 |
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Croatia
Telephones - main lines in use: 1.825 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.553 million (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be included in the plan for the main trunk international: country code - 385; digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany, Albania, and Greece (2000)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)
Radios: 1.51 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)
Televisions: 1.22 million (1997)
Internet country code: .hr
Internet hosts: 29,644 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2000)
Internet users: 1.014 million (2003)
Transportation Croatia
Railways: total: 2,726 km standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (984 km electrified) (2004)
Highways: total: 28,344 km paved: 23,979 km (including 455 km of expressways) unpaved: 4,365 km (2002)
Waterways: 785 km (2004)
Pipelines: gas 1,340 km; oil 583 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube)
Merchant marine: total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 750,579 GRT/1,178,786 DWT by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 12, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 25, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1) registered in other countries: 31 (2005)
Airports: 68 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Croatia
Military branches: Ground Forces (Hrvatska Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 6-month service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary service; Croatian Military Police planning to end conscription in 2005 (December 2004)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,005,058 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 725,914 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 29,020 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $620 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.39% (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues Croatia
Disputes - international: discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several small disputed sections of the boundary; the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains un-ratified and in dispute; as a European Union peripheral state, neighboring Slovenia must conform to the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 12,600 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-1995 war) (2004)
Illicit drugs: transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Cuba
Introduction Cuba
Background: The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule was severe and exploitative and occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. It was US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 1,498 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in 2004.
Geography Cuba
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 N, 80 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 110,860 sq km land: 110,860 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: total: 29 km border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba
Coastline: 3,735 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m
Natural resources: cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
Land use: arable land: 33.05% permanent crops: 7.6% other: 59.35% (2001)
Irrigated land: 870 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles
People Cuba
Population: 11,346,670 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.6% (male 1,139,644/female 1,079,412) 15-64 years: 70.1% (male 3,977,110/female 3,975,818) 65 years and over: 10.4% (male 540,720/female 633,966) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 35.36 years male: 34.73 years female: 35.98 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.33% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 12.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.23 years male: 74.94 years female: 79.65 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,300 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban
Ethnic groups: mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%
Religions: nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented
Languages: Spanish
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97.2% female: 96.9% (2003 est.)
People - note: illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and overland via the southwest border
Government Cuba
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba local short form: Cuba
Government type: Communist state
Capital: Havana
Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara
Independence: 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898 is the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of independence from US administration; Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)
Constitution: 24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002
Legal system: based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the 31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in NA 2008) election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609
Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders: only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer James C. CASON; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland
Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; design influenced by the US flag
Economy Cuba
Economy - overview: The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has undertaken limited reforms to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. A major feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively efficient export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the depression of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. The government in 2004 strengthened its controls over dollars coming into the economy from tourism, remittances, and trade.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $33.92 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.6% industry: 25.5% services: 67.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 4.55 million note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999)
Unemployment rate: 2.5% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 11.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues: $18.01 billion expenditures: $19.06 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock
Industries: sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate: 1.4% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production: 14.41 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.9% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 5.4% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 13.4 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 77,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption: 163,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Oil - proved reserves: 532 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production: 600 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 600 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 42.62 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: $-185.1 million (2004 est.)
Exports: $2.104 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee
Exports - partners: Netherlands 22.7%, Canada 20.6%, China 7.7%, Russia 7.5%, Spain 6.4%, Venezuela 4.4% (2004)
Imports: $5.296 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners: Spain 14.7%, Venezuela 13.5%, US 11%, China 8.9%, Canada 6.4%, Italy 6.2%, Mexico 4.9% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $738.6 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $12.09 billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion owed to Russia (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $68.2 million (1997 est.)
Currency (code): Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC)
Currency code: CUP (nonconvertible Cuban peso) and CUC (convertible Cuban peso)
Exchange rates: Convertible pesos per US dollar - 0.93 note: Cuba has three currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP), the convertible peso (CUC), and the US dollar (USD), although the dollar is being withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Cuba
Telephones - main lines in use: 574,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,900 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system; wireless service is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally with the help of foreigners domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of switches digitized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains low, at 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 3.9 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 58 (1997)
Televisions: 2.64 million (1997)
Internet country code: .cu
Internet hosts: 1,529 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)
Internet users: 120,000 note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels, but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market, or take advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the government-controlled "intranet" (2004)
Transportation Cuba
Railways: total: 4,226 km standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified) note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations; about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge (2004)
Highways: total: 60,858 km paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway) unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 240 km (2004)
Pipelines: gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas
Merchant marine: total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,818 GRT/81,850 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1) registered in other countries: 20 (2005)
Airports: 170 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 79 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 62 (2004 est.)
Military Cuba
Military branches: Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER), Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), Youth Labor Army (EJT)
Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age; both sexes are eligible for military service (2004)
Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 2,967,865 females age 17-49: 2,913,559 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 2,441,927 females age 17-49: 2,396,741 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 91,901 females: 87,500 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $572.3 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (2003)
Military - note: Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993
Transnational Issues Cuba
Disputes - international: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease
Illicit drugs: territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone primarily for marijuana bound for North America; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Cyprus
Introduction Cyprus
Background: A former British colony, Cyprus received independence in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize the government was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. The latest two-year round of UN-brokered direct talks - between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach an agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the Greek Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004 referendum. Although only the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot-controlled Republic of Cyprus joined the EU on 1 May 2004, every Cypriot carrying a Cyprus passport will have the status of a European citizen. EU laws, however, will not apply to north Cyprus. Nicosia continues to oppose EU efforts to establish direct trade and economic links to north Cyprus as a way of encouraging the Turkish Cypriot community to continue to support reunification.
Geography Cyprus
Location: Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 33 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus) land: 9,240 sq km water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: NA; note - boundary with Dhekelia is being resurveyed border countries: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia NA
Coastline: 648 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Terrain: central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m
Natural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
Land use: arable land: 7.79% permanent crops: 4.44% other: 87.77% (2001)
Irrigated land: 382 sq km (2001 est.)
Natural hazards: moderate earthquake activity; droughts
Environment - current issues: water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)
People Cyprus
Population: 780,133 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.9% (male 83,256/female 79,701) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 267,446/female 260,846) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 38,766/female 50,118) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 34.68 years male: 33.64 years female: 35.7 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.54% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 12.57 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 7.64 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.65 years male: 75.29 years female: 80.13 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 1,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Cypriot(s) adjective: Cypriot
Ethnic groups: Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)
Religions: Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 4%
Languages: Greek, Turkish, English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.6% male: 98.9% female: 96.3% (2003 est.)
Government Cyprus
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus conventional short form: Cyprus note: the Turkish Cypriot community (north Cyprus) refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)
Government type: republic note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey
Capital: Nicosia
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca
Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these proclamations are only recognized by Turkey
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day
Constitution: 16 August 1960; from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974 Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in 1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5 May 1985
Legal system: based on common law, with civil law modifications
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and vice president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008) election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos MARKIDIS 6.6% note: Mehmet Ali TALAT becomes "president" of north Cyprus, 24 April 2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results - Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is "prime minister"; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in north Cyprus, appointed by the "prime minister"
Legislative branch: unicameral - Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Republic of Cyprus: last held 27 May 2001 (next to be held May 2006); north Cyprus: last held 14 December 2003 (next to be held NA 2008) election results: Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS 6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19, DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - CTP 35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%; seats by party - CTP 19, UBP 18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and vice president) note: there is also a Supreme Court in north Cyprus
Political parties and leaders: Republic of Cyprus: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos PAPADOPOULOS]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU]; Restorative Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; Social Democrats Movement or KISOS (formerly United Democratic Union of Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement or EDE [George VASSILIOU]; north Cyprus: Democratic Party or DP [Serder DENKTASH]; National Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Alpay DURDURAN]; Peace and Democratic Movement [Mustafa AKINCI]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO (Communist controlled)
International organization participation: Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Euripides L. EVRIVIADES chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710 consulate(s) general: New York note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Osman ERTUG; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael KLOSSON embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, 2407 Nicosia mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nikosia telephone: [357] (22) 393939 FAX: [357] (22) 780944
Flag description: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities note: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has a horizontal red stripe at the top and bottom between which is a red crescent and red star on a white field
Economy Cyprus
Economy - overview: The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly susceptible to external shocks. The service sector, mainly tourism and financial services, dominates the economy; erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect the economy's reliance on tourism, which often fluctuates with political instability in the region and economic conditions in Western Europe. Economic policy is focused on meeting the criteria to join the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM2) within the next two years although sluggish tourism and poor fiscal management have resulted in growing budget deficits since 2001. As in the Turkish sector, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants are now on-line. After 10 years of drought, the country received substantial rainfall from 2001-03, alleviating immediate concerns. The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly one-third of the per capita GDP of the south, and economic growth tends to be volatile, given north Cyprus's relative isolation, bloated public sector, reliance on the Turkish lira, and small market size. The Turkish Cypriot economy grew 2.6% in 2004, fueled by growth in the construction and education sectors as well as increased employment of Turkish Cypriots in the Republic of Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriots are heavily dependent on transfers from the Turkish government. Ankara provides around $300 million a year directly into the "TRNC" budget and regularly provides additional financing for large infrastructure projects. Agriculture and government service, together employ almost half of the work force, and the potential for tourism is promising, especially with the easing of border restrictions with the Greek Cypriots in April 2003.
