Legislative branch: unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats, Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono elections: last held January 2002 (next to be held January 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: UNESCO (associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of New Zealand)

Flag description: the flag of New Zealand is used

Economy Tokelau

Economy - overview: Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.5 million (1993 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)

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

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

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: $430,800 expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats

Industries: small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

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

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Exports: $98,000 f.o.b. (1983)

Exports - commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts

Exports - partners: New Zealand (2000)

Imports: $323,000 c.i.f. (1983)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Imports - partners: New Zealand (2000)

Debt - external: $0

Economic aid - recipient: from New Zealand about $4 million annually

Currency (code): New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code: NZD

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Tokelau

Telephones - main lines in use: 300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern satellite-based communications system; domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002)

Radios: 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Tokelau

Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2004 est.)

Military Tokelau

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Tokelau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Tonga

Introduction Tonga

Background: The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Geography Tonga

Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 175 00 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 748 sq km land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km

Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 419 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate: tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)

Terrain: most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Natural resources: fish, fertile soil

Land use: arable land: 23.61% permanent crops: 43.06% other: 33.33% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou

Environment - current issues: deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

People Tonga

Population: 112,422 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.2% (male 20,738/female 19,907) 15-64 years: 59.7% (male 33,226/female 33,853) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,031/female 2,667) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 20.46 years male: 19.93 years female: 21.02 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.98% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 25.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 5.35 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: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 12.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.53 years male: 67.05 years female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3 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: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Religions: Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Languages: Tongan, English

Literacy: definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 98.9% male: 98.8% female: 99% (1996 est.)

Government Tonga

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands

Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital: Nuku'alofa

Administrative divisions: 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Independence: 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

National holiday: Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution: 4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967

Legal system: based on English law

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since 3 January 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister James C. COCKER (since NA January 2001) cabinet: cabinet consists of 16 members, 12 appointed by the monarch for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly including 2 each from the Nobles and Peoples representatives serving three year terms note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the Cabinet, and two governors elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Flag description: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy Tonga

Economy - overview: Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the second largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $244 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 13% services: 64% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 33,910 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13.3% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.3% (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $39.9 million expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.)

Agriculture - products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Industries: tourism, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 8.6% (FY98/99)

Electricity - production: 24.79 million kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption: 23.06 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: NA

Exports: $27 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports - partners: Japan 37.1%, China 18.7%, US 17.7%, Taiwan 8.7%, New Zealand 7.4% (2004)

Imports: $86 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Imports - partners: New Zealand 37.1%, Fiji 24.3%, Australia 9.1%, China 8.9%, US 6.3% (2004)

Debt - external: $63.4 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)

Currency (code): pa'anga (TOP)

Currency code: TOP

Exchange rates: pa'anga per US dollar - 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003), 2.1952 (2002), 2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Tonga

Telephones - main lines in use: 11,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 9,000 (2004)

Telephone system: general assessment: competition between Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT recently granted authority to develop high-speed digital service for telephone, Internet, and television domestic: fully automatic switched network international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios: 61,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (2004)

Televisions: 2,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .to

Internet hosts: 18,906 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 2,900 (2002)

Transportation Tonga

Highways: total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors: Nuku'alofa

Merchant marine: total: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 136,977 GRT/200,751 DWT by type: cargo 21, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 7 (Cyprus 1, France 1, Greece 1, Norway 1, Romania 2, United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Airports: 6 (2004 est.)

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

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

Military Tonga

Military branches: Tonga Defense Services: Ground Forces (Royal Marines, Royal Guard), Maritime Force (includes Air Wing)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA

Transnational Issues Tonga

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction Trinidad and Tobago

Background: The islands came under British control in the 19th century; independence was granted in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.

