 |
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, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, 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 - nearing 20% in urban areas - despite the Moroccan Government's ongoing efforts to diversify the economy. Morocco's GDP growth rate slowed to 2.1% in 2007 as a result of a draught that severely reduced agricultural output and necessitated wheat imports at rising world prices. Continued dependence on foreign energy and Morocco's inability to develop small and medium size enterprises also contributed to the slowdown. Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs are key to domestic security and development. In 2005, Morocco launched the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), a $2 billion social development plan to address poverty and unemployment and to improve the living conditions of the country's urban slums. Moroccan authorities are implementing reform efforts to open the economy to international investors. 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. In 2000, Morocco entered an Association Agreement with the EU and, in 2006, entered a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US. Long-term challenges include improving education and job prospects for Morocco's youth, and closing the income gap between the rich and the poor, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$125 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$73.43 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.8% industry: 38.4% services: 47.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
11.39 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 40% industry: 15% services: 45% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
15% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40 (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
29.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $20.49 billion expenditures: $21.85 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
67.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$67.42 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$16.23 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$71.9 billion (31 December 2007)
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:
5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
21.88 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
19.58 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.998 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 95.4% hydro: 4.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
3,746 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
179,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
24,360 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
192,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
836,000 bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
60 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
60 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.557 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.834 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$12.75 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing and textiles, electric components, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, citrus fruits, vegetables, fish
Exports - partners:
Spain 21.2%, France 19%, Italy 4.9%, UK 4.6%, India 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$28.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics
Imports - partners:
France 16.1%, Spain 13.6%, China 7.3%, Italy 6.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.4%, Germany 5.9%, US 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $651.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$24.72 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$19.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$32.9 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$882 million (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$49.6 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Currency code:
MAD
Exchange rates:
Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.574 (2003)
Communications Morocco
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.394 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
20.029 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however, density is low with only 7 fixed lines available for each 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership is approaching 60 per 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; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; 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 (2007)
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:
275,889 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)
Internet users:
7.3 million (2007)
Transportation Morocco
Airports:
60 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 27 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 33 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 720 km; oil 439 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 57,625 km paved: 35,664 km (includes 639 km of expressways) unpaved: 21,961 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 35 by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 8, passenger/cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 16 (France 14, Germany 2) registered in other countries: 4 (Gibraltar 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Safi
Military Morocco
Military branches:
Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal Moroccan Army (includes Air Defense), Navy (includes Marines), Royal Moroccan Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawyiya al Malakiya Marakishiya; Force Aerienne Royale Marocaine) (2008)
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 16-49: 9,152,580 females age 16-49: 9,080,830 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,627,988 females age 16-49: 7,754,873 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 355,479 female: 343,016 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
5% of GDP (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:
one of the world's largest producers of illicit hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; significant consumer of cannabis
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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 until the mid 1990's. 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 elected successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, promised to continue the sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment. Mozambique has seen very strong economic growth since the end of the civil war largely due to post-conflict reconstruction.
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)
Total renewable water resources:
216 cu km (1992)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.63 cu km/yr (11%/2%/87%) per capita: 32 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Ship Pollution, 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:
21,284,700 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; the 1997 Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.5% (male 4,762,335/female 4,711,422) 15-64 years: 52.7% (male 5,472,184/female 5,736,154) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 251,026/female 351,580) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.4 years male: 17 years female: 17.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.792% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
38.21 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
20.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 107.84 deaths/1,000 live births male: 110.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 104.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.04 years male: 41.62 years female: 40.44 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.24 children born/woman (2008 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 water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)
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.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 9 years female: 7 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5% of GDP (2005)
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 57 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 in 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 to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - FRELIMO 62%, RENAMO 29.7%, other 8.3%; 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]; Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or RENAMO-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa, chairman]; Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general]; Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; 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]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Armando Alexandre PANGUENE chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Todd C. CHAPMAN embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo telephone: [258] (21) 492797 FAX: [258] (21) 490114
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, and although it returned to double digits in 2000-06, in 2007 inflation had slowed to 8%, while GDP growth reached 7.5%. 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. At the end of 2007, and after years of negotiations, the government took over 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. In July 2007 the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) signed a Compact with Mozambique; the Mozambican government moved rapidly to ratify the Compact and propose a plan for funding.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$17.64 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.559 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 23% industry: 30.1% services: 46.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
9.6 million (2007 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%: 2.1% highest 10%: 39.4% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.3 (2002)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.302 billion expenditures: $2.63 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
22.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
9.95% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.52% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.261 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.467 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$877.2 million (31 December 2007)
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:
10% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
14.62 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
9.555 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
12.83 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
9.839 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
14,390 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
13,240 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
1.65 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.45 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$795.1 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$2.412 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity
Exports - partners:
Italy 19.4%, Belgium 18.4%, Spain 12.5%, South Africa 12.3%, UK 7.3%, China 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$2.811 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
South Africa 36.7%, Australia 8.5%, China 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.286 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.445 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.189 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
metical (MZM)
Currency code:
MZM
Exchange rates:
meticais (MZM) per US dollar - 26.264 (2007), 25.4 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004), 23,782 (2003) note: in 2006 Mozambique revalued its currency, with 1000 old meticais equal to 1 new meticais
Communications Mozambique
Telephones - main lines in use:
67,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.3 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system with an extremely low density of less than 1 fixed line per 100 persons domestic: the telecommunications sector is shackled with a heavy state presence, lack of competition, and high operating costs and charges; stagnation in the fixed-line network contrasts with rapid growth in the mobile-cellular network; mobile-cellular coverage now includes all the main cities and key roads, including those from Maputo to the South African and Swaziland borders, the national highway through Gaza and Inhambane provinces, the Beira corridor, and from Nampula to Nacala 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 (2000)
Televisions:
67,600 (2000)
Internet country code:
.mz
Internet hosts:
22,532 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2002)
Internet users:
200,000 (2007)
Transportation Mozambique
Airports:
147 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 125 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 79 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 964 km; refined products 278 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (2000)
Waterways:
460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa Lake) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 2 by type: cargo 2 foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2008)
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)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,545,975 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,287,526 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 257,261 female: 259,114 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.8% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues Mozambique
Disputes - international:
none
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Mozambique is a source and, to a much lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the use of forced and bonded child laborers is a common practice in Mozambique's rural areas; women and girls are trafficked from rural to urban areas of Mozambique, as well as to South Africa, for domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; young men and boys are trafficked to South Africa for farm work and mining tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for the second consecutive year, Mozambique is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; while the government conducted investigations into cases of human trafficking, there were no prosecutions or convictions of traffickers; government efforts to protect victims of trafficking continued to suffer from limited resources and a lack of political commitment (2008)
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence in 1990. 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, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, 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)
Total renewable water resources:
45.5 cu km (1991)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.3 cu km/yr (24%/5%/71%) per capita: 148 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
prolonged periods of drought
Environment - current issues:
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:
2,088,669 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: 36.7% (male 386,252/female 379,426) 15-64 years: 59.5% (male 627,752/female 615,241) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 35,960/female 44,038) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.7 years male: 20.6 years female: 20.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.947% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
23.19 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
14.07 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.35 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: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 45.64 deaths/1,000 live births male: 49.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 41.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.89 years male: 50.39 years female: 49.38 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.81 children born/woman (2008 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 (2008)
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 include 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 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85% male: 86.8% female: 83.5% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.9% of GDP (2003)
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 05 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:
13 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 in 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; two 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 in November 2010); National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%, other 0.9%; 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]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Jurie VILJOEN]; National Democratic Movement for Change or NamDMC; National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Kuaima RIRUAKO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Hidipo HAMUTENYA]; Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]; South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Rihupisa KANDANDO]; South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hifikepunye POHAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Earthlife Namibia [Berthchen KOHRS] (environmentalist group); National Society for Human Rights or NSHR; The World Information Services of Energy or WISE (group against nuclear power)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, 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 G. Dennise MATHIEU embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 295-8500 FAX: [264] (61) 295-8603
Flag description:
a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green
Economy Namibia
Economy - overview:
The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 8% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. 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 one of the world's most unequal income distributions. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Increased payments from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) put Namibia's budget into surplus in 2007 for the first time since independence, but SACU payments will decline after 2008 as part of a new revenue sharing formula. Increased fish production and mining of zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-07, but growth in recent years was undercut by poor fish catches and high costs for metal inputs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$10.69 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.6% industry: 35.4% services: 53.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
660,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 47% industry: 20% services: 33% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5.2% (2007 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% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
70.7 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.765 billion expenditures: $2.515 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
22.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.88% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.149 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.493 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.446 billion (31 December 2007)
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:
9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.606 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
3.194 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
40 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.948 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
NA
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
19,840 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
17,750 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:
62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$805.2 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$2.919 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins
Exports - partners:
South Africa 33.4%, US 4% (2006)
Imports:
$3.091 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners:
South Africa 85.2%, US (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $123.4 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$896 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.003 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:
$541.8 million (2006)
Currency (code):
Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)
Currency code:
NAD; ZAR
Exchange rates:
Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.18 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003)
Communications Namibia
Telephones - main lines in use:
138,100 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
800,300 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: good system with a combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity of about 45 per 100 persons domestic: core fiber-optic network links most centers and connections are now digital; Namibia's first mobile-cellular network, launched in 1994, provides coverage to 86 percent of Namibia by area international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to the South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cable through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:
232,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2007)
Televisions:
60,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.na
Internet hosts:
6,296 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
101,000 (2007)
Transportation Namibia
Airports:
137 (2007)
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 (2007)
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 (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 42,237 km paved: 5,406 km unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 by type: cargo 1 registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Luderitz, Walvis Bay
Military Namibia
Military branches:
Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 527,948 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 313,497 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 25,525 female: 25,182 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2006)
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): 4,700 (Angola) (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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:
13,770 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.5% (male 2,492/female 2,393) 15-64 years: 62.5% (male 4,237/female 4,363) 65 years and over: 2.1% (male 148/female 137) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.3 years male: 20.7 years female: 21.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.772% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
24.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.81 years male: 60.2 years female: 67.6 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.94 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: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan
Ethnic groups:
Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Religions:
Nauru Congregational 35.4%, Roman Catholic 33.2%, Nauru Independent Church 10.4%, other 14.1%, none 4.5%, unspecified 2.4% (2002 census)
Languages:
Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Literacy:
NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 8 years female: 9 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
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 Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - President Ludwig SCOTTY defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 19 December 2007 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 19 December 2007 (next to be held in 2010) election results: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 26 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18; note - President Marcus STEPHEN called a snap election to break a parliamentary stalemate blocking legislative action
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party; note - loose multiparty system
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Woman Information and News Agency (women's issues)
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, 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 Marlene I. MOSES 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: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation (1992)
Unemployment rate:
90% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $13.5 million expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-3.6% (1993)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts
Industries:
phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
31 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
28.83 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:
1,070 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,049 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:
$64,000 f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:
phosphates
Exports - partners:
South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2006)
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% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$20 million mostly from Australia (2005)
Debt - external:
$33.3 million (2002)
Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:
AUD
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)
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:
42 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
300 (2002)
Transportation Nauru
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 24 km paved: 24 km (2002)
Ports and terminals:
Nauru
Military Nauru
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,470 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 173 female: 159 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 with numerous solution holes but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig trees, scattered cactus
People Navassa Island
Population:
uninhabited note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
Government Navassa Island
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island
Dependency status:
unorganized, 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
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of the US)
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. An insurgency led by Maoist extremists broke out in 1996. The ensuing nine-year civil war between insurgents and government forces witnessed the dissolution of the cabinet and parliament and assumption of absolute power by the king. Several weeks of mass protests in April 2006 were followed by several months of peace negotiations between the Maoists and government officials, and culminated in a November 2006 peace accord and the promulgation of an interim constitution. The newly formed interim parliament declared Nepal a democratic federal republic at its first meeting in May 2008, the king vacated the throne in mid-June 2008, and parliament elected the country's first president the following month.
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)
Total renewable water resources:
210.2 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 10.18 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%) per capita: 375 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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
People Nepal
Population:
29,519,114 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38% (male 5,792,042/female 5,427,370) 15-64 years: 58.2% (male 8,832,488/female 8,345,724) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 542,192/female 579,298) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.7 years male: 20.5 years female: 20.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.095% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
29.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 60.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.94 years male: 61.12 years female: 60.75 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.91 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
61,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,100 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis and malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural) adjective: Nepalese
Ethnic groups:
Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)
Religions:
Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) note: only official Hindu state in the world
Languages:
Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census) note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.6% male: 62.7% female: 34.9% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 8 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2003)
Government Nepal
Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal conventional short form: Nepal local long form: Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal local short form: Nepal
Government type:
democratic republic
Capital:
name: Kathmandu geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti
Independence:
1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)
National holiday:
NA; note - in 2006, Parliament abolished the birthday of King GYANENDRA (7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national holidays
Constitution:
9 November 1990; note - a new interim constitution was promulgated in January 2007; the November 2006 peace agreement calls for the election of a Constituent Assembly to draft a new permanent constitution
Legal system:
based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV (as of 23 July 2008); Vice President Paramananda JHA (as of 23 July 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (as of 18 August 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev GAUTAM cabinet: selected by the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament; term NA; election last held 21 July 2008 election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the Constituent Assembly in a second round of voting on 21 July 2008; Ram Baran YADAV 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282
Legislative branch:
unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 seats decided by direct popular vote; 335 seats by proportional representation; 26 appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers)) note: KOIRALA called the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly on 28 May 2008 elections: last held 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-M 220, NC 110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum 52, Terai Madhesi Democratic Party/Nepal Sadbhawana Party 29, other smaller parties 61; note - 26 seats to be filled by the new Cabinet
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)
Political parties and leaders:
Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav Prasad MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI]; Communist Party of Nepal (ML) [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Unified) [Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal (United) [Ganesh SHAH]; Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Amrit Kumar BOHARA]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman PASHWAN]; Janamorcha Nepal [Amik SHERCHAN]; Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum [Upendra YADAV]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati Shumsher RANA] (also called Rastriya Prajatantra Party or RPP); Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal [Upendra GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Vinod DANGI]; Nepal Rastriya Party [Khushilal YADAV]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi) [Shyam Sundar GUPTA]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress Party or NCP [Girija Prasad KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Bharat Prasad MAHATO]; Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra BAHADUR K.C.]; Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA] (split from RPP in March 2005); Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana Party (Mahato) [Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH]; Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch [Kamal CHHARAHANG]; Terai Madhesi Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: several small armed Madhesi groups along the southern border with India; a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy for individual ethnic groups
International organization participation:
ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Suresh Chandra CHALISE chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534 consulate(s) general: New York:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200 FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272
Flag description:
red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun
Economy Nepal
Economy - overview:
Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for 38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$29.29 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$9.627 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 38% industry: 20% services: 42% (FY05/06 est.)
Labor force:
11.11 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 76% industry: 6% services: 18% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
42% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30.9% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 40.6% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.2 (2004)
Budget:
revenues: $1.153 billion expenditures: $1.927 billion (FY06/07)
Fiscal year:
16 July - 15 July
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.184 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.745 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.636 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Industries:
tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production
Industrial production growth rate:
2.2% (FY05/06)
Electricity - production:
2.703 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.276 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
165 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
380 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 8.5% hydro: 91.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
16,960 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
11,530 bbl/day (2006 est.)
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.)
Current account balance:
$58 million (2007)
Exports:
$830 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded border trade with India (2006)
Exports - commodities:
carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
Exports - partners:
India 69.3%, US 8.8%, Germany 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$2.398 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer
Imports - partners:
India 58.9%, China 13.6%, Japan 1.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$427.9 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$3.07 billion (March 2006)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$963.5 million (2005)
Currency (code):
Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Currency code:
NPR
Exchange rates:
Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - NA (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003)
Communications Nepal
Telephones - main lines in use:
766,400 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.157 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network domestic: NA international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2000)
Radios:
840,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)
Televisions:
130,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.np
Internet hosts:
42,219 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)
Internet users:
337,100 (2007)
Transportation Nepal
Airports:
47 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 30 (2007)
Railways:
total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 17,280 km paved: 9,829 km unpaved: 7,451 km (2004)
Military Nepal
Military branches:
Nepalese Army, Armed Police Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for military training; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,322,965 females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,146,958 females age 16-49: 4,724,495 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 335,747 female: 312,297 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues Nepal
Disputes - international:
joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China) IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Netherlands
Introduction Netherlands
Background:
The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.
Geography Netherlands
Location:
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinates:
52 30 N, 5 45 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Coastline:
451 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain:
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 21.96% permanent crops: 0.77% other: 77.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:
5,650 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
89.7 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%) per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)
Natural hazards:
flooding
Environment - current issues:
water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain
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 Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
Geography - note:
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
People Netherlands
Population:
16,645,313 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.6% (male 1,496,348/female 1,427,297) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,705,003/female 5,583,787) 65 years and over: 14.6% (male 1,040,932/female 1,391,946) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 40 years male: 39.2 years female: 40.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.436% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.53 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.71 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.81 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.25 years male: 76.66 years female: 81.98 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
19,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch
Ethnic groups:
Dutch 80.7%, EU 5%, Indonesian 2.4%, Turkish 2.2%, Surinamese 2%, Moroccan 2%, Netherlands Antilles & Aruba 0.8%, other 4.8% (2008 est.)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages:
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
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: 17 years female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.3% of GDP (2005)
Government Netherlands
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden local short form: Nederland
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Amsterdam geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 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 note: The Hague is the seat of government; time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, not to the Caribbean components
Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South Holland)
Dependent areas:
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
Independence:
23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence) |
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