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← The 1999 CIA World Factbook

Introduction

Part 9 of 20 · United States. Central Intelligence Agency · Public domain text

About this edition

Source: Project Gutenberg e-text #27676, public domain in the United States · text not rewritten or summarized · How RedLectern is built

 

Contents (63)
  1. Opening about 1 h 49 min
  2. Introduction about 9 min
  3. Introduction about 17 min
  4. Introduction about 8 min
  5. Introduction about 9 min
  6. Introduction about 37 min
  7. Introduction about 9 min
  8. Introduction about 33 min
  9. Introduction about 8 min
  10. Introduction about 41 min
  11. Introduction about 22 min
  12. Introduction about 21 min
  13. Introduction about 20 min
  14. Introduction about 7 min
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  16. Introduction about 19 min
  17. Introduction about 9 min
  18. Introduction about 23 min
  19. Introduction about 7 min
  20. Introduction about 23 min
  21. Introduction about 19 min
  22. Introduction about 9 min
  23. Introduction about 33 min
  24. Introduction about 23 min
  25. Introduction about 8 min
  26. Introduction about 8 min
  27. Introduction about 27 min
  28. Introduction about 8 min
  29. Introduction about 36 min
  30. Introduction about 5 min
  31. Introduction about 9 min
  32. Introduction about 1 h 32 min
  33. Introduction about 12 min
  34. Introduction about 8 min
  35. Introduction about 9 min
  36. Introduction about 19 min
  37. Introduction about 18 min
  38. Introduction about 9 min
  39. Introduction about 8 min
  40. Introduction about 9 min
  41. Introduction about 43 min
  42. Introduction about 24 min
  43. Introduction about 8 min
  44. Introduction about 16 min
  45. Introduction about 15 min
  46. Introduction about 8 min
  47. Introduction about 16 min
  48. Introduction about 4 h 17 min
  49. Introduction about 1 h 59 min
  50. Introduction about 13 min
  51. Introduction about 1 h 5 min
  52. Introduction about 15 min
  53. Introduction about 13 min
  54. Introduction about 16 min
  55. Introduction about 24 min
  56. Introduction about 45 min
  57. Introduction about 8 min
  58. Introduction about 16 min
  59. Introduction about 8 min
  60. Introduction about 1 h 45 min
  61. Introduction about 11 min
  62. Introduction about 1 h 2 min
  63. Introduction about 2 h 38 min
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Introduction

Background: Germany--first united in 1871?suffered defeats in successive world wars and was occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the beginning of the Cold War and increasing tension between the US and Soviet Union, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The newly democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EU and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the Soviet Union and end of the Cold War cleared the path for the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and German re-unification in 1990. Germany has expended considerable funds--roughly $100 billion a year--in subsequent years working to bring eastern productivity and wages up to western standards, with mixed results. Unemployment--which in the east is nearly double that in the west--has grown over the last several years, primarily as a result of structural problems like an inflexible labor market. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other members of the EU formed a common European currency, the euro, and the German government is now looking toward reform of the EU budget and enlargement of the Union into Central Europe.

Geography

Location: Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Geographic coordinates: 51 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 356,910 sq km land: 349,520 sq km water: 7,390 sq km note: includes the formerly separate Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, and Berlin, following formal unification on 3 October 1990

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 3,621 km border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Coastline: 2,389 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm, tropical foehn wind; high relative humidity

Terrain: lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Freepsum Lake -2 m highest point: Zugspitze 2,962 m

Natural resources: iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, natural gas, salt, nickel

Land use: arable land: 33% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 31% other: 20% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 4,750 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding

Environment--current issues: emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries and lead emissions from vehicle exhausts (the result of continued use of leaded fuels) contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal

Environment--international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography--note: strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea

People

Population: 82,087,361 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15% (male 6,495,882; female 6,172,359) 15-64 years: 69% (male 28,687,267; female 27,526,698) 65 years and over: 16% (male 4,990,090; female 8,215,065) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 8.68 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.76 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.17 years male: 74.01 years female: 80.5 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.26 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: German(s) adjective: German

Ethnic groups: German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, Italians 0.7%, Greeks 0.4%, Poles 0.4%, other 4.6% (made up largely of people fleeing the war in the former Yugoslavia)

Religions: Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 1.7%, unaffiliated or other 26.3%

Languages: German

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1977 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany conventional short form: Germany local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland local short form: Deutschland

Data code: GM

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Berlin note: the shift from Bonn to Berlin will take place over a period of years, with Bonn retaining many administrative functions and several ministries even after parliament moves in 1999

Administrative divisions: 16 states (Laender, singular--Land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen

Independence: 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

National holiday: German Unity Day (Day of Unity), 3 October (1990)

Constitution: 23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united German people 3 October 1990

Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Roman HERZOG (since 1 July 1994) head of government: Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (since 27 October 1998) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the proposal of the chancellor elections: president elected for a five-year term by a Federal Convention including all members of the Federal Assembly and an equal number of delegates elected by the Land Parliaments; election last held 23 May 1994 (next to be held 23 May 1999); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a four-year term; election last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held in the fall of 2002) election results: Roman HERZOG elected president; percent of Federal Convention vote--52.6%; Gerhard SCHROEDER elected chancellor; percent of Federal Assembly--52.8%

Legislative branch: bicameral chamber (no official name for the two chambers as a whole) consists of the Federal Assembly or Bundestag (656 seats usually, but 669 for the 1998 term; elected by popular vote under a system combining direct and proportional representation; a party must win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain representation; members serve four-year terms) and the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments are directly represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes depending on population and are required to vote as a block) elections: Federal Assembly--last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by the fall of 2002); note--there are no elections for the Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election election results: Federal Assembly--percent of vote by party--SPD 40.9%, Alliance 90/Greens 6.7%, CDU/CSU 35.1%, FDP 6.2%, PDS 5.1%; seats by party--SPD 298, Alliance 90/Greens 47, CDU/CSU 245, FDP 43, PDS 36; Federal Council--current composition--votes by party--SPD-led states 45, CDU-led states 24

Judicial branch: Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht, half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Union or CDU

Political pressure groups and leaders: employers' organizations, expellee, refugee, trade unions, and veterans groups

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Juergen CHROBOG chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John C. KORNBLUM embassy: Deichmanns Aue 29, 53170 Bonn mailing address: PSC 117, APO AE 09080 branch office: Berlin; mailing address: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse consulate(s) general: Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Economy

