 |
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique Adriano DA SILVA chancery: Suite 519, 1511 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to President VIEIRA and military-led junta
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy
Economy—overview: One of the 20 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998. Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Inflation dropped sharply in the first quarter of 1997. Membership in the WAMU (West African Monetary Union), begun in May 1997, was expected to support 5% annual growth and contribute to fiscal discipline. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources was not a near-term prospect.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$1.2 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 3.5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 54% industry: 11% services: 35% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: 48.8% (1991 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25.6% (1997)
Labor force: 480,000
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: $NA
Industries: agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate: 2.6% (1997 est.)
Electricity—production: 40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish
Exports: $25.8 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports—commodities: cashews 95%, fish, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber (1994)
Exports—partners: Spain 35%, India 30%, Thailand 10%, Italy 10% (1995)
Imports: $63 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Imports—commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleum products, machinery and equipment (1994)
Imports—partners: Portugal 29.2%, Thailand 8.4%, Netherlands 8.4%, US 7.5% (1996)
Debt—external: $953 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $115.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes; note—on 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted as its currency the CFA franc following its membership into the BCEAO
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1—566.65 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1— 26,373 (1996), 18,073 (1995), 12,892 (1994) note: as of 2 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau has adopted the CFA franc as the national currency following its membership in BCEAO
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 13,120 (1997 est.)
Telephone system: small system domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 40,000 (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: several rivers are accessible to coastal shipping
Ports and harbors: Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 30 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 22 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 284,998 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 162,485 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $8 million (1996)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2.8% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
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@Guyana ———
Geography
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 214,970 sq km land: 196,850 sq km water: 18,120 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline: 459 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 84% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
Environment—current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 705,156 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 109,156; female 105,017) 15-64 years: 65% (male 230,624; female 227,677) 65 years and over: 5% (male 14,684; female 17,998) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.32% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 18.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.04 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -12.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 48.64 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.82 years male: 59.15 years female: 64.61 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese
Ethnic groups: East Indian 49%, black 32%, mixed 12%, Amerindian 6%, white and Chinese 1%
Religions: Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%
Languages: English, Amerindian dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.1% male: 98.6% female: 97.5% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana
Data code: GY
Government type: republic
Capital: Georgetown
Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Constitution: 6 October 1980
Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Janet JAGAN (since NA December 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature elections: president elected by the majority party in the National Assembly after legislative elections, which must be held within five years; legislative elections last held 15 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2000; this date was part of a negotiated settlement between the two main political parties following a dispute over the December elections); prime minister appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats, 53 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 15 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2000; this date was negotiated following a dispute over the December elections) election results: percent of vote by party—PPP 54%, PNC 41%, AFG 1%, TUF 1%; seats by party—PPP 36, PNC 25, AFG 2, TUF 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature
Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Party or PPP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Trades Union Congress or TUC; Guyana Council of Indian Organizations or GCIO; Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC note: the latter two organizations are small and active but not well organized
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MACK embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
Flag description: green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border between the yellow and the green
Economy
Economy—overview: In 1997, Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, posted its sixth straight year of economic growth of 5% or better, with the advance led by gold and bauxite mining and by sugar growing. Favorable growth factors have included expansion in the key agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a moderate inflation rate, and the continued support of international organizations. However, a severe drought and political turmoil following the 1997 elections contributed to a negative growth rate for 1998. Serious underlying economic problems will continue. Electricity has been in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government must persist in efforts to manage its sizable external debt and extend its privatization program.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$1.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: -1.8% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,500 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 37% industry: 22% services: 41% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (1998)
Labor force: 245,492 (1992)
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture, hunting and forestry 30.2%, commerce 16%, manufacturing 11% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1992 est.)
Budget: revenues: $253.7 million expenditures: $304.1 million, including capital expenditures of $108.8 million (1997 est.)
Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate: 7.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity—production: 325 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 98.46% hydro: 1.54% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 339 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 14 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Exports: $593.4 million (1997 est.)
Exports—commodities: sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses
Exports—partners: Canada 25.9%, US 20.4%, UK 22.7%, Netherlands Antilles 8.4%, Germany 4.3% (1996)
Imports: $641.6 million (1997 est.)
Imports—commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
Imports—partners: US 27.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 17.7%, Netherlands Antilles 12.1%, UK 10.7%, Japan 4.2% (1996)
Debt—external: $1.5 billion (1997)
Economic aid—recipient: $84 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1—163.7 (December 1998), 150.5 (1998), 142.4 (1997), 140.4 (1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 33,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: fair system for long-distance calling domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines international: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 1
Radios: 398,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 public station; two private stations relay US satellite services (1997)
Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 88 km (all dedicated to ore transport) standard gauge: 40 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways: total: 7,970 km paved: 590 km unpaved: 7,380 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively
Ports and harbors: Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika
Merchant marine: total: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,340 GRT/4,530 DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 48 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana National Service (GNS), Guyana Police Force
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 202,509 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 152,839 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $7 million (1994)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.7% (1994)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: all of the area west of the Essequibo River claimed by Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upper of the Courantyne)
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics from South America—primarily Venezuela—to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis
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@Haiti ——-
Geography
Location: Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 27,750 sq km land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 275 km border countries: Dominican Republic 275 km
Coastline: 1,771 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 18% forests and woodland: 5% other: 44% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environment—current issues: extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography—note: shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
People
Population: 6,884,264 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 1,464,529; female 1,420,772) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,783,884; female 1,932,240) 65 years and over: 4% (male 140,932; female 141,907) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.53% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 32.55 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 13.97 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 97.64 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.65 years male: 49.53 years female: 53.88 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.59 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian
Ethnic groups: black 95%, mulatto plus white 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982) note: roughly one-half of the population also practices Voodoo
Languages: French (official) 20%, Creole
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 45% male: 48% female: 42.2% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Haiti local long form: Republique d'Haiti local short form: Haiti
Data code: HA
Government type: republic
Capital: Port-au-Prince
Administrative divisions: 9 departments, (departements, singular—departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution: approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October 1994
Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Rene Garcia PREVAL (since 7 February 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Rosny SMARTH resigned June 1997; currently no prime minister; ratification of a new prime minister held up in political gridlock stemming from controversy over the 6 April 1997 elections cabinet: Cabinet; chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the Congress election results: Rene Garcia PREVAL elected president; percent of vote—Rene Garcia PREVAL 88%, Leon JEUNE 2.5%, Victor BENOIT 2.3%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate—last held 25 June 1995, with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September (election held for nine seats 6 April 1997; results disputed and runoffs postponed indefinitely); Chamber of Deputies—last held 25 June 1995, with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September (next Senate and Chamber of Deputies elections due November 1998 but delayed indefinitely) election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—OPL 7, FL-leaning 7, independents 3, vacant 10; Chamber of Deputies—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—OPL 32, antineoliberal bloc 24, minor parties and independents 22, vacant 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation)
Political parties and leaders: Lavalas Family or FL ROUMAIN]; Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or
Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; Autonomous Haitian Workers or CATH; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP; Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, Caricom (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Louis Harold JOSEPH chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy Michael CARNEY embassy: 5 Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
Economy
Economy—overview: About 75% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds of the economically active work force. The country has experienced little job creation since President PREVAL took office in February 1996, although the informal economy is growing. Failure to reach agreements with international sponsors have denied Haiti badly needed budget and development assistance. Meeting aid conditions in 1999 will be especially challenging in the face of mounting popular criticism of reforms.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$8.9 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,300 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 14% services: 44% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 75% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 3.6 million (1995) note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1998)
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%
Unemployment rate: 60% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $323 million expenditures: $363 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)
Industries: sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, tourism, light assembly industries based on imported parts
Industrial production growth rate: 0.6% (1997 est.)
Electricity—production: 415 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 60.24% hydro: 39.76% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 415 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood
Exports: $110 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports—commodities: light manufactures 80.5%, coffee 7.6%, other agriculture 7.2%
Exports—partners: US 76%, EU 19% (1997)
Imports: $486 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Imports—commodities: machines and manufactures 50%, food and beverages 39%, petroleum products 2%, chemicals 5%, fats and oils 4%
Imports—partners: US 60%, EU 12% (1997)
Debt—external: $1 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $730.6 million (1995)
Currency: 1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: gourdes (G) per US$1—16.778 (January 1999), 16.205 (1998), 17.311 (1997), 15.093 (1996), 16.160 (1995), 12.947 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 October—30 September
Communications
Telephones: 50,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better domestic: NA international: satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 33, FM 0, shortwave 2
Radios: 320,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (in addition, there is a cable TV station) (1997)
Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line)—closed in early 1990s narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge
Highways: total: 4,160 km paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: NEGL; less than 100 km navigable
Ports and harbors: Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 13 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Haitian National Police (HNP) note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until/unless constitutionally abolished
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 1,541,402 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 835,578 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 80,158 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $NA; note?mainly for police and security activities
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%
Military—note: the Haitian Armed Forces have been demobilized and replaced by the Haitian National Police
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: claims US-administered Navassa Island
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana en route to the US and Europe
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@Heard Island and McDonald Islands ————————————————-
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica
Geographic coordinates: 53 06 S, 72 31 E
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area: total: 412 sq km land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly more than 2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 101.9 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: antarctic
Terrain: Heard Island—bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands—small and rocky
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben
Environment—current issues: NA
Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography—note: primarily used for research stations
People
Population: uninhabited
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Data code: HM
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
Economy
Economy—overview: no economic activity
Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
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@Holy See (Vatican City) ———————————-
Introduction
Background: Popes in their secular role ruled much of the Italian peninsula, including Rome, for about a thousand years, until 1870. A dispute between a series of popes and Italy was settled in 1929 by treaties that recognized the Vatican City as an independent sovereignty and gave Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. The US established formal diplomatic relationships with the Vatican in 1984. Present issues in the Vatican concern the ill health of Pope John Paul II, who turns 79 on 20 May 1999, inter-religious dialogue and reconciliation, and the adjustment of church doctrine in an era of rapid change. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Roman Catholic faith.
Geography
Location: Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
Terrain: low hill
Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (urban area)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment—current issues: NA
Environment—international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Geography—note: urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
People
Population: 870 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.15% (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: none adjective: none
Ethnic groups: Italians, Swiss, other
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: Italian, Latin, various other languages
Government
Country name: conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Data code: VT
Government type: monarchical-sacerdotal state
Capital: Vatican City
Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope (John Paul II), 22 October (1978)
Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Executive branch: chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978) head of government: Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo Cardinal SODANO (since 2 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope
Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission
Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
International organization participation: IAEA, ICFTU, Intelsat, IOM (observer), ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Corrine C. BOGGS embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via Delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box F, APO AE 09624
Flag description: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band
Economy
Economy—overview: This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Labor force: NA
Labor force—by occupation: dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside the Vatican
Budget: revenues: $175.5 million expenditures: $175 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)
Industries: printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
Electricity—production: 0 kWh
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Electricity—consumption: NA kWh
Electricity—exports: NA kWh
Electricity—imports: NA kWh; note?electricity supplied by Italy
Economic aid—recipient: none
Currency: 1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi
Exchange rates: Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1—1,688.7 (January 1998), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994); note—the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2,000
Telephone system: automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: uses Italian system
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1996)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: total: 862 m; note—connects to Italy's network at Rome's Saint Peter's station narrow gauge: 862 m 1.435-m gauge
Highways: none; all city streets
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
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@Honduras ————
Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 86 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 112,090 sq km land: 111,890 sq km water: 200 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: total: 1,520 km border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km
Coastline: 820 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
Terrain: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish
Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 14% forests and woodland: 54% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 740 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast
Environment—current issues: urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of fresh water) as well as several rivers and streams with heavy metals; severe Hurricane Mitch damage
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
People
Population: 5,997,327 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (male 1,262,190; female 1,217,752) 15-64 years: 55% (male 1,643,550; female 1,665,666) 65 years and over: 4% (male 98,715; female 109,454) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.24% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 30.98 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.14 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 40.84 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.68 years male: 63.16 years female: 66.27 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.97 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority
Languages: Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.7% male: 72.6% female: 72.7% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Honduras local long form: Republica de Honduras local short form: Honduras
Data code: HO
Government type: republic
Capital: Tegucigalpa
Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos, singular—departamento) plus probable Central District (Tegucigalpa); Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982
Legal system: rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law; some influence of English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27 January 1998); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27 January 1998); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 30 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001) election results: Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse elected president; percent of vote—Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (PLH) 53%, Nora de MELGAR (PNH) 42%, other 5%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (128 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 30 November 1997 (next to be held November 2001) election results: percent of vote by party—PLH 50%, PNH 42%, PINU-SD 4%, PDCH 2%, other 2%; seats by party—PLH 70, PNH 55, PINU-SD 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica), judges are elected for four-year terms by the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party or PLH [Raphael MELGAR, president]; National Innovation and Unity Party-Social
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; National Union of Campesinos or UNC; General Workers Confederation or CGT; United Federation of Honduran Workers or FUTH; Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH; Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, and Jacksonville
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James Francis CREAGAN embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with five blue five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band
Economy
Economy—overview: Prior to Hurricane Mitch in the fall of 1998, Honduras had been pursuing a moderate economic reform program and had posted strong annual growth numbers. The storm has dramatically changed economic forecasts for Honduras, one of the poorest countries in Central America and the hardest hit by Mitch. Honduras sustained approximately $3 billion in damages and will probably see GDP shrink by 2% in 1999 and unemployment rise. Hardest hit was the all-important agricultural sector, which is responsible for the majority of exports. As a result, the trade deficit is likely to balloon in 1999 to $445 million. However, significant aid has helped to stabilize the country. In addition, the Paris Club and bilateral creditors have offered substantial debt relief, and Tegucigalpa is currently under consideration for inclusion in the IMF-World Bank Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC). Additional financing will be needed to restore the economy to its pre-Mitch level.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$14.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,400 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 19% services: 61% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 50% (1992 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 42.1% (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 1.3 million (1997 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 37%, services 39%, industry 24% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 6.3% (1997); underemployed 30% (1997 est.)
Budget: revenues: $655 million expenditures: $850 million, including capital expenditures of $150 million (1997 est.)
Industries: sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1992 est.)
Electricity—production: 2.73 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 12.09% hydro: 87.91% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 2.734 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 4 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp
Exports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports—commodities: bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber
Exports—partners: US 54%, Germany 7%, Belgium 5%, Japan 4%, Spain 3% (1995)
Imports: $1.8 billion (c.i.f. 1996)
Imports—commodities: machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs
Imports—partners: US 43%, Guatemala 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 4%, Mexico 3%, El Salvador 3% (1995)
Debt—external: $4.1 billion (1995)
Economic aid—recipient: $418.7 million (1995)
Currency: 1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: lempiras (L) per US$1 (end of period)—13.8076 (December 1998), 13.8076 (1998), 13.0942 (1997), 12.8694 (1996), 10.3432 (1995), 9.4001 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 105,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: inadequate system domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System
Radio broadcast stations: AM 176, FM 0, shortwave 7
Radios: 2.115 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 11 (in addition, there are 17 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 400,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 595 km narrow gauge: 190 km 1.067-m gauge; 128 km 1.057-m gauge; 277 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways: total: 14,173 km paved: 3,126 km unpaved: 11,047 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 465 km navigable by small craft
Ports and harbors: La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto Lempira
Merchant marine: total: 247 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 555,534 GRT/730,602 DWT ships by type: bulk 21, cargo 157, chemical tanker 4, container 7, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 25, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 4, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 5, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 6 ships, Vietnam 1, Singapore 3, North Korea 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 122 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 111 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 87 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 1,455,053 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 866,492 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 69,646 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $33 million (1998)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 0.6% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: demarcation of boundary with El Salvador defined by 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision has not been completed; small boundary section left unresolved by ICJ decision not yet reported to have been settled; with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, ICJ referred to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; maritime boundary dispute with Nicaragua
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption
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@Hong Kong ————-
Introduction
Background: Pursuant to the agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. Under the terms of this agreement, China has promised that under its "one country, two systems" formula its socialist economic system will not be practiced in Hong Kong, and that Hong Kong shall enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs.
Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates: 22 15 N, 114 10 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 1,092 sq km land: 1,042 sq km water: 50 sq km
Area—comparative: six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 30 km border countries: China 30 km
Coastline: 733 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Terrain: hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 20% other: 72% (1997 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1997 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment—current issues: air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography—note: more than 200 islands
People
Population: 6,847,125 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 644,982; female 598,188) 15-64 years: 71% (male 2,397,277; female 2,490,745) 65 years and over: 11% (male 323,949; female 391,984) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.9% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 12.9 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.96 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 12.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.91 years male: 76.15 years female: 81.85 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.39 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, other 5%
Religions: eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Languages: Chinese (Cantonese), English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 92.2% male: 96% female: 88.2% (1996 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu local short form: Xianggang abbreviation: HK
Data code: HK
Dependency status: special administrative region of China
Government type: NA
Capital: Victoria
Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region of China)
Independence: none (special administrative region of China)
National holiday: National Day, 1-2 October; note—1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Constitution: Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member Election Commission drawn from broad regional groupings and other central government bodies
Executive branch: chief of state: President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex-officio members and 10 appointed members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Anson CHAN (since 29 November 1993), Financial Secretary Donald TSANG (since 7 March 1995), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July 1997) elections: NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 20 elected by popular vote, and 10 elected by an 800-member election committee; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 May 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—Democratic Party 13, Liberal Party 9, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong 9, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance 5, Frontier Party 3, Citizens Party 1, independents 20
Judicial branch: The Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [Martin LEE,
Political pressure groups and leaders: Association for Democracy Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Confederation of Trade Chamber of Commerce; Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Professional chairman]
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, ESCAP (associate), ICFTU, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative region of China)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General Richard A. BOUCHER consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 464, Box 30, FPO AP 96522-0002
Flag description: red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
Economy
Economy—overview: Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Indeed, imports and exports, including reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Real GDP growth averaged a remarkable 8% in 1987-88 and a still strong 5% in 1989-97. The widespread Asian economic difficulties in 1998 hit this trade-dependent economy quite hard, with GDP down 5%.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$168.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: -5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$25,100 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 15.9% services: 84% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 3.216 million (1998 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 31.9%, social services 9.9%, manufacturing 9.2%, financing, insurance, and real estate 13.1%, transport and communications 5.7%, construction 2.6%, other 27.6% (October 1998)
Unemployment rate: 5.5% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $30.1 billion expenditures: $26 billion, including capital expenditures of $289 million (FY97/98)
Industries: textiles, clothing, tourism, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Industrial production growth rate: -3.7% (1998)
Electricity—production: 27 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 28.598 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity—exports: 1.483 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 5.875 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: fresh vegetables; poultry
Exports: $188.08 billion (including reexports; f.o.b., 1997)
Exports—commodities: clothing, textiles, yarn and fabric, footwear, electrical appliances, watches and clocks, toys
Exports—partners: China 35%, US 22%, Japan 6%, Germany 4%, UK 4% (1997)
Imports: $208.63 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports—commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum; a large share is reexported
Imports—partners: China 38%, Japan 14%, Taiwan 8%, US 8%, Singapore 5% (1997)
Debt—external: none (1996)
Economic aid—recipient: none
Currency: 1 Hong Kong dollar (HK$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Hong Kong dollars (HK$) per US$—7.74 (1997-99), 7.730 (1996), 7.800 (1995), 7.800 (1994); note—linked to the US dollar at the rate of about 7.8 HK$ per 1 US$
Fiscal year: 1 April—31 March
Communications
Telephones: 4.47 million (1998)
Telephone system: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: satellite earth stations—3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: 3 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (in addition, there are two repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.75 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 34 km standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (all electrified) (1996 est.)
Highways: total: 1,831 km paved: 1,831 km unpaved: 0 km (1997)
Ports and harbors: Hong Kong
Merchant marine: total: 195 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,075,304 GRT/10,133,186 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 117, cargo 18, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 2, container 40, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 3 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 13 countries among which are UK 16, South Africa 3, China 9, Japan 6, Bermuda 2, Germany 3, Canada 2, Cyprus 1, Belgium 1, and Norway 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Hong Kong garrison of the PLA including elements of the PLA Army, the PLA Navy and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 1,924,304 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,452,110 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 45,656 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of China
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
Illicit drugs: a hub for Southeast Asian heroin trade; transshipment and money-laundering center; increasing indigenous amphetamine abuse
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@Howland Island ———————
Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates: 0 48 N, 176 38 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 1.6 sq km land: 1.6 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 6.4 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 5% other: 95%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998)
Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Environment—current issues: no natural fresh water resources
Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography—note: almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife
People
Population: uninhabited note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Howland Island
Data code: HQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
Economy
Economy—overview: no economic activity
Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note—there is one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Airports: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan—they left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable
Transportation—note: Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart
Military
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
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@Hungary ———-
Introduction
Background: After World War II Hungary became part of Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe, and its government and economy were refashioned on the communist model. Increased nationalist opposition, which culminated in the government's announcement of withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact in 1956, led to massive military intervention by Moscow and the swift crushing of the revolt. In the more open GORBACHEV years, Hungary led the movement to dissolve the Warsaw Pact and steadily moved toward multiparty democracy and a market-oriented economy. Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Hungary has developed close political and economic relations with western Europe and is now being considered a possible future member of the European Union.
Geography
Location: Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 93,030 sq km land: 92,340 sq km water: 690 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 2,009 km border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151 km (all with Serbia), Slovakia 515 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Tisza River 78 m highest point: Kekes 1,014 m
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils
Land use: arable land: 51% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 19% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,060 sq km (1993 est.)
Environment—current issues: the approximation of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution with environmental requirements for EU accession will require large investments, estimated by the Government of Hungary at $4 billion over six years; the 1997 budget allocated $9.7 million for this purpose; the 1998 budget allocated $11.3 million; the Central Environmental Fund, which collects monies from product charges, environmental fines, and mining taxes, provided approximately $76.2 million in 1997 and is expected to provide $109.5 million in 1998
Environment—international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography—note: landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin
People
Population: 10,186,372 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (male 908,434; female 865,621) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,406,512; female 3,524,260) 65 years and over: 15% (male 552,337; female 929,208) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.2% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.8 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 13.29 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.46 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.18 years male: 66.85 years female: 75.74 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian
Ethnic groups: Hungarian 89.9%, Gypsy 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%, Romanian 0.7%
Religions: Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other 7.5%
Languages: Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Hungary conventional short form: Hungary local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag local short form: Magyarorszag
Data code: HU
Government type: republic
Capital: Budapest
Administrative divisions: 19 counties (megyek, singular—megye), 20 urban counties* (singular—megyei varos), and 1 capital city** (fovaros); Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba*, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Budapest**, Csongrad, Debrecen*, Dunaujvaros*, Eger*, Fejer, Gyor*, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Hodmezovasarhely*, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar*, Kecskemet*, Komarom-Esztergom, Miskolc*, Nagykanizsa*, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza*, Pecs*, Pest, Somogy, Sopron*, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged*, Szekesfehervar*, Szolnok*, Szombathely*, Tatabanya*, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Veszprem*, Zala, Zalaegerszeg*
Independence: 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
National holiday: St. Stephen's Day, 20 August (commemorates the coronation of King Stephen in 1000 AD)
Constitution: 18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997 amendment streamlined the judicial system
Legal system: in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based on Western model
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously interim president since 2 May 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Viktor ORBAN (since 6 July 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a four-year term; election last held 19 June 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president election results: Arpad GONCZ reelected president; a total of 335 votes were cast by the National Assembly, Arpad GONCZ received 259; Viktor ORBAN elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote—NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and direct representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 10 and 24 May 1998 (next to be held May/June 2002) election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for parliamentary representation in the first round)—MSZP 32.0%, FIDESZ 28.2%, FKGP 13.8%, SZDSZ 7.9%, MIEP 5.5%, MMP 4.1%, MDF 2.8%, KDNP 2.3%, MDNP 1.5%; seats by party—MSZP 134, FIDESZ 148, FKGP 48, SZDSZ 24, MDF 17, MIEP 14, independent 1; note—the MDF won 17 single-member district seats
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the National Assembly for a nine-year term
Political parties and leaders: Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF GICZY, president]; Hungarian Democratic People's Party or MDNP note: the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party or MSZMP renounced communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party or MSZP in October 1989; the MDNP was formed in March 1996 by breakaway members of the Hungarian Democratic Forum
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Geza JESZENSZKY chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter F. TUFO embassy: V. 1054 Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green
Economy
Economy—overview: Hungary has consolidated its March 1995 stabilization program and undergone enough restructuring to become an established market economy. The country appears to have entered a period of sustainable growth, gradually falling inflation, and stable external balances. The government's main economic priorities are to complete structural reforms, particularly the implementation of the 1997 pension reform act (the first in the region), taxation reform, and planning for comprehensive health care, local government finance reform, and the reform of education at all levels. Foreign investment has totaled more than $17 billion through 1998. In recognition of Hungary's improved macroeconomic situation, all major credit-rating agencies listed the country's foreign currency debt issuances as investment grade in 1996. The current IMF stand-by arrangement expired in February 1998, and Budapest and the IMF agree that there is no need to renew it. The OECD welcomed Hungary as a member in May 1996, and in December 1997 the EU invited Hungary to begin the accession process. Forecasters expect 4%-5% growth in 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$75.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$7,400 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 30.3% services: 66.7% (1996)
Population below poverty line: 25.3% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 24% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 4.2 million (1997)
Labor force—by occupation: services 65%, industry 26.7%, agriculture 8.3 (1996)
Unemployment rate: 10.8% (1997)
Budget: revenues: $11.2 billion expenditures: $13.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: 11.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity—production: 33.162 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 58.76% hydro: 0.62% nuclear: 40.62% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 35.362 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 2.2 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 4.4 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products
Exports: $20.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: machinery and equipment 51.9%, other manufactures 32.7%, agriculture and food products 10.5%, raw materials 2.9%, fuels and electricity 1.9% (1998)
Exports—partners: Germany 37.3%, Austria 11.4%, Italy 6.1%, Russia 5.0% (1997)
Imports: $22.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports—commodities: machinery and equipment 46.5%, other manufactures 40.2%, fuels and electricity 6.6%, agricultural and food products 3.7%, raw materials 3.0% (1998)
Imports—partners: Germany 26.7%, Austria 10.5%, Italy 9.5%, Russia 7.4% (1997)
Debt—external: $22.1 billion (1997)
Economic aid—recipient: $122.7 million (1995)
Currency: 1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler
Exchange rates: forints per US$1—215.960 (January 1999), 214.402 (1998), 186.789 (1997), 152.647 (1996), 125.681 (1995),105.160 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2.16 million (267,000 cellular telephone subscribers) (1996)
Telephone system: 14,213 telex lines; automatic telephone network based on microwave radio relay system; the average waiting time for telephones is expected to drop to one year by the end of 1997 (down from over 10 years in the early 1990s); note—the former state-owned telecommunications firm MATAV—now privatized and managed by a US/German consortium—has ambitious plans to upgrade the inadequate system, including a contract with the German firm Siemens and the Swedish firm Ericsson to provide 600,000 new telephone lines domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations—1 Intelsat and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 32, FM 15, shortwave 0
Radios: 6 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 39 (in addition, there are low-power stations) (1997)
Televisions: 4.38 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 7,606 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,394 km 1.435-m gauge (2,207 km electrified; 1,236 km double track) narrow gauge: 176 km 0.760-m gauge (1996) note: Hungary and Austria jointly manage the cross-border standard-gauge railway between Gyor, Sopron, Ebenfurt (Gyor-Sopron-Ebenfurti Vasut Rt) a distance of about 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in Austria
Highways: total: 188,203 km paved: 81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways) unpaved: 106,523 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 1,622 km (1988)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,204 km; natural gas 4,387 km (1991)
Ports and harbors: Budapest, Dunaujvaros
Merchant marine: total: 3 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,210 GRT/19,810 DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 25 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Air Force, Border Guard
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 2,601,741 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,073,419 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 70,393 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $645 million (1997)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.4% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: ongoing Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Slovakia is before the International Court of Justice
Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and transit point for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamines and methamphetamines
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@Iceland ———-
Introduction
Background: Iceland boasts the oldest surviving parliament in the world, the Althing, established in 930. Subsequently this Nordic island, whose small population has largely depended on fishing and sheep-herding for a living, came under the rule of Norway and then Denmark. It gained home rule in 1874 and full independence in 1944. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are topnotch by world standards. Tensions continue with Norway, Russia, and other nearby countries over fishing rights in the North Atlantic and adjacent seas.
Geography
Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Geographic coordinates: 65 00 N, 18 00 W
Map references: Arctic Region
Area: total: 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4,988 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m
Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 23% forests and woodland: 1% other: 76% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activity
Environment—current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
Environment—international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography—note: strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe
People
Population: 272,512 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 32,608; female 31,061) 15-64 years: 65% (male 89,258; female 87,449) 65 years and over: 12% (male 14,510; female 17,626) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.57% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 14.87 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.01 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.22 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.96 years male: 76.85 years female: 81.19 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic
Ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 96%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, none 1% (1988)
Languages: Icelandic
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% (1976 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lyoveldio Island local short form: Island
Data code: IC
Government type: constitutional republic
Capital: Reykjavik
Administrative divisions: 23 counties (syslar, singular—sysla) and 14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular—kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla, Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla
Independence: 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June (1944)
Constitution: 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944
Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON elected president; percent of vote—41.4%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 8 April 1995 (next to be held by April 1999) election results: percent of vote by party—Independence Party 37.1%, Progressive Party 23.3%, Social Democratic Party 11.4%, Socialists 14.3%, People's Movement 7.2%, Women's Party 4.9%; seats by party—Independence 25, Progressive 15, Social Democratic 7, Socialists 9, People's Movement 4, Women's Party 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Haestirettur, justices are appointed for life by the president
Political parties and leaders: Independence Party (conservative)
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jon-Baldvin HANNIBALSSON chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Day Olin MOUNT embassy: Laufasvegur 21, Reykjavik mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340
Flag description: blue with a red cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy
Economy—overview: Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system, low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. The economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 75% of export earnings and employs 12% of the work force. In the absence of other natural resources—except energy—Iceland's economy is vulnerable to changing world fish prices. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to drops in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. The center-right government plans to continue its policies of reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new developments in software production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale-watching. Growth is likely to slow in 1999, to a still respectable 4.6%.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$6.06 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 5.1% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$22,400 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 24% services: 63% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (1998)
Labor force: 130,000 (1998 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: manufacturing 12.9%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, construction 10.7%, other services 59.5%, agriculture 5.1% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 3% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.9 billion expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $146 million (1996 est.)
Industries: fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 5.048 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 0.06% hydro: 93.43% nuclear: 0% other: 6.51%
Electricity—consumption: 5.532 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep; fish
Exports: $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite and ferrosilicon
Exports—partners: EU 60% (UK 19%, Germany 13%, France 6%, Denmark 6%), US 14% (1997)
Imports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports—commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports—partners: EU 58% (Germany 12%, Norway 12%, UK 10%, Denmark 9%, Sweden 7%), US 9% (1997)
Debt—external: $2.2 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar
Exchange rates: Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1—69.250 (January 1999), 70.958 (1998), 70.904 (1997), 66.500 (1996), 64.692 (1995), 69.944 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 143,600 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: adequate domestic service domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note—Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 147 (transmitters and repeaters), shortwave 0
Radios: 91,500 licensed (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 14 (in addition, there are 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 96,100 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 12,691 km paved: 3,262 km unpaved: 9,429 km (1997 est.)
Ports and harbors: Akureyri, Hornafjordur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vestmannaeyjar
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,085 GRT/16,938 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 1, container 1, oil tanker 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 87 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 77 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 53 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard; note—Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 70,958 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 62,570 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: none
Military—note: Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)
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@India ——-
Geography
Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 3,287,590 sq km land: 2,973,190 sq km water: 314,400 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Land boundaries: total: 14,103 km border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Coastline: 7,000 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: varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Terrain: upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m
Natural resources: coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone
Land use: arable land: 56% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 23% other: 16% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 480,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: droughts, flash floods, severe thunderstorms common; earthquakes
Environment—current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and rapidly growing population is overstraining natural resources
Environment—international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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: dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes
People
Population: 1,000,848,550 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (male 175,463,726; female 165,722,164) 15-64 years: 61% (male 318,004,920; female 295,245,556) 65 years and over: 5% (male 23,571,270; female 22,840,914) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.68% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 25.39 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.5 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 60.81 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.4 years male: 62.54 years female: 64.29 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.18 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Indian(s) adjective: Indian
Ethnic groups: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3%
Religions: Hindu 80%, Muslim 14%, Christian 2.4%, Sikh 2%, Buddhist 0.7%, Jains 0.5%, other 0.4%
Languages: English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication, Hindi the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people, Bengali (official), Telugu (official), Marathi (official), Tamil (official), Urdu (official), Gujarati (official), Malayalam (official), Kannada (official), Oriya (official), Punjabi (official), Assamese (official), Kashmiri (official), Sindhi (official), Sanskrit (official), Hindustani (a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India) note: 24 languages each spoken by a million or more persons; numerous other languages and dialects, for the most part mutually unintelligible
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52% male: 65.5% female: 37.7% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of India conventional short form: India
Data code: IN
Government type: federal republic
Capital: New Delhi
Administrative divisions: 25 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal |
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