Mauritania: Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as being flawed; Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between its black minority population and the dominant Maur (Arab-Berber) populace.

Mauritius: Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Mayotte: Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other Comoros in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forgo independence.

Mexico: The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states.

Micronesia, Federated States of: In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the United States. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Midway Islands: The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a wildlife refuge open to the public.

Moldova: Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru (Dnister) River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe and plagued by a moribund economy, in 2001 Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a communist as its president.

Monaco: Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center.

Mongolia: Long a province of China, Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power. In 1996, the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) defeated the MPRP in a national election. Over the next four years the Coalition implemented a number of key reforms to modernize the economy and institutionalize democratic reforms. However, the former communists were a strong opposition that stalled additional reforms and made implementation difficult. In 2000, the MPRP won 72 of the 76 seats in Parliament and completely reshuffled the government. While it continues many of the reform policies, the MPRP is focusing on social welfare and public order priorities.

Montserrat: Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano that began on 18 July 1995.

Morocco: Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997.

Mozambique: Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement with rebel forces ended the fighting in 1992.

Namibia: South Africa occupied the German colony of Sud-West Afrika during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Independence came in 1990.

Nauru: Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by Australian forces in World War I. Upon achieving independence in 1968, Nauru became the smallest independent republic in the world; it joined the UN in 1999.

Navassa Island: This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano, and mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge.

Nepal: In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. The refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of these displaced persons are housed in seven United Nations Offices of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.

Netherlands: The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I but suffered a brutal invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EC, and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Netherlands Antilles: Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Sint Maarten is shared with France; its northern portion is named Saint Martin and is part of Guadeloupe.

New Caledonia: Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated.

New Zealand: The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand withdrew from a number of defense alliances during the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years the government has sought to address longstanding native Maori grievances.

Nicaragua: Settled as a colony of Spain in the 1520s, Nicaragua gained its independence in 1821. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990 and again in 1996 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Niger: Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did Niger hold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord ended a five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and 1999 were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation Council that effected a transition to civilian rule in December 1999.

Nigeria: Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999 and a peaceful transition to civilian government completed. The new president faces the daunting task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth and political stability.

Niue: Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in 1966 to 2,100 in 2000) with substantial emigration to New Zealand.

Norfolk Island: Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Northern Mariana Islands: Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.

Norway: Despite its neutrality, Norway was not able to avoid occupation by Germany in World War II. In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Oman: In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.

Pacific Ocean: The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Pakistan: The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved. A third war between these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998.

Palau: After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands opted for independent status in 1978 rather than join the Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered into force the following year when the islands gained their independence.

Palmyra Atoll: The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife service and designated a National Wildlife Refuge in January 2001.

Panama: With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by or on 31 December 1999.

Papua New Guinea: The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997, after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Paracel Islands: This archipelago is surrounded by productive fishing grounds and potentially large oil reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Prattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops captured a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. However, the islands are still claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

Paraguay: In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then.

Peru: After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980. In recent years, bold reform programs and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity and drug trafficking have resulted in solid economic growth.

Philippines: The Philippines were ceded by Spain to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. They attained their independence in 1946 after being occupied by the Japanese in World War II. The 21-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986 when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into exile. In 1992, the US closed down its last military bases on the islands. The Philippines has had two electoral presidential transitions since Marcos' removal by "people power." In January 2001, the Supreme Court declared Joseph ESTRADA unable to rule in view of mass resignations from his government and administered the oath of office to Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO as his constitutional successor. The government continues to struggle with ongoing Muslim insurgencies in the south.

Pitcairn Islands: Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to about 50 today.

Poland: Poland gained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite country following the war, but one that was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, boosting hopes for acceptance to the EU. Poland joined the NATO alliance in 1999.

Portugal: Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal entered the EC in 1985.

Puerto Rico: Discovered by Columbus in 1493, the island was ceded by Spain to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. A popularly elected governor has served since 1948. In plebiscites held in 1967 and 1993, voters chose to retain commonwealth status.

Qatar: Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe.

Reunion: The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route.

Romania: Soviet occupation following World War II led to the formation of a communist "peoples republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of President Nicolae CEAUSESCU became increasingly draconian through the 1980s. He was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Much economic restructuring remains to be carried out before Romania can achieve its hope of joining the EU.

Russia: The defeat of the Russian Empire in World War I led to the seizure of power by the communists and the formation of the USSR. The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1924-53) strengthened Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15 independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the communist period.

Rwanda: In 1959, three years before independence, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire, now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC). Since then most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 - the country continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output and to foster reconciliation. A series of massive population displacements, a nagging Hutu extremist insurgency, and Rwandan involvement in two wars over the past four years in the neighboring DROC continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts.

Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, St. Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed.

Saint Lucia: The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon: First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Disputed between France and Great Britain in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969, and independence in 1979.

Samoa: New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.

San Marino: The third smallest state in Europe (after The Holy See and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marinus in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor.

Sao Tome and Principe: Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The first free elections were held in 1991.

Saudi Arabia: In 1902 Abdul al-Aziz Ibn SAUD captured Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian peninsula. In the 1930s, the discovery of oil transformed the country. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all major governmental concerns.

Senegal: Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group sporadically has clashed with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.

Seychelles: A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993.

Sierra Leone: Since 1991, civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well over one-third of the population) many of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. A peace agreement, signed in July 1999, collapsed in May 2000 after the RUF took over 500 UN peacekeepers hostage. The RUF stepped up attacks on Guinea in December 2000, despite a cease-fire that it signed with the Freetown government one month earlier. As of late 2000, up to 13,000 UN peacekeepers were protecting the capital and key towns in the south. A UK force of 750 was helping to reinforce security and train the Sierra Leone army.

Singapore: Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, Singapore joined Malaysia in 1963, but withdrew two years later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries, with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita GDP above that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

Slovakia: In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Historic, political, and geographic factors have caused Slovakia to experience more difficulty in developing a modern market economy than some of its Central European neighbors.

Slovenia: In 1918 the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new nation, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power of the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy make Slovenia a leading candidate for future membership in the EU and NATO.

Solomon Islands: The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control.

Somalia: A SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy followed for nine years. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland which now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of the ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal comprise a neighboring self-declared Republic of Puntland, which has also made strides towards reconstructing legitimate, representative government. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. A Transitional National Government (TNG) was created in October 2000 in Arta, Djibouti which was attended by a broad representation of Somali clans. The TNG has a three-year mandate to create a permanent national Somali government. The TNG does not recognize Somaliland or Puntland as independent republics but so far has been unable to reunite them with the unstable regions in the south; numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of Mogadishu and the other southern regions.

South Africa: After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. The famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses a small military garrison. The islands have large bird and seal populations and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 miles to 200 miles around each island.

Southern Ocean: A decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean - from the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean is now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean).

Spain: Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating Civil War (1936-39). In the second half of the 20th century, it has played a catch-up role in the western international community. Continuing concerns are large-scale unemployment and the Basque separatist movement.

Spratly Islands: Rich fishing grounds and the potential for gas and oil deposits have caused this archipelago to be claimed in its entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties have occupied certain islands or reefs, and occasional clashes have occurred between Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces

Sri Lanka: Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.

Sudan: Military dictatorships promulgating an Islamic government have mostly run the country since independence from the UK in 1956. Over the past two decades, a civil war pitting black Christians and animists in the south against the Arab-Muslims of the north has cost at least 1.5 million lives in war- and famine-related deaths, as well as the displacement of millions of others.

Suriname: Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally brought about a democratic election. In 1989, the military overthrew the civilian government, but a democratically elected government returned to power in 1991.

Svalbard: First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years later it officially took over the territory.

Swaziland: Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy.

Sweden: A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements has recently been undermined by high unemployment, rising maintenance costs, and a declining position in world markets. Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe caused Sweden not to join the EU until 1995, and to forgo the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Switzerland: Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, may be rendering obsolete the country's concern for neutrality.

Syria: Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights.

Tajikistan: Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government and a five-year civil war since it gained independence in 1991 from the USSR. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997, and implementation reportedly completed by late 1999. Part of the agreement required the legalization of opposition political parties prior to the 1999 elections, which occurred, but such parties have made little progress in successful participation in government. Random criminal and political violence in the country remains a complication impairing Tajikistan's ability to engage internationally.

Tanzania: Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities.

Thailand: A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century; it was known as Siam until 1939. Thailand is the only southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict.

Togo: French Togoland became Togo in 1960. General Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections that resulted in EYADEMA's victory in 1993, the government continues to be dominated by the military. In addition, Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. Most bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen.

Tokelau: Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. According to a UN report, these low-lying islands will disappear in the 21st century, if global warming continues to raise sea levels.

Tonga: The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Trinidad and Tobago: The islands came under British control in the 19th century; independence was granted in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.

Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station.

Tunisia: Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib BOURGIUBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to diffuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Turkey: Turkey was created in 1923 from the Turkish remnants of the Ottoman Empire. Soon thereafter the country instituted secular laws to replace traditional religious fiats. In 1945 Turkey joined the UN and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. Turkey occupied the northern portion of Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island; relations between the two countries remain strained. Periodic military offensives against Kurdish separatists have dislocated part of the population in southeast Turkey and have drawn international condemnation.

Turkmenistan: Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1925. It achieved its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects can be worked out.

Turks and Caicos Islands: The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands are presently a British overseas territory.

Tuvalu: In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Uganda: Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed another 100,000 lives. During the 1990s the government promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections.

Ukraine: Richly endowed in natural resources, Ukraine has been fought over and subjugated for centuries; its 20th-century struggle for liberty is not yet complete. A short-lived independence from Russia (1917-1920) was followed by brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died, and World War II, in which German and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 million more deaths. Although independence was attained in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, true freedom remains elusive as many of the former Soviet elite remain entrenched, stalling efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civic liberties.

United Arab Emirates: The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the UAE. They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of the leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed it to play a vital role in the affairs of the region.

United Kingdom: Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to remain outside of the European Monetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. Regional assemblies with varying degrees of power opened in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in 1999.

United States: The United States became the world's first modern democracy after its break with Great Britain (1776) and the adoption of a constitution (1789). During the 19th century, many new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation-state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Uruguay: A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to military control of his administration in 1973. By the end of the year the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.

Uzbekistan: Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1925. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include insurgency by Islamic militants based in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, a non-convertible currency, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.

Vanuatu: The British and French who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980.

Venezuela: Venezuela was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: drug-related conflicts along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Vietnam: France occupied all of Vietnam by 1884. Independence was declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule until 1954 when they were defeated by communist forces under Ho Chi MINH, who took control of the north. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later North Vietnamese forces overran the south. Economic reconstruction of the reunited country has proven difficult as aging Communist Party leaders have only grudgingly initiated reforms necessary for a free market.

Virgin Islands: During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Wake Island: The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December 1941 the island was captured by the Japanese and held until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as a stopover and refueling site for military and commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's airstrip has been used by the US military and some commercial cargo planes, as well as for emergency landings. There are over 700 landings a year on the island.

Wallis and Futuna: Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.

West Bank: The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external security and for internal security and public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Permanent status is to be determined through direct negotiations, which resumed in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus. An intifadah broke out in September 2000; the resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability in the Palestinian Authority are undermining progress toward a permanent settlement.

Western Sahara: Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at least 2002.

World: Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology, from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages of energy and water, the drop in biological diversity, and air pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2 billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethal weapons of war).

Yemen: North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became South Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility between the states. The two countries were formally unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.

Yugoslavia: The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Occupation by Nazi Germany in 1941 was resisted by various partisan bands that fought themselves as well as the invaders. The group headed by Marshal TITO took full control upon German expulsion in 1945. Although communist in name, his new government successfully steered its own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In the early 1990s, post-TITO Yugoslavia began to unravel along ethnic lines: Slovenia, Croatia, and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia all declared their independence in 1991; Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" in 1992 and, under President Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led various military intervention efforts to unite Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." All of these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. In 1999, massive expulsions by Serbs of ethnic Albanians living in the autonomous republic of Kosovo provoked an international response, including the NATO bombing of Serbia and the stationing of NATO and Russian peacekeepers in Kosovo. Blatant attempts to manipulate presidential balloting in October of 2000 were followed by massive nationwide demonstrations and strikes that saw the election winner, Vojislav KOSTUNICA, replace MILOSEVIC.