GDP (purchasing power parity): Republic of Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $15.71 billion north Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $4.54 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: Republic of Cyprus: 3.2% north Cyprus: 2.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: Republic of Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $20,300 (2004 est.); north Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $7,135 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 4.1%; industry 19.9%; services 76% north Cyprus: agriculture 10.6%; industry 20.5%; services 68.9% (2004)
Labor force: Republic of Cyprus: 330,000, north Cyprus: 95,025 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 4.9%, industry 19.4%, services 75.6% north Cyprus: agriculture 15.1%, industry 27%, services 57.9% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate: Republic of Cyprus: 3.2%; north Cyprus: 5.6% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Republic of Cyprus: 2.4% (2003 est.); north Cyprus: 12.6% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): Republic of Cyprus: 17.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues: Republic of Cyprus - $5.616 billion (2004 est.), north Cyprus - $404.3 million (2003 est.) expenditures: Republic of Cyprus - $685.7 million, including capital expenditures of $685.7 million, north Cyprus - $775.7 million, including capital expenditures of $91.4 million (2004 est.)
Public debt: Republic of Cyprus: 74.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables, poultry, pork, lamb, kids, dairy, cheese
Industries: tourism, food and beverage processing; cement and gypsum production; ship repair and refurbishment; textiles; light chemicals; metal products; wood, paper, stone, and clay products
Industrial production growth rate: Republic of Cyprus: 0.4% (2002); north Cyprus: -0.3% (2002)
Electricity - production: 4 billion kWh; north Cyprus: NA kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: Republic of Cyprus: 3.663 billion kWh (2003); north Cyprus: 602 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 300 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption: Republic of Cyprus: 49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Current account balance: $-619.9 million (2004 est.)
Exports: Republic of Cyprus: $1.094 billion f.o.b. north Cyprus: $49.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: Republic of Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement, clothing and cigarettes; north Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, textiles
Exports - partners: UK 27.2%, Greece 11.9%, Germany 5%, UAE 4.8% (2004)
Imports: Republic of Cyprus: $5.258 billion f.o.b. north Cyprus: $415.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: Republic of Cyprus: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; north Cyprus: vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery
Imports - partners: Greece 15.2%, Italy 10.5%, Germany 8.9%, UK 8.6%, France 6.3%, Japan 4.7%, Israel 4.4%, China 4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Republic of Cyprus: $3.385 billion north Cyprus: $941.6 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external: Republic of Cyprus: $7.327 billion; north Cyprus: $NA (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: Republic of Cyprus - $17 million (1998); north Cyprus - $700 million from Turkey in grants and loans, which are usually forgiven (2003)
Currency (code): Greek Cypriot area: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish lira (TRL)
Currency code: CYP; TRL
Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002), 0.6431 (2001), 0.6224 (2000), Turkish lira per US dollar 1.426 million (2004), 1.501 million (2003), 1.507 million (2002), 1.226 million (2001), 625,200 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Cyprus
Telephones - main lines in use: Republic of Cyprus: 427,400 (2002); north Cyprus: 86,228 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: Republic of Cyprus: 417,900 (2002); north Cyprus: 143,178 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment: excellent in both Republic of Cyprus and north Cyprus areas domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay international: country code - 357; tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: Republic of Cyprus: AM 7, FM 60, shortwave 1 (1998); north Cyprus: AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: Greek Cypriot area: 310,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 56,450 (1994)
Television broadcast stations: Republic of Cyprus: 4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters) (September 1995); north Cyprus: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (September 1995)
Televisions: Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300 (1994)
Internet country code: .cy
Internet hosts: 5,901 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)
Internet users: 210,000 (2002)
Transportation Cyprus
Highways: total: 13,943 km (Republic of Cyprus: 11,593 km; north Cyprus: 2,350 km) paved: Republic of Cyprus: 7,211 km; north Cyprus: 1,370 km unpaved: Republic of Cyprus: 4,382 km; north Cyprus: 980 km (2002/1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos
Merchant marine: total: 972 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,016,374 GRT/35,760,004 DWT by type: bulk carrier 384, cargo 248, chemical tanker 45, container 125, liquefied gas 4, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 19, petroleum tanker 103, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 12, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 899 (Austria 2, Belgium 1, Canada 10, China 8, Croatia 3, Cuba 5, Egypt 1, Estonia 3, France 1, Germany 236, Greece 396, Hong Kong 2, India 2, Iran 2, Israel 3, Japan 18, Latvia 7, Monaco 1, Netherlands 12, Norway 14, Philippines 1, Poland 20, Portugal 2, Russia 56, Singapore 2, Slovenia 4, South Korea 1, Spain 4, Sweden 6, Switzerland 4, Syria 2, Ukraine 3, UAE 11, United Kingdom 24, United States 31, Vietnam 1) registered in other countries: 54 (2005)
Airports: 17 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 10 (2004 est.)
Military Cyprus
Military branches: Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; includes air and naval elements) north Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 184,352 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 150,750 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 6,578 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $384 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.8% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Cyprus
Disputes - international: hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the 1,000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and south; March 2003 reunification talks failed, but Turkish-Cypriots later opened their borders to temporary visits by Greek Cypriots; on 24 April 2004, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities voted in simultaneous and parallel referenda on whether to approve the UN-brokered Annan Plan that would have ended the thirty-year division of the island by establishing a new "United Cyprus Republic," a majority of Greek Cypriots voted "no"; on 1 May 2004, Cyprus entered the European Union still divided, with the EU's body of legislation and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the north
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 265,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced for over 30 years) (2004)
Illicit drugs: minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of anti-money-laundering legislation, remains highly vulnerable to money laundering; identification of benefiting owners and reporting of suspicious transactions by nonresident-controlled companies in offshore sector remains weak
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Czech Republic
Introduction Czech Republic
Background: Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.
Geography Czech Republic
Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 78,866 sq km land: 77,276 sq km water: 1,590 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 1,881 km border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point: Snezka 1,602 m
Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber
Land use: arable land: 39.8% permanent crops: 3.05% other: 57.15% (2001)
Irrigated land: 240 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe
People Czech Republic
Population: 10,241,138 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.7% (male 773,028/female 731,833) 15-64 years: 71.1% (male 3,651,018/female 3,627,006) 65 years and over: 14.2% (male 565,374/female 892,879) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 38.97 years male: 37.2 years female: 40.82 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.05% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 9.07 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 10.54 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 3.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.02 years male: 72.74 years female: 79.49 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 10 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech
Ethnic groups: Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)
Religions: Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)
Languages: Czech
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99.9% (1999 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government Czech Republic
Country name: conventional long form: Czech Republic conventional short form: Czech Republic local long form: Ceska Republika local short form: Ceska Republika
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Prague
Administrative divisions: 13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj, Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj
Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
National holiday: Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)
Constitution: ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993
Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003) note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years; parliament finally elected a successor on 28 February 2003 after two inconclusive elections in January 2003 head of government: Prime Minister Jiri PAROUBEK (since 25 April 2005), Deputy Prime Ministers Zdenek SKROMACH (since 4 August 2004), Martin JAHN (since 4 August 2004), Pavel NEMEC (since 4 August 2004), Milan SIMONOVSKY (since 4 August 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were inconclusive; next election to be held January 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February 2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 5-6 November and 12-13 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 14-15 June 2002 (next to be held by June 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ODS 37, KDU-CSL 14, Open Democracy 13, CSSD 7, Caucus Open Democracy 7, independents 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CSSD 30.2%, ODS 24.5%, KSCM 18.5%, KDU-CSL & US-DEU coalition 14.3%, other minor 12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 70, ODS 57, KSCM 41, KDU-CSL 21, US-DEU 10, independent 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term
Political parties and leaders: Caucus SNK [Josef ZOSER]; Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Miroslav KALOUSEK, chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Jirina NOVAKOVA, chairman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Czechoslovakia or KSC [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National Social Party of CSNS [Jaroslav ROVNY, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Stanislav GROSS, acting chairman]; European Democrats [Jan KASL]; Freedom Union-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Hana Marvanova, chairwoman]; Open Democracy [Sona PAUKRTOVA, chairwoman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Bohemian and Moravian Trade Union Confederation [Milan STECH]
International organization participation: ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CABANISS embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663 FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)
Economy Czech Republic
