 |
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 323, FM 1,500 est., shortwave 62 (2004)
Radios:
61.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
7,306 (1998)
Televisions:
60.5 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ru; note - Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su" that was allocated to the Soviet Union and is being phased out
Internet hosts:
4.822 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
300 (June 2000)
Internet users:
30 million (2007)
Transportation Russia
Airports:
1,260 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 601 over 3,047 m: 51 2,438 to 3,047 m: 197 1,524 to 2,437 m: 129 914 to 1,523 m: 102 under 914 m: 122 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 659 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 89 under 914 m: 484 (2007)
Heliports:
47 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 122 km; gas 158,699 km; oil 72,347 km; refined products 13,658 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 87,157 km broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified) narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island) note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve industries (2006)
Roadways:
total: 933,000 km paved: 754,984 km (includes 30,000 km of expressways) unpaved: 178,016 km note: includes public, local, and departmental roads (2006)
Waterways:
102,000 km (including 33,000 km with guaranteed depth) note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,074 by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 663, carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, combination ore/oil 34, container 11, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 217, refrigerated cargo 59, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 5 foreign-owned: 112 (Belgium 4, Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Italy 4, South Korea 1, Latvia 2, Norway 2, Switzerland 3, Turkey 80, Ukraine 11, US 1) registered in other countries: 486 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas 4, Belize 31, Bulgaria 1, Cambodia 83, Comoros 12, Cyprus 50, Dominica 3, Georgia 12, Hong Kong 2, Jamaica 3, Liberia 94, Malaysia 2, Malta 58, Marshall Islands 9, Moldova 3, Mongolia 9, Panama 18, Saint Kitts and Nevis 19, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 21, Sierra Leone 11, Slovakia 1, Tuvalu 2, Ukraine 1, Vanuatu 2, unknown 31) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Azov, Kaliningrad, Kavkaz, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk, Primorsk, Saint Petersburg, Vostochnyy
Military Russia
Military branches:
Ground Forces (SV), Navy (VMF), Air Forces (Voyenno-Vozdushniye Sily, VVS); Airborne Troops (VDV), Strategic Rocket Troops (Raketnyye Voyska Strategicheskogo Naznacheniya, RVSN), and Space Troops (KV) are independent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the three branches; Russian Ground Forces include the following combat arms: motorized-rifle troops, tank troops, missile and artillery troops, air defense of ground troops (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; service obligation - 1 year; reserve obligation to age 50; as of July 2008, a draft military strategy called for the draft to continue up to the year 2030 (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 36,219,908 females age 16-49: 37,019,853 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 21,488,878 females age 16-49: 28,760,976 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 821,103 female: 781,570 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2005)
Transnational Issues Russia
Disputes - international:
China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with the 2004 Agreement, ending their centuries-long border disputes; the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kurils," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting all but small, strategic segments of the land boundary and the maritime boundary; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia signed equidistance boundaries in the Caspian seabed but the littoral states have no consensus on dividing the water column; Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone; various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia (Kareliya) and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union following the Second World War but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; in May 2005, Russia recalled its signatures to the 1996 border agreements with Estonia (1996) and Latvia (1997), when the two Baltic states announced issuance of unilateral declarations referencing Soviet occupation and ensuing territorial losses; Russia demands better treatment of ethnic Russians in Estonia and Latvia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as an EU member state with an EU external border, where strict Schengen border rules apply; preparations for the demarcation delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine have commenced; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and on-going expert-level discussions; Kazakhstan and Russia boundary delimitation was ratified on November 2005 and field demarcation should commence in 2007; Russian Duma has not yet ratified 1990 Bering Sea Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 18,000-160,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North Ossetia) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Russia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for various purposes; it remains a significant source of women trafficked to over 50 countries for commercial sexual exploitation; Russia is also a transit and destination country for men and women trafficked from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Korea to Central and Western Europe and the Middle East for purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; internal trafficking remains a problem in Russia with women trafficked from rural areas to urban centers for commercial sexual exploitation, and men trafficked internally and from Central Asia for forced labor in the construction and agricultural industries; debt bondage is common among trafficking victims, and child sex tourism remains a concern tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Russia is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fifth consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking over the previous year, particularly in providing assistance to victims of trafficking; comprehensive trafficking victim assistance legislation, which would address key deficiencies, has been pending before the Duma since 2003 and was neither passed nor enacted in 2007 (2008)
Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption; government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are key concerns; major consumer of opiates
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Rwanda
Introduction Rwanda
Background:
In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire. Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but several thousand remained in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC; the former Zaire) and formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in August and September 2003 - the country continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in the neighboring DRC continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.
Geography Rwanda
Location:
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
2 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 26,338 sq km land: 24,948 sq km water: 1,390 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 893 km border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible
Terrain:
mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m
Natural resources:
gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 45.56% permanent crops: 10.25% other: 44.19% (2005)
Irrigated land:
90 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
5.2 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.15 cu km/yr (24%/8%/68%) per capita: 17 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo
Environment - current issues:
deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural
People Rwanda
Population:
10,186,063 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: 41.9% (male 2,143,479/female 2,124,588) 15-64 years: 55.7% (male 2,826,557/female 2,842,020) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 99,721/female 149,698) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.7 years male: 18.5 years female: 18.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.779% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
39.97 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
14.46 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 83.42 deaths/1,000 live births male: 88.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 78.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.76 years male: 48.56 years female: 51 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.31 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
250,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
22,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Rwandan(s) adjective: Rwandan
Ethnic groups:
Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
Languages:
Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.4% male: 76.3% female: 64.7% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 8 years female: 9 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2005)
People - note:
Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa
Government Rwanda
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda conventional short form: Rwanda local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda local short form: Rwanda former: Ruanda, German East Africa
Government type:
republic; presidential, multiparty system
Capital:
name: Kigali geographic coordinates: 1 57 S, 30 04 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
4 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in Kinyarwanda - intara for singular and plural) and 1 city* (in French - ville; in Kinyarwanda - umujyi); Est (Eastern), Kigali*, Nord (Northern), Ouest (Western), Sud (Southern)
Independence:
1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution:
new constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003
Legal system:
based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%, Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher learning; to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80 seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - members appointed as part of the transitional government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held 15 September 2008 (next to be held September 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - RPF 78.8%, PSD 13.1%, PL 7.5%; seats by party - RPF 42, PSD 7, PL 4, additional 27 members indirectly elected
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts; District Courts; mediation committees
Political parties and leaders:
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned); Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Protais MITALI]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned); Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
IBUKA (association of genocide survivors)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James KOMONYO chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON embassy: 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 596-400 FAX: [250] 596-591
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue band
Economy Rwanda
Economy - overview:
Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa and is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005-06. Rwanda also received Millennium Challenge Account Threshold status in 2006. The government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce poverty by improving education, infrastructure, and foreign and domestic investment and pursuing market-oriented reforms, although energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$8.057 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.32 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 36.9% industry: 21.7% services: 41.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.6 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2000)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
60% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 38.2% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.8 (2000)
Investment (gross fixed):
22% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $801.8 million expenditures: $878.3 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.84% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$233.6 million (31 December 2005)
Stock of quasi money:
$227.4 million (31 December 2005)
Stock of domestic credit:
$209.2 million (31 December 2005)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
Industries:
cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate:
13.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
134 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
234.6 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
10 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
130 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.3% hydro: 97.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
5,320 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
5,597 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:
56.63 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$147 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$184 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Exports - partners:
China 8.9%, Germany 6.8%, US 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.8% (2007)
Imports:
$637 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
Imports - partners:
Kenya 19.6%, Uganda 6.9%, Germany 6.2%, Belgium 5.9%, China 5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$576 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$552.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.4 billion (2004 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
Rwandan franc (RWF)
Currency code:
RWF
Exchange rates:
Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar - 585 (2007), 560 (2006), 610 (2005), 574.62 (2004), 537.66 (2003)
Communications Rwanda
Telephones - main lines in use:
23,100 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
635,100 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: small, inadequate telephone system primarily serves business and government domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density is only about 7 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 250; international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 8 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of repeaters, three international FM programs include the BBC, VOA, and Deutchewelle), shortwave 1 (2005)
Radios:
601,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2004)
Televisions:
NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.rw
Internet hosts:
2,363 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2002)
Internet users:
100,000 (2007)
Transportation Rwanda
Airports:
9 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 14,008 km paved: 2,662 km unpaved: 11,346 km (2004)
Waterways:
Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye
Military Rwanda
Military branches:
Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force
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: 2,430,469 females age 16-49: 2,392,933 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,404,066 females age 16-49: 1,403,700 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 111,791 female: 112,131 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues Rwanda
Disputes - international:
fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - abated substantially from a decade ago due largely to UN peacekeeping, international mediation, and efforts by local governments to create civil societies; nonetheless, 57,000 Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African states, including Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in 2005 and 2006 to escape drought and recriminations from traditional courts investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of the border remains in place
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 46,272 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 4,400 (Burundi) (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Saint Barthelemy
Introduction Saint Barthelemy
Background:
Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who named it for his brother Bartolomeo, St. Barthelemy was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, who renamed the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1878 and placed it under the administration of Guadeloupe. St. Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appelations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the populace of the island voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity.
Geography Saint Barthelemy
Location:
located approximately 125 miles northwest of Guadeloupe
Geographic coordinates:
17 90 N, 62 85 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
21 sq km
Area - comparative:
less than an eighth of the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Climate:
tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)
Terrain:
hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with 20 beaches
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m
Natural resources:
has few natural resouces, its beaches being the most important
Environment - current issues:
with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is in short supply, especially in summer, and provided by desalinization of sea water, collection of rain water, or imported via water tanker
People Saint Barthelemy
Population:
7,492 (July 2008 est.)
Ethnic groups:
white, Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia)
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness
Languages:
French (primary), English
Government Saint Barthelemy
Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy local short form: Saint-Barthelemy
Dependency status:
overseas collectivity of France
Capital:
name: Gustavia geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007) head of government: President of the Territorial Council Bruno MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term election results: Bruno MAGRAS unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - SBA 72.2%, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 9.9%, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 7.9%, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 9.9%; seats by party - SBA 16, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 1, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 1, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 1
Political parties and leaders:
Action-Equilibre-Transparence [Maxime DESOUCHES]; Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy [Benoit CHAUVIN]; Saint-Barth d'Abord! or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS]; Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy [Karine MIOT-RICHARD]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Marine Reserve (protection of fish); Rotary Club
International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy Saint Barthelemy
Economy - overview:
The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon high-end tourism and duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors primarily from North America. The luxury hotels and villas host 70,000 visitors each year with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The relative isolation and high cost of living inhibits mass tourism. The construction and public sectors also enjoy significant investment in support of tourism. With limited fresh water resources, all food must be imported, as must all energy resources and most manufactured goods. Employment is strong and attracts labor from Brazil and Portugal.
Currency (code):
euro (EUR); note - US dollar (USD) widely used
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications Saint Barthelemy
Telephone system:
general assessment: fully integrated access domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe
Internet country code:
.bl; note - .gp, the ccTLD for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the ccTLD for France, might also be encountered
Transportation Saint Barthelemy
Airports:
1
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 under 914 m: 1
Transportation - note:
nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles)
Military Saint Barthelemy
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 21 female: 20 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Saint Helena
Introduction Saint Helena
Background:
Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha. Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903. Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena and it served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War, and it remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic. Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island.
Geography Saint Helena
Location:
islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2300 nm southwest of Saint Helena
Geographic coordinates:
Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 413 sq km land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 90 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 201 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
Saint Helena: 60 km Ascension Island: NA Tristan da Cunha: 40 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)
Terrain:
the islands of this group result from volcanic activity associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m
Natural resources:
fish, lobster
Land use:
arable land: 12.9% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.1% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa
People Saint Helena
Population:
7,601 note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.5% (male 716/female 690) 15-64 years: 70.7% (male 2,754/female 2,618) 65 years and over: 10.8% (male 381/female 442) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.1 years male: 37.2 years female: 37 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.487% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
11.45 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.58 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: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 21.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.27 years male: 75.36 years female: 81.33 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.56 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: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian note: referred to locally as "Saints"
Ethnic groups:
African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%
Religions:
Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic
Languages:
English
Literacy:
definition: age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government Saint Helena
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Jamestown geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Constitution:
1 January 1989
Legal system:
English common law and statutes, supplemented by local statutes
Suffrage:
NA years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Andrew GURR (since 11 November 2007) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative Council elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, three ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12
Judicial branch:
Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: private sector; unions
International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship
Economy Saint Helena
Economy - overview:
The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which will amount to about $27 million in FY06/07 or almost 70% of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$18 million (1998 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,500 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:
2,486 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 6% industry: 48% services: 46% (1987 est.)
Unemployment rate:
14% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $13.09 million expenditures: $32.16 million note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (1997 est.)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock
Industries:
construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
8 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
7.44 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:
60 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
85.42 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:
$19 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts
Exports - partners:
Tanzania 37.7%, US 17.4%, Japan 15.2%, UK 8.4%, Nigeria 4.8%, Spain 4.5% (2006)
Imports:
$45 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts
Imports - partners:
UK 53.5%, South Africa 14.3%, Spain 10.3%, Tanzania 8.5%, US 4.6% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$29.56 million obtained in a grant from the United Kingdom (FY06/07)
Debt - external:
$NA
Currency (code):
Saint Helenian pound (SHP)
Currency code:
SHP
Exchange rates:
Saint Helenian pounds (SHP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound
Communications Saint Helena
Telephones - main lines in use:
2,200 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: can communicate worldwide domestic: automatic digital network international: country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island) - 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1)
Radio broadcast stations:
Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)
Radios:
3,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (3 television channels are received via satellite and distributed by UHF) (2005)
Televisions:
2,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.sh; note - Ascension Island assigned .ac
Internet hosts:
306 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
1,000; note - includes Ascension Island (2003)
Communications - note:
South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island
Transportation Saint Helena
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km) paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) (2002)
Ports and terminals:
Saint Helena: Jamestown Ascension Island: Georgetown Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor
Transportation - note:
there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010
Military Saint Helena
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 47 female: 43 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Saint Helena
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Saint Kitts and Nevis
Introduction Saint Kitts and Nevis
Background:
First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis continues in its efforts to try and separate from Saint Kitts.
Geography Saint Kitts and Nevis
Location:
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
17 20 N, 62 45 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) land: 261 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
135 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain:
volcanic with mountainous interiors
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Natural resources:
arable land
Land use:
arable land: 19.44% permanent crops: 2.78% other: 77.78% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
0.02 cu km (2000)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to October)
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island
People Saint Kitts and Nevis
Population:
39,817 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.7% (male 5,439/female 5,186) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 13,018/female 12,968) 65 years and over: 8.1% (male 1,334/female 1,872) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.4 years male: 27.7 years female: 29.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.723% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.73 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.19 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.31 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 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.94 years male: 70.08 years female: 75.98 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.28 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: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian
Ethnic groups:
predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese
Religions:
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Languages:
English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97.8% male: NA% female: NA% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
9.3% of GDP (2005)
Government Saint Kitts and Nevis
Country name:
conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Basseterre geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point
Independence:
19 September 1983 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Constitution:
19 September 1983
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)
Political parties and leaders:
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM [Lindsay GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis
Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red
Economy Saint Kitts and Nevis
Economy - overview:
Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the Saint Kitts economy until the 1970s. Following the 2005 harvest, the government closed the sugar industry after decades of losses of 3-4% of GDP annually. To compensate for employment losses, the government has embarked on a program to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of the economy. Activities such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed larger roles in the economy and have contributed to the recent robust growth. Tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign exchange; about 341,800 tourists visited Nevis in 2005. The current government is constrained by a high debt burden, public debt reached 190% of GDP by the end of 2005, largely attributable to public enterprise losses.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$721 million (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$527 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.8% services: 70.7% (2001)
Labor force:
18,170 (June 1995)
Unemployment rate:
4.5% (1997)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $89.7 million expenditures: $128.2 million (2003 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.28% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$97.31 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$688.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$782.4 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish
Industries:
tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
130 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
120.9 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:
950 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
917.8 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.)
Current account balance:
-$163 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$84 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:
machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco
Exports - partners:
US 66.3%, Canada 4.9%, Turkey 3.3% (2007)
Imports:
$383 million (2006)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, manufactures, food, fuels
Imports - partners:
US 47.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.3%, UK 5.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$3.52 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$314 million (2004)
Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
XCD
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications Saint Kitts and Nevis
Telephones - main lines in use:
25,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
10,000 (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: good interisland and international connections domestic: interisland links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in November 2004 international: country code - 1-869; connected internationally by the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2003)
Radios:
28,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2003)
Televisions:
10,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.kn
Internet hosts:
45 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
10,000 (2002)
Transportation Saint Kitts and Nevis
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Railways:
total: 50 km narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists (2006)
Roadways:
total: 320 km paved: 163 km unpaved: 220 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 159 by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 109, chemical tanker 7, container 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 121 (Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 2, Estonia 3, Finland 1, Greece 3, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 3, Kuwait 1, Latvia 5, Malaysia 1, Pakistan 3, Romania 1, Russia 19, Singapore 1, Spain 1, Syria 7, Turkey 35, Ukraine 9, UAE 18, UK 3, Yemen 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Basseterre
Military Saint Kitts and Nevis
Military branches:
Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (includes Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force
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: 10,095 females age 16-49: 10,081 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,064 females age 16-49: 8,464 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 367 female: 352 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA
Transnational Issues Saint Kitts and Nevis
Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Saint Lucia
Introduction Saint Lucia
Background:
The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Even after the abolition of slavery on its plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island, dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.
Geography Saint Lucia
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
13 53 N, 60 58 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 616 sq km land: 606 sq km water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
158 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August
Terrain:
volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m
Natural resources:
forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
Land use:
arable land: 6.45% permanent crops: 22.58% other: 70.97% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.01 per capita: 81 cu m/yr (1997)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes and volcanic activity
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean
People Saint Lucia
Population:
159,585 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.2% (male 20,614/female 19,559) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 50,897/female 54,140) 65 years and over: 9% (male 6,481/female 7,894) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.2 years male: 28.2 years female: 30.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.436% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
15.4 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.71 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.25 years male: 73.59 years female: 79.05 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.86 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: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian
Ethnic groups:
black 82.5%, mixed 11.9%, East Indian 2.4%, other or unspecified 3.1% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal 5.7%, Rastafarian 2.1%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official), French patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 90.1% male: 89.5% female: 90.6% (2001 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.6% of GDP (2006)
Government Saint Lucia
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Castries geographic coordinates: 14 01 N, 61 00 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort
Independence:
22 February 1979 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Constitution:
22 February 1979
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since September 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Stephenson KING (since 9 September 2007); note - Sir John COMPTON died in office Friday, 7 September 2007 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 11 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - UWP 50%, SLP 46.9%, other 3.1%; seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Political parties and leaders:
National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Stephenson KING]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael LOUIS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia
Flag description:
blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border
Economy Saint Lucia
Economy - overview:
The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries, with a surge in foreign direct investment in 2006, attributed to the construction of several tourism projects. Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange, with almost 900,000 arrivals in 2007. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana industry. Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks including declines in European Union banana preferences, volatile tourism receipts, natural disasters, and dependence on foreign oil. High debt servicing obligations constrain the KING administration's ability to respond to adverse external shocks. Economic fundamentals remain solid, even though unemployment needs to be reduced.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.794 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$958 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5% industry: 15% services: 80% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
43,800 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 21.7% industry: 24.7% services: 53.6% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:
20% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $141.2 million expenditures: $146.7 million (2000 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.12% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$264.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$720.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.217 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa
Industries:
clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism; lime processing, coconut processing
Industrial production growth rate:
-8.9% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:
325 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
289.2 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:
2,780 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
2,631 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.)
Current account balance:
-$199 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$288 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:
bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil
Exports - partners:
US 24.5%, France 23.2%, UK 19.3%, Antigua and Barbuda 5%, Dominica 4.9%, Barbados 4.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$791 million (2006)
Imports - commodities:
food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners:
Brazil 63.6%, US 10.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 8.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$11.06 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$257 million (2004)
Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
XCD
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use:
51,100 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
105,700 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system domestic: system is automatically switched international: country code - 1-758; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables, along with Intelsat from Martinique, carry calls internationally; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)
Radios:
111,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (1 commercial broadcast station and 1 community antenna television or CATV channel) (2003)
Televisions:
32,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.lc
Internet hosts:
17 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
15 (2000)
Internet users:
110,000 (2007)
Transportation Saint Lucia
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 1,210 km (2002)
Ports and terminals:
Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort
Military Saint Lucia
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard) (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 48,358 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 38,660 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,591 female: 1,504 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA
Transnational Issues Saint Lucia
Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Saint Martin
Introduction Saint Martin
Background:
Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished St. Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it amongst themselves in 1648. The cultivation of sugar cane introduced slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of St. Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity.
Geography Saint Martin
Location:
island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
18 05 N, 63 57 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 54.4 sq km land: 54.4 sq km water: NEGL
Area - comparative:
more than one-third the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 15 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km
Coastline:
58.9 km (for entire island)
Climate:
temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-Novemeber is the hurricane season
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m
Natural resources:
salt
Environment - current issues:
fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water
Geography - note:
the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten
People Saint Martin
Population:
29,376 (July 2008 est.)
Ethnic groups:
creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu
Languages:
French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles)
Government Saint Martin
Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivity d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin
Dependency status:
overseas collectivity of France
Capital:
name: Marigot geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight savings: +1 hour
Independence:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007) head of government: President of the Territorial Council Frantz GUMBS (since 7 August 2008) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council election: French president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term election results: Frantz GUMBS elected president by the Territorial Council on 7 August 2008
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012) election results: percent of seats by party - UPP 49%, RRR 42.2%, Reussir Saint-Martin 8.9%; seats by party - UPP 16, RRR 6, Reussir Saint-Martin 1
Political parties and leaders:
Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis-Constant FLEMING]; Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]; Reussir Saint-Martin [Jean-Luc HAMLET]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy Saint Martin
Economy - overview:
The economy of Saint Martin centers around tourism with 85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported, primarily from Mexico and the United States. Saint Martin is reported to have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean.
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry
Industries:
tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry
Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, food, manufactured items
Imports - partners:
US, Mexico (2006)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR); note - US dollar (USD) widely used
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications Saint Martin
Telephone system:
general assessment: fully integrated access domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe
Radio broadcast stations:
FM 3 (2007)
Internet country code:
.mf; note - .gp, the ccTLD for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the ccTLD for France, might also be encountered
Transportation Saint Martin
Airports:
1
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1
Transportation - note:
nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten
Military Saint Martin
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 186 female: 162 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Introduction Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Background:
First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions.
Geography Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Location:
Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)
Geographic coordinates:
46 50 N, 56 20 W
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 242 sq km land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
120 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy
Terrain:
mostly barren rock
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m
Natural resources:
fish, deepwater ports
Land use:
arable land: 12.5% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.5% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues:
recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment
Geography - note:
vegetation scanty
People Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Population:
7,044 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.4% (male 806/female 772) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 2,370/female 2,301) 65 years and over: 11.3% (male 366/female 429) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.9 years male: 34.3 years female: 35.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.114% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.91 years male: 76.55 years female: 81.4 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.98 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: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French
Ethnic groups:
Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
Languages:
French (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Country name:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon |
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