The 2003 CIA World Factbook (part 15 of 17)

The 2003 CIA World Factbook (part 15 of 17)

Midway Islands no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services cooperator living at the atoll (July 2003 est.)

Moldova 4,439,502 (July 2003 est.)

Monaco 32,130 (July 2003 est.)

Mongolia 2,712,315 (July 2003 est.)

Montserrat 8,995 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2003 est.)

Morocco 31,689,265 (July 2003 est.)

Mozambique 17,479,266 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997 Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2003 est.)

Namibia 1,927,447 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Nauru 12,570 (July 2003 est.)

Navassa Island uninhabited note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island (July 2003 est.)

Nepal 26,469,569 (July 2003 est.)

Netherlands 16,150,511 (July 2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles 216,226 (July 2003 est.)

New Caledonia 210,798 (July 2003 est.)

New Zealand 3,951,307 (July 2003 est.)

Nicaragua 5,128,517 (July 2003 est.)

Niger 11,058,590 (July 2003 est.)

Nigeria 133,881,703 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Niue 2,145 (July 2003 est.)

Norfolk Island 1,853 (July 2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands 80,006 (July 2003 est.)

Norway 4,546,123 (July 2003 est.)

Oman 2,807,125 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Pakistan 150,694,740 (July 2003 est.)

Palau 19,717 (July 2003 est.)

Palmyra Atoll no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy staff, US Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2003 est.)

Panama 2,960,784 (July 2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea 5,295,816 (July 2003 est.)

Paracel Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)

Paraguay 6,036,900 (July 2003 est.)

Peru 28,409,897 (July 2003 est.)

Philippines 84,619,974 (July 2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands 47 (July 2003 est.)

Poland 38,622,660 (July 2003 est.)

Portugal 10,102,022 (July 2003 est.)

Puerto Rico 3,885,877 (July 2003 est.)

Qatar 817,052 (July 2003 est.)

Reunion 755,171 (July 2003 est.)

Romania 22,271,839 (July 2003 est.)

Russia 144,526,278 (July 2003 est.)

Rwanda 7,810,056 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Saint Helena 7,367 (July 2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis 38,763 (July 2003 est.)

Saint Lucia 162,157 (July 2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon 6,976 (July 2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 116,812 (July 2003 est.)

Samoa 178,173 (July 2003 est.)

San Marino 28,119 (July 2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe 175,883 (July 2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia 24,293,844 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Senegal 10,580,307 (July 2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro 10,655,774 note: a census was taken in Serbia 1-15 April 2002 (July 2003 est.)

Seychelles 80,469 (July 2003 est.)

Sierra Leone 5,732,681 (July 2003 est.)

Singapore 4,608,595 (July 2003 est.)

Slovakia 5,430,033 (July 2003 est.)

Slovenia 1,935,677 (July 2003 est.)

Solomon Islands 509,190 (July 2003 est.)

Somalia 8,025,190 note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2003 est.)

South Africa 42,768,678 note: South Africa took a census October 1996 that showed a population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8% underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Spain 40,217,413 (July 2003 est.)

Spratly Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2003 est.)

Sri Lanka 19,742,439 (2003 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of yearend 2000, approximately 65,000 were housed in 131 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2003 est.)

Sudan 38,114,160 (July 2003 est.)

Suriname 435,449 (July 2003 est.)

Svalbard 2,811 (July 2003 est.)

Swaziland 1,161,219 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Sweden 8,878,085 (July 2003 est.)

Switzerland 7,318,638 (July 2003 est.)

Syria 17,585,540 (July 2002 est.) note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (February 2003 est.) (July 2003 est.)

Taiwan 22,603,001 (July 2003 est.)

Tajikistan 6,863,752 (July 2003 est.)

Tanzania 35,922,454 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Thailand 64,265,276 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Togo 5,429,299 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Tokelau 1,418 (July 2003 est.)

Tonga 108,141 (July 2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago 1,104,209 (July 2003 est.)

Tromelin Island uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July 2003 est.)

Tunisia 9,924,742 (July 2003 est.)

Turkey 68,109,469 (July 2003 est.)

Turkmenistan 4,775,544 (July 2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands 19,350 (July 2003 est.)

Tuvalu 11,305 (July 2003 est.)

Uganda 25,632,794 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Ukraine 48,055,439 (July 2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates 2,484,818 note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December 1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, and there are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2003 est.)

United Kingdom 60,094,648 (July 2003 est.)

United States 290,342,554 (July 2003 est.)

Uruguay 3,413,329 (July 2003 est.)

Uzbekistan 25,981,647 (July 2003 est.)

Vanuatu 199,414 (July 2003 est.)

Venezuela 24,654,694 (July 2003 est.)

Vietnam 81,624,716 (July 2003 est.)

Virgin Islands 124,778 (July 2003 est.)

Wake Island no indigenous inhabitants note: US military personnel have left the island, but contractor personnel remain; as of October 2001, 200 contractor personnel were present (July 2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna 15,734 (July 2003 est.)

West Bank 2,237,194 (July 2002 est.) note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.) (July 2003 est.)

Western Sahara 261,794 (July 2003 est.)

World 6,302,309,691 (July 2003 est.)

Yemen 19,349,881 (July 2003 est.)

Zambia 10,307,333 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Zimbabwe 12,576,742 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@2120 Ports and harbors

Afghanistan Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Albania Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Algeria Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes

American Samoa Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u

Andorra none

Angola Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo, Mocamedes, Namibe, Porto Amboim, Soyo

Anguilla Blowing Point, Road Bay

Antarctica there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica; most coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03 W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office under "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage is sparse and intermittent

Antigua and Barbuda Saint John's

Arctic Ocean Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Argentina Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Necochea, Rio Gallegos, Rosario, Santa Fe, Ushuaia

Armenia none

Aruba Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Ashmore and Cartier Islands none; offshore anchorage only

Atlantic Ocean Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Australia Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania), Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville

Austria Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Azerbaijan Baku (Baki)

Bahamas, The Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Bahrain Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Baker Island none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Bangladesh Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj

Barbados Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)

Bassas da India none; offshore anchorage only

Belarus Mazyr

Belgium Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Belize Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

Benin Cotonou, Porto-Novo

Bermuda Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard

Bhutan none

Bolivia Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at the Bolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje

Botswana none

Bouvet Island none; offshore anchorage only

Brazil Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos, Vitoria

British Indian Ocean Territory Diego Garcia

British Virgin Islands Road Town

Brunei Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong

Bulgaria Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin

Burkina Faso none

Burma Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy

Burundi Bujumbura

Cambodia Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville), Kampot, Krong Kaoh Kong, Phnom Penh

Cameroon Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko

Canada Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), St. John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney, Trois-Rivieres, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor

Cape Verde Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Cayman Islands Cayman Brac, George Town

Central African Republic Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Chad none

Chile Antofagasta, Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso

China Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huangpu, Lianyungang, Nanjing, Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shantou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Xingang, Yantai, Zhanjiang (2001)

Christmas Island Flying Fish Cove

Clipperton Island none; offshore anchorage only

Cocos (Keeling) Islands none; lagoon anchorage only

Colombia Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia, Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo

Comoros Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou

Congo, Democratic Republic of the Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Congo, Republic of the Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Cook Islands Avarua, Avatiu

Coral Sea Islands none; offshore anchorage only

Costa Rica Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas

Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Croatia Dubrovnik, Dugi Rat, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka, Sibenik, Split, Vukovar (inland waterway port on Danube), Zadar

Cuba Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba

Cyprus Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Vasilikos

Czech Republic Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Denmark Abenra, Alborg, Arhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Hirtshals, Kolding, Odense, Roenne (Bornholm), Vejle

Djibouti Djibouti

Dominica Portsmouth, Roseau

Dominican Republic Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo

East Timor NA

Ecuador Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo

Egypt Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta, Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez

El Salvador Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo

Equatorial Guinea Bata, Luba, Malabo

Eritrea Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)

Estonia Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn

Ethiopia none; Ethiopia is landlocked and was by agreement with Eritrea using the ports of Assab and Massawa; since the border dispute with Eritrea flared, Ethiopia has used the port of Djibouti for nearly all of its imports

Europa Island none; offshore anchorage only

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Stanley note: the primary port is located in Stanley Harbour and known locally as FIPASS (Falkland Interim Port and Storage System); the facility consists of seven permanently moored barges providing 300 meters of berthing space; it was installed by the military after 1982 and handed over to the Falkland Islands Government in 1988

Faroe Islands Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur

Fiji Lambasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Malau, Savusavu, Suva, Vuda

Finland Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus

France Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nates, Paris, Rouen, Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg

French Guiana Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni

French Polynesia Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

French Southern and Antarctic Lands none; offshore anchorage only

Gabon Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Gambia, The Banjul

Gaza Strip Gaza

Georgia Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Germany Berlin, Bonn, Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cologne, Dresden, Duisburg, Emden, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Kiel, Luebeck, Magdeburg, Mannheim, Rostock, Stuttgart

Ghana Takoradi, Tema

Gibraltar Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands none; offshore anchorage only

Greece Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos

Greenland Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq (March 2001)

Grenada Grenville, Saint George's

Guadeloupe Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre

Guam Apra Harbor

Guatemala Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Guernsey Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Guinea Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Guinea-Bissau Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Guyana Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Haiti Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Heard Island and McDonald Islands none; offshore anchorage only

Holy See (Vatican City) none

Honduras La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto Lempira

Hong Kong Hong Kong

Howland Island none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Hungary Budapest, Dunaujvaros

Iceland Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar

India Chennai (Madras), Cochin, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Vishakhapatnam

Indian Ocean Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa)

Indonesia Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Makassar, Palembang, Semarang, Surabaya

Iran Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman, Chabahar (Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now Shahr

Iraq Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality

Ireland Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford

Israel Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Italy Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela, Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo, Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres (Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice (2001)

Jamaica Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf)

Jan Mayen none; offshore anchorage only

Japan Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai

Jarvis Island none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island

Jersey Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Johnston Atoll Johnston Island

Jordan Al 'Aqabah

Juan de Nova Island none; offshore anchorage only

Kazakhstan Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Kenya Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa

Kingman Reef none; offshore anchorage only

Kiribati Banaba, Betio, English Harbour, Kanton

Korea, North Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan

Korea, South Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang, Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu

Kuwait Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Kyrgyzstan Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Laos none

Latvia Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils

Lebanon Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani, Jbail, Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre

Lesotho none

Liberia Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport

Libya Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah

Liechtenstein none

Lithuania Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda

Luxembourg Mertert

Macau Macau

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of none

Madagascar Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Malawi Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Malaysia Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, George Town (Penang), Port Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau

Maldives Gan, Male

Mali Koulikoro

Malta Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Man, Isle of Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey

Marshall Islands Majuro

Martinique Fort-de-France, La Trinite

Mauritania Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Mauritius Port Louis

Mayotte Dzaoudzi

Mexico Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas, La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Micronesia, Federated States of Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen

Midway Islands Sand Island

Moldova none

Monaco Monaco

Mongolia none

Montserrat Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay

Morocco Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and Melilla

Mozambique Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane

Namibia Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Nauru Nauru

Navassa Island none; offshore anchorage only

Nepal none

Netherlands Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem, IJmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen

Netherlands Antilles Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad

New Caledonia Mueo, Noumea, Thio

New Zealand Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington

Nicaragua Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur

Niger none

Nigeria Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri

Niue none; offshore anchorage only

Norfolk Island none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Northern Mariana Islands Saipan, Tinian

Norway Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund, Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim

Oman Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut

Pacific Ocean Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Pakistan Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Palau Koror

Palmyra Atoll West Lagoon

Panama Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area), Vacamonte

Papua New Guinea Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul

Paracel Islands small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded

Paraguay Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Peru Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado, Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries

Philippines Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga

Pitcairn Islands Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Poland Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw

Portugal Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), Setubal, Viana do Castelo

Puerto Rico Aguadilla, Arecibo, Fajardo, Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Mayaguez, Playa de Ponce, San Juan

Qatar Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id)

Reunion Le Port, Pointe des Galets

Romania Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Russia Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky, Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', De-Kastri, Indigirskiy, Kaliningrad, Kandalaksha, Kazan', Khabarovsk, Kholmsk, Krasnoyarsk, Lazarev, Mago, Mezen', Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Onega, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Rostov, Shakhtersk, Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Taganrog, Tuapse, Uglegorsk, Vanino, Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg

Rwanda Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Saint Helena Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Saint Kitts and Nevis Basseterre, Charlestown

Saint Lucia Castries, Vieux Fort

Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Pierre

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Kingstown

Samoa Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

San Marino none

Sao Tome and Principe Santo Antonio, Sao Tome

Saudi Arabia Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji, Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Senegal Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard Toll, Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor

Serbia and Montenegro Bar, Belgrade, Kotor, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Tivat, Zelenika

Seychelles Victoria

Sierra Leone Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Singapore Singapore

Slovakia Bratislava, Komarno

Slovenia Izola, Koper, Piran

Solomon Islands Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina

Somalia Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu

South Africa Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Grytviken

Southern Ocean McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to short periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort; most antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60 degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treaty observers (see Article 7)

Spain Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo

Spratly Islands none; offshore anchorage only

Sri Lanka Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee

Sudan Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan, Sawakin

Suriname Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen

Svalbard Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Swaziland none

Sweden Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall

Switzerland Basel

Syria Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Taiwan Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Tajikistan none

Tanzania Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar

Thailand Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla

Togo Kpeme, Lome

Tokelau none; offshore anchorage only

Tonga Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Trinidad and Tobago Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora

Tromelin Island none; offshore anchorage only

Tunisia Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis

Turkey Gemlik, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Icel (Mersin), Samsun, Trabzon

Turkmenistan Turkmenbasy

Turks and Caicos Islands Grand Turk, Providenciales

Tuvalu Funafuti, Nukufetau

Uganda Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Ukraine Berdyans'k, Feodosiya, Illichivs'k, Izmayil, Kerch, Kherson, Kiev (Kyyiv), Kiliya, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni, Sevastopol', Yalta, Yuzhnyy

United Arab Emirates 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn

United Kingdom Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Falmouth, Felixstowe, Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Peterhead, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Scapa Flow, Southampton, Sullom Voe, Teesport, Tyne

United States Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon), Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo

Uruguay Colonia, Fray Bentos, Juan La Caze, La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Piriapolis

Uzbekistan Termiz (Amu Darya)

Vanuatu Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Venezuela Amuay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina, Maracaibo, Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Ordaz, Puerto Sucre, Punta Cardon

Vietnam Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Long, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, Vinh, Vung Tau

Virgin Islands Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix

Wake Island none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Wallis and Futuna Leava, Mata-Utu

West Bank none

Western Sahara Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

World Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi (Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama

Yemen Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, As Salif, Ras Issa, Mocha, Nishtun

Zambia Mpulungu

Zimbabwe Binga, Kariba

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@2121 Railways (km)

Afghanistan total: 24.6 km broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to Towraghondi; 15 km 1.524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya (2001)

Albania total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Algeria total: 3,973 km standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2002)

American Samoa 0 km

Andorra 0 km

Angola total: 2,761 km narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2002)

Anguilla 0 km

Antigua and Barbuda total: 77 km narrow gauge: 64 km 0.760-m gauge; 13 km 0.610-m gauge (used almost exclusively for handling sugarcane) (2001 est.)

Argentina total: 34,463 km (168 km electrified) broad gauge: 20,736 km 1.676-m gauge (142 km electrified) standard gauge: 3,115 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified) narrow gauge: 10,375 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2002)

Armenia total: 852 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 852 km 1.520-m gauge (779 km electrified) (2002)

Aruba 0 km

Australia total: 41,588 km (4,612 km electrified) broad gauge: 2,193 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 23,648 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 15,456 km 1.067-m gauge dual gauge: 291 km dual gauge (2002)

Austria total: 6,024 km (3,641 km electrified) standard gauge: 5,566 km 1.435-m gauge (3,524 km electrified) narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 424 km 0.760-m gauge (89 km electrified) (2002)

Azerbaijan total: 2,122 km broad gauge: 2,122 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2002)

Bahamas, The 0 km

Bahrain 0 km

Bangladesh total: 2,706 km broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Barbados 0 km

Belarus total: 5,523 km broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2002)

Belgium total: 3,471 km standard gauge: 3,471 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2002)

Belize 0 km

Benin total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Bermuda 0 km

Bhutan 0 km

Bolivia total: 3,519 km narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified) standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Botswana total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Brazil total: 31,543 km (1,981 km electrified) broad gauge: 4,961 km 1.600-m gauge (692 km electrified) standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge (630 km electrified) narrow gauge: 25,992 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified) dual gauge: 396 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km electrified) (2002)

British Virgin Islands 0 km

Brunei total: 13 km (private line) narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge (2001 est.)

Bulgaria total: 4,294 km standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified) narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)

Burkina Faso total: 622 km narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire (2002)

Burma total: 3,955 km narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Burundi 0 km

Cambodia total: 602 km narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Cameroon total: 1,008 km narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Canada total: 49,422 km standard gauge: 49,422 km 1.435-m gauge (129 km electrified) (2002)

Cape Verde 0 km

Cayman Islands 0 km

Central African Republic 0 km

Chad 0 km

Chile total: 6,585 km broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified) narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

China total: 71,600 km standard gauge: 68,000 km 1.435-m gauge (14,600 km electrified) narrow gauge: 3,600 km 1.000-m and 0.750-m gauge local industrial lines (2002)

Christmas Island 24 km to serve phosphate mines

Cocos (Keeling) Islands 0 km

Colombia total: 3,304 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Comoros 0 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the total: 4,772 km narrow gauge: 3,621 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2002)

Congo, Republic of the total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Cook Islands 0 km

Costa Rica total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire total: 660 km narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2002)

Croatia total: 2,296 km standard gauge: 2,296 km 1.435-m gauge (983 km electrified) (2002)

Cuba total: 3,442 km standard gauge: 3,442 km 1.435-m gauge (142 km electrified) note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations; about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge (2002)

Cyprus 0 km

Czech Republic total: 9,462 km standard gauge: 9,363 km 1.435-m gauge (1,745 km electrified) narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)

Denmark total: 3,164 km standard gauge: 2,324 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified) note:: total includes 840 km of suburban track (2002)

Djibouti total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2002)

Dominica 0 km

Dominican Republic total: 1,503 km standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge note:: 986 km also operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2002)

East Timor 0 km

Ecuador total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Egypt total: 5,105 km standard gauge: 5,105 km 1.435-m gauge (42 km electrified) (2002)

El Salvador total: 283 km narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by disuse and lack of maintenance (2002)

Equatorial Guinea total: 0 km

Eritrea total: 306 km narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge note: railway is being rebuilt (2002)

Estonia total: 968 km broad gauge: 968 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified) note:: gauge being increased from 1.520-m to 1.524-m to reduce wear on wheels and rail as lines are modernized (2002)

Ethiopia total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 km

Faroe Islands 0 km

Fiji total: 597 km narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to September) (2002)

Finland total: 5,850 km broad gauge: 5,850 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2002)

France total: 32,682 km standard gauge: 32,515 km 1.435-m gauge (14,104 km electrified) narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

French Guiana 0 km

French Polynesia 0 km

Gabon total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Gambia, The 0 km

Gaza Strip total: NA km; note - one line, abandoned and in disrepair, little trackage remains (2001 est.)

Georgia total: 1,612 km broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (2002)

Germany total: 45,514 km (21,000 km electrified) standard gauge: 45,276 km 1.435-m gauge (20,084 km electrified) narrow gauge: 214 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km 0.750-m gauge (2002)

Ghana total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Greece total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified) standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2002)

Greenland 0 km

Grenada 0 km

Guadeloupe NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines

Guam 0 km

Guatemala total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Guernsey 5 km

Guinea total: 1,115 km standard gauge: 311 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 804 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Guinea-Bissau 0 km

Guyana total: 187 km standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)

Haiti total: 40 km narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge; single-track note: privately owned industrial line; closed in early 1990s (2001 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City) total: 0.86 km standard gauge: 0.86 km 1.435-m gauge note: a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint Peter's station (2001 est.)