Geography Trinidad and Tobago

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 61 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 5,128 sq km land: 5,128 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 362 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin

Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Land use: arable land: 14.62% permanent crops: 9.16% other: 76.22% (2001)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion

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

Geography - note: Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

People Trinidad and Tobago

Population: 1,088,644 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.7% (male 115,594/female 109,665) 15-64 years: 71% (male 403,301/female 369,664) 65 years and over: 8.3% (male 40,638/female 49,782) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 30.91 years male: 30.46 years female: 31.44 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.74% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 12.81 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 9.37 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -10.87 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: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 24.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.23 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.73 years male: 65.6 years female: 67.91 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 3.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 29,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,900 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Ethnic groups: Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census)

Religions: Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 5.8%, Muslim 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census)

Languages: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 99.1% female: 98% (2003 est.)

Government Trinidad and Tobago

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Port-of-Spain

Administrative divisions: 9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3 borough corporations, and 1 ward : regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco : city corporations: Port-of-Spain, San Fernando; : borough corporations: Arima, Point Fortin, Chaguanas : ward: Tobago

Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Constitution: 1 August 1976

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term; election last held 14 February 2003 (next to be held in 2008); the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 43%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President, 6 by the opposition party for a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next to be held by October 2007) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16 note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members serving four-year terms

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Court of Appeals; the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London

Political parties and leaders: National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Lennox SANKERSINGH]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or TU [Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]; Democratic Action Committee or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES], note - only active in Tobago

Political pressure groups and leaders: Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette VALERE chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490 FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone: [1] (868) 622-6372 through 6376, 622-6176 FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

Flag description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side

Economy Trinidad and Tobago

Economy - overview: Trinidad and Tobago, the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas, has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. Tourism is a growing sector, although not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from low inflation and a growing trade surplus. Prospects for growth in 2004 are good as prices for oil, petrochemicals, and liquified natural gas are expected to remain high, and foreign direct investment continues to grow to support expanded capacity in the energy sector. The government is coping with a rise in violent crime.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $11.48 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 47% services: 50.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 590,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 9.5%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, construction and utilities 12.4%, services 64.1% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10.4% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: 21% (1992 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2004 est.)

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

Budget: revenues: $3.25 billion expenditures: $3.193 billion, including capital expenditures of $117.3 million (2004 est.)

Public debt: 54.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 7.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production: 5.743 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 5.341 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production: 140,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: NA

Oil - proved reserves: 990 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production: 25 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 13.76 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 11.79 billion cu m (2003 est.)

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

Natural gas - proved reserves: 589 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

Current account balance: $1.548 billion (2004 est.)

Exports: $6.671 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Exports - partners: US 67.1%, Jamaica 5.7%, France 3.5% (2004)

Imports: $4.65 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals

Imports - partners: US 23.9%, Venezuela 11.5%, Germany 11.2%, Brazil 10.7%, Spain 6.4%, Italy 5.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.927 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $2.94 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $24 million (1999 est.)

Currency (code): Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Currency code: TTD

Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.299 (2004), 6.2951 (2003), 6.2487 (2002), 6.2332 (2001), 6.2998 (2000)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Trinidad and Tobago

Telephones - main lines in use: 325,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 361,900 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent international service; good local service domestic: NA international: country code - 1-868; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios: 680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (2004)

Televisions: 425,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tt

Internet hosts: 8,003 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000)

Internet users: 138,000 (2002)

Transportation Trinidad and Tobago

Highways: total: 8,320 km paved: 4,252 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines: condensate 253 km; gas 1,117 km; oil 478 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain

Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,178 GRT/3,633 DWT by type: passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (United States 1) registered in other countries: 4 (2005)

Airports: 6 (2004 est.)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Trinidad and Tobago

Military branches: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force, Coast Guard (includes Air Wing) (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 293,094 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 203,531 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $66.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Trinidad and Tobago

Disputes - international: Barbados will assert its claim before UNCLOS that the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into its waters; Guyana has also expressed its intention to challenge this boundary as it may extend into its waters as well

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Tromelin Island

Introduction Tromelin Island

Background: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station.

Geography Tromelin Island

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

Geographic coordinates: 15 52 S, 54 25 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1 sq km land: 1 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3.7 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate: tropical

Terrain: low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (2001)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

People Tromelin Island

Population: uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July 2005 est.)

Government Tromelin Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tromelin Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Tromelin

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

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

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Tromelin Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Tromelin Island

Communications - note: important meteorological station

Transportation Tromelin Island

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Tromelin Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Tromelin Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Mauritius

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Tunisia

Introduction Tunisia

Background: Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Geography Tunisia

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya

Geographic coordinates: 34 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 163,610 sq km land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Coastline: 1,148 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate: temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south

Terrain: mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Land use: arable land: 17.86% permanent crops: 13.74% other: 68.4% (2001)

Irrigated land: 3,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: 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: strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Tunisia

Population: 10,074,951 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.3% (male 1,316,308/female 1,234,309) 15-64 years: 68.1% (male 3,437,880/female 3,418,591) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 321,287/female 346,576) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 27.29 years male: 26.78 years female: 27.82 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.99% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 15.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 24.77 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.89 years male: 73.2 years female: 76.71 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,000 (2003 est.)

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

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2004)

Nationality: noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian

Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Languages: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.3% male: 83.4% female: 65.3% (2004 est.)

Government Tunisia

Country name: conventional long form: Tunisian Republic conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis

Government type: republic

Capital: Tunis

Administrative divisions: 24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)

Independence: 20 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 20 March (1956)

Constitution: 1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002

Legal system: based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17 November 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%, Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders: Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Nejib HACHANA chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William J. HUDSON embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La Goulette, Tunisia mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 107-000 FAX: [216] 71 962-115

Flag description: red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Tunisia

Economy - overview: Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism. Better rains in 2003 and 2004, however, helped push GDP growth above 5% for these years. Tourism also recovered after the end of combat operations in Iraq. Tunisia is gradually removing barriers to trade with the European Union. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $70.88 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.8% industry: 31.8% services: 54.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 3.55 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13.8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: 7.6% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 41.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 24.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $6.799 billion expenditures: $7.573 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2004 est.)

Public debt: 59.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds

Industries: petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production: 10.72 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 10.05 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 10 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 90 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production: 72,580 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 87,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: NA

Oil - proved reserves: 1.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production: 2.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 3.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - imports: 1.58 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 77.16 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance: $71.85 million (2004 est.)

Exports: $9.926 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons

Exports - partners: France 33.1%, Italy 25.3%, Germany 9.2%, Spain 6.1% (2004)

Imports: $11.52 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food

Imports - partners: France 25.1%, Italy 19%, Germany 8.5%, Spain 5.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.509 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $14.71 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $114.6 million (2002)

Currency (code): Tunisian dinar (TND)

Currency code: TND

Exchange rates: Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002), 1.4387 (2001), 1.3707 (2000)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Tunisia

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,163,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,899,900 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay international: country code - 216; 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 2.06 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 920,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tn

Internet hosts: 281 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 630,000 (2003)

Transportation Tunisia

Railways: total: 2,152 km standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2004)

Highways: total: 18,997 km paved: 12,424 km (including 142 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,573 km (2001)

Pipelines: gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira

Merchant marine: total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 124,733 GRT/122,664 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 5, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 3 (2005)

Airports: 30 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Military Tunisia

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force (2003)

Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 2,441,741 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 2,035,431 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 108,817 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $356 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Tunisia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Turkey

Introduction Turkey

Background: Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives, but after the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents largely withdrew from Turkey, mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy, enabling it to begin accession membership talks with the European Union.

Geography Turkey

Location: southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 35 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 780,580 sq km land: 770,760 sq km water: 9,820 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 2,648 km border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Coastline: 7,200 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR

Climate: temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior

Terrain: high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Natural resources: coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 30.93% permanent crops: 3.31% other: 65.76% (2001)

Irrigated land: 42,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Environment - current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note: strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country

People Turkey

Population: 69,660,559 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26% (male 9,232,439/female 8,897,135) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 23,806,367/female 23,053,536) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 2,140,242/female 2,530,840) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 27.7 years male: 27.52 years female: 27.89 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.09% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 5.96 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: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 41.04 deaths/1,000 live births male: 44.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.36 years male: 69.94 years female: 74.91 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% - note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Turk(s) adjective: Turkish

Ethnic groups: Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)

Religions: Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

Languages: Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.5% male: 94.3% female: 78.7% (2003 est.)

