International organization participation: CEI, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICCt, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Miodrag VLAHOVIC

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Arlene FERRILL embassy: Ljubljanska bb, 82000 Podgorica, Montenegro mailing address: (use street address) telephone: [381] 81 225 417 FAX: [381] 81 241 358

Flag description: a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered

Economy Montenegro

Economy - overview: The republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and continues to maintain its own central bank, uses the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collects customs tariffs, and manages its own budget. The dissolution of the loose political union between Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 led to separate membership in several international financial institutions, such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. On January 18, 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro is pursuing its own membership in the World Trade Organization as well as negotiating a Stabilization and Association agreement with the European Union in anticipation of eventual membership. Severe unemployment remains a key political and economic problem for this entire region. Montenegro has privatized its large aluminum complex - the dominant industry - as well as most of its financial sector, and has begun to attract foreign direct investment in the tourism sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.394 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $4.744 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA

GDP - per capita (PPP): $3,800 (2005 est.)

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

Labor force: 259,100 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2% industry: 30% services: 68% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: 27.7% (2005)

Population below poverty line: 12.2% (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (2004)

Investment (gross fixed): % of GDP NA

Budget: revenues: NA expenditures: NA

Public debt: % of GDP NA

Agriculture - products: grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheepherding; commercial fishing negligible

Industries: steelmaking, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

Electricity - production: 2.864 billion kWh 2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - consumption: 18.6 million kWh

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day

Oil - consumption: 450 bbl/day

Natural gas - consumption: NA

Current account balance: NA

Exports: $171.3 million (2003)

Exports - partners: Switzerland 83.9%, Italy 6.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.3% (2003)

Imports: $601.7 million (2003)

Imports - partners: Greece 10.2%, Italy 10.2%, Germany 9.6%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: NA

Debt - external: NA

Economic aid - recipient: NA

Currency (code): euro (EUR)

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8089 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Montenegro

Telephones - main lines in use: 177,663 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 543,220 (2005)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern telecommunications system with access to European satellites domestic: GSM wireless service, available through two providers with national coverage, is growing rapidly international: country code - 382 (the old code of 381 used by Serbia and Montenegro will also remain in use until Feb 2007); two international switches connect the national system

Radio broadcast stations: 31 (2004)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (2004)

Internet country code: .me

Internet users: 50,000 (2004)

Transportation Montenegro

Airports: 5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Railways: total: 250 km standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2005)

Roadways: total: 7,353 km paved: 4,274 km unpaved: 3,079 km (2005)

Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 9,458 GRT/10,172 DWT by type: cargo 4 registered in other countries: 4 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals: Bar

Military Montenegro

Military service age and obligation: compulsory national military service abolished August 2006

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.306 billion

Military - note: Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully professional armed forces

Transnational Issues Montenegro

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007



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@Montserrat

Introduction Montserrat

Background: English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possesion of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century. Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003.

Geography Montserrat

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

Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 62 12 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

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

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 40 km

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

Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)

Environment - current issues: land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geography - note: the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages

People Montserrat

Population: 9,439 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,125/female 1,079) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,957/female 3,245) 65 years and over: 10.9% (male 532/female 501) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 28.9 years male: 28.6 years female: 29.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.05% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 17.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 7.19 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.85 years male: 76.67 years female: 81.14 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups: black, white

Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

Languages: English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.)

Government Montserrat

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: name: Plymouth geographic coordinates: 16 44 N, 62 14 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat

Administrative divisions: 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution: effective 19 December 1989

Legal system: English common law and statutory law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Deborah BARNES-JONES (since 10 May 2004) head of government: Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - MCAP 36.1%, NPLM 29.4%, MDP 24.4%, independents 10.1%; seats by party - MCAP 4, NPLM 3, MDP 1, independents 1 note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court)

Political parties and leaders: Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, 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 Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross

Economy Montserrat

Economy - overview: Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $29 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): NA

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

GDP - per capita (PPP): $3,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.2% industry: 23.1% services: 75.7% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 4,521 note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million; including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)

Agriculture - products: cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products

Industries: tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 2 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption: 1.86 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption: 380 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports: NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: NA bbl/day (2001)

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

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

Exports: $700,000 (2001)

Exports - commodities: electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle

Exports - partners: US, Antigua and Barbuda (2004)

Imports: $17 million (2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Imports - partners: US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (2004)

Debt - external: $8.9 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient: Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.)

Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), note, fixed rate since 1976

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Montserrat

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: 70 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern and fully digitalized domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 3,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ms

Internet hosts: 386 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Montserrat

Airports: 2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Roadways: total: 227 km note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003)

Ports and terminals: Plymouth

Military Montserrat

Military branches: no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2005)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,298 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,899 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 84 (2005 est.)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Montserrat

Disputes - international: none

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

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007



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@Morocco

Introduction Morocco

Background: In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature, which first met in 1997. Lower house elections were last held held in September 2002 and upper house elections were last held in September 2006.

Geography Morocco

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 446,550 sq km land: 446,300 sq km water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 2,017.9 km border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline: 1,835 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate: Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Terrain: northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 2% other: 79% (2005)

Irrigated land: 14,450 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

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

Geography - note: strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People Morocco

Population: 33,241,259 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 5,343,976/female 5,145,019) 15-64 years: 63.4% (male 10,505,018/female 10,580,599) 65 years and over: 5% (male 725,116/female 941,531) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 23.9 years male: 23.4 years female: 24.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.55% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 21.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 40.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 43.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 36.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.94 years male: 68.62 years female: 73.37 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 15,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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) (2007)

Nationality: noun: Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan

Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51.7% male: 64.1% female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Government Morocco

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco conventional short form: Morocco local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah local short form: Al Maghrib

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: name: Rabat geographic coordinates: 34 02 N, 6 51 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government; portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco claims another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely within Western Sahara

Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday: Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999)

Constitution: 10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996

Legal system: based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Executive branch: chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; 295 by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 6 October 2003 (next to be held in 2006); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27 September 2002 (next to be held in 2007) election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21, USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 50

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Saad Eddine El OTHMANI]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI, chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular Movement Union or UMP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Mohammed El-YAZGHI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag description: red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912

Economy Morocco

Economy - overview: Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic stability to the country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth sufficient to reduce unemployment that nears 20% in urban areas. Poverty has increased due to the volatile nature of GDP, Morocco's continued dependence on foreign energy, and its inability to promote the growth of small and medium size enterprises. However, GDP growth rebounded to 6.7% in 2006 due to high rainfall, which resulted in a strong second harvest. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible for current account transactions and Morocco's financial sector is rudimentary. Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs is key to domestic security and development. In 2004, Moroccan authorities instituted measures to boost foreign direct investment and trade by signing a free trade agreement with the US, which entered into force in January 2006, and sold government shares in the state telecommunications company and in the largest state-owned bank. Long-term challenges include preparing the economy for freer trade with the US and European Union, improving education and job prospects for Morocco's youth, and raising living standards, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $147 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $56.72 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.3% industry: 31.2% services: 55.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 11.25 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 40% industry: 15% services: 45% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.7% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line: 19% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40 (2005 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 21.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget: revenues: $15.85 billion expenditures: $20.39 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.19 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt: 70.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Industries: phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production: 18.48 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.4% hydro: 4.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 18.89 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 1.7 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production: 300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption: 170,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2000 est.)

Oil - imports: 147,800 bbl/day (2000 est.)

Oil - proved reserves: 100 million bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production: 50 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 50 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m

Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m

Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.218 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance: $389 million (2006 est.)

