Geography Gaza Strip



Location:

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel

Geographic coordinates:

31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 360 sq km land: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline:

40 km

Maritime claims:

Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Climate:

temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain:

flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources:

arable land, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 29% permanent crops: 21% other: 50% (2002)

Irrigated land:

150 sq km; note - includes West Bank (2003)

Natural hazards:

droughts

Environment - current issues:

desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources

Geography - note:

strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history

People Gaza Strip



Population:

1,500,202 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.7% (male 343,988/female 325,856) 15-64 years: 52.7% (male 403,855/female 386,681) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 16,196/female 23,626) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.2 years male: 17 years female: 17.4 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.422% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

37.75 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

3.53 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 19 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.22 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.16 years male: 71.6 years female: 74.83 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.19 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: NA adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:

Palestinian Arab

Religions:

Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99.3%, Christian 0.7%

Languages:

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.4% male: 96.7% female: 88% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government Gaza Strip



Country name:

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Economy Gaza Strip



Economy - overview:

High population density, limited land access, and strict internal and external security controls have kept economic conditions in the Gaza Strip - the smaller of the two areas under the Palestinian Authority (PA)- even more degraded than in the West Bank. The beginning of the second intifada in September 2000 sparked an economic downturn, largely the result of Israeli closure policies; these policies, which were imposed to address security concerns in Israel, disrupted labor and trade access to and from the Gaza Strip. In 2001, and even more severely in 2003, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. The Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005 offered some medium-term opportunities for economic growth, but continued Israeli-imposed crossings closures, which became more restrictive after Hamas violently took over the territory in June 2007, have resulted in widespread private sector layoffs and shortages of most goods.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.034 billion (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.328 billion (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-8% (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,100 (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8% industry: 13% services: 79% (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)

Labor force:

267,000 (2006)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 12% industry: 18% services: 70% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

34.8% (2006)

Population below poverty line:

80% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $1.149 billion expenditures: $2.31 billion note: includes West Bank (2006)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.6% (includes West Bank) (2006)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.73% (31 December 2006)

Stock of money:

$1.574 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$3.048 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.455 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Industries:

generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis had established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center, but operations ceased prior to Israel's evacuation of Gaza Strip settlements

Industrial production growth rate:

2.4% (includes West Bank) (2005)

Electricity - production:

140,000 kWh (2005)

Electricity - consumption:

230,000 kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

90,000 kWh; note - from Israeli Electric Company (2005)

Exports:

$301 million f.o.b.; (includes West Bank) (2005)

Exports - commodities:

citrus, flowers, textiles

Exports - partners:

Israel, Egypt, West Bank (2006)

Imports:

$2.44 billion c.i.f.; (includes West Bank) (2005)

Imports - commodities:

food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners:

Israel, Egypt, West Bank (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$1.4 billion; (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$NA

Currency (code):

new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Currency code:

ILS

Exchange rates:

new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003)

Communications Gaza Strip



Telephones - main lines in use:

350,400 (includes West Bank) (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.026 million (includes West Bank) (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services international: country code - 970 (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 0 (2008)

Radios:

NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2008)

Televisions:

NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions (1997)

Internet country code:

.ps; note - same as West Bank

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (1999)

Internet users:

355,500 (includes West Bank) (2007)

Transportation Gaza Strip



Airports:

2 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Heliports:

1 (2007)

Roadways:

note: see entry for West Bank

Ports and terminals:

Gaza

Military Gaza Strip



Military branches:

in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority is not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however, public security forces (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 337,670 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 291,467 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 19,275 female: 18,309 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues Gaza Strip



Disputes - international:

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel removed settlers and military personnel from the Gaza Strip in August 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 1.017 million (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) (2007)



This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008



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@Georgia

Introduction Georgia



Background:

The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries A.D. and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. An attempt by the incumbent Georgian government to manipulate national legislative elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his National Movement party. Progress on market reforms and democratization has been made in the years since independence, but this progress has been complicated by Russian assistance and support to the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgian military action in South Ossetia in early August 2008 led to a Russian military response that not only occupied the breakaway areas, but large portions of Georgia proper as well. Russian troops pulled back from most occupied Georgian territory, but in late August 2008 Russia unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This action was strongly condemned by most of the world's nations and international organizations.

Geography Georgia



Location:

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

42 00 N, 43 30 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 69,700 sq km land: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 1,461 km border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km

Coastline:

310 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Terrain:

largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Natural resources:

forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth

Land use:

arable land: 11.51% permanent crops: 3.79% other: 84.7% (2005)

Irrigated land:

4,690 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

63.3 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 3.61 cu km/yr (20%/21%/59%) per capita: 808 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals

Environment - international agreements:

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

Geography - note:

strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

People Georgia



Population:

4,630,841 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.3% (male 402,961/female 352,735) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,496,802/female 1,610,725) 65 years and over: 16.6% (male 307,795/female 459,823) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.3 years male: 35.8 years female: 40.7 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.325% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

10.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

9.51 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-4.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.13 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 16.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.81 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.51 years male: 73.21 years female: 80.26 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.43 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian

Ethnic groups:

Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census)

Religions:

Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)

Languages:

Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.1% of GDP (2006)

Government Georgia



Country name:

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Georgia local long form: none local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: T'bilisi geographic coordinates: 41 43 N, 44 47 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 1 city (k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika) regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli city: Tbilisi autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi) note: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses

Independence:

9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:

adopted 24 August 1995

Legal system:

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); the president is both the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); Prime Minister Grigol MGALOBLISHVILI (since 1 November 2008); the president is both the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense; the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 5 January 2008 (next to be held January 2013) election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI reelected president; percent of vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 53.5%, Levan GACHECHILADZE 25.7%, Badri PATARKATSISHVILI 7.1%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Parlamenti (also known as Supreme Council or Umaghlesi Sabcho) (235 seats; 150 members elected by proportional representation, 75 from single-seat constituencies, and 10 represent displaced persons from Abkhazia; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 21 May 2008 (next to be held in spring 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - National Movement-Democratic Front 59.2%, National Council-New Rights 17.7%, other parties 23.1%; seats by party - National Movement-Democratic Front 120, National Council-New Rights 16

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's or chairman of the Supreme Court's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts

Political parties and leaders:

Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Georgia's Way Party [Salome ZOURABICHVILI]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Council-New Rights (a bloc uniting a nine-party alliance with New Rights); National Democratic Party or NDP [Bachuki KARDAVA]; National Movement-Democratic Front [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI] (bloc composed of National Movement and Burjanadze-Democrats); National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New Rights [David GAMKRELIDZE]; Republican Party [David USUPASHVILI]; Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]; Union of National Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI and Zviad DZIDZIGURI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in exile; separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Vasil SIKHARULIDZE chancery: 2209 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390 FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT embassy: 11 George Balanchine Street, T'bilisi 0131 mailing address: 7060 T'bilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 telephone: [995] (32) 27-70-00 FAX: [995] (32) 53-23-10

Flag description:

white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears to date back to the 14th century

Economy Georgia



Economy - overview:

Georgia's economy has sustained robust GDP growth of close to 10% in 2006 and 12% in 2007, based on strong inflows of foreign investment and robust government spending. However, a widening trade deficit and higher inflation are emerging risks to the economy. Areas of recent improvement include increasing foreign direct investment as well as growth in the construction, banking services and mining sectors. Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, aircraft and chemicals. The country imports nearly all its needed supplies of natural gas and oil products. It has sizeable hydropower capacity, a growing component of its energy supplies. Despite the severe damage the economy suffered due to civil strife in the 1990s, Georgia, with the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic gains since 2000, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation. Georgia's GDP growth neared 10% in 2006 and 2007 despite restrictions on commerce with Russia. Areas of recent improvement include increased foreign direct investment as well as growth in the construction, banking services, and mining sectors. In addition, the reinvigorated privatization process has met with success. However, a widening trade deficit and higher inflation are emerging risks to the economy. Georgia has suffered from a chronic failure to collect tax revenues; however, the new government is making progress and has reformed the tax code, improved tax administration, increased tax enforcement, and cracked down on corruption. Government revenues have increased nearly four fold since 2003. Due to improvements in customs and financial (tax) enforcement, smuggling is a declining problem. Georgia has overcome the chronic energy shortages of the past by renovating hydropower plants and by bringing newly available natural gas supplies from Azerbaijan. It also has an increased ability to pay for more expensive gas imports from Russia. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on a determined effort to reduce regulation, taxes and corruption in order to attract foreign investment. The construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline, and the Kars-Akhalkalaki Railroad are part of a strategy to capitalize on Georgia's strategic location between Europe and Asia and develop its role as a transit point for gas, oil and other goods.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$20.6 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$10.29 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

12% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,400 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 13% industry: 28.7% services: 58.3% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

2.02 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 55.6% industry: 8.9% services: 35.5% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

13.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

31% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 27% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40.4 (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):

29.4% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $3.68 billion expenditures: $3.08 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.3% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

20.41% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.154 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.379 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$3.374 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock

Industries:

steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Industrial production growth rate:

13.4% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

7.116 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

6.694 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

635 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

532 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 19.7% hydro: 80.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

979.1 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

12,980 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

2,492 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

15,820 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

35 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

10 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

1.49 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.48 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

-$2.044 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.104 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

scrap metal, wine, mineral water, ores, vehicles, fruits and nuts

Exports - partners:

Turkey 13%, US 11.2%, Azerbaijan 6.3%, UK 5.4%, Bulgaria 5.1%, Ukraine 5%, Armenia 4.8%, Turkmenistan 4.5%, Canada 4.2% (2007)

Imports:

$4.977 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, vehicles, machinery and parts, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:

Turkey 14%, Russia 12.3%, Ukraine 8.5%, Azerbaijan 7.3%, Germany 6.8%, US 5%, Bulgaria 4.6% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $309.8 million (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.361 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.5 billion (2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$1.39 billion (2007)

Currency (code):

lari (GEL)

Currency code:

GEL

Exchange rates:

laris (GEL) per US dollar - 1.7 (2007), 1.78 (2006), 1.8127 (2005), 1.9167 (2004), 2.1457 (2003)

Communications Georgia



Telephones - main lines in use:

544,000 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.4 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fixed-line telecommunications network has only limited coverage outside Tbilisi; multiple mobile-cellular providers provide services to an increasing subscribership throughout the country domestic: cellular telephone networks now cover the entire country; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available international: country code - 995; the Georgia-Russia fiber optic submarine cable provides connectivity to Russia; international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:

3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:

2.57 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ge

Internet hosts:

27,905 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

360,000 (2007)

Transportation Georgia



Airports:

23 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 19 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Heliports:

3 (2007)

Pipelines:

gas 1,591 km; oil 1,253 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 1,612 km broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified) narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2006)

Roadways:

total: 20,329 km paved: 7,854 km (includes 13 km of expressways) unpaved: 12,475 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 191 by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 148, carrier 2, chemical tanker 1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 2 foreign-owned: 153 (China 10, Cyprus 1, Egypt 12, Germany 2, Greece 5, Hong Kong 2, Israel 2, Lebanon 4, Monaco 4, Nigeria 1, Romania 16, Russia 12, Syria 49, Turkey 14, Ukraine 18, UAE 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bat'umi, P'ot'i

Transportation - note:

large parts of transportation network are in poor condition because of lack of maintenance and repair

Military Georgia



Military branches:

Georgian Armed Forces: Land Forces, Navy (includes coast guard), Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active duty military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,113,251 females age 16-49: 1,168,021 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 910,720 females age 16-49: 967,566 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 35,917 female: 34,566 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.59% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military - note:

a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Transnational Issues Georgia



Disputes - international:

Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common border, leaving certain small, strategic segments and the maritime boundary unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a peacekeeping force in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 1,100 (Russia) IDPs: 220,000-240,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia



This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008



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@Germany

Introduction Germany



Background:

As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation, Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Geography Germany



Location:

Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Geographic coordinates:

51 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 357,021 sq km land: 349,223 sq km water: 7,798 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 3,621 km border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Coastline:

2,389 km

Maritime claims:

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

Climate:

temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Terrain:

lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Natural resources:

coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 33.13% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 66.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

4,850 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

188 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 38.01 cu km/yr (12%/68%/20%) per capita: 460 cu m/yr (2001)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15 years; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea

People Germany



Population:

82,369,552 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.8% (male 5,826,066/female 5,524,568) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 27,763,917/female 26,739,934) 65 years and over: 20% (male 6,892,743/female 9,622,320) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 43.4 years male: 42.2 years female: 44.7 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.044% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

8.18 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

10.8 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.1 years male: 76.11 years female: 82.26 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.41 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

43,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: German(s) adjective: German

Ethnic groups:

German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)

Religions:

Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Languages:

German

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.6% of GDP (2004)

People - note:

second most populous country in Europe after Russia

Government Germany



Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany conventional short form: Germany local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland local short form: Deutschland former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Berlin geographic coordinates: 52 31 N, 13 24 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland, Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen (Thuringia); note - Bayern, Sachsen, and Thueringen refer to themselves as free states (Freistaaten, singular - Freistaat)

Independence:

18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

National holiday:

Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Constitution:

23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united Germany 3 October 1990

Legal system:

civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004) head of government: Chancellor Angela MERKEL (since 22 November 2005) cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chancellor elections: president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) by a Federal Convention, including all members of the Federal Assembly and an equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election last held 23 May 2004 (next scheduled for 23 May 2009); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a four-year term; Bundestag vote for Chancellor last held 22 November 2005 (next will follow the national elections to be held by autumn 2009) election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604 votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN; Angela MERKEL elected chancellor; vote by Federal Assembly 397 to 202 with 12 abstentions

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Federal Assembly or Bundestag (614 seats; elected by popular vote under a system combining direct and proportional representation; a party must win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain proportional representation and caucus recognition; to serve four-year terms) and the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments are directly represented by votes; each has three to six votes depending on population and are required to vote as a block) elections: Bundestag - last held on 18 September 2005 (next to be held no later than autumn 2009); note - there are no elections for the Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election election results: Bundestag - percent of vote by party - CDU/CSU 35.2%, SPD 34.3%, FDP 9.8%, Left 8.7%, Greens 8.1%, other 3.9%; seats by party - CDU/CSU 225, SPD 222, FDP 61, Left 53, Greens 51, independents 2

Judicial branch:

Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat)

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance '90/Greens [Claudia ROTH and Cem OEZDEMIR]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social Union or CSU [Horst SEEHOFER]; Free Democratic Party or FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE]; Left Party or Die Linke [Lothar BISKY and Oskar LAFONTAINE]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Franz MUENTEFERING]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: business associations and employers' organizations; religious, trade unions, immigrant, expellee, and veterans groups

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Klaus SCHARIOTH chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000 FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William R. TIMKEN, Jr. embassy: Pariser Platz 2, 10117 Berlin; note - new embassy opened 4 July 2008 mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265, clayallee 170, 14195 Berlin telephone: [49] (030) 2385174 FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215 consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Economy Germany



Economy - overview:

Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy - the fifth largest in the world in PPP terms - showed considerable improvement in 2007 with 2.6% growth. After a long period of stagnation with an average growth rate of 0.7% between 2001-05 and chronically high unemployment, stronger growth led to a considerable fall in unemployment to about 8% near the end of 2007. Among the most important reasons for Germany's high unemployment during the past decade were macroeconomic stagnation, the declining level of investment in plant and equipment, company restructuring, flat domestic consumption, structural rigidities in the labor market, lack of competition in the service sector, and high interest rates. The modernization and integration of the eastern German economy continues to be a costly long-term process, with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $80 billion. The former government of Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER launched a comprehensive set of reforms of labor market and welfare-related institutions. The current government of Chancellor Angela MERKEL has initiated other reform measures, such as a gradual increase in the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67 and measures to increase female participation in the labor market. Germany's aging population, combined with high chronic unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions, but higher government revenues from the cyclical upturn in 2006-07 and a 3% rise in the value-added tax pushed Germany's budget deficit well below the EU's 3% debt limit. Corporate restructuring and growing capital markets are setting the foundations that could help Germany meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration and globalization, although some economists continue to argue the need for change in inflexible labor and services markets. Growth may fall below 2% in 2008 as the strong euro, high oil prices, tighter credit markets, and slowing growth abroad take their toll.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.807 trillion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.322 trillion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$34,100 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.9% industry: 30.1% services: 69% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

43.54 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.8% industry: 33.4% services: 63.8% (1999)

Unemployment rate:

9% note: this is the International Labor Organization's estimated rate for international comparisons; Germany's Federal Employment Office estimated a seasonally adjusted rate of 10.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

11% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 22.1% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

28 (2005)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.454 trillion expenditures: $1.453 trillion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

64.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.96% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$5.081 trillion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle, pigs, poultry

Industries:

among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

5.2% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

594.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

549.1 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

62.51 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

46.13 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 61.8% hydro: 4.2% nuclear: 29.9% other: 4.1% (2001)

Oil - production:

148,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

2.456 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports:

563,400 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

3.026 million bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

367 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

17.96 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

97.44 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

12.22 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

88.35 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

254.8 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

$254.5 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.354 trillion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures, foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:

France 9.7%, US 7.5%, UK 7.3%, Italy 6.7%, Netherlands 6.4%, Austria 5.4%, Belgium 5.3%, Spain 5% (2007)

Imports:

$1.075 trillion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Imports - partners:

Netherlands 12%, France 8.6%, Belgium 7.8%, China 6.2%, Italy 5.8%, UK 5.6%, US 4.5%, Austria 4.4% (2007)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $10.44 billion (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$136.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.489 trillion (30 June 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$855.8 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.218 trillion (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$1.221 trillion (2005)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)

Communications Germany



Telephones - main lines in use:

53.75 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

97.151 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the western part domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available, expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign countries international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:

77.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

51.4 million (1998)

Internet country code:

.de

Internet hosts:

22.606 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

200 (2001)

Internet users:

42.5 million (2007)

Transportation Germany



Airports:

550 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 331 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 52 1,524 to 2,437 m: 58 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 135 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 219 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 181 (2007)

Heliports:

28 (2007)

Pipelines:

condensate 37 km; gas 25,094 km; oil 3,546 km; refined products 3,828 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 48,215 km standard gauge: 47,962 km 1.435-m gauge (20,278 km electrified) narrow gauge: 229 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 644,480 km paved: 644,480 km (includes 12,400 km of expressways) note: includes local roads (2006)

Waterways:

7,467 km note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North Sea and Black Sea (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 393 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 43, chemical tanker 13, container 284, liquefied gas 5, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 27, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 11 (China 2, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Finland 4, Netherlands 1, Sweden 1) registered in other countries: 2,998 (Antigua and Barbuda 941, Australia 2, Bahamas 44, Bermuda 22, Brazil 6, Bulgaria 63, Burma 1, Canada 3, Cayman Islands 15, Cyprus 189, Denmark 9, Denmark 1, Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 1, Georgia 2, Gibraltar 129, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 56, Jamaica 4, Liberia 849, Luxembourg 5, Malaysia 1, Malta 91, Marshall Islands 235, Mongolia 4, Morocco 2, Netherlands 75, Netherlands Antilles 43, Norway 1, NZ 1, Panama 44, Portugal 2, Portugal 18, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 24, Slovakia 3, Spain 1, Spain 4, Sri Lanka 5, Sweden 5, Turkey 1, UK 76, US 5) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bremen, Bremerhaven, Duisburg, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Lubeck, Rostock, Wilhemshaven

Military Germany



Military branches:

Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe), Central Medical Service (Zentraler Sanitaetsdienst) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (conscripts serve a 9-month tour of compulsory military service) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 19,594,118 females age 16-49: 18,543,955 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 15,906,930 females age 16-49: 15,051,183 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 442,972 female: 420,801 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Germany



Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs; major financial center



This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008



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@Ghana

Introduction Ghana



Background:

Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a long series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. Kufuor is constitutionally barred from running for a third term in upcoming Presidential elections, which are scheduled for December 2008.

Geography Ghana



Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 239,460 sq km land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:

total: 2,094 km border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

Coastline:

539 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Terrain:

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources:

gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 17.54% permanent crops: 9.22% other: 73.24% (2005)

Irrigated land:

310 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

53.2 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.98 cu km/yr (24%/10%/66%) per capita: 44 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts

Environment - current issues:

recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

People Ghana



Population:

23,382,848 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.8% (male 4,470,382/female 4,360,359) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 6,852,363/female 6,866,470) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 386,150/female 447,124) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.4 years male: 20.2 years female: 20.7 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.928% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

29.22 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

9.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 52.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 56.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 47.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 59.49 years male: 58.65 years female: 60.35 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

350,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

30,000 (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 yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian

Ethnic groups:

Akan 45.3%, Mole-Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan 4%, Gurma 3.6%, Grusi 2.6%, Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes 1.4%, other 7.8% (2000 census)

Religions:

Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Fante 9.9%, Boron (Brong) 4.6%, Dagomba 4.3%, Dangme 4.3%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.7%, Akyem 3.4%, Ga 3.4%, Akuapem 2.9%, other 36.1% (includes English (official)) (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.9% male: 66.4% female: 49.8% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2007)

Education expenditures:

5.4% of GDP (2005)

Government Ghana



Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast

Government type:

constitutional democracy

Capital:

name: Accra geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Independence:

6 March 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Constitution:

approved 28 April 1992

Legal system:

based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held 7 December 2008) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 52.4%, John ATTA-MILLS 44.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (230 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held 7 December 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 128, NDC 94, PNC 4, CPP 3, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Convention People's Party or CPP [Ladi NYLANDER]; Democratic Freedom Party or DFP [Alhaji Abudu Rahman ISSAKAH]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTEY]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Kwabena ADJEI]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter MAC-MANU]; People's National Convention or PNC [Alhaji Amed RAMADAN]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU]; United Renaissance Party or URP [Charles WAYO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Christian Aid (water rights); Committee for Joint Action or CJA (education reform); National Coalition Against the Privatization of Water or CAP (water rights); Oxfam (water rights); Public Citizen (water rights); Students Coalition Against EPA [Kwabena Ososukene OKAI] (education reform); Third World Network (education reform)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Kwame BAWUAH-EDUSEI chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald G. TEITELBAUM embassy: 24 4th Circular Rd. Cantonments, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 741-000 FAX: [233] (21) 741-389

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Economy Ghana



Economy - overview:

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold and cocoa production, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around agriculture, which accounts for about 35% of GDP and employs about 55% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, and is also benefiting from the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative that took effect in 2006. Thematic priorities under its current Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy, which also provides the framework for development partner assistance, are: macroeconomic stability; private sector competitiveness; human resource development; and good governance and civic responsibility. Sound macro-economic management along with high prices for gold and cocoa helped sustain GDP growth in 2007. Ghana signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$31.13 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.86 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,400 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 37.3% industry: 25.3% services: 37.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

11.29 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 56% industry: 15% services: 29% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

28.5% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39.4 (2005-06)

Investment (gross fixed):

31.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $4.262 billion expenditures: $5.481 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

58.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

13.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA

Stock of money:

$2.179 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of quasi money:

$2.174 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of domestic credit:

$4.173 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber

Industries:

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building

Industrial production growth rate:

7.8% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

8.204 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

6.76 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

755 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - imports:

629 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 5% hydro: 95% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

7,571 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

49,300 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

5,709 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

45,520 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

-$1.549 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.162 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds, horticulture

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 11%, UK 9%, France 6.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.6%, Belgium 4.4% (2007)

Imports:

$8.053 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Nigeria 15.1%, China 14.9%, UK 5.2%, US 5.1% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$1.316 billion in loans and grants (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.204 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.891 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$13.01 billion (2007)

Currency (code):

Ghana cedi (GHC)

Currency code:

GHC

Exchange rates:

cedis (GHC) per US dollar - 0.95 (2007), 9,174.8 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6 (2004), 8,677.4 (2003) note: in 2007 Ghana revalued its currency with 10,000 old cedis equal to 1 new cedis

Communications Ghana



Telephones - main lines in use:

376,500 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

7.604 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: outdated and unreliable fixed-line infrastructure heavily concentrated in Accra; competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with subscribership about 35 per 100 persons and rising domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: country code - 233; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 86, shortwave 3 (2007)

Radios:

12.5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (2007)

Televisions:

1.9 million (2001)

Internet country code:

.gh

Internet hosts:

24,018 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

12 (2000)

Internet users:

650,000 (2007)

Transportation Ghana



Airports:

12 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Pipelines:

oil 13 km; refined products 316 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 62,221 km paved: 9,955 km unpaved: 52,266 km (2006)

Waterways:

1,293 km note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 4 by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3 foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Tema

Military Ghana



Military branches:

Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,802,096 females age 16-49: 5,729,939 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,737,481 females age 16-49: 3,729,699 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 273,265 female: 267,204 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Transnational Issues Ghana



Disputes - international:

Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 35,653 (Liberia); 8,517 (Togo) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a well developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money laundering center; significant domestic cocaine and cannabis use



This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008



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@Gibraltar

Introduction Gibraltar



Background:

Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK led to Spain closing the border and severing all communication links. A series of talks were held by the UK and Spain between 1997 and 2002 on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since the referendum, tripartite talks on other issues have been held with Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in September 2006 a three-way agreement was signed. Spain agreed to remove restrictions on air movements, to speed up customs procedures, to implement international telephone dialing, and to allow mobile roaming agreements. Britain agreed to pay increased pensions to Spaniards who had been employed in Gibraltar before the border closed. Spain will be allowed to open a cultural institute from which the Spanish flag will fly. A new noncolonial constitution came into effect in 2007, but the UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability.

Geography Gibraltar



Location:

Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain

Geographic coordinates:

36 08 N, 5 21 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

a little less than one half the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Coastline:

12 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain:

a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources:

none

Land use:

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

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Geography - note:

strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

People Gibraltar



Population:

28,002 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.9% (male 2,426/female 2,309) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 9,507/female 9,153) 65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,103/female 2,504) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.3 years male: 39.8 years female: 40.7 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.125% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

10.71 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

9.46 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.06 years male: 77.17 years female: 83.09 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.65 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups:

Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North Africans

Religions:

Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese

Literacy:

definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA female: NA

Education expenditures:

NA

Government Gibraltar



Country name:

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Gibraltar geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

Constitution:

5 June 2006; came into force 2 January 2007

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; and British citizens who have been residents six months or more

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October 2006) head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected members of the Parliament by the governor in consultation with the chief minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (18 seats: 17 members elected by popular vote, 1 for the Speaker appointed by Parliament; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 October 2007 (next to be held not later than October 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 49.3%, GSLP 31.8%, Gibraltar Liberal Party 13.6%; seats by party - GSD 10, GSLP 4, Gibraltar Liberal Party 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association

International organization participation:

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:

two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Economy Gibraltar



Economy - overview:

Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.066 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.066 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$38,200 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force:

12,690 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: negligible industry: 40% services: 60% (2001)

Unemployment rate:

3% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $455.1 million expenditures: $423.6 million (2005 est.)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Public debt:

15.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.9% (2005)

Agriculture - products:

none

Industries:

tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

142 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

142 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

22,620 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

25,080 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Exports:

$271 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%

Exports - partners:

UK 30.8%, Spain 22.7%, Germany 13.7%, Turkmenistan 10.4%, Switzerland 8.3%, Italy 6.7% (2006)

Imports:

$2.967 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Spain 23.4%, Russia 12.3%, Italy 12%, UK 9%, France 8.9%, Netherlands 6.8%, US 4.7% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Debt - external:

$NA

Currency (code):

Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code:

GIP

Exchange rates:

Gibraltar pounds (GIP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Communications Gibraltar



Telephones - main lines in use:

24,512 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

9,797 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 3 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gi

Internet hosts:

1,904 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

6,200 (2002)

Transportation Gibraltar



Airports:

1 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 29 km paved: 29 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 240 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 125, chemical tanker 51, container 43, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 225 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 7, Finland 3, Germany 129, Greece 6, Iceland 1, Morocco 4, Netherlands 21, Norway 33, Sweden 13, UAE 3, UK 2) registered in other countries: 7 (Liberia 5, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Gibraltar

Military Gibraltar



Military branches:

Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,308 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,244 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 190 female: 185 (2008 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK; the Royal Gibraltar Regiment replaced the last British regular infantry forces in 1992

Transnational Issues Gibraltar



Disputes - international:

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy



This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008



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@Greece

Introduction Greece



Background:

Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001.

Geography Greece



Location:

Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 131,940 sq km land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries:

total: 1,228 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km

Coastline:

13,676 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:

mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources:

lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Land use:

arable land: 20.45% permanent crops: 8.59% other: 70.96% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,530 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

72 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 8.7 cu km/yr (16%/3%/81%) per capita: 782 cu m/yr (1997)

Natural hazards:

severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Geography - note:

strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

People Greece



Population:

10,722,816 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.3% (male 789,137/female 742,469) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 3,568,101/female 3,575,572) 65 years and over: 19.1% (male 898,337/female 1,149,200) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.5 years male: 40.4 years female: 42.6 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.146% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

9.54 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

10.42 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.52 years male: 76.98 years female: 82.21 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.36 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups:

population: Greek 93%, other (foreign citizens) 7% (2001 census) note: percents represent citizenship, since Greece does not collect data on ethnicity

Religions:

Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages:

Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97.8% female: 94.2% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years male: 17 years female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.4% of GDP (2005)

Government Greece



Country name:

conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece