Climate: tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain: very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other : 100% (1993 est.) note: Tuvalu's nine coral atolls have enough soil to grow coconuts and support subsistence agriculture

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: severe tropical storms are rare

Environment - current issues: since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, all water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities; beachhead erosion because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the crown of thorns starfish

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

@Tuvalu:People

Population: 10,297 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (male 1,871; female 1,803) 15-64 years : 59% (male 2,903; female 3,226) 65 years and over: 5% (male 229; female 265) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.45% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 23.31 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.84 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 26.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.61 years male: 62.44 years female : 64.84 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.11 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Tuvaluan(s) adjective: Tuvaluan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian 96%

Religions: Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Languages: Tuvaluan, English

Literacy: NA; note - education is free and compulsory from ages 6 through 13

@Tuvalu:Government

Country name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Tuvalu former: Ellice Islands

Data code: TV

Government type: democracy; began debating republic status in 1992

National capital: Funafuti

Administrative divisions: none

Independence: 1 October 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Constitution: 1 October 1978

Legal system: NA

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 Manuella TULAGA (since NA June 1994) head of government : Prime Minister Bikenibeu PAENIU (since 23 December 1996) and Deputy Prime Minister Ionatana IONATANA (since 23 December 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: 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 elected by and from the members of Parliament; election last held NA December 1996 (next to be held by NA 1997) election results: Bikenibeu PAENIU elected prime minister; percent of Parliament vote - NA; Ionatana IONATANA elected deputy prime minister; percent of Parliament vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono (12 seats - two from each island with more than 1,000 inhabitants, one from all the other inhabited islands; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 November 1993 (next to be held by NA 1997) election results : percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12

Judicial branch: High Court; note - a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over sessions of the High Court

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: AsDB, C (special), ESCAP, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Economy

Economy - overview: Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. The islands are too small and too remote for development of a large-scale tourist industry. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000 Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources decline, which will present additional problems for Tuvalu's already stretched economy. Substantial income is received annually from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. In an effort to reduce its dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts of up to 7%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.8 million (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 8.7% (1995)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800 (1995 est.)

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.9% (1989)

Labor force: NA by occupation : NA note: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those working abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $4.3 million expenditures: $4.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)

Industries: fishing, tourism, copra

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 2,600 kW (1995)

Electricity - production: 3 million kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: coconuts; fish

Exports: total value: $165,000 (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: copra partners: Fiji, Australia, NZ

Imports: total value: $4.4 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities : food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods partners: Fiji, Australia, NZ

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $1.725 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $1.7 million from NZ (FY95/96)

Currency: 1 Tuvaluan dollar ($T) or 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Tuvaluan dollars ($T) or Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.2835 (January 1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Tuvalu:Communications

Telephones: 130 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands international: NA

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

Radios: 4,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: NA

@Tuvalu:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 8 km (1995 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors: Funafuti, Nukufetau

Merchant marine: total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 49,488 GRT/80,968 DWT ships by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Airports: 1 (1996 est.)

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

Military

Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force (consists of full-time personnel 45, part-time personnel 16)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: NA

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

UGANDA

@Uganda:Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 236,040 sq km land: 199,710 sq km water: 36,330 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 2,698 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Terrain: mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Natural resources: copper, cobalt, limestone, salt

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops : 9% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 28% other: 29% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 90 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching is widespread

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified : Desertification, Environmental Modification

Geography - note: landlocked

@Uganda:People

Population: 20,604,874 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 50% (male 5,126,249; female 5,092,583) 15-64 years : 48% (male 4,948,859; female 4,963,718) 65 years and over: 2% (male 234,351; female 239,114) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.14% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 45.08 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 20.98 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) note : Uganda is host to refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including Sudan, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire; probably in excess of 100,000 southern Sudanese fled to Uganda during the past year; many of the 10,000 Rwandans who took refuge in Uganda have returned home

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 98.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 39.69 years male: 39.3 years female: 40.1 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.52 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ugandan(s) adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups: Baganda 17%, Karamojong 12%, Basogo 8%, Iteso 8%, Langi 6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Bunyoro 3%, Batobo 3%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 23%

Religions: Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%

Languages: English (official), Luganda, Swahili, Bantu languages, Nilotic languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.8% male: 73.7% female: 50.2% (1995 est.)