Government Turkey

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Turkey conventional short form: Turkey local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti local short form: Turkiye

Government type: republican parliamentary democracy

Capital: Ankara

Administrative divisions: 81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Independence: 29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

Constitution: 7 November 1982

Legal system: civil law system derived from various European continental legal systems; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified European Convention on Human Rights

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a seven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament election results: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the third ballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60% note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third ballot

Legislative branch: unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); note - a special rerun of the General Election in the province of Siirt on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to a seat in parliament, a prerequisite for becoming prime minister, on 14 March 2003 election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%, DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, ANAP 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and others; seats by party - AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties surpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; seats by party as of 1 December 2004 - AKP 368, CHP 171, DYP 4, LDP 1, independents 5, vacant 1

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; Democratic People's Party or DEHAP [Tuncer BAKIRHAN]; Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Emin SIRIN]; Motherland Party or ANAP [Ali Talip OZDEMIR]; Nationalist Action Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]; Republican People's Party or CHP (includes the New Turkey Party) [Deniz BAYKAL]; Felicity Party (sometimes translated as Contentment Party) or SP [Necmettin ERBEKAN]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP [Murat KARAYALCIN]; True Path Party (sometimes translated as Correct Way Party) or DYP [Mehmet AGAR] note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of the 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN]; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim USLU]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or TUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or TISK [Refik BAYDUR]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is [Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]

International organization participation: AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Osman Faruk LOGOGLU chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eric S. EDELMAN embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555 FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

Flag description: red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening

Economy Turkey

Economy - overview: Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that in 2004 still accounted for more than 35% of employment. It has a strong and rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The largest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts for one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competition in international markets with the end of the global quota system. However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronics industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix. In recent years the economic situation has been marked by erratic economic growth and serious imbalances. Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. Inflation, in recent years in the high double-digit range, fell to 9.3% by 2004 - a 30-year low. Despite these strong economic gains in 2002-04, which were largely due to renewed investor interest in emerging markets, IMF backing, and tighter fiscal policy, the economy is still plagued with high debt and deficits. The public sector fiscal deficit exceeds 6% of GDP - due in large part to the huge burden of interest payments, which accounted for more than 40% of central government spending in 2004, and to populist spending. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Turkey remains low - averaging less than $1 billion annually, but further economic and judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to boost FDI. A major political and economic issue over the next decade is whether or not Turkey will become a member of the EU.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $508.7 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 8.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.7% industry: 29.8% services: 58.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 25.3 million note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 35.9%, industry 22.8%, services 41.2% (3rd quarter, 2004)

Unemployment rate: 9.3% (plus underemployment of 4.0%) (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: 20% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 30.7% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 42 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 17.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $78.53 billion expenditures: $110.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Public debt: 74.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus; livestock

Industries: textiles, food processing, autos, mining (coal, chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Industrial production growth rate: 16.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production: 139.7 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 79.3% hydro: 20.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 117.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 433 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 3.6 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production: 48,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 619,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: 46,110 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: 616,500 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 288.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production: 312 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 15.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - imports: 15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 8.685 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance: $-15.3 billion (2004 est.)

Exports: $69.46 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment

Exports - partners: Germany 13.9%, UK 8.8%, US 7.7%, Italy 7.4%, France 5.8%, Spain 4.2% (2004)

Imports: $94.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment

Imports - partners: Germany 12.9%, Russia 9.3%, Italy 7.1%, France 6.4%, US 4.8%, China 4.6%, UK 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $37.1 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $16.9 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $635.8 million (2002)

Currency (code): Turkish lira (TRL), New Turkish lira (YTL) after 1 January 2005

Currency code: TRL, YTL

Exchange rates: Turkish liras per US dollar - 1,425,500 (2004), 1,500,900 (2003), 1,507,200 (2002), 1,225,600 (2001), 625,200 (2000) Note: on 1 January 2005 the old Turkish Lira (TRL)was converted to New Turkish Lira (YTL) at a rate of 1,000,000 old to 1 New Turkish Lira

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Turkey

Telephones - main lines in use: 18,916,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 27,887,500 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion, especially with cellular telephones domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile cellular telephone service is growing rapidly international: country code - 90; international service is provided by three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile satellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios: 11.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 20.9 million (1997)

Internet country code: .tr

Internet hosts: 355,215 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2001)

Internet users: 5.5 million (2003)

Transportation Turkey

Railways: total: 8,697 km standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2004)

Highways: total: 354,421 km paved: 147,404 km (including 1,851 km of expressways) unpaved: 207,017 km (2002)

Waterways: 1,200 km (2003)

Pipelines: gas 3,177 km; oil 3,562 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Aliaga, Ambarli, Eregli, Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Kocaeli (Izmit), Skhira, Toros

Merchant marine: total: 526 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,666,895 GRT/7,311,504 DWT by type: bulk carrier 108, cargo 228, chemical tanker 45, combination ore/oil 1, container 25, liquefied gas 6, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 50, petroleum tanker 33, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 22, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 8 (Cyprus 3, Denmark 2, Greece 1, Italy 1, Switzerland 1) registered in other countries: 231 (2005)

Airports: 119 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 87 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 32 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 14 (2004 est.)

Military Turkey

Military branches: Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Naval Forces (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 16,756,323 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 13,905,901 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 679,734 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $12.155 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.3% (2003)

Military - note: in the early 1990s, the Turkish Land Force was a large but badly equipped infantry force; there were 14 infantry divisions, but only one was mechanized, and out of 16 infantry brigades, only six were mechanized; the overhaul that has taken place since has produced highly moblie forces with greatly enhanced firepower in accordance with NATO's new strategic concept (2005)

Transnational Issues Turkey

Disputes - international: complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria and Iraq protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper Euphrates waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq; border with Armenia remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 350,000-1,000,000 (fighting from 1984-99 between Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2004)

Illicit drugs: key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and - to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Turkmenistan

Introduction Turkmenistan

Background: Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportation routes in order to break Russia's pipeline monopoly.

Geography Turkmenistan

Location: Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 60 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 488,100 sq km land: 488,100 sq km water: negl.

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 3,736 km border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Coastline: 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: subtropical desert

Terrain: flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m) highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Land use: arable land: 3.72% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.14% (2001)

Irrigated land: 17,500 sq km (2003 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

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

Geography - note: landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

People Turkmenistan

Population: 4,952,081 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.7% (male 909,113/female 860,128) 15-64 years: 60.2% (male 1,462,198/female 1,516,836) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 78,119/female 125,687) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 21.56 years male: 20.68 years female: 22.44 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.81% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 27.68 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 73.08 deaths/1,000 live births male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 69.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.39 years male: 58.02 years female: 64.93 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2004 est.)

Nationality: noun: Turkmen(s) adjective: Turkmen

Ethnic groups: Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)

Religions: Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Languages: Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.8% male: 99.3% female: 98.3% (1995 est.)

Government Turkmenistan

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type: republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch

Capital: Ashgabat

Administrative divisions: 5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Constitution: adopted 18 May 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28 December 1999 during a session of the People's Council (Halk Maslahaty) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held in 2008 when NIYAZOV turns 70 and is constitutionally ineligible to run); note - President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by the People's Council on 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of the cabinet of ministers are appointed by the president election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%

Legislative branch: under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some of whom are elected by popular vote and some of whom are appointed; meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003; Mejlis - last held 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009) election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note - all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOV note: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers of the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the constitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since the president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative branches of government

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV] note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been Gundogar and Erkin; Gundogar was led by former Foreign Minister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25 November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; Erkin is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out of Moscow; the Union of Democratic Forces, a coalition of opposition-in-exile groups, is based in Europe

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOV chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSON embassy: 9 Pushkin (1984) Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000 mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-7070 telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45 FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14

Flag description: green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs) stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe

Economy Turkmenistan

Economy - overview: Turkmenistan is largely desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources. One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was the world's tenth-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have led to a nearly 46% decline in cotton exports. With an authoritarian ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain limited. In 1998-2004, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total exports rose by perhaps 30% in 2003 and 19% in 2004, largely because of higher international oil and gas prices. Overall prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, the burden of foreign debt, the government's irrational use of oil and gas revenues, and its unwillingness to adopt market-oriented reforms. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $27.6 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: IMF estimate: 7.5% note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these estimates are notoriously unreliable (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28.5% industry: 42.7% services: 28.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 2.32 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 48.2%, industry 13.8%, services 37% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate: 60% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: 58% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 29% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $3.05 billion expenditures: $3.05 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: cotton, grain; livestock

Industries: natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: official government estimate: 22% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production: 11.41 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 8.908 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 1.136 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production: 162,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 63,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: NA

Oil - proved reserves: 273 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production: 58.57 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 9.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 43.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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

Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.43 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance: $114 million (2004 est.)

Exports: $4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles

Exports - partners: Ukraine 46.6%, Iran 17.3%, Turkey 4.2%, Italy 4.1% (2004)

Imports: $2.85 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: US 11.8%, Russia 9.7%, UAE 9.2%, Ukraine 9%, Turkey 8.6%, Germany 8%, France 5%, Georgia 4.6%, Iran 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.034 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $16 million from the US (2001)

Currency (code): Turkmen manat (TMM)

Currency code: TMM

Exchange rates: Turkmen manats per US dollar - 10,100 (2004), 10,034 (2003), 10,098 (2002), 5,200 (2001) note: in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered around 21,000 manats to the dollar

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Turkmenistan

Telephones - main lines in use: 374,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 52,000 (2004)

Telephone system: general assessment: poorly developed domestic: NA international: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 1.225 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (government owned and programmed) (2004)

Televisions: 820,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tm

Internet hosts: 524 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1

Internet users: 8,000 (2002)

Transportation Turkmenistan

Railways: total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways) (2003)

Pipelines: gas 6,549 km; oil 1,395 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Turkmenbasy

Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWT by type: cargo 3, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2005)

Airports: 53 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Turkmenistan

Military branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,132,833 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 759,978 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 56,532 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $90 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Turkmenistan

Disputes - international: cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; bilateral talks continue with Azerbaijan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; demarcation of land boundary with Kazakhstan has started but Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled

Illicit drugs: transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Turks and Caicos Islands

Introduction Turks and Caicos Islands

Background: The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas territory.

Geography Turks and Caicos Islands

Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Geographic coordinates: 21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 389 km

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

Climate: tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

Terrain: low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch

Land use: arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Geography - note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

People Turks and Caicos Islands

Population: 20,556 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,396/female 3,277) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 6,900/female 6,220) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 342/female 421) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 27.35 years male: 28.08 years female: 26.62 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.9% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 22.23 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 11.09 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: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 15.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.51 years male: 72.28 years female: 76.84 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.08 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: none adjective: none

Ethnic groups: black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%

Religions: Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Languages: English (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.)

People - note: destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US

Government Turks and Caicos Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: Grand Turk

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution: introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988

Legal system: based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005) head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%; seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August 2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now has 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

Economy Turks and Caicos Islands

Economy - overview: The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the annual 93,000 visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $216 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.9% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2002 est.)

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

Labor force: 4,848 (1990 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services

Unemployment rate: 10% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1995)

Budget: revenues: $47 million expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997-98 est.)

Agriculture - products: corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Industries: tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 5 million kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption: 4.65 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day

Oil - consumption: 0 bbl/day

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: NA

Exports: $169.2 million (2000)

Exports - commodities: lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Exports - partners: US, UK

Imports: $175.6 million (2000)

Imports - commodities: food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials

Imports - partners: US, UK

Debt - external: NA

Economic aid - recipient: $4.1 million (1997)

Currency (code): US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Turks and Caicos Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 5,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,700 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing domestic: full range of services available international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios: 8,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television networks) (2004)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .tc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Turks and Caicos Islands

Highways: total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000)

Ports and harbors: Grand Turk, Providenciales

Airports: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Turks and Caicos Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Turks and Caicos Islands

Disputes - international: have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005



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@Tuvalu

Introduction Tuvalu

Background: In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Geography Tuvalu

Location: Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 178 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 26 sq km land: 26 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 24 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm