 |
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of France
@New Caledonia:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: Matthew and Hunter Islands claimed by France and Vanuatu
NEW ZEALAND
@New Zealand:Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 41 00 S, 174 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 268,680 sq km land: 268,670 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Area-comparative: about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 15,134 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Terrain: predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Cook 3,764 m
Natural resources: natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 50% forests and woodland: 28% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,850 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
Environment-current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside
Environment-international agreements: party to: 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, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography-note: about 80% of the population lives in cities
@New Zealand:People
Population: 3,625,388 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 427,776; female 407,074) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,188,468; female 1,181,002) 65 years and over: 12% (male 182,253; female 238,815) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.04% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 14.89 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 7.6 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 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: 0.76 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.37 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.55 years male: 74.35 years female: 80.91 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.91 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand
Ethnic groups: New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%
Religions: Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986)
Languages: English (official), Maori
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
@New Zealand:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ
Data code: NZ
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Wellington
Administrative divisions: 93 counties, 9 districts*, and 3 town districts**; Akaroa, Amuri, Ashburton, Bay of Islands, Bruce, Buller, Chatham Islands, Cheviot, Clifton, Clutha, Cook, Dannevirke, Egmont, Eketahuna, Ellesmere, Eltham, Eyre, Featherston, Franklin, Golden Bay, Great Barrier Island, Grey, Hauraki Plains, Hawera*, Hawke's Bay, Heathcote, Hikurangi**, Hobson, Hokianga, Horowhenua, Hurunui, Hutt, Inangahua, Inglewood, Kaikoura, Kairanga, Kiwitea, Lake, Mackenzie, Malvern, Manaia**, Manawatu, Mangonui, Maniototo, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata, Mount Herbert, Ohinemuri, Opotiki, Oroua, Otamatea, Otorohanga*, Oxford, Pahiatua, Paparua, Patea, Piako, Pohangina, Raglan, Rangiora*, Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua*, Runanga, Saint Kilda, Silverpeaks, Southland, Stewart Island, Stratford, Strathallan, Taranaki, Taumarunui, Taupo, Tauranga, Thames-Coromandel*, Tuapeka, Vincent, Waiapu, Waiheke, Waihemo, Waikato, Waikohu, Waimairi, Waimarino, Waimate, Waimate West, Waimea, Waipa, Waipawa*, Waipukurau*, Wairarapa South, Wairewa, Wairoa, Waitaki, Waitomo*, Waitotara, Wallace, Wanganui, Waverley**, Westland, Whakatane*, Whangarei, Whangaroa, Woodville note: there may be a new administrative structure of 16 regions (Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wanganui-Manawatu, Wellington, West Coast) that are subdivided into 57 districts and 16 cities* (Ashburton, Auckland*, Banks Peninsula, Buller, Carterton, Central Hawke's Bay, Central Otago, Christchurch*, Clutha, Dunedin*, Far North, Franklin, Gisborne, Gore, Grey, Hamilton*, Hastings, Hauraki, Horowhenua, Hurunui, Hutt*, Invercargill*, Kaikoura, Kaipara, Kapiti Coast, Kawerau, Mackenzie, Manawatu, Manukau*, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata Piako, Napier*, Nelson*, New Plymouth, North Shore*, Opotiki, Otorohanga, Palmerston North*, Papakura*, Porirua*, Queenstown Lakes, Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua, Ruapehu, Selwyn, Southland, South Taranaki, South Waikato, South Wairarapa, Stratford, Tararua, Tasman, Taupo, Tauranga, Thames Coromandel, Timaru, Upper Hutt*, Waikato, Waimakariri, Waimate, Waipa, Wairoa, Waitakere*, Waitaki, Waitomo, Wanganui, Wellington*, Western Bay of Plenty, Westland, Whakatane, Whangarei)
Dependent areas: Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK)
National holiday: Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty)
Constitution: no formal, written constitution; consists of various documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments; Constitution Act 1986 was to have come into force 1 January 1987, but has not been enacted
Legal system: based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 Michael HARDIE BOYS (since 21 March 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Jenny SHIPLEY (since 8 December 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Winston PETERS (since 16 December 1996); note-SHIPLEY wrested control of the National Party in November from Prime Minister BOLGER, replacing BOLGER as prime minister in December cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general note: the government is a coalition of the National Party and the New Zealand First Party
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives-commonly called Parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 12 October 1996 (next must be called by October 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-NP 34.1%, NZLP 28.3%, NZFP 13.1%, Alliance 10.1%, ACT 6.17%, UNZ 0.91%; seats by party-NP 44, NZLP 37, NZFP 17, Alliance 13, ACT 8, UNZ 1
Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: National Party (NP), Jenny SHIPLEY; New Zealand First Party (NZFP), Winston PETERS; New Zealand Labor Party (NZLP, opposition), Helen CLARK; Alliance (a coalition of five small parties-NewLabor Party, Jim ANDERTON; Democratic Party, John WRIGHT; New Zealand Liberal Party, Frank GROVER; Green Party, Jeanette FITZSIMONS; and Mana Motuhake, Sandra LEE), codeputy leaders are Sandra LEE and Jeanette FITZSIMONS; United New Zealand (UNZ), Clive MATTHEWSON; Conservative Party (formerly Right of Centre Party), Trevor ROGERS; Association of Consumers and Taxpayers, New Zealand (ACT), Richard PREBBLE; Christian Coalition (a coalition of the Christian Democrats and Christian Heritage Party), coleaders Graeme LEE and Rev. Graham CAPILL
International organization participation: ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), OECD, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate James BOLGER chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, FPO AP 96531-1001 telephone: [64] (4) 472-2068 FAX: [64] (4) 472-3537 consulate(s) general: Auckland
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation
@New Zealand:Economy
Economy-overview: Since 1984 the government has accomplished major economic restructuring, moving an agrarian economy dependent on a concessionary British market access toward a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes, broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. Business confidence strengthened in 1994, and export demand picked up in the Asia-Pacific region, resulting in 6.2% growth. Growth continued strong in 1995, but tailed off in 1996-97. Inflation remains among the lowest in the industrial world. Per capita GDP has been moving up to the levels of the big West European economies. However, the Asian economic crisis may slow GDP growth in 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$63.4 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 2.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$17,700 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 7.3% industry: 25.9% services: 66.8% (1990)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2% (1997 est.)
