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GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.8 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,200 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 29% services: 63% (1998)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.3% highest 10%: 22.1% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 1.4 million (1997)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and forestry 16%, industry 41%, services 43% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 9.6% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.33 billion expenditures: $1.27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; dependent on imports for energy, raw materials, and intermediate products
Industrial production growth rate: -5% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 4.766 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.58% hydro: 70.42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 4.882 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 400 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 850 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish
Exports: $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners: Germany 16%, UK 14%, Russia 12%, Sweden 10% (1998)
Imports: $2.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners: Germany 17%, Russia 12%, Finland 10%, Sweden 7% (1998)
Debt - external: $212 million (1998)
Economic aid - recipient: $96.2 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Latvian lat (LVL) = 100 santims
Exchange rates: lats (LVL) per US$1 - 0.583 (January 2000),0.585 (1999), 0.590 (1998), 0.581 (1997), 0.551 (1996), 0.528 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Latvia:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 748,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 175,348 (1999)
Telephone system: inadequate but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications international: international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 1.76 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 74 (1998)
Televisions: 1.22 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (1999)
@Latvia:Transportation
Railways: total: 2,412 km broad gauge: 2,379 km 1.520-m gauge (271 km electrified) (1992) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (1994)
Highways: total: 59,178 km paved: 22,843 km unpaved: 36,335 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 300 km perennially navigable
Pipelines: crude oil 750 km; refined products 780 km; natural gas 560 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: Daugavpils, Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils
Merchant marine: total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 58,699 GRT/64,043 DWT ships by type: cargo 4, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 6 (1999 est.)
Airports: 50 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 27 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (1994 est.)
@Latvia:Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Security Forces, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 590,236 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 463,254 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 18,239 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $60 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.9% (FY99)
@Latvia:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: draft treaty delimiting the boundary with Russia has not been signed; ongoing talks over maritime boundary dispute with Lithuania (primary concern is oil exploration rights)
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; limited production of illicit amphetamines, ephedrine, and ecstasy for export
LEBANON
@Lebanon:Introduction
Background: Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions and regaining its national sovereignty since 1991 and the end of the devastating 16-year civil war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, the radical Shi'a party, retains its weapons. Foreign forces still occupy areas of Lebanon. Israel maintains troops in southern Lebanon and continues to support a proxy militia, the Army of South Lebanon (ASL), along a narrow stretch of territory contiguous to its border. Syria maintains about 25,000 troops in Lebanon based mainly in Beirut, North Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing the continued weakness of the LAF, Beirut's requests, and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord.
@Lebanon:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Geographic coordinates: 33 50 N, 35 50 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 10,400 sq km land: 10,230 sq km water: 170 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
Terrain: narrow coastal plain; Al Biqa' (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m
Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land
Land use: arable land: 21% permanent crops: 9% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 8% other: 61% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 860 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: Nahr al Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity
@Lebanon:People
Population: 3,578,036 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (male 508,936; female 489,122) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,115,457; female 1,226,448) 65 years and over: 7% (male 108,706; female 129,367) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.38% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 20.26 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 6.42 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 29.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.25 years male: 68.87 years female: 73.74 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.08 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Lebanese (singular and plural) adjective: Lebanese
Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
Religions: Muslim 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant), Jewish NEGL%
Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian widely understood
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.4% male: 90.8% female: 82.2% (1997 est.)
@Lebanon:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Lebanese Republic conventional short form: Lebanon local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah local short form: Lubnan
Data code: LE
Government type: republic
Capital: Beirut
Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Ech Chimal, Ej Jnoub, El Bekaa, Jabal Loubnane
Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
Constitution: 23 May 1926, amended a number of times
Legal system: mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education
Executive branch: chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Salim al-HUSS (since 4 December 1998) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly; the current Cabinet was formed in 1998 elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; by custom, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslim election results: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 18 August-15 September 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA (one-half Christian and one-half Muslim)
Judicial branch: four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council (called for in Ta'if Accord) rules on constitutionality of laws; Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime minister as needed)
Political parties and leaders: political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 939-6300 FAX: (202) 939-6324 consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David SATTERFIELD embassy: Antelias, Beirut mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Beirut; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002 telephone: (4) 543600, 542600, 544133, 544130, 544131 FAX: (4) 544136
Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band
@Lebanon:Economy
Economy - overview: The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Peace has enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut, begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. Economic recovery has been helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers, with family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports, and international aid as the main sources of foreign exchange. Lebanon's economy has made impressive gains since the launch of "Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program in 1993. Real GDP grew 8% in 1994 and 7% in 1995 before Israel's Operation Grapes of Wrath in April 1996 stunted economic activity. Real GDP grew at an average annual rate of less than 3% per year for 1997 and 1998 and only 1% in 1999. During 1992-98, annual inflation fell from more than 100% to 5%, and foreign exchange reserves jumped to more than $6 billion from $1.4 billion. Burgeoning capital inflows have generated foreign payments surpluses, and the Lebanese pound has remained relatively stable. Progress also has been made in rebuilding Lebanon's war-torn physical and financial infrastructure. Solidere, a $2-billion firm, is managing the reconstruction of Beirut's central business district; the stock market reopened in January 1996; and international banks and insurance companies are returning. The government nonetheless faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has had to fund reconstruction by tapping foreign exchange reserves and boosting borrowing. Reducing the government budget deficit is a major goal of the LAHUD government. The stalled peace process and ongoing violence in southern Lebanon could lead to wider hostilities that would disrupt vital capital inflows. Furthermore, the gap between rich and poor has widened in the 1990's, resulting in grassroots dissatisfaction over the skewed distribution of the reconstruction's benefits and leading the government to shift its focus from rebuilding infrastructure to improving living conditions.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.2 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,500 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 27% services: 61% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: 28% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 1.3 million (1999 est.) note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (1997 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 62%, industry 31%, agriculture 7% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 18% (1997 est.)
Budget: revenues: $4.9 billion expenditures: $8.36 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Industries: banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal fabricating
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 9.7 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.72% hydro: 9.28% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 9.629 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 608 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats
Exports: $866 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: foodstuffs and tobacco, textiles, chemicals, metal and metal products, electrical equipment and products, jewelry, paper and paper products
Exports - partners: Saudi Arabia 12%, UAE 10%, France 9%, Syria 7%, US 7%, Kuwait 4%, Jordan, Turkey (1998)
Imports: $5.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, textiles, metals, fuels, agricultural foods
Imports - partners: Italy 12%, France 10%, US 9%, Germany 9%, Switzerland 6%, Japan, UK, Syria (1998)
Debt - external: $8.8 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001)
Currency: 1 Lebanese pound = 100 piasters
Exchange rates: Lebanese pounds per US$1 - 1,507.5 (January 2000), 1,507.8 (1999), 1,516.1 (1998), 1,539.5 (1997), 1,571.4 (1996), 1,621.4 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Lebanon:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 330,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 120,000 (1995)
Telephone system: telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables
Radio broadcast stations: AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: 2.85 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 28 (1997)
Televisions: 1.18 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 19 (1999)
@Lebanon:Transportation
Railways: total: 399 km (mostly unusable because of damage in civil war) standard gauge: 317 km 1.435-m narrow gauge: 82 km (1999)
Highways: total: 7,300 km paved: 6,200 km unpaved: 1,100 km (1999 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 72 km (none in operation)
Ports and harbors: Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani, Jbail, Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre
Merchant marine: total: 68 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 346,029 GRT/536,861 DWT ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 44, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 4, livestock carrier 4, roll-on/roll-off 2, vehicle carrier 3 (1999 est.)
Airports: 9 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Lebanon:Military
Military branches: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 957,729 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 592,264 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $500 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4% (FY98)
@Lebanon:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Israeli troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976
Illicit drugs: inconsequential producer of hashish; some heroin processing mostly in the Bekaa valley; a Lebanese/Syrian eradication campaign started in the early 1990s has practically eliminated the opium and cannabis crops
LESOTHO
@Lesotho:Introduction
Background: Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule.
@Lesotho:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Geographic coordinates: 29 30 S, 28 30 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 30,355 sq km land: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain: mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Natural resources: water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals
Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 66% forests and woodland: 0% other: 23% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography - note: landlocked; surrounded by South Africa
@Lesotho:People
Population: 2,143,141 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (male 426,556; female 421,563) 15-64 years: 56% (male 575,580; female 619,280) 65 years and over: 4% (male 42,274; female 57,888) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.65% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 31.74 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 14.59 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 82.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 50.79 years male: 49.78 years female: 51.84 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.15 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) adjective: Basotho
Ethnic groups: Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Religions: Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Languages: Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.3% male: 81.1% female: 62.3% (1995 est.)
@Lesotho:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland
Data code: LT
Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital: Maseru
Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Constitution: 2 April 1993
Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998) cabinet: Cabinet elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may even depose the monarch
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (80 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 65 to 80 in the May 1998 election elections: last held 23 May 1998 (next to be held in 2000; date to be determined by Interim Political Authority) election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 61%; seats by party - LCD 79, BNP 1 note: results contested; opposition parties claimed the election was fraudulent and staged a coup; Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces intervened in September 1998 and restored order; the Interim Political Authority (IPA) was set up in December 1998 to create a new electoral system and conduct new elections within 18 months
Judicial branch: High Court, chief justice appointed by the monarch; Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Political parties and leaders: Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Molapo QHOBELA, leader (currently suspended), Ntsukunyane MPHANYA, secretary general]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Dr. Pakalitha MOSISILI, leader; Shakhane MOKHEHLE, secretary general] - the governing party; United Democratic Party or UDP ; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance ; National Progressive Party or NPP ; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lebohang Kenneth MOLEKO chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 797-5533 through 5536 FAX: (202) 234-6815
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Katherine H. PETERSON embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: 312666 FAX: 310116
Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner
@Lesotho:Economy
Economy - overview: Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho's only important natural resource is water. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture, livestock, and remittances from miners employed in South Africa. The number of such mine workers has declined steadily over the past several years. In 1996 their remittances added about 33% to GDP compared with the addition of roughly 67% in 1990. A small manufacturing base depends largely on farm products which support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries. Agricultural products are exported primarily to South Africa. Proceeds from membership in a common customs union with South Africa form the majority of government revenue. Although drought has decreased agricultural activity over the past few years, completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, generating royalties that will be an important source of income for Lesotho. The pace of parastatal privatization has increased in recent years. Civil disorder in September 1998 destroyed 80% of the commercial infrastructure in Maseru and two other major towns. Most firms were not covered by insurance, and the rebuilding of small and medium business has been a significant challenge in terms of both economic growth and employment levels. Output dropped 10% in 1998 and recovered slowly in 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -10% (1998 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,240 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 42% services: 44% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 49.2% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4% (1986-87)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 689,000 economically active
Labor force - by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Unemployment rate: substantial unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half of the labor force (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $507 million expenditures: $487 million, including capital expenditures of $170 million (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 19.7% (1995)
Electricity - production: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 209 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 209 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Exports: $235 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports - commodities: manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (1998)
Exports - partners: South African Customs Union 65%, North America 34% (1998)
Imports: $700 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports - commodities: food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995)
Imports - partners: South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 7% (1997)
Debt - external: $675 million (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $123.7 million (1995)
Currency: 1 loti (L) = 100 lisente; note - maloti (M) is the plural form of loti
Exchange rates: maloti (M) per US$1 - 6.12439 (January 2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996), 3.62709 (1995); note - the Basotho loti is at par with the South African rand
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Lesotho:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 18,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995)
Telephone system: rudimentary system domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 104,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2000)
Televisions: 54,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
@Lesotho:Transportation
Railways: total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 4,955 km paved: 887 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 29 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (1999 est.)
@Lesotho:Military
Military branches: Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police (RLMP)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 503,751 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 271,098 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Military - note: The Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs.
@Lesotho:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
LIBERIA
@Liberia:Introduction
Background: Seven years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1996 when free and open presidential and legislative elections were held. President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real political opposition. The years of fighting coupled with the flight of most businesses has disrupted formal economic activity. A still unsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country.
@Liberia:Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 111,370 sq km land: 96,320 sq km water: 15,050 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: total: 1,585 km border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km
Coastline: 579 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 59% forests and woodland: 18% other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest subject to deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
Environment - international agreements: party to: Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
@Liberia:People
Population: 3,164,156 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 681,136; female 680,501) 15-64 years: 54% (male 826,751; female 867,402) 65 years and over: 3% (male 54,334; female 54,032) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.94% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 47.22 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 16.58 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -11.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) note: by the end of 1999, all Liberian refugees, who had fled the domestic strife, were assumed to have returned
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 134.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.02 years male: 49.6 years female: 52.49 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.43 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups: indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)
Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
Languages: English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.3% male: 53.9% female: 22.4% (1995 est.) note: these figures are increasing because of the improving school system
@Liberia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia
Data code: LI
Government type: republic
Capital: Monrovia
Administrative divisions: 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, Sinoe
Independence: 26 July 1847
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution: 6 January 1986
Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2003) election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1; note - the Alliance of Political Parties was a coalition of the LAP and the Liberia Unification Party or LUP
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP ; Liberian Action Party or LAP ; Liberian National Union or LINU ; Liberian People's Party or LPP ; National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL ; National Patriotic Party or NPP - governing party; People's Progressive Party or PPP ; Reformation Alliance Party or RAP ; True Whig Party or TWP ; United People's Party or UPP ; Unity Party or UP International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate William BULL chancery: 5303 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: (202) 723-0437 FAX: (202) 723-0436 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bismarck MYRICK embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, Mamba Point, Monrovia mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: 226-370 through 226-382 FAX: 226-148, 226-147
Flag description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
@Liberia:Economy
Economy - overview: A civil war in 1989-96 destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many businessmen fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some returned during 1997. Many will not return. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products, while local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The democratically elected government, installed in August 1997, inherited massive international debts and currently relies on revenues from its maritime registry to provide the bulk of its foreign exchange earnings. The restoration of the infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy depend on the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic policies of the new government, including the encouragement of foreign investment.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.85 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 15% services: 35% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: 80%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 70%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate: 0%
Electricity - production: 490 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.24% hydro: 37.76% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 456 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Exports: $39 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports - commodities: diamonds, iron ore, rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa
Exports - partners: Benelux 36%, Norway 18%, Ukraine 15%, Singapore 9% (1997)
Imports: $142 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports - commodities: fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; rice and other foodstuffs
Imports - partners: South Korea 38%, Japan 14%, Italy 11%, Singapore 9% (1997)
Debt - external: $3 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $200 million pledged (1998)
Currency: 1 Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1 - 1.0000 (officially fixed rate since 1940); market exchange rate: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1 - 40 (December 1998), 50 (October 1995); market rate floats against the US dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Liberia:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 5,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995)
Telephone system: telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 6, shortwave 4 (1999)
Radios: 790,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2000)
Televisions: 70,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Liberia:Transportation
Railways: total: 490 km (328 km single track); note - three rail systems owned and operated by foreign steel and financial interests in conjunction with the Liberian Government; one of these, the Lamco Railroad, closed in 1989 after iron ore production ceased; the other two were shut down by the civil war; large sections of the rail lines have been dismantled; approximately 60 km of railroad track was exported for scrap standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
Highways: total: 10,600 km (there is major deterioration on all highways due to heavy rains and lack of maintenance) paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia
Merchant marine: total: 1,593 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 54,513,479 GRT/85,495,576 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 360, cargo 109, chemical tanker 185, combination bulk 22, combination ore/oil 50, container 225, liquified gas 91, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 40, petroleum tanker 351, refrigerated cargo 76, roll-on/roll-off 16, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 15, vehicle carrier 46 (1999 est.) note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 54 countries among which are Germany 186, US 161, Norway 142, Greece 144, Japan 124, Hong Kong 100, China 53, UK 32, Singapore 39, and Monaco 38 (1998 est.)
Airports: 45 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 35 (1999 est.)
@Liberia:Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, Navy
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 703,107 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 378,426 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY98)
@Liberia:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: increasingly a transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets
LIBYA
@Libya:Introduction
Background: Since he took power in a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system - a combination of socialism and Islam - which he calls the Third International Theory. Viewing himself as a revolutionary leader, he used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, even supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. Libyan military adventures failed, e.g., the prolonged foray of Libyan troops into the Aozou Strip in northern Chad was finally repulsed in 1987. Libyan support for terrorism decreased after UN sanctions were imposed in 1992. Those sanctions were suspended in April 1999.
@Libya:Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries: total: 4,383 km border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline: 1,770 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees 30 minutes north
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 0% other: 91% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues: desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
@Libya:People
Population: 5,115,450 note: includes 162,669 non-nationals (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (male 938,476; female 899,139) 15-64 years: 60% (male 1,595,306; female 1,485,069) 65 years and over: 4% (male 97,770; female 99,690) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.42% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 27.68 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 3.51 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 30.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.45 years male: 73.34 years female: 77.66 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.71 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians
Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%
Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.2% male: 87.9% female: 63% (1995 est.)
@Libya:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya conventional short form: Libya local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah local short form: none
Data code: LY
Government type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship
Capital: Tripoli
Administrative divisions: 25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan note: the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions
Independence: 24 December 1951 (from Italy)
National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
Constitution: 11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977
Legal system: based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Premier) Mubarak al-SHAMEKH (since 2 March 2000) cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected head of government; percent of General People's Congress vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Libya does not have an embassy in the US
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980
Flag description: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)
@Libya:Economy
Economy - overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all export earnings and about one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. In this statist society, import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food requirements. Higher oil prices in 1999 led to an increase in export revenues and helped to stimulate the economy. Following the suspension of UN sanctions in 1999, Libya has been trying to increase its attractiveness to foreign investors, and several foreign companies have visited in search of contracts.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $39.3 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,900 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 47% services: 46% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 1.2 million (1997 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services and government 54%, industry 29%, agriculture 17% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $3.6 billion expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 16.92 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 15.736 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts; beef, eggs
Exports: $6.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports - commodities: crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas
Exports - partners: Italy 40%, Germany 17%, Spain 12%, France 4%, Sudan 4%, UK 3% (1997)
Imports: $7 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners: Italy 23%, Germany 12%, UK 9%, France 7%, Tunisia 5%, Belgium 4% (1997)
Debt - external: $4 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $8.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirhams
Exchange rates: Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1 - 0.4687 (January 2000), 0.4616 (1999), 0.3785 (1998), 0.3891 (1997), 0.3651 (1996), 0.3532 (1995); official rate: 0.45 (December 1998)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Libya:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 318,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: telecommunications system is being modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996 domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 4, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: 1.35 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1997)
Televisions: 730,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Libya:Transportation
Railways: note: Libya has had no railroad in operation since 1965, all previous systems having been dismantled; current plans are to construct a 1.435-m standard gauge line from the Tunisian frontier to Tripoli and Misratah, then inland to Sabha, center of a mineral-rich area, but there has been little progress; other plans made jointly with Egypt would establish a rail line from As Sallum, Egypt, to Tobruk with completion originally set for mid-1994; Libya signed contracts with Bahne of Egypt and Jez Sistemas Ferroviarios in 1998 for the supply of crossings and pointwork
Highways: total: 83,200 km paved: 47,590 km unpaved: 35,610 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 4,383 km; petroleum products 443 km (includes liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 256 km); natural gas 1,947 km
Ports and harbors: Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah
Merchant marine: total: 27 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 401,303 GRT/656,632 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, liquified gas 3, petroleum tanker 6, roll-on/roll-off 4, short-sea passenger 4 (1999 est.)
Airports: 142 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 59 over 3,047 m: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 83 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 19 (1999 est.)
@Libya:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Command
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,415,305 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 841,039 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 62,200 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
@Libya:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger and part of southeastern Algeria
LIECHTENSTEIN
@Liechtenstein:Introduction
Background: The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to conclude a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral) the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth.
@Liechtenstein:Geography
Location: Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates: 47 10 N, 9 32 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 76 km border countries: Austria 35 km, Switzerland 41 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Terrain: mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m
Natural resources: hydroelectric potential, arable land
Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 16% forests and woodland: 35% other: 25% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
@Liechtenstein:People
Population: 32,207 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 2,970; female 2,988) 15-64 years: 71% (male 11,379; female 11,370) 65 years and over: 11% (male 1,393; female 2,107) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.02% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 11.83 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 6.64 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 5.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.81 years male: 75.16 years female: 82.47 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.49 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein
Ethnic groups: Alemannic 87.5%, Italian, Turkish, and other 12.5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 7.4%, unknown 7.7%, other 4.9% (1996)
Languages: German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.)