Economy - overview: The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Growth in 2000-04 was supported by exports to the EU, primarily to Germany, and a strong recovery of foreign and domestic investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role in underpinning growth as interest rates drop and the availability of credit cards and mortgages increases. Current account deficits of around 5% of GDP are beginning to decline as demand for Czech products in the European Union increases. Inflation is under control. Recent accession to the EU gives further impetus and direction to structural reform. In early 2004 the government passed increases in the Value Added Tax (VAT) and tightened eligibility for social benefits with the intention to bring the public finance gap down to 4% of GDP by 2006, but more difficult pension and healthcare reforms will have to wait until after the next elections. Privatization of the state-owned telecommunications firm Cesky Telecom is scheduled to take place in 2005. Intensified restructuring among large enterprises, improvements in the financial sector, and effective use of available EU funds should strengthen output growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $172.2 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.7% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.4% industry: 39.3% services: 57.3% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 5.25 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 4%, industry 38%, services 58% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate: 10.6% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.3% highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 25.4 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 29% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues: $39.31 billion expenditures: $45.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Public debt: 33.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry
Industries: metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments
Industrial production growth rate: 4.7% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production: 71.75 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 76.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 20% other: 1% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 55.33 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 20.9 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 9.5 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 7,419 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 175,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: 26,670 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: 192,300 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves: 17.25 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production: 160 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 9.892 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 1 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 9.521 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 3.057 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: $-5.73 billion (2004 est.)
Exports: $66.51 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 52%, chemicals 5%, raw materials and fuel 9% (2003)
Exports - partners: Germany 36.1%, Slovakia 8.4%, Austria 6%, Poland 5.3%, UK 4.7%, France 4.7%, Italy 4.3%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)
Imports: $68.19 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003)
Imports - partners: Germany 31.7%, Slovakia 5.4%, Italy 5.3%, China 5.2%, Poland 4.8%, France 4.8%, Russia 4.1% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $32.78 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $36.28 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $2.4 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)
Currency (code): Czech koruna (CZK)
Currency code: CZK
Exchange rates: koruny per US dollar - 25.7 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 32.739 (2002), 38.035 (2001), 38.598 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Czech Republic
Telephones - main lines in use: 3.626 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 9,708,700 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly vigorous domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar
Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)
Radios: 3,159,134 (December 2000)
Television broadcast stations: 150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)
Televisions: 3,405,834 (December 2000)
Internet country code: .cz
Internet hosts: 295,677 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): more than 300 (2000)
Internet users: 2.7 million (2003)
Transportation Czech Republic
Railways: total: 9,543 km standard gauge: 9,421 km 1.435-m gauge (2,893 km electrified) narrow gauge: 122 km 0.760-m gauge (23 km electrified) (2004)
Highways: total: 127,204 km paved: 127,204 km (including 518 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2002)
Waterways: 664 km (on Elbe, Vltava, and Oder rivers) (2004)
Pipelines: gas 7,020 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem
Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 3
Airports: 120 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 76 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 48 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Czech Republic
Military branches: Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces Command, Support and Training Forces Command (2005)
Military service age and obligation: 18-50 years of age for voluntary military service; military service transformed into a fully professional, all-volunteer force no longer dependent on conscription beginning in January 2004 (2005)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,414,728 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,996,631 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 66,583 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.17 billion (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.02% (2004)
Transnational Issues Czech Republic
Disputes - international: in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the restitution of Liechtenstein's land and property assets in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1945 as German property; individual Sudeten Germans seek restitution for property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Denmark
Introduction Denmark
Background: Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.
Geography Denmark
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)
Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 43,094 sq km land: 42,394 sq km water: 700 sq km note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km
Coastline: 7,314 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers
Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand
Land use: arable land: 54.02% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 45.79% (2001)
Irrigated land: 4,760 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes
Environment - current issues: air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen
People Denmark
Population: 5,432,335 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.8% (male 524,250/female 497,683) 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,811,787/female 1,780,907) 65 years and over: 15.1% (male 349,458/female 468,250) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 39.47 years male: 38.55 years female: 40.4 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.34% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 11.36 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 10.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.62 years male: 75.34 years female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish
Ethnic groups: Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%
Languages: Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) note: English is the predominant second language
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Government Denmark
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Denmark local long form: Kongeriget Danmark local short form: Danmark
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Copenhagen
Administrative divisions: metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2 boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskommune); Arhus, Bornholm, Frederiksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavn (Copenhagen)*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg note: since 2005 Bornholm may have become a borough; in the future the counties may be replaced by regions; see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and are self-governing overseas administrative divisions
Independence: first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy
National holiday: none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day
Constitution: 5 June 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major overhaul of 5 June 1953 allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state
Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26 May 1968) head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27 November 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Folketinget (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 29%, Social Democrats 25.9%, Danish People's Party 13.2%, Conservative Party 10.3%, Social Liberal Party 9.2%, Socialist People's Party 6%, Unity List 3.4%; seats by party - Liberal Party 52, Social Democrats 47, Danish People's Party 24, Conservative Party 18, Social Liberal Party 17, Socialist People's Party 11, Unity List 6; note - does not include the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the Faroe Islands
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)
Political parties and leaders: Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian Democrats (was Christian People's Party) [Marianne KARLSMOSE]; Conservative Party (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party) [Bendt BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Social Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party (sometimes called the Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Soren BALD, chairman]; Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL]; Red-Green Unity List (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party) [collective leadership]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Friis PETERSEN chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sally M. LIGHT embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716 telephone: [45] 35 55 31 44 FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23
Flag description: red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side, and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden
Economy Denmark
Economy - overview: This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards, a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. The government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided not to join 12 other EU members in the euro; even so, the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro. Growth in 2004 was sluggish, yet above the scanty 0.3% of 2003. Because of high GDP per capita, welfare benefits, a low Gini index, and political stability, the Danish people enjoy living standards topped by no other nation. A major long-term issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio of workers to retirees.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $174.4 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $32,200 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 25.5% services: 72.3% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 2.87 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 4%, industry 17%, services 79% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate: 6.2% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 24.7 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 19.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues: $136.1 billion expenditures: $133.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2004 est.)
Public debt: 42.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish
Industries: iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products, shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills
Industrial production growth rate: 1.7% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production: 36.38 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 82.7% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 17.3% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 31.63 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 11.1 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 8.9 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 346,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 218,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: 332,100 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: 195,000 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves: 1.23 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production: 8.38 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 5.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 3.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 81.98 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: $6.529 billion (2004 est.)
Exports: $73.06 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills
Exports - partners: Germany 18%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 8.7%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 5.5%, Norway 5.4%, France 5% (2004)
Imports: $63.45 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners: Germany 22.3%, Sweden 13.5%, Netherlands 6.8%, UK 6.1%, France 4.5%, Norway 4.5%, Italy 4.1%, China 4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $37.98 billion (2003)
Debt - external: $21.7 billion (2000)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.63 billion (1999)
Currency (code): Danish krone (DKK)
Currency code: DKK
Exchange rates: Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Denmark
Telephones - main lines in use: 3,610,100 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,785,300 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 6.02 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)
Televisions: 3.121 million (1997)
Internet country code: .dk
Internet hosts: 1,219,925 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (2000)
Internet users: 2.756 million (2002)
Transportation Denmark
Railways: total: 2,628 km standard gauge: 2,628 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified) (2004)
Highways: total: 71,847 km paved: 71,847 km (including 918 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2002)
Waterways: 417 km (2001)
Pipelines: condensate 12 km; gas 3,892 km; oil 455 km; oil/gas/water 2 km; unknown (oil/water) 64 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Aalborg, Aarhus, Asnaesvaerkets, Copenhagen, Elsinore, Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Graasten, Kalundborg, Odense, Roenne
Merchant marine: total: 287 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,952,473 GRT/9,030,444 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 67, chemical tanker 40, container 79, liquefied gas 10, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 42, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4 foreign-owned: 23 (Bahamas 14, France 1, Greece 1, Greenland 1, Norway 2, Sweden 2, UAE 1, Vietnam 1) registered in other countries: 487 (2005)
Airports: 97 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 63 (2004 est.)