Labor force: total: 1,634,500 (September 1995) by occupation: services 64.6%, industry 25.0%, agriculture 10.4% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 5.9% (December 1996)
Budget: revenues: $24.1 billion expenditures: $21.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96 est.)
Industries: food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 7.747 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 33.696 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 9,889 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, meat, dairy products; fish catch reached a record 503,000 metric tons in 1988
Exports: total value: $18.5 billion (1997 est.) commodities: wool, lamb, mutton, beef, fish, cheese, chemicals, forestry products, fruits and vegetables, manufactures, dairy products, wood partners: Australia 19%, Japan 15%, UK 15%, US 12%
Imports: total value: $19.2 billion (1997 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, consumer goods, plastics partners: Australia 21%, US 18%, Japan 16%, UK 6%
Debt-external: $28.5 billion (FY95/96 est.)
Economic aid: donor: ODA, $98 million (1993)
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1-1.7283 (January 1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 1.7 million (1986 est.)
Telephone system: excellent international and domestic systems domestic: NA international: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 64, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.215 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 14 (1986 est.)
Televisions: 1.53 million (1992 est.)
@New Zealand:Transportation
Railways: total: 3,973 km narrow gauge: 3,973 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified)
Highways: total: 92,200 km paved: 53,568 km (including at least 144 km of expressways) unpaved: 38,632 km (1994 est.)
Waterways: 1,609 km; of little importance to transportation
Pipelines: petroleum products 160 km; natural gas 1,000 km; liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 150 km
Ports and harbors: Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington
Merchant marine: total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 155,478 GRT/195,836 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 1, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 3, railcar carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6 (1997 est.)
Airports: 111 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 67 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 43 (1997 est.)
@New Zealand:Military
Military branches: New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Military manpower-military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 938,194 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 789,542 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 25,612 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $1.12 billion (FY97/98)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.05% (FY97/98)
@New Zealand:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)
NICARAGUA
@Nicaragua:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 85 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 129,494 sq km land: 120,254 sq km water: 9,240 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than New York State
Land boundaries: total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Coastline: 910 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 25-nm security zone continental shelf: natural prolongation territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Terrain: extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m
Natural resources: gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 27% other: 17% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 880 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasionally severe hurricanes
Environment-current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
@Nicaragua:People
Population: 4,583,379 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 1,017,190; female 1,000,436) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,191,323; female 1,251,828) 65 years and over: 3% (male 52,836; female 69,766) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.92% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 36.04 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.8 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 42.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.62 years male: 64.26 years female: 69.08 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.28 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%
Languages: Spanish (official) note: English- and Amerindian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 65.7% male: 64.6% female: 66.6% (1995 est.)
@Nicaragua:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua
Data code: NU
Government type: republic
National capital: Managua
Administrative divisions: 15 departments (departamentos, singular-departamento), 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular-region autonomista); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 9 January 1987
Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997); Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997) head of government: President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997); Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997) cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20 October 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); note-in July 1995 the term of the office of the president was amended to five years election results: Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (Liberal Alliance) 51.03%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 37.75%, Guillermo OSORNO (PCCN) 4.10%, Noel VIDAURRE (PCN) 2.26%, Benjamin LANZAS (PRONAL) 0.53%, others (18 other candidates) remaining 4.33%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 October 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-Liberal Alliance (ruling party-includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party-Liberal Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PNC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 Alliance 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), 12 judges elected for a seven-year term by the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: right: Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Road (PCCN), Guillermo OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ; Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC), Jose RIZO Castellon; Independent Liberal Party for National Unity (PLIUN), Carlos GUERRA Gallardo; National Conservative Party (PCN), Adolfo CALERO, Noel VIDAURRE; Nationalist Liberal Party (PLN), Enrique SANCHEZ Herdocia center right: Neoliberal Party (PALI), Adolfo GARCIA Esquivel; Nicaraguan Resistance Party (PRN), Fabio GADEA; Independent Liberal Party (PLI), Virgilio GODOY; National Project (PRONAL), Antonio LACAYO Oyanguren; Conservative Action Movement (MAC), Hernaldo ZUNIGA center left: Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS), Sergio RAMIREZ; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Adolfo JARQUIN; Social Christian Party (PSC), Erick RAMIREZ; Movement for Revolutionary Unity (MUR), NA; Central American Integrationist Party (PIAC), NA; Unity Alliance (AU), Alejandro SERRANO; Conservative Party of Nicaragua (PCN), Dr. Fernando AGUERO Rocha; National Democratic Party (PND), Alfredo CESAR Aguirre; Central American Unionist Party (PUCA), Blanca ROJAS Echaverry; UNO-96 Alliance, Alfredo CESAR Aguirre; Nicaraguan Democratic Movement (MDN), Alfredo GUZMAN left: Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Workers Front (FNT) is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions: Sandinista Workers' Central (CST); Farm Workers Association (ATC); Health Workers Federation (FETASALUD); National Union of Employees (UNE); National Association of Educators of Nicaragua (ANDEN); Union of Journalists of Nicaragua (UPN); Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations (CONAPRO); and the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers (UNAG); Permanent Congress of Workers (CPT) is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions: Confederation of Labor Unification (CUS); Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN-A); Independent General Confederation of Labor (CGT-I); and Labor Action and Unity Central (CAUS); Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN) is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) is a confederation of business groups
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco AGUIRRE Sacasa chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lino GUTIERREZ embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur., Managua mailing address: APO AA 34021 telephone: [505] (2) 666010 through 666013, 666015 through 18, 666026, 666027, 666032 through 33 FAX: [505] (2) 669074
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
@Nicaragua:Economy
Economy-overview: The Nicaraguan economy, devastated during the 1980s by economic mismanagement and civil war, is beginning to rebound. In 1991 President CHAMORRO launched an ambitious economic stabilization program that reduced inflation and obtained substantial economic aid from abroad. Economic growth rose sharply in 1995-97, due to surges in exports and efforts to enhance trade liberalization. The program, however, hit some snags, and a 1994-97 IMF Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF) signed by the CHAMORRO administration with the Fund lapsed in September 1996 due to non-compliance. In 1997, however, the IMF resumed negotiations for an ESAF with the ALEMAN administration, and agreed to an ESAF in 1998. IMF approval of the ESAF cleared the way for debt relief by the Paris Club later that year and has opened the way for debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. Implementation of a 1997 property accord-designed to resolve conflict over properties confiscated by the Sandinistas in the 1980s-should also help inspire international investor confidence. Strong growth is forecast for 1998, with implementation of a 1997 free trade agreement with Mexico expected to boost agricultural exports, although the industrial sector may come under pressure from increased Mexican competition.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$9.3 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 6% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,100 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 34% industry: 21% services: 45% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 11.6% (1996)
Labor force: total: 1.5 million by occupation: services 54%, agriculture 31%, industry 15% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 16%; underemployment 36% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $389 million expenditures: $551 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: food processing, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear
Industrial production growth rate: 1.4% (1994 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 457,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 1.76 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 416 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, cassava (tapioca), citrus, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products
Exports: total value: $635 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: coffee, seafood, meat, sugar, gold, bananas partners: US, Central America, Germany, Canada
Imports: total value: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: consumer goods, machinery and equipment, petroleum products partners: Central America, US, Venezuela, Japan
Debt-external: $6 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 gold cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: gold cordobas (C$) per US$1-9.76 (October 1997), 8.44 (1996), 7.55 (1995), 6.72 (1994), 5.62 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 66,810 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System domestic: wire and microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations-1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 45, FM 0, shortwave 3
Radios: 1.037 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 7 (1994 est.)
Televisions: 260,000 (1992 est.)
@Nicaragua:Transportation
Railways: total: 0 km narrow gauge: 0 km 1.067-m gauge; note-part of the previous 376 km system was closed and dismantled in 1993 and, in 1994, the remainder was closed, the track and rolling stock being sold for scrap
Highways: total: 18,000 km paved: 1,818 km unpaved: 16,182 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,220 km, including 2 large lakes
Pipelines: crude oil 56 km
Ports and harbors: Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 185 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 172 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 144 (1997 est.)
@Nicaragua:Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 1,067,336 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 656,672 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 51,576 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $27.48 million (1996)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.35% (1996)
@Nicaragua:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; with respect to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) referred the disputants to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; maritime boundary dispute with Honduras
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US
NIGER
@Niger:Geography
Location: Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1.267 million sq km land: 1,266,700 sq km water: 300 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 5,697 km border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
Terrain: predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Niger River 200 m highest point: Mont Greboun 1,944 m
Natural resources: uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 2% other: 88% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 660 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts
Environment-current issues: overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography-note: landlocked
@Niger:People
Population: 9,671,848 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (male 2,374,482; female 2,277,176) 15-64 years: 50% (male 2,345,773; female 2,447,951) 65 years and over: 2% (male 119,644; female 106,822) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.96% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 53.01 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 23.38 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 114.39 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 41.52 years male: 41.83 years female: 41.21 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.3 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien
Ethnic groups: Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French expatriates
Religions: Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians
Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 13.6% male: 20.9% female: 6.6% (1995 est.)
