 |
Imports: $4.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: Croatia 24.5%, Slovenia 14.7%, Germany 13.7%, Italy 12.2%, Hungary 7.8%, Austria 6.7% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $1.796 billion (2003)
Debt - external: $3.5 billion (2003)
Economic aid - recipient: $650 million (2001 est.)
Currency: marka (BAM)
Currency code: BAM
Exchange rates: marka per US dollar - 1.7329 (2003), 1.7329 (2002), 2.1857 (2001), 2.1244 (2000), 1.8371 (1999)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Bosnia and Herzegovina
Telephones - main lines in use: 938,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.05 million (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment: telephone and telegraph network needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav republics domestic: NA international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 940,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)
Televisions: NA
Internet country code: .ba
Internet hosts: 6,994 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)
Internet users: 100,000 (2002)
Transportation Bosnia and Herzegovina
Railways: total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified) standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 21,846 km paved: 11,424 km unpaved: 10,422 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited because of no agreement with neighboring countries (2004)
Ports and harbors: Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 27 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7
Heliports: 5 (2003 est.)
Military Bosnia and Herzegovina
Military branches: VF Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army)
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 16 years of age in times of war; 18 years of age for Republika Srpska; 17 years of age for voluntary military service in the Federation and in the Republika Srpska; by law, military obligations cover all healthy men between the ages of 18 and 60, and all women between the ages of 18 and 55; service obligation is 4 months (July 2004)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,133,847 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 898,451 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 30,130 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $234.3 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.5% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Bosnia and Herzegovina
Disputes - international: Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro have delimited most of their boundary, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute; discussions continue with Croatia on problem sections around Kostajnica on the Una River and villages at the base of Mount Pljesevica
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 327,200 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Muslims displaced in 1992-1995 war) (2004)
Illicit drugs: minor transit point for marijuana and opiate trafficking routes to Western Europe; remains highly vulnerable to money laundering activity given a primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak law enforcement and instances of corruption
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Botswana
Introduction Botswana
Background: Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
Geography Botswana
Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 600,370 sq km water: 15,000 sq km land: 585,370 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 4,013 km border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain: predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
Land use: arable land: 0.65% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.34% (2001)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility
Environment - current issues: overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country
People Botswana
Population: 1,561,973 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 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.2% (male 310,282; female 302,452) 15-64 years: 56.2% (male 424,613; female 452,801) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 30,896; female 40,929) (2004 est.)
Median age: total: 19.2 years male: 18.5 years female: 19.9 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.89% (2004 est.)
Birth rate: 24.71 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate: 33.63 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 69.98 deaths/1,000 live births female: 68.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 70.96 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 30.76 years male: 30.99 years female: 30.53 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 37.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 350,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 33,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: typhoid fever, malaria overall degree of risk: high (2004)
Nationality: noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Ethnic groups: Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 85%, Christian 15%
Languages: English (official), Setswana
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.8% male: 76.9% female: 82.4% (2003 est.)
Government Botswana
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Gaborone
Administrative divisions: 9 districts and four town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northwest, Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern
Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)
Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president election results: Festus MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 54.3%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40 members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are appointed by the majority party; members serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004 (next to be held NA October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1
Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district)
Political parties and leaders: Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Seretse Ian KHAMA]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Mokgweetsi KGOSIPULA]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO] note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982 FAX: [267] 312782
Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center
Economy Botswana
Economy - overview: Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $8,800 in 2003. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for nine-tenths of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 21%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. Long-term prospects are overshadowed by the expected leveling off in diamond mining production.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $14.2 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7.2% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 48.7% (including 36% mining) services: 52% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 23.9% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line: 47% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.2% (2003 est.)
Labor force: 264,000 formal sector employees (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $3.263 billion expenditures: $3.283 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)
Public debt: 7% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products: livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts
Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 7.3% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production: 409.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 1.564 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: 1.183 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Current account balance: $539 million (2003)
Exports: $2.544 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities: diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles
Exports - partners: European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000)
Imports: $1.753 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products
Imports - partners: Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $5.25 billion (2003)
Debt - external: $392 million (2003)
Economic aid - recipient: $73 million (1995)
Currency: pula (BWP)
Currency code: BWP
Exchange rates: pulas per US dollar - 4.9499 (2003), 6.3278 (2002), 5.8412 (2001), 5.1018 (2000), 4.6244 (1999)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Botswana
Telephones - main lines in use: 142,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 435,000 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile cellular service is growing fast international: country code - 267; two international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios: 252,720 (2000)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)
Televisions: 31,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .bw
Internet hosts: 1,920 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2001)
Internet users: 60,000 (2002)
Transportation Botswana
Railways: total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 10,217 km paved: 5,619 km unpaved: 4,598 km (1999)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 85 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 75 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 54 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)
Military Botswana
Military branches: Botswana Defense Force (including an Air Wing)
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown (2001)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 381,801 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 202,176 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 20,651 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $298.9 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.6% (2003)
Transnational Issues Botswana
Disputes - international: established a commission with Namibia to resolve small residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residents protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundary convergence is not clearly defined or delimited
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Bouvet Island
Introduction Bouvet Island
Background: This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island.
Geography Bouvet Island
Location: island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)
Geographic coordinates: 54 26 S, 3 24 E
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area: total: 58.5 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 58.5 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 29.6 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: antarctic
Terrain: volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Olav Peak 935 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (2001)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve
People Bouvet Island
Population: uninhabited (July 2004 est.)
Government Bouvet Island
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bouvet Island
Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo
Legal system: the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
Flag description: the flag of Norway is used
Economy Bouvet Island
Economy - overview: no economic activity; declared a nature reserve
Communications Bouvet Island
Internet country code: .bv
Communications - note: automatic meteorological station
Transportation Bouvet Island
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military Bouvet Island
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway
Transnational Issues Bouvet Island
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Brazil
Introduction Brazil
Background: Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem.
Geography Brazil
Location: Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 55 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 8,511,965 sq km land: 8,456,510 sq km note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo water: 55,455 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries: total: 14,691 km border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia 1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km, Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km
Coastline: 7,491 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: mostly tropical, but temperate in south
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber
Land use: arable land: 6.96% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 92.15% (2001)
Irrigated land: 26,560 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south
Environment - current issues: deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
People Brazil
Population: 184,101,109 note: Brazil took a count in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; 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 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.6% (male 24,915,902; female 23,966,713) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 61,739,012; female 62,770,480) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 4,389,659; female 6,319,343) (2004 est.)
Median age: total: 27.4 years male: 26.7 years female: 28.2 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.11% (2004 est.)
Birth rate: 17.25 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate: 6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 30.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 34.47 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.41 years male: 67.45 years female: 75.57 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 660,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 15,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Brazilian(s) adjective: Brazilian
Ethnic groups: white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%
Languages: Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.4% male: 86.1% female: 86.6% (2003 est.)
Government Brazil
Country name: conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil conventional short form: Brazil local short form: Brasil local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil
Government type: federative republic
Capital: Brasilia
Administrative divisions: 26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins
Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 September (1822)
Constitution: 5 October 1988
Legal system: based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military conscripts do not vote
Executive branch: chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government election results: in runoff election 27 October 2002, Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (PT) was elected with 61.3% of the vote; Jose SERRA (PSDB) 38.7% elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 October 2002 (next to be held 1 October 2006, with a runoff on 29 October 2006 if necessary); runoff election held 27 October 2002 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from each state and federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party PMBD 19, PFL 19, PT 14, PSDB 11, PDT 5, PSB 4, PL 3, PTB 3, PPS 1, PSD 1, PP 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PT 91, PFL 84, PMDB 74, PSDB 71, PP 49, PL 26, PTB 26, PSB 22, PDT 21, PPS 15, PCdoB 12, PRONA 6, PV 5, other 11; note - many congressmen have changed party affiliation since the most recent election elections: Federal Senate - last held 6 October 2002 for two-thirds of the Senate (next to be held NA October 2006 for one-third of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life); note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70
Political parties and leaders: Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy Michel TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Federal Deputy Roberto JEFFERSON]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Eduardo AZAREDO]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Federal Deputy Miguel ARRAES]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Renato RABELO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos LUPI]; Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Senator Jorge BORNHAUSEN]; Liberal Party or PL [Federal Deputy Valdemar COSTA Neto]; National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Federal Deputy Dr. Eneas CARNEIRO]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy Roberto FREIRE]; Progressive Party or PP [Federal Deputy Pedro CORREA]; Worker's Party or PT [Jose GENOINO]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge ABDALA NOSSEIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Landless Worker's Movement; large farmers' associations; labor unions and federations; religious groups including evangelical christian churches and the Catholic Church
International organization participation: AfDB, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto ABDENUR FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John DANILOVICH embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030 telephone: [55] (61) 312-7000 FAX: [55] (61) 225-9136 consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo consulate(s): Recife
Flag description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)
Economy Brazil
Economy - overview: Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world markets. From 2001-03 real wages fell and Brazil's economy grew, on average, only 1.1% per year, as the country absorbed a series of domestic and international economic shocks. That Brazil absorbed these shocks without financial collapse is a tribute to the resiliency of the Brazilian economy and the economic program put in place by former President CARDOSO and strengthened by President Lula DA SILVA. The three pillars of the economic program are a floating exchange rate, an inflation-targeting regime, and tight fiscal policy, which have been reinforced by a series of IMF programs. The currency depreciated sharply in 2001 and 2002, which contributed to a dramatic current account adjustment: in 2003, Brazil ran a record trade surplus and recorded the first current account surplus since 1992. While economic management has been good, there remain important economic vulnerabilities. The most significant are debt-related: the government's largely domestic debt increased steadily from 1994 to 2003, straining government finances, while Brazil's foreign debt (a mix of private and public debt) is large in relation to Brazil's modest (but growing) export base. Another challenge is maintaining economic growth over a period of time to generate employment and make the government debt burden more manageable.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.375 trillion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -0.2% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.2% industry: 38.7% services: 51.2% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 18% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line: 22% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 48% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 60.7 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.7% (2003)
Labor force: 82.59 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 23%, industry 24%, services 53%
Unemployment rate: 12.3% (2003 est.)
Budget: revenues: $147.2 billion expenditures: $172.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)
Public debt: 58.5% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products: coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef
Industries: textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment
Industrial production growth rate: 0.4% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production: 321.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 335.9 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: 37.19 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2001)
Oil - production: 1.561 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 2.199 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves: 8.507 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production: 5.95 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 9.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 3.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 221.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: $3.52 billion (2003)
Exports: $73.28 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities: transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos
Exports - partners: US 23%, Argentina 6.1%, China 6%, Netherlands 5.8%, Germany 4.2% (2003)
Imports: $48.25 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil
Imports - partners: US 20%, Argentina 9.8%, Germany 8.7%, Japan 5.2%, China 4.4% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $49.3 billion (2003)
Debt - external: $214.9 billion (2003)
Economic aid - recipient: $30 billion IMF disbursement (2002)
Currency: real (BRL)
Currency code: BRL
Exchange rates: reals per US dollar - 3.0771 (2003), 2.9208 (2002), 2.3577 (2001), 1.8301 (2000), 1.8147 (1999) note: from October 1994 through 14 January 1999, the official rate was determined by a managed float; since 15 January 1999, the official rate floats independently with respect to the US dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Brazil
Telephones - main lines in use: 38.81 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 46,373,300 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment: good working system domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations international: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)
Radios: 71 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 138 (1997)
Televisions: 36.5 million (1997)
Internet country code: .br
Internet hosts: 3,163,349 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2000)
Internet users: 14.3 million (2002)
Transportation Brazil
Railways: total: 29,412 km (1,610 km electrified) broad gauge: 4,907 km 1.600-m gauge (942 km electrified) standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge dual gauge: 396 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km electrified) (2003) narrow gauge: 23,915 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)
Highways: total: 1,724,929 km paved: 94,871 km unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000)
Waterways: 50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2004)
Pipelines: condensate/gas 244 km; gas 10,739 km; liquid petroleum gas 341 km; oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos, Vitoria
Merchant marine: total: 151 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,961,431 GRT/4,725,267 DWT by type: bulk 29, cargo 22, chemical tanker 7, combination ore/oil 6, container 12, liquefied gas 12, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 48, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1 foreign-owned: Chile 2, Germany 7, Monaco 9, Panama 1, Spain 7 registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)
Airports: 3,803 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 698 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 461 under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 158
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3,438 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 78 under 914 m: 1,780 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 1,579
Heliports: 417 (2003 est.)
Military Brazil
Military branches: Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (including Naval Air and Marines), Brazilian Air Force (FAB)
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 17 years of age for voluntary service (2001)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 52,100,042 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 34,799,098 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,788,495 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $10,439.4 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (2003)
Transnational Issues Brazil
Disputes - international: unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute with Uruguay over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis; minor coca cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian and Peruvian cocaine headed for Europe and the US; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the financial system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@British Indian Ocean Territory
Introduction British Indian Ocean Territory
Background: Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Geography British Indian Ocean Territory
Location: archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 71 30 E
Map references: Political Map of the World
Area: total: 60 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago water: 0 sq km land: 60 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 698 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain: flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Natural resources: coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
People British Indian Ocean Territory
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2004 est.)
Government British Indian Ocean Territory
Country name: conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Legal system: the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Charles A. HAMILTON (since 2002); note - both reside in the UK elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch cabinet: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description: white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
Economy British Indian Ocean Territory
Economy - overview: All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.
Electricity - production: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Communications British Indian Ocean Territory
Telephones - main lines in use: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Internet country code: .io
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Transportation British Indian Ocean Territory
Highways: total: NA km paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Diego Garcia
Airports: 1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military British Indian Ocean Territory
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Transnational Issues British Indian Ocean Territory
Disputes - international: Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricted access to the largest island in the chain
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@British Virgin Islands
Introduction British Virgin Islands
Background: First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.
Geography British Virgin Islands
Location: Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 18 30 N, 64 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 153 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada water: 0 sq km land: 153 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 80 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate: subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Terrain: coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (2001)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)
Geography - note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
People British Virgin Islands
Population: 22,187 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.5% (male 2,402; female 2,361) 15-64 years: 73.5% (male 8,395; female 7,911) 65 years and over: 5% (male 594; female 524) (2004 est.)
Median age: total: 30.9 years male: 31.1 years female: 30.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.06% (2004 est.)
Birth rate: 14.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate: 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate: 10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 18.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 21.02 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.27 years male: 75.24 years female: 77.36 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander
Ethnic groups: black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed
Religions: Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)
Languages: English (official)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA female: NA
Government British Virgin Islands
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing
Government type: NA
Capital: Road Town
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Territory Day, 1 July
Constitution: 1 June 1977
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor head of government: Chief Minister Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June 2003) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 8, VIP 5
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Political parties and leaders: Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
Economy British Virgin Islands
Economy - overview: The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. Tourism suffered in 2002 because of the lackluster US economy. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $320 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2002)
Labor force: 4,911 (1980)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Unemployment rate: 3% (1995)
Budget: revenues: $121.5 million expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997)
Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Industries: tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Industrial production growth rate: NA
Electricity - production: 38.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 35.43 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 420 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Exports: $25.3 million (2002)
Exports - commodities: rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand
Exports - partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Imports: $187 million (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities: building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
Imports - partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Debt - external: $36.1 million (1997)
Economic aid - recipient: NA
Currency: US dollar (USD)
Currency code: USD
Exchange rates: the US dollar is used
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications British Virgin Islands
Telephones - main lines in use: 11,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 8,000 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment: worldwide telephone service domestic: NA international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 9,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus one cable company) (1997)
Televisions: 4,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .vg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)
Internet users: NA
Transportation British Virgin Islands
Highways: total: 177 km paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Ports and harbors: Road Town
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,825 GRT/155,909 DWT registered in other countries: 32 (2004 est.) by type: cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: Norway 1
Airports: 3 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military British Virgin Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues British Virgin Islands
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Brunei
Introduction Brunei
Background: The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the developing world.
Geography Brunei
Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
Geographic coordinates: 4 30 N, 114 40 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 5,770 sq km water: 500 sq km land: 5,270 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries: total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use: arable land: 0.57% permanent crops: 0.76% other: 98.67% (2001)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
Environment - current issues: seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
Environment - international agreements: party to: Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave of Malaysia
People Brunei
Population: 365,251 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.1% (male 54,243; female 52,013) 15-64 years: 68% (male 131,682; female 116,631) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 5,035; female 5,647) (2004 est.)
Median age: total: 26.7 years male: 27.3 years female: 26 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.95% (2004 est.)
Birth rate: 19.33 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate: 3.4 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 13.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 16.51 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.54 years male: 72.13 years female: 77.09 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian
Ethnic groups: Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%
Religions: Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10%
Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.9% male: 96.3% female: 91.4% (2002)
Government Brunei
Country name: conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei
Government type: constitutional sultanate
Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
Administrative divisions: 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong
Independence: 1 January 1984 (from UK)
National holiday: National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection
Constitution: 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)
Legal system: based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas
Suffrage: none
Executive branch: chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the succession to the throne if the need arises elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch: Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members elections: last held in March 1962; date of next election NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch for three-year terms)
Political parties and leaders: other parties include Brunei People's Party or PRB (banned in 1962) and Brunei National Democratic Party (registered in May 1965, deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988)
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838 FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560 chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gene B. CHRISTY embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507 telephone: [673] (2) 229670 FAX: [673] (2) 225293
Flag description: yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands
Economy Brunei
Economy - overview: This small, wealthy economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for nearly half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion, although it became a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Plans for the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $18,600 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 45% services: 50% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA (1992 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -2% (2002 est.)
Labor force: 143,400 note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary residents make up about 40% of labor force (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, government 48% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 10% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35 billion (1997 est.)
Agriculture - products: rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo
Industries: petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production: 2.497 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 2.322 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production: 217,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves: 1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production: 10.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 9 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 315 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Exports: $3.439 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities: crude oil, natural gas, refined products
Exports - partners: Japan 41%, South Korea 11.2%, Thailand 9.4%, Australia 8.4%, US 7.8%, China 6.7%, Singapore 4.5% (2003)
Imports: $1.63 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals
Imports - partners: Singapore 19.9%, Malaysia 19.8%, US 11.4%, Japan 9.9%, Hong Kong 6.5%, China 4.8%, Australia 4.3%, Thailand 4% (2003)
Debt - external: $0
Economic aid - recipient: $4.3 million (1995)
Currency: Bruneian dollar (BND)
Currency code: BND
Exchange rates: Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000), 1.695 (1999)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Brunei
Telephones - main lines in use: 90,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 137,000 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and the US domestic: every service available international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 329,000 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)
Televisions: 201,900 (1998)
Internet country code: .bn
Internet hosts: 6,409 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
Internet users: 35,000 (2002)
Transportation Brunei
Highways: total: 2,525 km paved: 2,525 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Waterways: 209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2004)
Pipelines: gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong
Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT by type: liquefied gas 8 foreign-owned: United Kingdom 8 (2004 est.)
Airports: 2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 3 (2003 est.)
Military Brunei
Military branches: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 112,630 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: approx. 60,000 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 3,425 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $339.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.9% (2003)
Transnational Issues Brunei
Disputes - international: in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their offshore and deepwater seabeds until negotiations progress to an agreement over allocation of disputed areas; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants
Illicit drugs: drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Bulgaria
Introduction Bulgaria
Background: The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual integration into the EU. The country joined NATO in 2004.
Geography Bulgaria
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 110,910 sq km water: 360 sq km land: 110,550 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: total: 1,808 km border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey 240 km
Coastline: 354 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Land use: arable land: 40.02% permanent crops: 1.92% other: 58.06% (2001)
Irrigated land: 8,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes, landslides
Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Geography - note: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
People Bulgaria
Population: 7,517,973 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.4% (male 553,801; female 526,856) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 2,533,784; female 2,615,968) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 535,954; female 751,610) (2004 est.)
Median age: total: 40.5 years male: 38.4 years female: 42.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.92% (2004 est.)
Birth rate: 9.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate: 14.25 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 21.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 25.15 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.75 years male: 68.14 years female: 75.59 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 346 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bulgarian(s) adjective: Bulgarian
Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001)
Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, Jewish 0.1%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 3.4% (1998)
Languages: Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 99.1% female: 98.2% (2003 est.)
Government Bulgaria
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria conventional short form: Bulgaria
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Sofia
Administrative divisions: 28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora, Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol
Independence: 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Constitution: adopted 12 July 1991
Legal system: civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA (since 24 July 2001); Deputy Prime Ministers Nikolay VASILEV (since 24 July 2001), Lidiya SHULEVA (since 24 July 2001), and Plamen PANAYOTOV (since 17 July 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 11 November and 18 November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly election results: Georgi PURVANOV elected president; percent of vote - Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NMS2 42.74%, UDF 18.18%, CfB 17.15%, MRF 7.45%; seats by party - NMS2 120, UDF 51, CfB 48, MRF 21; note - seating as of January 2005 - NMS2 98, CfB 49, UtDF 28, MRF 20, UDF 14, New Time 13, BANU 11, independents 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation; Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members; responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)
Political parties and leaders: Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER]; Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Nadezhda MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition of center-right parties dominated by DSB)
Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas
International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA consulate(s): New York FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973 telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174 chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James William PARDEW embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407 mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740 telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100 FAX: [359] (2) 937-5230
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
Economy Bulgaria
Economy - overview: Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the European Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of the then socialist government. As a result, the government became committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning. A $300 million stand-by agreement negotiated with the IMF at the end of 2001 has supported government efforts to overcome high rates of poverty and unemployment.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $57.13 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.4% industry: 30% services: 58.6% (2003)
Investment (gross fixed): 19.6% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line: 13.4% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.5% highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 26.4 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2003 est.)
Labor force: 3.333 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 14.3% (2003)
Budget: revenues: $8.121 billion expenditures: $8.121 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Public debt: 48% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets
Industries: electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production: 41.38 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 32.52 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: 6.79 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: 830 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production: 603 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 94,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves: 8.1 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production: 4 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 5.804 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 5.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 3.724 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: $-1.666 billion (2003)
Exports: $7.337 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities: clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
Exports - partners: Italy 14.1%, Germany 10.9%, Greece 10.5%, Turkey 9.2%, France 5.1%, US 4.5% (2003)
Imports: $9.723 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities: fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles
Imports - partners: Germany 14.4%, Russia 12.6%, Italy 10.3%, Greece 6.7%, Turkey 6.2%, France 5.7% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $6.705 billion (2003)
Debt - external: $12.05 billion (2003)
Economic aid - recipient: $300 million (2000 est.)
Currency: lev (BGL)
Currency code: BGN
Exchange rates: leva per US dollar - 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002), 2.1847 (2001), 2.1233 (2000), 1.8364 (1999) note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July 1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Bulgaria
Telephones - main lines in use: 2,868,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,597,500 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment: extensive but antiquated domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential; telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio relay international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios: 4.51 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions: 3.31 million (1997)
Internet country code: .bg
Internet hosts: 53,421 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 200 (2001)
Internet users: 630,000 (2002)
Transportation Bulgaria
Railways: total: 4,294 km standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified) narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 37,286 km paved: 35,049 km (including 324 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,237 km (2000)
Waterways: 470 km (2004)
Pipelines: gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin
Merchant marine: total: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 757,972 GRT/1,115,238 DWT by type: bulk 37, cargo 7, chemical tanker 4, container 2, petroleum tanker 3, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 registered in other countries: 45 (2004 est.)
Airports: 212 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 128 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 92 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 85 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)
Military Bulgaria
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 9 months (2004)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,829,203 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,530,657 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 52,811 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $356 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.6% (2003)
Transnational Issues Bulgaria
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Burkina Faso
Introduction Burkina Faso
Background: Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.
Geography Burkina Faso
Location: Western Africa, north of Ghana
Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references: Africa |
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