Economy--overview: Germany possesses the world's third most powerful economy, with its capitalist market system tempered by generous welfare benefits. On 1 January 1999, Germany and 10 other European Union countries launched the European Monetary Union (EMU) by permanently fixing their bilateral exchange rates and giving the new European Central Bank control over the zone's monetary policy. Germans expect to have the new European currency, the euro, in pocket by 2002. Domestic demand contributed to a moderate economic upswing in early 1998, although unemployment remains high. Job-creation measures have helped superficially, but structural rigidities--like high wages and costly benefits--make unemployment a long-term, not just a cyclical, problem. Although minimally affected by the Asian crisis in 1998, Germany revised its 1999 forecast downward at the beginning of the year to reflect anticipated effects from the global economic slowdown. Over the long term, Germany faces budgetary problems--lower tax revenues and higher pension outlays--as its population ages. Meanwhile, the German nation continues to wrestle with the integration of eastern Germany, whose adjustment may take decades to complete despite annual transfers from the west of roughly $100 billion a year.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$1.813 trillion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 2.7% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$22,100 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 1.1% industry: 33.1% services: 65.8% (1998)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.9% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 38.2 million (1998)

Labor force--by occupation: industry 33.7%, agriculture 2.7%, services 63.6% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 10.6% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $977 billion expenditures: $1.024 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: western: among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages; eastern: metal fabrication, chemicals, brown coal, shipbuilding, machine building, food and beverages, textiles, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1998)

Electricity--production: 515.058 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 66.23% hydro: 3.5% nuclear: 29.81% other: 0.46% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 509.458 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 42.5 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 36.9 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: western?potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle, pigs, poultry; eastern--wheat, rye, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, fruit; pork, beef, chickens, milk, hides

Exports: $510 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports--commodities: machinery 31%, vehicles 17%, chemicals 13%, metals and manufactures, foodstuffs, textiles (1997)

Exports--partners: EU 55.5% (France 10.7%, UK 8.5%, Italy 7.4%, Netherlands 7.0%, Belgium-Luxembourg 5.8%), US 8.6%, Japan 2.3% (1997 est.)

Imports: $426 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Imports--commodities: machinery 22%, vehicles 10%, chemicals 9%, foodstuffs 8%, textiles, metals (1997)

Imports--partners: EU 54.3% (France 10.5%, Netherlands 8.5%, Italy 7.8%, UK 7.0%, Belgium-Luxembourg 6.2%), US 7.7%, Japan 4.9% (1997)

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--donor: ODA, $7.5 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 deutsche mark (DM) = 100 pfennige

Exchange rates: deutsche marks (DM) per US$1--1.69 (January 1999), 1.7597 (1998), 1.7341 (1997), 1.5048 (1996), 1.4331 (1995), 1.6228 (1994) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed rate of 1.95583 deutsche marks per euro; the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 44 million

Telephone system: Germany has one of the world's most technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly backward system of the eastern part of the country has been modernized and integrated with that of the western part domestic: the region which was formerly West Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available and includes roaming service to many foreign countries; since the reunification of Germany, the telephone system of the eastern region has been upgraded and enjoys all of the advantages of the national system international: satellite earth stations--14 Intelsat (12 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), 2 Intersputnik (1 Atlantic Ocean region and 1 Indian Ocean region); 7 submarine cable connections; 2 HF radiotelephone communication centers; tropospheric scatter links

Radio broadcast stations: AM 77, FM 1,621, shortwave 37, digital audio broadcasting 130

Radios: 47.1 million (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 9,513 (including repeaters)

Televisions: 51.4 million (1998 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 46,300 km including 18,866 km electrified and 14,768 km double- or multiple-tracked (1996) note: since privatization in 1994, Deutsche Bahn AG (DBAG) no longer publishes details of the tracks it owns; in addition to the DBAG system there are 102 privately owned railway companies which own an approximate 3,000 km to 4,000 km of the total tracks

Highways: total: 656,074 km paved: 650,169 km (including 11,309 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,905 km all-weather (1997 est.)

Waterways: 7,467 km (1997); major rivers include the Rhine and Elbe; Kiel Canal is an important connection between the Baltic Sea and North Sea

Pipelines: crude oil 2,460 km (1997)

Ports and harbors: Berlin, Bonn, Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cologne, Dresden, Duisburg, Emden, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Kiel, Lubeck, Magdeburg, Mannheim, Rostock, Stuttgart

Merchant marine: total: 594 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,699,596 GRT/9,629,163 DWT ships by type: cargo 227, chemical tanker 15, combination bulk 1, container 306, liquefied gas tanker 5, multifunction large-load carrier 5, oil tanker 7, passenger 3, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 14, short-sea passenger 7 (1998 est.)

Airports: 618 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 319 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 62 1,524 to 2,437 m: 68 914 to 1,523 m: 54 under 914 m: 121 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 299 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 58 under 914 m: 227 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 61 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm), Air Force, Medical Corps, Border Police, Coast Guard

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 20,860,710 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 17,799,070 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 472,708 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $32.8 billion (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.5% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II

Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin and hashish, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs

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

@Ghana -----

Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 238,540 sq km land: 230,020 sq km water: 8,520 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 2,093 km border countries: Burkina Faso 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

Coastline: 539 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Terrain: mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources: gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 22% forests and woodland: 35% other: 24% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts

Environment--current issues: recent drought in north severely affecting agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography--note: Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake; northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March)

People

Population: 18,887,626 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 4,020,493; female 3,982,816) 15-64 years: 54% (male 5,050,736; female 5,231,951) 65 years and over: 4% (male 284,423; female 317,207) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.05% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 31.79 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.4 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 76.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 57.14 years male: 55.08 years female: 59.27 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.11 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian

Ethnic groups: black African 99.8% (major tribes--Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%), European and other 0.2%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8%

Languages: English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.5% male: 75.9% female: 53.5% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast

Data code: GH

Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital: Accra

Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Independence: 6 March 1957 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Constitution: new constitution approved 28 April 1992

Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January 1993); Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January 1993); Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by the Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Jerry John RAWLINGS reelected president; percent of vote--RAWLINGS 57%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 1996 (next to be held NA December 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NDC 133, NPP 61, PCP 5, PNC 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Congress or

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kobena KOOMSON chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kathryn Dee ROBINSON embassy: Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Economy

Economy--overview: Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 41% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. In 1995-97, Ghana made mixed progress under a three-year structural adjustment program in cooperation with the IMF. On the minus side, public sector wage increases and regional peacekeeping commitments have led to continued inflationary deficit financing, depreciation of the cedi, and rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity measures. Power shortages also helped slow growth in 1998.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$33.6 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,800 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 41% industry: 14% services: 45% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: 31.4% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 27.3% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 27.7% (1997 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture and fishing 61%, industry 10%, services 29% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 20% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.39 billion expenditures: $1.47 billion, including capital expenditures of $370 million (1996 est.)

Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (1996 est.)

Electricity--production: 6.1 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 0.66% hydro: 99.34% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 5.88 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 225 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 5 million kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber

Exports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities: gold 39%, cocoa 35%, timber 9.4%, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, and diamonds (1996 est.)