@Niger:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Niger conventional short form: Niger local long form: Republique du Niger local short form: Niger
Data code: NG
Government type: republic
National capital: Niamey
Administrative divisions: 7 departments (departements, singular-departement), and 1 capital district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder
Independence: 3 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
Constitution: the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national referendum on 12 May 1996
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January 1996); note-the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January 1996); Prime Minister Ibrahim MAYAKI (since 27 November 1997) was appointed by the president; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by President BARE elections: the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term; last election 7-8 July 1996 (next election NA 2001); note-Ibrahim BARE Mainassara initially became president when he ousted President Mahamane OUSMANE in a coup on 27 January 1996 and subsequently defeated him in the flawed election of July 1996 election results: percent of total vote-Ibrahim BARE Mainassara 52.22%, Mahamane OUSMANE 19.75%, Tandja MAMADOU 15.65%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 7.60%, Moumouni AMADOU Djermakoye 4.77%
Legislative branch: two chamber National Assembly; one chamber with 83 seats directly elected by proportional representation for five-year terms; selection process for second chamber not established elections: last held 23 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-UNIRD 59, ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 8, UDPS-Amana 3, coalition of independents 3, MDP-Alkwali 1, UPDP-Shamuwa 4, DARAJA 3, PMT-Albarka 2
Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP-AUMUNCI [Issoufou BACHARD, chairman]; DARAJA [Ali TALBA, chairman]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; Movement for Development and Pan-Africanism or MDP-Alkwali [Mai Manga BOUCAR, chairman]; National Movement of the Development Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Tandja MAMADOU, chairman]; National Union of Independents for Democratic Revival or UNIRD [leader NA]; Niger Progressive Party-African Democratic Rally or PPN-RDA [Dori ABDOULAI]; Niger Social Democrat Party or PADN [Malam Adji WAZIRI]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahia or ANDPS-Zaman Lahia [Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE]; PMT-Albarka; Union for Democracy and Social Progress-Amana or UDPS-Amana [Akoli DAOUEL]; Union of Patriots, Democrats, and Progressives-Shamuwa or UPDP-Shamuwa [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]; Union of Popular Forces for Democracy and Progress-Sawaba or UFPDP-Sawaba [Djibo BAKARY, chairman]
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles O. CECIL embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64 FAX: [227] 73 31 67
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band
@Niger:Economy
Economy-overview: Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, its major export since the 1970s. Terms of trade with Nigeria, Niger's largest regional trade partner, have improved dramatically since the 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January 1994; this devaluation boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral and multilateral aid for operating expenses and public investment and is strongly induced to adhere to structural adjustment programs designed by the IMF and the World Bank. The US terminated bilateral assistance to Niger after the coup of 1996. Other donors have reduced their aid.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$6.3 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 4.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$670 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 41% industry: 18% services: 41% (1996)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 5.3% (1996)
Labor force: total: 70,000 receive regular wages or salaries by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $370 million (including $160 million from foreign sources) expenditures: $370 million, including capital expenditures of $186 million (1998 est.)
Industries: cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses, and a few other small light industries; uranium mining
Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (1994 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 63,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 170 million kWh (1995) note: imports about 200 million kWh of electricity from Nigeria
Electricity-consumption per capita: 40 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry
Exports: total value: $188 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: uranium ore 67%, livestock products 20%, cowpeas, onions partners: France 41%, Nigeria 22%, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Japan 18%
Imports: total value: $374 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals partners: France 24%, Nigeria 19%, Cote d'Ivoire, China, Belgium-Luxembourg
Debt-external: $1.3 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA; bilateral donors: France, Germany, EU, Japan
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1-608.36 (January 1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 14,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: small system of wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in southwestern area domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: 500,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 18 stations in a single network (1995)
Televisions: 38,000 (1992 est.)
@Niger:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 10,100 km paved: 798 km unpaved: 9,302 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: Niger river is navigable 300 km from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 27 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)
@Niger:Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Police
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 2,049,296 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,105,821 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 98,946 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $23 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY92/93)
@Niger:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger; demarcation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
NIGERIA
@Nigeria:Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 923,770 sq km land: 910,770 sq km water: 13,000 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total: 4,047 km border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km
Coastline: 853 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 30 nm
Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
Natural resources: petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 33% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 44% forests and woodland: 12% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 9,570 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Environment-current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; desertification; recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Nigeria:People
Population: 110,532,242 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 24,871,855; female 24,661,134) 15-64 years: 52% (male 29,420,428; female 28,343,567) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,627,452; female 1,607,806) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.96% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 42.24 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 12.95 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 70.74 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 53.55 years male: 52.68 years female: 54.45 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.09 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups: Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, Ijaw
Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.1% male: 67.3% female: 47.3% (1995 est.)
