Political pressure groups and leaders: various human rights and professional associations

International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mircea Dan GEOANA chancery : 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James C. ROSAPEPE embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: [40] (1) 210 01 49, 210 40 42 FAX: [40] (1) 210 03 95 branch office: Cluj-Napoca

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flags of Andorra and Chad

@Romania:Economy

Economy-overview: Romania, one of the poorer countries in the region, is continuing its difficult transition to a market-based economy. After the collapse of the Soviet Bloc in 1989-91, Romania was left with an obsolete industrial base and a pattern of industrial capacity wholly unsuited to its needs. For the next few years the country lagged behind most of its neighbors in the pace of restructuring. Then in February 1997, Romania embarked on a comprehensive macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform program. The domestic foreign exchange market was freed, and controls on current-account convertibility were removed in October. Restructuring programs include liquidating large energy-intensive industries, and agricultural and financial sector reform. The private sector share of GDP rose to an estimated 58% in 1997, however, this total includes firms with government-held minority stakes. Although progress has been made in privatizing small- and medium-sized firms, delays in structural reforms-including the postponement of sales of large state-owned enterprises - threaten plans to revive GDP growth. In 1998, GDP will likely be unchanged; and inflation is projected to fall to 45% from 151% in 1997.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$114.2 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: -6.6% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$5,300 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 19% industry: 36% services: 45% (1996)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 151% (1997 est.)

Labor force: total: 10.1 million (1996 est.) by occupation: industry 28.6%, agriculture 34.4%, trade 10.4%, construction 5.1%, other 21.5% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 8.8% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $10 billion expenditures: $11.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.3 billion (1997 est.)

Industries: mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, machine building, food processing, petroleum production and refining

Industrial production growth rate: -5.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 22.06 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 55.19 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 2,412 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; milk, eggs, meat

Exports: total value: $8.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: textiles and footwear 27.5%, metals and metal products 16.2%, mineral products 9.0%, chemicals 11.2%, other 36.1% (1996) partners: Germany 18.1%, Italy 16.7%, France 5.6%, Turkey 5%, Netherlands 4.2%, China 3.0% (1996)

Imports: total value: $10.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: fuels and minerals 24%, machinery and transport equipment 25%, food and agricultural goods 7.6%, chemicals 12.5%, other 30.9% (1996) partners: Germany 17.1%, Italy 15.6%, Russia 12.6%, France 5.0%, US 3.8%, Egypt 3.8% (1996)

Debt-external: $10 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 leu (L) = 100 bani

Exchange rates: lei (L) per US$1-8,293.40 (January 1998), 7,167.94 (1997), 3,084.22 (1996), 2,033.28 (1995), 1,655.09 (1994), 760.05 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 2.6 million (1993 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: poor service; 89% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is microwave radio relay; roughly 3,300 villages with no service (February 1990 est.) international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat; new digital international direct-dial exchanges are in Bucharest (1993 est.)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 5, shortwave 0 note: in 1995, 135 local radio stations were registered

Radios: 4.64 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 436 cable TV stations, 66 local TV stations

Televisions: 4.58 million (1992 est.)

@Romania:Transportation

Railways: total: 11,365 km broad gauge: 45 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 10,893 km 1.435-m gauge (3,723 km electrified; 3,060 km double track) narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (1994)

Highways: total: 153,170 km paved: 78,117 km (including 113 km of expressways) unpaved: 75,053 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 1,724 km (1984)

Pipelines: crude oil 2,800 km; petroleum products 1,429 km; natural gas 6,400 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Merchant marine: total: 227 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,332,117 GRT/3,464,613 DWT ships by type: bulk 39, cargo 160, container 2, oil tanker 12, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 10 note: Romania owns an additional 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 827,625 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Cyprus, Liberia, and Malta (1997 est.)

Airports: 24 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)

@Romania:Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Paramilitary Forces, Civil Defense

Military manpower-military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 5,888,775 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 4,951,586 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 197,036 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $650 million (1996)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2.5% (1996)

@Romania:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: dispute with Ukraine over continental shelf of the Black Sea under which significant gas and oil deposits may exist; agreed in 1997 to two-year negotiating period, after which either party can refer dispute to the International Court of Justice

Illicit drugs: important transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe



RUSSIA

@Russia:Geography

Location: Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 17,075,200 sq km land: 16,995,800 sq km water: 79,400 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly less than 1.8 times the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 19,917 km border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 167 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576 km

Coastline: 37,653 km

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

Climate: ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast

Terrain: broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Mount El'brus 5,633 m

Natural resources: wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources

Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 46% other: 42% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 40,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula

Environment-current issues: air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and sea coasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination

Environment-international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

Geography-note: largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture

@Russia:People

Population: 146,861,022 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 14,756,787; female 14,189,564) 15-64 years: 68% (male 48,138,173; female 51,366,412) 65 years and over: 12% (male 5,699,334; female 12,710,752) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.31% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 9.57 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 14.89 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.44 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.97 years male: 58.61 years female: 71.64 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.34 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Russian(s) adjective: Russian

Ethnic groups: Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir 0.9%, Byelorussian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1%

Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Languages: Russian, other

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

@Russia:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Russian Federation conventional short form: Russia local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya local short form: Rossiya former: Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Data code: RS

Government type: federation

National capital: Moscow

Administrative divisions: oblasts (oblastey, singular-oblast'), 21 autonomous republics* (avtonomnyk respublik, singular-avtonomnaya respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs**(avtonomnykh okrugov, singular-avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays*** (krayev, singular-kray), 2 federal cities (singular-gorod)****, and 1 autonomous oblast*****(avtonomnaya oblast'); Adygeya (Maykop)*, Aginskiy Buryatskiy (Aginskoye)**, Altay (Gorno-Altaysk)*, Altayskiy (Barnaul)***, Amurskaya (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'skaya, Astrakhanskaya, Bashkortostan (Ufa)*, Belgorodskaya, Bryanskaya, Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude)*, Chechnya (Groznyy)*, Chelyabinskaya, Chitinskaya, Chukotskiy (Anadyr')**, Chuvashiya (Cheboksary)*, Dagestan (Makhachkala)*, Evenkiyskiy (Tura)**, Ingushetiya (Nazran')*, Irkutskaya, Ivanovskaya, Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik)*, Kaliningradskaya, Kalmykiya (Elista)*, Kaluzkskaya, Kamchatskaya (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk)*, Kareliya (Petrozavodsk)*, Kemerovskaya, Khabarovskiy***, Khakasiya (Abakan)*, Khanty-Mansiyskiy (Khanty-Mansiysk)**, Kirovskaya, Komi (Syktyvkar)*, Koryakskiy (Palana)**, Kostromskaya, Krasnodarskiy***, Krasnoyarskiy***, Kurganskaya, Kurskaya, Leningradskaya, Lipetskaya, Magadanskaya, Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola)*, Mordoviya (Saransk)*, Moskovskaya, Moskva****, Murmanskaya, Nenetskiy (Nar'yan-Mar)**, Nizhegorodskaya, Novgorodskaya, Novosibirskaya, Omskaya, Orenburgskaya, Orlovskaya (Orel), Penzenskaya, Permskaya, Komi-Permyatskiy (Kudymkar)**, Primorskiy (Vladivostok)***, Pskovskaya, Rostovskaya, Ryazanskaya, Sakha (Yakutsk)*, Sakhalinskaya (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samarskaya, Sankt-Peterburg****, Saratovskaya, Severnaya Osetiya-Alaniya (Vladikavkaz)*, Smolenskaya, Stavropol'skiy***, Sverdlovskaya (Yekaterinburg), Tambovskaya, Tatarstan (Kazan')*, Taymyrskiy (Dudinka)**, Tomskaya, Tul'skaya, Tverskaya, Tyumenskaya, Tyva (Kyzyl)*, Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)*, Ul'yanovskaya, Ust'-Ordynskiy Buryatskiy (Ust'-Ordynskiy)**, Vladimirskaya, Volgogradskaya, Vologodskaya, Voronezhskaya, Yamalo-Nenetskiy (Salekhard)**, Yaroslavskaya, Yevreyskaya*****; note-when using a place name with an adjectival ending 'skaya' or 'skiy,' the word Oblast' or Avonomnyy Okrug or Kray should be added to the place name note: the autonomous republics of Chechnya and Ingushetiya were formerly the autonomous republic of Checheno-Ingushetia (the boundary between Chechnya and Ingushetia has yet to be determined); the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg are federal cities; administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, June 12 (1990)

Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Boris Nikolayevich YEL'TSIN (since 12 June 1991) head of government: Premier and Chairman of the Russian Federation Government Sergey Vladilenovich KIRIYENKO (since 23 March 1998), Deputy Premiers and Deputy Chairmen of the Government Viktor Borisovich KHRISTENKO (since 28 April 1998), Boris Yefimovich NEMTSOV (since 28 April 1998), Oleg Nikolayevich SYSUYEV (since 17 March 1997) cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" appointed by the president note: there is also a Presidential Administration that drafts presidential edicts and provides staff and policy support to the entire executive branch; a Security Council that was originally established as a presidential advisory body in June 1991 with responsibility for managing individual and state security; a Defense Council and a Foreign Policy Council formed in July 1996 and October 1996 respectively elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 16 June 1996 with runoff election on 3 July 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000); note-no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns, the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president until a new presidential election is held, which must be within three months; premier and deputy premiers appointed by the president with the approval of the Duma election results: Boris Nikolayevich YEL'TSIN elected president; percent of vote in runoff - YEL'TSIN 54%, Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV 40%

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Federal'noye Sobraniye consists of the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats, filled ex-officio by the top executive and legislative officials in each of the 89 federal administrative units-oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg; members serve four-year terms) and the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats, half elected in single-member districts and half elected from national party lists; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: State Duma-last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held NA December 1999) election results: State Duma-percent of vote received by parties clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of the 225 party list seats-Communist Party of the Russian Federation 22.3%, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia 11.2%, Our Home Is Russia 10.1%, Yabloko Bloc 6.9%; seats by party-Communist Party of the Russian Federation 157, independents 78, Our Home Is Russia 55, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia 51, Yabloko Bloc 45, Agrarian Party of Russia 20, Russia's Democratic Choice 9, Power To the People 9, Congress of Russian Communities 5, Forward, Russia! 3, Women of Russia 3, other parties 15

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are appointed for life by the Federation Council on recommendation of the president; Supreme Court, judges are appointed for life by the Federation Council on recommendation of the president; Superior Court of Arbitration, judges are appointed for life by the Federation Council on recommendation of the president

Political parties and leaders: pro-market democrats: Yabloko Bloc [Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY]; Russia's Democratic Choice Party [Yegor Timurovich GAYDAR]; Forward, Russia! [Boris Grigor'yevich FEDOROV] centrists/special interest parties: Our Home Is Russia [Viktor Stepanovich CHERNOMYRDIN]; Russian People's Republican Party [Aleksandr Ivanovich LEBED]; Congress of Russian Communities [Dmitriy Olegovich ROGOZIN]; Women of Russia [Alevtina Vasil'yevna FEDULOVA and Yekaterina Filippovna LAKHOVA] anti-market and/or ultranationalist: Communist Party of the Russian Federation [Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia [Vladimir Vol'fovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Agrarian Party [Mikhail Ivanovich LAPSHIN]; Power To the People [Nikolay Ivanovich RYZHKOV and Sergey Nikolayevich BABURIN]; Russian Communist Workers' Party [Viktor Ivanovich ANPILOV and Viktor Arkad'yevich TYUL'KIN] note: some 269 political parties, blocs, and associations tried to gather enough signatures to run slates of candidates in the 17 December 1995 Duma elections; 43 succeeded

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: BIS (pending member), BSEC, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINUGUA, MINURSO, MTCR, NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuliy Mikhaylovich VORONTSOV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700 through 5704 FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco, and Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James F. COLLINS embassy: Novinskiy Bul'var 19/23, Moscow mailing address: APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (095) 252-24-51 through 59 FAX: [7] (095) 956-42-61 consulate(s) general: St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

@Russia:Economy

Economy-overview: Russia, a vast country with a wealth of natural resources, a well-educated population, and a diverse, but declining, industrial base, continues to experience formidable difficulties in moving from its old centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. After seven consecutive years of contraction 1990-96 in which GDP fell by one-third, GDP grew by 0.4% in 1997, according to official statistics. Moscow continued to make strides in its battle against inflation, which fell to 11%, half the 1996 rate. The central government made good on most back wages owed public-sector employees-including the military-although the stock of wage arrears to employees of private enterprises remained large. Privatization revenues increased significantly, largely on the strength of a few high-profile tenders, such as that of telecommunications giant Svyazinvest. On the downside, Moscow continued to struggle with a severe fiscal imbalance. Lagging tax collections led the government to adopt a revised budget in spring 1997 that cut spending by about 20% despite protests from the legislature. Russia's traditional trade surplus continued to contract-largely because of soft international commodity prices-and Moscow's WTrO accession made only halting progress. Although President YEL'TSIN brought in a new economic team early in 1997, key structural reform initiatives continue to move slowly. A revised tax code remains stuck in the Duma, while little progress is being made on agricultural land reform. Small business development has lagged. Prospects for a return to robust growth have been set back by the spillover from Asia's financial turmoil, which hit Russia hard during the last quarter of 1997. Moscow at first tried to both support the ruble and keep interest rates down, but this policy proved unsustainable, and in early December 1997 the Central Bank let interest rates rise sharply. As the year ended, Russian authorities were attempting to put the best face on the financial situation, while at the same time scaling back their previous optimistic growth projections for 1998 to 1%-2%. Because of Russia's severe macroeconomic constraints, resources allocated to the military sector have declined sharply since the implosion of the USSR in December 1991.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$692 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 0.4% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$4,700 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 39% services: 54% (1996)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 11% (1997 est.)

Labor force: total: 66 million (1997) by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 9% (1997 est.) with considerable additional underemployment

Budget: revenues: $59 billion expenditures: $70 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Industries: complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 214.687 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 834 billion kWh (1997)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 5,508 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits (because of its northern location does not grow citrus, cotton, tea, and other warm climate products); meat, milk

Exports: total value: $86.7 billion (1997) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and military manufactures partners: Europe, North America, Japan, Third World countries

Imports: total value: $66.9 billion (1997) commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, grain, sugar, semifinished metal products partners: Europe, North America, Japan, Third World countries

Debt-external: $135 billion (yearend 1996)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $15 billion drawn (1990-97) note: US commitments, including Ex-Im, $15 billion (1990-96); other countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1990-96), $125 billion

Currency: 1 ruble (R) = 100 kopeks

Exchange rates: rubles per US$1-5,941 (December 1997), 5,785 (1997), 5,121 (1996), 4,559 (1995), 2,191 (1994), 992 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 25.4 million (1993 est.)

Telephone system: total pay phones for long distant calls 34,100; enlisting foreign help, by means of joint ventures, to speed up the modernization of its telecommunications system; in 1992, only 661,000 new telephones were installed compared with 855,000 in 1991, and in 1992 the number of unsatisfied applications for telephones reached 11,000,000; expanded access to international electronic mail service available via Sprint network; the inadequacy of Russian telecommunications is a severe handicap to the economy, especially with respect to international connections domestic: NMT-450 analog cellular telephone networks are operational and growing in Moscow and St. Petersburg; intercity fiber-optic cable installation remains limited international: international traffic is inadequately handled by a system of satellites, landlines, microwave radio relay, and outdated submarine cables; much of this traffic passes through the international gateway switch in Moscow which carries most of the international traffic for the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States; a new Russian Intersputnik satellite will link Moscow and St. Petersburg with Rome from whence calls will be relayed to destinations in Europe and overseas; satellite earth stations-NA Intelsat, 4 Intersputnik (2 Atlantic Ocean region and 2 Indian Ocean region), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region), and NA Orbita

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note-there are about 1,050 (including AM, FM, and shortwave) radio broadcast stations throughout the country

Radios: 50 million (1993 est.)(radio receivers with multiple speaker systems for program diffusion 74,300,000)

Television broadcast stations: 7,183

Televisions: 54.85 million (1992 est.)

@Russia:Transportation

Railways: total: 154,000 km; note-87,000 km in common carrier service (38,000 km electrified); 67,000 km serve specific industries and are not available for common carrier use broad gauge: 154,000 km 1.520-m gauge (1 January 1994)

Highways: total: 948,000 km (including 416,000 km which serve specific industries or farms and are not maintained by governmental highway maintenance departments) paved: 336,000 km unpaved: 612,000 km (including 411,000 km of graveled or other forms of macadam surface and 201,000 km of unstabilized earth) (1995 est.)

Waterways: total navigable routes in general use 101,000 km; routes with navigation guides serving the Russian River Fleet 95,900 km; routes with night navigational aids 60,400 km; man-made navigable routes 16,900 km (1 January 1994)

Pipelines: crude oil 48,000 km; petroleum products 15,000 km; natural gas 140,000 km (30 June 1993)

Ports and harbors: Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Kaliningrad, Kazan', Khabarovsk, Kholmsk, Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Petropavlovsk, St. Petersburg, Rostov, Sochi, Tuapse, Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg

Merchant marine: total: 540 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,531,937 GRT/6,253,940 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 18, cargo 291, combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 12, container 24, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 107, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 4, refrigerated cargo 20, roll-on/roll-off cargo 28, short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker 1 note: Russia owns an additional 176 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,240,776 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Cambodia, Cyprus, Honduras, Liberia, Malta, Panama, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Singapore (1997 est.)

Airports: 2,517 (1994 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 630 over 3,047 m: 54 2,438 to 3,047 m: 202 1,524 to 2,437 m: 108 914 to 1,523 m: 115 under 914 m: 151 (1994 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 1,887 over 3,047 m: 25 2,438 to 3,047 m: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 134 914 to 1,523 m: 291 under 914 m: 1,392 (1994 est.)

@Russia:Military

Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Forces, Air Defense Forces, Strategic Rocket Forces note: the air force and air defense force are to merge in mid-1998

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 38,585,841 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 30,098,346 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 1,128,416 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA note: the Intelligence Community estimates that defense spending in Russia fell by about 10% in real terms in 1996, reducing Russian defense outlays to about one-sixth of peak Soviet levels in the late 1980s (1997 est.)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

@Russia:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: two disputed sections of the boundary with China remain to be settled; islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan; Estonian and Russian negotiators reached a technical border agreement in December 1996 which has not been ratified; Estonia claimed over 2,000 sq km of territory in the Narva and Pechora regions of Russia - based on boundary established under the 1920 Peace Treaty of Tartu; based on the 1920 Treaty of Riga, Latvia had claimed the Abrene/Pytalovo section of border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944; draft treaty delimiting the boundary with Latvia has not been signed; has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation; 1997 border agreement with Lithuania not yet ratified; Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; government has active eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian opiates and cannabis and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe, the US, and growing domestic market



RWANDA

Introduction

in April 1994 between Tutsi and Hutu factions, more than 2 million refugees fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire, now called Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to the UN High Commission on Refugees, in 1996 and early 1997 nearly 1,300,000 Hutus returned to Rwanda; of these, 720,000 returned from Democratic Republic of the Congo, 480,000 from Tanzania, 88,000 from Burundi, and 10,000 from Uganda.

@Rwanda:Geography

Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 26,340 sq km land: 24,950 sq km water: 1,390 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 893 km border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Terrain: mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), natural gas, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 35% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 18% forests and woodland: 22% other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Environment-current issues: deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion

Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geography-note: landlocked; predominantly rural population

@Rwanda:People

Population: 7,956,172 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 1,785,650; female 1,772,609) 15-64 years: 53% (male 2,070,401; female 2,106,809) 65 years and over: 2% (male 90,941; female 129,762) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.5% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 38.99 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 19 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.) note: following the outbreak of genocidal strife in Rwanda in April 1994 between Tutsi and Hutu factions, more than 2 million refugees fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire; according to the UN High Commission on Refugees, in 1996 and early 1997 nearly 1,300,000 Hutus returned to Rwanda; of these 720,000 returned from Democratic Republic of the Congo, 480,000 from Tanzania, 88,000 from Burundi, and 10,000 from Uganda; probably fewer than 100,000 Rwandans remained outside of Rwanda at the end of 1997

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 113.31 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 41.93 years male: 41.49 years female: 42.4 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.86 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Rwandan(s) adjective: Rwandan

Ethnic groups: Hutu 80%, Tutsi 19%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 1%, indigenous beliefs and other 25%

Languages: Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60.5% male: 69.8% female: 51.6% (1995 est.)

@Rwanda:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Rwandese Republic conventional short form: Rwanda local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda local short form: Rwanda

Data code: RW

Government type: republic; presidential, multiparty system

National capital: Kigali

Administrative divisions: 12 prefectures (prefectures, singular-prefecture in French; plural - NA, singular-prefegitura in Kinyarwanda); Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali, Kigaliville, Umutara, Ruhengeri

Independence: 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution: on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted a new constitution which included elements of the constitution of 18 June 1991 as well as provisions of the 1993 Arusha peace accord and the November 1994 multi-party protocol of understanding

Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Pasteur BIZIMUNGU (since 19 July 1994); Vice President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (since 19 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Celestin RWIGEMA (since 1 September 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: normally the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held in December 1988 (next to be held NA); prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Juvenal HABYARIMANA elected president; percent of vote-99.98% (HABYARIMANA was the sole candidate) note: President HABYARIMANA was assassinated on 6 April 1994 and replaced by President BIZIMUNGU who was installed by the military forces of the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front on 19 July 1994

