 |
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$21.02 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.12 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16% industry: 19.4% services: 64.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.85 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 77.5% industry and services: 22.5% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
48% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
54% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 33.4% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41.3 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.614 billion expenditures: $3.036 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
22.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.842 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.579 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.97 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish
Industries:
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining; iron ore, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair
Industrial production growth rate:
5.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
2.28 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.657 billion 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 (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
36,200 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
4,298 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
40,450 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
50 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
50 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
NA cu m
Natural gas - imports:
NA cu m
Natural gas - proved reserves:
NA cu m
Current account balance:
-$1.458 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.65 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton
Exports - partners:
Mali 18.9%, France 9.1%, Italy 5.9%, India 5.7%, Gambia, The 5.2% (2007)
Imports:
$3.731 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food and beverages, capital goods, fuels
Imports - partners:
France 22.2%, Netherlands 10%, China 7.4%, UK 6.2%, Thailand 5.2%, Belgium 4.5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$477 million (2007 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.66 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.19 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:
XOF
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Communications Senegal
Telephones - main lines in use:
269,100 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.123 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: good system domestic: above-average urban system with a fiber-optic network; nearly two-thirds of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar where a call-center industry is emerging; expansion of fixed-line services in rural areas needed; mobile-cellular service is expanding rapidly; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system international: country code - 221; the SAT-3/WASC fiber optic cable provides connectivity to Europe and Asia while Atlantis-2 provides connectivity to South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
1.24 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (2007)
Televisions:
361,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.sn
Internet hosts:
217 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
820,000 (2007)
Transportation Senegal
Airports:
20 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 43 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 13,576 km paved: 3,972 km (includes 7 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,604 km (2003)
Waterways:
1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2005)
Ports and terminals:
Dakar
Military Senegal
Military branches:
Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,943,619 females age 16-49: 2,955,179 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,866,602 females age 16-49: 1,947,076 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 141,832 female: 139,541 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Senegal
Disputes - international:
The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem separatist violence, cross border raids, and arms smuggling into their countries from Senegal's Casamance region, and in 2006, respectively accepted 6,000 and 10,000 Casamance residents fleeing the conflict; 2,500 Guinea-Bissau residents fled into Senegal in 2006 to escape armed confrontations along the border
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 19,630 (Mauritania) IDPs: 22,400 (approximately 65% of the IDP population returned in 2005, but new displacement is occurring due to clashes between government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Serbia
Introduction Serbia
Background:
The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Various paramilitary bands resisted Nazi Germany's occupation and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945, but fought each other and ethnic opponents as much as the invaders. The military and political movement headed by Josip TITO (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when German and Croatian separatist forces were defeated in 1945. Although Communist, TITO's new government and his successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In 1989, Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Serbian Republic and his ultranationalist calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines. In 1991, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence, followed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992 and under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia led various military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." These actions led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992, but Serbia continued its - ultimately unsuccessful - campaign until signing the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. MILOSEVIC kept tight control over Serbia and eventually became president of the FRY in 1997. In 1998, an ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo provoked a Serbian counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo. The MILOSEVIC government's rejection of a proposed international settlement led to NATO's bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999 and to the eventual withdrawal of Serbian military and police forces from Kosovo in June 1999. UNSC Resolution 1244 in June 1999 authorized the stationing of a NATO-led force (KFOR) in Kosovo to provide a safe and secure environment for the region's ethnic communities, created a UN interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to foster self-governing institutions, and reserved the issue of Kosovo's final status for an unspecified date in the future. In 2001, UNMIK promulgated a constitutional framework that allowed Kosovo to establish institutions of self-government and led to Kosovo's first parliamentary election. FRY elections in September 2000 led to the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as president. A broad coalition of democratic reformist parties known as DOS (the Democratic Opposition of Serbia) was subsequently elected to parliament in December 2000 and took control of the government. DOS arrested MILOSEVIC in 2001 and allowed for him to be tried in The Hague for crimes against humanity. (MILOSEVIC died in March 2006 before the completion of his trial.) In 2001, the country's suspension from the UN was lifted. In 2003, the FRY became Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics with a federal level parliament. Widespread violence predominantly targeting ethnic Serbs in Kosovo in March 2004 caused the international community to open negotiations on the future status of Kosovo in January 2006. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right to secede from the federation and - following a successful referendum - it declared itself an independent nation on 3 June 2006. Two days later, Serbia declared that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro. A new Serbian constitution was approved in October 2006 and adopted the following month. After 15 months of inconclusive negotiations mediated by the UN and four months of further inconclusive negotiations mediated by the US, EU, and Russia, on 17 February 2008, the UNMIK-administered province of Kosovo declared itself independent of Serbia.