@Nigeria:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria
Data code: NI
Government type: military government; Nigeria has been ruled by one military regime after another since 31 December 1983; on 1 October 1995, the present military government announced it will turn power over to democratically elected civilian authorities on 1 October 1998
National capital: Abuja note: on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially moved from Lagos to Abuja; many government offices remain in Lagos pending completion of facilities in Abuja
Administrative divisions: 30 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Federal Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe note: the government has announced the creation of six additional states named Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nassarawa, and Zamfara as part of the process of transition to a civilian government
Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960)
Constitution: 1979 constitution still partially in force; plan for 1989 constitution to take effect in 1993 was not implemented; draft 1995 constitution has not been published; the military government rules by decree
Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Abdulsalam ABUBAKAR (since 9 June 1998); note-the chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Abdulsalam ABUBAKAR (since 9 June 1998); note-the chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Executive Council (chaired by the Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council) elections: none; on 9 June 1998, the Provisional Ruling Council appointed Gen. Abdulsalam ABUBAKAR as their new Chairman to replace Gen. Sani ABACHA who died in office; Gen. ABUBAKAR immediately pledged a program to return the government to civilian rule as promised by Gen. ABACHA
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly, comprising a 109-member Senate and a 360-member House of Representatives note: the National Assembly was suspended after the military takeover of 17 November 1993; in October 1995, the government announced a three-year program for transition to civilian rule; elections to the National Assembly took place 25 April 1998 for a term starting 1 October 1998; the election was substantially boycotted by the opposition and the legislature is unlikely to be representative of the electorate
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the Provisional Ruling Council; Federal Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee
Political parties and leaders: political party system, which was suspended after the military takeover of 17 November 1993, was reestablished by the Provisional Ruling Council on 30 September 1996 with the registration of five of 15 competing political parties; these were the United Nigeria Congress Party or UNCP [Isa MOHAMMED, chairman]; National Center Party of Nigeria or NCPN [Magaji ABDULLAHI, chairman]; Grassroots Democratic Movement or GDM [Alhaji Gambo LAWAN, chairman]; Committee for National Consensus or CNC [Barnabas GEMADE, chairman]; Democratic Party of Nigeria or DPN [Saleh HASSAN, chairman]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C (suspended), CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wakili Hassan ADAMU chancery: 1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William TWADDELL embassy: 2 Louis Farrakhan Crescent, Lagos mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos telephone: [234] (1) 261-0097 FAX: [234] (1) 261-0257
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green
@Nigeria:Economy
Economy-overview: The oil-rich Nigerian economy continues to be hobbled by political instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management. Nigeria's unpopular military rulers have failed to make significant progress in diversifying the economy away from overdependence on the capital intensive oil sector which provides 30% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 80% of budgetary revenues. The government's resistance to initiating greater transparency and accountability in managing the country's multibillion dollar oil earnings continues to limit economic growth and prevent an agreement with the IMF and bilateral creditors on debt relief. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Agricultural production in 1996 suffered from severe shortages of fertilizer, and production of fertilizer fell even further in 1997.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$132.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.3% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,300 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 31% services: 30% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 12% (1997 est.)
Labor force: total: 42.844 million by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 15%
Unemployment rate: 28% (1992 est.)
Budget: revenues: $13.9 billion (1998 est.) expenditures: $13.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (1998 est.)
Industries: crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel
Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1996)
Electricity-capacity: 5.881 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 16.21 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 152 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; fishing and forest resources extensively exploited
Exports: total value: $15 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber partners: US 40%, EU 21% (1995)
Imports: total value: $8 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery, chemicals, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food and animals partners: EU 50%, US 12%, Japan 7%
Debt-external: $34 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 naira (N) = 100 kobo
Exchange rates: naira (N) per US$1-21.886 (December 1997), 21.886 (1997), 21.895 (1995), 21.996 (1994), 22.065 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 492,204 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: average system limited by poor maintenance; major expansion in progress domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and 20 domestic satellite earth stations carry intercity traffic international: satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 1 coaxial submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 35, FM 17, shortwave 0
Radios: 20 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 28
Televisions: 3.8 million (1992 est.)
@Nigeria:Transportation
Railways: total: 3,557 km narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 32,105 km paved: 26,005 km (including 2,044 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,100 km (1994 est.) note: many of the roads reported as paved may be graveled; because of poor maintenance, much of the road system is barely useable
Waterways: 8,575 km consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks
Pipelines: crude oil 2,042 km; petroleum products 3,000 km; natural gas 500 km
Ports and harbors: Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri
Merchant marine: total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 379,210 GRT/643,851 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 14, chemical tanker 3, oil tanker 20, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 72 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 20 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Nigeria:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Police Force
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 25,228,197 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 14,461,304 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 1,154,721 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $685 million (1996 est.)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: less than 1% (1996 est.)