Zambia: The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South Africa Company from 1891 until takeover by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties.

Zimbabwe: The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated to keep whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence.

Taiwan: In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan, however it reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the native population within its governing structure. Throughout this period, the island has prospered to become one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issue continues to be the relationship between Taiwan and China and the question of eventual reunification.

======================================================================

@Birth rate



Afghanistan: 41.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Albania: 19.01 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Algeria: 22.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

American Samoa: 24.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Andorra: 10.29 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Angola: 46.54 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Anguilla: 15.17 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda: 19.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Argentina: 18.41 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Armenia: 11.47 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Aruba: 12.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Australia: 12.86 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Austria: 9.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan: 18.44 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The: 19.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bahrain: 20.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bangladesh: 25.3 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Barbados: 13.47 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Belarus: 9.57 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Belgium: 10.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Belize: 31.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Benin: 44.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bermuda: 12.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bhutan: 35.73 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bolivia: 27.27 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina: 12.86 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Botswana: 28.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Brazil: 18.45 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands: 15.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Brunei: 20.45 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Bulgaria: 8.06 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso: 44.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Burma: 20.13 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Burundi: 40.13 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cambodia: 33.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cameroon: 36.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Canada: 11.21 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cape Verde: 28.71 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands: 13.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Central African Republic: 37.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Chad: 48.28 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Chile: 16.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

China: 15.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Christmas Island: NA births/1,000 population

Cocos (Keeling) Islands: NA births/1,000 population

Colombia: 22.41 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Comoros: 39.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 46.02 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the: 38.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Costa Rica: 20.27 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire: 40.38 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Croatia: 12.82 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cuba: 12.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Cyprus: 13.08 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Czech Republic: 9.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Denmark: 11.96 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Djibouti: 40.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Dominica: 17.81 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Dominican Republic: 24.77 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ecuador: 25.99 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Egypt: 24.89 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

El Salvador: 28.67 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea: 37.72 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Eritrea: 42.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Estonia: 8.7 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethiopia: 44.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): NA births/1,000 population

Faroe Islands: 13.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Fiji: 23.33 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Finland: 10.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

France: 12.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

French Guiana: 22.02 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

French Polynesia: 18.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Gabon: 27.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Gambia, The: 41.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip: 42.48 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Georgia: 11.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Germany: 9.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ghana: 28.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Gibraltar: 11.25 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Greece: 9.83 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Greenland: 16.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Grenada: 23.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guadeloupe: 16.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guam: 25.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guatemala: 34.61 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guernsey: 9.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guinea: 39.78 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau: 39.29 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Guyana: 17.92 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Haiti: 31.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Honduras: 31.94 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Hong Kong: 11.13 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Hungary: 9.32 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Iceland: 14.62 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

India: 24.28 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Indonesia: 22.26 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Iran: 17.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Iraq: 34.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ireland: 14.57 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Israel: 19.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Italy: 9.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Jamaica: 18.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Japan: 10.04 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Jersey: 11.28 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Jordan: 25.44 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan: 17.3 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Kenya: 28.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Kiribati: 31.98 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Korea, North: 19.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Korea, South: 14.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Kuwait: 21.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan: 26.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Laos: 37.84 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Latvia: 8.03 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Lebanon: 20.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Lesotho: 31.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Liberia: 46.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Libya: 27.67 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein: 11.53 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Lithuania: 10 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Luxembourg: 12.25 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Macau: 12.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: 13.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Madagascar: 42.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Malawi: 37.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Malaysia: 24.75 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Maldives: 38.15 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mali: 48.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Malta: 12.75 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Man, Isle of: 11.58 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Marshall Islands: 45.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Martinique: 15.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mauritania: 42.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mauritius: 16.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mayotte: 44.39 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mexico: 22.77 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Moldova: 13.35 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Monaco: 9.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mongolia: 21.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Montserrat: 17.43 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Morocco: 24.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Mozambique: 37.2 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Namibia: 34.71 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Nauru: 27.22 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Nepal: 33.4 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Netherlands: 11.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles: 16.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

New Caledonia: 20.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

New Zealand: 14.28 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Nicaragua: 27.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Niger: 50.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Nigeria: 39.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Niue: NA births/1,000 population

Norfolk Island: NA births/1,000 population

Northern Mariana Islands: 20.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Norway: 12.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Oman: 37.96 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Pakistan: 31.21 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Palau: 19.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Panama: 19.06 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea: 32.15 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Paraguay: 30.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Peru: 23.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Philippines: 27.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Pitcairn Islands: NA births/1,000 population

Poland: 10.2 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Portugal: 11.51 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico: 15.26 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Qatar: 15.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Reunion: 21.26 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Romania: 10.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Russia: 9.35 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Rwanda: 33.97 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saint Helena: 13.49 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis: 18.78 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia: 21.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 15.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 17.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Samoa: 15.59 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

San Marino: 10.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe: 42.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia: 37.34 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Senegal: 37.46 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Seychelles: 17.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sierra Leone: 45.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Singapore: 12.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Slovakia: 10.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Slovenia: 9.32 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands: 34.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Somalia: 47.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

South Africa: 21.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Spain: 9.26 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka: 16.58 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sudan: 37.89 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Suriname: 20.53 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Svalbard: NA births/1,000 population

Swaziland: 40.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sweden: 9.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Switzerland: 10.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Syria: 30.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Tajikistan: 33.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Tanzania: 39.65 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Thailand: 16.63 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Togo: 37.04 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Tokelau: NA births/1,000 population

Tonga: 23.59 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago: 13.73 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Tunisia: 17.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Turkey: 18.31 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan: 28.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands: 24.89 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Tuvalu: 21.56 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Uganda: 47.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ukraine: 9.31 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates: 18.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

United Kingdom: 11.54 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

United States: 14.2 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Uruguay: 17.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan: 26.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Vanuatu: 25.4 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Venezuela: 20.65 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Vietnam: 21.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Virgin Islands: 15.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Wallis and Futuna: NA births/1,000 population

West Bank: 35.83 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

World: 21.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Yemen: 43.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Yugoslavia: 12.61 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Zambia: 41.46 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe: 24.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Taiwan: 14.31 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

======================================================================

@Budget



Afghanistan: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Albania: revenues: $393 million

expenditures: $676 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Algeria: revenues: $15.8 billion

expenditures: $16 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.3 billion (2001 est.)

American Samoa: revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)

expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)

Andorra: revenues: $385 million

expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Angola: revenues: $928 million

expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million (1992 est.)

Anguilla: revenues: $20.4 million

expenditures: $23.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.8 million (1997 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda: revenues: $122.6 million

expenditures: $141.2 million, including capital expenditures of $17.3 million (1997 est.)

Argentina: revenues: $44 billion

expenditures: $48 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Armenia: revenues: $360 million

expenditures: $566 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Aruba: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $541 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Australia: revenues: $94 billion

expenditures: $103 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Austria: revenues: $56.3 billion

expenditures: $60.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Azerbaijan: revenues: $777 million

expenditures: $995 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Bahamas, The: revenues: $766 million

expenditures: $845 million, including capital expenditures of $97 million (FY97/98)

Bahrain: revenues: $1.8 billion

expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Bangladesh: revenues: $4.9 billion

expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)

Barbados: revenues: $725.5 million

expenditures: $750.6 million, including capital expenditures of $126.3 million (FY97/98 est.)

Belarus: revenues: $4 billion

expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1997 est.)

Belgium: revenues: $114.8 billion

expenditures: $117 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (1999)

Belize: revenues: $157 million

expenditures: $279 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Benin: revenues: $299 million

expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1995 est.)

Bermuda: revenues: $504.6 million

expenditures: $537 million, including capital expenditures of $75 million (FY97/98)

Bhutan: revenues: $146 million

expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96 est.)

note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures

Bolivia: revenues: $2.7 billion

expenditures: $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)

Bosnia and Herzegovina: revenues: $1.9 billion

expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Botswana: revenues: $1.6 billion

expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $560 million (FY96)

Brazil: revenues: $151 billion

expenditures: $149 billion, including capital expenditures of $36 billion (1998)

British Virgin Islands: revenues: $121.5 million

expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Brunei: revenues: $2.5 billion

expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35 billion (1997 est.)

Bulgaria: revenues: $4.85 billion

expenditures: $4.92 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Burkina Faso: revenues: $277 million

expenditures: $492 million, including capital expenditures of $233 million (1995 est.)

Burma: revenues: $7.9 billion

expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (FY96/97)

Burundi: revenues: $125 million

expenditures: $176 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Cambodia: revenues: $363 million

expenditures: $532 million, including capital expenditures of $225 million (2000 est.)

Cameroon: revenues: $2.1 billion

expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Canada: revenues: $126.1 billion

expenditures: $125.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $14.8 billion (2000)

Cape Verde: revenues: $188 million

expenditures: $228 million, including capital expenditures of $116 million (1996)

Cayman Islands: revenues: $265.2 million

expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Central African Republic: revenues: $638 million

expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $888 million (1994 est.)

Chad: revenues: $198 million

expenditures: $218 million, including capital expenditures of $146 million (1998 est.)

Chile: revenues: $16 billion

expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

China: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Christmas Island: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Colombia: revenues: $22 billion

expenditures: $24 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Comoros: revenues: $48 million

expenditures: $53 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the: revenues: $269 million

expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)

Congo, Republic of the: revenues: $870 million

expenditures: $970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Cook Islands: revenues: $25 million

expenditures: $23 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 99/00)

Costa Rica: revenues: $1.95 billion

expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire: revenues: $1.5 billion

expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $420 million (2000 est.)

Croatia: revenues: $6 billion

expenditures: $4.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Cuba: revenues: $13.5 billion

expenditures: $14.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Cyprus: revenues: Greek Cypriot area - $2.9 billion (2000 est.); Turkish Cypriot area - $294 million (2000 est.)

expenditures: Greek Cypriot area - $3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $324 million (2000 est.); Turkish Cypriot $495 million, including capital expenditures of $60 million (2000 est.)

Czech Republic: revenues: $16.7 billion

expenditures: $18 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Denmark: revenues: $52.9 billion

expenditures: $51.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2001 est.)

Djibouti: revenues: $133 million

expenditures: $187 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Dominica: revenues: $72 million

expenditures: $79.9 million, including capital expenditures of $11.5 million (FY97/98)

Dominican Republic: revenues: $2.3 billion

expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $867 million (1999 est.)

Ecuador: revenues: planned $5.1 billion (not including revenue from potential privatizations)

expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

Egypt: revenues: $22.6 billion

expenditures: $26.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99)

El Salvador: revenues: $1.8 billion

expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Equatorial Guinea: revenues: $47 million

expenditures: $43 million, including capital expenditures of $7 million (1996 est.)

Eritrea: revenues: $283.9 million

expenditures: $351.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Estonia: revenues: $1.37 billion

expenditures: $1.37 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Ethiopia: revenues: $1 billion

expenditures: $1.48 billion, including capital expenditures of $415 million (FY96/97)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): revenues: $66.2 million

expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.)

Faroe Islands: revenues: $488 million

expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999)

Fiji: revenues: $610 million

expenditures: $501 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Finland: revenues: $36.1 billion

expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

France: revenues: $210 billion

expenditures: $240 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

French Guiana: revenues: $225 million

expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)

French Polynesia: revenues: $1 billion

expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)

Gabon: revenues: $1.5 billion

expenditures: $1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $302 million (1996 est.)

Gambia, The: revenues: $90.5 million

expenditures: $80.9 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1 million (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip: revenues: $1.6 billion

expenditures: $1.73 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA

note: includes West Bank (1999 est.)

Georgia: revenues: $437 million

expenditures: $626 million, including capital expenditures of $60 million (1999)

Germany: revenues: $996 billion

expenditures: $1.036 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Ghana: revenues: $1.39 billion

expenditures: $1.47 billion, including capital expenditures of $370 million (1996 est.)

Gibraltar: revenues: $307 million

expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Greece: revenues: $45 billion

expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Greenland: revenues: $646 million

expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85 million (1999)

Grenada: revenues: $85.8 million

expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28 million (1997)

Guadeloupe: revenues: $225 million

expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)

Guam: revenues: $605.3 million

expenditures: $654.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)

Guatemala: revenues: $2.2 billion

expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Guernsey: revenues: $381.3 million

expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Guinea: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $417.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (2000 est.)

Guinea-Bissau: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Guyana: revenues: $220.1 million

expenditures: $286.4 million, including capital expenditures of $86.6 million (1998)

Haiti: revenues: $317 million

expenditures: $362 million, including capital expenditures of $84 million (FY99/00 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City): revenues: $209.6 million

expenditures: $198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Honduras: revenues: $607 million

expenditures: $411.9 million, including capital expenditures of $106 million (1999 est.)

Hong Kong: revenues: $20.8 billion

expenditures: $24.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00)

Hungary: revenues: $13 billion

expenditures: $14.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Iceland: revenues: $3.5 billion

expenditures: $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $467 million (1999)

India: revenues: $44.3 billion

expenditures: $73.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Indonesia: revenues: $26 billion

expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Iran: revenues: $27 billion

expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

Iraq: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Ireland: revenues: $25.7 billion

expenditures: $19.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $2 billion (2000)

Israel: revenues: $40 billion

expenditures: $42.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Italy: revenues: $488 billion

expenditures: $501 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Jamaica: revenues: $2.23 billion

expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of $232.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Japan: revenues: $441 billion

expenditures: $718 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of about $84 billion (FY01/02 est.)

Jersey: revenues: $601 million

expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.)

Jordan: revenues: $2.8 billion

expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Kazakhstan: revenues: $3.1 billion

expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Kenya: revenues: $2.91 billion

expenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Kiribati: revenues: $33.3 million

expenditures: $47.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1996 est.)

Korea, North: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Korea, South: revenues: $81.8 billion

expenditures: $94.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $6.1 billion (1999)

Kuwait: revenues: $11.5 billion

expenditures: $17.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02)

Kyrgyzstan: revenues: $207.4 million

expenditures: $238.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Laos: revenues: $211 million

expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)

Latvia: revenues: $1.33 billion

expenditures: $1.27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Lebanon: revenues: $3.31 billion

expenditures: $5.55 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Lesotho: revenues: $76 million

expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY99/00 est.)

Liberia: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Libya: revenues: $6.85 billion

expenditures: $4.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Liechtenstein: revenues: $424.2 million

expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Lithuania: revenues: $1.5 billion

expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Luxembourg: revenues: $5.6 billion

expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Macau: revenues: $1.26 billion

expenditures: $1.22 billion, including capital expenditures of $175 million (1999 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: revenues: $1.06 billion

expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $107 million (1996 est.)

Madagascar: revenues: $553 million

expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Malawi: revenues: $490 million

expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)

Malaysia: revenues: $16.4 billion

expenditures: $17.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $43 billion (2000 est.)

Maldives: revenues: $166 million (excluding foreign grants)

expenditures: $192 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (1999 est.)

Mali: revenues: $730 million

expenditures: $770 million, including capital expenditures of $320 million (1997 est.)

Malta: revenues: $1.6 billion

expenditures: $1.73 billion, including capital expenditures of $265.4 million (1999)

Man, Isle of: revenues: $485 million

expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Marshall Islands: revenues: $80.1 million

expenditures: $77.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.5 million (FY95/96 est.)

Martinique: revenues: $900 million

expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140 million (1996)

Mauritania: revenues: $329 million

expenditures: $265 million, including capital expenditures of $75 million (1996 est.)

Mauritius: revenues: $1.1 billion

expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Mayotte: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)

Mexico: revenues: $125 billion

expenditures: $130 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of: revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants)

expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Moldova: revenues: $536 million

expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Monaco: revenues: $518 million

expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Mongolia: revenues: $262 million

expenditures: $328 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Montserrat: revenues: $31.4 million

expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)

Morocco: revenues: $9.6 billion

expenditures: $8.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1 billion (2001 est.)

Mozambique: revenues: $466.9 million

expenditures: $1.004 billion, including capital expenditures of $502.5 million (2000 est.)

Namibia: revenues: $883 million

expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)

Nauru: revenues: $23.4 million

expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)

Nepal: revenues: $536 million

expenditures: $818 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97 est.)

Netherlands: revenues: $134 billion

expenditures: $134 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles: revenues: $710.8 million

expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

New Caledonia: revenues: $861.3 million

expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)

New Zealand: revenues: $19.2 billion

expenditures: $19.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Nicaragua: revenues: $734 million

expenditures: $836 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Niger: revenues: $377 million, including $146 million from foreign sources

expenditures: $377 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1999 est.)

Nigeria: revenues: $3.4 billion

expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Niue: revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Norfolk Island: revenues: $4.6 million

expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)

Northern Mariana Islands: revenues: $221 million

expenditures: $213 million, including capital expenditures of $17.7 million (1996)

Norway: revenues: $71.7 billion

expenditures: $57.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Oman: revenues: $4.7 billion

expenditures: $5.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $490 million (1999)

Pakistan: revenues: $8.9 billion

expenditures: $11.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Palau: revenues: $57.7 million

expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1 million (FY98/99 est.)

Panama: revenues: $2.8 billion

expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $471 million (2000 est.)

Papua New Guinea: revenues: $1.6 billion

expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Paraguay: revenues: $1.3 billion

expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.)

Peru: revenues: $8.5 billion

expenditures: $9.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $2 billion (1996 est.)

Philippines: revenues: $14.5 billion

expenditures: $12.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Pitcairn Islands: revenues: $729,884

expenditures: $878,119, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)

Poland: revenues: $49.6 billion

expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

Portugal: revenues: $48.6 billion

expenditures: $50.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.7 billion (2000 est.)

Puerto Rico: revenues: $6.7 billion

expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00)

Qatar: revenues: $3.9 billion

expenditures: $4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Reunion: revenues: NA

expenditures: NA

Romania: revenues: $11.7 billion

expenditures: $12.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Russia: revenues: $40 billion

expenditures: $33.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Rwanda: revenues: $198 million

expenditures: $411 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Saint Helena: revenues: $11.2 million

expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92)

Saint Kitts and Nevis: revenues: $64.1 million

expenditures: $73.3 million, including capital expenditures of $10.4 million (1997 est.)

Saint Lucia: revenues: $141.2 million

expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of $25.1 million (FY97/98 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon: revenues: $70 million

expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: revenues: $85.7 million

expenditures: $98.6 million, including capital expenditures of $25.7 million (1997 est.)

Samoa: revenues: $74.8 million

expenditures: $81.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

San Marino: revenues: $400 million

expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe: revenues: $58 million

expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.)

Saudi Arabia: revenues: $66 billion

expenditures: $66 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Senegal: revenues: $885 million

expenditures: $885 million, including capital expenditures of $125 million (1996 est.)

Seychelles: revenues: $249 million

expenditures: $262 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Sierra Leone: revenues: $96 million

expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Singapore: revenues: $18.1 billion

expenditures: $17.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.5 billion (FY99/00 est.)

Slovakia: revenues: $5.2 billion

expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

Slovenia: revenues: $8.11 billion

expenditures: $8.32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)