Legislative branch: unicameral Transitional National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale de Transition (70 seats; members were predetermined by the Arusha peace accord to serve NA-year terms) elections: last held 26 December 1988 (next to be held NA); note-the Transitional National Assembly is a power-sharing body established on 12 December 1994 following a multi-party protocol of understanding election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-RPF 19, MDR 13, PSD 13, PL 13, PDC 6, PSR 2, PDI 2, other 2; note-the distribution of seats was predetermined

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, consists of the Court of Cassation and the Council of State in joint session

Political parties and leaders: significant parties include: Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Alexis KANYARENGWE, chairman]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR; Liberal Party or PL; Democratic and Socialist Party or PSD; Christian Democratic Party or PDC; Islamic Democratic Party or PDI; Rwandan Socialist Party or PSR; National Movement for Democracy and Development or MRND (former ruling party)

Political pressure groups and leaders: Rwanda Patriotic Army or RPA, the RPF military wing [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME, commander]; Rally for the Democracy and Return (RDR)

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Theogene N. RUDASINGWA chancery: (temporary) 1814 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert GRIBBIN III embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 756 01 through 03, 721 26, 771 47 FAX: [250] 721 28

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green with a large black letter R centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Guinea, which has a plain yellow band

@Rwanda:Economy

Economy-overview: Rwanda is a poor African nation that has suffered bitterly from ethnic-based civil war. The agricultural sector dominates the economy; coffee and tea normally make up 80%-90% of exports. The amount of fertile land is limited, however, and deforestation and soil erosion continue to reduce the production potential. Manufacturing focuses mainly on the processing of agricultural products. A structural adjustment program with the World Bank began in October 1990. Civil war in 1990 devastated wide areas, especially in the north, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. A peace accord in mid-1993 temporarily ended most of the fighting, but resumption of large-scale violence and genocide in April 1994 in the capital city Kigali and elsewhere took 500,000 lives in that year alone and severely damaged already poor economic prospects. In 1994-96, peace was restored throughout much of the country. In 1996-97 most of the refugees who fled the war returned to Rwanda. Sketchy data suggest that GDP dropped 50% in 1994 and came back partially, by 25%, in 1995. Plentiful rains helped agriculture in 1996, and outside aid continued to support this desperately poor economy. The economy continues to face significant challenges in rehabilitating infrastructure, agriculture, health care facilities, and capital plant. Recovery of domestic production will proceed slowly.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$3 billion (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 13.3% (1996)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$440 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 37% industry: 17% services: 46% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 7.4% (1996)

Labor force: total: 3.6 million by occupation: agriculture 93%, government and services 5%, industry and commerce 2%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $231 million expenditures: $319 million, including capital expenditures of $13 million (1996 est.)

Industries: mining of cassiterite (tin ore) and wolframite (tungsten ore), tin, cement, processing of agricultural products, small-scale beverage production, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate: 4.9% (1995 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 34,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 169 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 21 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Exports: total value: $62.3 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: coffee 74%, tea, cassiterite, wolframite, pyrethrum (1995) partners: Brazil, EU

Imports: total value: $202.4 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: foodstuffs 35%, machines and equipment, capital goods, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material (1995) partners: US, EU, Kenya, Tanzania

Debt-external: $1 billion (December 1995)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note: in October 1990 Rwanda launched a Structural Adjustment Program with the IMF; since September 1991, the EU has given $46 million and the US $25 million in support of this program (1993)

Currency: 1 Rwandan franc (RF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Rwandan francs (RF) per US$1-302.28 (January 1998), 301.53 (1997), 306.82 (1996), 262.20 (1995), 144.31 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 6,400 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: telephone system does not provide service to the general public but is intended for business and government use domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the prefectures by microwave radio relay; the remainder of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone international: international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations-1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)

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

Radios: 630,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1

Televisions: NA

@Rwanda:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 12,000 km paved: 1,000 km unpaved: 11,000 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft

Ports and harbors: Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Airports: 7 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

@Rwanda:Military

Military branches: Army, Gendarmerie

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 1,892,503 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 963,218 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $112.5 million (1992)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 7% (1992)

@Rwanda:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none



SAINT HELENA

(dependent territory of the UK)

@Saint Helena:Geography

Location: islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about mid-way between South America and Africa

Geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 42 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 410 sq km land: 410 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ascension, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Island, and Tristan da Cunha Island

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 60 km

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

Climate: Saint Helena-tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Tristan da Cunha-temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Terrain: Saint Helena-rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak 2,060 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 6% other: 82% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Environment-current issues: NA

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

Geography-note: Napoleon Bonaparte's place of exile and burial (his remains were taken to Paris in 1840); harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns

@Saint Helena:People

Population: 7,091 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 718; female 694) 15-64 years: 71% (male 2,643; female 2,423) 65 years and over: 9% (male 249; female 364) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.76% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 14.1 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 6.49 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 28.81 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.73 years male: 72.66 years female: 78.96 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian

Ethnic groups: African descent, white

Religions: Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic

Languages: English

Literacy: definition: age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.)

@Saint Helena:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Data code: SH

Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK

Government type: NA

National capital: Jamestown

Administrative divisions: 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen, 10 June 1989 (second Saturday in June)

Constitution: 1 January 1989

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: NA years of age

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David Leslie SMALLMAN (since NA 1995) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex-officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor is appointed by the queen

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (15 seats, including the governor, 2 ex-officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 9 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2001) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 15

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: ICFTU

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

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

Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

@Saint Helena:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy depends primarily on financial assistance from the UK. The local population earns some income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas.

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: 2,416 (1991 est.) by occupation: professional, technical, and related workers 8.7%, managerial, administrative, and clerical 12.8%, sales people 8.1%, farmer, fishermen, etc. 5.4%, craftspersons, production process workers 14.7%, others 50.3% (1987) note: a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $11.2 million expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)

Industries: crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 4,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 6 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 887 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: maize, potatoes, vegetables; timber production being developed; fishing, including crawfishing on Tristan da Cunha

Exports: total value: $704,000 (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), handicrafts partners: South Africa, UK

Imports: total value: $14.434 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts partners: UK, South Africa

Debt-external: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Currency: 1 Saint Helenian pound (LS) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: Saint Helenian pounds (LS) per US$1-0.6115 (January 1998), 0.6047 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Telephones: 550

Telephone system: domestic: automatic network; HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension, then into worldwide submarine cable and satellite networks international: major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK at Ascension; satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Radios: 2,500 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: NA

Communications-note: Gough Island has a meteorological station

@Saint Helena:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km) paved: 180.7 km (Saint Helena 98 km, Ascension 80 km, Tristan da Cunha 2.70 km) unpaved: NA km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km)

Ports and harbors: Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Saint Helena:Military

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

@Saint Helena:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none



SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS

@Saint Kitts and Nevis:Geography

Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 17 20 N, 62 45 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 269 sq km land: 269 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 135 km

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

Climate: subtropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain: volcanic with mountainous interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 22% permanent crops: 17% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 17% other: 41% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to October)

Environment-current issues: NA

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

@Saint Kitts and Nevis:People

Population: 42,291 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33% (male 7,217; female 6,860) 15-64 years: 61% (male 12,860; female 12,748) 65 years and over: 6% (male 1,058; female 1,548) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.23% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 22.87 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 8.51 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 17.89 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.58 years male: 64.52 years female: 70.82 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.45 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Ethnic groups: black

Religions: Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic

Languages: English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1980 est.)

@Saint Kitts and Nevis:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Data code: SC

Government type: constitutional monarchy

National capital: Basseterre

Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capisterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capisterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point

Independence: 19 September 1983 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Constitution: 19 September 1983

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dr. Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (14 seats, 11 popularly elected from single member constituencies; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 3 July 1995 (next to be held by July 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-SKLNP 58%, PAM 41%; seats by party-SKNLP 7, PAM 1, NRP 1, CCM 2

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia); one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts

Political parties and leaders: People's Action Movement (PAM), Dr. Kennedy SIMMONDS; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party (SKNLP), Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS; Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Joseph PARRY; Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), Vance AMORY

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Osbert W. LIBURD chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; US interests are monitored by the embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados

Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red

@Saint Kitts and Nevis:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy has traditionally depended on the growing and processing of sugarcane; decreasing world prices have hurt the industry in recent years. Tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking activity have assumed larger roles. Most food is imported. The government has undertaken a program designed to revitalize the faltering sugar sector. It is also working to improve revenue collection in order to better fund social programs. In 1997 some leaders in Nevis were urging separation from Saint Kitts on the basis that Nevis was paying far more in taxes than it was receiving in government services.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$235 million (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 5.8% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$5,700 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 22% services: 72% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.1% (1996)

Labor force: total: 18,172 (June 1995) by occupation: services 69%, manufacturing 31%

Unemployment rate: 4.3% (May 1995)

Budget: revenues: $100.2 million expenditures: $100.1 million, including capital expenditures of $41.4 million (1996 est.)

Industries: sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 16,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 81 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,976 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fishing potential not fully exploited

Exports: total value: $39.1 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery, food, electronics, beverages and tobacco partners: US 46.6%, UK 26.4%, Caricom nations 9.8% (1994)

Imports: total value: $131.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery, manufactures, food, fuels partners: US 45%, Caricom nations 18.8%, UK 12.5%, Canada 4.2%, Japan 4.2%, (1994)

Debt-external: $56 million (1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1-2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 3,800 (1986 est.)

Telephone system: good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone connections and international link via Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) domestic: interisland links are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone international: international calls are carried by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and from there switched to submarine cable or to Intelsat, or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 25,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 4

Televisions: 9,500 (1993 est.)

@Saint Kitts and Nevis:Transportation

Railways: total: 58 km narrow gauge: 58 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations (1995)

Highways: total: 320 km paved: 136 km unpaved: 184 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Basseterre, Charlestown

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Saint Kitts and Nevis:Military

Military branches: Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

@Saint Kitts and Nevis:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment points for South American drugs destined for the US



SAINT LUCIA

@Saint Lucia:Geography

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 13 53 N, 60 68 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 620 sq km land: 610 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area-comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 158 km

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

Climate: tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August

Terrain: volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 21% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 13% other: 53% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes and volcanic activity

Environment-current issues: deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

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

@Saint Lucia:People

Population: 152,335 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (male 26,261; female 25,747) 15-64 years: 60% (male 45,182; female 46,956) 65 years and over: 6% (male 3,095; female 5,094) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.11% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 22.48 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.64 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.95 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.58 years male: 67.94 years female: 75.48 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.35 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Ethnic groups: black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 67% male: 65% female: 69% (1980 est.)

@Saint Lucia:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Data code: ST

Government type: parliamentary democracy

National capital: Castries

Administrative divisions: 11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux Fort

Independence: 22 February 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution: 22 February 1979

Legal system: based on English common law

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 Dr. Perlette LOUISY (since September 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth ANTHONY (since NA) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body, six appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly-last held 23 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: House of Assembly-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party - SLP 16, UWP 1

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, jurisdiction extends to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Political parties and leaders: United Workers' Party (UWP); Saint Lucia Labor Party (SLP), Kenneth ANTHONY; National Freedom Party (NFP), Martinus FRANCOIS

International organization participation: ACCT (associate), ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mrs. Juliet Elaine MALLET PHILLIP chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6728 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the Ambassador to Saint Lucia resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

Flag description: blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

@Saint Lucia:Economy

Economy-overview: Though foreign investment in manufacturing and information processing in recent years has increased Saint Lucia's industrial base, the economy remains vulnerable due to its heavy dependence on banana production, which is subject to periodic droughts and tropical storms. Indeed, the destructive effect of Tropical Storm Iris in mid-1995 caused the loss of 20% of the year's banana crop. Increased competition from Latin American bananas will probably further reduce market prices, exacerbating Saint Lucia's need to diversify its economy in coming years, e.g., by further expanding tourism, manufacturing, and construction.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$600 million (1996 est.)

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

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,800 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 10.7% industry: 32.3% services: 57% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: -2.3% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total: 43,800 by occupation: agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $155 million expenditures: $169 million, including capital expenditures of $48 million (FY96/97 est.)

Industries: clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing

Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (1996 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 22,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 110 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 705 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Exports: total value: $79.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil partners: UK 50%, US 24%, Caricom countries 16% (1995)

Imports: total value: $270.6 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels partners: US 36%, Caricom countries 22%, UK 11%, Japan 5%, Canada 4% (1995)

Debt-external: $131 million (1996)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1-2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Telephones: 26,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: system is automatically switched international: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: 104,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (two commercial stations and one cable)

Televisions: 26,000 (1992 est.)

@Saint Lucia:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,210 km paved: 63 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Castries, Vieux Fort

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Saint Lucia:Military

Military branches: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Coast Guard

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $5 million (1991); note-for police force

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2% (1991)

@Saint Lucia:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

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



SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON

(territorial collectivity of France)

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon:Geography

Location: Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)

Geographic coordinates: 46 50 N, 56 20 E

Map references: North America

Area: total: 242 sq km land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

Area-comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 120 km

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

Climate: cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy

Terrain: mostly barren rock

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: 4% other: 83% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard

Environment-current issues: NA

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

Geography-note: vegetation scanty

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon:People

Population: 6,914 (July 1998 est.)

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

Population growth rate: 0.76% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 12.45 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.49 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.62 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.91 years male: 75.35 years female: 78.79 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French

Ethnic groups: Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Religions: Roman Catholic 99%

Languages: French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.)

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Data code: SB

Dependency status: self-governing territorial collectivity of France

Government type: NA

National capital: Saint-Pierre

Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France) note: there are no first-order administrative divisions approved by the US Government, but there are two communes-St. Pierre, Miquelon

Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Francois CARENCO (since NA 1996) head of government: President of the General Council Bernard LE SOAVEC (since NA 1996) cabinet: NA elections: prefect appointed by the president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the General Council is elected by the members of the council

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: elections last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA April 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-RPR 15, other 4 note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); results - percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results-percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party-UDF 1

Judicial branch: Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Socialist Party or PS; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

International organization participation: FZ, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description: a yellow sailing ship rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the square into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one on top of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon:Economy

Economy-overview: The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre has dropped steadily over the years. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France. Imports come primarily from Canada and France.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$74 million (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: NA%

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$11,000 (1996 est.)

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%

Labor force: total: 2,971 (1995) by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 11% (1996)

Budget: revenues: $28 million expenditures: $28 million, including capital expenditures of $7.8 million (1992 est.)

Industries: fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 27,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 42 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 6,216 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs; fish catch of 14,800 metric tons (1994)

Exports: total value: $5 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: fish and fish products, fox and mink pelts partners: US 58%, France 17%, UK 11%, Canada, Portugal (1990)

Imports: total value: $70.2 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials partners: Canada, France, US, Netherlands, UK

Debt-external: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1-6.0836 (January 1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 3,650 (1994 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 3,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (programs from France, Canada, and the US are rebroadcast)

Televisions: 2,000 (1992 est.)

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 114 km paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km (1994 est.)

Ports and harbors: Saint Pierre

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1997 est.)

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon:Military

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of France



SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Geography

Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 340 sq km land: 340 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 84 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 18% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 36% other: 31% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Environment-current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography-note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:People

Population: 119,818 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31% (male 18,630; female 17,994) 15-64 years: 64% (male 38,562; female 37,979) 65 years and over: 5% (male 2,740; female 3,913) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.6% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 18.74 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.28 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -7.47 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: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 15.69 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.51 years male: 72 years female: 75.07 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s) adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Ethnic groups: black, white, East Indian, Carib Amerindian

Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages: English, French patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 96% male: 96% female: 96% (1970 est.)

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Data code: VC

Government type: constitutional monarchy

National capital: Kingstown

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Independence: 27 October 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution: 27 October 1979

Legal system: based on English common law

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 Charles ANTROBUS (since NA) head of government: Prime Minister James Fitz-Allen MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; members are elected by popular vote from single member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 21 February 1994 (next to be held by NA May 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NDP 12, ULP 3

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia); one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent

Political parties and leaders: New Democratic Party (NDP), James F. MITCHELL; United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian SAUNDERS; National Reform Party (NRP), Joel MIGUEL; Unity Labor Party (ULP),Vincent BEACHE-formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party (SVLP) and the Movement for National Unity (MNU)

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Ambassador to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

Flag description: three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Economy

Economy-overview: Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of this lower middle income economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and high unemployment rates of 35%-40% continue. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development; tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995. The tourism sector has considerable potential for development over the next decade.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$259 million (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,200 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 10.6% industry: 17.5% services: 71.9% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.6% (1996)

Labor force: total: 67,000 (1984 est.) by occupation: agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate: 35%-40% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $80 million expenditures: $118 million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1996 est.)