@Nigeria:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: demarcation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Cameroon over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the ICJ with a ruling expected in 1998; maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed jurisdiction over oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea
Illicit drugs: facilitates movement of heroin en route from Southeast and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and North America; increasingly a transit route for cocaine from South America intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets
NIUE
(self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
@Niue:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga
Geographic coordinates: 19 02 S, 169 52 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 260 sq km land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 64 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
Terrain: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m
Natural resources: fish, arable land
Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 19% other: 50% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons
Environment-current issues: traditional methods of burning brush and trees to clear land for agriculture have threatened soil supplies which are not naturally very abundant
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography-note: one of world's largest coral islands
@Niue:People
Population: 1,647 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: -3.65% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality: noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean
Ethnic groups: Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)
Religions: Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church) 75%-a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Languages: Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%
@Niue:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue
Data code: NE
Dependency status: self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs
Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy
National capital: Alofi
Administrative divisions: none; note-there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages each with its own village council whose members are elected and serve three-year terms
Independence: on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand
National holiday: Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty)
Constitution: 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
Legal system: English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952); the queen and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Warren SEARELL (since NA August 1993) head of government: Premier Frank Fakaotimanava LUI (since 12 March 1993) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers elections: the queen is a hereditary monarch; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999) election results: Frank Fakaotimanava LUI elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote-NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives) elections: last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NPP 9, independents 11
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue
Political parties and leaders: Niue People's Action Party (NPP), Young VIVIAN
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
Flag description: yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars-a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross
@Niue:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy is heavily dependent on aid from New Zealand and remittances as Niue has no indigenous export product. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, with the shortfall made up by grants from New Zealand; the grants are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue cut government expenditures in 1994-96 by reducing the public service by almost half. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration of Niueans to New Zealand. A small tourist industry is developing.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$2.4 million (1993 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,200 (1993 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 5% (1992)
Labor force: total: 450 (1992 est.) by occupation: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $5.5 million expenditures: $6.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985 est.)
Industries: tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 1,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 3 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,633 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle
Exports: total value: $117,500 (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion fruit products, pawpaw, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts partners: NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia
Imports: total value: $4.1 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs partners: NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Samoa, Australia, US
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $5.9 million from NZ (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1-1.7283 (January 1998), 1.5082 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 276 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1987 est.)
Radios: 1,000
Television broadcast stations: 0 note: there is cable television
Televisions: 312 (1991 est.)
@Niue:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 234 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 234 km
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Niue:Military
Military branches: Police Force
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
@Niue:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
NORFOLK ISLAND
(territory of Australia)
@Norfolk Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 29 02 S, 167 57 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 34.6 sq km land: 34.6 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 32 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: NA% other: 75% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (especially May to July)
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
@Norfolk Island:People
Population: 2,179 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: -0.69% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality: noun: Norfolk Islander(s) adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)
Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians
Religions: Anglican 39%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia 16.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4.4%, none 9.2%, unknown 16.9%, other 2.4% (1986)
Languages: English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian
@Norfolk Island:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island conventional short form: Norfolk Island
Data code: NF
Dependency status: territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport and Territories
Government type: NA
National capital: Kingston (administrative center); Burnt Pine (commercial center)
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
National holiday: Pitcairners Arrival Day Anniversary, 8 June (1856)
Constitution: Norfolk Island Act of 1979
Legal system: based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952); the queen and Australia are represented by Administrator A.J. MESSNER (since NA) head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister David Earnest BUFFETT (since NA 1995) cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the Administrator elections: the queen is a hereditary monarch; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years; election last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998) election results: David Earnest BUFFETT elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote-NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)
Flag description: three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band
@Norfolk Island:Economy
Economy-overview: The primary economic activity is tourism, which has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The number of visitors has increased steadily over the years and reached 28,000 in FY92/93. Revenues from tourism have helped the agricultural sector to become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.
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: total: 1,395 (1991 est.) by occupation: tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $4.6 million expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)
Industries: tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
Electricity-production: NA kWh
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Exports: total value: $1.5 million (f.o.b., FY91/92) commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
Imports: total value: $17.9 million (c.i.f., FY91/92) commodities: NA partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1-1.5281 (January 1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 1,087 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 2,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 1,500 (1995 est.)
