Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 7 November 1949

Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February 2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA February 2006) election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Agricultural Labor Action or PALA [Carlos Alberto SOLIS Blanco]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Jose M. NUNEZ]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Alejandro MADRIGAL]; National Independent Party or PNI [Jorge GONZALEZ Marten]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Sonia PICADO]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis Manuel CHACON] note: mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN - until the 3 February 2002 election in which the PAC captured a significant percentage, forcing a run-off in April 2002

Political pressure groups and leaders: Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert Brown]

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM Rosenstein chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Durham (North Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa consulate(s): Austin FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John J. DANILOVICH embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 220-3939 FAX: [506] 220-2305

Flag description: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Economy Costa Rica

Economy - overview: Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. At the same time, distribution of income remains severely unequal. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. However, traditional export sectors have not kept pace. Low coffee prices and an overabundance of bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt, with the need to modernize the state-owned electricity and telecommunications sector, and with the problem of bringing down inflation.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 30% services: 61% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 20.6% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 34.6% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 45.9 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 1.9 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.3% (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.91 billion expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Industrial production growth rate: 2.9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production: 6.839 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.5% hydro: 81.9% other: 16.6% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 6.109 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 379 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 128 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber

Exports: $5.1 billion (2002)

Exports - commodities: coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment

Exports - partners: US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002)

Imports: $6.4 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners: US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external: $4.8 billion (2002 est.)

Currency: Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Currency code: CRC

Exchange rates: Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.69 (1999), 257.23 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Costa Rica

Telephones - main lines in use: 450,000 (1998) note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998

Telephones - mobile cellular: 143,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: very good domestic telephone service domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)

Radios: 980,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 525,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .cr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)

Internet users: 384,000 (2002)

Transportation Costa Rica

Railways: total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002)

Highways: total: 35,892 km paved: 7,896 km unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)

Waterways: 730 km (seasonally navigable)

Pipelines: refined products 421 km (2003)

Ports and harbors: Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 151 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 121 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 93 (2002)

Military Costa Rica

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,080,254 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 722,043 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 41,453 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $69 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Costa Rica

Disputes - international: legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua

Illicit drugs: transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Cote d'Ivoire

Introduction Cote d'Ivoire

Background: Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. On 25 December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan BEDIE. Junta leader Robert GUEI held elections in late 2000, but excluded prominent opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA, blatantly rigged the polling results, and declared himself winner. Popular protest forced GUEI to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent GBAGBO into power. GBAGBO spent his first two years in office trying to consolidate power to strengthen his weak mandate, but he was unable to appease his opponents, who launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the country and in January 2003 were granted ministerial positions in a unity government. However, the central government has yet to exert control over the northern regions and tension remains high between GBAGBO and rebel leaders. Several thousand French and West African troops remain in Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and help implement the peace accords.

Geography Cote d'Ivoire

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 322,460 sq km water: 4,460 sq km land: 318,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 3,110 km border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Coastline: 515 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 9.28% permanent crops: 13.84% other: 76.88% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 730 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

Environment - current issues: deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

People Cote d'Ivoire

Population: 16,962,491 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 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.4% (male 3,796,393; female 3,902,210) 15-64 years: 52.4% (male 4,541,997; female 4,347,531) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 179,323; female 195,037) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 17 years male: 17.3 years female: 16.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 2.15% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 40.01 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 18.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 98.33 deaths/1,000 live births female: 80.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 115.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 42.65 years male: 40.34 years female: 45.04 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.51 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 9.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 770,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 75,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ivorian(s) adjective: Ivorian

Ethnic groups: Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 20,000 French) (1998)

Religions: Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40% (2001) note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)

Languages: French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 50.9% male: 57.9% female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Government Cote d'Ivoire

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire local short form: Cote d'Ivoire former: Ivory Coast local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960

Capital: Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan

Administrative divisions: 58 departments (departements, singular - departement); Abengourou, Abidjan, Aboisso, Adiake, Adzope, Agboville, Agnibilekrou, Alepe, Bocanda, Bangolo, Beoumi, Biankouma, Bondoukou, Bongouanou, Bouafle, Bouake, Bouna, Boundiali, Dabakala, Dabou, Daloa, Danane, Daoukro, Dimbokro, Divo, Duekoue, Ferkessedougou, Gagnoa, Grand-Bassam, Grand-Lahou, Guiglo, Issia, Jacqueville, Katiola, Korhogo, Lakota, Man, Mankono, Mbahiakro, Odienne, Oume, Sakassou, San-Pedro, Sassandra, Seguela, Sinfra, Soubre, Tabou, Tanda, Tiebissou, Tingrela, Tiassale, Touba, Toulepleu, Toumodi, Vavoua, Yamoussoukro, Zuenoula

Independence: 7 August (1960) (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Constitution: 3 November 1960; has been amended numerous times, last time 27 July 1998

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000); note - took power following a popular overthrow of the interim leader Gen. Robert GUEI who had claimed a dubious victory in presidential elections; Gen. GUEI himself had assumed power on 25 December 1999, following a military coup against the government of former President Henri Konan BEDIE head of government: Prime Minister Seydou DIARRA (since 25 January 2003); note - appointed as transitional Prime Minister by President GBAGBO as part of a French brokered peace plan cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote - Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other 2.2%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election in 2005 election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases, Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of members

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally or PDCI-RDA [Aime Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace or UDPCI [leader NA]; over 20 smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pascal Dago KOKORA chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01 telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79 FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Cote d'Ivoire

Economy - overview: Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and to weather conditions. Despite government attempts to diversify the economy, it is still largely dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population. After several years of lagging performance, the Ivorian economy began a comeback in 1994, due to the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc and improved prices for cocoa and coffee, growth in nontraditional primary exports such as pineapples and rubber, limited trade and banking liberalization, offshore oil and gas discoveries, and generous external financing and debt rescheduling by multilateral lenders and France. Moreover, government adherence to donor-mandated reforms led to a jump in growth to 5% annually during 1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000-02 because of the difficulty of meeting the conditions of international donors, continued low prices of key exports, and severe civil war fighting.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $24.03 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 29% industry: 22% services: 49% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 37% (1995)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 36.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 68% agricultural (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13% in urban areas (1998)

Budget: revenues: $1.72 billion expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $420 million (2001 est.)

Industries: foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity

Industrial production growth rate: 15% (1998 est.)

Electricity - production: 4.605 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.983 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 1.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 32,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 50 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production: 1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 14.87 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Exports: $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish

Exports - partners: France 14.5%, Netherlands 12.9%, US 7.6%, Germany 5.4%, Mali 4.6%, Belgium 4.4%, Spain 4.3% (2002)

Imports: $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: France 22.7%, Nigeria 16.6%, China 7.9%, Italy 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external: $10.3 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code: XOF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Cote d'Ivoire

Telephones - main lines in use: 263,700 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 450,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: well developed by African standards but operating well below capacity domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 coaxial submarine cables (June 1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 2.26 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 14 (1999)

Televisions: 1.09 million (2000)

Internet country code: .ci

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 70,000 (2002)

Transportation Cote d'Ivoire

Railways: total: 660 km narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2002)

Highways: total: 50,400 km paved: 4,889 km unpaved: 45,511 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)

Pipelines: condensate 107 km; gas 223 km; oil 104 km (2003)

Ports and harbors: Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Airports: 36 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Military Cote d'Ivoire

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (includes Presidential Guard)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,035,462 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,110,276 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 198,115 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $143.5 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Cote d'Ivoire

Disputes - international: rebel fighting extended to neighboring states and has driven out nationals and foreign workers to nearby countries; the Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocaine destined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Croatia

Introduction Croatia

Background: In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998.

Geography Croatia

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates: 45 10 N, 15 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 56,542 sq km water: 128 sq km land: 56,414 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 2,197 km border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia and Montenegro (north) 241 km, Serbia and Montenegro (south) 25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Coastline: 5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast

Terrain: geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Natural resources: oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 23.55% permanent crops: 2.24% other: 74.21% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits

People Croatia

Population: 4,422,248 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 415,873; female 394,414) 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,465,488; female 1,454,778) 65 years and over: 15.6% (male 258,943; female 432,752) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 38.9 years male: 37.1 years female: 40.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.31% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 12.76 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 11.25 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 6.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 7.78 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.37 years male: 70.76 years female: 78.2 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.93 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s) adjective: Croatian

Ethnic groups: Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, Bosniak 0.5%, Hungarian 0.4%, Slovene 0.3%, Czech 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Albanian 0.1%, Montenegrin 0.1%, others 4.1% (2001)

Religions: Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, others and unknown 6.2% (2001)

Languages: Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.5% male: 99.4% female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Government Croatia

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Croatia conventional short form: Croatia local short form: Hrvatska local long form: Republika Hrvatska

Government type: presidential/parliamentary democracy

Capital: Zagreb

Administrative divisions: 20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad - singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija, Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija, Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija, Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija, Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija, Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija, Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka Zupanija

Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday: Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution: adopted on 22 December 1990

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Ivica RACAN (since 27 January 2000); Deputy Prime Ministers Goran GRANIC (since 27 January 2000), Ante SIMONIC (since 30 July 2002), Zeljka ANTUNOVI (since 27 January 2000), Slavko LINIC (since 27 January 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the House of Representatives elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 7 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister nominated by the president in line with the balance of power in the Assembly note: government coalition - SDP, HSLS, HSS, LP, HNS; a sixth party, the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), withdrew in June 2001 election results: Stjepan MESIC elected president; percent of vote - Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 56%, Drazen BUDISA (HSLS) 44%

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was added in the November Parliamentary elections; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - House of Counties was abolished in March 2001 election results: Assembly (then referred to as the House of Representatives) - percent of vote by party - HDZ 43.4%, SDP 23%, HNS 7.4%, HSS 6.57%, HSP 6%; seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 34, HNS 10, HSS 9, HSP 7; note - these are preliminary results elections: Assembly - last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in 2007)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the House of Representatives

Political parties and leaders: Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian Democratic Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [Vesna PUSIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Drazen BUDISA]; Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN]; Democratic Centre or DC [Mate GRANIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Liberal Party or LS [Ivo BANAC]; Party of Liberal Democrats or LIBRA [Goran GRANIC]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN] note: the Social Democratic Party or SDP and the Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS formed a coalition as did the HSS, HNS, LP, and IDS, which together defeated the Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ in the 2000 lower house parliamentary election; the IDS subsequently left the governing coalition in June 2001 over its inability to win greater autonomy for Istria

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan GRDESIC FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899 chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph FRANK embassy: Thomasa Jeffersona 2, 10010 Zagreb mailing address: use street address telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200 FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Flag description: red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)

Economy Croatia

Economy - overview: Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia, after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area, with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav average. The economy emerged from its mild recession in 2000 with tourism the main factor, but massive structural unemployment remains a key negative element. The government's failure to press the economic reforms needed to spur growth is largely the result of coalition politics and public resistance, particularly from the trade unions. Opponents fear reforms would cut jobs, wages, and social benefits. The government has a heavy backload of civil cases, many involving tenure land. The country is likely to experience only moderate growth without disciplined fiscal and structural reform.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $43.12 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 33% services: 58% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 23.3% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 29 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 1.7 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 13.2% NA, industry 25.4% NA, services 46.4% NA (2002)

Unemployment rate: 21.7% (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $8.6 billion expenditures: $9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper, wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production: 12.12 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 33.6% hydro: 66% other: 0.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 14.27 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 386 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 3.386 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 89,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 93.6 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production: 1.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 2.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 1.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 34.36 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Exports: $4.9 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities: transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners: Italy 22.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.4%, Germany 12.5%, Slovenia 8%, Austria 7.3% (2002)

Imports: $10.7 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Italy 16.8%, Germany 16.4%, Slovenia 7.8%, Russia 6.8%, Austria 6.7%, France 5.2% (2002)

Debt - external: $16.5 billion (yearend 2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA $66 million (2000)

Currency: kuna (HRK)

Currency code: HRK

Exchange rates: kuna per US dollar - 7.87 (2002), 8.34 (2001), 8.28 (2000), 7.11 (1999), 6.36 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Croatia

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,721,139 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.3 million (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be included in the plan for the main trunk international: digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany, Albania, and Greece (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Radios: 1.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions: 1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code: .hr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2000)

Internet users: 480,000 (2001)

Transportation Croatia

Railways: total: 2,296 km standard gauge: 2,296 km 1.435-m gauge (983 km electrified) (2002)

Highways: total: 28,123 km paved: 23,792 km (including 410 km of expressways) unpaved: 4,331 km (2000)

Waterways: 785 km note: (perennially navigable; large sections of Sava blocked by downed bridges, silt, and debris)

Pipelines: gas 1,374 km; oil 583 km (2003)

Ports and harbors: Dubrovnik, Dugi Rat, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka, Sibenik, Split, Vukovar (inland waterway port on Danube), Zadar

Merchant marine: total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 765,830 GRT/1,188,948 DWT note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Hong Kong 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 16, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 5, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 6, short-sea passenger 3

Airports: 59 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 9 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Croatia

Military branches: Ground Forces (Hrvatska Vojska, HV), Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,081,135 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 856,946 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 30,096 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $520 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.39% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Croatia

Disputes - international: discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina on sections of the Una River and villages at the base of Mount Pljesevica; parliamentarians are far from ratifying the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia; in late 2002, Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro adopted an interim agreement to settle the disputed Prevlaka Peninsula, allowing the withdrawal of the UN monitoring mission (UNMOP), but discussions could be complicated by the inability of Serbia and Montenegro to come to an agreement on the economic aspects of the new federal union; Croatia and Italy continue to debate bilateral property and ethnic minority rights issues stemming from border changes after the Second World War

Illicit drugs: transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Cuba

Introduction Cuba

Background: Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the country together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, or falsified visas - is a continuing problem. Some 2,500 Cubans attempted the crossing of the Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard apprehended about 60% of the individuals.

Geography Cuba

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 110,860 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 110,860 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 29 km border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba

Coastline: 3,735 km

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

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Natural resources: cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33.04% other: 59.35% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 7.61%

Irrigated land: 870 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

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

Geography - note: largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles

People Cuba

Population: 11,263,429 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.1% (male 1,164,376; female 1,103,061) 15-64 years: 69.6% (male 3,932,604; female 3,909,523) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 531,608; female 622,257) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 34.5 years male: 33.9 years female: 35.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.34% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 11.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 7.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 7.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 8.06 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.8 years male: 74.38 years female: 79.36 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 120 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups: mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Religions: nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented

Languages: Spanish

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write female: 96.9% (2003 est.) male: 97.2% total population: 97%

People - note: illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; some 2,500 Cubans took to the Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard interdicted about 60% of these migrants; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US; some 1,500 Cubans arrived overland via the southwest border and direct flights to Miami in 2002

Government Cuba

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba

Government type: Communist state

Capital: Havana

Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Independence: 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)

National holiday: Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898 is the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of independence from US administration; Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)

Constitution: 24 February 1976, amended July 1992 and June 2002

Legal system: based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100% cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State, appointed by the National Assembly; note - there is also a Council of State whose members are elected by the National Assembly head of government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609

Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera (since August 2001); address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer James C. CASON; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 33-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 33-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland

Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; design influenced by the US flag

Economy Cuba

Economy - overview: The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has undertaken limited reforms in recent years to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services but is unlikely to implement extensive changes. A major feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively efficient export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the severe economic depression of the early 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. High oil import prices, recessions in key export markets, damage from Hurricanes Isidore and Lili, and the tourist slump after 11 September 2001 hampered growth in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $30.69 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.6% industry: 34.5% services: 57.9% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 4.3 million note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999)

Unemployment rate: 4.1% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $14.9 billion expenditures: $15.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: sugar, petroleum, tobacco, chemicals, construction, services, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, biotechnology

Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 14.38 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.9% hydro: 0.6% other: 5.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 13.38 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 50,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 163,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 532 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production: 600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 42.62 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Exports: $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Exports - partners: Netherlands 19.1%, Russia 18.1%, Canada 14.3%, Spain 9.5%, China 7.3% (2002)

Imports: $4.8 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners: Spain 17.2%, China 12%, Italy 9.1%, France 7.6%, Mexico 7.3%, Canada 6.2%, US 5.6%, Brazil 4.7% (2002)

Debt - external: $12.3 billion (convertible currency); another $15 billion -$20 billion owed to Russia (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $68.2 million (1997 est.)

Currency: Cuban peso (CUP)

Currency code: CUP

Exchange rates: Cuban pesos per US dollar - 1.0000 (nonconvertible, official rate, for international transactions, pegged to the US dollar); convertible peso sold for domestic use at a rate of 1.00 US dollar per 27 pesos by the Government of Cuba (2002)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Cuba

Telephones - main lines in use: 473,031 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,994 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: principal trunk system, end to end of country, is coaxial cable; fiber-optic distribution in Havana and on Isla de la Juventud; 2 microwave radio relay installations (one is old, US-built; the other newer, built during the period of Soviet support); both analog and digital mobile cellular service established international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 3.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 58 (1997)

Televisions: 2.64 million (1997)

Internet country code: .cu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 120,000 (2002)

Transportation Cuba

Railways: total: 3,442 km standard gauge: 3,442 km 1.435-m gauge (142 km electrified) note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations; about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 60,858 km paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway) unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 240 km

Pipelines: gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2003)

Ports and harbors: Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba

Merchant marine: total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 59,257 GRT/90,295 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 5, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 161 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 70 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 63 (2002)

Military Cuba

Military branches: Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) including Revolutionary Army (ER), Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), and Youth Labor Army (EJT); note - the Border Guard Troops (TGF) are controlled by the Interior Ministry

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,120,702 note: both sexes are liable for military service (2003 est.) females age 15-49: 3,049,927

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,923,967 females age 15-49: 1,875,412 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 81,095 females: 87,780 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: roughly 4% (FY95 est.)

Military - note: Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Transnational Issues Cuba

Disputes - international: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Illicit drugs: territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for cocaine and heroin bound for the US and Europe; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Cyprus

Introduction Cyprus

Background: Independence from the UK was approved in 1960, with constitutional guarantees by the Greek Cypriot majority to the Turkish Cypriot minority. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize the government was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled almost 40% of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. UN-led direct talks between the two sides to reach a comprehensive settlement to the division of the island began in January 2002.

Geography Cyprus

Location: Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 33 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in the Turkish Cypriot area) water: 10 sq km land: 9,240 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 648 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Terrain: central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Olympus 1,951 m

Natural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment

Land use: arable land: 10.61% permanent crops: 4.65% other: 84.74% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Environment - current issues: water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note: the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)

People Cyprus

Population: 771,657 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.9% (male 86,446; female 82,769) 15-64 years: 67% (male 261,404; female 255,409) 65 years and over: 11.1% (male 37,345; female 48,284) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 34.2 years male: 33.1 years female: 35.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.56% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 12.77 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 7.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.27 years male: 74.94 years female: 79.71 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.88 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 1,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Cypriot(s) adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups: Greek 85.2%, Turkish 11.6%, other 3.2% (2000)

Religions: Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 4%

Languages: Greek, Turkish, English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.6% male: 98.9% female: 96.3% (2003 est.)

Government Cyprus

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus conventional short form: Cyprus note: the Turkish Cypriot area refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Government type: republic note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in July 1974 after a Greek junta-based coup attempt gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly support a settlement based on a federation (Greek Cypriot position) or confederation (Turkish Cypriot position)

Capital: Nicosia

Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Lefkosa (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriot area celebrates 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Constitution: 16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and to better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in 1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which was renamed the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" in 1983; a new constitution for the Turkish Cypriot area passed by referendum on 5 May 1985

Legal system: based on common law, with civil law modifications

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and vice president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held NA February 2008) note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish Cypriot area since 13 February 1975 ("president" elected by popular vote for a five-year term); elections last held 15 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2005); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH reelected president after the other contender withdrew; Dervis EROGLU has been "prime minister" of the Turkish Cypriot area since 16 August 1996; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish Cypriot area election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos MARKIDIS 6.6%

Legislative branch: unicameral - Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS 6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19, DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 40.3%, DP 22.6%, TKP 15.4%, CTP 13.4%, UDP 4.6%, YBH 2.5%, BP 1.2%; seats by party - UBP 24, DP 13, TKP 7, CTP 6 elections: Greek Cypriot area: last held 27 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006); Turkish Cypriot area: last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and vice president) note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish Cypriot area

Political parties and leaders: Greek Cypriot area: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos PAPADOPOULOS]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU]; Restorative Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; Social Democrats Movement or KISOS (formerly United Democratic Union of Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement or EDE [George VASSILIOU]; Turkish Cypriot area: Communal Liberation Party or TKP [Mustafa AKINCI]; Democratic Party or DP [Serder DENKTASH]; National Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Izzet IZCAN]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO (Communist controlled)

International organization participation: Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Euripides L. EVRIVIADES chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710 note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot area in the US is Osman ERTUG; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198 consulate(s): New York consulate(s) general: New York telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael KLOSSON embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, 2407 Nicosia mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nikosia telephone: [357] (22) 776400 FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Flag description: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities note: the Turkish Cypriot flag has a horizontal red stripe at the top and bottom between which is a red crescent and red star on a white field

Economy Cyprus

Economy - overview: The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly susceptible to external shocks. Erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect the economy's vulnerability to swings in tourist arrivals, caused by political instability in the region and fluctuations in economic conditions in Western Europe. Economic policy is focused on meeting the criteria for admission to the EU. As in the Turkish sector, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants are now online. The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly one-third of the per capita GDP of the south. Because it is recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty arranging foreign financing and investment. It remains heavily dependent on agriculture and government service, which together employ about half of the work force. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides grants and loans to support economic development. Ankara provided $200 million in 2002 and pledged $450 million for the 2003-05 period. Future events throughout the island will be highly influenced by the outcome of negotiations on the UN-sponsored agreement to unite the Greek and Turkish areas and by the arrangements under which the island joins the EU.

GDP: Greek Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $9.4 billion (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $787 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: Greek Cypriot area: 1.7% (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 2.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: Greek Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: Greek Cypriot area: agriculture 4.6%; industry 19.9%; services 19.9% Turkish Cypriot area: agriculture 75.5%; industry 20.7%; services 71% (2001)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): Greek Cypriot area: 2.8% (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 24.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force: Greek Cypriot area: 291,000; Turkish Cypriot area: 86,300 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: Greek Cypriot area: services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (2000); Turkish Cypriot area: services 56.4%, industry 22.8%, agriculture 20.8% (1998)

Unemployment rate: Greek Cypriot area: 3.3%; Turkish Cypriot area: 5.6% (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: Greek Cypriot area - $4.4 billion, Turkish Cypriot area - $231.3 million (2002 est.) expenditures: $3.7 billion, Greek Cypriot area - $539 million, including capital expenditures of $539 million, Turkish Cypriot area - $432.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Industries: food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood products

Industrial production growth rate: Greek Cypriot area: -1.4% (2002); Turkish Cypriot area: -0.3% (2002)

Electricity - production: 3.401 billion kWh; Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% other: 0% (2001) hydro: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: Greek Cypriot area: 3.163 billion kWh; Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables

Exports: Greek Cypriot area: $1.03 billion f.o.b. Turkish Cypriot area: $46 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: Greek Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement, clothing and cigarettes; Turkish Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes, textiles

Exports - partners: UK 28.2%, Greece 7%, UAE 5.3%, France 5.2% (2002)

Imports: Greek Cypriot area: $3.9 billion f.o.b.; Turkish Cypriot area: $301 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: Greek Cypriot area: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; Turkish Cypriot area: food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Imports - partners: Russia 17.9%, Greece 7.4%, Germany 6.7%, France 6.6%, UK 6.6%, Italy 6.6%, South Korea 5.7%, Japan 5.3% (2002)

Debt - external: Greek Cypriot area: $8 billion; Turkish Cypriot area: $NA (2002)

Economic aid - recipient: Greek Cypriot area - $17 million (1998);; Turkish Cypriot area - $700 million from Turkey in grants and loans (1990-97), which are usually forgiven (1998)

Currency: Greek Cypriot area: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish lira (TRL)

Currency code: CYP; TRL

Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.61 (2002), 0.64 (2001), 0.62 (2000), 0.54 (1999), 0.52 (1998), Turkish lira per US dollar NA (2002), 1,225,590 (2001), 625,218 (2000), 418,783 (1999), 260,724 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Cyprus

Telephones - main lines in use: Greek Cypriot area: 405,000 (1998);; Turkish Cypriot area: 83,162 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: Greek Cypriot area: 68,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 70,000 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent in both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot areas domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay international: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: Greek Cypriot area: AM 7, FM 60, shortwave 1 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: Greek Cypriot area: 310,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 56,450 (1994)

Television broadcast stations: Greek Cypriot area: 4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters) (September 1995);; Turkish Cypriot area: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions: Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300 (1994)

Internet country code: .cy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 150,000 (2002)

Transportation Cyprus

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 13,491 km note: Greek Cypriot area: 11,141 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 2,350 km unpaved: Greek Cypriot area: 4,713 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 980 km (2000/1996) paved: Greek Cypriot area: 6,428 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 1,370 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Vasilikos

Merchant marine: total: 1,180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,106,229 GRT/37,032,163 DWT ships by type: bulk 421, cargo 325, chemical tanker 25, combination bulk 24, combination ore/oil 2, container 151, liquefied gas 2, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 124, refrigerated cargo 45, roll on/roll off 37, short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Austria 12, Belgium 2, Bulgaria 2, Canada 3, Chile 2, China 16, Croatia 2, Cuba 11, Finland 1, Germany 229, Greece 607, Guam 1, Hong Kong 6, India 6, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Israel 5, Italy 1, Japan 26, Latvia 14, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 2, Mexico 1, Monaco 10, Netherlands 30, Norway 23, Panama 1, Philippines 2, Poland 19, Portugal 2, Russia 57, Singapore 2, Slovenia 2, South Korea 4, Spain 7, Sudan 2, Sweden 6, Switzerland 4, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1, United Arab Emirates 13, United Kingdom 6, United States 4, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 16 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Heliports: 10 (2002)

Military Cyprus

Military branches: Greek Cypriot area: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; including air and naval elements), Greek Cypriot Police Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 201,606 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 138,336 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 6,638 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $384 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Cyprus

Disputes - international: hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas, a Greek Cypriot area controlled by the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot area, separated by a UN buffer zone; UN deadline on sides accepting a federation plan for reunification have expired, diminishing chances of Turkish-Cypriot participation in EU membership in 2004

Illicit drugs: minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well; anti-money-laundering laws strengthened but few convictions

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Czech Republic

Introduction Czech Republic

Background: Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Now a member of NATO, the Czech Republic has moved toward integration in world markets, a development that poses both opportunities and risks. In December 2002, the Czech Republic was invited to join the European Union (EU). It is expected that the Czech Republic will accede to the EU in 2004.

Geography Czech Republic

Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 78,866 sq km water: 1,590 sq km land: 77,276 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 1,881 km border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Land use: arable land: 40% permanent crops: 3.04% other: 56.96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 240 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Geography - note: landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

People Czech Republic

Population: 10,249,216 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.4% (male 809,697; female 768,747) 15-64 years: 70.6% (male 3,617,214; female 3,614,060) 65 years and over: 14% (male 554,922; female 884,576) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 38.4 years male: 36.6 years female: 40.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate: -0.08% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 9.01 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 10.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 5.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.18 years male: 71.69 years female: 78.87 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.18 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups: Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%, Slovak 3.1%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%, Silesian 0.4%, Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 0.5% (1991)