Exports: $11.72 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities: clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits, vegetables

Exports - partners: France 30.3%, Spain 18%, UK 6.2%, Italy 5.2%, India 4.1% (2005)

Imports: $21.22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Imports - partners: France 18.2%, Spain 11%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, Russia 6.8%, Italy 6.1%, China 5.2%, Germany 4.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $18.21 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external: $17.9 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $706 million (2004)

Currency (code): Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code: MAD

Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.77508 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.574 (2003), 11.021 (2002)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Morocco

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,341,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 12.393 million (2005)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however, density is low with only 4 main lines available for each 100 persons domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay international: country code - 212; 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios: 6.64 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ma

Internet hosts: 3,218 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000)

Internet users: 4.6 million (2005)

Transportation Morocco

Airports: 60 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 11 (2006)

Heliports: 1 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 715 km; oil 285 km (2006)

Railways: total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 57,493 km paved: 32,716 km (including 507 km of expressways) unpaved: 24,777 km (2004)

Merchant marine: total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 382,781 GRT/285,435 DWT by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, container 9, passenger/cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 5 (France 1, Germany 2, Switzerland 1, UK 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals: Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Nador, Safi, Tangier

Military Morocco

Military branches: Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal Moroccan Army (includes Air Defense), Navy (includes Marines), Royal Moroccan Air Force (Force Aerienne Royale Marocaine) (2006)

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

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 7,908,864 females age 18-49: 7,882,879 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 6,484,787 females age 18-49: 6,675,729 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 353,377 females age 18-49: 341,677 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.31 billion (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Morocco

Disputes - international: claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007



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@Mozambique

Introduction Mozambique

Background: Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His newly elected successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment.

Geography Mozambique

Location: Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 S, 35 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 801,590 sq km land: 784,090 sq km water: 17,500 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,571 km border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Coastline: 2,470 km

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

Climate: tropical to subtropical

Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Natural resources: coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

Land use: arable land: 5.43% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 94.28% (2005)

Irrigated land: 1,180 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces

Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem

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

Geography - note: the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country

People Mozambique

Population: 19,686,505 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997 Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.7% (male 4,229,802/female 4,177,235) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 5,207,149/female 5,519,291) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 230,616/female 322,412) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 18.3 years male: 17.8 years female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.38% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 35.18 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 21.35 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 129.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 134.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 124.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 39.82 years male: 39.53 years female: 40.13 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.62 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 12.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.3 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 110,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality: noun: Mozambican(s) adjective: Mozambican

Ethnic groups: African 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Religions: Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)

Languages: Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8% (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe 7.6%, Cisena 6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%, other foreign languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.8% male: 63.5% female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mozambique

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: Mozambique local long form: Republica de Mocambique local short form: Mocambique former: Portuguese East Africa

Government type: republic

Capital: name: Maputo geographic coordinates: 25 58 S, 32 35 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Independence: 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Constitution: 30 November 1990

Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2 February 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February 2004) cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote - Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7%

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret ballot to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - FRELIMO 62%, RENAMO 29.7%; seats by party - FRELIMO 160, RENAMO 90

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts note: although the constitution provides for a separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders: Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, president]; Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or RENAMO-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa, chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Helen LA LIME embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo telephone: [258] (1) 492797 FAX: [258] (1) 490448

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book

Economy Mozambique

Economy - overview: At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s although it returned to double digits in 2000-06. Fiscal reforms, including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the country's work force. A substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the Mozal aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment project to date, has increased export earnings. In late 2005, and after years of negotiations, the government signed an agreement to gain Portugal's majority share of the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectricity (HCB) company, a dam that was not transferred to Mozambique at independence because of the ensuing civil war and unpaid debts. More power is needed for additional investment projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment manufacturing that could further close the import/export gap. Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a manageable level.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $29.32 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $6.431 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 9.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.1% industry: 30.9% services: 48% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 9.4 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 81% industry: 6% services: 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 39.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 21.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.391 billion expenditures: $1.822 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt: 23.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers; beef, poultry

Industries: food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (2000)

Electricity - production: 11.58 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 9.592 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 8.75 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 7.576 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 11,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production: 80 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 80 million cu m (2004 est.)

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves: 127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance: $-444.4 million (2006 est.)

Exports: $2.429 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities: aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity

Exports - partners: Netherlands 59.7%, South Africa 16.2%, Zimbabwe 2.9% (2005)

Imports: $2.815 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners: South Africa 42.9%, Netherlands 11.5%, Portugal 3.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.353 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external: $2.392 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $632.8 million (2001)

Currency (code): metical (MZM)

Currency code: MZM

Exchange rates: meticais per US dollar - 24.9245 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004), 23,782 (2003), 23,678 (2002)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mozambique

Telephones - main lines in use: 69,700 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.22 million (2005)

Telephone system: general assessment: fair system but not available generally (extremely low density with less than 1 main line per 100 persons) domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios: 730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)

Televisions: 67,600 (2000)

Internet country code: .mz

Internet hosts: 6,985 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2002)

Internet users: 138,000 (2005)

Transportation Mozambique

Airports: 158 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 136 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 87 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 918 km; refined products 294 km (2006)

Railways: total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1999)

Waterways: 460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa Lake) (2002)

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,964 GRT/5,324 DWT by type: cargo 2 foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals: Beira, Maputo, Nacala

Military Mozambique

Military branches: Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM) (2006)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 3,793,373 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,751,223 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 185,314 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $78.03 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Mozambique

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish and heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa); corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007



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@Namibia

Introduction Namibia

Background: South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia won its independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule.

Geography Namibia

Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 825,418 sq km land: 825,418 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 3,936 km border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline: 1,572 km

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

Climate: desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use: arable land: 0.99% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99% (2005)

Irrigated land: 80 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

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

Geography - note: first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

People Namibia

Population: 2,044,147 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.2% (male 393,878/female 387,147) 15-64 years: 58.1% (male 596,557/female 591,350) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 34,245/female 40,970) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 20 years male: 19.8 years female: 20.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.59% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 24.32 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 48.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 51.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 44.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43.39 years male: 44.46 years female: 42.29 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.06 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 21.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 210,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 16,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality: noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups: black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5% note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups includes Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Religions: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%

Languages: English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages (Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84% male: 84.4% female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Government Namibia

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia local long form: Republic of Namibia local short form: Namibia former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Government type: republic

Capital: name: Windhoek geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 06 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April

Administrative divisions: n13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Independence: 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Constitution: ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009) election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA 5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; 2 members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to determine members of the National Council, held 29-30 November 2004 (next to be held November 2010); National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%; seats by party - SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP 1.9%, MAG 0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, NUDO 3, UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1 note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders: Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Jurie VILJOEN]; National Democratic Movement for Change or NamDMC; National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Kuaima RIRUAKO]; Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]; South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Rihupisa KANDANDO]; South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joyce BARR embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792

Flag description: a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Economy Namibia

Economy - overview: The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the population while about half of the population depends on subsistence agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, hides the world's worst inequality of income distribution. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Privatization of several enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign investment. Increased fish production and mining of zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-06.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $15.04 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $5.304 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $7,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.8% industry: 30.2% services: 58.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 653,000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 47% industry: 20% services: 33% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.3% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line: the UNDP's 2005 Human Development Report indicated that 34.9% of the population live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per day

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 64.5%

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 70.7 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 25% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.233 billion expenditures: $2.214 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

Public debt: 31.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish

Industries: meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.397 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: NA

Electricity - consumption: 2.819 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 80 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 1.6 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2004)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 18,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: 12,770 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002)

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves: 62.3 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance: $572 million (2006 est.)

Exports: $2.321 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities: diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins

Exports - partners: South Africa 33.4%, US 4% (2004)

Imports: $2.456 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners: South Africa 85.2%, US (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $480 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external: $887 million (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $160 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code): Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code: NAD; ZAR

Exchange rates: Namibian dollars per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Namibia

Telephones - main lines in use: 127,900 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 495,000 (2005)

Telephone system: general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100 persons domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios: 232,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 60,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .na

Internet hosts: 3,527 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 75,000 (2005)

Transportation Namibia

Airports: 137 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 21 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 116 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 42,237 km paved: 5,406 km unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,265 GRT/3,605 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals: Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Military Namibia

Military branches: Namibian Defense Force: Army, Air Wing, Navy (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 441,293 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 217,118 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $149.5 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Namibia

Disputes - international: concerns from international experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; Namibia has supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 11,900 (Angola) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007



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@Nauru

Introduction Nauru

Background: The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear, since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was annexed by Germany in 1888 and its phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru was occupied by Australian forces in World War I and subsequently became a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It achieved its independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.

Geography Nauru

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates: 0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 21 sq km land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 30 km

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

Climate: tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)

Terrain: sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources: phosphates, fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

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

Geography - note: Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

People Nauru

Population: 13,287 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.9% (male 2,507/female 2,391) 15-64 years: 61.2% (male 4,004/female 4,123) 65 years and over: 2% (male 139/female 123) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 20.6 years male: 20 years female: 21.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.81% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 24.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 9.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.08 years male: 59.5 years female: 66.84 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.11 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan

Ethnic groups: Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

Religions: Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Languages: Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes

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

Government Nauru

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Nauru local long form: Republic of Nauru local short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island

Government type: republic

Capital: no official capital; government offices in Yaren District time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Independence: 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution: 29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)

Legal system: acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentary elections for president

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held not later than 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Nauru First Party 3, independents 15 note: the president dissolved parliament on 30 September 2004 and set new elections for 23 October 2004

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vinci Niel CLODUMAR chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074 FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079 consulate(s): Agana (Guam)

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

Flag description: blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru

Economy Nauru

Economy - overview: Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports of phosphates, now significantly depleted. An Australian company in 2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remaining supplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments. In 2005, the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continued to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $60 million (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): NA

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP): $5,000 (2005 est.)

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

Labor force - by occupation: note: 0.1% employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation

Unemployment rate: 90% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -3.6% (1993)

Budget: revenues: $13.5 million expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)

Agriculture - products: coconuts

Industries: phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 30 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption: 27.9 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: NA bbl/day (2001)

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

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

Exports: $64,000 f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities: phosphates

Exports - partners: South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2005)

Imports: $20 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners: South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3% (2005)

Debt - external: $33.3 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient: $20 million mostly from Australia (2005)

Currency (code): Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Nauru

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,500 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities domestic: NA international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

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

Radios: 7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 500 (1997)

Internet country code: .nr

Internet hosts: 52 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 300 (2002)

Transportation Nauru

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)

Ports and terminals: Nauru

Military Nauru

Military branches: no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2005)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,874 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA

Military - note: Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Nauru

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007



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@Navassa Island

Introduction Navassa Island

Background: This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge and annual scientific expeditions have continued.

Geography Navassa Island

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti

Geographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 5.4 sq km land: 5.4 sq km water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 8 km

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

Climate: marine, tropical

Terrain: raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources: guano

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Natural hazards: hurricanes

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

People Navassa Island

Population: uninhabited note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island (July 2006 est.)

Government Navassa Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced against the island

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

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Navassa Island

Economy - overview: Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur within refuge waters.

Transportation Navassa Island

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Navassa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Navassa Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007



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@Nepal

Introduction Nepal

Background: In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist insurgency, launched in 1996, gained traction and threatened to bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-fire between the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003. In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the king in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected prime minister who formed a four-party coalition government. Citing dissatisfaction with the government's lack of progress in addressing the Maoist insurgency and corruption, the king in February 2005 dissolved the government, declared a state of emergency, imprisoned party leaders, and assumed power. The king's government subsequently released party leaders and officially ended the state of emergency in May 2005, but the monarch retained absolute power until April 2006. After nearly three weeks of mass protests organized by the seven-party opposition and the Maoists, the king allowed parliament to reconvene on 28 April 2006. In November 2006, the government and Maoists signed the Comprehensive Peace Accord to end the ten-year insurgency.

Geography Nepal

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 147,181 sq km land: 143,181 sq km water: 4,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Terrain: Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 83.08% (2005)

Irrigated land: 11,700 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons

Environment - current issues: deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the borders with China and India respectively