@Norfolk Island:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km
Ports and harbors: none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Norfolk Island:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
@Norfolk Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
(commonwealth in political union with the US)
@Northern Mariana Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Area-comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,482 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October
Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
Natural resources: arable land, fish
Land use: arable land: 21% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 19% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
Environment-current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
@Northern Mariana Islands:People
Population: 66,561 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (male 8,110; female 7,869) 15-64 years: 74% (male 23,847; female 25,659) 65 years and over: 2% (male 518; female 558) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 4.2% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 22.81 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 2.28 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 21.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.53 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.82 years male: 72.76 years female: 79.08 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA
Ethnic groups: Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean
Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Languages: English, Chamorro, Carolinian note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)
@Northern Mariana Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
Data code: CQ
Dependency status: commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs
Government type: commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
National capital: Saipan
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
National holiday: Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Constitution: Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Legal system: based on US system except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch: chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Pedro P. TENORIO (since NA January 1998) and Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. SABLAN (since NA January 1998) cabinet: NA elections: governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held in NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001) election results: Pedro P. TENORIO elected governor of Northern Mariana Islands in three-way race; percent of vote-Pedro P. TENORIO (Republican) 47%
Legislative branch: bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate-last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 1999); House of Representatives-last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 1999) election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA (Republicans retained a majority of the seats); House of Representatives-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA (Republicans retained a majority of the seats) note: the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party-Republican 1 (Juan N. BABAUTA)
Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court
Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Benigno R. FITIAL, leader; Democratic Party, chairman (currently vacant)
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), SPC
Flag description: blue with a white five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath
@Northern Mariana Islands:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. An agreement for the years 1986 to 1992 entitled the islands to $228 million for capital development, government operations, and special programs. Since 1992, funding has been extended one year at a time. The commonwealth received $27.7 million from FY93/94 through FY95/96. For FY96/97 through FY02/03, funding of $11 million will be provided for infrastructure, with an equal local match. A rapidly growing chief source of income is the tourist industry, which now employs about 50% of the work force. Japanese tourists predominate. The agricultural sector is of minor importance and is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is the fastest growing industry with employment of 12,000 mostly Chinese workers and shipments of $800 million to the US in 1997 under duty and quota exemptions.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$524 million (1994 est.) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$10,500 (1994 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 6.5% (1994 est.)
Labor force: total: 7,476 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 22,560 foreign workers (1995) by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 14% (residents)
Budget: revenues: $190.4 million expenditures: $190.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.1 million (FY94/95)
Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
Electricity-production: NA kWh
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Exports: NA commodities: garments partners: NA
Imports: NA commodities: food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products partners: US, Japan
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
Communications
Telephones: 13,618 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3
Radios: 15,460 (1995 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 note: there is 1 cable TV station
Televisions: 15,460 (1995 est.)
@Northern Mariana Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 362 km (1991 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Saipan, Tinian
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 5 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Northern Mariana Islands:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Northern Mariana Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
NORWAY
@Norway:Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 324,220 sq km land: 307,860 sq km water: 16,360 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries: total: 2,515 km border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km
Coastline: 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km)
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior; rainy year-round on west coast
Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Glittertinden 2,472 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 27% other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 970 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions
Environment-international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, 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, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world; Norway only NATO member having a land boundary with Russia
@Norway:People
Population: 4,419,955 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 444,373; female 420,940) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,454,733; female 1,407,395) 65 years and over: 15% (male 288,056; female 404,458) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.44% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 12.9 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 10.17 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.01 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.23 years male: 75.42 years female: 81.21 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian
Ethnic groups: Germanic (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Lapps (Sami) 20,000
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 87.8% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3.8%, none 3.2%, unknown 5.2% (1980)
Languages: Norwegian (official) note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1976 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
@Norway:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge
Data code: NO
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National capital: Oslo
Administrative divisions: 19 provinces (fylker, singular-fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold
Dependent areas: Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
Independence: 26 October 1905 (from Sweden)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)
Constitution: 17 May 1814, modified in 1884
Legal system: mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS (born 20 July 1973) head of government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 15 October 1997) cabinet: State Council appointed by the king with the approval of the Parliament elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the king with the approval of the Parliament
Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting which, for certain purposes, divides itself into two chambers (165 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 September 1997 (next to be held NA September 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-Labor 35%, Center Party 7.9%, Conservatives 14.3%, Christian People's 13.7%, Socialist Left 6%, Progress 15.3%, Liberal Party 4.4%, other parties 1.6%; seats by party-Labor 65, Center Party 11, Conservatives 23, Christian People's 25, Socialist Left 9, Progress 25, Liberal Party 6, other parties 1 note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting; the 39-member Saami assembly has advisory functions on regional control of natural resources and decision-making capacity on matters relating to the preservation of the Saami culture
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett, justices appointed by the king
Political parties and leaders: Labor Party [Thorbjorn JAGLAND]; Conservative Party [Jan PETERSEN]; Center Party [Anne ENGER LAHNSTEIN]; Christian People's Party [Valgerd HAUGLAND]; Socialist Left [Kjellbjoerg LUNDE]; Norwegian Communist [Kare Andre NILSEN]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Liberal [Odd Einar DORUM]; Left Party; Red Electoral Alliance [Erling FOLKVORD]
International organization participation: AfDB,AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC,CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tom-Erik VRAALSON chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David HERMELIN embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] 22 44 85 50 FAX: [47] 22 44 33 63
Flag description: red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
@Norway:Economy
Economy-overview: Norway is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism. The economy consists of a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises), and extensively subsidizes agriculture, fishing, and areas with sparse resources. Norway maintains an extensive welfare system that helps propel public sector expenditures to more than 50% of GDP and results in one of the highest average tax levels in the world. A small country with a high dependence on international trade, Norway is basically an exporter of raw materials and semiprocessed goods, with an abundance of small- and medium-sized firms, and is ranked among the major shipping nations. The country is richly endowed with natural resources-petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals-and is highly dependent on its oil sector. Only Saudi Arabia exports more oil than Norway. Norway imports more than half its food needs. Oslo opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. Economic growth in 1998 should be about the same as in 1997. Inflation probably will move up toward 3% because of tightness in labor markets. Despite their high per capita income-outstripped among major nations only by the US-and their generous welfare benefits, Norwegians worry about that time in the 21st century when the oil and gas run out.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$120.5 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$27,400 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 2.9% industry: 34.7% services: 62.4% (1991)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2% (1997 est.)