Geography Serbia
Location:
Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary
Geographic coordinates:
44 00 N, 21 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 77,474 sq km land: 77,474 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
total: 2,026 km border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km, Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia 241 km, Hungary 151 km, Kosovo 352 km, Macedonia 62 km, Montenegro 124 km, Romania 476 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall); in other parts, continental and Mediterranean climate (relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns)
Terrain:
extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: NA highest point: Midzor 2,169 m
Natural resources:
oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land
Land use:
arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
208.5 cu km (note - includes Kosovo) (2003)
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East
People Serbia
Population:
10,159,046 note: all population data includes Kosovo (July 2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.5 years male: 36.1 years female: 39 years (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.29 years male: 72.7 years female: 78.09 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.69 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Serb(s) adjective: Serbian
Ethnic groups:
Serb 82.9%, Hungarian 3.9%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.4%, Yugoslavs 1.1%, Bosniaks 1.8%, Montenegrin 0.9%, other 8% (2002 census)
Religions:
Serbian Orthodox 85%, Catholic 5.5%, Protestant 1.1%, Muslim 3.2%, unspecified 2.6%, other, unknown, or atheist 2.6% (2002 census)
Languages:
Serbian 88.3% (official), Hungarian 3.8%, Bosniak 1.8%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 4.1%, unknown 0.9% (2002 census) note: Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak, Ukrainian, and Croatian all official in Vojvodina
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.4% male: 98.9% female: 94.1% (2003 census) note: includes Montenegro
Education expenditures:
NA
Government Serbia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Serbia conventional short form: Serbia local long form: Republika Srbija local short form: Srbija former: People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Belgrade (Beograd) geographic coordinates: 44 50 N, 20 30 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
161 municipalities (opcstine, singular - opcstina) Serbia Proper: Beograd: Barajevo, Cukavica, Grocka, Lazarevac, Mladnovac, Novi Beograd, Obrenovac, Palilula, Rakovica, Savski Venac, Sopot, Stari Grad, Surcin, Vozdovac, Vracar, Zemun, Zrezdara; Borski Okrug: Bor, Kladovo, Majdanpek, Negotin; Branicevski Okrug: Golubac, Kucevo, Malo Crnice, Petrovac, Pozarevac, Veliko Gradiste, Zabari, Zagubica; Jablanicki Okrug: Bojnik, Crna Trava, Lebane, Leskovac, Medvedja, Vlasotince; Kolubarski Okrug: Lajkovac, Ljig, Mionica, Osecina, Ub, Valjevo; Macvanski Okrug: Bogatic, Koceljeva, Krupanj, Ljubovija, Loznica, Mali Zvornik, Sabac, Vladimirci; Moravicki Okrug: Cacak, Gornkji Milanovac, Ivanjica, Lucani; Nisavski Okrug: Aleksinac, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Merosina, Nis, Razanj, Svrljig; Pcinjski Okrug: Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Presevo, Surdulica, Trgoviste, Vladicin Han, Vranje; Pirotski Okrug: Babusnica, Bela Palanka, Dimitrovgrad, Pirot; Podunavski Okrug: Smederevo, Smederevskia Palanka, Velika Plana; Pomoravski Okrug: Cuprija, Despotovac, Jagodina, Paracin, Rckovac, Svilajnac; Rasinski Okrug: Aleksandrovac, Brus, Cicevac, Krusevac, Trstenik, Varvarin; Raski Okrug: Kraljevo, Novi Pazar, Raska, Tutin, Vrnjacka Banja; Sumadijski Okrug: Arandjelovac, Batocina, Knic, Kragujevac, Lapovo, Raca, Topola; Toplicki Okrug: Blace, Kursumlija, Prokuplje, Zitoradja; Zajecarski Okrug: Boljevac, Knjazevac, Sokobanja, Zalecar; Zlatiborski Okrug: Arilje, Bajina Basta, Cajetina, Kosjeric, Nova Varos, Pozega, Priboj, Prijepolje, Sjenica, Uzice Vojvodina Autonomous Province: Juzno-Backi Okrug: Backi Petrovac, Beocin, Novi Sad, Sremski Karlovci, Temerin, Titel, Zabalj; Juzno Banatski Okrug: Alibunar, Bela Crkva, Kovacica, Kovin, Opovo, Pancevo, Plandiste, Vrsac; Severno-Backi Okrug: Backa Topola, Mali Idjos, Subotica; Severno-Banatski Okrug: Ada, Coka, Kanjiza, Kikinda, Novi Knezevac, Senta; Srednje-Banatski Okrug: Nova Crnja, Novi Becej, Secanj, Zitiste, Zrenjanin; Sremski Okrug: Indjija, Irig, Pecinci, Ruma, Sid, Sremska Mitrovica, Stara Pazova; Zapadno-Backi Okrug: Apatin, Kula, Odzaci, Sombor
Independence:
5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)
National holiday:
National Day, 15 February
Constitution:
adopted 8 November 2006; effective 10 November 2006
Legal system:
based on civil law system
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Boris TADIC (since 11 July 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Mirko CVETKOVIC (since 7 July 2008) cabinet: Federal Ministries act as cabinet elections: president elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister elected by the Assembly election results: Boris TADIC elected president in the second round of voting; Boris TADIC received 51.2% of the vote and Tomislav NIKOLIC 48.8%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (250 seats; deputies elected by direct vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 11 May 2008 (next to be held in May 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - For a European Serbia coalition 38.4%, SRS 29.5%, DSS-NS 11.6%, coalition led by the SPS 7.6%, LPD 5.2%, other 7.7%; seats by party - For a European Serbia 102, SRS 78, DSS-NS 30, coalition led by the SPS 20, LDP 13, other 7; note - the seat allocation for the SNS is uncertain because of an ongoing dispute with the SRS
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (to become court of cassation under new constitution), appellate courts, district courts, municipal courts
Political parties and leaders:
Coalition of Albanians of the Presevo Valley or KAPD [Riza HALIMI]; Coalition for Sandzak or KZS [Sulejman UGLJANIN]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh [Ragmi MUSTAFA]; Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party or DS [Boris TADIC]; Democratic Union of the Valley or BDL [Skender DESTANI]; For a European Serbia [Boris TADIC]; Force of Serbia Movement or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC]; G17 Plus [Mladjan DINKIC]; League of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Istvan PASTOR]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Cedomir JOVANOVIC]; Movement for Democratic Progress or LPD [Jonuz MUSLIU]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Party of Democratic Action or PVD [Riza HALIMI]; Roma Party or RP [Srdjan SAJN]; Serbian Progressive Party or SNS [Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav SESELJ (currently on trial at The Hague), but Tomislav NIKOLIC is acting leader]; Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC]; Union of Roma of Serbia or URS [Rajko DJURIC]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD (suspended), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron MUNTER embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070 telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344 FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230
Flag description:
three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white; charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the hoist side
Economy Serbia
Economy - overview:
MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in September 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government implemented stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000, a down-sized Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June 2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. In November 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reschedule the country's $4.5 billion public debt and wrote off 66% of the debt. In July 2004, the London Club of private creditors forgave $1.7 billion of debt just over half the total owed. Belgrade has made only minimal progress in restructuring and privatizing its holdings in major sectors of the economy, including energy and telecommunications. It has made halting progress towards EU membership and is currently pursuing a Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels. Serbia is also pursuing membership in the World Trade Organization. Unemployment remains an ongoing political and economic problem.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$77.28 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$41.68 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 12.3% industry: 24.2% services: 63.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.961 million (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 30% industry: 46% services: 24% (2002)
Unemployment rate:
18.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
6.5% (2007 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $9.6 billion expenditures: $9.8 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
37% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.8% (2007)
Central bank discount rate:
9.57% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.13% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.632 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$12.19 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$13.44 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, maize, sugar beets, sunflower, raspberries, beef, pork, milk
Industries:
sugar, agricultural machinery, electrical and communication equipment, paper and pulp, lead, transportation equipment
Industrial production growth rate:
1.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
33.87 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Electricity - exports:
12.05 billion kWh (2004 est.)
Electricity - imports:
11.23 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:
11,410 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
85,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:
77.5 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
650 million cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
2.55 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
48.14 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$6.889 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$8.824 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment
Imports:
$18.35 billion (2007 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$2 billion pledged in 2001 to Serbia and Montenegro (disbursements to follow over several years; some aid pledged by EU and US has been placed on hold because of lack of cooperation by Serbia in handing over General Ratko MLADIC to the criminal court in The Hague)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$14.22 billion (2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$26.24 billion (includes debt for Montenegro and Kosovo) (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$11.95 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.409 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Serbian dinar (RSD)
Exchange rates:
Serbian dinars (RSD) per US dollar - 54.5 (2007), 59.98 (2006)
Communications Serbia
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.993 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
8.453 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has been slow as a result of damage stemming from the 1999 war and transition to a competitive market-based system; network was only 65% digitalized in 2005 domestic: teledensity remains below the average for neighboring states; GSM wireless service, available through multiple providers with national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best telecommunications service limited to urban centers international: country code - 381
Radio broadcast stations:
153 (station types NA) (2001)
Internet country code:
.rs
Internet hosts:
NA
Internet users:
1.5 million (2007)
Transportation Serbia
Airports:
39 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 12 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,921 km; oil 393 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,379 km standard gauge: 3,379 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 1,254 km) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 36,875 km paved: 31,392 km unpaved: 5,483 km note: roadways in Kosovo listed separately (2006)
Waterways:
587 km (primarily on Danube and Sava rivers) (2005)
Military Serbia
Military branches:
Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Land Forces Command (includes Riverine Component, consisting of a river flotilla on the Danube), Joint Operations Command, Air and Air Defense Forces Command (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
19-35 years of age for compulsory military service; under a state of war or impending war, conscription can begin at age 16; conscription is to be abolished in 2010; 9-month service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 60 for men and 50 for women (2007)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 66,263 female: 62,165 (2008 est.)
Transnational Issues Serbia
Disputes - international:
Serbia with several other states protest the U.S. and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaring itself as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo; Serbia delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 71,111 (Croatia); 27,414 (Bosnia and Herzegovina); 206,000 (Kosovo), note - mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999 (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Seychelles
Introduction Seychelles
Background:
A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. President France-Albert RENE, who had served since 1977, was re-elected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James MICHEL took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term.
Geography Seychelles
Location:
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:
4 35 S, 55 40 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 455 sq km land: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
491 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 marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)
Terrain:
Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m
Natural resources:
fish, copra, cinnamon trees
Land use:
arable land: 2.17% permanent crops: 13.04% other: 84.79% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible
Environment - current issues:
water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater
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, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands
People Seychelles
Population:
82,247 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.9% (male 10,337/female 10,108) 15-64 years: 69.1% (male 27,752/female 29,048) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,575/female 3,427) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.7 years male: 27.6 years female: 29.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.428% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
15.6 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-5.11 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: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.6 years male: 67.27 years female: 78.1 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.73 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: Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective: Seychellois
Ethnic groups:
mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab
Religions:
Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)
Languages:
Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.8% male: 91.4% female: 92.3% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
6.5% of GDP (2006)
Government Seychelles
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles local long form: Republic of Seychelles local short form: Seychelles
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Victoria geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka
Independence:
29 June 1976 (from UK)
National holiday:
Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)
Constitution:
18 June 1993
Legal system:
based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President James Alix MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote - James MICHEL 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 45.71%, Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in April 2004
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats; 25 members elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 10-12 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 56.2%, SNP 43.8%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Roman Catholic Church other: trade unions
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Ronald JUMEAU chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles
Flag description:
five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
Economy Seychelles
Economy - overview:
Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the pre-independence, near-subsistence level, moving the island into the upper-middle income group of countries. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years, the government has encouraged foreign investment to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. Sharp drops illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf War and once again following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Economic growth slowed in 1998-2002 and fell in 2003-04, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors, but resumed in 2005-07. Real GDP grew by 5.8% in 2007, driven by tourism and a boom in tourism-related construction. The Seychelles rupee was allowed to depreciate in 2006 after being overvalued for years and fell by 10% in the first 9 months of 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.378 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$710 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$16,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.1% industry: 28.3% services: 69.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
39,560 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3% industry: 23% services: 74% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
2% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
8.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $372.3 million expenditures: $362.2 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
92.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.13% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.89% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$330.8 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$249 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$660.2 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna
Industries:
fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages
Industrial production growth rate:
7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
208 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
193.4 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:
6,560 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
5,722 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006)
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:
-$272 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$395 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)
Exports - partners:
UK 23.7%, France 19.8%, Mauritius 10%, Japan 8.3%, Italy 5.7%, Spain 5.1% (2007)
Imports:
$823 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 17.6%, Germany 10.8%, France 8.1%, Spain 7.6%, South Africa 6.4%, Singapore 5.8% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$18.81 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$40.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.059 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
Seychelles rupee (SCR)
Currency code:
SCR
Exchange rates:
Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar - 6.5 (2007), 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003)
Communications Seychelles
Telephones - main lines in use:
22,700 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
77,300 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: effective system domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 125 telephones per 100 persons; radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios:
42,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
11,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.sc
Internet hosts:
284 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
32,000 (2007)
Transportation Seychelles
Airports:
15 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 458 km paved: 440 km unpaved: 18 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
total: 8 by type: cargo 1, carrier 1, chemical tanker 6 foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Victoria
Military Seychelles
Military branches:
Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 23,598 females age 16-49: 24,424 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 17,942 females age 16-49: 20,436 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 770 female: 750 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues Seychelles
Disputes - international:
together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Sierra Leone
Introduction Sierra Leone
Background:
Democracy is slowly being reestablished after the civil war from 1991 to 2002 that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third of the population). The military, which took over full responsibility for security following the departure of UN peacekeepers at the end of 2005, is increasingly developing as a guarantor of the country's stability. The armed forces remained on the sideline during the 2007 presidential election, but still look to the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) - a civilian UN mission - to support efforts to consolidate peace. The new government's priorities include furthering development, creating jobs, and stamping out endemic corruption.
Geography Sierra Leone
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Geographic coordinates:
8 30 N, 11 30 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 71,740 sq km land: 71,620 sq km water: 120 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
Coastline:
402 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
Terrain:
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
Natural resources:
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
Land use:
arable land: 7.95% permanent crops: 1.05% other: 91% (2005)
Irrigated land:
300 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
160 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.38 cu km/yr (5%/3%/92%) per capita: 69 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms
Environment - current issues:
rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleted natural resources; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa
People Sierra Leone
Population:
6,294,774 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.6% (male 1,377,981/female 1,429,993) 15-64 years: 52.2% (male 1,573,990/female 1,708,840) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 94,359/female 109,611) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.5 years male: 17.2 years female: 17.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.282% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
45.08 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
22.26 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 156.48 deaths/1,000 live births male: 173.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 138.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 40.93 years male: 38.64 years female: 43.28 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.95 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
7% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
170,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean
Ethnic groups:
20 African ethnic groups 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians
Religions:
Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%
Languages:
English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic total population: 35.1% male: 46.9% female: 24.4% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years male: 8 years female: 6 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2005)
Government Sierra Leone
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone conventional short form: Sierra Leone local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone local short form: Sierra Leone
Government type:
constitutional democracy
Capital:
name: Freetown geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 13 15 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*
Independence:
27 April 1961 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 April (1961)
Constitution:
1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times
Legal system:
based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007) cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 August 2007 and 8 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: second round results; percent of vote - Ernest Bai KOROMA 54.6%, Solomon BEREWA 45.4%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (124 seats; 112 members elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 11 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 59, SLPP 43, PMDC 10
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court
Political parties and leaders:
All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA]; Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON]; People's Movement for Democratic Change or PMDC [Charles MARGAI]; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Solomon BEREWA]; numerous others
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: student unions; trade unions
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bockari Kortu STEVENS chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263 FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY embassy: Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 515 000 or [232] (76) 515 000 FAX: [232] (22) 515 355
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue
Economy Sierra Leone
Economy - overview:
Sierra Leone is an extremely poor nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. While it possesses substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its physical and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development. Nearly half of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Alluvial diamond mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings accounting for nearly half of Sierra Leone's exports. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and supplement government revenues. The IMF has completed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program that helped stabilize economic growth and reduce inflation. A recent increase in political stability has led to a revival of economic activity such as the rehabilitation of bauxite and rutile mining.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.991 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.664 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 49% industry: 31% services: 21% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
1.369 million (1981 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
70.2% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
62.9 (1989)
Budget:
revenues: $96 million expenditures: $351 million (2000 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
25% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$184.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$177.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$162.9 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Industries:
diamond mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
250 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
232.5 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:
0.7008 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
8,430 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
432.3 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
8,271 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:
-$63 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$216 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish
Exports - partners:
Belgium 49.3%, US 20.5%, Netherlands 4.5%, Canada 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$560 million f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Cote d'Ivoire 10%, China 10%, US 9.5%, UK 6.2%, Netherlands 5.1%, India 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$343.4 million (2005 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.61 billion (2003 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
leone (SLL)
Currency code:
SLL
Exchange rates:
leones (SLL) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2,961.7 (2006), 2,889.6 (2005), 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003)
Communications Sierra Leone
Telephones - main lines in use:
24,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
776,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: marginal telephone service domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema; mobile-cellular service is growing rapidly from a small base international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
1.12 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (1999)
Televisions:
53,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.sl
Internet hosts:
8 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)
Internet users:
13,000 (2007)
Transportation Sierra Leone
Airports:
10 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 11,300 km paved: 904 km unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)
Waterways:
800 km (600 km year round) (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 182 by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 143, carrier 2, chemical tanker 3, container 6, liquefied gas 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 2 foreign-owned: 95 (Belgium 1, China 15, Egypt 3, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1, Lebanon 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 11, Syria 18, Taiwan 1, Turkey 15, Ukraine 10, UAE 8, UK 2, US 1, Yemen 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands
Military Sierra Leone
Military branches:
Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Navy (Maritime Wing), Air Wing) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,315,561 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 671,418 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 70,068 female: 73,930 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.3% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues Sierra Leone
Disputes - international:
as domestic fighting among disparate ethnic groups, rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone gradually abate, the number of refugees in border areas has begun to slowly dwindle; UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone since 1999; Sierra Leone considers excessive Guinea's definition of the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers and protests Guinea's continued occupation of these lands including the hamlet of Yenga occupied since 1998
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 27,311 (Liberia) (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Singapore
Introduction Singapore
Background:
Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.
Geography Singapore
Location:
Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
1 22 N, 103 48 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 692.7 sq km land: 682.7 sq km water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
193 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms
Terrain:
lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Natural resources:
fish, deepwater ports
Land use:
arable land: 1.47% permanent crops: 1.47% other: 97.06% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
0.6 cu km (1975)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.19 cu km/yr (45%/51%/4%) per capita: 44 cu m/yr (1975)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
People Singapore
Population:
4,608,167 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.8% (male 353,333/female 329,005) 15-64 years: 76.5% (male 1,717,357/female 1,809,462) 65 years and over: 8.7% (male 177,378/female 221,632) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.4 years male: 38 years female: 38.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.135% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.99 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
6.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.89 years male: 79.29 years female: 84.68 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.08 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,100 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore
Ethnic groups:
Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census)
Religions:
Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)
Languages:
Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 96.6% female: 88.6% (2000 census)
Education expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2001)
Government Singapore
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Singapore local long form: Republic of Singapore local short form: Singapore
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Singapore geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none
Independence:
9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)
National holiday:
National Day, 9 August (1965)
Constitution:
3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution)
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President S R NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) note: uses S R NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Ministers Shunmugam JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005) cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; appointed on 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August 2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president election results: Sellapan Rama (S R) NATHAN appointed president in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; up to three losing opposition candidates who came closest to winning seats may be appointed as "nonconstituency" members elections: last held on 6 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%, SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals
Political parties and leaders:
People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong]; Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee Lian] note: SDA includes Singapore Justice Party or SJP, Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS, Singapore People's Party or SPP
Political pressure groups and leaders:
UNFEM [Saleeman ISMAIL] other: investment companies; news organizations
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIT, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 consulate(s) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia L. HERBOLD embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
Economy Singapore
Economy - overview:
Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the four largest West European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics and information technology products. It was hard hit from 2001-03 by the global recession, by the slump in the technology sector, and by an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, which curbed tourism and consumer spending. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and internal flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004-07 with real GDP growth averaging 7% annually. The government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the global demand cycle for information technology products - it has attracted major investments in pharmaceuticals and medical technology production - and will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$227.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$161.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$49,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0% industry: 31.2% services: 68.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.751 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 21%, construction 5%, transportation and communication 7%, financial, business, and other services 42%, other 25% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
2.1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 32.8% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
52.2 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
24.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $27 billion expenditures: $21.5 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
96.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.33% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$44.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$162.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$129.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs; fish, ornamental fish
Industries:
electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade
Industrial production growth rate:
7.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
38.68 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
35.13 billion 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:
9,836 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
834,600 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.203 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
2.003 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
6.5 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
6.5 billion cu m note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$46.39 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$302.7 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, chemicals, mineral fuels
Exports - partners:
Malaysia 12.9%, Hong Kong 10.5%, Indonesia 9.8%, China 9.7%, US 8.9%, Japan 4.8%, Thailand 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$252 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Malaysia 13.1%, US 12.5%, China 12.1%, Japan 8.2%, Taiwan 5.9%, Indonesia 5.6%, South Korea 4.9% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$0 (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$163 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$25.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$214.5 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$111.2 billion (2005)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$382.4 billion (2007)
Currency (code):
Singapore dollar (SGD)
Currency code:
SGD
Exchange rates:
Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar - 1.507 (2007), 1.5889 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003)
Communications Singapore
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.859 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.619 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless service in February 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 165 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 65; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations -4; supplemented by VSAT coverage (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)
Radios:
2.6 million (2000)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (broadcasting on six channels); additional reception of numerous UHF and VHF signals originating in Malaysia and Indonesia (2006)
Televisions:
1.33 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.sg
Internet hosts:
837,559 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)
Internet users:
3.105 million (2007)
Transportation Singapore
Airports:
8 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 139 km; refined products 8 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 3,262 km paved: 3,262 km (includes 150 km of expressways) (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,292 by type: bulk carrier 167, cargo 87, carrier 5, chemical tanker 209, container 273, liquefied gas 96, petroleum tanker 386, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 53 foreign-owned: 774 (Australia 12, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 8, Chile 6, China 14, Cyprus 1, Denmark 87, France 1, Germany 24, Greece 15, Hong Kong 47, India 13, Indonesia 66, Italy 5, Japan 131, South Korea 3, Malaysia 27, Norway 143, Slovenia 1, Sweden 20, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 72, Thailand 23, UAE 12, UK 17, US 22) registered in other countries: 331 (Australia 1, Bahamas 17, Belize 2, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 10, Comoros 1, Cyprus 3, Dominica 7, France 2, Honduras 12, Hong Kong 18, Indonesia 27, Isle of Man 1, Kiribati 4, Liberia 32, Malaysia 16, Marshall Islands 18, Mongolia 9, Norway 1, Panama 100, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Thailand 2, Tuvalu 23, US 12, unknown 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Singapore
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift
Military Singapore
Military branches:
Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-21 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 2-year conscript service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,277,862 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,038,603 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 27,742 female: 26,325 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Singapore
Disputes - international:
disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings as a consequence of the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait
Illicit drugs:
drug abuse limited because of aggressive law enforcement efforts; as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for money laundering
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Slovakia
Introduction Slovakia
Background:
The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography Slovakia
Location:
Central Europe, south of Poland
Geographic coordinates:
48 40 N, 19 30 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 48,845 sq km land: 48,800 sq km water: 45 sq km
Area - comparative:
about twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:
total: 1,474 km border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 197 km, Hungary 676 km, Poland 420 km, Ukraine 90 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain:
rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
Natural resources:
brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land
Land use:
arable land: 29.23% permanent crops: 2.67% other: 68.1% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,830 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
50.1 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.04 per capita: 193 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests
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 Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys
People Slovakia
Population:
5,455,407 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.1% (male 448,083/female 427,643) 15-64 years: 71.7% (male 1,947,112/female 1,961,788) 65 years and over: 12.3% (male 250,787/female 419,994) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.5 years male: 34.8 years female: 38.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.143% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.64 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.5 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.3 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: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.98 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.17 years male: 71.23 years female: 79.32 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.34 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Slovak(s) adjective: Slovak
Ethnic groups:
Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)
Languages:
Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2001 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2005)
Government Slovakia
Country name:
conventional long form: Slovak Republic conventional short form: Slovakia local long form: Slovenska Republika local short form: Slovensko
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Bratislava geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
Independence:
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)
Constitution:
ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership
Legal system:
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALINAK, Stefan HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 June 2006 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - Smer 29.1%, SDKU 18.4%, SMK 11.7%, SNS 11.7%, LS-HZDS 8.8%, KDH 8.3%, other 12%; seats by party - Smer 50, SDKU 31, SMK 20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 16, KDH 14
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council); Special Court (judges elected by a council of judges and appointed by president)
Political parties and leaders:
Parties in the Parliament: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Pal CSAKY]; People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS [Vladimir MECIAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU-DS [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]; Parties outside the Parliament: Agrarian Party of the Provinces or ASV [Jozef VASKEBA]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter TATAR]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Hope or NADEJ [Alexandra NOVOTNA]; Left-wing Bloc or LB [Jozef KALMAN]; Mission 21 - New Christian Democracy or MISIA 21 [Ivan SIMKO]; Movement for Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Ladislav KOZMON]; Prosperita Slovenska or PS [Frantisek A. ZVRSKOVEC]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Vladimir DADO]; Slovak National Coalition or SLNKO [Vitazoslav MORIC]; Slovak People's Party or SLS [Jozef SASIK]; Union of the Workers of Slovakia or ZRS [Jan LUPTAK]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS; Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic; National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter BURIAN chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054 FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Vincent OBSITNIK embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338 FAX: [421] (2) 5441-8861
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side
Economy Slovakia
Economy - overview:
Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA government made excellent progress during 2001-04 in macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom with business friendly policies such as labor market liberalization and a 19% flat tax. Foreign investment in the automotive sector has been strong. Slovakia's economic growth exceeded expectations in 2001-07 despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 18% in 2003-04, dropped to 8.6% in 2007 but remains the economy's Achilles heel. Slovakia joined the EU on 1 May 2004 and will be the second of the new EU member states to adopt the euro in 2009 if it continues to meet euro adoption criteria in 2008. Despite its 2006 pre-election promises to loosen fiscal policy and reverse the previous DZURINDA government's pro-market reforms, FICO's cabinet has thus far been careful to keep a lid on spending in order to meet euro adoption criteria. The FICO government is pursuing a state-interventionist economic policy, however, and has pushed to regulate energy and food prices.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$110.2 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$74.99 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
10.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$20,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.6% industry: 33.5% services: 63.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.654 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 5.8%, industry 29.3%, construction 9%, services 55.9% (2003)
Unemployment rate:
8.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
21% (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 20.9% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $34.34 billion expenditures: $35.99 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
35.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.99% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$26.17 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$21.11 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$41.76 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products
Industries:
metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products
Industrial production growth rate:
17.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
26.17 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
26 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
11.85 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
12.73 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 30.3% hydro: 16% nuclear: 53.6% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
12,770 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
82,860 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
72,240 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
134,100 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
9 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
128 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
6.216 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
180 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
6.268 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$3.998 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$57.53 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3%, base metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4% (2004)
Exports - partners:
Germany 21.4%, Czech Republic 12.6%, France 6.7%, Italy 6.4%, Poland 6.2%, Hungary 6%, Austria 5.8%, UK 4.8% (2007)
Imports:
$58.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 41.1%, intermediate manufactured goods 19.3%, fuels 12.3%, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 10.2% (2003)
Imports - partners:
Germany 22.1%, Czech Republic 17.3%, Russia 9.2%, Hungary 6.7%, Austria 5.1%, Poland 4.9%, South Korea 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$235 million in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$18.98 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$36.63 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$45.25 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.509 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.574 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Slovak koruna (SKK)
Currency code:
SKK
Exchange rates:
Slovak koruny (SKK) per US dollar - 24.919 (2007), 29.611 (2006), 31.018 (2005), 32.257 (2004), 36.773 (2003)
Communications Slovakia
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.151 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.068 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: Slovakia has a modern telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth in cellular services domestic: analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; 3 companies provide nationwide cellular services international: country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:
3.12 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
80 (national broadcasting 6, regional 7, local 67) (2004)
Televisions:
2.62 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.sk
Internet hosts:
717,744 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)
Internet users:
2.35 million (2007)
Transportation Slovakia
Airports:
35 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 7 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 6,769 km; oil 416 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,662 km broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified) narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 43,761 km paved: 38,085 km (includes 316 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,676 km (2006)
Waterways:
172 km (on Danube River) (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 51 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 42, refrigerated cargo 4 foreign-owned: 47 (Bulgaria 6, Germany 3, Greece 2, Ireland 1, Israel 4, Italy 2, Poland 2, Russia 1, Slovenia 1, Syria 2, Turkey 10, Ukraine 12, UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bratislava, Komarno
Military Slovakia
Military branches:
Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006; women are eligible to serve (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,420,966 females age 16-49: 1,386,259 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,166,833 females age 16-49: 1,156,874 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 38,183 female: 36,388 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.87% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Slovakia
Disputes - international:
bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of ecstasy
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Slovenia
Introduction Slovenia
Background:
The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational state, which was named Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography Slovenia
Location:
Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia
Geographic coordinates:
46 07 N, 14 49 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 20,273 sq km land: 20,151 sq km water: 122 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,086 km border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 455 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 199 km
Coastline:
46.6 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east
Terrain:
a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Triglav 2,864 m
Natural resources:
lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests
Land use:
arable land: 8.53% permanent crops: 1.43% other: 90.04% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
32.1 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.9 per capita: 457 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
flooding and earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, 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:
despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes
People Slovenia
Population:
2,007,711 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.6% (male 140,686/female 132,778) 15-64 years: 70.1% (male 709,689/female 697,862) 65 years and over: 16.3% (male 127,313/female 199,383) (2008 est.) |
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