@Uganda:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Uganda conventional short form: Uganda

Data code: UG

Government type: republic

National capital: Kampala

Administrative divisions: 39 districts; Apac, Arua, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Soroti, Tororo

Independence: 9 October 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Constitution: 8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member Constituent Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution that had been proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was dissolved on promulgation of the constitution in October 1995

Legal system: in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on English common law and customary law and reinstituted a normal judicial system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 January 1986); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Kintu MUSOKE (since 18 November 1994) note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; the prime minister assists the president in the supervision of the cabinet cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected legislators elections: president elected by popular vote; election last held 9 May 1996 (next to be held by 31 May 2001); note - first popular election for president since independence in 1962; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 74%, Paul Kawanga SSEMOGERERE 24%, Muhammad MAYANJA 2%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (276 members serve five-year terms; 214 directly elected by universal suffrage, but 62 are nominated by legally established special interest groups and approved by the president - women 39, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 3) elections: elections to the National Assembly (formerly the National Resistance Council) took place on 27 June 1996 (next election to be held in 2001); election results: NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; High Court

Political parties and leaders: only one political organization, the National Resistance Movement or NRM [Dr. Samson KISEKKA, chairman] is recognized; note - this is the party of President MUSEVENI; the president maintains that the NRM is not a political party, but a movement which claims the loyalty of all Ugandans note: of the political parties which exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates, the most important are the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Milton OBOTE], Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE], and Conservative Party or CP [Joshua S. MAYANJA-NKANGI]; the new constitution confirms the suspension of political party activity until 2000

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador E. Michael SOUTHWICK embassy : Parliament Avenue, Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 259792, 259793, 259795 FAX: [256] (41) 259794

Flag description: six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side

Economy

Economy - overview: Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee is the major export crop and accounts for the bulk of export revenues. Since 1986 the government - with the support of foreign countries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and export earnings. In 1990-94, the economy turned in a solid performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, and gradually improving domestic security. The economy again prospered in 1995 with rapid growth, low inflation, growing foreign investment, a trimmed bureaucracy, and the continued return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7.1% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $900 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 55% industry : 12% services: 33% (1995)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 7.3% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total: 8.361 million (1993 est.) by occupation: agriculture 86%, industry 4%, services 10% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $766.5 million expenditures : $894.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)

Industries: sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement

Industrial production growth rate: 15% (1994)

Electricity - capacity: 155,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - production: 611 million kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 31 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry

Exports: total value: $555 million (f.o.b., FY94/95) commodities : gold, cotton, coffee, tea, corn, fish partners: Spain 23%, France 14%, Germany 14%, Italy 10%, Netherlands 8%

Imports: total value: $1.18 billion (c.i.f., FY94/95) commodities: petroleum products, machinery, metals, transportation equipment, cotton piece goods, food partners: Kenya 26%, UK 12%, Japan 8%, Germany 8%, India 5.5%

Debt - external: $3.4 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Ugandan shilling (USh) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Ugandan shillings (USh) per US$1 - 1,030.3 (December 1996), 1,046.1 (1996), 968.9 (1995), 979.4 (1994), 1,195.0 (1993), 1,133.8 (1992)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Uganda:Communications

Telephones: 54,900 (1989 est.)

Telephone system: fair system domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communications stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Radios: 2.04 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 9 (1987 est.)

Televisions: 193,000 (1992 est.)

@Uganda:Transportation

Railways: total: 1,241 km narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge note : a program to rehabilitate the railroad is underway (1995)

Highways: total: 27,000 km paved: 1,800 km unpaved: 25,200 km (of which about 4,800 km are all-weather roads) (1990 est.)

Waterways: Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake Edward; Victoria Nile, Albert Nile

Ports and harbors: Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Merchant marine: total: 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,091 GRT/5,943 DWT (1996 est.)

Airports: 21 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m : 1 under 914 m: 7 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m : 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Wing

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,466,851 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 2,423,556 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $56 million (FY93/94)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.7% (FY93/94)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

UKRAINE

@Ukraine:Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 49 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area: total: 603,700 sq km land: 603,700 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,558 km border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km, Poland 428 km, Romania (southwest) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia 1,576 km, Slovakia 90 km

Coastline: 2,782 km

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

Climate: temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

Terrain: most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

Natural resources: iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber

Land use: arable land: 58% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures : 13% forests and woodland: 18% other: 9% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 26,050 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe

@Ukraine:People

Population: 50,447,719 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 5,000,518; female 4,802,193) 15-64 years: 67% (male 16,087,147; female 17,429,313) 65 years and over: 14% (male 2,308,354; female 4,820,194) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.65% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 9.55 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 16.26 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 21.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.77 years male: 59.93 years female: 71.91 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.36 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ukrainian(s) adjective: Ukrainian

Ethnic groups: Ukrainian 73%, Russian 22%, Jewish 1%, other 4%

Religions: Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate, Ukrainian Orthodox - Kiev Patriarchate, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic (Uniate), Protestant, Jewish

Languages: Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian

Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 100% female: 97% (1989 est.)

@Ukraine:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ukraine local long form: none local short form: Ukrayina former: Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: UP

Government type: republic

National capital: Kiev (Kyyiv)

Administrative divisions: 24 oblasti (singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtomnaya respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular - misto) with oblast status**; Cherkas'ka (Cherkasy), Chernihivs'ka (Chernihiv), Chernivets'ka (Chernivtsi), Dnipropetrovs'ka (Dnipropetrovs'k), Donets'ka (Donets'k), Ivano-Frankivs'ka (Ivano-Frankivs'k), Kharkivs'ka (Kharkiv), Khersons'ka (Kherson), Khmel'nyts'ka (Khmel'nyts'kyy), Kirovohrads'ka (Kirovohrad), Kyyiv**, Kyyivs'ka (Kiev), Luhans'ka (Luhans'k), L'vivs'ka (L'viv), Mykolayivs'ka (Mykolayiv), Odes'ka (Odesa), Poltavs'ka (Poltava), Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Rivnens'ka (Rivne), Sevastopol'**, Sums'ka (Sumy), Ternopil's'ka (Ternopil'), Vinnyts'ka (Vinnytsya), Volyns'ka (Luts'k), Zakarpats'ka (Uzhhorod), Zaporiz'ka (Zaporizhzhya), Zhytomyrs'ka (Zhytomyr) note: oblasts have the administrative center name following in parentheses

Independence: 1 December 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 August (1991)

Constitution: adopted 28 June 1996

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state : President Leonid D. KUCHMA (since 19 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Pavlo LAZARENKO (since NA May 1996), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasyl DURDYNETS (since NA July 1996), and three deputy prime ministers cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme Council note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but significantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA; the NSDC includes the president, prime minister, ministers of defense, internal affairs, foreign relations, and chairman of the security service; the NSC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a Presidential Administration that helps draft presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president; and a Council of Regions that serves as an advisory body created by President KUCHMA in September 1994 that includes the Kiev and Sevastopol City Supreme Councils and the chairmen of Oblast elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 26 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme Council election results: Leonid D. KUCHMA elected president; percent of vote - Leonid KUCHMA 52.15%, Leonid KRAVCHUK 45.06%

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; members are elected by popular vote from one-member districts by complex procedures to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 March 1994 with repeat elections continuing through December 1998 to fill empty seats (next to be held NA March 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Communists 91, Rukh 22, Agrarians 18, Socialists 15, Republicans 11, Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists 5, Labor 5, Party of Democratic Revival 4, Democrats 2, Social Democrats 2, Civil Congress 2, Conservative Republicans 1, Party of Economic Revival of Crimea 1, Christian Democrats 1, independents 225; note - most recent repeat election held in April 1996 filling 422 of 450 seats as follows: independents 238, Communist 95, Rukh 22, Agrarians 18, Socialist 15, Republicans 11, Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists 5, Labor 5, Party of Democratic Revival 4, Democratic Party of Ukraine 2, Social Democrats 2, Civil Congress 2, Conservative Republicans 1, Party of Economic Revival of Crimea 1, Christian Democrats 1, vacant 28 (in February 1997 there were 35 vacant seats)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Green Party of Ukraine [Vitaliy KONONOV, leader]; Liberal Party of Ukraine; Liberal Democratic Party of Ukraine [Volodymyr KLYMCHUK, chairman]; Democratic Party of Ukraine [Volodymyr Oleksandrovych YAVORIVSKIY, chairman]; People's Party of Ukraine; Peasants' Party of Ukraine; Party of Democratic Rebirth or Revival of Ukraine [Volodymyr FILENKO, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Ukraine [Vasyl ONOPENKO, chairman]; Socialist Party of Ukraine [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman]; Ukrainian Christian Democratic Party [Vitaliy ZHURAVSKYY, chairman]; Ukrainian Conservative Republican Party [Stepan KHMARA, chairman]; Ukrainian Labor Party [Valentyn LANDYK, chairman]; Ukrainian Party of Justice [Yuriy ZUBKO, chairman]; Ukrainian Peasants' Democratic Party [Serhiy PLACHINDA, chairman]; Ukrainian Republican Party [Bondan YAROSHPSKYY, chairman]; Ukrainian National Conservative Party; Ukrainian People's Movement for Restructuring or Rukh [Vyacheslav CHORNOVIL, chairman]; Ukrainian Communist Party [Petr SYMONENKO]; Agrarian Party; Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists [Slava STESTKO]; Civil Congress [O. BAZYLUK]; Party of Economic Revival of Crimea; Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine [Nataliya VITRENKO and Volodymyr MARCHENKO, leaders]; People's Democratic Party [Anatoliy MATVIYENKO, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: New Ukraine (Nova Ukrayina); Congress of National Democratic Forces

International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CIS, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Yuriy Mikolayevych SHCHERBAK chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-0606 FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817 consulate(s) general : Chicago and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William Green MILLER embassy: 10 Yuria Kotsyubinskovo, 254053 Kiev 53 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [380] (44) 244-7345 FAX: [380] (44) 244-7350

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow represent grainfields under a blue sky

Economy

Economy - overview: After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied equipment and raw materials to industrial and mining sites in other regions of the former USSR. Shortly after the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output in 1992-96 fell precipitously to less than half the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Since his election in July 1994, President KUCHMA has pushed a comprehensive economic reform program, maintained financial discipline, and tried to remove almost all remaining controls over prices and foreign trade. Implementation of KUCHMA's economic agenda is encountering considerable resistance from parliament, entrenched bureaucrats, and industrial interests. However, if KUCHMA succeeds in implementing aggressive market reforms during 1997, the economy should reverse its downward trend, with real growth occurring by late 1997 and into 1998.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $161.1 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP - real growth rate: -10% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,170 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 14% industry: 45% services: 41% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 40% (yearend 1996)

Labor force: total: 23 million (January 1996) by occupation: industry and construction 33%, agriculture and forestry 21%, health, education, and culture 16%, trade and distribution 7%, transport and communication 7%, other 16% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 1% officially registered; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers (December 1996)

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

Industries: coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food-processing (especially sugar)

Industrial production growth rate: -5.1% (1996 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 54.24 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 181 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,487 kWh (1996)

Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, vegetables; meat, milk

Exports: total value : $18.6 billion (1996 est.) commodities: coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, grain, meat partners: Russia, Belarus, US, Germany, China (1995)

Imports: total value : $19.4 billion (1996 est.) commodities: energy, machinery and parts, transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles partners: Russia, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Germany, Switzerland

Debt - external: $8.8 billion (including $4.5 billion to Russia) (late 1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $220 million (1993) note : commitments, 1992-95, $4.5 billion ($4.1 billion drawn)

Currency: on 2 September 1996, Ukraine introduced the long-awaited hryvnia (plural hryvni) as its national currency, replacing the karbovanets (in circulation since 12 November 1992) at a rate of 100,000 karbovantsi to 1 hryvnia

Exchange rates: hryvnia per US$1 - 1.8592 (November 1996), 1.4731 (1995), 0.3275 (1994), 0.0453 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Ukraine:Communications

Telephones: NA

Telephone system: system is unsatisfactory both for business and for personal use; 3.56 million applications for telephones had not been satisfied as of January 1991; electronic mail services have been established in Kiev, Odessa, and Luhans'k by Sprint domestic: an NMT-450 analog cellular telephone network operates in Kiev (Kyyiv) and allows direct dialing of international calls through Kiev's digital exchange international: calls to other CIS countries are carried by landline or microwave radio relay; calls to 167 other countries are carried by satellite or by the 150 leased lines through the Moscow international gateway switch; satellite earth stations - NA Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions), and NA Intersputnik

Radio broadcast stations: 2 radio broadcast stations of NA type

Radios: 15 million (1990)

Television broadcast stations: at least 2

Televisions: 17.3 million (1992)

@Ukraine:Transportation

Railways: total : 23,350 km broad gauge: 23,350 km 1.524-m gauge (8,600 km electrified)

Highways: total: 172,257 km paved: 163,300 km (including 1,875 km of expressways); note - these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced unpaved: 8,957 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 4,400 km navigable waterways, of which 1,672 km were on the Pryp''yat' and Dnistr (1990)

Pipelines: crude oil 2,010 km; petroleum products 1,920 km; natural gas 7,800 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Berdyans'k, Illichivs'k, Izmayil, Kerch, Kherson, Kiev (Kyyiv), Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni

Merchant marine: total : 301 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,507,463 GRT/3,156,522 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 5, bulk 21, cargo 192, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 10, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil tanker 23, passenger 7, passenger-cargo 4, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 20, short-sea passenger 6 note : Ukraine owns an additional 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,283,735 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Cyprus, Liberia, Malta, Panama, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1996 est.)

Airports: 706 (1994 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 163 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 55 1,524 to 2,437 m : 34 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m : 57 (1994 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 543 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m : 16 914 to 1,523 m: 37 under 914 m: 476 (1994 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Internal Troops, National Guard, Border Troops

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 12,408,912 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 9,720,351 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 366,086 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: 1.35 billion hryvni (Ukrainian Government's forecast for 1996); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: less than 2% (Ukrainian Government's forecast for 1996)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: dispute with Romania over continental shelf of the Black Sea under which significant gas and oil deposits may exist; agreed to two-year negotiating period, after which either party can refer dispute to the International Court of Justice; potential dispute with Russia over Crimea; has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs to Western Europe and Russia

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

@United Arab Emirates:Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 82,880 sq km land: 82,880 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries: total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

Coastline: 1,318 km

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

Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland : 0% other: 98% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 50 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified : Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

@United Arab Emirates:People

Population: 2,262,309 (July 1997 est.) note: includes 1,546,547 non-nationals (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years : 32% (male 375,709; female 360,199) 15-64 years: 66% (male 975,868; female 511,692) 65 years and over: 2% (male 25,869; female 12,972) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.79% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 18.46 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 3.01 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 1.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.56 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 15.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population : 74.64 years male: 73.18 years female : 76.17 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.62 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Emiri(s) adjective: Emiri

Ethnic groups: Emiri 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982) note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

Religions: Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literacy not available total population: 79.2% male : 78.9% female: 79.8% (1995 est.)

@United Arab Emirates:Government

Country name: conventional long form : United Arab Emirates conventional short form: none local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah local short form: none former: Trucial States abbreviation : UAE

Data code: TC

Government type: federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates

National capital: Abu Dhabi

Administrative divisions: 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

Independence: 2 December 1971 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution: 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

Legal system: federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ras al Khaymah have joined the federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts

Suffrage: none

Executive branch: chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai) head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai) and Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note : there is also a Supreme Council of Rulers which is composed of the seven emirate rulers; the council is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation, Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power; meets four times a year elections : president and vice president elected by the Supreme Council of Rulers (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held NA October 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of Supreme Council of Rulers vote - NA, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of Supreme Council of Rulers vote - NA, but believed to be unanimous

Legislative branch: unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms) elections: none note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

Judicial branch: Union Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Husayn al-SHAALI chancery: Suite 600, 3000 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 338-6500

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David C. LITT embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi; American Embassy Abu Dhabi, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6010 (pouch); note - work week is Saturday through Wednesday telephone: [971] (2) 436691, 436692 FAX: [971] (2) 435441 consulate(s) general: Dubai

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side

Economy

Economy - overview: The UAE has an open economy with one of the world's highest incomes per capita and with a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, crude oil reserves should last for over 100 years. The UAE Government is encouraging increased privatization within the economy, and industrial development is expected to pick up in 1997.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $72.9 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.4% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,800 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 43% services : 55% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 5.2% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total: 794,400 (1993 est.) by occupation: industry and commerce 56%, services 38%, agriculture 6% (1990 est.) note: 75.73% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $5.1 billion expenditures: $5.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Industries: petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 5.29 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 17.74 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 5,724 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish

Exports: total value: $31.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: crude oil 66%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates partners: Japan 38%, India 6%, South Korea 6%, Singapore 5%, Iran 4%, Oman 4% (1995)

Imports: total value: $22.3 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, food partners : Japan 9%, US 8%, UK 8%, Italy 7%, Germany 7%, South Korea 5% (1995)

Debt - external: $14 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: $NA

Currency: 1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils

Exchange rates: Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1 - 3.6710 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@United Arab Emirates:Communications

Telephones: 677,793 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: modern system consisting of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 545,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 12

Televisions: 170,000 (1993 est.)

@United Arab Emirates:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,750 km paved: 4,750 km unpaved : 0 km (1995 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km

Ports and harbors: 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn

Merchant marine: total: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,128,495 GRT/1,955,344 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 18, chemical tanker 3, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 5 (1996 est.)

Airports: 36 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 27 over 3,047 m : 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Federal Police Force)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 790,838 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 424,962 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 20,584 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.59 billion (1994)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.3% (1994)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: location and status of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not final, de facto boundary reflects 1974 agreement; no defined boundary with most of Oman, but Administrative Line in far north; claims two islands in the Persian Gulf occupied by Iran: Lesser Tunb (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); claims island in the Persian Gulf jointly administered with Iran (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran) - over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control since 1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on the island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in the region in protesting these Iranian actions

Illicit drugs: growing role as heroin transshipment and money-laundering center due to its proximity to southwest Asian producing countries and the bustling free trade zone in Dubai

UNITED KINGDOM

@United Kingdom:Geography

Location: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 244,820 sq km land: 241,590 sq km water : 3,230 sq km note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries : Ireland 360 km

Coastline: 12,429 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf : as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point : Fenland -4 m highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland : 10% other: 19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,080 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants contribute to air pollution; some rivers polluted by agricultural wastes and coastal waters polluted because of large-scale disposal of sewage at sea

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters

@United Kingdom:People

Population: 57,591,677 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 5,647,549; female 5,386,750) 15-64 years : 65% (male 18,532,243; female 18,757,168) 65 years and over: 16% (male 3,808,399; female 5,459,568) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.24% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 11.83 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 10.77 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.32 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 : 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.25 years male: 74.67 years female: 79.96 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural) adjective: British

Ethnic groups: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%

Religions: Anglican 27 million, Roman Catholic 9 million, Muslim 1 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 400,000, Hindu 350,000, Jewish 300,000 (1991 est.) note: the UK does not include a question on religion in its census

Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 99% (1978 est.) male: NA% female : NA%

@United Kingdom:Government

Country name: conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland conventional short form: United Kingdom abbreviation: UK

Data code: UK

Government type: constitutional monarchy

National capital: London

Administrative divisions: 47 counties, 7 metropolitan counties, 26 districts, 9 regions, and 3 islands areas; England - 39 counties, 7 metropolitan counties*; Avon, Bedford, Berkshire, Buckingham, Cambridge, Cheshire, Cleveland, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derby, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucester, Greater London*, Greater Manchester*, Hampshire, Hereford and Worcester, Hertford, Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicester, Lincoln, Merseyside*, Norfolk, Northampton, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Nottingham, Oxford, Shropshire, Somerset, South Yorkshire*, Stafford, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and Wear*, Warwick, West Midlands*, West Sussex, West Yorkshire*, Wiltshire; Northern Ireland - 26 districts; Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Londonderry, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane; Scotland - 9 regions, 3 islands areas*; Borders, Central, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Grampian, Highland, Lothian, Orkney*, Shetland*, Strathclyde, Tayside, Western Isles*; Wales - 8 counties; Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan, Powys, South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan

Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Hong Kong (scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China on 1 July 1997), Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Independence: 1 January 1801 (United Kingdom established)

National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday in June)

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

Legal system: common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948) head of government: Prime Minister Tony BLAIR (since 2 May 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons and must have the consent of the monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of House of Lords (1,200 seats; four-fifths of the members are hereditary peers, two archbishops, 24 other senior bishops, serving and retired Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, other life peers, Scottish peers) and House of Commons (659 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Lords - no elections; House of Commons - last held 1 May 1997 (next to be held by NA May 2002) election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Labor 44.5%, Conservative 31%, Liberal Democratic 17%, other 7.5%; seats by party - Labor 418, Conservative 165, Liberal Democratic 46, other 30

Judicial branch: House of Lords, several Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life

Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party [John MAJOR]; Labor Party [Anthony (Tony) Blair]; Liberal Democrats or LD [Jeremy (Paddy) ASHDOWN]; Scottish National Party [Alex SALMOND]; Welsh National Party (Plaid Cymru) [Dafydd Iwan WIGLEY]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [David TRIMBLE]; Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY]; Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [John HUME]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS]; Alliance Party (Northern Ireland) [Lord ALDERDICE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Trades Union Congress; Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, 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 (observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAES, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sir John Olav KERR (will return to London in late 1997) chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone : [1] (202) 588-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Dallas, Miami, and Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CROWE, Jr. embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W. 1A1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, London; FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (71) 499-9000 FAX : [44] (71) 409-1637 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Flag description: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and others

Economy

Economy - overview: The UK is one of the world's great trading powers and financial centers, and its essentially capitalistic economy ranks among the four largest in Western Europe. Over the past 17 years the ruling Tories have greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only about 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 12% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance, now employing only 25% of the work force. The economy registered 3.9% GDP growth in 1994, the best rate for six years, but slipped back to 2.7% in 1995 and 2.4% in 1996. Exports and manufacturing output have been the primary engines of growth. Unemployment is gradually falling. Inflation is a comfortable 2.6%. A major economic policy question for the UK in the late 1990s is the terms on which it participates in the financial and economic integration of Europe.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.19 trillion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,400 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.9% industry: 34.1% services : 64% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.6% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total : 28.1 million (September 1996) by occupation: services 62.8%, manufacturing and construction 25.0%, government 9.1%, energy 1.9%, agriculture 1.2% (June 1992)

Unemployment rate: 6.7% (December 1996)

Budget: revenues : $421.5 billion expenditures: $474.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96 est.)

Industries: production machinery including machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 66.15 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 327.7 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 5,178 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish

Exports: total value: $240.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities : manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, transport equipment partners: EU countries 56.4% (Germany 12.7%, France 9.9%, Netherlands 7.0%), US 13.1% (1994)

Imports: total value : $258.8 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods partners: EU countries 54.9% (Germany 14.6%, France 10.0%, Netherlands 6.7%), US 12.2% (1994)

Debt - external: $16.2 billion (June 1992)

Economic aid: donor: ODA, $2.908 billion (1993)

Currency: 1 British pound (L) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: British pounds (L) per US$1 - 0.6023 (January 1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@United Kingdom:Communications

Telephones: 29.5 million (1987 est.)

Telephone system: technologically advanced domestic and international system domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems international: 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers

Radio broadcast stations: AM 225, FM 525 (mostly repeaters), shortwave 0

Radios: 70 million

Television broadcast stations: 207 (repeaters 3,210)

Televisions: 20 million

@United Kingdom:Transportation

Railways: total : 17,561 km broad gauge: 434 km 1.600-m gauge (190 km double track); note - all 1.600-m gauge track, of which 357 km is in common carrier use, is in Northern Ireland standard gauge: 16,892 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified; 12,591 km double or multiple track); note - 16,532 km of 1.435-m routes are in common carrier service; the remaining 360 km are operated by a total of 40 tourist or other private companies narrow gauge: 235 km 0.260-m, 0.311-m, 0.381-m, 0.600-m, 0.610-m, 0.686-m, 0.760-m, 0.762-m, 0.800-m, 0.825-m, 0.914-m and 1.067-m gauges; note - these short, narrow-gage lines are operated by a total of 25 tourist and other private firms (1995)

Highways: total: 388,831 km (1994 est.) paved: NA km (including 3,284 km of expressways) unpaved: NA km

Waterways: 3,200 km under British Waterways Board

Pipelines: crude oil (almost all insignificant) 933 km; petroleum products 2,993 km; natural gas 12,800 km

Ports and harbors: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Sullom Voe, Tees, Tyne

Merchant marine: total: 150 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,719,891 GRT/3,246,718 DWT ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 28, chemical tanker 2, container 21, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 54, passenger 8, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 12, short-sea passenger 12, specialized tanker 1 (1996 est.)

Airports: 387 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 366 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 103 914 to 1,523 m: 59 under 914 m: 166 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 21 914 to 1,523 m: 21 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 12 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 13,829,704 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 11,527,058 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $35.1 billion (FY95/96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.1% (FY95/96)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: Northern Ireland question with Ireland; Gibraltar question with Spain; Argentina claims Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Mauritius claims island of Diego Garcia in British Indian Ocean Territory; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory)

Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; producer of synthetic drugs, precursor chemicals; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering center

UNITED STATES

@United States:Geography

Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 38 00 N, 97 00 W

Map references: North America

Area: total: 9,629,091 sq km land: 9,158,960 sq km water : 470,131 sq km note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Area - comparative: about one-half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about one-half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and one-half times the size of Western Europe

Land boundaries: total: 12,248 km border countries : Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Cuba 29 km (US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay), Mexico 3,326 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba

Coastline: 19,924 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone : 12 nm continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida and arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Death Valley -86 m highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 30% other: 26% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 207,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic coast; tornadoes in the midwest; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to development

Environment - current issues: air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note: world's third-largest country (after Russia and Canada)

@United States:People

Population: 267,954,764 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 29,837,393; female 28,450,028) 15-64 years: 65% (male 87,170,245; female 88,400,551) 65 years and over : 13% (male 13,975,746; female 20,120,801) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.89% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 14.6 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.8 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.1 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: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.55 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.04 years male: 72.75 years female : 79.49 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: American(s) adjective: American

Ethnic groups: white 83.4%, black 12.4%, Asian 3.3%, Amerindian 0.8% (1992)

Religions: Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989)

Languages: English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)

Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1979 est.)

@United States:Government

Country name: conventional long form : United States of America conventional short form: United States abbreviation: US or USA

Data code: US

Government type: federal republic; strong democratic tradition

National capital: Washington, DC

Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a Commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986)

Independence: 4 July 1776 (from England)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000) election results: William Jefferson CLINTON elected president; percent of popular vote - William Jefferson CLINTON (Democratic Party) 49.2%, Bob DOLE (Republican Party) 40.7%, Ross PEROT (Reform Party) 8.4%, other 1.7%

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress consists of Senate (100 seats, one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and House of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 2 November 1998); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 2 November 1998) election results : Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 45; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 227, Democratic Party 205, independent 1, vacant 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed for life by the president with confirmation by the Senate

Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Jim NICHOLSON, national committee chairman; Democratic Party, Steve GROSSMAN, national committee chairman; several other groups or parties of minor political significance

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CP, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, 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, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIH, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UNTAES, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Flag description: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small white five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

Economy

Economy - overview: The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $28,600, the largest among major industrial nations. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and government buys needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, lay off surplus workers, and develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. In all economic sectors, US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers, and medical, aerospace, and military equipment, although their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. The years 1994-96 witnessed moderate gains in real output, low inflation rates, and a drop in unemployment below 6%. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs of an aging population, sizable budget and trade deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups. The outlook for 1997 is for continued moderate growth, low inflation, and about the same level of unemployment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.61 trillion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $28,600 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 23% services: 75% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 3% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total: 133.943 million (includes unemployed) (1996) by occupation: managerial and professional 28.8%, technical, sales and administrative support 29.7%, services 13.6%, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 25.1%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2.8%

Unemployment rate: 5.4% (1996)

Budget: revenues: $1.351 trillion expenditures: $1.514 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (1996)

Electricity - capacity: 702.7 million kW (1995)

Electricity - production: 3.5357 trillion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 11,636 kWh (1994 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, other grains, corn, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish

Exports: total value: $584.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities : capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products partners: Canada 22%, Western Europe 21%, Japan 11%, Mexico 8% (1995)

Imports: total value: $771 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages partners : Canada, 20%, Western Europe 18%, Japan 16.5%, Mexico 8% (1995)

Debt - external: $862 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid: donor : ODA, $9.721 billion (1993)

Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: British pounds (L) per US$ - 0.6023 (January 1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992); Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$ - 1.3486 (January 1997), 1.3635 (1996), 1.3724 (1995), 1.3656 (1994), 1.2901 (1993), 1.2087 (1992); French francs (F) per US$ - 5.4169 (January 1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992); Italian lire (Lit) per US$ - 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); Japanese yen (Y) per US$ - 118.02 (January 1997), 108.78 (1996), 94.06 (1995), 102.21 (1994), 111.20 (1993), 126.65 (1992); German deutsche marks (DM) per US$ - 1.6043 (January 1997), 1.5048 (1996), 1.4331 (1995), 1.6228 (1994), 1.6533 (1993), 1.5617 (1992)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

@United States:Communications

Telephones: 182.558 million (1987 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites international : 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean) (1990 est.), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4,987, FM 4,932, shortwave 0

Radios: 540.5 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1,092 (in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems)

Televisions: 215 million (1993 est.)

@United States:Transportation

Railways: total: 240,000 km mainline routes (nongovernment owned) standard gauge: 240,000 km 1.435-m gauge (1989)

Highways: total : 6,261,154 km paved: 3,759,516 km (including 88,500 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,501,638 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes

Pipelines: petroleum products 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km (1991)

Ports and harbors: Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon), Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo

Merchant marine: total: 305 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,319,000 GRT/14,454,000 DWT ships by type : bulk 15, cargo 22, chemical tanker 16, intermodal 119, liquefied gas tanker 14, passenger-cargo 3, tanker 104, tanker tug-barge 12 note: in addition, there are 193 government-owned vessels (1996 est.)

Airports: 13,396 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11,677 over 3,047 m: 180 2,438 to 3,047 m: 201 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,217 914 to 1,523 m: 2,354 under 914 m : 7,725 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,719 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m : 152 914 to 1,523 m: 1,559 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 103 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (includes Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force note: the Coast Guard falls under the Department of Transportation, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 69,414,007 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: NA

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,864,580 (1996 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $267.2 billion (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island); US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation; Republic of Marshall Islands claims Wake Island

Illicit drugs: consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly methamphetamines from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamines; drug money-laundering center

URUGUAY

@Uruguay:Geography

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 176,220 sq km land: 173,620 sq km water: 2,600 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Washington State

Land boundaries: total: 1,564 km border countries : Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea : 200 nm; overflight and navigation guaranteed beyond 12 nm

Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources: fertile soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 77% forests and woodland: 5% other : 11% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,400 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in weather fronts

Environment - current issues: substantial pollution from Brazilian industry along border; one-fifth of country affected by acid rain generated by Brazil; water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

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

@Uruguay:People

Population: 3,270,707 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (male 405,016; female 385,863) 15-64 years: 63% (male 1,021,166; female 1,042,401) 65 years and over: 13% (male 173,345; female 242,916) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.7% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 16.98 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.97 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.99 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: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population : 75.23 years male: 72.09 years female : 78.55 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.3 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, specifically, the Charrua, which are practically nonexistent and make up probably less than 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 66% (less than one-half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%

Languages: Spanish, Portunon, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)

Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.3% male: 96.9% female: 97.7% (1995 est.)

@Uruguay:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay local short form : Uruguay

Data code: UY

Government type: republic

National capital: Montevideo

Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Independence: 25 August 1828 (from Brazil)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1828)

Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 7 January 1997

Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995) and Vice President Hugo BATALLA (since 1 March 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government as well as the Senate president head of government : President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995) and Vice President Hugo BATALLA (since 1 March 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government as well as the Senate president cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections : president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999) election results: Julio Maria SANGUINETTI elected president; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - Colorado 36%, Blanco 34%, Encuentro Progresista 27%, New Sector 3%; seats by party - Colorado 11, Blanco 10, Encuentro Progresista 8, New Sector 1; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Colorado 32%, Blanco 31%, Encuentro Progresista 31%, New Sector 5%; seats by party - Colorado 32, Blanco 31, Encuentro Progresista 31, New Sector 5