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

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Madzandza Mary KHANYA chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683, 6685 FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador John T. SPROTT embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 46441 through 46445 FAX: [268] 45959

Flag: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

@Swaziland:Economy

Overview: The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which occupies more than 60% of the population and contributes nearly 25% to GDP. Manufacturing, which includes a number of agroprocessing factories, accounts for another quarter of GDP. Mining has declined in importance in recent years; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978, and health concerns cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of sugar and forestry products are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa, from which it receives 90% of its imports and to which it sends about half of its exports. Remittances from Swazi workers in South African mines may supplement domestically produced income by as much as 20%.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 4.5% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $3,490 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.3% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues: $342 million expenditures: $410 million, including capital expenditures of $130 million (1994 est.)

Exports: $632 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: sugar, edible concentrates, wood pulp, cotton yarn, asbestos partners: South Africa 50% (est.), EC countries, Canada

Imports: $734 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, chemicals partners: South Africa 90% (est.), Switzerland, UK

External debt: $240 million (1992)

Industrial production: growth rate 4.2% (1993 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 120,000 kW production: 410 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,003 kWh (1993)

Industries: mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar

Agriculture: accounts for over 60% of labor force; mostly subsistence agriculture; cash crops - sugarcane, cotton, maize, tobacco, rice, citrus fruit, pineapples; other crops and livestock - corn, sorghum, peanuts, cattle, goats, sheep; not self-sufficient in grain

Economic aid: recipient: bilateral aid (1991) $35 million of which US disbursements $12 million, UK disbursements $6 million, and Denmark $2 million; multilateral aid (1991) $24 million of which EC disbursements $8 million

Currency: 1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents

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

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Swaziland:Transportation

Railroads: total: 297 km; note - includes 71 km which are not in use narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge (single track)

Highways: total: 2,853 km paved: 510 km unpaved: crushed stone, gravel, stabilized earth 1,230 km; improved earth 1,113 km

Ports: none

Airports: total: 18 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 9 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 8

@Swaziland:Communications

Telephone system: 17,000 telephones; telephone density is only 17.6 telephones/1,000 persons local: NA intercity: system consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines and low-capacity radio relay microwave links international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 6, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 10 televisions: NA

@Swaziland:Defense Forces

Branches: Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 212,239; males fit for military service 122,782 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $22 million, NA% of GDP (FY93/94)



SWEDEN

@Sweden:Geography

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 449,964 sq km land area: 410,928 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries: total 2,205 km, Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline: 3,218 km

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

International disputes: none

Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain: mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Natural resources: zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 64% other: 27%

Irrigated land: 1,120 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: acid rain damaging soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

@Sweden:People

Population: 8,821,759 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (female 810,859; male 854,553) 15-64 years: 64% (female 2,761,060; male 2,856,012) 65 years and over: 17% (female 887,597; male 651,678) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.46% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 13.19 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 10.84 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.43 years male: 75.64 years female: 81.39 years (1995 est.)

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

Nationality: noun: Swede(s) adjective: Swedish

Ethnic divisions: white, Lapp (Sami), foreign born or first-generation immigrants 12% (Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks)

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 94%, Roman Catholic 1.5%, Pentecostal 1%, other 3.5% (1987)

Languages: Swedish note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities; immigrants speak native languages

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.) total population: 99%

Labor force: 4.552 million (84% unionized,1992) by occupation: community, social and personal services 38.3%, mining and manufacturing 21.2%, commerce, hotels, and restaurants 14.1%, banking, insurance 9.0%, communications 7.2%, construction 7.0%, agriculture, fishing, and forestry 3.2% (1991)

@Sweden:Government

Names: conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige

Digraph: SW

Type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Stockholm

Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (lan, singular and plural); Alvsborgs Lan, Blekinge Lan, Gavleborgs Lan, Goteborgs och Bohus Lan, Gotlands Lan, Hallands Lan, Jamtlands Lan, Jonkopings Lan, Kalmar Lan, Kopparbergs Lan, Kristianstads Lan, Kronobergs Lan, Malmohus Lan, Norrbottens Lan, Orebro Lan, Ostergotlands Lan, Skaraborgs Lan, Sodermanlands Lan, Stockholms Lan, Uppsala Lan, Varmlands Lan, Vasterbottens Lan, Vasternorrlands Lan, Vastmanlands Lan

Independence: 6 June 1809 (constitutional monarchy established)

National holiday: Day of the Swedish Flag, 6 June

Constitution: 1 January 1975

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the King (born 14 July 1977) head of government: Prime Minister Ingvar CARLSSON (since 6 October 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mona SAHLIN (since 6 October 1994) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Riksdag): elections last held 18 September 1994 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - Social Democrats 45.4%, Moderate Party (Conservatives) 22.3%, Center Party 7.7%, Liberals 7.2%, Left Party 6.2%, Greens 5.8%, Christian Democrats 4.1%, New Democracy Party 1.2%; seats - (349 total) Social Democrats 162, Moderate Party (Conservatives) 80, Center Party 27, Liberals 26, Left Party 22, Greens 18, Christian Democrats 14; note - the New Democracy Party did not receive a seat because parties require a minimum of 4.8% of votes for a seat in parliament

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Hogsta Domstolen)

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party, Ingvar CARLSSON; Moderate Party (conservative), Carl BILDT; Liberal People's Party, Maria LEISSNER; Center Party, Olof JOHANSSON; Christian Democratic Party, Alf SVENSSON; New Democracy Party, Vivianne FRANZEN; Left Party (VP; Communist), Gudrun SCHYMAN; Communist Workers' Party, Rolf HAGEL; Green Party, no formal leader but party spokesperson is Birger SHLAUG

Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 8, G- 9, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, ONUSAL, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carl Henrik Sihver LILJEGREN chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas L. SIEBERT embassy: Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [46] (8) 783 53 00 FAX: [46] (8) 661 19 64

Flag: blue with a yellow cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

@Sweden:Economy

Overview: Aided by a long period of peace and neutrality during World War I through World War II, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy that is heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. In 1990, agriculture accounted for only 1.2% of GDP and 1.9% of the jobs, Sweden being about 50% sufficient in most products. In the last few years, however, this extraordinarily favorable picture has been clouded by inflation, growing unemployment, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. Although Prime Minister BILDT's center-right minority coalition had hoped to charge ahead with free-market-oriented reforms, a skyrocketing budget deficit - about 14% of GDP in FY93/94 projections - and record unemployment have forestalled many of the plans. Unemployment in 1994 is estimated at around 9% with another 5% in job training. Continued heavy foreign exchange speculation forced the government to cooperate in late 1992 with the opposition Social Democrats on two crisis packages - one a severe austerity pact and the other a program to spur industrial competitiveness - which basically set economic policy through 1997. In November 1992, Sweden broke its tie to the EC's ECU, and the krona has since depreciated about 25% against the dollar. The boost in export competitiveness from the depreciation helped lift Sweden out of its 3-year recession. To curb the budget deficit and bolster confidence in the economy, the new Social Democratic government is proposing cuts in welfare benefits, subsidies, defense, and foreign aid. Sweden has harmonized its economic policies with those of the EU, which it joined at the start of 1995.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $163.1 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 2.4% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $18,580 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.8% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $47.9 billion expenditures: $70.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93/94)

Exports: $59.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products partners: EC 55.8% (Germany 15%, UK 9.7%, Denmark 7.2%, France 5.8%), EFTA 17.4% (Norway 8.4%, Finland 5.1%), US 8.2%, Central and Eastern Europe 2.5% (1992)

Imports: $49.6 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing partners: EC 53.6% (Germany 17.9%, UK 6.3%, Denmark 7.5%, France 4.9%), EFTA (Norway 6.6%, Finland 6%), US 8.4%, Central and Eastern Europe 3% (1992)

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate 9% (1994)

Electricity: capacity: 34,560,000 kW production: 141 billion kWh consumption per capita: 14,891 kWh (1993)

Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles

Agriculture: animal husbandry predominates, with milk and dairy products accounting for 37% of farm income; main crops - grains, sugar beets, potatoes; 100% self-sufficient in grains and potatoes; Sweden is about 50% self-sufficient in most products

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics shipped via the CIS and Baltic states for the European market

Economic aid: donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $10.3 billion

Currency: 1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 7.4675 (January 1995), 7.7160 (1994), 7.7834 (1993), 5.8238 (1992), 6.0475 (1991) 5.9188 (1990)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Sweden:Transportation

Railroads: total: 12,000 km (includes 953 km of privately owned railways) standard gauge: 10,742 km 1.435-m gauge (7,502 km electrified and 1,152 km double track); 8 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified; privately owned) narrow gauge: 61 km 0.891-m gauge (electrified; privately owned) other: 1,189 km NA-m gauge (1994)

Highways: total: 135,859 km paved: 97,818 km (including 936 km of expressways) unpaved: gravel 38,041 km (1991)

Inland waterways: 2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges

Pipelines: natural gas 84 km

Ports: Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall

Merchant marine: total: 157 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,872,350 GRT/2,075,722 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 24, chemical tanker 25, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, oil tanker 31, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 37, short-sea passenger 8, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 12

Airports: total: 253 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 84 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 26 with paved runways under 914 m: 129 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4

@Sweden:Communications

Telephone system: 8,200,000 telephones; excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system local: NA intercity: coaxial and multiconductor cable carry most voice traffic; parallel microwave network carries TV, radio, and some additional telephone channels international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 EUTELSAT earth station

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 360 (mostly repeaters), shortwave 0 radios: 7 million

Television: broadcast stations: 880 (mostly repeaters) televisions: 3.5 million

@Sweden:Defense Forces

Branches: Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,133,420; males fit for military service 1,864,258; males reach military age (19) annually 52,937 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $5.4 billion, 2.4% of GDP (FY94/95)



SWITZERLAND

@Switzerland:Geography

Location: Central Europe, east of France

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 41,290 sq km land area: 39,770 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total 1,852 km, Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: none

Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 40% forest and woodland: 26% other: 23%

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1989)

Environment: current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions and open air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe

@Switzerland:People

Population: 7,084,984 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (female 594,565; male 622,436) 15-64 years: 68% (female 2,375,792; male 2,448,213) 65 years and over: 15% (female 623,136; male 420,842) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.57% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 12.04 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 9.16 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.36 years male: 74.99 years female: 81.88 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

Ethnic divisions: total population: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% Swiss nationals: German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 47.6%, Protestant 44.3%, other 8.1% (1980)

Languages: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 12%, Romansch 1%, other 4% note: figures for Swiss nationals only - German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.) total population: 99%

Labor force: 3.48 million (900,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian) by occupation: services 50%, industry and crafts 34%, government 10%, agriculture and forestry 6% (1992)

@Switzerland:Government

Names: conventional long form: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German) Confederation Suisse (French) Confederazione Svizzera (Italian) local short form: Schweiz (German) Suisse (French) Svizzera (Italian)

Digraph: SZ

Type: federal republic

Capital: Bern

Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence: 1 August 1291

National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution: 29 May 1874

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Kaspar VILLIGER (1995 calendar year; presidency rotates annually); Vice President Jean-Pascal DELAMURAZ (term runs concurrently with that of president) cabinet: Federal Council (German - Bundesrat, French - Censeil Federal, Italian - Consiglio Federale); elected by the Federal Assembly from own members

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (German - Bundesversammlung, French - Assemblee Federale, Italian - Assemblea Federale) Council of States: German - Standerat, French - Conseil des Etats, Italian - Consiglio degli Stati; elections last held throughout 1991 (next to be held NA 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (46 total) FDP 18, CVP 16, SVP 4, SPS 3, LPS 3, LdU 1, Ticino League 1 National Council: German - Nationalrat, French - Conseil National, Italian - Consiglio Nazionale; elections last held 20 October 1991 (next to be held NA October 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (200 total) FDP 44, SPS 42, CVP 37, SVP 25, GPS 14, LPS 10, AP 8, LdU 6, SD 5, EVP 3, PdA 2, Ticino League 2, other 2

Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Free Democratic Party (FDP), Franz STEINEGGER, president; Social Democratic Party (SPS), Peter BODENMANN, president; Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP), Anton COTTIER, president; Swiss People's Party (SVP), Hans UHLMANN, president; Green Party (GPS), Verena DIENER, president; Freedom Party (FPS), Roland BORER, president; Liberal Party (LPS), Christoph EYMANN, president; Alliance of Independents' Party (LdU), Monica WEBER, president; Ticino League, Giuliano BIGNASCA, president; and other minor parties including the Automobile Party (AP), Swiss Democratic Party (SD), Workers' Party (PdA), and the Evangelical People's Party (EVP); note - see elections

Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G- 8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNOMIG, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlo JAGMETTI chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador M. Larry LAWRENCE embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (31) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (31) 357 73 44 branch office: Geneva consulate(s) general: Zurich

Flag: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

@Switzerland:Economy

Overview: Switzerland's economy - one of the most prosperous and stable in the world - is nonetheless undergoing a stressful adjustment after both the inflationary boom of the late 1980s and the electorate's rejection of membership in the European Economic Area (EEA) in 1992. So far the decision to remain outside the European single market structure does not appear to have harmed Swiss interests. In December 1994, the Swiss began bilateral negotiations with the EU aimed at establishing closer ties in areas of mutual interest and progressing toward the free circulation of persons, goods, capital, and services between the two parties. The Swiss emerged from a three-year recession in mid-1993 and posted 1.8% GDP growth in 1994. The Swiss central bank's tight monetary policies brought inflation down from about 4% in 1992 to just under 1% in 1994. Unemployment has fallen slightly from 5.1% in 1993 to 4.7% in 1994. Swiss per capita output, living standards, education, and health care remain unsurpassed in Europe. The country has few mineral resources, but its spectacular natural beauty sustains a substantial tourism industry.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $148.4 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 1.8% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $22,080 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.9% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.7% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $26.7 billion expenditures: $32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

Exports: $69.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, precision instruments, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles and clothing partners: Western Europe 63.1% (EU countries 56%, other 7.1%), US 8.8%, Japan 3.4%

Imports: $68.2 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: agricultural products, machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles, construction materials partners: Western Europe 79.2% (EU countries 72.3%, other 6.9%), US 6.4%

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1993 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 15,430,000 kW production: 58 billion kWh consumption per capita: 6,699 kWh (1993)

Industries: machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Agriculture: dairy farming predominates; less than 50% self-sufficient in food; must import fish, refined sugar, fats and oils (other than butter), grains, eggs, fruits, vegetables, meat

Illicit drugs: money-laundering center

Economic aid: donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $3.5 billion

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

@Switzerland:Transportation

Railroads: total: 5,763 km (1,432 km double track) standard gauge: 3,533 km 1.435-m gauge (99% electrified; 560 km nongovernment owned) narrow gauge: 1,094 km 1.000-m gauge (99% electrified; 1,020 km nongovernment owned) other: 1,136 km NA-m gauge (1994)

Highways: total: 71,118 km paved: 71,118 km (including 1,514 km of expressways)

Inland waterways: 65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12 navigable lakes

Pipelines: crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km

Ports: Basel

Merchant marine: total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 374,935 GRT/669,353 DWT ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 2, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, specialized tanker 1

Airports: total: 69 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 4 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 42 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1

@Switzerland:Communications

Telephone system: 5,890,000 telephones; excellent domestic, international, and broadcast services local: NA intercity: extensive cable and microwave networks international: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) earth stations

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 265, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 18 (repeaters 1,322) televisions: NA

@Switzerland:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air Force and Antiaircraft Command

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,847,639; males fit for military service 1,582,335; males reach military age (20) annually 41,831 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $4.1 billion, 1.4% of GDP (1995)



SYRIA

@Syria:Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey

Map references: Middle East

Area: total area: 185,180 sq km land area: 184,050 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than North Dakota note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Land boundaries: total 2,253 km, Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline: 193 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 41 nm territorial sea: 35 nm

International disputes: separated from Israel by the 1949 Armistice Line; Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Hatay question with Turkey; ongoing dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; Syrian troops in northern Lebanon since October 1976

Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically hits Damascus

Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 28% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 46% forest and woodland: 3% other: 20%

Irrigated land: 10,000 sq km (1992)

Environment: current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms international agreements: party to - Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification, Environmental Modification

Note: there are 42 Jewish settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1994 est.)

@Syria:People

Population: 15,451,917 (July 1995 est.) note: in addition, there are 31,000 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 16,500 Arabs (15,000 Druze and 1,500 Alawites) and 14,500 Jewish settlers (August 1994 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (female 3,639,776; male 3,826,154) 15-64 years: 49% (female 3,691,862; male 3,854,989) 65 years and over: 3% (female 219,251; male 219,885) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.71% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 43.21 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6.07 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

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

Infant mortality rate: 41.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.81 years male: 65.67 years female: 68.01 years (1995 est.)