Tokelau noun: Tokelauan(s) adjective: Tokelauan

Tonga noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan

Trinidad and Tobago noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Tunisia noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian

Turkey noun: Turk(s) adjective: Turkish

Turkmenistan noun: Turkmen(s) adjective: Turkmenistani

Turks and Caicos Islands noun: none adjective: none

Tuvalu noun: Tuvaluan(s) adjective: Tuvaluan

Uganda noun: Ugandan(s) adjective: Ugandan

Ukraine noun: Ukrainian(s) adjective: Ukrainian

United Arab Emirates noun: Emirati(s) adjective: Emirati

United Kingdom noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural) adjective: British

United States noun: American(s) adjective: American

Uruguay noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan

Uzbekistan noun: Uzbekistani adjective: Uzbekistani

Vanuatu noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Venezuela noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan

Vietnam noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural) adjective: Vietnamese

Virgin Islands noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens) adjective: Virgin Islander

Wallis and Futuna noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

West Bank noun: NA adjective: NA

Western Sahara noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Yemen noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Zambia noun: Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian

Zimbabwe noun: Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008



======================================================================



@2111 Natural resources

Afghanistan natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones

Albania petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

Algeria petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc

American Samoa pumice, pumicite

Andorra hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Angola petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium

Anguilla salt, fish, lobster

Antarctica iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish, and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Antigua and Barbuda NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Arctic Ocean sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)

Argentina fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Armenia small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite

Aruba NEGL; white sandy beaches

Ashmore and Cartier Islands fish

Atlantic Ocean oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones

Australia bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum note: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports

Austria oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Azerbaijan petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite

Bahamas, The salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Bahrain oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Bangladesh natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Barbados petroleum, fish, natural gas

Belarus forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Belgium construction materials, silica sand, carbonates

Belize arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Benin small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Bermuda limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Bhutan timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate

Bolivia tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Bosnia and Herzegovina coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower

Botswana diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver

Bouvet Island none

Brazil bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

British Indian Ocean Territory coconuts, fish, sugarcane

British Virgin Islands NEGL

Brunei petroleum, natural gas, timber

Bulgaria bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Burkina Faso manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt

Burma petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower

Burundi nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Cambodia oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential

Cameroon petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Canada iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower

Cape Verde salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Cayman Islands fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Central African Republic diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Chad petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt

Chile copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower

China coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Christmas Island phosphate, beaches

Clipperton Island fish

Cocos (Keeling) Islands fish

Colombia petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower

Comoros NEGL

Congo, Democratic Republic of the cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

Congo, Republic of the petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

Cook Islands NEGL

Coral Sea Islands NEGL

Costa Rica hydropower

Cote d'Ivoire petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower

Croatia oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Cuba cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land

Cyprus copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment

Czech Republic hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Denmark petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand

Djibouti geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

Dominica timber, hydropower, arable land

Dominican Republic nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Ecuador petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Egypt petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

El Salvador hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Equatorial Guinea petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Eritrea gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish

Estonia oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Ethiopia small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

European Union iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Faroe Islands fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Fiji timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Finland timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone

France metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, fish French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay

French Polynesia timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

French Southern and Antarctic Lands fish, crayfish note: Glorioso Islands and Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) have guano, phosphates, and coconuts

Gabon petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Gambia, The fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand, clay, petroleum

Gaza Strip arable land, natural gas

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

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

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

Gibraltar none

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

Greenland coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Grenada timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Guam aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism), fishing (largely undeveloped)

Guatemala petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Guernsey cropland

Guinea bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt

Guinea-Bissau fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Guyana bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Haiti bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Heard Island and McDonald Islands fish

Holy See (Vatican City) none

Honduras timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower

Hong Kong outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Hungary bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Iceland fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

India coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Indian Ocean oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Indonesia petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Iran petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur

Iraq petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Ireland natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite

Isle of Man none

Israel timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Italy coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land

Jamaica bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Jan Mayen none

Japan negligible mineral resources, fish note: with virtually no energy natural resources, Japan is the world's largest importer of coal and liquefied natural gas as well as the second largest importer of oil

Jersey arable land

Jordan phosphates, potash, shale oil

Kazakhstan major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Kenya limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

Kiribati phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Korea, North coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Korea, South coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Kosovo nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome, bauxite

Kuwait petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Kyrgyzstan abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Laos timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Latvia peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land

Lebanon limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land

Lesotho water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone

Liberia iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Libya petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Liechtenstein hydroelectric potential, arable land

Lithuania peat, arable land, amber

Luxembourg iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Macau NEGL

Macedonia low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land

Madagascar graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Malawi limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

Malaysia tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Maldives fish

Mali gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

Malta limestone, salt, arable land

Marshall Islands coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Mauritania iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Mauritius arable land, fish

Mayotte NEGL

Mexico petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Micronesia, Federated States of forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

Moldova lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Monaco none

Mongolia oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Montenegro bauxite, hydroelectricity

Montserrat NEGL

Morocco phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Mozambique coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

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

Nauru phosphates, fish

Navassa Island guano

Nepal quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Netherlands natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land

Netherlands Antilles phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

New Caledonia nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

New Zealand natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

Nicaragua gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Niger uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum

Nigeria natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land

Niue fish, arable land

Norfolk Island fish

Northern Mariana Islands arable land, fish

Norway petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Oman petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas

Pacific Ocean oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Pakistan land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Palau forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Panama copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Papua New Guinea gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries

Paracel Islands none

Paraguay hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Peru copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Philippines timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper

Pitcairn Islands miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore

Poland coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land

Portugal fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower

Puerto Rico some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Qatar petroleum, natural gas, fish

Romania petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Russia wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources

Rwanda gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land

Saint Barthelemy has few natural resouces, its beaches being the most important

Saint Helena fish, lobster

Saint Kitts and Nevis arable land

Saint Lucia forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

Saint Martin salt

Saint Pierre and Miquelon fish, deepwater ports

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines hydropower, cropland

Samoa hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

San Marino building stone

Sao Tome and Principe fish, hydropower

Saudi Arabia petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Senegal fish, phosphates, iron ore

Serbia oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land

Seychelles fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Sierra Leone diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Singapore fish, deepwater ports

Slovakia brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Slovenia lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests

Solomon Islands fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Somalia uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

South Africa gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands fish

Southern Ocean probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the continental margin; manganese nodules, possible placer deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals - none exploited; krill, fish

Spain coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land

Spratly Islands fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Sri Lanka limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower

Sudan petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Suriname timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Svalbard coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Swaziland asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Sweden iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Switzerland hydropower potential, timber, salt

Syria petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Taiwan small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Tajikistan hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Tanzania hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Thailand tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Timor-Leste gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Togo phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Tokelau NEGL

Tonga fish, fertile soil

Trinidad and Tobago petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Tunisia petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Turkey coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower

Turkmenistan petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Turks and Caicos Islands spiny lobster, conch

Tuvalu fish

Uganda copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Ukraine iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land

United Arab Emirates petroleum, natural gas

United Kingdom coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land

United States coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Uruguay arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Uzbekistan natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Vanuatu manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Venezuela petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Vietnam phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Virgin Islands sun, sand, sea, surf

Wake Island none

Wallis and Futuna NEGL

West Bank arable land

Western Sahara phosphates, iron ore

World the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality (especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only beginning to address

Yemen petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west

Zambia copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower

Zimbabwe coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008



======================================================================



@2112 Net migration rate (migrant(s)/1,000 population)

Afghanistan 21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Albania -4.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Algeria -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

American Samoa -7.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Andorra 13.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Angola 1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Anguilla 14.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda 2.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

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

Armenia -4.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Aruba 9.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Australia 6.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Austria 1.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan -1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The -2.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Bahrain 0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Bangladesh -0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Barbados -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Belarus 0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Belgium 1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Belize NA (2008 est.)

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

Bermuda 2.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Bhutan NA (2008 est.)

Bolivia -1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Botswana 5.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2008 est.)

Brazil -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands 8.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Brunei 2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Bulgaria -3.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso NA (2008 est.)

Burma NA (2008 est.)

Burundi 5.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Cambodia NA (2008 est.)

Cameroon NA (2008 est.)

Canada 5.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Cape Verde -11.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands 16.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2008 est.)

Central African Republic NA (2008 est.)

Chad -3.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Chile NA (2008 est.)

China -0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Christmas Island NA (2008 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands NA (2008 est.)

Colombia -0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Comoros NA (2008 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Congo, Republic of the -2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Costa Rica 0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire NA (2008 est.)

Croatia 1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Cuba -1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Cyprus 0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Czech Republic 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Denmark 2.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Djibouti NA (2008 est.)

Dominica -5.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Dominican Republic -2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Ecuador -7.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Egypt -0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

El Salvador -3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea NA (2008 est.)

Eritrea NA (2008 est.)

Estonia -3.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Ethiopia NA note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2008 est.)

European Union 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) NA (2008 est.)

Faroe Islands -0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Fiji -2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Finland 0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

France 1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

French Polynesia 2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Gabon -3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Gambia, The 0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Greenland -5.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Grenada -11.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Guam NA (2008 est.)

Guatemala -2.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Guernsey 3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Guinea -1.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

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

Guyana -7.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Haiti -0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Honduras -1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Hong Kong 4.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Hungary 0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Iceland 1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

India -0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Indonesia -1.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Iran -3.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Iraq NA (2008 est.)

Ireland 4.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Isle of Man 5.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Israel 2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Italy 2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Jamaica -5.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Japan NA (2008 est.)

Jersey 2.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Jordan 5.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan -3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

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

Kiribati NA (2008 est.)

Korea, North NA (2008 est.)

Korea, South NA (2008 est.)

Kuwait 16.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan -2.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Laos NA (2008 est.)

Latvia -2.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Lebanon NA (2008 est.)

Lesotho -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Liberia 15.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Libya NA (2008 est.)

Liechtenstein 4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Lithuania -0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Luxembourg 8.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Macau 26.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Macedonia -0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Madagascar NA (2008 est.)

Malawi NA (2008 est.)

Malaysia NA note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region (2008 est.)

Maldives NA (2008 est.)

Mali -5.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Malta 2.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Marshall Islands -5.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Mauritania NA (2008 est.)

Mauritius -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Mayotte 2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Mexico -3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of -21.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Moldova -1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Monaco 7.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Mongolia NA (2008 est.)

Montserrat NA (2008 est.)

Morocco -0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Mozambique NA (2008 est.)

Namibia 0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Nauru NA (2008 est.)

Nepal NA (2008 est.)

Netherlands 2.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles -0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

New Caledonia NA note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2008 est.)

New Zealand 2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Nicaragua -1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Niger -0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Nigeria -0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Niue NA (2008 est.)

Norfolk Island NA (2008 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands 7.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Norway 1.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Oman 0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Pakistan -0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Palau 0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Panama -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea NA (2008 est.)

Paraguay -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Peru -0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Philippines -1.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Pitcairn Islands NA (2008 est.)

Poland -0.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Portugal 3.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Qatar -2.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Romania -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Russia 0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Rwanda 2.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Saint Helena NA (2008 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis -2.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Saint Lucia -4.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon -4.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -7.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Samoa -9.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

San Marino 10.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe -1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia -6.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

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

Seychelles -5.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2008 est.)

Singapore 6.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Slovakia 0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Slovenia 0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands NA (2008 est.)

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

South Africa 4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2008 est.)

Spain 0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka -1.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sudan 0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Suriname -0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Svalbard NA (2008 est.)

Swaziland NA (2008 est.)

Sweden 1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Switzerland 2.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Syria NA (2008 est.)

Taiwan 0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Tajikistan -1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Tanzania -1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Thailand NA (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste NA (2008 est.)

Togo NA (2008 est.)

Tokelau NA (2008 est.)

Tonga NA (2008 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago -11.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Tunisia -0.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

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

Turkmenistan -3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands 9.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Tuvalu NA (2008 est.)

Uganda 0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Ukraine -0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates 24.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

United Kingdom 2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

United States 2.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Uruguay -0.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan -3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Vanuatu NA (2008 est.)

Venezuela -0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Vietnam -0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands -5.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Wallis and Futuna NA note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2008 est.)

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

Yemen NA (2008 est.)

Zambia -2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe NA note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2008 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008



======================================================================



@2113 Geography - note

Afghanistan landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)

Akrotiri British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area land, 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land

Albania strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Algeria second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

American Samoa Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean

Andorra landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees

Angola the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles

Antarctica the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable

Antigua and Barbuda Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor

Arctic Ocean major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months

Argentina second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere

Armenia landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

Aruba a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983; Cartier Island Marine Reserve established in 2000

Atlantic Ocean major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Australia world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects the city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most consistent winds in the world

Austria landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

Azerbaijan both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked

Bahamas, The strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited

Bahrain close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

Bangladesh most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal

Barbados easternmost Caribbean island

Belarus landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes

Belgium crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO

Belize only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

Benin sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands

Bermuda consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995

Bhutan landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

Bolivia landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

Bosnia and Herzegovina within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro, and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east

Botswana landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

Bouvet Island covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve Norway

Brazil largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

British Indian Ocean Territory archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

British Virgin Islands strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

Brunei close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave within Malaysia

Bulgaria strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

Burkina Faso landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas

Burma strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

Burundi landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile

Cambodia a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap

Cameroon sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

Canada second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

Cape Verde strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site

Cayman Islands important location between Cuba and Central America

Central African Republic landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

Chad landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

Chile strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

China world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US); Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak

Christmas Island located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

Clipperton Island reef 12 km in circumference

Cocos (Keeling) Islands islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation; site of a World War I naval battle in November 1914 between the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney and the German raider SMS Emden; after being heavily damaged in the engagement, the Emden was beached by her captain on North Keeling Island

Colombia only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

Comoros important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

Congo, Democratic Republic of the straddles equator; has narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

Congo, Republic of the about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

Cook Islands the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km

Coral Sea Islands important nesting area for birds and turtles

Costa Rica four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

Cote d'Ivoire most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

Croatia controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits; most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of Croatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks

Cuba largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles

Cyprus the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)

Czech Republic landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

Denmark controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen

Dhekelia British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area land 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land

Djibouti strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa

Dominica known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world

Dominican Republic shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

Ecuador Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

Egypt controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics; dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees

El Salvador smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea

Equatorial Guinea insular and continental regions widely separated

Eritrea strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993

Estonia the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

Ethiopia landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season

Faroe Islands archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands

Fiji includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

Finland long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain

France largest West European nation

French Polynesia includes five archipelagoes (four volcanic, one coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru

French Southern and Antarctic Lands islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles Glorioso Island (Iles Eparses): the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

Gabon a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

Gambia, The almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa

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

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

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

Ghana Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

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

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

Greenland dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap

Grenada the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

Guam largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

Guatemala no natural harbors on west coast

Guernsey large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Guinea the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands

Guinea-Bissau this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying inland

Guyana the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

Haiti shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands Mawson Peak on Heard Island is the highest Australian mountain (at 2,745 meters, it is taller than Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia proper), and one of only two active volcanoes located in Australian territory, the other being McDonald Island; in 1992, McDonald Island broke its dormancy and began erupting; it has erupted several times since, the most recent being in 2005

Holy See (Vatican City) landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer residence)

Honduras has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

Hong Kong more than 200 islands

Hungary landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions

Iceland strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe

India dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal

Indian Ocean major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait

Indonesia archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

Iran strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

Iraq strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf

Ireland strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 100 km of Dublin

Isle of Man one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest and is a bird sanctuary

Israel there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites - including 100 small outpost communities in the West Bank - as well as 42 sites in the Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.); Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source

Italy strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

Jamaica strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

Jan Mayen barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

Japan strategic location in northeast Asia

Jersey largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier

Jordan strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank

Kazakhstan landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050

Kenya the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value

Kiribati 21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

Korea, North strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

Korea, South strategic location on Korea Strait

Kuwait strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Kyrgyzstan landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

Laos landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand

Latvia most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east

Lebanon Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity

Lesotho landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level

Liberia facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

Libya more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

Liechtenstein along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

Lithuania fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits

Luxembourg landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

Macau essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges

Macedonia landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

Madagascar world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel

Malawi landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature

Malaysia strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

Maldives 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Mali landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan

Malta the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

Marshall Islands the Marshall Islands Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein atoll, famous as a World War II battleground, surrounds the world's largest lagoon and is used as a US missile test range; the island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and one of the most densely populated locations in the Pacific

Mauritania most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

Mauritius the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs; home of the dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons, driven to extinction by the end of the 17th century through a combination of hunting and the introduction of predatory species

Mayotte part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)

Mexico strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of four major island groups totaling 607 islands

Moldova landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

Monaco second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban

Mongolia landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

Montenegro strategic location along the Adriatic coast

Montserrat the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages

Morocco strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

Mozambique the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country

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

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

Navassa Island strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock with numerous solution holes but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig trees, scattered cactus

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

Netherlands located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

Netherlands Antilles the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao); the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten

New Caledonia consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

New Zealand about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

Nicaragua largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

Niger landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world; northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for livestock and limited agriculture

Nigeria the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea

Niue one of world's largest coral islands

Norfolk Island most of the 32 km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated

Northern Mariana Islands strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

Norway about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in the world

Oman strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Pacific Ocean the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Pakistan controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

Palau westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

Panama strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

Papua New Guinea shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast

Paracel Islands composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group

Paraguay landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country

Peru shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River

Philippines the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands; favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait

Pitcairn Islands Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed offshore

Poland historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

Portugal Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Puerto Rico important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

Qatar strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Romania controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

Russia largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak

Rwanda landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural

Saint Helena Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island

Saint Lucia the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean

Saint Martin the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten

Saint Pierre and Miquelon vegetation scanty

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

Samoa occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

San Marino landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

Sao Tome and Principe the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are mountainous

Saudi Arabia extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

Senegal westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal

Serbia controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East

Seychelles 41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

Sierra Leone rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

Singapore focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Slovakia landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys

Slovenia despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes

Solomon Islands strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; on 2 April 2007 an undersea earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale occurred 345 km WNW of the capital Honiara, the resulting tsunami devastated coastal areas of Western and Choiseul provinces with dozens of deaths and thousands dislocated; the provincial capital of Gizo was especially hard hit

Somalia strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

South Africa South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia

Southern Ocean the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the cold polar surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds

Spain strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Spratly Islands strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

Sri Lanka strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

Sudan largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

Suriname smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

Svalbard northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area; Spitsbergen Island is the site of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a seed repository established by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government

Swaziland landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Sweden strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

Switzerland landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

Syria there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.)

Taiwan strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait

Tajikistan landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR

Tanzania Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

Thailand controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

Timor-Leste Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands

Togo the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

Tokelau consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m above sea level

Tonga archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

Trinidad and Tobago Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

Tunisia strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

Turkey strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country

Turkmenistan landlocked; the western and central low-lying desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

Turks and Caicos Islands about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

Tuvalu one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the nine coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

Uganda landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers

Ukraine strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe

United Arab Emirates strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

United Kingdom lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters

United States world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; closed to the public Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public Kingman Reef: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public Midway Islands: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and photography Palmyra Atoll: the high rainfall and resulting lush vegetation make the environment of this atoll unique among the US Pacific Island territories; supports a large undisturbed stand of Pisonia beach forest

Uruguay second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

Uzbekistan along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world

Vanuatu a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes

Venezuela on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall

Vietnam extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across at its narrowest point

Virgin Islands important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

Wake Island strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights

Wallis and Futuna both island groups have fringing reefs

West Bank landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites—including 100 small outpost communities in the West Bank and 29 sites in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.)

Western Sahara the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas

World the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just about one-third of the 13.7-billion-year age estimated for the universe

Yemen strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes

Zambia landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008



======================================================================



@2115 Political pressure groups and leaders

Afghanistan other: religious groups; tribal leaders

Albania Citizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]

Algeria The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Hocine ZEHOUANE]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]

American Samoa Population Pressure LAS (addresses the growing population pressures)

Andorra NA

Angola Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE]

Anguilla NA

Antigua and Barbuda Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]

Argentina Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Confederation or CRA (small to medium landowners' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); Central of Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical union for employed and unemployed workers); General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Roman Catholic Church other: business organizations; Peronist-dominated labor movement; Piquetero groups (popular protest organizations that can be either pro or anti-government); students

Armenia Aylentrank (Impeachment) [Nikol PASHINYAN]; Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

Aruba other: environmental groups

Australia other: business groups; environmental groups; social groups; trade unions

Austria Austrian Trade Union Federation or OeGB (nominally independent but primarily Social Democratic); Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action other: three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, farmers, and other nongovernment organizations in the areas of environment and human rights

Azerbaijan Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (self-proclaimed); Karabakh Liberation Organization; Sadval, Lezgin movement; Talysh independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani Forces or UPAF

Bahamas, The Friends of the Environment other: trade unions

Bahrain Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators other: several small leftist and other groups are active

Bangladesh Advocacy to End Gender-based Violence through the MoWCA (Ministry of Women's and Children's Affairs) other: environmentalists; Islamist groups; religious leaders; teachers; union leaders

Barbados Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST]; Barbados Union of Teachers or BUT [Herbert GITTENS]; Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, (includes the BWU, NUPW, BUT, and BSTU) [Leroy TROTMAN]; Barbados Workers Union or BWU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMISSIONG]; National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD]

Belarus Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH]; Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Aleksandr YAROSHUK]; Belarusian Helsinki Committee [Tatiana PROTKO]; Belarusian Organization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; Charter 97 [Andrey SANNIKOV]; For Freedom (unregistered) [Aleksandr MILINKEVICH]; Lenin Communist Union of Youth (youth wing of the Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB); National Strike Committee of Entrepreneurs [Aleksandr VASILYEV, Valery LEVONEVSKY]; Partnership NGO [Nikolay ASTREYKA]; Perspektiva kiosk watchdog NGO [Anatol SHUMCHENKO]; Vyasna [Ales BYALATSKY]; Women's Independent Democratic Movement [Ludmila PETINA]; Youth Front (Malady Front) [Dmitriy DASHKEVICH, Sergey BAKHUN]; Zubr youth group [Vladimir KOBETS]

Belgium Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries other: numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants

Belize Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Gustavo PERERA]; Association of Concerned Belizeans or ACB [David VASQUEZ]; National Trade Union Congress of Belize or NTUC/B [Rene GOMEZ]

Benin other: economic groups; environmentalists; political groups; teachers' unions and other educational groups

Bermuda Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

Bhutan United Front for Democracy (exiled) other: Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community

Bolivia Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB other: Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions