Religions: Judaism 82%, Islam 14% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2%, Druze and other 2%

Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 97% female : 93% (1992 est.)

@Israel:Government

Country name: conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local long form: Medinat Yisra'el local short form: Yisra'el

Data code: IS

Government type: republic

National capital: Jerusalem note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv

Administrative divisions: 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Independence: 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May 1948 (Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May)

Constitution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the basic laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law

Legal system: mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ezer WEIZMAN (since 13 May 1993) head of government : Prime Minister Binyamin NETANYAHU (since 18 June 1996) cabinet: Cabinet selected from and approved by the Knesset elections: president elected by the Knesset for a five-year term; election last held 24 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998); prime minister elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); note - in March 1992, the Knesset approved legislation, effective in 1996, which allowed for the direct election of the prime minister; under the new law, each voter casts two ballots - one for the direct election of the prime minister and one for the party in the Knesset; the candidate that receives the largest percentage of the popular vote then works to form a coalition with other parties to achieve a parliamentary majority of 61 seats; finally, the candidate must submit his or her cabinet to the Knesset for approval and this must be done within 45 days of the election; in contrast to the old system, under the new law, the prime minister's party need not be the single-largest party in the Knesset election results: Ezer WEIZMAN elected president; percent of Knesset vote - NA; Binyamin NETANYAHU elected prime minister; percent of vote - Binyamin NETANYAHU 50.4%, Shimon PERES 49.5%

Legislative branch: unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 29 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Labor Party 34, Likud Party 32, SHAS 10, MERETZ 9, National Religious Party 9, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya 7, Hadash-Balad 5, Third Way 4, United Arab List 4, United Jewish Torah 4, Moledet 2; note - Likud, Tzomet, and Gesher candidates ran on a joint list

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: government coalition: Likud Party, Prime Minister Binyamin NETANYAHU; Tzomet, Rafael EITAN; Gesher, David LEVI; SHAS, Arieh DERI; National Religious Party, Zevulun HAMMER; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya, Natan SHARANSKY; United Jewish Torah, Meir PORUSH; Third Way, Avigdor KAHALANI; Moledet, Rehavam ZEEVI opposition: Labor Party, Shimon PERES; MERETZ, Yossi SARID; United Arab List, Abd al-Malik DAHAMSHAH; Hadash-Balad, Hashim MAHAMID

Political pressure groups and leaders: Gush Emunim, Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and is critical of government's Lebanon policy

International organization participation: AG (observer), BSEC (observer), CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Eliahu BEN-ELISSAR chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5610 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin S. INDYK embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv mailing address: PSC 98, Box 100, APO AE 09830 telephone : [972] (3) 519-7575 FAX: [972] (3) 517-3227 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government

Flag description: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Economy

Economy - overview: Israel has a market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Manufacturing and construction employ about 29% of Israeli workers, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.5%, and services the rest. Israel is largely self-sufficient in food production except for grains. Diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and military aid. To earn needed foreign exchange, Israel has been targeting high-technology niches in international markets, such as medical scanning equipment. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR, which topped 750,000 during the period 1989-96, initially increased unemployment, intensified housing problems, and strained the government budget. At the same time, the immigrants bring to the economy valuable scientific and professional expertise.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $85.7 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.6% (1996)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,400 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 22% services: 74.5%

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 11.3% (1996)

Labor force: total: 2.2 million (1996) by occupation : public services 29.3%, manufacturing 22.1%, construction 6.5%, commerce 13.9%, finance and business 10.4%, personal and other services 7.4%, transport, storage, and communications 6.3%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.5%, other 0.6% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 6.5% (1996)

Budget: revenues: $41 billion expenditures: $53 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996)

Industries: food processing, diamond cutting and polishing, textiles and apparel, chemicals, metal products, military equipment, transport equipment, electrical equipment, potash mining, high-technology electronics, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (1995)

Electricity - capacity: 6.92 million kW (1995 est.)

Electricity - production: 30.4 billion kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 4,738 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: citrus and other fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Exports: total value: $20.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities : machinery and equipment, cut diamonds, chemicals, textiles and apparel, agricultural products, metals partners: US, EU, Japan

Imports: total value: $28.3 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities : military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, oil, other productive inputs, consumer goods partners: EU, US, Japan

Debt - external: $25.7 billion (1996)

Economic aid: recipient : total receipts $12.14 billion of which $11.38 billion from the US (1990-93)

Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 3.2761 (January 1997), 3.2882 (1996), 3.0113 (1995), 3.0111 (1994), 2.8301 (1993), 2.4591 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

@Israel:Communications

Telephones: 2.425 million (1990 est.)

Telephone system: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest domestic : good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0

Radios: 2.25 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 20

Televisions: 1.5 million (1993 est.)

@Israel:Transportation

Railways: total: 526 km standard gauge: 526 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways: total: 14,700 km paved: 14,700 km (including 56 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1995 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 708 km; petroleum products 290 km; natural gas 89 km

Ports and harbors: Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Merchant marine: total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 659,505 GRT/778,780 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, container 23, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Airports: 50 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 45 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m : 7 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 22 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m : 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Israel Defense Forces (includes ground, naval, and air components), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal), Frontier Guard, Chen (women); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military services

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,420,066 females age 15-49 : 1,391,042 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 1,162,745 (1997 est.) females: 1,134,610 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 50,744 females : 48,519 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9.2 billion (1996)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: about 9.8% (1996)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Israeli troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982

Illicit drugs: increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse and trafficking

ITALY

@Italy:Geography

Location: Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Geographic coordinates: 42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 301,230 sq km land : 294,020 sq km water: 7,210 sq km note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries: total: 1,932.2 km border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km

Coastline: 7,600 km

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

Climate: predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes: lowest point : Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources: mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, dwindling natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal

Land use: arable land: 31% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 23% other : 21% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 27,100 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Environment - 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, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Tropical Timber 94

Geography - note: strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

@Italy:People

Population: 56,830,508 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years : 15% (male 4,234,767; female 3,997,589) 15-64 years: 68% (male 19,314,674; female 19,442,196) 65 years and over: 17% (male 4,028,659; female 5,812,623) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.08% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 8.96 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 10.07 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.25 years male: 75.13 years female: 81.58 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.16 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Italian(s) adjective: Italian

Ethnic groups: Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)

Religions: Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%

Languages: Italian, German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 96% (1990 est.)

@Italy:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Italian Republic conventional short form: Italy local long form: Repubblica Italiana local short form : Italia former: Kingdom of Italy

Data code: IT

Government type: republic

National capital: Rome

Administrative divisions: 20 regions (regioni, singular - regione); Abruzzi, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto

Independence: 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Republic, 2 June (1946)

Constitution: 1 January 1948

Legal system: based on civil law system, with ecclesiastical law influence; appeals treated as trials de novo; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Oscar Luigi SCALFARO (since 28 May 1992) head of government : Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the president of the Council of Ministers) Romano PRODI (since 18 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term; election last held 25 May 1992 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Oscar Luigi SCALFARO elected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (326 seats, 315 popularly elected of which 232 are directly elected and 83 by regional proportional representation, 11 appointed senators-for-life; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional proportional representation; members serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 21 April 1996 (next to be held by NA April 2001); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 1996 (next to be held by NA April 2001) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Olive Tree 157, Freedom Alliance 116, Northern League 27, Refounded Communists 10, regional lists 3, Social Movement-Tricolor Flames 1, Panella Reformers 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Olive Tree 284, Freedom Alliance 246, Northern League 59, Refounded Communists 35, Southern Tyrol List 3, Autonomous List 2, other 1

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale, composed of 15 judges (one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative supreme courts)

Political parties and leaders: Olive Tree (Ulivo): Democratic Party of the Left or PDS [Massimo D'ALEMA]; Greens (Verdi) [Carlo RIPA DI MEANA]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; Italian Popular Party or PPI [Franco MARINI - elected 12 January 1997] Freedom Pole: Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Christian Democratic Center or CCD [Pierferdinando CASINI]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Rocco BUTTIGLIONE] other: Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Communism Refoundation or RC [Fausto BERTINOTTI]; Italian Social Movement-Tricolor Flame or MSI-Fiamma Tricolore [Pino RAUTI]; Pannella-Sgarbi's List (Lista Pannella-Sgarbi) [Marco PANNELLA]; Italian Socialists or SI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Autonomous List (a group of minor parties); Southern Tyrols List or SVP (German speakers)

Political pressure groups and leaders: the Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL which is PDS-dominated, Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL which is centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL which is center-right); Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura)

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CE (observer), CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ferdinando SALLEO chancery: 1601 Fuller Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 and 2700 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 328-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 483-2187 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco consulate(s): Detroit and New Orleans

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Reginald BARTHOLOMEW embassy : Via Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (6) 46741 FAX: [39] (6) 488-2672 consulate(s) general : Florence, Milan, Naples

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green

Economy

Economy - overview: Since World War II, the Italian economy has changed from one based on agriculture into a ranking industrial economy, with approximately the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This basically capitalistic economy is still divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed agricultural south, with large public enterprises. Most raw materials needed by industry and over 75% of energy requirements must be imported. In the second half of 1992, Rome became unsettled by the prospect of not qualifying to participate in EU plans for economic and monetary union later in the decade; thus, it finally began to address its huge fiscal imbalances. Subsequently, the government has adopted fairly stringent budgets, abandoned its inflationary wage indexation system, and started to scale back its generous social welfare programs, including pension and health care benefits. In November 1996 the lire rejoined the European monetary system, which it had left in September 1992 when under extreme pressure in currency markets. Italy in early 1997 faces the problem of restructuring its economy to meet Maastricht criteria for inclusion in the EMU, together with other problems of refurbishing a tottering communications system, curbing industrial pollution, and adjusting to new EU and global competitive forces.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.12 trillion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.8% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $19,600 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry : 33% services: 63.7% (1994)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 4% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total: 22.851 million by occupation: services 61%, industry 32%, agriculture 7% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 12% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $416 billion expenditures : $506 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Industries: tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (1996 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 57.19 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 241.6 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 4,238 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; meat and dairy products; fish catch of 525,000 metric tons in 1990

Exports: total value: $250 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: metals, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transportation equipment, chemicals partners : EU 53.4%, US 7.8%, OPEC 3.8%

Imports: total value: $205 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities : industrial machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, petroleum, metals, food, agricultural products partners: EU 56.3%, OPEC 5.3%, US 4.6%

Debt - external: $45 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: donor: ODA, $3.043 billion (1993)

Currency: 1 Italian lira (Lit) = 100 centesimi

Exchange rates: Italian lire (Lit) per US$1 - 1,568.1 (January 1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Italy:Communications

Telephones: 25.6 million (1996 est.)

Telephone system: modern, well-developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean Region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 135, FM 28 (repeaters 1,840), shortwave 0

Radios: 45.7 million (1996 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 83 (repeaters 1,000)

Televisions: 17 million (1996 est.)

@Italy:Transportation

Railways: total : 18,961 km standard gauge: 17,981 km 1.435-m gauge; Italian Railways (FS) operates 16,118 km of the total standard gauge routes (10,560 km electrified) narrow gauge: 113 km 1.000-m gauge (113 km electrified); 867 km 0.950-m gauge (144 km electrified)

Highways: total: 305,388 km paved: 305,388 km (including 6,301 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1991 est.)

Waterways: 2,400 km for various types of commercial traffic, although of limited overall value

Pipelines: crude oil 1,703 km; petroleum products 2,148 km; natural gas 19,400 km

Ports and harbors: Ancona, Augusta (Sicily), Bari, Cagliari (Sardinia), Catania (Sicily), Gaeta, Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Naples, Oristano (Sardinia), Palermo (Sicily), Piombino, Porto Torres (Sardinia), Ravenna, Savona, Trieste, Venice

Merchant marine: total : 396 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,503,637 GRT/7,794,505 DWT ships by type: bulk 36, cargo 50, chemical tanker 39, combination ore/oil 2, container 17, liquefied gas tanker 36, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 106, passenger 7, roll-on/roll-off cargo 54, short-sea passenger 30, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 7 (1996 est.)

Airports: 132 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 112 over 3,047 m : 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 34 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,356,666 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 12,423,178 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 339,255 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20.4 billion (1995)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.9% (1995)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: Italy is negotiating with Slovenia over property and minority rights issues dating from World War II; Croatia and Italy have not resolved a bilateral issue dating from WWII over property and ethnic minority rights

Illicit drugs: important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market

JAMAICA

@Jamaica:Geography

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 10,990 sq km land: 10,830 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,022 km

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

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point : Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use: arable land : 14% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland: 17% other: 39% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 350 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes (especially July to November)

Environment - current issues: deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified : none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal

@Jamaica:People

Population: 2,615,582 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years : 32% (male 428,831; female 409,959) 15-64 years: 61% (male 793,609; female 806,031) 65 years and over: 7% (male 78,453; female 98,699) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.75% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 21.56 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 15 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.12 years male : 72.8 years female: 77.56 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.39 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun : Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic groups: black 76.3%, Afro-European 15.1%, East Indian and Afro-East Indian 3%, white 3.2%, Chinese and Afro-Chinese 1.2%, other 1.2%

Religions: Protestant 55.9% (Church of God 18.4%, Baptist 10%, Anglican 7.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.9%, Pentecostal 5.2%, Methodist 3.1%, United Church 2.7%, other 2.5%), Roman Catholic 5%, other, including some spiritual cults 39.1% (1982)

Languages: English, Creole

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 85% male: 80.8% female: 89.1% (1995 est.)

@Jamaica:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica

Data code: JM

Government type: parliamentary democracy

National capital: Kingston

Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

Independence: 6 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (first Monday in August) (1962)

Constitution: 6 August 1962

Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1 August 1991) head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since NA 1993) cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party 13 seats, opposition 8 seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 30 March 1993 (next to be held by March 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 52, JLP 8; note - the establishment of a major third party, the National Democratic Movement (NDM) in 1995 led to a realignment of seats - PNP 51, JLP 7, NDM 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders: People's National Party (PNP), P. J. PATTERSON; Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), Edward SEAGA; National Democratic Movement (NDM), Bruce GOLDING

Political pressure groups and leaders: Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists); New Beginnings Movement (NBM)

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Leighton BERNAL chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660 FAX : [1] (202) 452-0081 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador J. Gary COOPER embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859 FAX: [1] (876) 926-6743

Flag description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Economy

Economy - overview: Key sectors in this island economy are bauxite (alumina and bauxite account for more than half of exports) and tourism. Since assuming office in 1992, Prime Minister PATTERSON has consolidated the market-oriented reforms initiated by his predecessor, Michael MANLEY, to make Jamaica a regional leader in economic reform. PATTERSON has eliminated most price controls, streamlined tax schedules, and privatized government enterprises. Tight monetary and fiscal policies under an IMF program have helped slow inflation and stabilize the exchange rate, but, as a result, economic growth has slowed down and unemployment remains high. Jamaica's medium-term prospects depend largely on its ability to continue to attract foreign capital and to limit speculation against the Jamaican dollar.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.4 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.5% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,260 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 8.1% industry: 36.2% services: 55.7% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 17% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total: 1,062,100 by occupation: services 41%, agriculture 22.5%, industry 19%, unemployed 17.5% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 15.4% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.45 billion expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $732 million (FY95/96 est.)

Industries: bauxite, tourism, textiles, food processing, light manufactures

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 848,400 kW (1995)

Electricity - production: 5.829 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 2,014 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk

Exports: total value: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum partners: US 47%, UK 11%, Canada 9%, Norway 7%, France 4% (1993)

Imports: total value: $2.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals partners: US 54%, Japan 4.0%, Mexico 6%, UK 4%, Venezuela 3% (1993)

Debt - external: $4.2 billion (1995)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $239 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Jamaican dollar (J$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Jamaican dollars (J$) per US$1 - 34.952 (December 1996), 37.120 (1996), 35.142 (1995), 33.086 (1994), 24.949 (1993), 22.960 (1992)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Jamaica:Communications

Telephones: 212,257 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: fully automatic domestic telephone network domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 0

Radios: 1.04 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 8

Televisions: 330,000 (1992 est.)

@Jamaica:Transportation

Railways: total: 272 km standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge; note - 207 km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation which were in common carrier service are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned and used to transport bauxite

Highways: total: 18,600 km paved: 13,132 km unpaved : 5,468 km (1995 est.)

Pipelines: petroleum products 10 km

Ports and harbors: Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,435 GRT/6,105 DWT ships by type: oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Airports: 26 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 2,438 to 3,047 m : 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 20 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Jamaica Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 691,799 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 488,569 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males : 25,532 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $30 million (FY95/96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine from Central and South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an active cannabis eradication program

JAN MAYEN

(territory of Norway)

@Jan Mayen:Geography

Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland

Geographic coordinates: 71 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 373 sq km land: 373 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 124.1 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone : 10 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 4 nm

Climate: arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Terrain: volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Natural resources: none

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

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: dominated by the volcano Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to : NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

@Jan Mayen:People

Population: no permanent inhabitants note: there are personnel who operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran) C base and the weather and coastal services radio station

@Jan Mayen:Government

Country name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Data code: JN

Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered from Oslo, Norway, through a governor (sysselmann) resident in Longyearbyen (Svalbard); however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service

Flag description: the flag of Norway is used

Economy

Economy - overview: Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on the island.

Electricity - capacity: NA kW

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

@Jan Mayen:Communications

Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: radio and meteorological station

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

@Jan Mayen:Transportation

Highways: total: NA km paved : NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

JAPAN

@Japan:Geography

Location: Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Geographic coordinates: 36 00 N, 138 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 377,835 sq km land: 374,744 sq km water: 3,091 sq km note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okinotori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 29,751 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm; 3 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait

Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point : Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point: Fujiyama 3,776 m

Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Land use: arable land : 11% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland: 67% other : 19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 27,820 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis

Environment - current issues: air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan's appetite for fish and tropical timber is contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification

Geography - note: strategic location in northeast Asia

@Japan:People

Population: 125,732,794 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15% (male 9,931,114; female 9,464,940) 15-64 years: 69% (male 43,577,219; female 43,250,874) 65 years and over: 16% (male 8,089,200; female 11,419,447) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.23% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 10.01 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 7.39 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.45 years male: 77.4 years female: 83.65 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.44 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: Japanese 99.4%, other 0.6% (mostly Korean)

Religions: observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)

Languages: Japanese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1970 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

@Japan:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan

Data code: JA

Government type: constitutional monarchy

National capital: Tokyo

Administrative divisions: 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Independence: 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)

National holiday: Birthday of the Emperor, 23 December (1933)

Constitution: 3 May 1947

Legal system: modeled after European civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Ryutaro HASHIMOTO (since 11 January 1996); note - an acting prime minister - determined upon a rotational basis - serves when Prime Minister HASHIMOTO is out of the country cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: none; the emperor is a constitutional monarch; the Diet designates the prime minister; the constitution requires that the prime minister must command a parliamentary majority, therefore, following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (252 seats; one-half of the members elected every three years - 76 seats of which are elected from the 47 multi-seat prefectural districts and 50 of which are elected from a single nationwide list with voters casting ballots by party; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (500 seats - 200 of which are elected from 11 regional blocks on a proportional representation basis and 300 of which are elected from 300 single-seat districts; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: House of Councillors - last held 23 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 1998); House of Representatives - last held 20 October 1996 (next to be held by October 2000) election results : House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 110, NFP 56, SDP 38, JCP 14, Sakigake 3, others 19, independents 12; note - the distribution of seats as of March 1997 is as follows - LDP 112, NFP 61, SDP 23, JCP 14, Sakigake 3, others 39; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 240, NFP 142, DPJ 52, JCP 26, SDP 15, Sun Party 10, others and independents 15; note - the distribution of seats as of March 1997 is as follows - LDP 241, NFP 141, DPJ 52, JCP 26, SDP 15, Sun Party 10, others and independents 15

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the emperor after designation by the cabinet, all other justices are appointed by the cabinet

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Ryutaro HASHIMOTO, president, Koichi KATO, secretary general; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Takako DOI, chairman, Shigeru ITO, secretary general; Sakigake (Harbinger), Akiko DOMOTO, acting chairman, Hiroyuki SONODA, secretary general; New Frontier Party or NFP (Shinshinto), Ichiro OZAWA, president, Takeo NISHIOKA, secretary general; Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), coleaders Yukio HATOYAMA and Naoto KAN; Japan Communist Party (JCP), Tetsuzo FUWA, chairman, Kazuo SHII, secretary general; Sun Party, Tsutomu HATA, chairman, Eijiro HATA, secretary general note: DPJ was formed in September 1996 by former members of SDP and Sakigake; Sun Party was formed in December 1996 by former members of NFP

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 2, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kunihiko SAITO chancery : 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: 10-5, Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku (107), Tokyo mailing address : Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-0001 telephone: [81] (3) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (3) 3505-1862 consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s) : Fukuoka, Nagoya

Flag description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center

Economy

Economy - overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (roughly 1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most powerful economy in the world. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force; this guarantee is slowly eroding. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed considerably in 1992-95 largely because of the aftereffects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Growth picked up in 1996, largely a reflection of stimulative fiscal and monetary policies as well as low rates of inflation and social disorder. As a result of the expansionary fiscal policies and declining tax revenues due to the recession, Japan currently has one of the largest budget deficits as a percent of GDP among the industrialized countries. The crowding of habitable land area and the aging of the population are two other major long-run problems.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.85 trillion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.6% (1996)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $22,700 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry : 41.5% services: 56.5% (1995)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 0.3% (1996)

Labor force: total: 67.23 million (March 1997) by occupation: trade and services 50%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 33%, utilities and communication 7%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 6%, government 3% (1994)

Unemployment rate: 3.4% (1996)

Budget: revenues: $528 billion expenditures: $673 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of about $75 billion (FY97/98 est.)

Industries: among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of steel and nonferrous metallurgy, heavy electrical equipment, construction and mining equipment, motor vehicles and parts, electronic and telecommunication equipment, machine tools, automated production systems, locomotives and railroad rolling stock, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods

Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (1996 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 199.88 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 992.5 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 6,895 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; world's largest fish catch of 10 million metric tons in 1991

Exports: total value: $385 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities : manufactures 96% (including machinery 50%, motor vehicles 19%, consumer electronics 3%) partners : Southeast Asia 37%, US 27%, Western Europe 15%, China 5%

Imports: total value: $329 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: manufactures 54%, foodstuffs and raw materials 28%, fossil fuels 16% partners: Southeast Asia 24%, US 22%, Western Europe 15%, China 12%

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid: donor: ODA, $14.7 billion (1995 est.) note: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-94), $174 billion

Currency: yen (Y)

Exchange rates: yen (Y) per US$1 - 118.02 (January 1997), 108.78 (1996), 94.06 (1995), 102.21 (1994), 111.20 (1993), 126.65 (1992)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Japan:Communications

Telephones: 64 million (1987 est.)

Telephone system: excellent domestic and international service domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean Regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 318, FM 58, shortwave 0

Radios: 97 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 12,350 (1 kW or greater 196)

Televisions: 100 million (1993 est.)

@Japan:Transportation

Railways: total: 23,670.7 km standard gauge : 2,893.1 km 1.435-m gauge (entirely electrified) narrow gauge: 89.8 km 1.372-m gauge (89.8 km electrified); 20,656.8 km 1.067-m gauge (10,383.6 km electrified); 31 km 0.762-m gauge (3.6 km electrified) (1994)

Highways: total: 1,144,360 km paved : 846,826 km (including 5,860 km of expressways) unpaved: 297,534 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas

Pipelines: crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas 1,800 km

Ports and harbors: Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai

Merchant marine: total: 773 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,026,322 GRT/21,941,516 DWT ships by type: bulk 178, cargo 56, chemical tanker 7, combination bulk 6, combination ore/oil 6, container 38, liquefied gas tanker 39, oil tanker 254, passenger 8, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 38, roll-on/roll-off cargo 43, short-sea passenger 23, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 73 note: Japan owns an additional 1,579 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 54,474,380 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Burma, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Honduras, South Korea, Kuwait, Liberia, Malta, Malaysia, Panama, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Thailand, US, and Vanuatu (1996 est.)

Airports: 164 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total : 162 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 60 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 12 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 31,549,081 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 27,107,305 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 835,296 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $48.5 billion (FY96/97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY96/97)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks disputed with South Korea; Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands) claimed by China and Taiwan

JARVIS ISLAND

(territory of the US)

@Jarvis Island:Geography

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to the Cook Islands

Geographic coordinates: 0 22 S, 160 03 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total : 4.5 sq km land: 4.5 sq km water : 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 8 km

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

Climate: tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 23 m

Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)

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

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified : NA

Geography - note: sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats

@Jarvis Island:People

Population: uninhabited note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators

@Jarvis Island:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jarvis Island

Data code: DQ

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System

National capital: none; administered from Washington, DC

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy

Economy - overview: no economic activity

@Jarvis Island:Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island

Transportation - note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

JERSEY

(British crown dependency)

@Jersey:Geography

Location: Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 49 15 N, 2 10 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 117 sq km land: 117 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 70 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Natural resources: agricultural land

Land use: arable land : 57% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 43%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to : NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier

@Jersey:People

Population: 88,510 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years : 18% (male 7,995; female 7,435) 15-64 years: 68% (male 30,009; female 30,523) 65 years and over: 14% (male 5,170; female 7,378) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.73% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 12.64 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 9.17 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.11 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population : 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population : 78.51 years male: 75.78 years female: 81.55 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent

Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian

Languages: English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Literacy: NA

@Jersey:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form : Jersey

Data code: JE

Dependency status: British crown dependency

Government type: NA

National capital: Saint Helier

Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)

Independence: none (British crown dependency)

National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system: English law and local statute

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Sir Michael WILKES (since NA 1995) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA 1995) cabinet : committees appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the queen

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States (57 seats, 53 elected including 12 senators popularly elected for six-year terms, half retiring every third year, 12 constables popularly elected triennially, and 29 deputies popularly elected triennially) elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 52

Judicial branch: Royal Court, judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff

Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)

Flag description: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag

Economy

Economy - overview: The economy is based largely on financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. In 1986 the finance sector overtook tourism as the main contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of the island's output. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry : NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $643.7 million expenditures: $597.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 50,000 kW standby note: electricity supplied by France

Electricity - production: NA kWh note: electricity supplied by France

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; meat, dairy products

Exports: $NA commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles partners: UK

Imports: $NA commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals partners: UK

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid: none

Currency: 1 Jersey pound (LJ) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (LJ) per US$1 - 0.6023 (January 1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Jersey:Communications

Telephones: 61,447 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: NA international : 3 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1

Televisions: NA

@Jersey:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved : NA km

Ports and harbors: Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m : 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

JOHNSTON ATOLL

(territory of the US)

@Johnston Atoll:Geography

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 169 30 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 2.8 sq km land: 2.8 sq km water : 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 10 km

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

Climate: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point : Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Summit Peak 5 m

Natural resources: NA; guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890; none remains in 1997

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

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to the public; former nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some low-growing vegetation

@Johnston Atoll:People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are 1,200 US military and civilian contractor personnel (January 1997 est.)

@Johnston Atoll:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Johnston Atoll

Data code: JQ

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the US Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) and managed cooperatively by DNA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

National capital: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy

Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Electricity - capacity: NA kW note : electricity supplied by the base operating support contractor

Electricity - production: NA kWh note: electricity supplied by the base operating support contractor

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

@Johnston Atoll:Communications

Telephones: NA

Telephone system: 52 telephone lines; excellent system domestic: 60-channel submarine cable, 22 DSN circuits by satellite, Autodin with standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), UHF/VHF air-ground radio, a link to the Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network (PCTN) satellite international : NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 5 channels, shortwave NA

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: commercial satellite television system, 16 channels

Televisions: NA

@Johnston Atoll:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total : NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors: Johnston Island

Airports: 1

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

JORDAN

@Jordan:Geography

Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 89,213 sq km land: 88,884 sq km water: 329 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,619 km border countries : Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline: 26 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Jabal Ram 1,754 m

Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures : 9% forests and woodland: 1% other: 85% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 630 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

@Jordan:People

Population: 4,324,638 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 968,833; female 921,158) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,188,248; female 1,125,527) 65 years and over : 3% (male 60,876; female 59,996) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.6% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 35.95 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 3.88 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 30.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.69 years male: 70.81 years female: 74.68 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.94 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 8%

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes

Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.6% male : 93.4% female: 79.4% (1995 est.)

@Jordan:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan conventional short form: Jordan local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah local short form: Al Urdun former: Transjordan

Data code: JO

Government type: constitutional monarchy

National capital: Amman

Administrative divisions: 8 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Ma'an

Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Constitution: 8 January 1952

Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King HUSSEIN bin Talal Al-Hashimi (since 2 May 1953) head of government : Prime Minister Abd al-Salam al-MAJALI (since 19 March 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the king elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister appointed by the king

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the House of Notables or Majlis al-A'ayan (a 40-member body appointed by the king from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (80 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 8 November 1993 (next to be held NA November 1997 election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - IAF 16, Jordanian National Alliance Party 4, Al-Yaqazah Party 2, Al-Watan Party 2, Al-'Ahd Party 2, Jordanian Arab Democratic Party 2, Al-Mustaqbal Party 1, Jordanian Arab Socialist Ba'th Party 1, Jordanian Democratic Progressive Party 1, Jordanian People's Democratic Party-Hashd 1, Jordanian Socialist Democratic Party 1, independents 47 note : the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the king several times since 1974; in November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation

Political parties and leaders: Al-Ahrar (Liberals) Party, Ahmad al-ZU'BI, secretary general; Al-Taqaddumi (Progressive) Party, Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general; Constitutional Jordanian Arab Front Party, Milhim al-TALL, leader; Democratic Arab Islamic Movement Party-Du'a', Yusuf ABU BAKR, secretary general; Islamic Action Front (IAF), Ishaq al-FARHAN, secretary general; Jordanian Arab Socialist Ba'th Party, Taysir al-HIMSI, command first secretary; Jordanian Communist Party (JCP), Ya'qub ZAYADIN, secretary general; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party, 'Azmi al-KHAWAJA, secretary general; Jordanian People's Democratic Party-Hashd, Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general; Jordanian Unionist Democratic Party, 'Isa MADANAT (secretary general), Ali AMIR (secretary general), Munis al-RAZZAZ (secretary general); Pan-Arab Action Front Party, Muhammad al-ZU'BI, secretary general; Progressive Arab Ba'th Party, Mahmud al-MA'AYITAH, command secretary; Al-Mustaqbal (Future) Party, Sulayman 'ARAR, secretary general; Jordanian Arab Partisans Party, Muhammad al-MAJALI, leader, Muhammad al-SHURAYDAH, secretary general; Jordanian Peace Party, leader NA; Ansar Party, leader NA; Ummah Party, leader NA; Arab Land Party, leader NA note: in 1995, the Jordanian Arab Democratic Party, the Jordanian Democratic Progressive Party, and the Jordanian Socialist Democratic Party merged to form the Jordanian Unionist Democratic Party, Isa MADANAT, Ali AMIR, Munis al-RAZZAZ, secretaries general; in May 1997 the following parties - Al-'Ahd (Pledge) Party, 'Abd al-Hadi al-MAJALI, secretary general; Al-Watan (Homeland) Party, 'Akif al-FAYIZ, leader; Al-Yaqazah (Awakening) Party, 'Abd al-Ra'uf al-RAWABIDAH, secretary general; Democratic Arab Unionist Party-Wa'd, Anis al-MU'ASHIR, secretary general; Jordanian Arab Masses Party, 'Abd al-Khaliq SHATAT, secretary general; Jordanian National Alliance Party, Mijhim al-KHURAYSHAH, secretary general; Popular Unity Party-the Unionists, Mustafa AL-'ISAWI, secretary general; and the Progress and Justice Party, 'Ali al-SA'D, secretary general - merged to form the National Constitutional Party, 'Abd al Hadi AL-MAJALI, secretary general

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFCTU, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UNTAES, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Fayez A. TARAWNEH chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone : [1] (202) 966-2664 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wesley W. EGAN, Jr. embassy: Jabel Amman, Amman mailing address : P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 820101 FAX: [962] (6) 820159

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran

Economy

Economy - overview: Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil and coal. Jordan benefited from increased Arab aid during the oil boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when its annual real GNP growth averaged more than 10%. In the remainder of the 1980s, however, reductions in both Arab aid and worker remittances slowed real economic growth to an average of roughly 2% per year. Imports - mainly oil, capital goods, consumer durables, and food - outstripped exports, with the difference covered by aid, remittances, and borrowing. In mid-1989, the Jordanian Government began debt-rescheduling negotiations and agreed to implement an IMF-supported program designed to gradually reduce the budget deficit and implement badly needed structural reforms. The Persian Gulf crisis that began in August 1990, however, aggravated Jordan's already serious economic problems, forcing the government to shelve the IMF program, stop most debt payments, and suspend rescheduling negotiations. Aid from Gulf Arab states, worker remittances, and trade contracted; and refugees flooded the country, producing serious balance-of-payments problems, stunting GDP growth, and straining government resources. The economy rebounded in 1992, largely due to the influx of capital repatriated by workers returning from the Gulf, but the recovery was uneven in 1994-96. The government is implementing the reform program adopted in 1992 and continues to secure rescheduling and write-offs of its heavy foreign debt. Debt, poverty, and unemployment remain Jordan's biggest on-going problems.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $20.9 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.9% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 28% services : 66% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 4.5% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total : 600,000 (1992) by occupation: industry 11.4%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 10.5%, construction 10.0%, transport and communications 8.7%, agriculture 7.4%, other services 52.0% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 16% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues : $2.7 billion expenditures: $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $630 million (1997 est.)

Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (1995)

Electricity - capacity: 1.07 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 4.76 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,173 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry

Exports: total value : $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures partners: India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, EU, Indonesia, UAE

Imports: total value: $4.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities : crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods partners: EU, US, Iraq, Japan, Turkey

Debt - external: $7.3 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $238 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils

Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1 - 0.7090 (January 1997), 0.7090 (1996), 0.7005 (1995), 0.6987 (1994), 0.6928 (1993), 0.6797 (1992) note: since May 1989, the dinar has been pegged to a basket of currencies

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Jordan:Communications

Telephones: 81,500 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: adequate telephone system domestic : microwave radio relay, cable, and radiotelephone links international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria; microwave radio relay to Lebanon is inactive; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0

Radios: 1.1 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 8 and 1 TV receive-only satellite link

Televisions: 350,000 (1992 est.)

@Jordan:Transportation

Railways: total : 676 km narrow gauge: 676 km 1.050-m gauge; note - an additional 110 km stretch of the old Hejaz railroad is out of use

Highways: total: 6,750 km paved: 6,750 km unpaved: 0 km (1995 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 209 km

Ports and harbors: Al 'Aqabah

Merchant marine: total: 3 bulk ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 41,651 GRT/67,515 DWT (1996 est.)

Airports: 14 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; includes Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, and Royal Jordanian Air Force); Ministry of the Interior's Public Security Force (falls under JAF only in wartime or crisis situations)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,043,324 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 743,712 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 46,760 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $589 million (1996)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 8.2% (1996)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

JUAN DE NOVA ISLAND

(possession of France)

@Juan de Nova Island:Geography

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 17 03 S, 42 45 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 4.4 sq km land : 4.4 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 24.1 km

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

Climate: tropical

Terrain: NA

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 10 m

Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 0% forests and woodland: 90% other: 10%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: wildlife sanctuary

@Juan de Nova Island:People

Population: uninhabited

@Juan de Nova Island:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Juan de Nova

Data code: JU

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Independence: none (possession of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy

Economy - overview: no economic activity

@Juan de Nova Island:Transportation

Railways: total: NA km; short line going to a jetty

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

KAZAKSTAN

@Kazakstan:Geography

Location: Central Asia, northwest of China

Geographic coordinates: 48 00 N, 68 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area: total : 2,717,300 sq km land: 2,669,800 sq km water: 47,500 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 12,012 km border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) note: Kazakstan borders the Aral Sea (1,015 km) and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oasis and desert in Central Asia

Elevation extremes: lowest point : Vpadina Kaundy -132 m highest point: Zhengis Shingy 7,439 m

Natural resources: major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 11% permanent pastures: 57% forests and woodland : 4% other: 16% (1996 est.)

Irrigated land: 22,000 sq km (1996 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty

Environment - current issues: radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its former defense industries and test ranges are found throughout the country and pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salinization from faulty irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geography - note: landlocked

@Kazakstan:People

Population: 16,881,793 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years : 30% (male 2,536,307; female 2,462,742) 15-64 years: 63% (male 5,219,618; female 5,480,693) 65 years and over: 7% (male 392,374; female 790,059) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.24% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 17.36 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 9.97 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -9.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.5 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 57.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population : 63.79 years male: 58.32 years female : 69.53 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.14 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Kazakstani(s) adjective: Kazakstani

Ethnic groups: Kazak (Qazaq) 46%, Russian 34.7%, Ukrainian 4.9%, German 3.1%, Uzbek 2.3%, Tatar 1.9%, other 7.1% (1996)

Religions: Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Languages: Kazak (Qazaq) official language spoken by over 40% of population, Russian official language spoken by two-thirds of population and used in everyday business

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 96% (1989 est.)

@Kazakstan:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Kazakstan conventional short form: Kazakstan local long form : Qazaqstan Respublikasy local short form: none former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: KZ

Government type: republic

National capital: Almaty (according to a September 1995 presidential decree, the capital is to be moved to Aqmola)

Administrative divisions: 16 oblystar (singular - oblys) and 1 city (qalalar, singular - qala)*; Almaty Qalasy*, Almaty Oblysy, Aqmola Oblysy, Aqtobe Oblysy, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Mangghystau Oblysy (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy, Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen; formerly Ust'-Kamenogorsk), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Petropavl), Taldyqorghan Oblysy, Torghay Oblysy, Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz) note: on 3 May 1997, President NAZARBAYEV that the total number of oblasts would be reduced to 14; administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 October (1991); Republic Day, 16 December (1991)

Constitution: adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990-91, president since 1 December 1991); State Secretary Abish KEKILDAYEV (since 30 October 1996) is second in rank to the president head of government: Prime Minister Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN (since 12 October 1994) and First Deputy Prime Minister Akhmetzhan YESIMOV (since 24 October 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections : president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 1 December 1991 (next to be held NA 2000); note - President NAZARBAYEV's term was extended to the year 2000 by a nationwide referendum held 30 April 1995; state secretary (created by presidential decree) is appointed by the president; prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV elected president without opposition; percent of vote - NA note: President NAZARBAYEV has expanded his presidential powers by decree: only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and dismiss the government, dissolve parliament, call referenda at his discretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (47 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president; other members are popularly elected, two each from each oblast and Almaty, to serve four-year terms) and the Majilis (67 seats; members are popularly elected to serve four-year terms); note - with the oblasts being reduced to 14, the Senate will eventually be reduced to 37 elections: Senate - (indirect) last held 5 December 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); Majilis - last held 9 December and 23 December 1995 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - party members 13, no party affiliation 34, of which "independent" state officials 25, nominated by the president 7, elected by popular vote 15; Majilis - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - party members 22, no party affiliation 45

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)

Political parties and leaders: Alash National Freedom Party party [Aron ATABEK]; People's Unity Party or PUP (was Union of People's Unity) [Akhan BIZHANOV, chairman]; Democratic Party [Tulegen ZHUKEYEV and Altynbek SARSENBAYEV, cochairmen]; People's Congress of Kazakstan or NKK [Olzhas SULEYMENOV, chairman]; AZAMAT Movement [Petr SVOIK, Murat AUEZOV, and Galym ABILSAITOV, cochairmen]; Communist Party or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, first secretary]; National Democratic Party [Kamal ORMANTAYEV, chairman]; AZAT party [Toleubek KARAMENDIN, chairman]; Labor movement [Madel ISMAILOV, chairman]; Peasant Union of the Republic Kazakstan or KPU; Republican People's Slavic Movement-Harmony or Lad [Aleksander SAMARKIN, chairman]; Party for Social Justice and Economic Revival "Tagibat"; Social Democratic Party of Kazakstan or SDPK [Dos KUSHIMOV, cochairman]; People's Cooperative Party [Umirzak SARSENOV, chairman]; Organization of Veterans; Republican Party; Russian Center [Nina SIDOROVA, chairwoman]; Russian Cossacks [Vladimir DESYATOV, head (ataman)]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]