Labor force: total: 2.13 million by occupation: services 71%, industry 23%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 6% (1993)
Unemployment rate: 2.6% (yearend 1997)
Budget: revenues: $48.6 billion expenditures: $53 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)
Industries: petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 26.431 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 121.375 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 26,547 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: oats, other grains; beef, milk; livestock output exceeds value of crops; among world's top 10 fishing nations; fish catch of 2.33 million metric tons in 1994
Exports: total value: $49.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 43%, metals and products 11%, foodstuffs (mostly fish) 9%, chemicals and raw materials 25%, natural gas 6.0%, ships 5.4% partners: EU 77.2% (UK 19.8%, Germany 12.7%, Netherlands 9.1%, France 7.8%, Sweden 9.8%), US 6.0% (1995)
Imports: total value: $35.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and equipment and manufactured consumer goods 54%, chemicals and other industrial inputs 39%, foodstuffs 6% partners: EU 71.0% (Sweden 15.4%, Germany 13.8%, UK 9.7%, Denmark 7.5%, Netherlands 4.4%), US 6.6% (1995)
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: donor: ODA, $1.014 billion (1993)
Currency: 1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1-7.4875 (January 1998), 7.0734 (1997), 6.4498 (1996), 6.3352 (1995), 7.0576 (1994), 7.0941 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2.39 million (1994 est.); 470,000 mobile phones in use in 1994
Telephone system: high-quality domestic and international telephone, telegraph, and telex services domestic: NA domestic satellite earth stations international: 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations-NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note-Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 46, FM 493 (350 private and 143 government), shortwave 0
Radios: 3.3 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 54 (repeaters 2,100)
Televisions: 1.5 million (1993 est.)
@Norway:Transportation
Railways: total: 4,023 km standard gauge: 4,023 km 1.435-m gauge (2,422 km electrified; 96 km double track) (1996)
Highways: total: 91,323 km paved: 65,753 km (including 106 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,570 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 1,577 km along west coast; 2.4 m draft vessels maximum
Pipelines: refined products 53 km
Ports and harbors: Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund, Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim
Merchant marine: total: 762 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,042,709 GRT/33,839,476 DWT ships by type: bulk 102, cargo 128, chemical tanker 91, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 38, container 18, liquefied gas tanker 91, multi-function large load carrier 1, oil tanker 145, passenger 13, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 13, roll-on/roll-off cargo 52, short-sea passenger 23, vehicle carrier 37 note: the government has created an internal register, the Norwegian International Ship register (NIS), as a subset of the Norwegian register; ships on the NIS enjoy many benefits of flags of convenience and do not have to be crewed by Norwegians (1997 est.)
Airports: 102 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 65 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 28 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 32 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Norway:Military
Military branches: Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (includes Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard
Military manpower-military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 1,107,727 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 921,368 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 27,406 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $3.7 billion (1995)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2.9% (1995)
@Norway:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land); Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia
Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for drugs shipped via the CIS and Baltic states for the European market; increasing domestic consumption of cannabis and amphetamines
OMAN
@Oman:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N, 57 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Coastline: 2,092 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
Terrain: vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal ash Sham 2,980 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: NA% other: 95% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 580 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
Environment-current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
@Oman:People
Population: 2,363,591 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (male 488,244; female 469,831) 15-64 years: 57% (male 835,872; female 514,236) 65 years and over: 2% (male 28,966; female 26,442) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.45% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 37.83 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 4.37 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.63 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 25.55 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.02 years male: 69.04 years female: 73.1 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.13 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani
Ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African
Religions: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Literacy: definition: NA total population: approaching 80% male: NA% female: NA%
@Oman:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman
Data code: MU
Government type: monarchy
National capital: Muscat
Administrative divisions: 6 regions (mintaqah, singular-mintaqat) and 2 governorates* (muhafazah, singular-muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*
Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
National holiday: National Day, 18 November (1940)
Constitution: none; note-on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral Omani council, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens
Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the sultan; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: limited to approximately 50,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura
Executive branch: chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note-the sultan is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note-the sultan is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the sultan elections: none; the sultan is a hereditary monarch
Legislative branch: bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis ad-Dawla (41 seats; members appointed by the Sultan; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis ash-Shura (82 seats; members elected by limited suffrage, however, the Sultan makes final selections and can negate election results; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held NA October 1997 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: NA
Judicial branch: none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system, administered by region
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1982, 1988 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Frances D. COOK embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: domestic: Unit 73000, Box 1, APO AE 09890-3000; international: P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 698989 (Medinat Qaboos, switchboard) FAX: [968] 699779
Flag description: three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered at the top of the vertical band |
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