@Liechtenstein:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein
Data code: LS
Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital: Vaduz
Administrative divisions: 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence: 23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire
National holiday: Assumption Day, 15 August
Constitution: 5 October 1921
Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS von und zu Liechtenstein, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968) head of government: Head of Government Mario FRICK (since 15 December 1993) and Deputy Head of Government Michael RITTER (since 2 February 1997) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Diet; confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral Diet or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 2 February 1997 (next to be held by NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - VU 50.1%, FBPL 41.3%, FL 8.5%; seats by party - VU 13, FBPL 10, FL 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Superior Court or Obergericht
Political parties and leaders: Fatherland Union or VU [Dr. Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBPL ; The Free List or FL [Christel HILTI, Hansjorg HILTI, Helen MARXER, Hugo RISCH, Margrit WILLE]
International organization participation: CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Liechtenstein does not have an embassy in the US, but is represented by the Swiss embassy in routine diplomatic matters
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
@Liechtenstein:Economy
Economy - overview: Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a par with the urban areas of its large European neighbors. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 18% - and easy incorporation rules have induced about 73,700 holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $730 million (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 22,891 of which 13,847 are foreigners; 8,231 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day
Labor force - by occupation: industry, trade, and building 45%, services 53%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 2% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1.8% (February 1999)
Budget: revenues: $424.2 million expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 150 million kWh (1995)
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
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Exports: $2.47 billion (1996)
Exports - commodities: small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery
Exports - partners: EU and EFTA countries 60.57% (Switzerland 15.7%) (1995)
Imports: $917.3 million (1996)
Imports - commodities: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
Imports - partners: EU countries, Switzerland (1996)
Debt - external: $0 (1996)
Economic aid - recipient: none
Currency: 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SFR) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SFR) per US$1 - 1.5878 (January 2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996), 1.1825 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Liechtenstein:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 19,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 21,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)
Televisions: 12,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 115 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (1999)
@Liechtenstein:Transportation
Railways: total: 18.5 km; note - owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
Highways: total: 250 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
@Liechtenstein:Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Switzerland
@Liechtenstein:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claims 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated from its royal family in 1918; the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the communists seized power
LITHUANIA
@Lithuania:Introduction
Background: Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. In March of 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions.
@Lithuania:Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 24 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 65,200 sq km land: 65,200 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 1,273 km border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km
Coastline: 99 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
Terrain: lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m
Natural resources: peat, arable land
Land use: arable land: 35% permanent crops: 12% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 31% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 430 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
@Lithuania:People
Population: 3,620,756 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 357,712; female 342,796) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,177,732; female 1,259,682) 65 years and over: 14% (male 163,470; female 319,364) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.29% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 9.77 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 12.87 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.09 years male: 63.07 years female: 75.41 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.34 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian
Ethnic groups: Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Byelorussian 1.6%, other 2.1%
Religions: Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant, evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish
Languages: Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1989 est.)
@Lithuania:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania conventional short form: Lithuania local long form: Lietuvos Respublika local short form: Lietuva former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: LH
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Vilnius
Administrative divisions: 44 regions (rajonai, singular - rajonas) and 11 municipalities*: Akmenes Rajonas, Alytaus Rajonas, Alytus*, Anyksciu Rajonas, Birstonas*, Birzu Rajonas, Druskininkai*, Ignalinos Rajonas, Jonavos Rajonas, Joniskio Rajonas, Jurbarko Rajonas, Kaisiadoriu Rajonas, Kaunas*, Kauno Rajonas, Kedainiu Rajonas, Kelmes Rajonas, Klaipeda*, Klaipedos Rajonas, Kretingos Rajonas, Kupiskio Rajonas, Lazdiju Rajonas, Marijampole*, Marijampoles Rajonas, Mazeikiu Rajonas, Moletu Rajonas, Neringa* Pakruojo Rajonas, Palanga*, Panevezio Rajonas, Panevezys*, Pasvalio Rajonas, Plunges Rajonas, Prienu Rajonas, Radviliskio Rajonas, Raseiniu Rajonas, Rokiskio Rajonas, Sakiu Rajonas, Salcininku Rajonas, Siauliai*, Siauliu Rajonas, Silales Rajonas, Silutes Rajonas, Sirvintu Rajonas, Skuodo Rajonas, Svencioniu Rajonas, Taurages Rajonas, Telsiu Rajonas, Traku Rajonas, Ukmerges Rajonas, Utenos Rajonas, Varenos Rajonas, Vilkaviskio Rajonas, Vilniaus Rajonas, Vilnius*, Zarasu Rajonas
Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Statehood Day, 16 February (1918)
Constitution: adopted 25 October 1992
Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 26 February 1998) head of government: Premier Andrius KUBILIUS (since 12 November 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the premier elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 December 1997 and 5 January 1998 (next to be held NA 2003); premier appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote - Valdas ADAMKUS 50.4%, Arturas PAULAUSKAS 49.6%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 October and 10 November 1996 (next to be held NA October 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TS 69, LKDP 15, LCS 15, LDDP 12, LSDP 10, DP 2, independents 12, others 6
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the Parliament; Court of Appeal, judges appointed by the Parliament
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or LKDP ; Democratic Labor Party of Lithuania or LDDP ; Democratic Party or DP [Lydie WURTH-POLFER, president]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS ; Lithuanian Center Union or LCS ; Lithuanian Farmer's Party or LUP (previously Farmers' Union) ; Lithuanian Nationalist Union or LTS ; Lithuanian Polish Union or LLS ; Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Lithuanian Future Forum
International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stasys SAKALAUSKAS chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 234-5860 FAX: (202) 328-0466 consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Keith C. SMITH embassy: Akmenu 6, 2600 Vilnius mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE 09723 telephone: (2) 223-031 FAX: (6) 706-084
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red
@Lithuania:Economy
Economy - overview: Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, faced its own economic and financial crisis in 1999 as a result of the government's wrongfooted economic policies and its inadequate response to the August 1998 Russian financial crisis. Preliminary figures indicate 3% negative GDP growth, 10% unemployment - the highest level since independence in 1991 - and a budget deficit estimated at between 8 and 9% of GDP. The policies that Prime Minister KUBILIUS implemented upon taking the helm in November 1999 underscore a commitment to fiscal restraint, economic stabilization, and accelerated reforms. The austere 2000 budget in based on a 2% GDP growth forecast, 3% inflation, and a 2.8% budget deficit. Lithuania was invited at the Helsinki EU summit in December 1999 to begin EU accession talks in early 2000. Privatization of the large state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, and reducing the high current account deficit remain challenges for the coming year.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $17.3 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -3% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,800 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 32% services: 58% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 28% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.3% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 1.8 million
Labor force - by occupation: industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 10% (1999)
Budget: revenues: $1.5 billion expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, amber
Industrial production growth rate: -14% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 15.58 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 13.09% hydro: 4.3% nuclear: 82.61% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 7.829 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 7 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 340 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish
Exports: $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment 19%, mineral products 19%, textiles and clothing 19%, chemicals 10%, foodstuffs (1998)
Exports - partners: Russia 17.4%, Germany 15.8%, Latvia 12.7%, Denmark 5.9%, Belarus 5.2% (1999)
Imports: $4.5 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 30%, mineral products 16%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, foodstuffs (1998)
Imports - partners: Russia 20.4%, Germany 16.5%, Denmark 3.8%, Belarus 2.2%, Latvia 2% (1999)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $228.5 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Lithuanian litas = 100 centas
Exchange rates: litai per US$1 - 4.000 (fixed rate since 1 May 1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Lithuania:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 1.048 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 297,500 (1998)
Telephone system: inadequate but is being modernized to provide an improved international capability and better residential access domestic: a national fiber-optic cable interurban trunk system is nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded; mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber applications international: landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major international connections are to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 112, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 1.9 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 82 (mainly repeater stations) (1998)
Televisions: 1.7 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 10 (1999)
@Lithuania:Transportation
Railways: total: 2,002 km broad gauge: 2,002 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) (1994)
Highways: total: 71,375 km paved: 64,951 km (including 417 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,424 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 600 km perennially navigable
Pipelines: crude oil, 105 km; natural gas 760 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: Kaunas, Klaipeda
Merchant marine: total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 316,319 GRT/351,700 DWT ships by type: cargo 23, combination bulk 11, petroleum tanker 2, rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off 1, short-sea passenger 3 (1999 est.)
Airports: 96 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 14 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 71 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 63 (1994 est.)
@Lithuania:Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard (Skat)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 925,551 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 727,609 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 27,259 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $181 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY99)
@Lithuania:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: ongoing talks over maritime boundary dispute with Latvia (primary concern is oil exploration rights); 1997 border agreement with Russia not yet ratified
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe and Scandinavia
LUXEMBOURG
@Luxembourg:Introduction
Background: Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.
@Luxembourg:Geography
Location: Western Europe, between France and Germany
Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 2,586 sq km land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: total: 359 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
Terrain: mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Moselle River 133 m highest point: Burgplatz 559 m
Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land
Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 21% other: 34%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (including Belgium) (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in urban areas
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked
@Luxembourg:People
Population: 437,389 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 42,375; female 40,109) 15-64 years: 67% (male 148,205; female 145,325) 65 years and over: 14% (male 24,446; female 36,929) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.27% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 12.45 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 8.91 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 9.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.13 years male: 73.84 years female: 80.63 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Luxembourger(s) adjective: Luxembourg
Ethnic groups: Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, and European (guest and worker residents)
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%
Languages: Luxembourgian, German, French, English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1980 est.)
@Luxembourg:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand-Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg
Data code: LU
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Luxembourg
Administrative divisions: 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher,
Independence: 1839 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday: National Day, 23 June (1921) (public celebration of the Grand Duke's birthday)
Constitution: 17 October 1868, occasional revisions
Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: Grand Duke JEAN (since 12 November 1964); Heir Apparent Prince HENRI (son of the monarch, born 16 April 1955); note - Grand Duke JEAN intends to abdicate in September 2000 in favor of his oldest son, Prince HENRI head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and vice prime minister appointed by the monarch, following popular election to the Chamber of Deputies; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies note: government coalition - CSV and DP
Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held by NA June 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%, LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party 9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP 13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2 note: the Council of State or Conseil d'Etat, which has 21 members who are appointed for life, is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies
Judicial branch: Superior Court of Justice or Cour Superieure de Justice, judges are appointed for life by the monarch; Administrative Court or Tribunale Administratin, judges are appointed for life by the monarch
Political parties and leaders: Action Committee for Democracy and Pension Rights or ADR ; Christian Social People's Party or CSV ; Democratic Party or DP [Lydie POLFER]; Green Party ; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP ; Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) ; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union)
International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: (202) 265-4171 FAX: (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James C. HORMEL embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: 46 01 23 FAX: 46 14 01
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France
@Luxembourg:Economy
Economy - overview: The stable, high-income economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, until recently dominated by steel, has become increasingly more diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. During the past decades, growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking, account for a growing proportion of the economy. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. Luxembourg has especially close trade and financial ties to Belgium and the Netherlands, and as a member of the EU, enjoys the advantages of the open European market. It joined with 10 other EU members to launch the euro on 1 January 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $14.7 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $34,200 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 23% services: 76% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.1% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 236,400 (one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany) (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 83.2%, industry 14.3%, agriculture 2.5% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.7% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $4.73 billion expenditures: $4.71 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum
Industrial production growth rate: 1.6% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 382 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.73% hydro: 24.86% nuclear: 0% other: 14.41% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 5.856 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 900 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 6.4 billion kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products
Exports: $7.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities: finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass, aluminum, other industrial products
Exports - partners: Germany 33%, France 20%, Belgium 12%, UK 6%, US 5%, Netherlands 4% (1998)
Imports: $9.6 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports - commodities: minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods
Imports - partners: Belgium 36%, Germany 27%, France 12%, Netherlands 5%, US 4% (1998)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $160 million (1999)
Currency: 1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes; note - centimes no longer in use
Exchange rates: euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999); Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1 - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.299 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995); note - the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at a fixed rate of 40.3399 francs per euro; the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Luxembourg:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 314,700 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 95,400 (1999)
Telephone system: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios: 285,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 8 (1999)
Televisions: 285,000 (1998 est.)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (1999)
@Luxembourg:Transportation
Railways: total: 274 km standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified; 178 km double track) (1998)
Highways: total: 5,166 km paved: 5,166 km (including 118 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 37 km; Moselle
Pipelines: petroleum products 48 km
Ports and harbors: Mertert
Merchant marine: total: 48 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,283,738 GRT/1,872,071 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, chemical tanker 10, container 1, liquified gas 18, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 6, roll-on/roll-off 7 (1999 est.)
Airports: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Luxembourg:Military
Military branches: Army; note - the new government abolished the Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 111,882 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 92,238 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 2,563 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $131 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY98)
@Luxembourg:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
MACAU
@Macau:Introduction
Background: Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs.
@Macau:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates: 22 10 N, 113 33 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 21 sq km land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 0.34 km border countries: China 0.34 km
Coastline: 40 km
Maritime claims: not specified
Climate: subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Terrain: generally flat
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 174 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland
@Macau:People
Population: 445,594 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 53,986; female 50,379) 15-64 years: 69% (male 146,474; female 162,672) 65 years and over: 8% (male 12,932; female 19,151) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.83% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 12.54 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 3.64 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 9.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 81.6 years male: 78.8 years female: 84.55 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other
Religions: Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)
Languages: Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 93% female: 86% (1981 est.)
@Macau:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Macau local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
Data code: MC
Dependency status: special administrative region of China
Government type: NA
Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region of China)
Independence: none (special administrative region of China)
National holiday: National Day, 1-2 October; note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day |
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