Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years)

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000 inhabitants

People Martinique

Population: 425,966 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.8% (male 49,310; female 47,908) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 142,242; female 142,688) 65 years and over: 10.3% (male 19,656; female 24,162) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 32.7 years male: 32 years female: 33.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.85% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 14.96 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 7.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.72 years male: 79.27 years female: 78.16 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural) adjective: Martiniquais

Ethnic groups: African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Chinese less than 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%, other 3.5% (1997)

Languages: French, Creole patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.7% male: 97.4% female: 98.1% (2003 est.)

Government Martinique

Country name: conventional long form: Department of Martinique conventional short form: Martinique local short form: Martinique local long form: Departement de la Martinique

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Fort-de-France

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Michel CADOT (since 21 June 2000) elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 15 March 1998 (next to be held by March 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM won a plurality; Regional Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR-UDF 14, MIM 13, PPM 7, left parties 4, PMS 3 note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PS 1, MIM 1, left-wing candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Pierre SUEDILLE]; Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Camille DARSIERES]; Martinique Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP

International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France)

Flag description: a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy Martinique

Economy - overview: The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 11% services: 83% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1990)

Labor force: 165,900 (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 27.2% (1998)

Budget: revenues: $900 million expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140 million (1996)

Industries: construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.151 billion kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption: 1.07 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 13,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane

Exports: $250 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities: refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples (2001 est.)

Exports - partners: France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2000)

Imports: $2 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities: petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods

Imports - partners: France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2000)

Debt - external: $180 million (1994)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA; note - substantial annual aid from France

Currency: euro (EUR)

Currency code: EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.06 euros per US dollar - 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Martinique

Telephones - main lines in use: 170,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 15,000 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 82,000 (1997)

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

Televisions: 66,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 5,000 (2000)

Transportation Martinique

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,105 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2000)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Fort-de-France, La Trinite

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Martinique

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Martinique

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Mauritania

Introduction Mauritania

Background: 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 flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were generally free and open. 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.

Geography Mauritania

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,030,700 sq km land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 5,074 km border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline: 754 km

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

Climate: desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain: mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 m

Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Land use: arable land: 0.48% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river

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

Geography - note: most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

People Mauritania

Population: 2,912,584 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 671,080; female 668,408) 15-64 years: 51.8% (male 743,573; female 764,358) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 26,669; female 38,496) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 16.9 years male: 16.6 years female: 17.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 2.91% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 13.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 73.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 70.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 76.62 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.93 years male: 49.78 years female: 54.13 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 6,600 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 610 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups: mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%

Religions: Muslim 100%

Languages: Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (official), French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 41.7% male: 51.8% female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritania

Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania conventional short form: Mauritania local short form: Muritaniyah local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

Government type: republic

Capital: Nouakchott

Administrative divisions: 12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution: 12 July 1991

Legal system: a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984) head of government: Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'BARECK (since 6 July 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected for a third term with 60.8% of the vote

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2004); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRDS 54, RFD 1, UNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%; seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Political parties and leaders: Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE]; Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for Renewal and Concorde or PMRC [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality and Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress Alliance or APP [Mohamed El Hafed Ould ISMAEL]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS] note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002; parties legalized by constitution ratified 12 July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based

Political pressure groups and leaders: Arab nationalists; Ba'athists; General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamedou Ould MICHEL chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON embassy: Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] 25-26-60, 25-26-63, 25-11-41, 25-11-45 FAX: [222] 25-25-92

Flag description: green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Mauritania

Economy - overview: Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. Substantial oil production and exports probably will not begin until 2005.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.891 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 786,000 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 50%, services 40%, industry 10% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 21% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $421 million expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154 million (2002 est.)

Industries: fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 157.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 85.9% hydro: 14.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 146.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep

Exports: $355 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities: iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Exports - partners: Italy 14.3%, France 14%, Spain 11.7%, Germany 10.9%, Belgium 9.9%, Japan 7.1% (2002)

Imports: $360 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners: France 18.5%, Belgium 7.8%, China 7%, Spain 5.9%, Germany 5.2% (2002)

Debt - external: $2.5 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $220 million (2000)

Currency: ouguiya (MRO)

Currency code: MRO

Exchange rates: ouguiyas per US dollar - ouguiyas per US dollar - 254.350 (December 2001), 238.923 (2000), 209.514 (1999), 188.476 (1998), 151.853 (1997), 137.222 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mauritania

Telephones - main lines in use: 26,500 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 35,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made) domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios: 410,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)

Televisions: 98,000 (2001)

Internet country code: .mr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 7,500 (2001)

Transportation Mauritania

Railways: 717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 7,720 km paved: 830 km unpaved: 6,890 km (2000)

Waterways: note: ferry traffic on the Senegal River

Ports and harbors: Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Merchant marine: none (2002)

Airports: 26 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Military Mauritania

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 665,112 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 322,288 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $37.11 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mauritania

Disputes - international: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Mauritius

Introduction Mauritius

Background: 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.

Geography Mauritius

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references: Political Map of the World

Area: total: 2,040 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues water: 10 sq km land: 2,030 sq km

Area - comparative: almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 177 km

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

Climate: tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Terrain: small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Natural resources: arable land, fish

Land use: arable land: 49.26% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 47.78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues: water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs

People Mauritius

Population: 1,210,447 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.1% (male 153,401; female 150,399) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 413,660; female 415,534) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 30,673; female 46,780) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 29.8 years male: 29.1 years female: 30.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.84% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 16.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 16.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 18.98 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.8 years male: 67.82 years female: 75.85 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 700 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian

Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%

Religions: Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Languages: English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.6% male: 88.6% female: 82.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritius

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Mauritius

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Port Louis

Administrative divisions: 9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Independence: 12 March 1968 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Constitution: 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003) and Vice President (vacant; a new Vice President will be determined by assembly elections on NA December 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN and Raouf BUNDHUN stepped down on 30 September 2003

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held by September 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD 36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders: various labor unions

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492 chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450 telephone: [230] 202-4400 FAX: [230] 208-9534

Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Economy Mauritius

Economy - overview: Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on foreign investment. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector and responsible fiscal management, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The government is encouraging foreign investment in the information technology field.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.15 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 33% services: 61% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 10% (2001 est.)

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37 (1987 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 514,000 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 8.8% (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.1 billion expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.311 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 9.2% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.219 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 21,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish

Exports: $1.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Exports - partners: UK 27.7%, France 25.5%, US 16.4%, Madagascar 6.2%, Belgium 5% (2002)

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

Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners: France 18.4%, South Africa 13.5%, India 7.8%, China 4.5%, UK 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external: $2.4 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $42 million (1997)

Currency: Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Currency code: MUR

Exchange rates: Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 29.96 (2002), 29.13 (2001), 26.25 (2000), 25.19 (1999), 23.99 (1998)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Mauritius

Telephones - main lines in use: 280,900 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 180,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: small system with good service domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios: 420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 258,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 158,000 (2002)

Transportation Mauritius

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,926 km paved: 1,868 km (including 44 km of expressways) unpaved: 58 km (2000)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Port Louis

Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,455 GRT/27,102 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, combination bulk 4, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:, Belgium 1, India 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 5 (2002)

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

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

Military Mauritius

Military branches: National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 341,029 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 171,556 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9.712 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mauritius

Disputes - international: Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs: minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Mayotte

Introduction Mayotte

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

Geography Mayotte

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 12 50 S, 45 10 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 374 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 185.2 km

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

Climate: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)

Terrain: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Benara 660 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: cyclones during rainy season

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

People Mayotte

Population: 178,437 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.5% (male 41,632; female 41,301) 15-64 years: 51.8% (male 50,373; female 42,118) 65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,502; female 1,511) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 16.9 years male: 18.1 years female: 15.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 4.25% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 42.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 8.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 7.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 65.98 deaths/1,000 live births female: 59.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 72.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.6 years male: 58.49 years female: 62.78 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Mahorais (singular and plural) adjective: Mahoran

Ethnic groups: NA

Religions: Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Languages: Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Mayotte

Country name: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte conventional short form: Mayotte

Dependency status: territorial collectivity of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Mamoutzou

Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Jacques BROT (since 3 July 2002) elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa BAMANA (since NA 1977) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 7 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election on NA June 2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: FZ

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Mayotte

Economy - overview: Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $85 million (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $600 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 48,800 (2000)

Unemployment rate: 38% (1999)

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

Industries: newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Exports: $3.44 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities: ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon

Exports - partners: France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000)

Imports: $141.3 million f.o.b. (1997)

Imports - commodities: food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals

Imports - partners: France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (1995)

Currency: euro (EUR)

Currency code: EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mayotte

Telephones - main lines in use: 12,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 3 (2001)

Televisions: 3,500 (1994)

Internet country code: .yt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation Mayotte

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Dzaoudzi

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Mayotte

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French forces stationed on the island

Transnational Issues Mayotte

Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Mexico

Introduction Mexico

Background: 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. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000 as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Geography Mexico

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US

Geographic coordinates: 23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references: North America

Area: total: 1,972,550 sq km land: 1,923,040 sq km water: 49,510 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Coastline: 9,330 km

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

Climate: varies from tropical to desert

Terrain: high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 13.2% permanent crops: 1.1% other: 85.7% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 65,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Environment - current issues: scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion note: the government considers the lack of clean water and deforestation national security issues

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

Geography - note: strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico

People Mexico

Population: 104,907,991 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.3% (male 17,298,964; female 16,617,728) 15-64 years: 63.1% (male 32,217,513; female 33,932,603) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 2,145,252; female 2,695,931) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 23.8 years male: 22.9 years female: 24.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.43% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 21.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.65 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: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 26.78 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.3 years male: 69.26 years female: 75.49 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 150,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,200 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mexican(s) adjective: Mexican

Ethnic groups: mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Languages: Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.2% male: 94% female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Government Mexico

Country name: conventional long form: United Mexican States conventional short form: Mexico local short form: Mexico local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Administrative divisions: 31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave, Yucatan, Zacatecas

Independence: 16 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution: 5 February 1917

Legal system: mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government election results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent of vote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa (PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74% elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of attorney general requires consent of the Senate head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote, also for three-year terms) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 15, PVEM 5, PT 1, CD 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 224, PAN 153, PRD 95, other 28 elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders: Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro]; Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Dulce Maria SAURI Riancho]; Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO Mena]; Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Amalia GARCIA Medina]; Party of the Nationalist Society or PSN [Gustavo RIOJAS Santana]; Social Alliance Party or PAS [Guillermo CALDERON Dominguez]; Workers Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; National Union of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC; Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation: APEC, BCIE, BIS, Caricom (observer), CDB, CE (observer), EBRD, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Jose BREMER Martino FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698 consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico (California), Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Saint Louis, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona) consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico) chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900 telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000 FAX: [52] (55) 5080-2005, 5080-2834 consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) is centered in the white band

Economy Mexico

Economy - overview: Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity, natural gas distribution, and airports. Income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Following 6.9% growth in 2000, real GDP fell 0.3% in 2001, recovering to only a plus 1% in 2002, with the US slowdown the principal cause. Mexico implemented free trade agreements with Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and the European Free Trade Area in 2001, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. Foreign direct investment reached $25 billion in 2001, of which $12.5 billion came from the purchase of Mexico's second-largest bank, Banamex, by Citigroup.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $924.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 26% services: 69% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 41.1% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 53.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 39.8 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 20%, industry 24%, services 56% (1998)

Unemployment rate: urban - 3% plus considerable underemployment (2002)

Budget: revenues: $136 billion expenditures: $140 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 4.9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production: 198.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.7% hydro: 14.2% other: 2.9% (2001) nuclear: 4.2%

Electricity - consumption: 186.7 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 77 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 2.068 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 3.59 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 1.507 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: 1.881 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: 374,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 25.03 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production: 36.87 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 38.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 254 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 2.967 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 969.2 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Exports: $158.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners: US 82.7%, Canada 5.4%, Japan 1.1% (2002)

Imports: $168.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities: metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners: US 70.6%, Germany 3.5%, Japan 2.7% (2002)

Debt - external: $150 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $1.166 billion (1995)

Currency: Mexican peso (MXN)

Currency code: MXN

Exchange rates: Mexican pesos per US dollar - 9.66 (2002), 9.34 (2001), 9.46 (2000), 9.56 (1999), 9.14 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mexico

Telephones - main lines in use: 12.332 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.02 million (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: low telephone density with about 12 main lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile cellular service international: satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 851, FM 598, shortwave 16 (2000)

Radios: 31 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 25.6 million (1997)

Internet country code: .mx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 51 (2000)

Internet users: 3.5 million (2002)

Transportation Mexico

Railways: total: 19,510 km standard gauge: 19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 329,532 km paved: 108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways) unpaved: 221,445 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 2,900 km note: navigable rivers and coastal canals

Pipelines: crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km

Ports and harbors: Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas, La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Merchant marine: total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 636,271 GRT/933,686 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 26, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Canada 2, Denmark 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 1,823 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 231 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 82 under 914 m: 27 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 83

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,592 under 914 m: 1,067 (2002) over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 454 1,524 to 2,437 m: 69

Heliports: 2 (2002)

Military Mexico

Military branches: National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) (including Army and Air Force), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age note: starting in 2000, females were allowed to volunteer for military service (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 27,751,539 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 20,123,970 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,093,752 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Mexico

Disputes - international: prolonged regional drought in the border region with the US has strained water-sharing arrangements

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 - 4,400 hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America; major drug syndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; growing producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Micronesia, Federated States of

Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of

Background: 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 US. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Geography Micronesia, Federated States of

Location: Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 15 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 702 sq km note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie) water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) land: 702 sq km

Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 6,112 km

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

Climate: tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

Terrain: islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Natural resources: forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Land use: arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 45.71% other: 48.58% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues: overfishing, climate change, pollution

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

Geography - note: four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People Micronesia, Federated States of

Population: 108,143 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.4% (male 21,163; female 20,335) 15-64 years: 58.5% (male 31,746; female 31,477) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 1,558; female 1,864) (2003 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.04% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 26.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -20.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 32.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 35.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 28.97 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.13 years male: 67.39 years female: 70.95 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Ethnic groups: nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

Languages: English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.)

