Read here

The World Factbook (1990)

Central Intelligence Agency · 1990 · Free in the US

268,469 words · about 18 h 48 min to read

Period artwork: Interior of the Bodleian Library, 1845
About this edition

Free in the US: this text is in the public domain in the United States; it may still be in copyright elsewhere.

Licence: PD-US · Wikisource licence template(s) on the work: {{pd-us-gov}}. Text and transcription from en Wikisource by Wikisource contributors (transcription licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; contributors: https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=The_World_Factbook_(1990)&action=history). · Wikisource contributors

Text from Wikisource and set out for reading on screen; no words of the book are rewritten or summarized. How RedLectern is built

About this book

Author
Central Intelligence Agency
Language
English
Published
1990
Length
268,469 words · about 18 h 48 min
Sections
255 reader sections
Text
Digital text
Rights
Public domain in the United States

 

Contents (255)
  1. Front matter about 5 min
  2. Notes, Definitions, and Abbreviations about 12 min
  3. Afghanistan about 5 min
  4. Albania about 5 min
  5. Algeria about 5 min
  6. American Samoa about 4 min
  7. Andorra about 4 min
  8. Angola about 4 min
  9. Anguilla about 3 min
  10. Antarctica about 5 min
  11. Antigua and Barbuda about 4 min
  12. Arctic Ocean about 2 min
  13. Argentina about 6 min
  14. Aruba about 3 min
  15. Ashmore and Cartier Islands about 1 min
  16. Atlantic Ocean about 2 min
  17. Australia about 5 min
  18. Austria about 5 min
  19. Bahamas, The about 4 min
  20. Bahrain about 4 min
  21. Baker Island about 1 min
  22. Bangladesh about 5 min
  23. Barbados about 4 min
  24. Bassas da India about 1 min
  25. Belgium about 6 min
  26. Belize about 4 min
  27. Benin about 4 min
  28. Bermuda about 4 min
  29. Bhutan about 4 min
  30. Bolivia about 6 min
  31. Botswana about 4 min
  32. Bouvet Island about 1 min
  33. Brazil about 7 min
  34. British Indian Ocean Territory about 1 min
  35. British Virgin Islands about 3 min
  36. Brunei about 2 min
  37. Bulgaria about 6 min
  38. Burkina about 4 min
  39. Burma about 5 min
  40. Burundi about 4 min
  41. Cambodia about 5 min
  42. Cameroon about 5 min
  43. Canada about 5 min
  44. Cape Verde about 4 min
  45. Cayman Islands about 3 min
  46. Central African Republic about 4 min
  47. Chad about 5 min
  48. Chile about 6 min
  49. China about 7 min
  50. Christmas Island about 2 min
  51. Clipperton Island about 1 min
  52. Cocos (Keeling) Islands about 2 min
  53. Colombia about 6 min
  54. Comoros about 4 min
  55. Congo about 5 min
  56. Cook Islands about 3 min
  57. Coral Sea Islands about 1 min
  58. Costa Rica about 5 min
  59. Cuba about 5 min
  60. Cyprus about 7 min
  61. Czechoslovakia about 6 min
  62. Denmark about 5 min
  63. Djibouti about 4 min
  64. Dominica about 4 min
  65. Dominican Republic about 5 min
  66. Ecuador about 6 min
  67. Egypt about 7 min
  68. El Salvador about 6 min
  69. Equatorial Guinea about 4 min
  70. Ethiopia about 5 min
  71. Europa Island about 1 min
  72. Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) about 4 min
  73. Faroe Islands about 3 min
  74. Fiji about 5 min
  75. Finland about 5 min
  76. France about 7 min
  77. French Guiana about 4 min
  78. French Polynesia about 3 min
  79. French Southern and Antarctic Lands about 1 min
  80. Gabon about 4 min
  81. The Gambia about 4 min
  82. Gaza Strip about 3 min
  83. German Democratic Republic about 6 min
  84. Germany, Federal Republic of about 6 min
  85. Ghana about 5 min
  86. Gibraltar about 4 min
  87. Glorioso Islands about 1 min
  88. Greece about 6 min
  89. Greenland about 4 min
  90. Grenada about 4 min
  91. Guadeloupe about 4 min
  92. Guam about 4 min
  93. Guatemala about 6 min
  94. Guernsey about 2 min
  95. Guinea about 4 min
  96. Guinea-Bissau about 5 min
  97. Guyana about 5 min
  98. Haiti about 5 min
  99. Heard Island and McDonald Islands about 1 min
  100. Honduras about 6 min
  101. Hong Kong about 5 min
  102. Howland Island about 1 min
  103. Hungary about 5 min
  104. Iceland about 5 min
  105. India about 7 min
  106. Indian Ocean about 2 min
  107. Indonesia about 6 min
  108. Iran about 6 min
  109. Iraq about 6 min
  110. Iraq-Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone under 1 min
  111. Ireland about 5 min
  112. Israel about 8 min
  113. Italy about 6 min
  114. Ivory Coast about 5 min
  115. Jamaica about 4 min
  116. Jan Mayen about 1 min
  117. Japan about 6 min
  118. Jarvis Island about 1 min
  119. Jersey about 3 min
  120. Johnston Atoll about 1 min
  121. Jordan about 5 min
  122. Juan de Nova Island about 1 min
  123. Kenya about 5 min
  124. Kingman Reef about 1 min
  125. Kiribati about 4 min
  126. Korea, North about 5 min
  127. Korea, South about 5 min
  128. Kuwait about 4 min
  129. Laos about 4 min
  130. Lebanon about 8 min
  131. Lesotho about 4 min
  132. Liberia about 5 min
  133. Libya about 5 min
  134. Liechtenstein about 3 min
  135. Luxembourg about 4 min
  136. Macau about 3 min
  137. Madagascar about 5 min
  138. Malawi about 4 min
  139. Malaysia about 7 min
  140. Maldives about 4 min
  141. Mali about 4 min
  142. Malta about 4 min
  143. Man, Isle of about 3 min
  144. Marshall Islands about 4 min
  145. Martinique about 4 min
  146. Mauritania about 5 min
  147. Mauritius about 5 min
  148. Mayotte about 3 min
  149. Mexico about 6 min
  150. Micronesia, Federated States of about 4 min
  151. Midway Islands about 1 min
  152. Monaco about 3 min
  153. Mongolia about 4 min
  154. Montserrat about 3 min
  155. Morocco about 5 min
  156. Mozambique about 4 min
  157. Namibia about 4 min
  158. Nauru about 3 min
  159. Navassa Island about 1 min
  160. Nepal about 5 min
  161. Netherlands about 6 min
  162. Netherlands Antilles about 5 min
  163. New Caledonia about 3 min
  164. New Zealand about 5 min
  165. Nicaragua about 6 min
  166. Niger about 4 min
  167. Nigeria about 5 min
  168. Niue about 3 min
  169. Norfolk Island about 3 min
  170. Northern Mariana Islands about 3 min
  171. Norway about 6 min
  172. Oman about 4 min
  173. Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the about 4 min
  174. Pacific Ocean about 3 min
  175. Pakistan about 6 min
  176. Panama about 6 min
  177. Papua New Guinea about 4 min
  178. Paracel Islands under 1 min
  179. Paraguay about 6 min
  180. Peru about 6 min
  181. Philippines about 7 min
  182. Pitcairn Islands about 3 min
  183. Poland about 7 min
  184. Portugal about 6 min
  185. Puerto Rico about 4 min
  186. Qatar about 4 min
  187. Reunion about 4 min
  188. Romania about 6 min
  189. Rwanda about 4 min
  190. St. Helena about 1 min
  191. St. Kitts and Nevis about 3 min
  192. St. Lucia about 4 min
  193. St. Pierre and Miquelon about 3 min
  194. St. Vincent and the Grenadines about 4 min
  195. San Marino about 4 min
  196. Sao Tome and Principe about 4 min
  197. Saudi Arabia about 5 min
  198. Senegal about 5 min
  199. Seychelles about 4 min
  200. Sierra Leone about 4 min
  201. Singapore about 5 min
  202. Solomon Islands about 4 min
  203. Somalia about 5 min
  204. South Africa about 7 min
  205. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands about 2 min
  206. Soviet Union about 9 min
  207. Spain about 7 min
  208. Spratly Islands about 1 min
  209. Sri Lanka about 5 min
  210. Sudan about 5 min
  211. Suriname about 5 min
  212. Svalbard about 2 min
  213. Swaziland about 4 min
  214. Sweden about 5 min
  215. Switzerland about 5 min
  216. Syria about 6 min
  217. Tanzania about 5 min
  218. Thailand about 6 min
  219. Togo about 4 min
  220. Tokelau about 3 min
  221. Tonga about 3 min
  222. Trinidad and Tobago about 5 min
  223. Tromelin Island about 1 min
  224. Tunisia about 5 min
  225. Turkey about 6 min
  226. Turks and Caicos Islands about 3 min
  227. Tuvalu about 3 min
  228. Uganda about 4 min
  229. United Arab Emirates about 3 min
  230. United Kingdom about 8 min
  231. United States about 7 min
  232. Uruguay about 5 min
  233. Vanuatu about 4 min
  234. Vatican City about 3 min
  235. Venezuela about 5 min
  236. Vietnam about 5 min
  237. Virgin Islands about 4 min
  238. Wake Island about 1 min
  239. Wallis and Futuna about 3 min
  240. West Bank about 4 min
  241. Western Sahara about 3 min
  242. Western Samoa about 4 min
  243. World about 3 min
  244. Yemen Arab Republic about 5 min
  245. Yemen, People's Democratic Republic of about 4 min
  246. Yugoslavia about 7 min
  247. Zaire about 5 min
  248. Zambia about 4 min
  249. Zimbabwe about 4 min
  250. Taiwan about 6 min
  251. The United Nations System under 1 min
  252. International Organizations under 1 min
  253. Country Membership in International Organizations about 29 min
  254. Weights and Measures about 6 min
  255. Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names about 26 min

Continue:

Front matter

Central Intelligence Agency

The World Factbook 1990

The World Factbook is produced annually by the Central Intelligence Agency for the use of United States Government officials, and the style, format, coverage, and content are designed to meet their specific requirements.

Notes, Definitions, and Abbreviations

Notes, Definitions, and Abbreviations

There have been some significant changes in this edition. In the Goverment section the former Branches entry has been replaced by three entries—Executive branch, Legislative branch, and Judicial branch. The Leaders entry now has subentries for Chief of State, Head of Government, and their deputies. The Elections entry has been completely redone with information for each branch of the national government, including the date for the last election, the date for the next election, results (percent of vote by candidate or party), and current distribution of seats by party. In the Economy section there is a new entry on Illicit drugs.

Abbreviations: (see Appendix B for international organizations)

avdp. | avoirdupois

c.i.f. | cost, insurance, and freight

CY | calendar year

DWT | deadweight ton

est. | estimate

Ex-Im | Export-Import Bank of the United States

f.o.b. | free on board

FRG | Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany)

FY | fiscal year

GDP | gross domestic product

GDR | German Democratic Republic (East Germany)

GNP | gross national product

GRT | gross register ton

km | kilometer

km² | square kilometer

kW | kilowatt

kWh | kilowatt-hour

m | meter

NA | not available

NEGL | negligible

nm | nautical mile

NZ | New Zealand

ODA | official development assistance

OOF | other official flows

PDRY | People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]

UAE | United Arab Emirates

UK | United Kingdom

US | United States

USSR | Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union)

YAR | Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen]

Administrative divisions: The numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions are generally those approved by the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) as of 5 April 1990. Changes that have been reported but not yet acted upon by BGN are noted.

Area: Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Comparative areas are based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 km², 69 miles²) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 km², 0.23 miles², 146 acres).

Birth rate: The average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 population at midyear. Also known as crude birth rate.

Contributors: Information was provided by the Bureau of the Census (Department of Commerce), Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Defense Nuclear Agency, Department of State, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Navy Operational Intelligence Center and Maritime Administration (merchant marine data), Office of Territorial and International Affairs (Department of the Interior), United States Board on Geographic Names, United States Coast Guard, and others.

Dates of information: In general, information available as of 1 January 1990 was used in the preparation of this edition. Population figures are estimates for 1 July 1990, with population growth rates estimated for mid-1990 through mid-1991. Major political events have been updated through 30 March 1990. Military age figures are average annual estimates for 1990–94.

Death rate: The average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear. Also known as crude death rate.

Diplomatic representation: The US Government has diplomatic relations with 162 nations. There are only 144 US embassies, since some nations have US ambassadors accredited to them, but no physical US mission exists. The US has diplomatic relations with 149 of the 159 UN members—the exceptions are Albania, Angola, Byelorussia (constituent republic of the Soviet Union), Cambodia, Cuba, Iran, Vietnam, People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen], Ukraine (constituent republic of the Soviet Union), and, obviously, the US itself. In addition, the US has diplomatic relations with 13 nations that are not in the UN—Andorra, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Nauru, San Marino, South Korea, Switzerland, Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Vatican City. North Korea is not in the UN and the US does not have diplomatic relations with that nation. The US has not recognized the incorporation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into the Soviet Union and continues to accredit the diplomatic representatives of their last free governments.

Disputes: This category includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Every international land boundary dispute in the “Guide to International Boundaries,” a map published by the Department of State, is included. References to other situations may also be included that are border- or frontier-relevant, such as maritime disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues. However, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.

Entities: Some of the nations, dependent areas, areas of special sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are not independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US Government. Nation refers to a people politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory. Dependent area refers to a broad category of political entities that are associated in some way with a nation. Names used for page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names. The long-form name is included in the Government section and an entry of “none” indicates a long-form name does not exist. In some instances, no short-form name exists—then the long-form name must serve for all usages.

There are 249 entities in the Factbook that may be categorized as follows:

NATIONS

|157 | |UN members (There are 159 members in the UN, but only 157 are included in The World Factbook because Byelorussia and Ukraine are constituent republics of the Soviet Union.)

|15 | nations that are not members of the UN Andorra, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, North Korea, San Marino, South Korea, Switzerland, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vatican City

OTHER

1 | Taiwan

DEPENDENT AREAS

|6 | Australia—Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island

|2 | Denmark—Faroe Islands, Greenland

|16 | France—Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Guadeloupe, Juan de Nova Island, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna

|2 | Netherlands—Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

|3 | New Zealand—Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

|3 | Norway—Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

|1 | Portugal—Macau

|16 | United Kingdom—Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, Jersey, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, St. Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

|15 | United States—American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau), Virgin Islands, Wake Island

MISCELLANEOUS

|7 | Antarctica, Gaza Strip, Iraq-Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, West Bank, Western Sahara

OTHER ENTITIES

|4 | oceans—Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean

|1 | World

|249 | total

Notes: The US Government has not recognized the incorporation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into the Soviet Union as constituent republics during World War II. Those Baltic states are not members of the UN and are not included in the list of nations. The US Government does not recognize the four so-called “independent” homelands of Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Transkei, and Venda in South Africa.

Gross domestic product (GDP): The value of all goods and services produced domestically.

Gross national product (GNP): The value of all goods and services produced domestically, plus income earned abroad, minus income earned by foreigners from domestic production.

GNP/GDP methodology: GNP/GDP dollar estimates for the OECD countries, the USSR, Eastern Europe, and a portion of the developing countries, are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations rather than from conversions at official currency exchange rates. The PPP methods involve the use of average price weights, which lie between the weights of the domestic and foreign price systems; using these weights US $100 converted into German marks by a PPP method will buy an equal amount of goods and services in both the US and Germany. One caution: the proportion of, say, military expenditures as a percent of GNP/GDP in local currency accounts may differ substantially from the proportion when GNP/GDP is expressed in PPP dollar terms, as, for example, when an observer estimates the dollar level of Soviet or Japanese military expenditures. Similarly, dollar figures for exports and imports reflect the price patterns of international markets rather than PPP price patterns.

Growth rate (population): The annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative.

Illicit drugs: There are five categories of illicit drugs narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside medical channels.

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil).

Coca (Erythroxylon coca) is a bush and the leaves contain the stimulant cocaine. Coca is not to be confused with cocoa which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter.

Cocaine is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca bush.

Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and anxiety and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Librium, Valium), methaqualone (Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil, Placidyl, Valmid).

Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral change in an individual.

Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral impairment in an individual.

Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking, self-awareness, and emotion. Hallucinogens include LSD (acid, microdot), mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine variants (PMA, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog), phencyclidine analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin, psilocyn).

Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).

Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine.

Marijuana is the dried leaves of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).

Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep, and refer to opium, opium derivatives, and synthetic substitutes. Natural narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolin), morphine (MS-Contin, Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol w/codeine, Empirin w/codeine, Robitussan A-C), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics include heroin (horse, smack) and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Synthetic narcotics include meperidine or Pethidine (Demerol, Mepergan), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), and others (Darvon, Lomotil).

Opium is the milky exudate of the incised, unripe seedpod of the opium poppy.

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is the source for many natural and semisynthetic narcotics.

Poppy straw concentrate is the alkaloid derived from the mature dried opium poppy.

Qat (kat, khat) is a stimulant from the buds or leaves of Catha edulis and is chewed or drunk as tea.

Stimulants are drugs that relieve mild depression, increase energy and activity, and include cocaine (coke, snow, crack), amphetamines (Desoxyn, Dexedrine), phenmetrazine (Preludin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), and others (Cylert, Sanorex, Tenuate).

Infant mortality rate: The number of deaths to infants under one year of age in a given year per 1,000 live births occurring in the same year.

Land use: Human use of the land surface is categorized as arable land—land cultivated for crops that are replanted after each harvest (wheat, maize, rice); permanent crops—land cultivated for crops that are not replanted after each harvest (citrus, coffee, rubber); meadows and pastures—land permanently used for herbaceous forage crops; forest and woodland—land under dense or open stands of trees; and other—any land type not specifically mentioned above (urban areas, roads, desert). The percentage figure for irrigated refers to the portion of the entire amount of land area that is artificially supplied with water.

Leaders: The chief of state is the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but is not involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. The head of government is the administrative leader who manages the day-to-day activities of the government. In the UK, the monarch is the chief of state and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the President is both the chief of state and the head of government.

Life expectancy at birth: The average number of years to be lived by a group of people all born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future.

Maritime claims: The proximity of neighboring states may prevent some national claims from being fully extended.

Merchant marine: All ships engaged in the carriage of goods. All commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc. Also, a grouping of merchant ships by nationality or register.

Captive register—A register of ships maintained by a territory, possession, or colony primarily or exclusively for the use of ships owned in the parent country. Also referred to as an offshore register, the offshore equivalent of an internal register. Ships on a captive register will fly the same flag as the parent country, or a local variant of it, but will be subject to the maritime laws and taxation rules of the offshore territory. Although the nature of a captive register makes it especially desirable for ships owned in the parent country, just as in the internal register, the ships may also be owned abroad. The captive register then acts as a flag of convenience register, except that it is not the register of an independent state.

Flag of convenience register— A national register offering registration to a merchant ship not owned in the flag state. The major flags of convenience (FOC) attract ships to their register by virtue of low fees, low or nonexistent taxation of profits, and liberal manning requirements. True FOC registers are characterized by having relatively few of the ships registered actually owned in the flag state. Thus, while virtually any flag can be used for ships under a given set of circumstances, an FOC register is one where the majority of the merchant fleet is owned abroad. It is also referred to as an open register.

Flag state—The nation in which a ship is registered and which holds legal jurisdiction over operation of the ship, whether at home or abroad. Differences in flag state maritime legislation determine how a ship is manned and taxed and whether a foreign-owned ship may be placed on the register.

Internal register—A register of ships maintained as a subset of a national register. Ships on the internal register fly the national flag and have that nationality but are subject to a separate set of maritime rules from those on the main national register. These differences usually include lower taxation of profits, manning by foreign nationals, and, usually, ownership outside the flag state (when it functions as an FOC register). The Norwegian International Ship Register and Danish International Ship Register are the most notable examples of an internal register. Both have been instrumental in stemming flight from the national flag to flags of convenience and in attracting foreign-owned ships to the Norwegian and Danish flags.

Merchant ship—A vessel that carries goods against payment of freight. Commonly used to denote any nonmilitary ship but accurately restricted to commercial vessels only.

Register—The record of a ship's ownership and nationality as listed with the maritime authorities of a country. Also, the compendium of such individual ships' registrations. Registration of a ship provides it with a nationality and makes it subject to the laws of the country in which registered (the flag state) regardless of the nationality of the ship's ultimate owner.

Money figures: All are expressed in contemporaneous US dollars unless otherwise indicated.

Net migration rate: The balance between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (-9.26 migrants/1,000 population).

Population: Figures are estimates from the Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past, and on assumptions about future trends.

Total fertility rate: The average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age.

Years: All year references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as fiscal year (FY).

Afghanistan

Afghanistan

See regional map VIII

Geography

Total area: 647,500 km²; land area: 647,500 km²

Comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: 5,826 km total; China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, USSR 2,384 km

Coastline: none—landlocked

Maritime claims: none—landlocked

Disputes: Pashtun question with Pakistan; Baloch question with Iran and Pakistan; periodic disputes with Iran over Helmand water rights; insurgency with Iranian and Pakistani involvement; traditional tribal rivalries

Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Natural resources: natural gas, crude oil, coal, copper, talc, barites, sulphur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones

Land use: 12% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 46% meadows and pastures; 3% forest and woodland; 39% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; soil degradation, desertification, overgrazing, deforestation, pollution

Note: landlocked

People

Population: 15,862,293 (July 1990), growth rate 7.7% (1990)

Birth rate: 44 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 18 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 51 migrants/1,000 population (1990); note—there are flows across the border in both directions, but data are fragmentary and unreliable

Infant mortality rate: 154 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 47 years male, 46 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun Afghan(s); adjective Afghan

Ethnic divisions: 50% Pashtun, 25% Tajik, 9% Uzbek, 12-15% Hazara; minor ethnic groups include Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others

Religion: 74% Sunni Muslim, 15% Shi'a Muslim, 11% other

Language: 50% Pashtu, 35% Afghan Persian (Dari), 22% Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen), 4% thirty minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai); much bilingualism

Literacy: 12%

Labor force: 4,980,000; 67.8% agriculture and animal husbandry, 10.2% industry, 6.3% construction, 5.0% commerce, 10.7% services and other (1980 est.)

Organized labor: some small government-controlled unions

Government

Long-form name: Republic of Afghanistan

Type: authoritarian

Capital: Kabul

Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (velayat, singular—velāyat); Badakhshān, Bādghīs, Baghlān, Balkh, Bāmīān, Farāh, Fāryāb, Ghaznī, Ghowr, Helmand, Herāt, Jowzjān, Kābol, Kandahār, Kāpīsā, Konar, Kondoz, Laghmān, Lowgar, Nangarhār, Nīmrūz, Orūzgān, Paktīā, Paktīkā, Parvān, Samanḡan, Sar-e Pol, Takhār, Vardak, Zābol; note—there may be a new province of Nūrestān (Nuristan)

Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK)

Constitution: adopted 30 November 1987

Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Anniversary of the Saur Revolution, 27 April (1978)

Executive branch: president, four vice presidents, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Meli Shura) consists of an upper house or Senate (Sena) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Wolasi Jirgah)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President (Mohammad) NAJI-BULLAH (Ahmadzai) (since 30 November 1987); Chairman of the Council of Ministers Executive Committee Soltan Ali KESHTMAND (since 21 February 1989)

Political parties and leaders: only party—the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) has two factions—the Parchami faction has been in power since December 1979 and members of the deposed Khalqi faction continue to hold some important posts mostly in the military and Ministry of Interior; nonparty figures hold some posts

Suffrage: universal, male ages 15-50

Elections: Senate—last held NA April 1988 (next to be held April 1991); results—PDPA is the only party; seats—(192 total, 115 elected) PDPA 115;

House of Representatives last held NA April 1988 (next to be held April 1993); results—PDPA is the only party; seats—(234 total) PDPA 184, 50 seats reserved for opposition

Communists: the PDPA claims 200,000 members (1988)

Other political or pressure groups: the military and other branches of internal security have been rebuilt by the USSR; insurgency continues throughout the country; widespread anti-Soviet and anti-regime sentiment and opposition on religious and political grounds

Member of: ADB, CCC, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB—Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, ITU, NAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO, WSG; suspended from OIC in January 1980

Diplomatic representation: Minister-Counselor, Chargé d'Affaires MIAGOL; Chancery at 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 234-3770 or 3771; US—Chargé d'Affaires (vacant); Embassy at Ansari Wat, Wazir Akbar Khan Mina, Kabul; telephone 62230 through 62235 or 62436; note—US Embassy in Kabul was closed in January 1989

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with the national coat of arms superimposed on the hoist side of the black and red bands; similar to the flag of Malawi which is shorter and bears a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Economy

Overview: Fundamentally, Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming (wheat especially) and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations, however, have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals, including the nine-year Soviet military occupation (ended 15 February 1989) and the continuing bloody civil war. Over the past decade, one-third of the population has fled the country, with Pakistan sheltering some 3 million refugees and Iran perhaps 2 million.

Another 1 million have probably moved into and around urban areas within Afghanistan. Large numbers of bridges, buildings, and factories have been destroyed or damaged by military action or sabotage. Government claims to the contrary, gross domestic product almost certainly is lower than 10 years ago because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport. Official claims indicate that agriculture grew by 0.7% and industry by 3.5% in 1988.

GDP: $3 billion, per capita $200; real growth rate 0% (1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): over 50% (1989 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues NA; expenditures $646.7 million, including capital expenditures of $370.2 million (FY87 est.)

Exports: $512 million (f.o.b., FY88); commodities—natural gas 55%, fruits and nuts 24%, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides, and pelts; partners—mostly USSR and Eastern Europe

Imports: $996 million (c.i.f., FY88); commodities—food and petroleum products; partners—mostly USSR and Eastern Europe

External debt: $1.8 billion (December 1989 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 6.2% (FY89 plan)

Electricity: 480,000 kW capacity; 1,470 million kWh produced, 100 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper

Agriculture: largely subsistence farming and nomadic animal husbandry; cash products—wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts, wool, mutton

Illicit drugs: an illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; world's second largest opium producer (after Burma) and a major source of hashish

Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $265 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $419 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $57 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $4.1 billion

Currency: afghani (plural—afghanis); 1 afghani (Af) = 100 puls

Exchange rates: afghanis (Af) per US$1—50.6 (fixed rate since 1982)

Fiscal year: 21 March-20 March

Communications

Railroads: 9.6 km (single track) 1.524-meter gauge from Kushka (USSR) to Towraghondī and 15.0 km from Termez (USSR) to Kheyrāabād transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya

Highways: 21,000 km total (1984); 2,800 km hard surface, 1,650 km bituminous-treated gravel and improved earth, 16,550 km unimproved earth and tracks

Inland waterways: total navigability 1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which handles steamers up to about 500 metric tons

Pipelines: petroleum, oil, and lubricants pipelines USSR to Bagrām and USSR to Shīndand; natural gas, 180 km

Ports: Shīr Khān and Kheyrābād (river ports)

Civil air: 2 TU-154, 2 Boeing 727, assorted smaller transports

Airports: 38 total, 34 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 15 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications: limited telephone, telegraph, and radiobroadcast services; television introduced in 1980; 31,200 telephones; stations—5 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 satellite earth station

Defense Forces

Branches: Armed Forces (Army; Air and Air Defense Forces); Border Guard Forces; National Police Force (Sarandoi); Ministry of State Security (WAD); Tribal Militia

Military manpower: males 15-49, 3,880,124; 2,080,725 fit for military service; 168,021 reach military age (22) annually

Defense expenditures: 9.1% of GDP (1984)

The opening of the book is shown; the full text loads in the reader.

Loading the full text…