Honduras total: 699 km narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Hong Kong total: 34 km standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified and double-tracked) note: connects to China railway system at Hong Kong-China border (2001)

Hungary total: 7,875 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,620 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified) narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge note: Hungary and Austria jointly manage a cross-border, standard-gauge railway connecting Gyor, Sopron, and Ebenfurt (Gysev railroad) with a route length of 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in Austria; 156 km of this line is electrified (2002)

Iceland 0 km

India total: 63,518 km (15,009 km electrified) broad gauge: 45,142 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 15,013 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,363 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2002)

Indonesia total: 6,458 km narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (2002)

Iran total: 7,201 km broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge: 7,107 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (2002)

Iraq total: 1,963 km standard gauge: 1,963 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Ireland total: 3,312 km broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2002)

Israel total: 640 km standard gauge: 640 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Italy total: 19,493 km standard gauge: 18,090 km 1.435-m gauge (11,375 km electrified) narrow gauge: 88 km 1.000-m gauge (88 km electrified); 1,315 km 0.950-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2002)

Jamaica total: 272 km standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge; note - 207 km, belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation, were in common carrier service but are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned and used to transport bauxite (2002)

Japan total: 23,168 km (15,995 km electrified) standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified) narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 19,855 km 1.067-m gauge (12,683 km electrified); 31 km 0.762-m gauge (31 km electrified) (2002)

Jersey 0 km

Jordan total: 505 km narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2002)

Juan de Nova Island total: NA km; short line going to a jetty

Kazakhstan total: 13,601 km broad gauge: 13,601 km 1.520-m gauge (3,661 km electrified) (2002)

Kenya total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Kiribati 0 km

Korea, North total: 5,214 km standard gauge: 4,549 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Korea, South total: 3,125 km standard gauge: 3,125 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2002)

Kuwait 0 km

Kyrgyzstan total: 420 km broad gauge: 420 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Laos 0 km

Latvia total: 2,347 km broad gauge: 2,314 km 1.520-m gauge (270 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2002)

Lebanon total: 401 km standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m note: rail system is unusable because of damage in civil war (2002)

Lesotho total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)

Liberia total: 490 km standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge note: none of the railways are in operation (2002)

Libya 0 km

Liechtenstein total: 18.5 km standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways (2002)

Lithuania total: 1,998 km broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (all service suspended) (2002)

Luxembourg total: 274 km standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2002)

Macau 0 km

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2002)

Madagascar total: 732 km narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Malawi total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Malaysia total: 2,418 km standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 2,361 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2002)

Maldives 0 km

Mali total: 729 km narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Malta 0 km

Man, Isle of total: 60 km (35 km electrified) (2002)

Marshall Islands 0 km

Martinique 0 km

Mauritania 717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Mauritius 0 km

Mayotte 0 km

Mexico total: 19,510 km standard gauge: 19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of 0 km

Moldova total: 1,300 km broad gauge: 1,300 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Monaco total: 1.7 km standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Mongolia 1,815 km broad gauge: 1,815 km 1.524-m gauge (2002)

Montserrat 0 km

Morocco total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2002)

Mozambique total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Namibia total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Nauru total: 5 km note: gauge unknown; used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast (2001)

Nepal total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Netherlands total: 2,808 km standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2002)

Netherlands Antilles 0 km

New Caledonia 0 km

New Zealand total: 3,898 km narrow gauge: 3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2002)

Nicaragua total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Niger 0 km

Nigeria total: 3,557 km narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Niue 0 km

Norfolk Island 0 km

Northern Mariana Islands 0 km

Norway total: 4,178 km standard gauge: 4,178 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2002)

Oman 0 km

Pakistan total: 8,163 km broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Palau 0 km

Panama total: 355 km broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Papua New Guinea 0 km

Paraguay total: 441 km standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Peru total: 1,829 km standard gauge: 1,515 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 314 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Philippines total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (405 km are not in operation) (2002)

Pitcairn Islands 0 km

Poland total: 23,420 km broad gauge: 646 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 21,639 km 1.435-m gauge (11,626 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,135 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m, 0.750-m, and 0.600-m (2002)

Portugal total: 2,850 km broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified) narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Puerto Rico total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Qatar 0 km

Reunion 0 km

Romania total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified) standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge broad gage: 60 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)

Russia total: 87,157 km broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified) narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island) note:: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrrier lines serve industries (2002)

Rwanda 0 km

Saint Helena 0 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis total: 50 km narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations during harvest season (2002)

Saint Lucia 0 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 km

Samoa 0 km

San Marino 0 km; note - there is a 1.5-km cable railway connecting the city of San Marino to Borgo Maggiore

Sao Tome and Principe 0 km

Saudi Arabia total: 1,392 km standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2002)

Senegal total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro total: 4,059 km standard gauge: 4,059 km 1.435-m gauge (1,364 km electrified) (2002)

Seychelles 0 km

Sierra Leone total: 84 km narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge note: Sierra Leone has no common carrier railroads; the existing railroad is private and used on a limited basis while the mine at Marampa is closed (2001)

Singapore total: 38.6 km narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge note: there is also an 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations

Slovakia total: 3,668 km broad gauge: 106 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 3,511 km 1.435-m gauge (1,567 km electrified) narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (2002)

Slovenia total: 1,201 km standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2002)

Solomon Islands 0 km

Somalia 0 km

South Africa total: 22,298 km narrow gauge: 21,984 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 314 km 0.610-m gauge note: includes a 2,228 km commuter rail system (2002)

Spain total: 14,189 km broad gauge: 11,804 km 1.668-m gauge (6,409 km electrified) standard gauge: 455 km 1.435-m gauge (455 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,902 km 1.000-m gauge (781 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2002)

Sri Lanka total: 1,508 km broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Sudan total: 5,978 km narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge plantation line (2002)

Suriname total: 166 km (single-track) standard gauge: 80 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 86 km 1.000-m gauge note: Suriname railroads are not in operation (2001)

Svalbard 0 km

Swaziland total: 301 km narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Sweden total: 11,481 km standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2002)

Switzerland total: 4,511 km standard gauge: 3,483 km 1.435-m gauge (3,472 km electrified) narrow gauge: 982 km 1.000-m gauge (975 km electrified); 46 km 0.800-m gauge (46 km electrified) (2002)

Syria total: 2,743 km standard gauge: 2,425 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 318 km 1.050-m gauge (2002)

Taiwan total: 1,108 km narrow gauge: 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified) note: there also are 1,255 km of 1.067-m gauge routes belonging to the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used to haul products and limited numbers of passengers (2002)

Tajikistan total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Tanzania total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge; 969 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Thailand total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Togo total: 525 km narrow gauge: 525 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Tokelau 0 km

Tonga 0 km

Trinidad and Tobago minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando; common carrier railway service was discontinued in 1968 (2001)

Tunisia total: 2,152 km standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2002)

Turkey total: 8,607 km standard gauge: 8,607 km 1.435-m gauge (2,131 km electrified) (2002)

Turkmenistan total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands 0 km

Tuvalu 0 km

Uganda total: 1,241 km narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Ukraine total: 22,473 km broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2002)

United Arab Emirates 0 km

United Kingdom total: 16,893 km standard gauge: 16,536 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified) broad gauge: 357 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2002)

United States total: 194,731 km mainline routes standard gauge: 194,731 km 1.435-m gauge note: represents the aggregate length of roadway of all line-haul railroads including an estimate for class II and III railroads; excludes 135,185 km of yard tracks, sidings, and parallel lines (2000)

Uruguay total: 2,073 km standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in partial use (2002)

Uzbekistan total: 3,950 km broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2002)

Vanuatu 0 km

Venezuela total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Vietnam total: 3,142 km standard gauge: 209 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 2,625 km 1.000-m gauge dual gauge: 308 km three-rail track combining 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (2002)

Virgin Islands 0 km

Wallis and Futuna 0 km

West Bank 0 km

Western Sahara 0 km

World total: 1,122,650 km includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km of electrified routes of which 147,760 km are in Europe, 24,509 km in the Far East, 11,050 km in Africa, 4,223 km in South America, and 4,160 km in North America; note - fastest speed in daily service is 300 km/hr attained by France's Societe Nationale des Chemins-de-Fer Francais (SNCF) Le Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) - Atlantique line broad gauge: 251,153 km standard gauge: 710,754 km narrow gauge: 239,430 km

Yemen 0 km

Zambia total: 2,173 km narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2002)

Zimbabwe total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) note: includes the 318 km Bulawayo-Beitbridge Railway Company line (2002)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@2122 Religions (%)

Afghanistan Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%

Albania Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10% note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Algeria Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

American Samoa Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%

Andorra Roman Catholic (predominant)

Angola indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)

Anguilla Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%

Antigua and Barbuda Christian, (predominantly Anglican with other Protestant, and some Roman Catholic)

Argentina nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

Armenia Armenian Apostolic 94%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (Zoroastrian/animist) 2%

Aruba Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish

Australia Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11%, other 12.6%

Austria Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%

Azerbaijan Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.) note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Bahamas, The Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%

Bahrain Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%

Bangladesh Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Barbados Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%

Belarus Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Belgium Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Belize Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Anglican 5.3%, Methodist 3.5%, Mennonite 4.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Pentecostal 7.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), none 9.4%, other 14% (2000)

Benin indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Bermuda non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19%

Bhutan Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%

Bolivia Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)

Bosnia and Herzegovina Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, Protestant 4%, other 10%

Botswana indigenous beliefs 85%, Christian 15%

Brazil Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%

British Virgin Islands Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)

Brunei Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10%

Bulgaria Bulgarian Orthodox 83.8%, Muslim 12.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, Jewish 0.1%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 2.3% (1998)

Burkina Faso indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%

Burma Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Burundi Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Cambodia Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Cameroon indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Canada Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 36%, other 18% note: based on the 1991 census

Cape Verde Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Cayman Islands United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Central African Republic indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority

Chad Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Chile Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%

China Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4% note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Christmas Island Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Colombia Roman Catholic 90%

Comoros Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%

Congo, Republic of the Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Cook Islands Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church)

Costa Rica Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Cote d'Ivoire Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40% (2001) note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)

Croatia Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, others and unknown 6.2% (2001)

Cuba nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented

Cyprus Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 4%

Czech Republic Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%, atheist 39.8%

Denmark Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%

Djibouti Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Dominica Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6%

Dominican Republic Roman Catholic 95%

East Timor Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist, Animist (1992 est.)

Ecuador Roman Catholic 95%

Egypt Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

El Salvador Roman Catholic 83% note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Eritrea Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Estonia Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish

Ethiopia Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Faroe Islands Evangelical Lutheran

Fiji Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2% note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is a Muslim minority (1986)

Finland Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%

France Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%

French Guiana Roman Catholic

French Polynesia Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Gabon Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Gambia, The Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Gaza Strip Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%

Georgia Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

Germany Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Ghana indigenous beliefs 21%, Muslim 16%, Christian 63%

Gibraltar Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991)

Greece Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Greenland Evangelical Lutheran

Grenada Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Guadeloupe Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%

Guam Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Guatemala Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Guernsey Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist

Guinea Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Guinea-Bissau indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Guyana Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Haiti Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982) note: roughly half of the population also practices Voodoo

Holy See (Vatican City) Roman Catholic

Honduras Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Hong Kong eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Hungary Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other 7.5%

Iceland Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)

India Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000)

Indonesia Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1998)

Iran Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1%

Iraq Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Ireland Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998)

Israel Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2.1%, other 3.2% (1996 est.)

Italy predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community

Jamaica Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican 5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other, including some spiritual cults 34.7%

Japan observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)

Jersey Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian

Jordan Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Kenya Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim 10%, other 2% note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous beliefs vary widely

Kiribati Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Church of God (1999)

Korea, North traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom

Korea, South Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, Shamanist, Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1%

Kuwait Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%

Kyrgyzstan Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Laos Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)

Latvia Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Lebanon Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% (including Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Protestant), Jewish NEGL%

Lesotho Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Liberia indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Libya Sunni Muslim 97%

Liechtenstein Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)

Lithuania Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish

Luxembourg 87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims (2000)

Macau Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonian Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3%

Madagascar indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Malawi Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 3%, other 2%

Malaysia Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Maldives Sunni Muslim

Mali Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Malta Roman Catholic 98%

Man, Isle of Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends

Marshall Islands Christian (mostly Protestant)

Martinique Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%, other 3.5% (1997)

Mauritania Muslim 100%

Mauritius Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Mayotte Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Mexico nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Micronesia, Federated States of Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

Moldova Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

Monaco Roman Catholic 90%

Mongolia Tibetan Buddhist Lamaism 96%, Muslim (primarily in the southwest), Shamanism, and Christian 4% (1998)

Montserrat Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

Morocco Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Namibia Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%

Nauru Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Nepal Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2% note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)

Netherlands Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998)

Netherlands Antilles Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist

New Caledonia Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

New Zealand Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986)

Nicaragua Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant

Niger Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian

Nigeria Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Niue Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Norfolk Island Anglican 37.4%, Uniting Church in Australia 14.5%, Roman Catholic 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, none 12.2%, unknown 17.4%, other 3.9% (1996)

Northern Mariana Islands Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Norway Evangelical Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997)

Oman Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Pakistan Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%

Palau Christian (Roman Catholics 49%, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission, and Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the population observes this religion, which is indigenous to Palau)

Panama Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Papua New Guinea Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%

Paraguay Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant

Peru Roman Catholic 90%

Philippines Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%

Pitcairn Islands Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Poland Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%

Portugal Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Puerto Rico Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Qatar Muslim 95%

Reunion Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)

Romania Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 87%, Protestant 6.8%, Catholic 5.6%, other (mostly Muslim) 0.4%, unaffiliated 0.2% (2002)

Russia Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Rwanda Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Saint Helena Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic

Saint Kitts and Nevis Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Saint Lucia Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 3%, other Protestant 7%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon Roman Catholic 99%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Hindu Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant

Samoa Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)

San Marino Roman Catholic

Sao Tome and Principe Christian 80% (Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Saudi Arabia Muslim 100%

Senegal Muslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic)

Serbia and Montenegro Orthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%, Protestant 1%, other 11%

Seychelles Roman Catholic 86.6%, Anglican 6.8%, other Christian 2.5%, other 4.1%

Sierra Leone Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Singapore Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist

Slovakia Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%

Slovenia Roman Catholic (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%, atheist 4.3%, other 22.9%

Solomon Islands Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%

Somalia Sunni Muslim

South Africa Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%

Spain Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Sri Lanka Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)

Sudan Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Suriname Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%

Swaziland Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Sweden Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist

Switzerland Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)

Syria Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Taiwan mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Tajikistan Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%

Tanzania mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Thailand Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6% (1991)

Togo indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Tokelau Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2% note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Tonga Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Trinidad and Tobago Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%

Tunisia Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

Turkmenistan Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Turks and Caicos Islands Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Tuvalu Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Uganda Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%

Ukraine Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate, Ukrainian Orthodox - Kiev Patriarchate, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic (Uniate), Protestant, Jewish

United Arab Emirates Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

United Kingdom Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000, Hindu 500,000, Jewish 350,000

United States Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989)

Uruguay Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other 31%

Uzbekistan Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Vanuatu Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)

Venezuela nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Vietnam Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs, Muslim

Virgin Islands Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%

Wallis and Futuna Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

West Bank Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Western Sahara Muslim

World Christians 32.79% (of which Roman Catholics 17.33%, Protestants 5.62%, Orthodox 3.51%, Anglicans 1.31%), Muslims 19.6%, Hindus 13.31%, Buddhists 5.88%, Sikhs 0.38%, Jews 0.24%, other religions 12.83%, non-religious 12.53%, atheists 2.44% (2001 est.)

Yemen Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Zambia Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Zimbabwe syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@2123 Suffrage

Afghanistan NA; previously males 15-50 years of age

Albania 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Algeria 18 years of age; universal

American Samoa 18 years of age; universal

Andorra 18 years of age; universal

Angola 18 years of age; universal

Anguilla 18 years of age; universal

Antigua and Barbuda 18 years of age; universal

Argentina 18 years of age; universal and mandatory

Armenia 18 years of age; universal

Aruba 18 years of age; universal

Australia 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Austria 18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Azerbaijan 18 years of age; universal

Bahamas, The 18 years of age; universal

Bahrain 18 years of age; universal

Bangladesh 18 years of age; universal

Barbados 18 years of age; universal

Belarus 18 years of age; universal

Belgium 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Belize 18 years of age; universal

Benin 18 years of age; universal

Bermuda 18 years of age; universal

Bhutan each family has one vote in village-level elections

Bolivia 18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Bosnia and Herzegovina 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Botswana 18 years of age; universal

Brazil voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age

British Virgin Islands 18 years of age; universal

Brunei none

Bulgaria 18 years of age; universal

Burkina Faso universal

Burma 18 years of age; universal

Burundi NA years of age; universal adult

Cambodia 18 years of age; universal

Cameroon 20 years of age; universal

Canada 18 years of age; universal

Cape Verde 18 years of age; universal

Cayman Islands 18 years of age; universal

Central African Republic 21 years of age; universal

Chad 18 years of age; universal

Chile 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

China 18 years of age; universal

Cocos (Keeling) Islands NA

Colombia 18 years of age; universal

Comoros 18 years of age; universal

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Congo, Republic of the 18 years of age; universal

Cook Islands NA years of age; universal adult

Costa Rica 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Cote d'Ivoire 18 years of age; universal

Croatia 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Cuba 16 years of age; universal

Cyprus 18 years of age; universal

Czech Republic 18 years of age; universal

Denmark 18 years of age; universal

Djibouti 18 years of age; universal adult

Dominica 18 years of age; universal

Dominican Republic 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote

East Timor 17 years of age; universal

Ecuador 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Egypt 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

El Salvador 18 years of age; universal

Equatorial Guinea 18 years of age; universal adult

Eritrea 18 years of age; universal

Estonia 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Ethiopia 18 years of age; universal

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 18 years of age; universal

Faroe Islands 18 years of age; universal

Fiji 21 years of age; universal

Finland 18 years of age; universal

France 18 years of age; universal

French Guiana 18 years of age; universal

French Polynesia 18 years of age; universal

Gabon 21 years of age; universal

Gambia, The 18 years of age; universal

Georgia 18 years of age; universal

Germany 18 years of age; universal

Ghana 18 years of age; universal

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

Greece 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Greenland 18 years of age; universal

Grenada 18 years of age; universal

Guadeloupe 18 years of age; universal

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

Guatemala 18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)

Guernsey 18 years of age; universal

Guinea 18 years of age; universal

Guinea-Bissau 18 years of age; universal

Guyana 18 years of age; universal

Haiti 18 years of age; universal

Holy See (Vatican City) limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Honduras 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Hong Kong direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies

Hungary 18 years of age; universal

Iceland 18 years of age; universal

India 18 years of age; universal

Indonesia 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age

Iran 15 years of age; universal

Iraq formerly 18 years of age; universal; note - in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition

Ireland 18 years of age; universal

Israel 18 years of age; universal

Italy 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)

Jamaica 18 years of age; universal

Japan 20 years of age; universal

Jersey NA years of age; universal adult

Jordan 18 years of age; universal

Kazakhstan 18 years of age; universal

Kenya 18 years of age; universal

Kiribati 18 years of age; universal

Korea, North 17 years of age; universal

Korea, South 20 years of age; universal

Kuwait adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21 note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time

Kyrgyzstan 18 years of age; universal

Laos 18 years of age; universal

Latvia 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Lebanon 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education

Lesotho 18 years of age; universal

Liberia 18 years of age; universal

Libya 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Liechtenstein 18 years of age; universal

Lithuania 18 years of age; universal

Luxembourg 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Macau direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 18 years of age; universal

Madagascar 18 years of age; universal

Malawi 18 years of age; universal

Malaysia 21 years of age; universal

Maldives 21 years of age; universal

Mali 18 years of age; universal

Malta 18 years of age; universal

Man, Isle of 18 years of age; universal

Marshall Islands 18 years of age; universal

Martinique 18 years of age; universal

Mauritania 18 years of age; universal

Mauritius 18 years of age; universal

Mayotte 18 years of age; universal

Mexico 18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Micronesia, Federated States of 18 years of age; universal

Moldova 18 years of age; universal

Monaco 21 years of age; universal

Mongolia 18 years of age; universal

Montserrat 18 years of age; universal

Morocco 18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Mozambique 18 years of age; universal

Namibia 18 years of age; universal

Nauru 20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Nepal 18 years of age; universal

Netherlands 18 years of age; universal

Netherlands Antilles 18 years of age; universal

New Caledonia 18 years of age; universal

New Zealand 18 years of age; universal

Nicaragua 16 years of age; universal

Niger 18 years of age; universal

Nigeria 18 years of age; universal

Niue 18 years of age; universal

Norfolk Island 18 years of age; universal

Northern Mariana Islands 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Norway 18 years of age; universal

Oman in Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited to approximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis al-Shura

Pakistan 18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Palau 18 years of age; universal

Panama 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Papua New Guinea 18 years of age; universal

Paraguay 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Peru 18 years of age; universal

Philippines 18 years of age; universal

Pitcairn Islands 18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Poland 18 years of age; universal

Portugal 18 years of age; universal

Puerto Rico 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Qatar 18 years of age; universal

Reunion 18 years of age; universal

Romania 18 years of age; universal

Russia 18 years of age; universal

Rwanda 18 years of age; universal adult

Saint Helena NA years of age

Saint Kitts and Nevis 18 years of age; universal

Saint Lucia 18 years of age; universal

Saint Pierre and Miquelon 18 years of age; universal

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18 years of age; universal

Samoa 21 years of age; universal

San Marino 18 years of age; universal

Sao Tome and Principe 18 years of age; universal

Saudi Arabia none

Senegal 18 years of age; universal

Serbia and Montenegro 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Seychelles 17 years of age; universal

Sierra Leone 18 years of age; universal

Singapore 21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Slovakia 18 years of age; universal

Slovenia 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Solomon Islands 21 years of age; universal

Somalia 18 years of age; universal

South Africa 18 years of age; universal

Spain 18 years of age; universal

Sri Lanka 18 years of age; universal

Sudan 17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Suriname 18 years of age; universal

Swaziland 18 years of age

Sweden 18 years of age; universal

Switzerland 18 years of age; universal

Syria 18 years of age; universal

Taiwan 20 years of age; universal

Tajikistan 18 years of age; universal

Tanzania 18 years of age; universal

Thailand 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Togo NA years of age; universal adult

Tokelau 21 years of age; universal

Tonga 21 years of age; universal

Trinidad and Tobago 18 years of age; universal

Tunisia 20 years of age; universal

Turkey 18 years of age; universal

Turkmenistan 18 years of age; universal

Turks and Caicos Islands 18 years of age; universal

Tuvalu 18 years of age; universal

Uganda 18 years of age; universal

Ukraine 18 years of age; universal

United Arab Emirates none

United Kingdom 18 years of age; universal

United States 18 years of age; universal

Uruguay 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Uzbekistan 18 years of age; universal

Vanuatu 18 years of age; universal

Venezuela 18 years of age; universal

Vietnam 18 years of age; universal

Virgin Islands 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Wallis and Futuna 18 years of age; universal

Western Sahara none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed

Yemen 18 years of age; universal

Zambia 18 years of age; universal

Zimbabwe 18 years of age; universal

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@2124 Telephone system

Afghanistan general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service domestic: in 1997, telecommunications links were established between Mazar-e Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul through satellite and microwave systems international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); commercial satellite telephone center in Ghazni

Albania general assessment: Albania has the poorest telephone service in Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100 inhabitants; it is doubtful that every village has telephone service domestic: obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for every village; in 1992, following the fall of the Communist government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used it to build fences international: inadequate; international traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece

Algeria general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of fixed main lines increased in the last few years to a little more than 2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic earth stations are planned) international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat (1998)

American Samoa general assessment: NA domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Andorra general assessment: NA domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: landline circuits to France and Spain

Angola general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military links domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Anguilla general assessment: NA domestic: modern internal telephone system international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Antarctica general assessment: local systems at some research stations domestic: NA international: via satellite from some research stations

Antigua and Barbuda general assessment: NA domestic: good automatic telephone system international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Argentina general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth of modern telecommunication technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major cities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is being improved; however, telephone density is presently minimal, and making telephone service universally available will take time domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network; more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two international gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)

Armenia general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service) international: Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional international service is available by microwave radio relay and landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (2000)

Aruba general assessment: NA domestic: more than adequate international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

Australia general assessment: excellent domestic and international service domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)

Austria general assessment: highly developed and efficient domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2002)

Azerbaijan general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expansion and modernization; teledensity of 10 main lines per 100 persons is low (2002) domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan international: the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey enables Baku to reach about 200 additional countries, some of which are directly connected to Baku by satellite providers other than Turkey (1997)

Bahamas, The general assessment: modern facilities domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)

Bahrain general assessment: modern system domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones international: tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)

Bangladesh general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

Barbados general assessment: NA domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia

Belarus general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long; local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity - Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus's fiber optics form synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries' systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational international: Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations

Belgium general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

Belize general assessment: above-average system domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Benin general assessment: NA domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable

Bermuda general assessment: NA domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Bhutan general assessment: NA domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few telephones in use international: international telephone and telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)

Bolivia general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Bosnia and Herzegovina general assessment: telephone and telegraph network needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav republics domestic: NA international: no satellite earth stations

Botswana general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile cellular service is growing fast international: two international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Brazil general assessment: good working system domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations international: 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

British Indian Ocean Territory general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

British Virgin Islands general assessment: worldwide telephone service domestic: NA international: submarine cable to Bermuda

Brunei general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and the US domestic: every service available international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

Bulgaria general assessment: extensive but antiquated domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential; telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio relay international: direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Burkina Faso general assessment: all services only fair domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Burma general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is good domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Burundi general assessment: primitive system domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Cambodia general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; rural areas have little telephone service domestic: NA international: adequate but expensive landline and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Cameroon general assessment: available only to business and government domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Canada general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Cape Verde general assessment: effective system, being improved domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analog and digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarine fiber-optic cable system which is scheduled for completion in 2003 international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cayman Islands general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Central African Republic general assessment: fair system domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chad general assessment: primitive system domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chile general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

China general assessment: domestic and international services are increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and many towns domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system with 55 earth stations is in place international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)

Christmas Island general assessment: service provided by the Australian network domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system domestic: NA international: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002)

Colombia general assessment: modern system in many respects domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities international: satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables

Comoros general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay international: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion

Congo, Democratic Republic of the general assessment: poor domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Congo, Republic of the general assessment: services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cook Islands general assessment: NA domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Costa Rica general assessment: very good domestic telephone service domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Cote d'Ivoire general assessment: well developed by African standards but operating well below capacity domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 coaxial submarine cables (June 1999)

Croatia general assessment: NA domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be included in the plan for the main trunk international: digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany, Albania, and Greece (2000)

Cuba general assessment: NA domestic: principal trunk system, end to end of country, is coaxial cable; fiber-optic distribution in Havana and on Isla de la Juventud; 2 microwave radio relay installations (one is old, US-built; the other newer, built during the period of Soviet support); both analog and digital mobile cellular service established international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Cyprus general assessment: excellent in both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot areas domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay international: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Czech Republic general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly vigorous domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Denmark general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems international: 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with Norway, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Canada; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Djibouti general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country domestic: microwave radio relay network international: submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network

Dominica general assessment: NA domestic: fully automatic network international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Dominican Republic general assessment: NA domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

East Timor NA

Ecuador general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Egypt general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular service are available domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel and a signatory to Project Oxygen (a global submarine fiber-optic cable system)

El Salvador general assessment: NA domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Equatorial Guinea general assessment: poor system with adequate government services domestic: NA international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Eritrea general assessment: inadequate domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002) international: NA; note - international connections exist

Estonia general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; internet services are available throughout most of the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by September 2000 domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and internet services is available throughout the country international: fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Ethiopia general assessment: open-wire and microwave radio relay system; adequate for government use domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide the national trunk service international: open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) general assessment: NA domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries

Faroe Islands general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed international: satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Fiji general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center domestic: NA international: access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Finland general assessment: modern system with excellent service domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide domestic needs international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

France general assessment: highly developed domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

French Guiana general assessment: NA domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

French Polynesia general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Gabon general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable to be in service in 2002

Gambia, The general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is available domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire international: microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Gaza Strip general assessment: NA domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wire system international: NA

Georgia general assessment: NA domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available international: Georgia and Russia are working on a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available

Germany general assessment: 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, dating back to World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the western part domestic: 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, expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign countries international: Germany's international service is excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable facilities as well as earth stations in the INMARSAT, INTELSAT, EUTELSAT, and INTERSPUTNIK satellite systems (2001)

Ghana general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is underway domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors

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

Greece general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands 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)

Greenland general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995 domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite international: satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Grenada general assessment: 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

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

Guam general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Guatemala general assessment: 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)

Guernsey general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable

Guinea general assessment: 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)

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

Guyana general assessment: 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)

Haiti general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Holy See (Vatican City) general assessment: automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: uses Italian system

Honduras general assessment: inadequate system domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Hong Kong general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Hungary general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones international: Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Iceland general assessment: extensive domestic service domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

India general assessment: mediocre service; local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; major objective is to continue to expand and modernize long-distance network to keep pace with rapidly growing number of local subscriber lines; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private-public investors, but, with telephone density at about two for each 100 persons and a waiting list of over 2 million, demand for main line telephone service will not be satisfied for a very long time domestic: local service is provided by microwave radio relay and coaxial cable, with open wire and obsolete electromechanical and manual switchboard systems still in use in rural areas; starting in the 1980s, a substantial amount of digital switch gear has been introduced for local and long-distance service; long-distance traffic is carried mostly by coaxial cable and low-capacity microwave radio relay; since 1985 significant trunk capacity has been added in the form of fiber-optic cable and a domestic satellite system with 254 earth stations; mobile cellular service is provided in four metropolitan cities international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gaidhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 4 submarine cables - LOCOM linking Chennai (Madras) to Penang; Indo-UAE-Gulf cable linking Mumbai (Bombay) to Al Fujayrah, UAE; India-SEA-ME-WE-3, SEA-ME-WE-2 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay); Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay) (2000)

Indonesia general assessment: domestic service fair, international service good domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Iran general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently connected domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital switches international: HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat

Iraq general assessment: an unknown number of telecommunication facilities were damaged during the March-April 2003 war domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably nonoperational

Ireland general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Israel general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Italy general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Jamaica general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Japan general assessment: excellent domestic and international service domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam) (1999)

Jersey general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables

Johnston Atoll general assessment: 33 commercial lines, 15 incoming and 18 outgoing; adequate telecommunications domestic: 60-channel submarine cable (broken in January 2002), 24 DSN circuits by satellite, Automated Digital Network (AUTODIN) with standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS) station (scheduled for decommissioning March 2003), UHF/VHF air-ground radio, a link to the Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network (PCTN) satellite international: NA (2002)

Jordan general assessment: service has improved recently with the increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000

Kazakhstan general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan international: international traffic with other former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat

Kenya general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize except for service to business domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Kiribati general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) note: Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service

Korea, North general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Korea, South general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: NA international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Kuwait general assessment: the quality of service is excellent domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones international: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat

Kyrgyzstan general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider, probably limited to Bishkek region international: connections with other CIS countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line

Laos general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an additional 48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas domestic: radiotelephone communications international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Latvia general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications international: international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)

Lebanon general assessment: telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Lesotho general assessment: rudimentary system domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Liberia general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Libya general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996 domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Liechtenstein general assessment: automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay

Lithuania general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an improved international capability and better residential access domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded; mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber applications international: landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Luxembourg general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)

Macau general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services domestic: NA international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA

Madagascar general assessment: system is above average for the region domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Malawi general assessment: NA domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Malaysia general assessment: modern system; international service excellent domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations international: submarine cables to India, Hong Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Maldives general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service international: satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Mali general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving; provides only minimal service domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio relay in progress international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Malta general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Man, Isle of general assessment: NA domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable

Marshall Islands general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2001)

Martinique general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Mauritania general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made) domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Mauritius general assessment: small system with good service domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries

Mayotte general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001)

Mexico general assessment: low telephone density with about 12 main lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile cellular service international: satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)

Micronesia, Federated States of general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Moldova general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced international: service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik

Monaco general assessment: modern automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system

Mongolia general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each thousand persons domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Montserrat general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA

Morocco general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each 100 persons domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay international: 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998)

Mozambique general assessment: fair system but not available generally (telephone density is only 16 telephones for each 1,000 persons) domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Namibia general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100 persons domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital international: fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)

Nauru general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Nepal general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone network domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Netherlands general assessment: highly developed and well maintained domestic: the existing system of multi-conductor cables is gradually being replaced by fiber-optic cables; the density of cellular telephone traffic is rapidly increasing and further modernization of the system is expected in 2001, with the introduction of the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (1996)

Netherlands Antilles general assessment: generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

New Caledonia general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

New Zealand general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems domestic: NA international: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Nicaragua general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign investment domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Niger general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Nigeria general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by poor maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been made domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19 earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular facilities and the Internet are available international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); coaxial submarine cable SAFE (South African Far East)

Niue domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: NA

Norfolk Island general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Norway general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile systems instead of fixed-wire systems international: 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Oman general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Pakistan general assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in part because major businesses have established their own private systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the national telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily available to the majority of the rural population domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (1999)

Palau general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Panama general assessment: domestic and international facilities well developed domestic: NA international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System

Papua New Guinea general assessment: services are adequate and being improved; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services domestic: mostly radiotelephone international: submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service

Paraguay general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion domestic: fair microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Peru general assessment: adequate for most requirements domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable

Philippines general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and inter-island service adequate domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations international: 9 international gateways; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan

Pitcairn Islands general assessment: only party line telephone service is available for this small, closely related community domestic: party line service only international: radiotelephone

Poland general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile cellular telephone use domestic: cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Portugal general assessment: undergoing rapid development in recent years, Portugal's telephone system, by the end of 1998, achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and a main line telephone density of 53% domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations international: 6 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Puerto Rico general assessment: modern system, integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Qatar general assessment: modern system centered in Doha domestic: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Reunion general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis domestic: modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Romania general assessment: poor domestic service, but improving domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages have no service international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; new digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest; note - Romania is an active participant in several international telecommunication network projects (1999)

Russia general assessment: the telephone system has undergone significant changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to offer communication services; access to digital lines has improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are improving; Russia has made progress toward building the telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy; however, a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfied domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are still outdated, inadequate, and low density international: Russia is connected internationally by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls; satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems

Rwanda general assessment: telephone system primarily serves business and government domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the prefectures by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone international: international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)

Saint Helena general assessment: can communicate worldwide domestic: automatic network international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascensionm, which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Saint Kitts and Nevis general assessment: good interisland and international connections domestic: inter island links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone international: international calls are carried by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and switched there to submarine cable or to Intelsat; or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat

Saint Lucia general assessment: adequate system domestic: system is automatically switched international: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique

Saint Pierre and Miquelon general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines general assessment: adequate system domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines international: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Samoa general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

San Marino general assessment: adequate connections domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system international: connected to Italian international network

Sao Tome and Principe general assessment: adequate facilities domestic: minimal system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Saudi Arabia general assessment: modern system domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems international: microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Senegal general assessment: good system domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system international: 4 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Serbia and Montenegro general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Seychelles general assessment: effective system domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago international: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Sierra Leone general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Singapore general assessment: major consideration given to serving business interests; excellent international service domestic: excellent domestic facilities international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Slovakia general assessment: a modernization and privatization program is increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing the waiting time for new subscribers, and generally improving service quality domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been added international: three international exchanges (one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services

Slovenia general assessment: NA domestic: 100% digital (2000) international: NA

Solomon Islands general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Somalia general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and charge the lowest international rates on the continent domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers international: international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite

South Africa general assessment: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Spain general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities; teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons domestic: NA international: 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Sri Lanka general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999) domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999) international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)

Sudan general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Suriname general assessment: international facilities are good domestic: microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Svalbard general assessment: probably adequate domestic: local telephone service international: satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Swaziland general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Sweden general assessment: excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Switzerland general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Syria general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Taiwan general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)

Tajikistan general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network domestic: cable and microwave radio relay international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat

Tanzania general assessment: fair system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture terminal) system under construction domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Thailand general assessment: service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Togo general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile cellular system domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Tokelau general assessment: adequate domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997

Tonga general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996)

Trinidad and Tobago general assessment: excellent international service; good local service domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana

Tunisia general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches

Turkey general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion, especially with cellular telephones domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile cellular telephone service is growing rapidly international: international service is provided by three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile satellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Turkmenistan general assessment: poorly developed domestic: NA international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Turks and Caicos Islands general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Tuvalu general assessment: serves particular needs for internal communications domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands international: NA

Uganda general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular systems have been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of main lines is essential; e-mail and Internet services are available domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular systems for short-range traffic international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and Tanzania

Ukraine general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development plan, running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines, international connections, and the mobile cellular system domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair; more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be satisfied; telephone density is now rising slowly and the domestic trunk system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone system is expanding at a high rate international: two new domestic trunk lines are a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic Trans-European Lines (TEL) project which connects 18 countries; additional international service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and by earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems

United Arab Emirates general assessment: modern system of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom general assessment: technologically advanced domestic and international system domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems international: 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers

United States general assessment: a very large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country international: 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Uruguay general assessment: fully digitalized domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Uzbekistan general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System) international: linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth stations - NA (1998)

Vanuatu general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Venezuela general assessment: modern and expanding domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas; substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines; installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of digital multimedia services international: 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in the construction of an international fiber-optic network

Vietnam general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system, but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern neighbors domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay networks; since 1991, main lines in use have been substantially increased and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Virgin Islands general assessment: NA domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA

Wake Island general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS) domestic: NA international: NA

Wallis and Futuna general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA

West Bank general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for communication services in the West Bank

Western Sahara general assessment: sparse and limited system domestic: NA international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco

World general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA

Yemen general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have been made to create a national telecommunications network domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone systems international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Zambia general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Zimbabwe general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@2125 Terrain

Afghanistan mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Albania mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Algeria mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

American Samoa five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Andorra rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Angola narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Anguilla flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Antarctica about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Antigua and Barbuda mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas

Arctic Ocean central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Argentina rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border

Armenia Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Aruba flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands low with sand and coral

Atlantic Ocean surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin

Australia mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Austria in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Azerbaijan large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Bahamas, The long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Bahrain mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Baker Island low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Bangladesh mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Barbados relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Bassas da India volcanic rock

Belarus generally flat and contains much marshland

Belgium flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Belize flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Benin mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Bermuda low hills separated by fertile depressions

Bhutan mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Bolivia rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Bosnia and Herzegovina mountains and valleys

Botswana predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Bouvet Island volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Brazil mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt

British Indian Ocean Territory flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)

British Virgin Islands coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Brunei flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Bulgaria mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Burkina Faso mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast

Burma central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Burundi hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Cambodia mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Cameroon diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Canada mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Cape Verde steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Cayman Islands low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Central African Republic vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Chad broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south

Chile low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east

China mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east

Christmas Island steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

Clipperton Island coral atoll

Cocos (Keeling) Islands flat, low-lying coral atolls

Colombia flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Comoros volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Congo, Democratic Republic of the vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Congo, Republic of the coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Cook Islands low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

Coral Sea Islands sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Costa Rica coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Croatia geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Cuba mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast

Cyprus central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast

Czech Republic Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country

Denmark low and flat to gently rolling plains

Djibouti coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Dominica rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Dominican Republic rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

East Timor mountainous

Ecuador coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Egypt vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

El Salvador mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Equatorial Guinea coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Eritrea dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains

Estonia marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Ethiopia high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley

Europa Island low and flat

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Faroe Islands rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Fiji mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Finland mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills

France mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

French Guiana low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains

French Polynesia mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

French Southern and Antarctic Lands volcanic

Gabon narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Gambia, The flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Gaza Strip flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Georgia largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Germany lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Ghana mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Gibraltar a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands low and flat

Greece mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

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

Grenada volcanic in origin with central mountains

Guadeloupe 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

Guam 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 hills in center, mountains in south

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

Guernsey mostly level with low hills in southwest

Guinea generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Guinea-Bissau mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Guyana mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Haiti mostly rough and mountainous

Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Holy See (Vatican City) low hill

Honduras mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Hong Kong hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Howland Island low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area

Hungary mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border

Iceland mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

India upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Indian Ocean surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Indonesia mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Iran rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Iraq mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey

Ireland mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Israel Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

Italy mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Jamaica mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Jan Mayen volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Japan mostly rugged and mountainous

Jarvis Island sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Jersey gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Johnston Atoll mostly flat

Jordan mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Juan de Nova Island low and flat

Kazakhstan extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Kenya low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west

Kingman Reef low and nearly level

Kiribati mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Korea, North mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Korea, South mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Kuwait flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Kyrgyzstan peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation

Laos mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Latvia low plain

Lebanon narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Lesotho mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Liberia mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast

Libya mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Liechtenstein mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Lithuania lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Luxembourg mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Macau generally flat

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River

Madagascar narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Malawi narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains

Malaysia coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Maldives flat, with white sandy beaches

Mali mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

Malta mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Man, Isle of hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Marshall Islands low coral limestone and sand islands

Martinique mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Mauritania mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Mauritius small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Mayotte generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

Mexico high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Micronesia, Federated States of islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Midway Islands low, nearly level

Moldova rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Monaco hilly, rugged, rocky

Mongolia vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Montserrat volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Morocco northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Mozambique mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west

Namibia mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Nauru sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

Navassa Island raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Nepal Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north

Netherlands mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

Netherlands Antilles generally hilly, volcanic interiors

New Caledonia coastal plains with interior mountains

New Zealand predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Nicaragua extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Niger predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north

Nigeria southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north

Niue steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Norfolk Island volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Northern Mariana Islands southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Norway glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Oman central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Pacific Ocean surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest

Pakistan flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west

Palau varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs

Palmyra Atoll very low

Panama interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Papua New Guinea mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills

Paracel Islands mostly low and flat

Paraguay grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Peru western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Philippines mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

Pitcairn Islands rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Poland mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Portugal mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Puerto Rico mostly mountains, with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Qatar mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Reunion mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Romania central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Russia broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions

Rwanda mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east

Saint Helena Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin

Saint Kitts and Nevis volcanic with mountainous interiors

Saint Lucia volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Saint Pierre and Miquelon mostly barren rock

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines volcanic, mountainous

Samoa narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior

San Marino rugged mountains

Sao Tome and Principe volcanic, mountainous

Saudi Arabia mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Senegal generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Serbia and Montenegro extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills; to the southwest, extremely high shoreline with no islands off the coast

Seychelles Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Sierra Leone coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east

Singapore lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve

Slovakia rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south

Slovenia a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east

Solomon Islands mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Somalia mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

South Africa vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Southern Ocean the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million square kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers

Spain large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north

Spratly Islands flat

Sri Lanka mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Sudan generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south, northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Suriname mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Svalbard wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts

Swaziland mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Sweden mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Switzerland mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Syria primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

Taiwan eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west

Tajikistan Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Tanzania plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Thailand central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Togo gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Tokelau low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Tonga most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Trinidad and Tobago mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Tromelin Island low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic

Tunisia mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara

Turkey high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges

Turkmenistan flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west

Turks and Caicos Islands low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Tuvalu very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Uganda mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Ukraine most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

United Arab Emirates flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

United Kingdom mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast

United States vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

Uruguay mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Uzbekistan mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

Vanuatu mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Venezuela Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Vietnam low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Virgin Islands mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Wake Island atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim

Wallis and Futuna volcanic origin; low hills

West Bank mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east

Western Sahara mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast

World the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in the Pacific Ocean

Yemen narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Zambia mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Zimbabwe mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman)

Afghanistan 5.64 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Albania 2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Algeria 2.55 children born/woman (2003 est.)

American Samoa 3.3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Andorra 1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Angola 6.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Anguilla 1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda 2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Argentina 2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Armenia 1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Aruba 1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Australia 1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Austria 1.41 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan 2.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The 2.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bahrain 2.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bangladesh 3.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Barbados 1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Belarus 1.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Belgium 1.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Belize 3.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Benin 6.04 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bermuda 1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bhutan 4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bolivia 3.23 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Botswana 3.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Brazil 2.01 children born/woman (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands 1.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Brunei 2.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bulgaria 1.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso 6.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Burma 2.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Burundi 5.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cambodia 3.58 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cameroon 4.63 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Canada 1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cape Verde 3.77 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands 1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Central African Republic 4.68 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Chad 6.44 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Chile 2.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)

China 1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Christmas Island NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Colombia 2.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Comoros 5.21 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.69 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the 3.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cook Islands NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Costa Rica 2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire 5.51 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Croatia 1.93 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cuba 1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cyprus 1.88 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Czech Republic 1.18 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Denmark 1.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Djibouti 5.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Dominica 1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic 2.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)

East Timor 3.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Ecuador 2.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Egypt 3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

El Salvador 3.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea 4.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Eritrea 5.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Estonia 1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Ethiopia 5.55 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) NA children born/woman

Faroe Islands 2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Fiji 2.81 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Finland 1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)

France 1.85 children born/woman (2003 est.)

French Guiana 3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)

French Polynesia 2.14 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Gabon 4.83 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Gambia, The 5.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip 6.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Georgia 1.51 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Germany 1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Ghana 3.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Gibraltar 1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Greece 1.35 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Greenland 2.43 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Grenada 2.45 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guadeloupe 1.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guam 3.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guatemala 4.67 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guernsey 1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guinea 5.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau 5.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guyana 2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Haiti 4.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Honduras 4.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Hong Kong 1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Hungary 1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Iceland 1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

India 2.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Indonesia 2.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Iran 1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Iraq 4.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Ireland 1.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Israel 2.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Italy 1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Jamaica 2.01 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Japan 1.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Jersey 1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Jordan 3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan 2.16 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Kenya 3.47 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Kiribati 4.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Korea, North 2.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Korea, South 1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Kuwait 3.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan 3.12 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Laos 4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Latvia 1.2 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Lebanon 1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Lesotho 3.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Liberia 6.23 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Libya 3.49 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein 1.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Lithuania 1.43 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Luxembourg 1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Macau 1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Madagascar 5.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Malawi 6.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Malaysia 3.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Maldives 5.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mali 6.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Malta 1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of 1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands 4.12 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Martinique 1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mauritania 6.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mauritius 1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mayotte 6.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mexico 2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Moldova 1.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Monaco 1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mongolia 2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Montserrat 1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Morocco 2.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mozambique 4.87 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Namibia 4.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Nauru 3.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Nepal 4.39 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Netherlands 1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles 2.04 children born/woman (2003 est.)

New Caledonia 2.39 children born/woman (2003 est.)

New Zealand 1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Nicaragua 3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Niger 6.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Nigeria 5.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Niue NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Norfolk Island NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands 1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Norway 1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Oman 5.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Pakistan 4.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Palau 2.47 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Panama 2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea 4.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Paraguay 4.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Peru 2.81 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Philippines 3.29 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Poland 1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Portugal 1.49 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico 2.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Qatar 3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Reunion 2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Romania 1.36 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Russia 1.33 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Rwanda 5.6 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saint Helena 1.54 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia 2.29 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.95 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Samoa 3.21 children born/woman (2003 est.)

San Marino 1.31 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe 5.88 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia 6.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Senegal 4.93 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro 1.77 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Seychelles 1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone 5.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Singapore 1.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Slovakia 1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Slovenia 1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands 4.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Somalia 6.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

South Africa 2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Spain 1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka 1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Sudan 5.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Suriname 2.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Svalbard NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Swaziland 3.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Sweden 1.54 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Switzerland 1.48 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Syria 3.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Taiwan 1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tajikistan 4.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tanzania 5.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Thailand 1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Togo 4.97 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tokelau NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tonga 3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago 1.78 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tunisia 1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Turkey 2.03 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan 3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands 3.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tuvalu 3.05 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Uganda 6.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Ukraine 1.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates 3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)

United Kingdom 1.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)

United States 2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Uruguay 2.35 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan 3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Vanuatu 2.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Venezuela 2.36 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Vietnam 2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands 2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

West Bank 4.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Western Sahara NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

World 2.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Yemen 6.82 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Zambia 5.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe 3.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@2128 Government type

Afghanistan transitional

Albania emerging democracy

Algeria republic

American Samoa NA

Andorra parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by coprinces' representatives

Angola republic, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system

Anguilla NA

Antarctica Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica. The 24th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Russia in July 2001. At the end of 2001, there were 45 treaty member nations: 27 consultative and 18 non-consultative. Consultative (voting) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 20 nonclaimant nations. The US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims. The US does not recognize the claims of others. Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations. Decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (within their areas) in accordance with their own national laws. The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted to full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory. Claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), and the US. Non-consultative (nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), Ukraine (1992), and Venezuela (1999). Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations. Other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) marine pollution, 2) fauna and flora, 3) environmental impact assessments, 4) waste management, and 5) protected area management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research.

Antigua and Barbuda constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

Argentina republic

Armenia republic

Aruba parliamentary democracy

Australia democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as sovereign

Austria federal republic

Azerbaijan republic

Bahamas, The constitutional parliamentary democracy

Bahrain constitutional hereditary monarchy

Bangladesh parliamentary democracy

Barbados parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Belarus republic

Belgium federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch

Belize parliamentary democracy

Benin republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

Bermuda parliamentary British overseas territory with internal self-government

Bhutan monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Bolivia republic

Bosnia and Herzegovina emerging federal democratic republic

Botswana parliamentary republic

Brazil federative republic

British Virgin Islands NA

Brunei constitutional sultanate

Bulgaria parliamentary democracy

Burkina Faso parliamentary republic

Burma military regime

Burundi republic

Cambodia multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993

Cameroon unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990) note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Canada confederation with parliamentary democracy

Cape Verde republic

Cayman Islands British crown colony

Central African Republic republic

Chad republic

Chile republic

China Communist state

Christmas Island NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands NA

Colombia republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Comoros independent republic

Congo, Democratic Republic of the dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government

Congo, Republic of the republic

Cook Islands self-governing parliamentary democracy

Costa Rica democratic republic

Cote d'Ivoire republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960

Croatia presidential/parliamentary democracy

Cuba Communist state

Cyprus republic note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in July 1974 after a Greek junta-based coup attempt gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly support a settlement based on a federation (Greek Cypriot position) or confederation (Turkish Cypriot position)

Czech Republic parliamentary democracy

Denmark constitutional monarchy

Djibouti republic

Dominica parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth

Dominican Republic representative democracy

East Timor republic

Ecuador republic

Egypt republic

El Salvador republic

Equatorial Guinea republic

Eritrea transitional government note: following a successful referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997, did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled to take place in December 2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Estonia parliamentary republic

Ethiopia federal republic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) NA

Faroe Islands NA

Fiji republic note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Finland republic

France republic

French Guiana NA

French Polynesia NA

Gabon republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)

Gambia, The republic under multiparty democratic rule

Georgia republic

Germany federal republic

Ghana constitutional democracy

Gibraltar NA

Greece parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Greenland parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Grenada constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Guadeloupe NA

Guam NA

Guatemala constitutional democratic republic

Guernsey NA

Guinea republic

Guinea-Bissau republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Guyana republic within the Commonwealth

Haiti elected government

Holy See (Vatican City) ecclesiastical

Honduras democratic constitutional republic

Hong Kong limited democracy

Hungary parliamentary democracy

Iceland constitutional republic

India federal republic

Indonesia republic

Iran theocratic republic

Iraq in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition

Ireland republic

Israel parliamentary democracy

Italy republic

Jamaica constitutional parliamentary democracy

Japan constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Jersey NA

Jordan constitutional monarchy

Kazakhstan republic

Kenya republic

Kiribati republic

Korea, North authoritarian socialist; one-man dictatorship

Korea, South republic

Kuwait nominal constitutional monarchy

Kyrgyzstan republic

Laos Communist state

Latvia parliamentary democracy

Lebanon republic

Lesotho parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Liberia republic

Libya Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Liechtenstein hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and parliamentary basis

Lithuania parliamentary democracy

Luxembourg constitutional monarchy

Macau limited democracy

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of parliamentary democracy

Madagascar republic

Malawi multiparty democracy

Malaysia constitutional monarchy note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August 1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore) formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965); nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, George Town (Penang), Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government

Maldives republic

Mali republic

Malta republic

Man, Isle of parliamentary democracy

Marshall Islands constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986

Martinique NA

Mauritania republic

Mauritius parliamentary democracy

Mayotte NA

Mexico federal republic

Micronesia, Federated States of constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986; economic provisions of the Compact are being renegotiated

Moldova republic

Monaco constitutional monarchy

Mongolia parliamentary

Montserrat NA

Morocco constitutional monarchy

Mozambique republic

Namibia republic

Nauru republic

Nepal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Netherlands constitutional monarchy

Netherlands Antilles parliamentary

New Caledonia NA

New Zealand parliamentary democracy

Nicaragua republic

Niger republic

Nigeria republic transitioning from military to civilian rule

Niue self-governing parliamentary democracy

Norfolk Island NA

Northern Mariana Islands commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Norway constitutional monarchy

Oman monarchy

Pakistan federal republic

Palau constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Panama constitutional democracy

Papua New Guinea constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy

Paraguay constitutional republic

Peru constitutional republic

Philippines republic

Pitcairn Islands NA

Poland republic

Portugal parliamentary democracy

Puerto Rico commonwealth

Qatar traditional monarchy

Reunion NA

Romania republic

Russia federation

Rwanda republic; presidential, multiparty system

Saint Helena NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Saint Lucia Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Saint Pierre and Miquelon NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Samoa constitutional monarchy under native chief

San Marino independent republic

Sao Tome and Principe republic

Saudi Arabia monarchy

Senegal republic under multiparty democratic rule

Serbia and Montenegro republic

Seychelles republic

Sierra Leone constitutional democracy

Singapore parliamentary republic

Slovakia parliamentary democracy

Slovenia parliamentary democratic republic

Solomon Islands parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy

Somalia no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary national government

South Africa republic

Spain parliamentary monarchy

Sri Lanka republic

Sudan authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in 1989; government is run by an alliance of the military and the National Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front (NIF), which espouses an Islamist platform

Suriname constitutional democracy

Svalbard NA

Swaziland monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Sweden constitutional monarchy

Switzerland federal republic

Syria republic under military regime since March 1963

Taiwan multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected president and unicameral legislature

Tajikistan republic

Tanzania republic

Thailand constitutional monarchy

Togo republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Tokelau NA

Tonga hereditary constitutional monarchy

Trinidad and Tobago parliamentary democracy

Tunisia republic

Turkey republican parliamentary democracy

Turkmenistan republic

Turks and Caicos Islands NA

Tuvalu constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began debating republic status in 1992

Uganda republic

Ukraine republic

United Arab Emirates federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates

United Kingdom constitutional monarchy

United States Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Uruguay constitutional republic

Uzbekistan republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch

Vanuatu parliamentary republic

Venezuela federal republic

Vietnam Communist state

Virgin Islands NA

Wallis and Futuna NA

Western Sahara legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991

Yemen republic

Zambia republic

Zimbabwe parliamentary democracy

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@2129 Unemployment rate (%)

Afghanistan NA%

Albania 17% officially; may be as high as 30% (2001 est.)

Algeria 31% (2002 est.)

American Samoa 6% (2000)

Andorra 0%

Angola extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (2001 est.)

Anguilla 6.7% (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda 11% (2001 est.)

Argentina 21.5% (37377)

Armenia 20% (2001 est.)

Aruba 0.6%

Australia 6.3% (2002)

Austria 4.8% (2002 est.)

Azerbaijan 16% (official rate is 1.2%) (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The 6.9% (2001 est.)

Bahrain 15% (1998 est.)

Bangladesh 40% (includes underemployment) (2002 est.)

Barbados 10% (2001 est.)

Belarus 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers

Belgium 7.2% (2002 est.)

Belize 9.1% (2002)

Benin NA%

Bermuda 4.5% (1993)

Bhutan NA%

Bolivia 7.6% note: widespread underemployment (2000)

Bosnia and Herzegovina 40% (2002 est.)

Botswana 40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.)

Brazil 6.4% (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands 3% (1995)

Brunei 10% (2001 est.)

Bulgaria 18% (2002 est.)

Burkina Faso NA%

Burma 5.1% (2001 est.)

Burundi NA%

Cambodia 2.8% (1999 est.)

Cameroon 30% (2001 est.)

Canada 7.6% (2002 est.)

Cape Verde 21% (2000 est.)

Cayman Islands 4.1% (1997)

Central African Republic 8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Chad NA%

Chile 9.2% (2002)

China urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2002 est.)

Christmas Island NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands 60% (2000 est.)

Colombia 17.4% (2002 est.)

Comoros 20% (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the NA%

Congo, Republic of the NA%

Cook Islands 13% (1996)

Costa Rica 6.3% (2002 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire 13% in urban areas (1998)

Croatia 21.7% (2002 est.)

Cuba 4.1% (2001 est.)

Cyprus Greek Cypriot area: 3.3%; Turkish Cypriot area: 5.6% (2002 est.)

Czech Republic 9.8% (2002)

Denmark 5.1% (2002)

Djibouti 50% (2000 est.)

Dominica 23% (2000 est.)

Dominican Republic 14.5% (2002 est.)

East Timor 50% (including underemployment)

Ecuador 7.7%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.)

Egypt 12% (2001 est.)

El Salvador 10% - but the economy has much underemployment. (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea 30% (1998 est.)

Eritrea NA%

Estonia 12.4% (2001)

Ethiopia NA%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) full employment; labor shortage

Faroe Islands 1% (October 2000)

Fiji 7.6% (1999)

Finland 8.5% (2002 est.)

France 9.1% (2002 est.)

French Guiana 22% (2001)

French Polynesia 11.8% (1994)

Gabon 21% (1997 est.)

Gambia, The NA%

Gaza Strip 50% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)

Georgia 17% (2001 est.)

Germany 9.8% (2002 est.)

Ghana 20% (1997 est.)

Gibraltar 2% (2001 est.)

Greece 10.3% (2002 est.)

Greenland 10% (2000 est.)

Grenada 12.5% (2000)

Guadeloupe 27.8% (1998)

Guam 15% (2000 est.)

Guatemala 7.5% (1999 est.)

Guernsey 0.5% (1999 est.)

Guinea NA%

Guinea-Bissau NA%

Guyana 9.1% (understated) (2000)

Haiti widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)

Honduras 28% (2002 est.)

Hong Kong 7.5% (2002 est.)

Hungary 5.8% (2002 est.)

Iceland 2.8% (2002 est.)

India 8.8% (2002)

Indonesia 10.6% (2002 est.)

Iran 16.3% (2003 est.)

Iraq NA%

Ireland 4.3% (2002 est.)

Israel 10.4% (2002 est.)

Italy 9.1% (2002 est.)

Jamaica 15.4% (2002 est.)

Japan 5.4% (2002)

Jersey 0.7% (1998 est.)

Jordan 16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan 8.8% (2002 est.)

Kenya 40% (2001 est.)

Kiribati 2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Korea, North NA%

Korea, South 3.1% (2002 est.)

Kuwait 7% (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan 7.2% (1999 est.)

Laos 5.7% (1997 est.)

Latvia 7.6% (2001 est.)

Lebanon 18% (1997 est.)

Lesotho 45% (2002)

Liberia NA

Libya 30% (2001)

Liechtenstein 1.3% (37500)

Lithuania 12.5% (2001 est.)