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

Unemployment rate: 10.8% (2004 est.)

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

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 22.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.231 billion expenditures: $1.582 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Public debt: 29.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

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

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

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

Electricity - production: 1.836 billion kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption: 1.707 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

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

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

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: NA

Current account balance: $284.1 million (2004 est.)

Exports: $2.012 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Exports - partners: UK 33.1%, France 20.4%, US 14.8%, Madagascar 5.1%, Italy 4.1% (2004)

Imports: $2.245 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners: South Africa 11.3%, China 9.4%, India 9.3%, France 9.2%, Bahrain 5.3%, Japan 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.676 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $1.78 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $42 million (1997)

Currency (code): Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Currency code: MUR

Exchange rates: Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003), 29.962 (2002), 29.129 (2001), 26.25 (2000)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Mauritius

Telephones - main lines in use: 348,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 462,400 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: small system with good service domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

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

Radios: 420,000 (1997)

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

Televisions: 258,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mu

Internet hosts: 3,985 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 150,000 (2003)

Transportation Mauritius

Highways: total: 2,000 km paved: 1,960 km (including 60 km of expressways) unpaved: 40 km (2002)

Ports and harbors: Port Louis

Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,946 GRT/27,102 DWT by type: bulk carrier 4, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 6 (India 4, Switzerland 2) (2005)

Airports: 6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Mauritius

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

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 313,271 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 248,659 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $12.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Mauritius

Disputes - international: Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship but no right to patriation in the UK; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

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

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Mayotte

Introduction Mayotte

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

Geography Mayotte

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

Geographic coordinates: 12 50 S, 45 10 E

Map references: Africa

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

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 185.2 km

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

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

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

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

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: cyclones during rainy season

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

People Mayotte

Population: 193,633 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.2% (male 44,926/female 44,521) 15-64 years: 52.1% (male 54,713/female 46,156) 65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,666/female 1,651) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 16.96 years male: 18.04 years female: 15.87 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.93% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 41.58 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.62 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: 1.18 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 62.4 deaths/1,000 live births male: 68.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 56.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.39 years male: 59.22 years female: 63.62 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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

Ethnic groups: NA

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

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

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

Government Mayotte

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

Dependency status: territorial collectivity of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Mamoutzou

Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005) head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI (since NA 2004) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%, PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP 9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1 note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election in June 2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

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

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: UPU

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

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

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Mayotte

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

GDP (purchasing power parity): $466.8 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2003 est.)

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

Labor force: 48,800 (2000)

Unemployment rate: 38% (1999)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

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

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

Industries: newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

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

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

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

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

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

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

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

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

Debt - external: $NA

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

Currency (code): euro (EUR)

Currency code: EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mayotte

Telephones - main lines in use: 10,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 21,700 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications domestic: NA international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001)

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

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 3 (2001)

Televisions: 3,500 (1994)

Internet country code: .yt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation Mayotte

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

Ports and harbors: Dzaoudzi

Airports: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Mayotte

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

Transnational Issues Mayotte

Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Mexico

Introduction Mexico

Background: The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000 as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Geography Mexico

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

Geographic coordinates: 23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references: North America

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

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

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

Coastline: 9,330 km

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

Climate: varies from tropical to desert

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 12.99% permanent crops: 1.31% other: 85.7% (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

People Mexico

Population: 106,202,903 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.1% (male 16,844,400/female 16,159,511) 15-64 years: 63.3% (male 32,521,043/female 34,704,093) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 2,715,010/female 3,258,846) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 24.93 years male: 24.04 years female: 25.85 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.17% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 21.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 4.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 20.91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 22.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.19 years male: 72.42 years female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.45 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 160,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 5,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mexican(s) adjective: Mexican

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

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

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

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

Government Mexico

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

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Mexico (Distrito Federal)

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

Independence: 16 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution: 5 February 1917

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

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

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

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote, also for three-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next to be held 2 July 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held 2 July 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 16, PVEM 5, unassigned 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 222, PAN 151, PRD 95, PVEM 17, PT 6, CD 5, unassigned 4; note - special elections were held in December 2003; the PRI and the PRD each won one seat and were each assigned one additional proportional representation seat

