Radio broadcast stations: 2 radio broadcast stations of NA type

Radios: 15 million (1990)

Television broadcast stations: at least 2

Televisions: 17.3 million (1992)

@Ukraine:Transportation

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

Highways: total: 172,565 km paved: 163,937 km (including 1,875 km of expressways); note-these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced unpaved: 8,628 km (1996 est.)

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

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

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

Merchant marine: total: 202 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,498,653 GRT/1,709,393 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 13, cargo 122, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 3, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 19, passenger 7, passenger-cargo 4, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 5 note: Ukraine owns an additional 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 515,743 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Cyprus, Liberia, Malta, Panama, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1997 est.)

Airports: 706 (1994 est.)

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

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

@Ukraine:Military

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

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 12,431,318 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 9,733,193 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 367,160 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: 1.71 billion hryvni (Ukrainian Government's forecast for 1998); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

@Ukraine:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: dispute with Romania 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; 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; certain territory of Moldova and Ukraine-including Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina-are considered by Bucharest as historically a part of Romania; this territory was incorporated into the former Soviet Union following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1940

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



UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

@United Arab Emirates:Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map references: Middle East

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

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Maine

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

Coastline: 1,318 km

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

Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains

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

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

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas

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

Irrigated land: 50 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms

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

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

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

@United Arab Emirates:People

Population: 2,303,088 (July 1998 est.) note: includes 1,561,840 non-nationals (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32% (male 372,413; female 356,834) 15-64 years: 66% (male 995,798; female 535,014) 65 years and over: 2% (male 29,169; female 13,860) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.78% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 18.61 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 3.06 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.86 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.1 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.77 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.93 years male: 73.5 years female: 76.44 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.56 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Emirian(s) adjective: Emirian

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

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

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

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

@United Arab Emirates:Government

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

Data code: TC

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

National capital: Abu Dhabi

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

Independence: 2 December 1971 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution: 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

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

Suffrage: none

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

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

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

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Husayn al-SHAALI chancery: Suite 700, 1255 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 955-7999

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David C. LITT embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi; American Embassy Abu Dhabi, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6010 (pouch); note-work week is Saturday through Wednesday telephone: [971] (2) 436691, 436692 FAX: [971] (2) 434771 consulate(s) general: Dubai

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

@United Arab Emirates:Economy

Economy-overview: The UAE has an open economy with one of the world's highest per capita incomes and with a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for over 100 years. The UAE Government is encouraging increased privatization within the economy, and industrial development is expected to pick up in 1997-98.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$54.2 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 5% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$24,000 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 55% services: 42% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.6% (1997 est.)

Labor force: total: 1.05 million (1996 est.) by occupation: services 65%, industry and commerce 30%, agriculture 5% (1996 est.) note: 75% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $5.1 billion expenditures: $5.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $294 million (1997 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 6.1% (1995 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 5.29 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 18 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 6,155 kWh (1995)

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

Exports: total value: $33.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: crude oil 66%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates partners: Japan 38%, South Korea 7%, Singapore 7%, India 6%, Oman 4%, Iran 3% (1996)

Imports: total value: $23.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food partners: US 10%, Japan 9%, UK 8%, Italy 6%, South Korea 6%, India 6% (1996)

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

Economic aid: $NA

Currency: 1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils

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

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 677,793 (1993 est.)

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

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

Radios: 545,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 12

Televisions: 170,000 (1993 est.)

@United Arab Emirates:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,835 km paved: 4,835 km unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

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

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

Merchant marine: total: 67 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 945,320 GRT/1,592,164 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 18, chemical tanker 3, container 7, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 27, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6 (1997 est.)

Airports: 40 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1997 est.)

@United Arab Emirates:Military

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

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 791,770 (1998 est.) note: includes non-nationals

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 425,373 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 22,040 (1998 est.)

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

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

@United Arab Emirates:Transnational Issues

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

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



UNITED KINGDOM

@United Kingdom:Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references: Europe

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

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

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

Coastline: 12,429 km

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Natural hazards: NA

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

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

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

@United Kingdom:People

Population: 58,970,119 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 5,832,086; female 5,530,679) 15-64 years: 65% (male 19,304,762; female 19,032,024) 65 years and over: 16% (male 3,807,710; female 5,462,858) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.25% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 12.01 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 10.72 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.87 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.19 years male: 74.57 years female: 79.96 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

@United Kingdom:Government

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

Data code: UK

Government type: constitutional monarchy

National capital: London

Administrative divisions: 47 counties, 7 metropolitan counties, 26 districts, 9 regions, and 3 islands areas; England-39 counties, 7 metropolitan counties*; Avon, Bedford, Berkshire, Buckingham, Cambridge, Cheshire, Cleveland, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derby, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucester, Greater London*, Greater Manchester*, Hampshire, Hereford and Worcester, Hertford, Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicester, Lincoln, Merseyside*, Norfolk, Northampton, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Nottingham, Oxford, Shropshire, Somerset, South Yorkshire*, Stafford, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and Wear*, Warwick, West Midlands*, West Sussex, West Yorkshire*, Wiltshire; Northern Ireland - 26 districts; Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Londonderry, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane; Scotland-9 regions, 3 islands areas*; Borders, Central, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Grampian, Highland, Lothian, Orkney*, Shetland*, Strathclyde, Tayside, Western Isles*; Wales-8 counties; Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan, Powys, South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan note: The Statesman's Yearbook claims that England has 35 counties and Wales 9 counties

Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Independence: England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the union between England and Wales was enacted under the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284; in the Act of Union of 1707, England and Scotland agreed to permanent union as Great Britain; the legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801 adopting the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927

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

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

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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

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

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

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

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

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, CP, EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Philip LADER embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W. 1A1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, London; FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (171) 499-9000 FAX: [44] (171) 409-1637 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

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

@United Kingdom:Economy

Economy-overview: The UK is one of the world's great trading powers and financial centers, and its essentially capitalistic economy ranks among the four largest in Western Europe. Over the past two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only about 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 12% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance, now employing only 18% of the work force. Exports and manufacturing output have been the primary engines of growth. Unemployment is gradually falling. Inflation is a moderate 3.1%. A major economic policy question for the UK in the late 1990s is the terms on which it participates in the financial and economic integration of Europe.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.242 trillion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 3.5% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$21,200 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% industry: 31.4% services: 66.8% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.1% (1997)

Labor force: total: 28.2 million (1997) by occupation: services 68.9%, manufacturing and construction 17.5%, government 11.3%, energy 1.2%, agriculture 1.1% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 5.5% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $416.1 billion expenditures: $470 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (1997 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 66.149 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 306.62 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 5,546 kWh (1995)

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

Exports: total value: $268 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, transport equipment partners: EU countries 53.2% (Germany 12.4%, France 9.9%, Netherlands 7.8%), US 11.4% (1996)

Imports: total value: $283.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods partners: EU countries 50.2% (Germany 14.2%, France 9.0%, Netherlands 6.5%), US 13.9% (1996)

Debt-external: $16.2 billion (June 1992)

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

Currency: 1 British pound (L) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: British pounds (L) per US$1-0.6115 (January 1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Telephones: 29.5 million (1987 est.)

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

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

Radios: 70 million

Television broadcast stations: 207 (repeaters 3,210)

Televisions: 20 million

@United Kingdom:Transportation

Railways: total: 16,878 km broad gauge: 342 km 1.600-m gauge (190 km double track); note-all 1.600-m gauge track, of which 342 km is in common carrier use, is in Northern Ireland standard gauge: 16,536 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified; 12,591 km double or multiple track) (1996)

Highways: total: 372,000 km paved: 372,000 km (including 3,270 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 3,200 km under British Waterways Board

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

Ports and harbors: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Falmouth, Felixstowe, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Peterhead, Plymouth, Scapa Flow, Sullom Voe, Tees, Tyne

Merchant marine: total: 142 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,192,956 GRT/2,224,715 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5, combination ore/oil 1, container 21, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 47, passenger 8, passenger-cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 12, specialized tanker 1 note: UK owns 337 additional ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,511,240 DWT that operate under the registries of Bermuda, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, Liberia, Malta, Panama, Singapore, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1997 est.)

Airports: 497 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 356 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 170 914 to 1,523 m: 90 under 914 m: 54 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 141 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 116 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 12 (1997 est.)

@United Kingdom:Military

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

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 14,468,079 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 12,069,296 (1998 est.)

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

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

@United Kingdom:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: Northern Ireland question with Ireland (historic peace agreement approved 10 April 1998); Gibraltar question with Spain; Argentina claims Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Mauritius claims island of Diego Garcia in British Indian Ocean Territory; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory); Seychelles claims Chagos Archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory

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



UNITED STATES

@United States:Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 38 00 N, 97 00 W

Map references: North America

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

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

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

Coastline: 19,924 km

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@United States:People

Population: 270,311,756 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 29,952,220; female 28,560,357) 15-64 years: 66% (male 88,113,895; female 89,399,501) 65 years and over: 12% (male 14,088,571; female 20,197,212) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.87% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 14.4 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 8.8 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.44 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.13 years male: 72.85 years female: 79.58 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.07 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: American(s) adjective: American

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

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

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

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

@United States:Government

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

Data code: US

Government type: federal republic; strong democratic tradition

National capital: Washington, DC

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

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

Independence: 4 July 1776 (from England)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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

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

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

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

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, FAO, G- 2, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINUGUA, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

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

@United States:Economy

Economy-overview: The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $30,200, the largest among major industrial nations. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and government buys needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, lay off surplus workers, and develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. In all economic sectors, US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment, although their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. The years 1994-97 witnessed moderate gains in real output, low inflation rates, and a drop in unemployment below 6%. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs of an aging population, sizable trade deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups. The outlook for 1998 is for continued moderate growth, low inflation, and about the same level of unemployment. Two shadows for 1998 are the severe financial crises in East Asia and the exuberant level of stock prices in relation to corporate earnings.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$8.083 trillion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 3.8% (1997)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$30,200 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 23% services: 75% (1997 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2% (1997)

Labor force: total: 136.3 million (includes unemployed) (1997) by occupation: managerial and professional 29.1%, technical, sales and administrative support 29.6%, services 13.5%, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 25.1%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2.7%

Unemployment rate: 4.9% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $1.579 trillion expenditures: $1.601 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (1997)

Electricity-capacity: 741.589 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 3.585 trillion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 13,732 kWh (1995)

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

Exports: total value: $625.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products partners: Canada 22%, Western Europe 21%, Japan 11%, Mexico 8% (1995)

Imports: total value: $822 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages partners: Canada, 20%, Western Europe 18%, Japan 16.5%, Mexico 8% (1995)

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

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

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

Exchange rates: British pounds (L) per US$-0.6115 (January 1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993); Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$-1.4408 (January 1998), 1.3846 (1997), 1.3635 (1996), 1.3724 (1995), 1.3656 (1994), 1.2901 (1993); French francs (F) per US$-6.0836 (January 1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993); Italian lire (Lit) per US$-1,787.7 (January 1997), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993); Japanese yen (Y) per US$-129.45 (January 1998), 120.99 (1997), 108.78 (1996), 94.06 (1995), 102.21 (1994), 111.20 (1993); German deutsche marks (DM) per US$ - 1.8167 (January 1998), 1.7341 (1997), 1.5048 (1996), 1.4331 (1995), 1.6228 (1994), 1.6533 (1993)

Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September

Communications

Telephones: 182.558 million (1987 est.)

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

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

Radios: 540.5 million (1992 est.)

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

Televisions: 215 million (1993 est.)

@United States:Transportation

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

Highways: total: 6.42 million km paved: 3,903,360 km (including 88,400 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,516,640 km (1996 est.)

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

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

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

Merchant marine: total: 286 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,627,000 GRT/13,257,000 DWT ships by type: bulk 15, container 79, chemical tanker 15, roll-on/roll-off 28, liquefied gas tanker 13, cruise/passenger 3, tanker 94, tanker tug-barge 12, other 27 note: in addition, there are 192 government-owned vessels (1997 est.)

Airports: 14,574 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 5,167 over 3,047 m: 181 2,438 to 3,047 m: 218 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,280 914 to 1,523 m: 2,450 under 914 m: 1,038 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 9,407 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 164 914 to 1,523 m: 1,686 under 914 m: 7,550 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 109 (1997 est.)

@United States:Military

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

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 69,672,519 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: NA

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 1,990,912 (1998 est.)

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

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

@United States:Transnational Issues

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

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



URUGUAY

@Uruguay:Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map references: South America

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

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Washington State

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

Coastline: 660 km

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

Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

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

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

Natural resources: fertile soil, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 77% forests and woodland: 6% other: 10% (1997 est.)

Irrigated land: 7,700 sq km (1997 est.)

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

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

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

@Uruguay:People

Population: 3,284,841 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (male 405,894; female 386,479) 15-64 years: 63% (male 1,019,682; female 1,048,844) 65 years and over: 13% (male 176,467; female 247,475) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.71% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 16.92 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 8.89 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.91 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: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.11 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.53 years male: 72.39 years female: 78.84 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.29 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically nonexistent

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

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

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

@Uruguay:Government

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

Data code: UY

Government type: republic

National capital: Montevideo

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

Independence: 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995) and Vice President Hugo BATALLA (since 1 March 1995); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government; the vice-president is also the Senate president head of government: President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995) and Vice President Hugo BATALLA (since 1 March 1995); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government; the vice-president is also the Senate president cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with parliamentary approval elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held 31 October 1999 with run-off election if necessary on 28 November 1999) election results: Julio Maria SANGUINETTI elected president; percent of vote-23%

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

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly

Political parties and leaders: National (Blanco) Party, Alberto VOLONTE Berro; Herrerista faction of the Blanco Party, Luis LACALLE; Colorado Party, Julio M. SANGUINETTI, Jorge BATLLE; Broad Front Coalition, Tabare VAZQUEZ (until 28 September 1997); New Sector Coalition, Rafael MICHELINI; Progressive Encounter (Encuentro Progresista), Tabare VAZQUEZ note: Hugo BATALLA and host of People's Government Party (PGP) have rejoined the Colorado Party

International organization participation: AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINUGUA, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alvaro DIEZ DE MEDINA SUAREZ chancery: 2715 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316 FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher A. ASHBY embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 203 60 61, 408 77 77 FAX: [598] (2) 408 86 11

Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

@Uruguay:Economy

Economy-overview: Uruguay's small economy benefits from a favorable climate for agriculture and substantial hydropower potential. Economic development has been restrained in recent years by high-though declining-inflation and extensive government regulation. The SANGUINETTI government's conservative monetary and fiscal policies are aimed at continuing to reduce inflation; other priorities include extensive reform of the social security system and increased investment in education. Economic performance remains sensitive to conditions in Argentina and Brazil, largely because more than half of Uruguay's trade is conducted with its partners in Mercosur (the Southern Cone Common Market).

GDP: purchasing power parity-$29.1 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 5.1% (1997)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$8,900 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 10.8% industry: 27.4% services: 61.8% (1995)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 15.2% (1997)

Labor force: total: 1.38 million (1997 est.) by occupation: government 25%, manufacturing 19%, agriculture 11%, commerce 12%, utilities, construction, transport, and communications 12%, other services 21% (1988 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10.3% (December 1997)

Budget: revenues: $4 billion expenditures: $4.3 billion, with capital expenditures of $385 million (1997 est.)

Industries: meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, petroleum refining, wine

Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (1997)

Electricity-capacity: 2.055 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 7.6 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,852 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; livestock; fishing

Exports: total value: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animal products, rice, fish and shellfish, chemicals partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Germany, Italy

Imports: total value: $3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997) commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals, plastics, oil partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Italy, Germany

Debt-external: $4.6 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $63 million (1994)

Currency: 1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos

Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1-9.98 (January 1998), 9.4448 (1997), 7.9718 (1996), 6.3491 (1995), 5.0529 (1994), 3.9484 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 767,333 (1997)

Telephone system: some modern facilities domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 72, FM 0, shortwave 28

Radios: 1.89 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 42

Televisions: 1,131,065 (1996)

@Uruguay:Transportation

Railways: total: 2,998 km (918 km closed) (1997) standard gauge: 2,075 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways: total: 8,420 km paved: 7,578 km unpaved: 842 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft

Ports and harbors: Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Colonia, Piriapolis

Merchant marine: total: 2 oil tanker ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,042 GRT/83,684 DWT (1997 est.)

Airports: 64 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 49 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 33 (1997 est.)

@Uruguay:Military

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force, Police (Coracero Guard, Grenadier Guard)

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 799,977 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 648,999 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $172 million (1996)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 0.9% (1996)

@Uruguay:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: two short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute-Arroyo de la Invernada (Arroio Invernada) area of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the Uruguay River



UZBEKISTAN

@Uzbekistan:Geography

Location: Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area: total: 447,400 sq km land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 6,221 km border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Coastline: 0 km note: Uzbekistan borders the Aral Sea (420 km)

Maritime claims: none (doubly landlocked)

Climate: mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east

Terrain: mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Sirdaryo, and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 3% other: 41% (1993 est.)

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

Natural hazards: NA

Environment-current issues: drying up of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salinization; soil contamination from agricultural chemicals, including DDT

Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography-note: along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world

@Uzbekistan:People

Population: 23,784,321 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 38% (male 4,591,140; female 4,451,246) 15-64 years: 57% (male 6,755,371; female 6,874,483) 65 years and over: 5% (male 435,036; female 677,045) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.33% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 23.69 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 7.68 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.68 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: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 71.04 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.11 years male: 60.49 years female: 67.91 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.87 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Uzbekistani(s) adjective: Uzbekistani

Ethnic groups: Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Religions: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Languages: Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 96% (1989 est.)

@Uzbekistan:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: Uzbekiston Respublikasi local short form: none former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: UZ

Government type: republic; effectively authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch and executive power concentrated in the presidency

National capital: Tashkent (Toshkent)

Administrative divisions: 12 wiloyatlar (singular-wiloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahri); Andijon Wiloyati, Bukhoro Wiloyati, Jizzakh Wiloyati, Farghona Wiloyati, Qoraqalpoghiston* (Nukus), Qashqadaryo Wiloyati (Qarshi), Khorazm Wiloyati (Urganch), Namangan Wiloyati, Nawoiy Wiloyati, Samarqand Wiloyati, Sirdaryo Wiloyati (Guliston), Surkhondaryo Wiloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Wiloyati note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution: new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system: evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet) head of government: Prime Minister Otkir SULTONOV (since 21 December 1995); First Deputy Prime Minister Ismoil JURABEKOV (since NA 1991); Deputy Prime Ministers Viktor CHZHEN (since NA 1994), Bakhtiyor HAMIDOV (since NA 1992), Kayim HAKKULOV (since NA 1991), Dilbar GHOLOMOVA (since NA 1995), Alisher AZIZKHOJAYEV (since NA 1996), Mirabror USMONOV (since NA 1995), Rustam YUNUSOV (since NA 1994) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 December 1991 (next to be held NA January 2000; note-extension of President KARIMOV's term for an additional four years overwhelmingly approved - 99.6% of total vote in favor-by national referendum held 26 March 1995); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Islom KARIMOV elected president; percent of vote-Islom KARIMOV 86%, Muhammed SOLIH 12%, other 2%

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-People's Democratic Party 207, Fatherland Progress Party 12, other 31; note-final runoffs were held 22 January 1995; seating was as follows: People's Democratic Party 69, Fatherland Progress Party 14, Social Democratic Party 47, local government 120 note: all parties in parliament support President KARIMOV

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly

Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Party or HDP (formerly Communist Party) [Abdulkhafiz JALOLOV, first secretary]; Fatherland Progress Party (Vatan Tarakiyoti) or VTP [Anwar YULDASHEV, chairman]; Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Turgunpulat DAMINOV, first secretary]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Ibrahim GAFUROV, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim PULATOV, chairman]; Islamic Rebirth Party or IRP [Abdullah UTAYEV, chairman], note-is banned; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhamd SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992 note: all of the above groups are illegal; UTAYEV disappeared in 1992 and probably was detained by the government, but his whereabouts is unknown

International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sadyk SAFAYEV chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300, 293-6801 through 6803 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph A. PRESEL (since November 1997) embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115 mailing address: use embassy street address; Embassy Tashkent, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7110 telephone: [7] (3712) 77-14-07, 77-10-81, 77-69-86, 77-11-32, 77-12-62 FAX: [7] (3712) 40-63-35

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

@Uzbekistan:Economy

Economy-overview: Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 10% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. It was one of the poorest areas of the former Soviet Union with more than 60% of its population living in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's third largest cotton exporter, a major producer of gold and natural gas, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Faced with high rates of inflation, however, the government began to reform in mid-1994, by introducing tighter monetary policies, expanding privatization, slightly reducing the role of the state in the economy, and improving the environment for foreign investors. Nevertheless, the state continues to be a dominating influence in the economy, and reforms have so far failed to bring about much-needed structural changes. The IMF suspended Uzbekistan's $185 million standby arrangement in late 1996 because of governmental steps that made impossible fulfillment of Fund conditions.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$60.7 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 2.4% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,500 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 26% industry: 27% services: 47% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 55% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total: 8.6 million (1996 est.) by occupation: agriculture and forestry 44%, industry and construction 20%, other 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 5% plus another 10% underemployed (December 1996 est.)

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

Industries: textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1996)

Electricity-capacity: 11.822 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 45.42 billion kWh (1996 est.)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,916 kWh (1996 est.)

Agriculture-products: cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Exports: total value: $3.8 billion (1996) commodities: cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, autos partners: Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Western Europe

Imports: total value: $4.7 billion (1996) commodities: grain, machinery and parts, consumer durables, other foods partners: principally other FSU, Czech Republic, Western Europe

Debt-external: $2.3 billion (of which $510 million to Russia) (1996 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $71 million (1993) note: commitments, $2,915 million ($135 million in disbursements) (1992-95)

Currency: introduced provisional som-coupons 10 November 1993 which circulated parallel to the Russian rubles; became the sole legal currency 31 January 1994; was replaced in July 1994 by the som currency

Exchange rates: Uzbekistani soms (UKS) per US$1-75.8 (September 1997), 41.1 (1996), 30.2 (1995), 11.4 (1994), 1.0 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 1.458 million (1995 est.)

Telephone system: poorly developed domestic: NMT-450 analog cellular network established in Tashkent international: linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; new Intelsat links to Tokyo and Ankara give Uzbekistan international access independent of Russian facilities; satellite earth stations-NA Orbita and NA Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note-there is at least one state-owned broadcast station of NA type

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 2 national, over 30 local

Televisions: NA

@Uzbekistan:Transportation

Railways: total: 3,380 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 3,380 km 1.520-m gauge (300 km electrified) (1993)

Highways: total: 81,600 km paved: 71,237 km (note-these roads are said to be hard surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced) unpaved: 10,363 km dirt (1996 est.)

Waterways: 1,100 (1990)

Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 810 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Termiz (Amu Darya river)

Airports: 3 (1997 est.)

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

@Uzbekistan:Military

Military branches: Ministry of Defense (Army, Air, and Air Defense), Security Forces (internal and border troops) note: National Guard is a component of the Army

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 5,996,041 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 4,874,324 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 246,706 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: 39.2 billion soms (1996); note-conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 7% (1996)

@Uzbekistan:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivator of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; limited government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Afghanistan to Russia and Western Europe and for acetic anhydride destined for Afghanistan



VANUATU

@Vanuatu:Geography

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 S, 167 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 14,760 sq km land: 14,760 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands

Area-comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,528 km

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

Climate: tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds

Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland: 75% other: 11% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes

Environment-current issues: a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation

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

@Vanuatu:People

Population: 185,204 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 39% (male 36,865; female 35,576) 15-64 years: 58% (male 55,066; female 52,142) 65 years and over: 3% (male 3,013; female 2,542) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.07% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 29.18 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 8.44 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

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

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61 years male: 59.02 years female: 63.07 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.74 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic groups: indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific Islanders

Religions: Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7%

Languages: English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 53% male: 57% female: 48% (1979 est.)

@Vanuatu:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides

Data code: NH

Government type: republic

National capital: Port-Vila

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution: 30 July 1980

Legal system: unified system being created from former dual French and British systems

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Donald KALPOKAS (since 30 March 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Father Walter LINI (since 30 March 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils for a five-year term; election for president last held 2 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: Jean Marie LEYE elected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA; Donald KALPOKAS elected prime minister by Parliament with a total of 35 votes, other candidate, Rialuth Serge VOHOR, received 17 votes note: the general legislative elections in November 1995 did not give a majority to any of the political parties; since the election, there have been four changes of government-all of which have been coalitions formed by Parliamentary vote; Rialuth Serge VOHOR was prime minister from November 1995 until he resigned 7 February 1996 when faced with a no-confidence vote in Parliament; Maxime Carlot KORMAN was then elected prime minister and served until he was ousted in a no-confidence motion on 30 September 1996; VOHOR was then elected prime minister for a second time; as a result of legislative elections in March 1998, KALPOKAS was elected prime minister and formed a coalition government with Father LINI's National United Party (NUP)