Industries: food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Industrial production growth rate: 0.3% (1995 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 14,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 64 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 545 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; small fish catch used locally

Exports: total value: $46 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets partners: Caricom countries 49%, UK 16%, US 10% (1995)

Imports: total value: $127 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels partners: US 36%, Caricom countries 28%, UK 13% (1995)

Debt-external: NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1-2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 6,189 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines international: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 76,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 cable

Televisions: 20,600 (1992 est.)

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 320 km unpaved: 720 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Kingstown

Merchant marine: total: 799 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,063,755 GRT/12,629,612 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 136, cargo 383, chemical tanker 27, combination bulk 11, combination ore/oil 9, container 44, liquefied gas tanker 4, livestock carrier 4, multi-function large load carrier 2, oil tanker 70, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 37, roll-on/roll-off cargo 53, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 24 countries among which are Croatia 22, Slovenia 8, China 7, Greece 7, UAE 4, Norway 3, India 2, Japan 2, Russia 2, and Ukraine 2 (1997 est.)

Airports: 6 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Military

Military branches: Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

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



SAMOA

@Samoa:Geography

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 2,860 sq km land: 2,850 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 403 km

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

Climate: tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October)

Terrain: narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m

Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 24% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 47% other: 10%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Environment-current issues: soil erosion

Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

@Samoa:People

Population: 224,713 (July 1998 est.) note: other estimates range as low as 162,000

Age structure: 0-14 years: 39% (male 44,991; female 43,537) 15-64 years: 57% (male 66,201; female 60,764) 65 years and over: 4% (male 4,352; female 4,868) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.33% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 29.62 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.51 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 31.76 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.45 years male: 67.07 years female: 71.96 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.72 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan

Ethnic groups: Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%

Religions: Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Languages: Samoan (Polynesian), English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1971 est.)

@Samoa:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa conventional short form: Samoa

Data code: WS

Government type: constitutional monarchy under native chief

National capital: Apia

Administrative divisions: 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Independence: 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: National Day, 1 June (1962)

Constitution: 1 January 1962

Legal system: based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963) head of government: Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988); Deputy Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi (since NA 1992) cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of state with the prime minister's advice elections: upon the death of Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats-47 elected by Samoans, 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 26 April 1996 (next to be held 26 April 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-HRPP 45.17%, SNDP 27.1%, independents 23.7%; seats by party-HRPP 25, SNDP 13, independents 11

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), TOFILAU Eti Alesana, chairman; Samoan National Development Party (SNDP), TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman (opposition); Samoan Progressive Conservative Party, LEOTA Ituau Ale; Samoa All People's Party (SAPP), Matatumua MAIMOAGA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE chancery: 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN (Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, resides in Wellington, New Zealand) embassy: 5th floor, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P.O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631 FAX: [685] 22030

Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation

@Samoa:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, private family remittances from overseas, and agricultural exports. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. Outside of a large automotive wire harness factory, the manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. Tourism is an expanding sector; more than 70,0000 tourists visited the islands in 1996. The 1998 Samoan budget calls for deregulation of the financial sector, development of more financial investments, and forecasts 3% to 4% growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$450 million (1996 est.)

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

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,100 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 25% services: 35% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 7.5% (1996)

Labor force: total: 82,500 (1991 est.) by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $52 million expenditures: $99 million, including capital expenditures of $37 million (FY96/97 est.)

Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 14% (1996 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 21,700 kW (1996 est.)

Electricity-production: 56.3 million kWh (1996 est.)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 310 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: coconuts, bananas, taro, yams

Exports: total value: $10 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: coconut oil and cream, copra, fish, beer (1996) partners: New Zealand 48%, American Samoa 11%, Australia 10%, Germany 7%, US 3% (1996)

Imports: total value: $100 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: intermediate goods 50%, food 26%, capital goods 12% (1996) partners: New Zealand 37%, Australia 22%, Fiji 15%, US 13%

Debt-external: $169.4 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA; $8.7 million bilateral aid from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $5 million bilateral aid from NZ (FY95/96)

Currency: 1 tala (WS$) = 100 sene

Exchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1-2.7556 (January 1998), 2.5562 (1997), 2.4618 (1996), 2.4722 (1995), 2.5349 (1994), 2.5681 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 7,500 (1988 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

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

Radios: 76,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: 6,000 (1992 est.)

@Samoa:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 790 km paved: 332 km unpaved: 458 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

Merchant marine: total: 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,838 GRT/5,536 DWT (1997 est.)

Airports: 3 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

@Samoa:Military

Military branches: no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

@Samoa:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none



SAN MARINO

@San Marino:Geography

Location: Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Geographic coordinates: 43 46 N, 12 25 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Terrain: rugged mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Fiume Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 749 m

Natural resources: building stone

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 83% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment-current issues: NA

Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Geography-note: landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

@San Marino:People

Population: 24,894 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16% (male 1,994; female 2,013) 15-64 years: 67% (male 8,480; female 8,282) 65 years and over: 17% (male 1,732; female 2,393) (July 1998 est.)