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

Political parties and leaders: Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro]; Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Roberto MADRAZO Pintado]; Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO Mena]; Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Leonel GODOY]; Workers Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

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

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900 telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000 FAX: [52] (55) 5525-5040 consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo, Laredo

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

Economy Mexico

Economy - overview: Mexico has a free market economy that recently entered the trillion dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is one-fourth that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Mexico has 12 free trade agreements with over 40 countries including, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European Free Trade Area, and Japan, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. The government is cognizant of the need to upgrade infrastructure, modernize the tax system and labor laws, and provide incentives to invest in the energy sector, but progress is slow.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.006 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 27.2% services: 68.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 34.73 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 18%, industry 24%, services 58% (2003)

Unemployment rate: 3.2% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.6% (2002)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 19.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $160 billion expenditures: $158 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Public debt: 23.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production: 203.6 billion kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption: 189.7 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 98.65 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 367.7 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production: 3.46 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 1.752 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: 1.863 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports: 205,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves: 18 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production: 47.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 55.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 7.85 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 420 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance: $-4.113 billion (2004 est.)

Exports: $182.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Exports - partners: US 87.6%, Canada 1.8%, Spain 1.1% (2004)

Imports: $190.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners: US 53.7%, China 7%, Japan 5.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $60.67 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $149.9 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $1.166 billion (1995)

Currency (code): Mexican peso (MXN)

Currency code: MXN

Exchange rates: Mexican pesos per US dollar - 11.286 (2004), 10.789 (2003), 9.656 (2002), 9.342 (2001), 9.456 (2000)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mexico

Telephones - main lines in use: 15,958,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 28.125 million (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: low telephone density with about 15.2 main lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development, but Telmex remains dominant domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable international: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)

Radios: 31 million (1997)

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

Televisions: 25.6 million (1997)

Internet country code: .mx

Internet hosts: 1,333,406 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 51 (2000)

Internet users: 10.033 million (2002)

Transportation Mexico

Railways: total: 17,634 km standard gauge: 17,634 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

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

Waterways: 2,900 km note: navigable rivers and coastal canals (2004)

Pipelines: crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km (2003)

Ports and harbors: Altamira, Manzanillo, Morro Redondo, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Veracruz

Merchant marine: total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 649,389 GRT/942,766 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas 5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 26, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 1, Germany 1, UAE 1, United States 1) registered in other countries: 6 (2005)

Airports: 1,833 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 233 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 84 914 to 1,523 m: 80 under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,600 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 454 under 914 m: 1,075 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Mexico

Military branches: Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena): Army and Air Force (FAM) Secretariat of the Navy (Semar): Naval Air and Marines (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 24,488,008 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 19,058,337 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 1,063,233 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6.043 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.9% (2004)

Transnational Issues Mexico

Disputes - international: prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded practices and infrastructure in the border region have strained water-sharing arrangements with the US; the US has stepped up efforts to stem nationals from Mexico, Central America, and other parts of the world from illegally crossing the border with Mexico

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 12,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region) (2004)

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 - 4,400 hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America, accounting for about 70 percent of estimated annual cocaine movement to the US; major drug syndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Micronesia, Federated States of

Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of

Background: In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Geography Micronesia, Federated States of

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

Geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 15 E

Map references: Oceania

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

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 6,112 km

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

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

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 45.71% other: 48.58% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues: overfishing, climate change, pollution

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

Geography - note: four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People Micronesia, Federated States of

Population: 108,105 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.1% (male 20,439/female 19,674) 15-64 years: 59.8% (male 32,382/female 32,313) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,461/female 1,836) (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.08% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 25.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -21.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: total: 30.21 deaths/1,000 live births male: 33.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.75 years male: 67.96 years female: 71.62 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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

Ethnic groups: nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

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

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

Government Micronesia, Federated States of

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

Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004

Capital: Palikir

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

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

National holiday: Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution: 10 May 1979

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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

Legislative branch: unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: no formal parties

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALE embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186

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

Economy Micronesia, Federated States of

Economy - overview: Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.

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

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

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

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

Labor force: NA

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

Unemployment rate: 16% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 26.7%

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

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

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

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 192 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: NA

Electricity - consumption: 178.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Exports: $22 million (f.o.b.) (FY99/00 est.)