Government Micronesia, Federated States of

Country name: conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none abbreviation: FSM former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986; economic provisions of the Compact are being renegotiated

Capital: Palikir

Administrative divisions: 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Independence: 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution: 10 May 1979

Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral Congress (14 seats; members elected by popular vote; four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms; and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: no formal parties

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IMF, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam) FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry M. DINGER embassy: address NA, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186

Flag description: light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern

Economy Micronesia, Federated States of

Economy - overview: Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. In November 2002, the country experienced a further reduction in future revenues from the Compact of Free Association - the agreement with the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion in financial and technical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $277 million note: $277 million $277 million GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 4% services: 46% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 26.7%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2002 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: two-thirds are government employees

Unemployment rate: 16% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% hydro: 0%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens

Exports: $22 million (f.o.b.) (FY 99/00 est.)

Exports - commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Exports - partners: Japan, US, Guam (2000)

Imports: $149 million f.o.b. (FY 99/00 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Imports - partners: US, Australia, Japan (2000)

Debt - external: $53.1 million (FY 02/03 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used 1

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Micronesia, Federated States of

Telephones - main lines in use: 11,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: newly installed in Pohnpei and Yap

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 9,400 (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 2,800 (1999)

Internet country code: .fm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 2,000 (2000)

Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen

Merchant marine: none note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: US 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 7 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

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

Military Micronesia, Federated States of

Military - note: Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense

Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Midway Islands

Introduction Midway Islands

Background: 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 national wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to the public. It is now temporarily closed.

Geography Midway Islands

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Geographic coordinates: 28 13 N, 177 22 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 6.2 sq km note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island water: 0 sq km land: 6.2 sq km

Area - comparative: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15 km

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

Climate: subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain: low, nearly level

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for reorganization at present (2003)

People Midway Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services cooperator living at the atoll (July 2003 est.)

Government Midway Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationally closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October 1996, through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Midway Islands

Economy - overview: The economy is based on providing support services for the national wildlife refuge activities located on the islands. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Transportation Midway Islands

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Pipelines: 7.8 km

Ports and harbors: Sand Island

Airports: 2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Military Midway Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Midway Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003



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@Moldova

Introduction Moldova

Background: 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 Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001.

Geography Moldova

Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 33,843 sq km water: 472 sq km land: 33,371 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Land use: arable land: 54.08% permanent crops: 12.1% other: 33.82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Environment - current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note: landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

People Moldova

Population: 4,439,502 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.1% (male 477,063; female 459,992) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 1,465,248; female 1,584,402) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 168,068; female 284,729) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 32 years male: 29.8 years female: 34.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.13% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 14.31 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 12.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.27 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: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 38.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 44.81 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.88 years male: 60.63 years female: 69.35 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 300 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups: Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.) note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Religions: Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

Languages: Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.6% female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Government Moldova

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local short form: none former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia local long form: Republica Moldova

Government type: republic

Capital: Chisinau

Administrative divisions: 9 counties (judetele, singular - judetul), 1 municipality* (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei, Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni

Independence: 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Constitution: new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979

Legal system: based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since NA 2002), Deputy Prime Minister Stefan ODAGIU (since NA 2002) cabinet: selected by prime minister, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note - presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July 2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's failure to chose a new president in December 2000 led to early parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001 election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CHRISTEA 3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs, as well as independent candidates, elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 50.1%, Braghis Alliance 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCM 71, Braghis Alliance 19, PPCD 11

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)

Political parties and leaders: Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Social Democratic Union (composed of Braghis Alliance and the Democratic Party of Moldova) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela Hyde SMITH embassy: 103 Alexei Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72 FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44

Flag description: same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Economy Moldova

Economy - overview: Moldova remains a very poor country despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth, of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 5.3% in 2003. Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.51 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 23% services: 49% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.6 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 1.7 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $536 million expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production: 3.394 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 3.216 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 60 million kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

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

Natural gas - consumption: 2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - imports: 2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Exports: $590 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners: Russia 35%, Italy 11.7%, Germany 8.8%, Ukraine 8.5%, Romania 5.7%, US 5.2%, Belarus 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (2002)

Imports: $980 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000)

Imports - partners: Russia 23.9%, Ukraine 13.4%, Germany 12.6%, Italy 8.3%, Romania 8.2% (2002)

Debt - external: $1.3 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient: $100 million (2000)

Currency: Moldovan leu (MDL)