Military Denmark
Military branches: Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Home Guard (Hjemmevaernet)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service (2004)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,175,108 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 955,168 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 31,317 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3,271.6 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (2004)
Transnational Issues Denmark
Disputes - international: Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue to study proposals for full independence; uncontested sovereignty dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Dhekelia
Introduction Dhekelia
Background: By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers in total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area.
Geography Dhekelia
Location: on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta
Geographic coordinates: 34 59 N, 33 45 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 130.8 sq km note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves
Area - comparative: about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed
Coastline: 27.5 km
Climate: temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Environment - current issues: netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn
Geography - note: British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus
People Dhekelia
Population: no indigenous personnel note: approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there
Languages: English, Greek
Government Dhekelia
Country name: conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area conventional short form: Dhekelia
Dependency status: overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Capital: Episkopi Cantonment; located in Akrotiri
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: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Tomas Clayton PEARSON (since 9 May 2003); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defence elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description: the flag of the UK is used
Economy Dhekelia
Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Industries: none
Military Dhekelia
Military - note: includes Dheklia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Djibouti
Introduction Djibouti
Background: The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections in 1999 resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH. Djibouti occupies a very strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country, but has also developed increasingly stronger ties with the United States in recent years. Djibouti currently hosts the only United States military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the global war on terrorism.
Geography Djibouti
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia
Geographic coordinates: 11 30 N, 43 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 23,000 sq km land: 22,980 sq km water: 20 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km
Coastline: 314 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: desert; torrid, dry
Terrain: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m
Natural resources: geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum
Land use: arable land: 0.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.96% (2001)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods
Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa
People Djibouti
Population: 476,703 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.3% (male 103,516/female 102,860) 15-64 years: 53.5% (male 133,168/female 121,823) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 7,748/female 7,588) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 18.23 years male: 18.77 years female: 17.69 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.06% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 39.98 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 19.39 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 104.13 deaths/1,000 live births male: 111.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 96.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43.1 years male: 41.84 years female: 44.39 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 9,100 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 690 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)
Nationality: noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian
Ethnic groups: Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%
Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.9% male: 78% female: 58.4% (2003 est.)
Government Djibouti
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland
Government type: republic
Capital: Djibouti
Administrative divisions: 5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura
Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977)
Constitution: multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992
Legal system: based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult
Executive branch: chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4 March 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%
Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held January 2008) election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats - RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders: Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail Omar GUELLEH]; Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED]; Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini AHMED]
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marguerita RAGSDALE embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95 FAX: [253] 35 39 40
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center
Economy Djibouti
Economy - overview: The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital city, the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of at least 50% continues to be a major problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $619 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 15.8% services: 80.7% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 282,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 50% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2002 est.)
Budget: revenues: $135 million expenditures: $182 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1999 est.)
Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides
Industries: construction, agricultural processing, salt
Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production: 180 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 167.4 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 11,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Exports: $155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities: reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)
Exports - partners: Somalia 63.8%, Yemen 22.6%, Ethiopia 5% (2004)
Imports: $665 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 19.7%, India 12.4%, Ethiopia 11.8%, China 8.1%, France 5.6%, US 4.8% (2004)
Debt - external: $366 million (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $36 million (2001)
Currency (code): Djiboutian franc (DJF)
Currency code: DJF
Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.72 (2004), 177.72 (2003), 177.72 (2002), 177.72 (2001), 177.72 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Djibouti
Telephones - main lines in use: 9,500 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 23,000 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country domestic: microwave radio relay network international: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios: 52,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)
Televisions: 28,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .dj
Internet hosts: 702 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 6,500 (2003)
Transportation Djibouti
Railways: total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2004)
Highways: total: 2,890 km paved: 364 km unpaved: 2,526 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors: Djibouti
Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2005)
Airports: 13 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Military Djibouti
Military branches: Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 95,328 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 46,020 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $28.6 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.4% (2004)
Transnational Issues Djibouti
Disputes - international: Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia; although most of the 26,000 Somali refugees in Djibouti who fled civil unrest in the early 1990s have returned, several thousand still await repatriation in UNHCR camps
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 25,474 (Somalia) (2004)
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Dominica
Introduction Dominica
Background: Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.
Geography Dominica
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 15 25 N, 61 20 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 754 sq km land: 754 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 148 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land
Land use: arable land: 6.67% permanent crops: 20% other: 73.33% (2001) |
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