Exports--partners: UK, Germany, US, Netherlands, Japan, Nigeria

Imports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports--commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods

Imports--partners: UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Japan, Netherlands

Debt--external: $5.2 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $477.3 million (1995)

Currency: 1 new cedi (C) = 100 pesewas

Exchange rates: new cedis per US$1--2,324.70 (September 1998), 2,050.17 (1997), 1,637.23 (1996), 1,200.43 (1995), 956.71 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 100,000 (1997 est.)

Telephone system: poor to fair system domestic: primarily microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 23, shortwave 0 (1997)

Radios: 12.5 million (1997 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 7 (in addition, there are eight repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 1.9 million (1997 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 953 km (undergoing major rehabilitation) narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (32 km double track) (1997 est.)

Highways: total: 39,409 km paved: 11,653 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,756 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways

Pipelines: 0 km

Ports and harbors: Takoradi, Tema

Merchant marine: total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,552 GRT/14,839 DWT ships by type: oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3 (1998 est.)

Airports: 12 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, Palace Guard, Civil Defense

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 4,520,125 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,507,954 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 184,360 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $53 million (1999)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 0.7% (1999)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US

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

@Gibraltar ---------

Geography

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain

Geographic coordinates: 36 11 N, 5 22 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Coastline: 12 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain: a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 100% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: limited natural freshwater resources; large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rain water

Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography--note: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

People

Population: 29,165 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 3,129; female 2,749) 15-64 years: 66% (male 10,888; female 8,247) 65 years and over: 14% (male 1,729; female 2,423) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.39% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 12.65 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 8.81 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.32 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 1.17 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.37 years male: 75.1 years female: 81.81 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.16 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups: Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish

Religions: Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant 11% (Church of England 8%, other 3%), Muslim 8%, Jewish 2%, none or other 5% (1981)

Languages: English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian

Literacy: definition: NA total population: above 95% male: NA% female: NA%

Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar

Data code: GI

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: Gibraltar

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)

Constitution: 30 May 1969

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief, the Right Honorable Sir Richard LUCE (since 24 February 1997) head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister note: there is also a Gibraltar Council that advises the governor elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats--15 elected, on for the Speaker, and two ex officio; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 16 May 1996 (next to be held NA May 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--SD 53%, SL 42%, NP 3%; seats by party--SD 8, SL 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or

Political pressure groups and leaders: Housewives Association; Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization

International organization participation: Interpol (subbureau)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Economy

Economy--overview: Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 11% to the local economy. The financial sector accounts for 15% of GDP; tourism (more than 5 million visitors in 1995), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. Because more than 70% of the economy is in the public sector, changes in government spending have a major impact on the level of employment.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$500 million (1997 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$17,500 (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (1996)

Labor force: 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)

Labor force--by occupation: services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL%

Unemployment rate: 13.5% (1996)

Budget: revenues: $111.6 million expenditures: $115.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)

Industries: tourism, banking and finance, ship-building and repairing; support to large UK naval and air bases; tobacco, mineral water, beer, canned fish

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 85 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 85 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: none

Exports: $83.7 million (f.o.b., 1995)

Exports--commodities: (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%

Exports--partners: UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG

Imports: $778 million (c.i.f., 1995)

Imports--commodities: fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports--partners: UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 Gibraltar pound (LG) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds (LG) per US$1--0.6057 (January 1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994); note--the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June

Communications

Telephones: 19,356 (1994)

Telephone system: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (in addition, there are 3 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: NA

Transportation

Railways: total: NA km; 1.000-m gauge system in dockyard area only

Highways: total: 49.9 km paved: 49.9 km unpaved: 0 km

Pipelines: 0 km

Ports and harbors: Gibraltar

Merchant marine: total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 346m951 GRT/588,765 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 2, container 4, oil tanker 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: source of friction between Spain and the UK

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

@Glorioso Islands ----------------

Geography

Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 11 30 S, 47 20 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock

Area--comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 35.2 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical

Terrain: NA

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Natural resources: guano, coconuts

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

Environment--current issues: NA

People

Population: uninhabited

Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Glorioso Islands local long form: none local short form: Iles Glorieuses

Data code: GO

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system: NA

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy

Economy--overview: no economic activity

Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: claimed by Madagascar

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

@Greece ------

Geography

Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 131,940 sq km land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries: total: 1,210 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228 km

Coastline: 13,676 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 6 nm

Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources: bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 41% forests and woodland: 20% other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 13,140 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: severe earthquakes

Environment--current issues: air pollution; water pollution

Environment--international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

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

People

Population: 10,707,135 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16% (male 878,349; female 818,311) 15-64 years: 67% (male 3,619,982; female 3,587,591) 65 years and over: 17% (male 799,053; female 1,003,849) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.41% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 9.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.44 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.43 years male: 75.87 years female: 81.18 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, other 2% note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece

Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages: Greek (official), English, French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 98% female: 93% (1991 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece

Data code: GR

Government type: parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Capital: Athens

Administrative divisions: 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular--nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Ayion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios, Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos

Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821) (proclamation of the war of independence)

Constitution: 11 June 1975

Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 10 March 1995 (next to be held by NA March 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS elected president; percent of Parliament vote--NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: elections last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held by NA September 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--PASOK 41.5%, ND 38.1%, KKE 5.6%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 5.1%, DIKKI 4.4%, Political Spring 2.9%; seats by party--PASOK 162, ND 108, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 10, DIKKI 9; note--seating has subsequently changed as a result of disciplinary actions by PASOK, ND, and DIKKI; 1998 seating is PASOK 162, ND 105, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 10, DIKKI 8, independents 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court, judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council; Special Supreme Tribunal, judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council

Political parties and leaders: New Democracy or ND (conservative)

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandre PHILON chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador R. Nicholas BURNS embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country

Economy

Economy--overview: Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about half of GDP, although the government plans to privatize some leading state enterprises. Tourism is a key industry, providing a large portion of GDP and foreign exchange earnings. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 4% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the last few years, as the government has tightened policy with the goal of qualifying Greece to join the EU's single currency (the euro) in 2001. In particular, Greece has cut its budget deficit to just over 2% of GDP and tightened monetary policy, with the result that inflation fell below 4% by the end of 1998--the lowest rate in 26 years. The outlook for 1999 is good with the budget deficit and inflation both expected to decline further, while GDP growth stays near 3% and the current account deficit remains below 2% of GDP.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$143 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$13,400 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 8.5% industry: 23.5% services: 68% (1996)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 4.28 million (1998)

Labor force--by occupation: services 59.2%, agriculture 19.8%, industry 21% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 10% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $45 billion expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate: 7.3% (1998 est.)

Electricity--production: 40.028 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 89.16% hydro: 10.75% nuclear: 0% other: 0.09% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 41.388 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 1.3 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 2.66 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Exports: $12.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: manufactured goods, foodstuffs, fuels (1998)

Exports--partners: EU 56% (Germany 25%, Italy 11%, UK 8%, France 6%), US 16% (1997)

Imports: $27.7 billion (c.i.f., 1998)

Imports--commodities: manufactured goods, foodstuffs, fuels, chemicals (1998)

Imports--partners: EU 61% (Italy 16%, Germany 16%, France 8%, UK 7%, Netherlands 5%) US 11% (1997)

Debt--external: $40.8 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient: $5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.)

Currency: 1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta

Exchange rates: drachmae (Dr) per US$1--278.78 (January 1999), 295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997), 240.71 (1996), 231.66 (1995), 242.60 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 5,571,293 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; microwave radio relay carries most traffic; extensive open-wire network; submarine cables to off-shore islands domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and submarine cable international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 17 (repeaters 20), shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 64 (in addition, there are about 1,000 low-power repeaters and two stations in the US armed forces network) (1997)

Televisions: 2.3 million (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 2,548 km standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 23 km double track) narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack type railway for steep grades)

Highways: total: 117,000 km paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,594 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 80 km; system consists of three coastal canals; including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; and three unconnected rivers

Pipelines: crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km

Ports and harbors: Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos

Merchant marine: total: 810 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,798,431 GRT/44,056,618 DWT ships by type: bulk 307, cargo 66, chemical tanker 19, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 12, container 45, liquefied gas tanker 5, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 229, passenger 15, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 17, short-sea passenger 76, specialized tanker 3 (1998 est.)

Airports: 78 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 63 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, National Guard, Police

Military manpower--military age: 21 years of age

Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 2,707,628 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,071,670 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 79,376 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $4.04 billion (1998 est.)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over name; in September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions; Athens also lifted its economic embargo on The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Illicit drugs: a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece

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

@Greenland ---------

Geography

Location: Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates: 72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 2,175,600 sq km land: 2,175,600 sq km (341,600 sq km ice-free, 1,834,000 sq km ice-covered) (est.)

Area--comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 44,087 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources: zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 0% other: 99% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment--current issues: protection of the arctic environment; preservation of their traditional way of life, including whaling; note--Greenland participates actively in Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC)

Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography--note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast

People

Population: 59,827 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26% (male 7,789; female 7,728) 15-64 years: 68% (male 22,248; female 18,678) 65 years and over: 6% (male 1,562; female 1,822) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.84% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 15.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.79 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20.06 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.1 years male: 65.98 years female: 74.24 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.14 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups: Greenlander 87% (Eskimos and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 13%

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran

Languages: Eskimo dialects, Danish, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect)

Literacy: NA note: similar to Denmark proper

Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Data code: GL

Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Government type: NA

Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative divisions: 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)

Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979)

National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system: Danish

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS (since NA 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Jonathan MOTZFELDT (since NA September 1997) cabinet: Landsstyre is formed from the Parliament on the basis of the strength of parties elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by the Parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 11 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: Jonathan MOTZFELDT reelected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote--23 out of 31 votes

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Landsting (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 17 February 1999 (next to be held by NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party--Siumut 35.2%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 22%, Atassut Party 25.2%, Candidates' League 12.3%; seats by party--Siumut 11, Atassut Party 8, Inuit Ataqatigiit 7, Candidates' League 4, independent 1 note: 2 representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on NA March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002); percent of vote by party--Siumut 35.6%, Atassut 35.2%; seats by party--Siumut 1, Atassut 1; Greenlandic representatives are affiliated with Danish political parties

Judicial branch: High Court or Landsret

Political parties and leaders: two-party ruling coalition; Siumut (Forward Party, a moderate socialist party that advocates more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) Brotherhood, a Marxist-Leninist party that favors complete Atassut Party (Solidarity, a more conservative party that favors

International organization participation: NC, NIB

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center--the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white

Economy

Economy--overview: Greenland suffered negative economic growth in the early 1990s, but since 1993 the economy has improved. The Greenland Home Rule Government (GHRG) has pursued a light fiscal policy since the late 1980s which has helped create surpluses in the public budget and low inflation. Since 1990, Greenland has registered a foreign trade deficit following the closure of the last remaining lead and zinc mine in 1989. Greenland today is critically dependent on fishing and fish exports; the shrimp fishery is by far the largest income earner. Despite resumption of several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in Greenland's economy. About half the government revenues come from grants from the Danish Government, an important supplement of GDP.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$945 million (1997 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 0.6% (1997 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$16,100 (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.6% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 24,500 (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10.5% (1995 est.)

Budget: revenues: $706 million expenditures: $697 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp), handicrafts, furs, small shipyards

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 245 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 245 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: forage crops, garden vegetables; sheep; fish

Exports: $363.4 million (f.o.b., 1995)

Exports--commodities: fish and fish products 95%

Exports--partners: Denmark 89%, Japan 5%, UK 5%

Imports: $421 million (c.i.f., 1995)

Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 25%, manufactured goods 18%, food and live animals 11%, petroleum products 6%

Imports--partners: Denmark 7.5%, Iceland 3.8%, Japan 3.3%, Norway 3.1%, US 2.4%, Germany 2.4%, Sweden 1.8%

Debt--external: $243 million (1995)

Economic aid--recipient: $427 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1995)

Currency: 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.401 (January 1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 19,600 (1995 est.)

Telephone system: adequate domestic and international service provided by cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995 domestic: microwave radio relay international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: 1 publicly-owned station and some local radio and TV stations

Radios: 23,000 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 publicly-owned station and some local low-power stations; in addition, there are three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations which broadcast in the NTSC system (1997)

Televisions: 12,000 (1991 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 150 km paved: 60 km unpaved: 90 km

Ports and harbors: Kangerluarsoruseq, Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Sisimiut

Merchant marine: total: 1 passenger (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,211 GRT/162 DWT (1998 est.)

Airports: 13 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Grenada -------

Geography

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 340 sq km land: 340 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 121 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain: volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 18% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 9% other: 55% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography--note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

People

Population: 97,008 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 21,055; female 20,365) 15-64 years: 53% (male 27,524; female 23,766) 65 years and over: 4% (male 2,034; female 2,264) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.87% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 27.62 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -13.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 11.13 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.6 years male: 68.97 years female: 74.29 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.57 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Grenadian(s) adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups: black

Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant sects 33.2%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada

Data code: GJ

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Saint George's

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Independence: 7 February 1974 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution: 19 December 1973

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general from among the members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10 appointed by the government and three by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 18 January 1999 (next to be held by NA October 2004) election results: House of Representatives--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NNP 15

Judicial branch: West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge resides in Grenada)

Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Congress or

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: the ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada embassy: Point Salines, Saint George's mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies

Flag description: a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions

Economy

Economy--overview: In this island economy progress in fiscal reforms and prudent macroeconomic management have boosted annual growth to nearly 5% in 1997-98. The increase in economic activity has been led by construction and trade. Tourist facilities are being expanded; tourism is the leading foreign exchange earner. Major short-term concerns are the rising fiscal deficit and the deterioration in the external account balance. Grenada shares a common central bank and a common currency with seven other members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

GDP: purchasing power parity--$340 million (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,500 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 9.7% industry: 15% services: 75.3% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (1998)

Labor force: 36,000

Labor force--by occupation: services 31%, agriculture 24%, construction 8%, manufacturing 5%, other 32% (1985)

Unemployment rate: 20% (1 October 1996)

Budget: revenues: $85.8 million expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28 million (1997)

Industries: food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction

Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 70 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 70 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Exports: $22 million (1997)

Exports--commodities: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports--partners: Caricom 32.3%, UK 20%, US 13%, Netherlands 8.8% (1991)

Imports: $166.5 million (1997)

Imports--commodities: food 25%, manufactured goods 22%, machinery 20%, chemicals 10%, fuel 6% (1989)

Imports--partners: US 31.2%, Caricom 23.6%, UK 13.8%, Japan 7.1% (1991)

Debt--external: $74 million (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $8.3 million (1995)

Currency: 1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 5,650 (1988 est.)

Telephone system: automatic, islandwide telephone system domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links international: new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 80,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 30,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 638 km unpaved: 402 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Grenville, Saint George's

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US

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

@Guadeloupe ----------

Geography

Location: Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 1,780 sq km land: 1,706 sq km water: 74 sq km note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes, Saint Barthelemy, and part of Saint Martin

Area--comparative: 10 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Coastline: 306 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Terrain: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,467 m

Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 14% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 14% forests and woodland: 39% other: 29% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere is an active volcano

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

People

Population: 420,943 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25% (male 53,427; female 51,234) 15-64 years: 66% (male 138,215; female 141,243) 65 years and over: 9% (male 15,536; female 21,288) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.06% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 16.33 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.01 years male: 74.98 years female: 81.18 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guadeloupian(s) adjective: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant sects 1%

Languages: French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe conventional short form: Guadeloupe local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe local short form: Guadeloupe

Data code: GP

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Basse-Terre

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean FEDINI (since NA 1996) head of government: President of the General Council Marcellin LUBETH (since NA 1998); President of the Regional Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils election results: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council--last held 22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002); Regional Council--last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--various left parties 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6, various right parties 5, PCC 3, UDF 1; Regional Council--percent of vote by party--RPR 48.03%, PS/PPDG/DVG 24.49%, PCG 5.29%, DVD 5.73%; seats by party--RPR 25, PS/PPDG/DVG 12, PCG 2, DVD 2 note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RPR 1, FGPS 1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May--1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--FGPS 2, RPR 1, PPDG 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique

Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR REIETTE]; Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or IBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG

International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France)

Flag description: three horizontal bands, a narrow green band (top), a wide red band, and a narrow green band; the green bands are separated from the red band by two narrow white stripes; a five-pointed gold star is centered in the red band toward the hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy

Economy--overview: The economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light industry, and services. It also depends on France for large subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$3.7 billion (1996 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$9,000 (1996 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 9% services: 85% (1993 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.7% (1990)

Labor force: 128,000

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 15%, industry 20%, services 65% (1993)

Unemployment rate: 29.5% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $200 million expenditures: $350 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 960 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 960 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats

Exports: $133 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities: bananas, sugar, rum

Exports--partners: France 75%, Martinique 13% (1994)

Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports--commodities: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials

Imports--partners: France 64%, EU 13%, Martinique 4%, US, Japan (1994)

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--recipient: $NA; note?substantial annual French subsidies

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1--5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155(1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 64,916 (1984 est.)

Telephone system: domestic facilities inadequate domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 8 (private stations licensed to broadcast FM 30), shortwave 0

Radios: 100,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (in addition, there are several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 150,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines

Highways: total: 2,082 km paved: 1,742 km unpaved: 340 km (1985 est.) note: in 1996 there were a total of 3,200 km of roads

Ports and harbors: Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 9 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: French Forces, Gendarmerie

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Guam ----

Geography

Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 541.3 sq km land: 541.3 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 125.5 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low-rising hills in center, mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources: fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 11% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 18% other: 45% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)

Environment--current issues: extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic species

Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography--note: largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

People

Population: 151,716 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 35% (male 27,301; female 25,106) 15-64 years: 60% (male 47,691; female 42,714) 65 years and over: 5% (male 4,486; female 4,418) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.67% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 26.52 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.35 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.81 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.78 years male: 74.6 years female: 81.31 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.92 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guamanian(s) adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups: Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 18%

Religions: Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%

Languages: English, Chamorro, Japanese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Guam conventional short form: Guam

Data code: GQ

Dependency status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type: NA

Capital: Hagatna (Agana)

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March) (1521); Liberation Day, 21 July (1944)

Constitution: Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system: modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch: chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994) and Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994) cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: Carl GUTIERREZ reelected governor; percent of vote--Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 53.2%, Joseph ADA (Republican) 46.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Republican 12, Democratic 3 note: Guam elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000); results--Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Democratic 1

Judicial branch: Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)

Political parties and leaders: Republican Party (controls the

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag

Economy

Economy--overview: The economy depends mainly on US military spending and on tourist revenue. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry suffered a setback in 1998 because of the continuing Japanese recession; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists. Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$3 billion (1996 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$19,000 (1996 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1992 est.)

Labor force: 65,660 (1995)

Labor force--by occupation: federal and territorial government 31%, private 69% (trade 21%, services 33%, construction 12%, other 3%) (1995)

Unemployment rate: 2% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues: $524.3 million expenditures: $361.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Industries: US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 800 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 800 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Exports: $86.1 million (f.o.b., 1992)

Exports--commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

Exports--partners: US 25%

Imports: $202.4 million (c.i.f., 1992)

Imports--commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports--partners: US 23%, Japan 19%, other 58%

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--recipient: $NA; note?although Guam receives no foreign aid, it does receive large transfer payments from the general revenues of the US Federal Treasury into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam

Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: 1 October--30 September

Communications

Telephones: 74,317 (March 1997)

Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 206,000 (1994)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1997)

Televisions: 97,000 (1994 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 885 km paved: 675 km unpaved: 210 km note: there is another 685 km of roads classified non-public, including roads located on federal government installations

Ports and harbors: Apra Harbor

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 5 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Guatemala ---------

Geography

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 108,890 sq km land: 108,430 sq km water: 460 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries: total: 1,687 km border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline: 400 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources: petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland: 54% other: 5% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,250 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; Hurricane Mitch damage

Environment--international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography--note: no natural harbors on west coast

People

Population: 12,335,580 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 2,688,402; female 2,578,934) 15-64 years: 54% (male 3,312,360; female 3,314,102) 65 years and over: 3% (male 207,014; female 234,768) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.68% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 35.57 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.8 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 46.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.45 years male: 63.78 years female: 69.24 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.74 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish--in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 44%

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan

Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 55.6% male: 62.5% female: 48.6% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala

Data code: GT

Government type: republic

Capital: Guatemala

Administrative divisions: 22 departments (departamentos, singular--departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986 note: suspended 25 May 1993 by President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996); Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES Asturias (since 14 January 1996); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996); Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES Asturias (since 14 January 1996); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 12 November 1995; runoff held 7 January 1996 (next to be held NA November 1999) election results: Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen elected president; percent of vote--Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (PAN) 51.2%, Jorge PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 48.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 12 November 1995 (next to be held in November 1999) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PAN 43, FRG 21, FDNG 6, DCG 4, UCN 3, UD 2, MLN 1 note: on 11 November 1993 the congress approved a procedure that reduced its number from 116 seats to 80; the procedure provided for a special election in mid-1994 to elect an interim congress of 80 members to serve until replaced in the November 1995 general election; the plan was approved in a general referendum in January 1994 and the special election was held on 14 August 1994

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia); additionally the Court of Constitutionality is presided over by the president of the Supreme Court, judges are elected for a five-year term by Congress

Political parties and leaders: National Centrist Union or UCN ARRIAGA Martinez]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union or URNG

Political pressure groups and leaders: Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM; Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William STIXRUD chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald J. PLANTY embassy: 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath

Economy

Economy--overview: The agricultural sector accounts for one-fourth of GDP and two-thirds of exports and employs more than half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. Manufacturing and construction account for one-fifth of GDP. Since assuming office in January 1996, President ARZU has worked to implement a program of economic liberalization and political modernization. The signing of the peace accords in December 1996, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused relatively little damage to Guatemala compared to its neighbors. Nevertheless, growth will be somewhat smaller due to the storm. Remaining challenges include increasing government revenues, and negotiating a program with the IMF.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$45.7 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,800 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 21% services: 55% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.6% highest 10%: 46.6% (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.4% (1998)

Labor force: 3.32 million (1997 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 58%, services 14%, manufacturing 14%, commerce 7%, construction 4%, transport 2.6%, utilities 0.3%, mining 0.1% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 5.2% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA

Industries: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (1996)

Electricity--production: 3.1 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 29.03% hydro: 70.97% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 3.1 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens

Exports: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports--commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, cardamom, petroleum

Exports--partners: US 37%, El Salvador 13%, Honduras 7%, Costa Rica 5%, Germany 5%

Imports: $3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)

Imports--commodities: fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles

Imports--partners: US 44%, Mexico 10%, Venezuela 4.6%, Japan, Germany

Debt--external: $3.38 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $211.9 million (1995)

Currency: 1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: quetzales (Q) per US$1--6.7284 (January 1999), 6.3947 (1998), 6.0653 (1997), 6.0495 (1996), 5.8103 (1995), 5.7512 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 210,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala domestic: NA international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 0, shortwave 15

Radios: 400,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 6 (in addition, there are 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 475,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 884 km (102 km privately owned) narrow gauge: 884 km 0.914-m gauge (single track)

Highways: total: 13,100 km paved: 3,616 km (including 140 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,484 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season

Pipelines: crude oil 275 km

Ports and harbors: Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 478 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 466 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 124 under 914 m: 332 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 2,915,169 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,903,382 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 134,964 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $124 million (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 0.7% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: border with Belize in dispute

Illicit drugs: transit country for cocaine shipments; minor producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; active eradication program of cannabis crop effectively eliminated in 1996

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

@Guernsey --------

Geography

Location: Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 194 sq km land: 194 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands

Area--comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 50 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast

Terrain: mostly level with low hills in southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Natural resources: cropland

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography--note: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People

Population: 65,386 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 6,012; female 5,875) 15-64 years: 66% (male 21,287; female 22,165) 65 years and over: 16% (male 4,069; female 5,978) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.27% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 14.16 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.44 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 8.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.42 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.72 years male: 75.78 years female: 81.77 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent

Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist

Languages: English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Literacy: NA

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey

Data code: GK

Dependency status: British crown dependency

Government type: NA

Capital: Saint Peter Port

Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)

Independence: none (British crown dependency)

National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system: English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor Sir John COWARD (since NA 1994) and Bailiff Sir Graham Martyn DOREY (since NA February 1992) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States (60 seats--33 elected by popular vote; members serve six-year terms) elections: last held 20 April 1994 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--all independents

Judicial branch: Royal Court

Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)

Flag description: white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag

Economy

Economy--overview: Financial services?banking, fund management, insurance, etc.--account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game under which Guernsey operates.

GDP: $NA

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: $NA

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (1988)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 3%-4% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $277.9 million expenditures: $248.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Industries: tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: NA kWh

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%

Electricity--consumption: NA kWh

Electricity--exports: NA kWh

Electricity--imports: NA kWh

Agriculture--products: tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle

Exports: $NA

Exports--commodities: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables

Exports--partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)

Imports: $NA

Imports--commodities: coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Imports--partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 Guernsey (LG) pound = 100 pence

Exchange rates: Guernsey pounds (LG) per US$1--0.6057 (January 1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994); note--the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 41,850 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: NA

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors: Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Guinea ------

Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 245,860 sq km land: 245,860 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain: generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 22% forests and woodland: 59% other: 17% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 930 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season

Environment--current issues: deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region

Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People

Population: 7,538,953 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 1,640,158; female 1,653,184) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,974,849; female 2,068,221) 65 years and over: 2% (male 83,859; female 118,682) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.82% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 40.62 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 17.3 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -15.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.) note: over the years Guinea has received up to several hundred thousand refugees from the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, some of whom are now returning to their own countries

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 126.32 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 46.5 years male: 44.02 years female: 49.06 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.53 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups: Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller tribes 10%

Religions: Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Languages: French (official), each tribe has its own language

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 35.9% male: 49.9% female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea

Data code: GV

Government type: republic

Capital: Conakry

Administrative divisions: 4 administrative regions (regions administrative, singular--region administrative) and 1 special zone (zone speciale)*; Conakry*, Guinee, Guinee-Forestiere, Haute-Guinee, Moyen-Guinee

Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Second Republic, 3 April (1984)

Constitution: 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system: based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Lamine SIDIME (since 8 March 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003); the prime minister appointed by the president election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote--Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56%, Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16%, Mamadou Boye BA (UNR-PRP) 24%

Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 11 June 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PUP 71, RPG 19, PRP 9, UNR 9, UPG 2, PDG 1, UNP 1, PDG-RDA 1, other 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: political parties were legalized on 1 April 1992; of the more than 40 with legal status, the following won seats in the legislature in the 11 June 1995 elections other: Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Aly THIAM chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tibor P. NAGY, Jr. embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Rwanda, which has a large black letter R centered in the yellow band

Economy

Economy--overview: Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains a poor underdeveloped nation. The agricultural sector employs 80% of the work force. Guinea possesses over 25% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1998. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. The government made encouraging progress in budget management in 1997-98. Except in the mining industry, foreign investment remains minimal but is expected to pick up in 1999.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$8.8 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 4.9% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,180 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 31% services: 45% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 31.7% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 2.4 million (1983)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 11%, services 5.4%, civil service 3.6%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $553 million expenditures: $652 million, including capital expenditures of $317 million (1995 est.)

Industries: bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries

Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (1994)

Electricity--production: 525 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 63.81% hydro: 36.19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 525 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Exports: $695 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports--commodities: bauxite, alumina, diamonds, gold, coffee, fish, agricultural products

Exports--partners: Russia, US, Belgium, Ukraine, Ireland, Spain (1997)

Imports: $560 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Imports--commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs (1997)

Imports--partners: France, Cote d'Ivoire, US, Belgium, Hong Kong (1997)

Debt--external: $3.15 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $433.6 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Guinean franc (FG) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Guinean francs (FG) per US$1--1,292.5 (January 1999), 1,095.3 (1997), 1,004.0 (1996), 991.4 (1995), 976.6 (1994) note: the official exchange rate of the Guinean franc was set and quoted weekly against the US dollar until the end of October 1993; since 1 November 1994, the exchange rate is determined in the interbank market for foreign exchange

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 18,000 (1994 est.)

Telephone system: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: 257,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 6 (1997)

Televisions: 65,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 1,086 km standard gauge: 279 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 807 km 1.000-m gauge (includes 662 km in common carrier service from Kankan to Conakry)

Highways: total: 30,500 km paved: 5,033 km unpaved: 25,467 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 1,295 km navigable by shallow-draft native craft

Ports and harbors: Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 15 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete National)

Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 1,726,933 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 871,615 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $56 million (1996)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.4% (1996)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Guinea-Bissau -------------

Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal

Geographic coordinates: 12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 36,120 sq km land: 28,000 sq km water: 8,120 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Coastline: 350 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain: mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m

Natural resources: fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 38% forests and woodland: 38% other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 17 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires

Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People

Population: 1,234,555 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 260,821; female 259,520) 15-64 years: 55% (male 322,607; female 356,513) 65 years and over: 3% (male 16,233; female 18,861) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.31% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 38.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 15.13 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 109.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.57 years male: 47.91 years female: 51.28 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guinean (s) adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups: African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Languages: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 53.9% male: 67.1% female: 40.7% (1997 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau local short form: Guine-Bissau former: Portuguese Guinea

Data code: PU

Government type: republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Capital: Bissau

Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regioes, singular--regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali note: Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Independence: 24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Constitution: 16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (initially assumed power 14 November 1980 in a coup d'etat) head of government: Prime Minister Francisco FADUL (since NA November 1998); note--named in an agreement between President VIEIRA and a military-led junta which rebelled against the President FADUL's administration in June 1998 cabinet: none; an interim National Unity Government was provided for in the agreement between President VIEIRA and the military junta and was scheduled be inaugurated in February 1999 elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 3 July and 7 August 1994 (next to be held NA July 1999); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature election results: Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of vote--Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52%, Koumba YALLA 48%

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a maximum of four years) elections: last held 3 July and 7 August 1994 (next to be held by NA) election results: percent of vote by party--PAIGC 46.0%, RGB-MB 19.2%, PRS 10.3%, UM 12.8%, FLING 2.5%, PCD 5.3%, PUSD 2.9%, FCG 0.2%, others 0.8%; seats by party--PAIGC 62, RGB 19, PRS 12, UM 6, FLING 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica, consists of 9 justices who are appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure, final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases; Regional Courts, one in each of nine regions, first court of appeals for sectoral court decisions, hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over $1,000; 24 Sectoral Courts, judges are not necessarily trained lawyers, hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases

Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence secretary general]; Front for the Liberation and Independence of president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Social

International organization participation: ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique Adriano DA SILVA chancery: Suite 519, 1511 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to President VIEIRA and military-led junta

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy

Economy--overview: One of the 20 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998. Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Inflation dropped sharply in the first quarter of 1997. Membership in the WAMU (West African Monetary Union), begun in May 1997, was expected to support 5% annual growth and contribute to fiscal discipline. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources was not a near-term prospect.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$1.2 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3.5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 54% industry: 11% services: 35% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: 48.8% (1991 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25.6% (1997)

Labor force: 480,000

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: $NA

Industries: agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate: 2.6% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 40 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 40 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Exports: $25.8 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)

Exports--commodities: cashews 95%, fish, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber (1994)

Exports--partners: Spain 35%, India 30%, Thailand 10%, Italy 10% (1995)

Imports: $63 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)

Imports--commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleum products, machinery and equipment (1994)

Imports--partners: Portugal 29.2%, Thailand 8.4%, Netherlands 8.4%, US 7.5% (1996)

Debt--external: $953 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $115.4 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes; note--on 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted as its currency the CFA franc following its membership into the BCEAO

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--566.65 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1-- 26,373 (1996), 18,073 (1995), 12,892 (1994) note: as of 2 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau has adopted the CFA franc as the national currency following its membership in BCEAO

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 13,120 (1997 est.)

Telephone system: small system domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 40,000 (1994 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: NA

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: several rivers are accessible to coastal shipping

Ports and harbors: Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 30 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 22 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force

Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 284,998 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 162,485 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $8 million (1996)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.8% (1996)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Guyana ------

Geography

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 214,970 sq km land: 196,850 sq km water: 18,120 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline: 459 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)

Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 84% other: 8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,300 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Environment--current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation

Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People

Population: 705,156 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 109,156; female 105,017) 15-64 years: 65% (male 230,624; female 227,677) 65 years and over: 5% (male 14,684; female 17,998) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.32% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 18.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.04 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -12.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 48.64 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.82 years male: 59.15 years female: 64.61 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups: East Indian 49%, black 32%, mixed 12%, Amerindian 6%, white and Chinese 1%

Religions: Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%

Languages: English, Amerindian dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.1% male: 98.6% female: 97.5% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana

Data code: GY

Government type: republic

Capital: Georgetown

Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution: 6 October 1980

Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Janet JAGAN (since NA December 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature elections: president elected by the majority party in the National Assembly after legislative elections, which must be held within five years; legislative elections last held 15 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2000; this date was part of a negotiated settlement between the two main political parties following a dispute over the December elections); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats, 53 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 15 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2000; this date was negotiated following a dispute over the December elections) election results: percent of vote by party--PPP 54%, PNC 41%, AFG 1%, TUF 1%; seats by party--PPP 36, PNC 25, AFG 2, TUF 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature

Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Party or PPP

Political pressure groups and leaders: Trades Union Congress or TUC; Guyana Council of Indian Organizations or GCIO; Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC note: the latter two organizations are small and active but not well organized

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MACK embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown

Flag description: green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border between the yellow and the green

Economy

Economy--overview: In 1997, Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, posted its sixth straight year of economic growth of 5% or better, with the advance led by gold and bauxite mining and by sugar growing. Favorable growth factors have included expansion in the key agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a moderate inflation rate, and the continued support of international organizations. However, a severe drought and political turmoil following the 1997 elections contributed to a negative growth rate for 1998. Serious underlying economic problems will continue. Electricity has been in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government must persist in efforts to manage its sizable external debt and extend its privatization program.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$1.8 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: -1.8% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,500 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 37% industry: 22% services: 41% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (1998)

Labor force: 245,492 (1992)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture, hunting and forestry 30.2%, commerce 16%, manufacturing 11% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 12% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues: $253.7 million expenditures: $304.1 million, including capital expenditures of $108.8 million (1997 est.)

Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: 7.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 325 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 98.46% hydro: 1.54% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 339 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 14 million kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Exports: $593.4 million (1997 est.)

Exports--commodities: sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses

Exports--partners: Canada 25.9%, US 20.4%, UK 22.7%, Netherlands Antilles 8.4%, Germany 4.3% (1996)

Imports: $641.6 million (1997 est.)

Imports--commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports--partners: US 27.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 17.7%, Netherlands Antilles 12.1%, UK 10.7%, Japan 4.2% (1996)

Debt--external: $1.5 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient: $84 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1--163.7 (December 1998), 150.5 (1998), 142.4 (1997), 140.4 (1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 33,000 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: fair system for long-distance calling domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines international: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 1

Radios: 398,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 public station; two private stations relay US satellite services (1997)

Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 88 km (all dedicated to ore transport) standard gauge: 40 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge

Highways: total: 7,970 km paved: 590 km unpaved: 7,380 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively

Ports and harbors: Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Merchant marine: total: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,340 GRT/4,530 DWT (1998 est.)

Airports: 48 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana National Service (GNS), Guyana Police Force

Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 202,509 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 152,839 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $7 million (1994)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.7% (1994)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: all of the area west of the Essequibo River claimed by Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upper of the Courantyne)

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics from South America--primarily Venezuela--to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis

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

@Haiti -----

Geography

Location: Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 72 25 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 27,750 sq km land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 275 km border countries: Dominican Republic 275 km

Coastline: 1,771 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 18% forests and woodland: 5% other: 44% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment--current issues: extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban

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

People

Population: 6,884,264 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 1,464,529; female 1,420,772) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,783,884; female 1,932,240) 65 years and over: 4% (male 140,932; female 141,907) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.53% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 32.55 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 13.97 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 97.64 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.65 years male: 49.53 years female: 53.88 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.59 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian

Ethnic groups: black 95%, mulatto plus white 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982) note: roughly one-half of the population also practices Voodoo

Languages: French (official) 20%, Creole

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 45% male: 48% female: 42.2% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Haiti local long form: Republique d'Haiti local short form: Haiti

Data code: HA

Government type: republic

Capital: Port-au-Prince

Administrative divisions: 9 departments, (departements, singular--departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Constitution: approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October 1994

Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Rene Garcia PREVAL (since 7 February 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Rosny SMARTH resigned June 1997; currently no prime minister; ratification of a new prime minister held up in political gridlock stemming from controversy over the 6 April 1997 elections cabinet: Cabinet; chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the Congress election results: Rene Garcia PREVAL elected president; percent of vote--Rene Garcia PREVAL 88%, Leon JEUNE 2.5%, Victor BENOIT 2.3%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate--last held 25 June 1995, with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September (election held for nine seats 6 April 1997; results disputed and runoffs postponed indefinitely); Chamber of Deputies--last held 25 June 1995, with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September (next Senate and Chamber of Deputies elections due November 1998 but delayed indefinitely) election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--OPL 7, FL-leaning 7, independents 3, vacant 10; Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--OPL 32, antineoliberal bloc 24, minor parties and independents 22, vacant 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation)

Political parties and leaders: Lavalas Family or FL ROUMAIN]; Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or

Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; Autonomous Haitian Workers or CATH; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP; Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, Caricom (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Louis Harold JOSEPH chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy Michael CARNEY embassy: 5 Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Economy

Economy--overview: About 75% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds of the economically active work force. The country has experienced little job creation since President PREVAL took office in February 1996, although the informal economy is growing. Failure to reach agreements with international sponsors have denied Haiti badly needed budget and development assistance. Meeting aid conditions in 1999 will be especially challenging in the face of mounting popular criticism of reforms.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$8.9 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,300 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 14% services: 44% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: 75% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 3.6 million (1995) note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1998)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%

Unemployment rate: 60% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $323 million expenditures: $363 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)

Industries: sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, tourism, light assembly industries based on imported parts

Industrial production growth rate: 0.6% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 415 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 60.24% hydro: 39.76% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 415 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood

Exports: $110 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities: light manufactures 80.5%, coffee 7.6%, other agriculture 7.2%

Exports--partners: US 76%, EU 19% (1997)

Imports: $486 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports--commodities: machines and manufactures 50%, food and beverages 39%, petroleum products 2%, chemicals 5%, fats and oils 4%

Imports--partners: US 60%, EU 12% (1997)

Debt--external: $1 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $730.6 million (1995)

Currency: 1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: gourdes (G) per US$1--16.778 (January 1999), 16.205 (1998), 17.311 (1997), 15.093 (1996), 16.160 (1995), 12.947 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 October--30 September

Communications

Telephones: 50,000 (1990 est.)

Telephone system: domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 33, FM 0, shortwave 2

Radios: 320,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (in addition, there is a cable TV station) (1997)

Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line)--closed in early 1990s narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge

Highways: total: 4,160 km paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: NEGL; less than 100 km navigable

Ports and harbors: Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 13 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Haitian National Police (HNP) note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until/unless constitutionally abolished

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 1,541,402 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 835,578 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 80,158 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA; note?mainly for police and security activities

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Military--note: the Haitian Armed Forces have been demobilized and replaced by the Haitian National Police

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: claims US-administered Navassa Island

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana en route to the US and Europe

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@Heard Island and McDonald Islands ---------------------------------

Geography

Location: Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica

Geographic coordinates: 53 06 S, 72 31 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area: total: 412 sq km land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly more than 2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 101.9 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: antarctic

Terrain: Heard Island--bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands--small and rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography--note: primarily used for research stations

People

Population: uninhabited

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Data code: HM

Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories

Legal system: NA

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)

Flag description: the flag of Australia is used

Economy

Economy--overview: no economic activity

Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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@Holy See (Vatican City) -----------------------

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