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

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

Imports: $149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.)

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

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

Debt - external: $53.1 million (FY02/03 est.)

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

Currency (code): US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Micronesia, Federated States of

Telephones - main lines in use: 10,100 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,800 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios: 9,400 (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 3; note - cable TV also available (2004)

Televisions: 2,800 (1999)

Internet country code: .fm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 6,000 (2002)

Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of

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

Ports and harbors: Tomil Harbor

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2) (2005)

Airports: 6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Micronesia, Federated States of

Military branches: no ministry of defense and no standing armed forces; the paramilitary Maritime Wing, a small maritime law enforcement unit, is responsible to the Division of Maritime Surveillance within the Office of the Attorney General (2003)

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

Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Midway Islands

Introduction Midway Islands

Background: The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a national wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to the public; it is now temporarily closed.

Geography Midway Islands

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

Geographic coordinates: 28 13 N, 177 22 W

Map references: Oceania

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

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15 km

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

Climate: subtropical; moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain: low, nearly level

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

Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for reorganization at present (2004)

People Midway Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractor living at the atoll (July 2005 est.)

Government Midway Islands

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

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy; on 31 October 1996, through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

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

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Midway Islands

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

Transportation Midway Islands

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

Ports and harbors: Sand Island

Airports: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Transportation - note: airfield serves as an emergency landing site for commercial aircraft crossing the Pacific Ocean

Military Midway Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Midway Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Moldova

Introduction Moldova

Background: Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001.

Geography Moldova

Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references: Europe

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

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Maryland

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

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

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

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

Land use: arable land: 55.3% permanent crops: 10.79% other: 33.91% (2001)

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

Natural hazards: landslides (57 cases in 1998)

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

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

People Moldova

Population: 4,455,421 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.2% (male 459,452/female 442,725) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 1,489,813/female 1,606,202) 65 years and over: 10.3% (male 169,038/female 288,191) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 32.22 years male: 30.14 years female: 34.27 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.22% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 15.27 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 12.79 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 40.42 deaths/1,000 live births male: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.18 years male: 61.12 years female: 69.43 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Nationality: noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan

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

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

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

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

Government Moldova

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

Government type: republic

Capital: Chisinau

Administrative divisions: 32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala) : counties: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni : municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau : autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia : territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului

Independence: 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Constitution: new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994; replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since 29 January 2002) cabinet: selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April 2005 (next to be held NA 2009); note - prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001 election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 46.1%, Democratic Moldova Bloc 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party - PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc 34, PPCD 11

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

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Modova Bloc [Serafim URECHEANU] includes: Democratic Party [Dumitru DIACOV], Our Moldova Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS, Serafim URECHEANU], Social Liberal Party [Oleg SEREBRIAN]; Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Heather M. HODGES embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 408-300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-30-44

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

Economy Moldova

Economy - overview: Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost all of its energy supplies from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort after independence, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, 6.3% in 2003, and 6.8% in 2004. Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $8.581 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.4% industry: 24.8% services: 52.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 1.36 million (2004 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 17.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $648.1 million expenditures: $634.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Public debt: 63.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 17% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production: 3.876 billion kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption: 4.605 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 1 billion kWh (2002)

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

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

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: NA

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

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

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

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

Current account balance: $-148.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports: $1.03 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners: Russia 35.8%, Italy 13.9%, Romania 10%, Germany 7.3%, Ukraine 6.6%, Belarus 6%, US 4.6% (2004)

Imports: $1.83 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners: Ukraine 24.6%, Russia 12.2%, Romania 9.3%, Germany 8.5%, Italy 7.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $390 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $100 million (2000)

Currency (code): Moldovan leu (MDL)

Currency code: MDL

Exchange rates: lei per US dollar - 12.33 (2004), 13.945 (2003), 13.571 (2002), 12.865 (2001), 12.434 (2000)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Moldova

Telephones - main lines in use: 706,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 338,200 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced international: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 3.22 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.26 million (1997)

Internet country code: .md

Internet hosts: 11,984 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)

Internet users: 150,000 (2002)

Transportation Moldova

Railways: total: 1,138 km broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 12,719 km paved: 10,977 km unpaved: 1,742 km (2002)

Waterways: 424 km (2004)

Pipelines: gas 606 km (2004)

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,636 GRT/1,088 DWT by type: cargo 2 (2005)

Airports: 23 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Military Moldova

Military branches: National Army: Ground Forces, Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; national service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,066,459 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 693,913 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 43,729 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $8.7 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Moldova

Disputes - international: Moldova and Ukraine have established joint customs posts to monitor transit through Moldova's break-away Transnistria Region which remains under OSCE supervision

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 1,000 (internal secessionist uprising in Transdniestrian region in 1991) (2004)

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Monaco

Introduction Monaco

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

Geography Monaco

Location: Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 24 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 1.95 sq km land: 1.95 sq km water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km

Coastline: 4.1 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain: hilly, rugged, rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban

People Monaco

Population: 32,409 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,563/female 2,445) 15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,909/female 10,217) 65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,972/female 4,303) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 45.25 years male: 43.27 years female: 47.19 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.43% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 9.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 7.71 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: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.57 years male: 75.7 years female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s) adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups: French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%

Languages: French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Monaco

Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Monaco conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco local short form: Monaco

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Monaco

Administrative divisions: none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Independence: 1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National holiday: National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Constitution: 17 December 1962

Legal system: based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005) head of government: Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June 2005) cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government

Legislative branch: unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16 members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional representation; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UNAM 21, UND 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders: National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Monaco does not have an embassy in the US consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red

Economy Monaco

Economy - overview: Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In 2001, a major construction project extended the pier used by cruise ships in the main harbor. The principality has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates below are extremely rough.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $870 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.9% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: NA% services: NA% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 30,540 (January 1994)

Unemployment rate: 22% (1999)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.9% (2000)

Budget: revenues: $518 million expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1995)

Agriculture - products: none

Industries: tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - imports: NA kWh note: electricity supplied by France

Exports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

Imports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

Debt - external: $18 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: NA

Currency (code): euro (EUR)

Currency code: EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Monaco

Telephones - main lines in use: 33,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 19,300 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios: 34,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1998)

Televisions: 25,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mc

Internet hosts: 533 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 16,000 (2002)

Transportation Monaco

Highways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors: Monaco

Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 54 (2005)

Airports: none; linked to the airport at Nice, France by helicopter service (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice, France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2004 est.)

Military Monaco

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France; the Palace Guard performs ceremonial duties (2003)

Transnational Issues Monaco

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Mongolia

Introduction Mongolia

Background: The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and later came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Since then, parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and produced a coalition government in 2004.

Geography Mongolia

Location: Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 1,564,116 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 8,220 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain: vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources: oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Land use: arable land: 0.77% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.23% (2001)

Irrigated land: 840 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which is harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on the environment

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

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

People Mongolia

Population: 2,791,272 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.7% (male 407,547/female 392,440) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 943,418/female 945,063) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 44,413/female 58,391) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 24.28 years male: 23.93 years female: 24.64 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.45% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 21.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 7.03 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 53.79 deaths/1,000 live births male: 57.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.52 years male: 62.3 years female: 66.86 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (2003 est)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups: Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)

Religions: Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4% (2004)

Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% male: 98% female: 97.5% (2002)

Government Mongolia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Mongolia local long form: none local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia

Government type: mixed parliamentary/presidential

Capital: Ulaanbaatar

Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Independence: 11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday: Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution: 12 February 1992

Legal system: blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine "continental" or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 24 June 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Tsakhi ELBEGDORJ (since 20 August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Chultem ULAAN (since 28 September 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural (parliament) in consultation with the president elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; presidential tenure limited to two four-year terms; election last held 22 May 2005 (next to be held in May 2009); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by State Great Hural election results: Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected president; percent of vote - Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (MPRP) 53.44%, Mendsaikhanin ENKHSAIKHAN (DP) 20.05%, Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN (MRP) 13.92%, Badarchyn ERDENEBAT (M-MNSDP) 12.59%; Tsakhi ELBEGDORJ elected prime minister by the State Great Hural 74 to 0

Legislative branch: unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.78%, MDC 44.8%, independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1.42%; seats by party - MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - following June 2004 election, two seats in dispute and unoccupied

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP (also called Civil Courage Republican Party or CCRP) [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN]; Democratic Party or DP [R. GONCHIKDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [Badarchyn ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN] note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in 2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party; MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117 FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. SLUTZ embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13 mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [976] (11) 329095 FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Flag description: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)

Economy Mongolia

Economy - overview: Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based on herding and agriculture. Mongolia has extensive mineral deposits; copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten and gold account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw Mongolia endure both deep recession due to political inaction and natural disasters, as well as economic growth due to reform embracing free-market economics and extensive privatization of the formerly state-run economy. Severe winters and summer droughts in 2000, 2001, and 2002 resulted in massive livestock die-off and zero or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling prices for Mongolia's primary sector exports and widespread opposition to privatization. Growth improved from 2002 at 4% to 2003 at 5%, due largely to high copper prices and new gold production, with the government claiming a 10.6% growth rate for 2004 that is unconfirmed. Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily impacted by its neighbors. For example, Mongolia purchases 80% of its petroleum products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia, leaving it vulnerable to price increases. China is Mongolia's chief export partner and a main source of the "shadow" or "grey" economy. The World Bank and other international financial institutions estimate the grey economy to be at least equal to that of the official economy. The actual size of this grey - largely cash - economy is difficult to calculate since the money does not pass through the hands of tax authorities or the banking sector. Remittances from Mongolians working abroad both legally and illegally constitute a sizeable portion. Money laundering is growing as an accompanying concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion debt with Russia at the end of 2003 on very favorable terms. Mongolia, which joined the World Trade Organization in 1997, seeks to expand its participation and integration into Asian regional economic and trade regimes.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $5.332 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 10.6% according to official estimate (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.6% industry: 21.4% services: 58% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 1.488 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: herding/agriculture 42%, mining 4%, manufacturing 6%, trade 14%, services 29%, public sector 5%, other 3.7% (2003)

Unemployment rate: 6.7% (2003)

Population below poverty line: 36.1% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 44 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11% (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $582 million expenditures: $602 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops, sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses

Industries: construction and construction materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production: 2.692 billion kWh (2004 est.)

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

Electricity - consumption: 2.209 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - exports: 8.2 million kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - imports: 130.5 million kWh (2004 est.)

Oil - production: 542 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: 497 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports: 11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Exports: $853 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Exports - partners: China 47.8%, US 17.9%, UK 15.7% (2004)

Imports: $1 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Imports - partners: Russia 33.3%, China 23.6%, Japan 7.4%, South Korea 6%, US 4.6% (2004)

Debt - external: $1.191 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $215 million (2003)

Currency (code): togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Currency code: MNT

Exchange rates: togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,185.3 (2004), 1,146.5 (2003), 1,110.3 (2002), 1,097.7 (2001), 1,076.7 (2000)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mongolia

Telephones - main lines in use: 142,300 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 404,400 (2004)

Telephone system: general assessment: network is improving with international direct dialing available in many areas domestic: very low density of about 6.5 telephones for each thousand persons; two wireless providers cover all but two provinces international: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 62, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios: 155,900 (1999)

Television broadcast stations: 52 (plus 21 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (2004)

Televisions: 168,800 (1999)

Internet country code: .mn

Internet hosts: 1,000 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 220,000 (2004)

Transportation Mongolia

Railways: total: 1,810 km broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 49,256 km paved: 8,874 km unpaved: 40,376 km (2002)

Waterways: 580 km note: only waterway in operation is Lake Khovsgol (135 km); Selenge River (270 km) and Orkhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May to September (2004)

Merchant marine: total: 65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 339,423 GRT/533,853 DWT by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 54, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 38 (China 2, Lebanon 1, Philippines 1, Russia 10, Singapore 10, South Korea 1, Syria 1, Thailand 1, Ukraine 1, UAE 4, Vietnam 6) (2005)

Airports: 46 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Mongolia

Military branches: Mongolian Armed Forces: Mongolian People's Army (MPA), Mongolian People's Air Force (MPAF) (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 736,182 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 570,435 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 34,674 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $23.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mongolia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Montserrat

Introduction Montserrat

Background: Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003.

Geography Montserrat

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 62 12 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm