The 2009 CIA World Factbook (part 8 of 25)
note: Kosovan, a neutral term, is sometimes also used as a noun or adjective
Ethnic groups:
Albanians 88%, Serbs 7%, other 5% (Bosniak, Gorani, Roma, Turk, Ashkali, Egyptian)
Religions:
Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic
Languages:
Albanian (official), Serbian (official), Bosnian, Turkish, Roma
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.9%
male: 96.6%
female: 87.5% (2007 Census)
Government ::Kosovo
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kosovo
conventional short form: Kosovo
local long form: Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosovo)
local short form: Kosova (Kosovo)
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina)
geographic coordinates: 42 40 N, 21 10 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
30 municipalities (komunat, singular - komuna in Albanian; opstine, singular - opstina in Serbian); Decan (Decani), Dragash (Dragas), Ferizaj (Urosevac), Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje), Gjakove (Dakovica), Gjilan (Gnjilane), Gllogovc/Drenas (Glogovac), Istog (Istok), Kacanik, Kamenice/Dardana (Kamenica), Kline (Klina), Leposaviq (Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo), Mitrovice (Mitrovica), Novoberde (Novo Brdo), Obiliq (Obilic), Peje (Pec), Podujeve (Podujevo), Prishtine (Pristina), Prizren, Rahovec (Orahovac), Shterpce (Strpce), Shtime (Stimlje), Skenderaj (Srbica), Suhareke (Suva Reka), Viti (Vitina), Vushtrri (Vucitrn), Zubin Potok, Zvecan
Independence:
17 February 2008 (from Serbia)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 February (2008)
Constitution:
adopted by the Kosovo Assembly on 9 April 2008; effective 15 June 2008
Legal system:
evolving legal system based on terms of UN Special Envoy Martti AHTISAARI's Plan for Kosovo's supervised independence
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Fatmir SEJDIU (since 10 February 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Hashim THACI (since 9 January 2008)
cabinet: ministers; elected by the Kosovo Assembly
elections: the president is elected for a five-year term by the Kosovo Assembly; election last held 9 January 2008 (next to be held by in 2013); the prime minister is elected by the Kosovo Assembly
election results: Fatmir SEJDIU reelected president after three rounds; Hashim THACI elected prime minister by the Assembly
Legislative branch:
unicameral national Assembly (120 seats; 100 seats directly elected, 10 seats guaranteed for ethnic Serbs, 10 seats guaranteed for other ethnic minorities; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDK 34.3%, LDK 22.6%, AKR 12.3%, LDD 10.0%, AAK 9.6%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PDK 37, LDK 25, AKR 13, LDD 11, AAK 10, other 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; district courts; municipal courts
note: the Kosovo Constitution dictates that the Supreme Court of Kosovo is the highest judicial authority, and provides for a Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) that proposes to the president candidates for appointment or reappointment as judges and prosecutors; the KJC is also responsible for decisions on the promotion and transfer of judges and disciplinary proceedings against judges; at least 15 percent of Supreme Court and district court judges shall be from non-majority communities
Political parties and leaders:
Albanian Christian Democratic Party of Kosovo or PShDK [Tome MARKU]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ]; Alliance for a New Kosovo or AKR [Behgjet PACOLLI]; Alliance of Independent Social Democrats of Kosovo and Metohija or SDSKIM [Slavisa PETKOVIC]; Autonomous Liberal Party of SLS [Slobodan PETROVIC]; Bosniak Vakat Coalition [Dzezair MURATI]; Citizens' Initiative of Gora or GIG [Murselj HALJILJI]; Council of Independent Social Democrats of Kosovo or SNSDKIM [Ljubisa ZIVIC]; Democratic Action Party or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Democratic Ashkali Party of Kosovo or PDAK; Democratic League of Dardania or LDD [Nexhat DACI]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Fatmir SEJDIU]; Democratic Party of Ashkali of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit RAHMANI]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Democratic Party Vatan [Sadik IDRIZI]; Democratic Union of Ashkalis or BDA [Sabit RRAHMANI]; Justice Party or PD [Sylejman QERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP [Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergi DEDAJ]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Xhevdet NEZIRAJ]; New Democratic Party or ND [Branislav GRBIC]; New Kosovo Alliance or AKR [Behxhet PACOLLI]; Popular Movement of Kosovo or LPK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Reform Party Ora [Teuta SAHATCIA]; Serb National Party or SNS [Mihailo SCEPANOVIC]; Serbian Kosovo and Metohija Party or SKMS [Dragisa MIRIC]; Serbian List for Kosovo and Metohija [Oliver IVANOVIC]; Social Democratic Party of Kosovo or PSDK [Agim CEKU]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi MERXHA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedom (human rights); Humanitarian Law Centre (human rights); Movement for Self-Determination; Serb National Council (SNV)
International organization participation:
ITUC, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Avni SPAHIU
chancery: 900 19th Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 2006
telephone: 202-436-3581
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tina KAIDANOW
embassy: Arberia/Dragodan, Nazim Hikmet 30, Pristina, Kosovo
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [381] 38 59 59 3000
FAX: [381] 38 549 890
Flag description:
centered on a dark blue field is the geographical shape of Kosovo in a gold color surmounted by six white, five-pointed stars - each representing one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo - arrayed in a slight arc
Economy ::Kosovo
Economy - overview:
Over the past few years Kosovo's economy has shown significant progress in transitioning to a market-based system and maintaining macroeconomic stability, but it is still highly dependent on the international community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance. Remittances from the diaspora - located mainly in Germany and Switzerland - are estimated to account for about 15% of GDP, and donor-financed activities and aid for another 15%. Kosovo's citizens are the poorest in Europe with an average annual per capita income of only $2,300. Unemployment, around 40% of the population, is a significant problem that encourages outward migration and black market activity. Most of Kosovo's population lives in rural towns outside of the capital, Pristina. Inefficient, near-subsistence farming is common - the result of small plots, limited mechanization, and lack of technical expertise. With international assistance, Kosovo has been able to privatize 50% of its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by number, and over 90% of SOEs by value. Minerals and metals - including lignite, lead, zinc, nickel, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, and a wide variety of construction materials - once formed the backbone of industry, but output has declined because of ageing equipment and insufficient investment. A limited and unreliable electricity supply due to technical and financial problems is a major impediment to economic development. Kosovo's Ministry of Energy and Mining has solicited expressions of interest from private investors to develop a new power plant in order to address Kosovo and the region's unmet and growing demands for power. The official currency of Kosovo is the euro, but the Serbian dinar is also used in Serb enclaves. Kosovo's tie to the euro has helped keep core inflation low. Kosovo has one of the most open economies in the region, and continues to work with the international community on measures to improve the business environment and attract foreign investment.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.237 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 20%
services: 60% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
550,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 16.5%
industry: NA
services: NA (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
40% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Population below poverty line:
37% (2007 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30 (FY05/06)
Investment (gross fixed):
30% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 24
Budget:
revenues: $1.19 billion
expenditures: $1.22 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.79% (31 December 2008)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, berries, potatoes, peppers
Industries:
mineral mining, construction materials, base metals, leather, machinery, appliances
Electricity - production:
832 million kWh (2006) country comparison to the world: 151
Electricity - consumption:
4.281 billion kWh (2006) country comparison to the world: 114
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007) country comparison to the world: 148
Oil - consumption:
NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:
NA bbl
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007) country comparison to the world: 171
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007) country comparison to the world: 167
Natural gas - proved reserves:
NA cu m
Current account balance:
-$964 million
Exports:
$527 million
Exports - commodities:
mining and processed metal products, scrap metals, leather products, machinery, appliances
Imports:
$2.6 billion f.o.b.
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, wood, petroleum, chemicals, machinery and electrical equipment
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$NA
Debt - external:
$NA
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007)
Communications ::Kosovo
Telephones - main lines in use:
106,300 (2006) country comparison to the world: 143
Telephones - mobile cellular:
562,000 (2007) country comparison to the world: 154
Transportation ::Kosovo
Airports:
8 (2009) country comparison to the world: 165
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4
under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Heliports:
2 (2009)
Railways:
total: 430 km country comparison to the world: 117 standard gauge: 430 km 1.435-m gauge (2007)
Roadways:
total: 1,924 km country comparison to the world: 175 paved: 1,666 km
unpaved: 258 km (2006)
Military ::Kosovo
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 428,685
females age 16-49: 388,848 (2009 est.)
Transnational Issues ::Kosovo
Disputes - international:
Serbia with several other states protest the US and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaring itself as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo; Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDP's: 21,000 (2007)
page last updated on October 27, 2009
======================================================================
@Kuwait (Middle East)
Introduction ::Kuwait
Background:
Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since returning to power in 1991 and reestablished an elected legislature that in recent years has become increasingly assertive. The country witnessed the historic election in May 2009 of four women to its National Assembly.
Geography ::Kuwait
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
29 30 N, 45 45 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 17,818 sq km country comparison to the world: 157 land: 17,818 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 462 km
border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
Coastline:
499 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Terrain:
flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 0.84%
permanent crops: 0.17%
other: 98.99% (2005)
Irrigated land:
130 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.02 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.44 cu km/yr (45%/2%/52%)
per capita: 164 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March and August
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping
Geography - note:
strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
People ::Kuwait
Population:
2,691,158 country comparison to the world: 139 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 361,150/female 348,518)
15-64 years: 70.7% (male 1,219,075/female 683,587)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 49,163/female 29,665) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.2 years
male: 28.1 years
female: 22.7 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.547% country comparison to the world: 3 note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2009 est.)
Birth rate:
21.81 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Death rate:
2.35 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 220
Net migration rate:
16.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4
Urbanization:
urban population: 98% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.78 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.66 male(s)/female
total population: 1.54 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.96 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 159 male: 9.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.71 years country comparison to the world: 53 male: 76.51 years
female: 78.95 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.76 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.12% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 112
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti
Ethnic groups:
Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%
Religions:
Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%
Languages:
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.3%
male: 94.4%
female: 91% (2005 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 119
Government ::Kuwait
Country name:
conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
local short form: Al Kuwayt
Government type:
constitutional emirate
Capital:
name: Kuwait City
geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir
Independence:
19 June 1961 (from the UK)
National holiday:
National Day, 25 February (1950)
Constitution:
approved and promulgated 11 November 1962
Legal system:
civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years
Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah
head of government: Prime Minister NASIR AL-MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR AL-MUBAREK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD AL-SABAH al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the amir
elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime minister and deputy prime ministers
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all cabinet ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National Assembly)
elections: last held 16 May 2009 (next election to be held in 2013)
election results: percent of vote by bloc - NA; seats by bloc - Sunni Muslim groups 11, liberals 7, Shiite Muslim groups 6, Popular Action Bloc 3, unaffiliated tribal groups 23
Judicial branch:
High Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
none; formation of political parties is in practice illegal but is not forbidden by law
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: Islamists; merchants; political groups; secular liberals and pro-governmental deputies; Shia activists; tribal groups
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah K. JONES
embassy: Bayan 36302, Block 13, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City
mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880-9000
telephone: [965] 259-1001
FAX: [965] 538-0282
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I
Economy ::Kuwait
Economy - overview:
Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 104 billion barrels - 8% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait experienced rapid economic growth over the last several years on the back of high oil prices and in 2008 posted its tenth consecutive budget surplus. As a result of this positive fiscal situation, the need for economic reforms was less urgent and the government did not push through new initiatives. The drop in oil prices in late 2008 will reduce Kuwait's fiscal surplus in 2009. The global financial crisis may slow the pace of investment and development projects, but Kuwait has vowed to use its considerable financial resources to stabilize the economy if necessary.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$149.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $137.8 billion (2007 est.)
$131.6 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$158.1 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 4.7% (2007 est.)
6.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$57,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $55,000 (2007 est.)
$54,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 52.2%
services: 47.5% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
2.088 million country comparison to the world: 119 note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force (2008 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
2.2% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 23
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
18.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Budget:
revenues: $105.2 billion
expenditures: $58.08 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
7.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 29.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 5.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 70 6.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.61% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 8.54% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$15.31 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 38 $15.12 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$63.08 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 26 $55.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$88.77 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 $78.25 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$107.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 $188 billion (31 December 2007)
$128.9 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
practically no crops; fish
Industries:
petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:
8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24
Electricity - production:
45.83 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
Electricity - consumption:
40.21 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
2.741 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Oil - consumption:
325,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39
Oil - exports:
2.349 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7
Oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 206
Oil - proved reserves:
104 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
Natural gas - production:
12.7 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Natural gas - consumption:
12.7 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 79
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.794 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
Current account balance:
$64.78 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $47.48 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$86.94 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $63.68 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil and refined products, fertilizers
Exports - partners:
Japan 18.4%, South Korea 14.6%, India 11.5%, US 8.9%, Singapore 7.9%, China 6.1% (2008)
Imports:
$22.94 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $20.63 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
Imports - partners:
US 11.9%, Japan 9.2%, Germany 8.1%, China 7.6%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Italy 4.8%, UK 4.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$17.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $16.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$36.89 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $33.62 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$1.22 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $942 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$25.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $16.93 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.2679 (2008 est.), 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004)
Communications ::Kuwait
Telephones - main lines in use:
541,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 94
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.907 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 110
Telephone system:
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: country code - 965; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 6 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 1 Inmarsat - Atlantic Ocean, and 2 Arabsat)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)
Internet country code:
.kw
Internet hosts:
2,305 (2009) country comparison to the world: 148
Internet users:
1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 88
Transportation ::Kuwait
Airports:
7 (2009) country comparison to the world: 168
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Heliports:
4 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2008)
Roadways:
total: 5,749 km country comparison to the world: 150 paved: 4,887 km
unpaved: 862 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 38 country comparison to the world: 79 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, carrier 3, container 6, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 22
registered in other countries: 34 (Bahrain 5, Comoros 1, Libya 1, Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saudi Arabia 7, UAE 10) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi
Military ::Kuwait
Military branches:
Kuwaiti Land Forces (KLF), Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya), Kuwaiti National Guard (KNG) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for compulsory and 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women age 18-30 may be subject to compulsory military service; conscription suspended in 2001 (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,032,408
females age 16-49: 568,657 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 935,525
females age 16-49: 519,854 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 18,122
female: 18,865 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 16
Transnational Issues ::Kuwait
Disputes - international:
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men and women who migrate legally from South and Southeast Asia for domestic or low-skilled labor, but are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by employers in Kuwait including conditions of physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement to the home, and withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of movement; Kuwait is reportedly a transit point for South and East Asian workers recruited for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this work, and others are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude in Iraq
tier rating: Tier 3 - insufficient efforts in 2007 to prosecute and punish abusive employers and those who traffic women for sexual exploitation; the government failed for the fourth year in a row to live up to promises to provide shelter and protective services for victims of involuntary domestic servitude and other forms of trafficking (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia)
Introduction ::Kyrgyzstan
Background:
A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, most of Kyrgyzstan was formally annexed to Russia in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916 in which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. Kyrgyzstan became a Soviet republic in 1936 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of President Askar AKAEV, who had run the country since 1990. Subsequent presidential elections in July 2005 were won overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIEV. The political opposition organized demonstrations in Bishkek in April, May, and November 2006 resulting in the adoption of a new constitution that transferred some of the president's powers to parliament and the government. In December 2006, the Kyrgyzstani parliament voted to adopt new amendments, restoring some of the presidential powers lost in the November 2006 constitutional change. By late-September 2007, both previous versions of the constitution were declared illegal, and the country reverted to the AKAEV-era 2003 constitution, which was subsequently modified in a flawed referendum initiated by BAKIEV. The president then dissolved parliament, called for early elections, and gained control of the new parliament through his newly-created political party, Ak Jol, in December 2007 elections. Current concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises, negative trends in democracy and political freedoms, endemic corruption, improving interethnic relations, electricity generation, rising food prices, and combating terrorism.
Geography ::Kyrgyzstan
Location:
Central Asia, west of China
Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 75 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 199,951 sq km country comparison to the world: 86 land: 191,801 sq km
water: 8,150 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Dakota
Land boundaries:
total: 3,051 km
border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,224 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan Mountains; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone
Terrain:
peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m
Natural resources:
abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc
Land use:
arable land: 6.55%
permanent crops: 0.28%
other: 93.17%
note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural-growth walnut forest (2005)
Irrigated land:
10,720 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
46.5 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 10.08 cu km/yr (3%/3%/94%)
per capita: 1,916 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level, with an average elevation of 2,750 m; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes
People ::Kyrgyzstan
Population:
5,431,747 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.7% (male 822,128/female 789,425)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 1,717,497/female 1,787,551)
65 years and over: 5.8% (male 123,045/female 192,101) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.4 years
male: 23.6 years
female: 25.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.396% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 96
Birth rate:
23.44 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
Death rate:
6.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Net migration rate:
-2.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Urbanization:
urban population: 36% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 31.26 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 72 male: 36.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.43 years country comparison to the world: 146 male: 65.43 years
female: 73.64 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Nationality:
noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
adjective: Kyrgyzstani
Ethnic groups:
Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)
Religions:
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%
Languages:
Kyrgyz 64.7% (official), Uzbek 13.6%, Russian 12.5% (official), Dungun 1%, other 8.2% (1999 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.7%
male: 99.3%
female: 98.1% (1999 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 78
Government ::Kyrgyzstan
Country name:
conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy
local short form: Kyrgyzstan
former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bishkek
geographic coordinates: 42 52 N, 74 36 E
time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar); Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence:
31 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 31 August (1991)
Constitution:
approved by referendum in November 2006
note: under the old constitution adopted on 5 May 1993, an amendment proposed by President Askar AKAEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expanded the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature; during large-scale demonstrations in November 2006, President BAKIEV and the opposition negotiated a new constitution granting greater powers to the parliament and the government; amendments added on 30 December 2006 redistributed some power back to the president, but both November and December 2006 versions were annulled in September 2007, and a new version was approved by referendum on 21 October 2007; the BAKIEV-initiated referendum was criticized by Western observers for voting irregularities, particularly ballot stuffing
Legal system:
based on French and Russian laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIEV (since 14 August 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 21 October 2009); First Deputy Prime Minister Akylbek JAPAROV (since 22 October 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president; ministers in charge of defense and security, appointed solely by the president
elections: Kurmanbek BAKIEV reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 23 July 2009 (next scheduled for 2014); prime minister nominated by the parliamentary party holding more than 50% of the seats; if no such party exists, the president selects the party that will nominate a prime minister
election results: Kurmanbek BAKIEV elected president; percent of vote - Kurmanbek BAKIEV 76.1%, Almaz ATAMBAYEV 8.4%, Temir SARIYEV 6.7%, other candidates 8.8%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kengesh (90 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 16 December 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Ak Jol 71, Social Democratic Party 11, KCP 8
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the Supreme and Constitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by the Jorgorku Kengesh on the recommendation of the president; their mandatory retirement age is 70 years); Higher Court of Arbitration; Local Courts (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council on Legal Affairs for a probationary period of five years, then 10 years)
Political parties and leaders:
Ak Jol (Good Luck) [Avtandil ARABAEV, Elmira IBRAIMOVA, Vladimir NIFADYEV, co-chairs]; Ak Shumkar (Gerfalcon) [Temir SARIYEV]; Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIEV]; Asaba (Banner National Revival Party) [Sovetbek JAMALDINOV]]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAEV]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Viktor TCHETRNOMORETS]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIEV]; For Justice Movement [Alikbek JEKSHENKULOV]; Green Party [Erkin BULEKBAEV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Medet SADYRKULOV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Iskhak MASALIEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]; Republican Party of Labor and Unity [Tabaldy OROZALIEV]; Revolutionary Committee [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV]; Sanjira (Tree of Life) [Ednan KARABAEV]; Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan [Almaz ATAMBAEV]; Svoboda Vybora (Free Choice) Party [Vyacheslav LISOVSKIY]; Turan Party [Kanybek IMANALIYEV]; Uluu Birimdik (Solidarity) Party [Emilbek KAPTAGAEV]; Union of Democratic Forces [Osmon ARTYKBAEV]; United Kyrgyzstan [Amangeldi MURALIEV]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Adilet Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA]; Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society [Dinara OSHURAKHUNOVA]; Interbilim [Asiya SASYKBAEVA]
International organization participation:
ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA
chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 449-9822
FAX: [1] (202) 386-7550
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tatiana C. GFOELLER
embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
FAX: [996] (312) 551-264
Flag description:
red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt
Economy ::Kyrgyzstan
Economy - overview:
Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and electricity. Following independence, Kyrgyzstan was progressive in carrying out market reforms such as an improved regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995, production began to recover and exports began to increase. The economy is heavily weighted toward gold export and a drop in output at the main Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002 and a 0.6% decline in 2005. The government made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit, nearly closing the gap between revenues and expenditures in 2006, before boosting expenditures more than 20% in 2007-08. The government and international financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy. In 2005, Bishkek agreed to pursue much-needed tax reform and, in 2006, became eligible for the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative. Progress fighting corruption, further restructuring of domestic industry, and success in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth. GDP grew more than 6% annually in 2007-08, partly due to higher gold prices internationally, but growth is likely to decline from that level in 2009, due to declining demand and lower commodity prices in the wake of the international financial crisis.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$11.64 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $10.82 billion (2007 est.)
$9.971 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.05 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 8.5% (2007 est.)
3.1% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 $2,000 (2007 est.)
$1,900 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 29.8%
industry: 19.7%
services: 50.6% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
2.344 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 110
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 48%
industry: 12.5%
services: 39.5% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
18% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Population below poverty line:
40% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 25.9% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.3 (2003) country comparison to the world: 113 29 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68
Budget:
revenues: $1.274 billion
expenditures: $1.231 billion (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
24.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 211 10.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.86% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 10 25.32% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$911.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$303.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$558.3 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 109 $121 million (31 December 2007)
$92.69 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool
Industries:
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals
Industrial production growth rate:
10.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Electricity - production:
15.96 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
Electricity - consumption:
9 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Electricity - exports:
2.379 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
958.4 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106
Oil - consumption:
15,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Oil - exports:
1,890 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Oil - imports:
12,850 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Oil - proved reserves:
40 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Natural gas - production:
30 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Natural gas - consumption:
750 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 162
Natural gas - imports:
720 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Current account balance:
-$680 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 -$267.9 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.847 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $1.337 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes
Exports - partners:
Switzerland 27.2%, Russia 19.2%, Uzbekistan 14.3%, Kazakhstan 11.4%, France 6.7% (2008)
Imports:
$3.754 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $2.636 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Russia 36.6%, China 17.9%, Kazakhstan 9.2%, Germany 8.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.225 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $1.177 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.467 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 115 $3.162 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$16.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
soms (KGS) per US dollar - 36.108 (2008 est.), 37.746 (2007), 40.149 (2006), 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004)
Communications ::Kyrgyzstan
Telephones - main lines in use:
494,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 99
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.394 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 101
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is being upgraded; loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are being used to install a digital network, digital radio-relay stations, and fiber-optic links
domestic: fixed line penetration remains low and concentrated in urban areas; multiple mobile cellular service providers with growing coverage; mobile cellular subscribership exceeded 60 per 100 persons in 2008
international: country code - 996; 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 - 2 (1 Intersputnik, 1 Intelsat); connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 23, shortwave NA (2007)
Television broadcast stations:
8 (2 countrywide and 6 regional stations; state-owned); note - there are about 20 private TV stations, most of which rebroadcast other channels (2007)
Internet country code:
.kg
Internet hosts:
82,496 (2009) country comparison to the world: 76
Internet users:
850,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 95
Transportation ::Kyrgyzstan
Airports:
29 (2009) country comparison to the world: 116
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 18
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 9 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 470 km country comparison to the world: 116 broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 18,500 km country comparison to the world: 116 paved: 16,909 km (includes 140 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,591 km (2003)
Waterways:
600 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 79
Ports and terminals:
Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)
Military ::Kyrgyzstan
Military branches:
Ground Forces, Air Force (includes Air Defense Forces), National Guard (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,398,878
females age 16-49: 1,419,374 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,083,777
females age 16-49: 1,229,406 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 57,659
female: 55,557 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 119
Transnational Issues ::Kyrgyzstan
Disputes - international:
Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of 130 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas
Illicit drugs:
limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe; major consumer of opiates
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Laos (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Laos
Background:
Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997.
Geography ::Laos
Location:
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:
18 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 236,800 sq km country comparison to the world: 83 land: 230,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Utah
Land boundaries:
total: 5,083 km
border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
Natural resources:
timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Land use:
arable land: 4.01%
permanent crops: 0.34%
other: 95.65% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,750 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
333.6 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3 cu km/yr (4%/6%/90%)
per capita: 507 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
floods, droughts
Environment - current issues:
unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand
People ::Laos
Population:
6,834,942 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 102
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.8% (male 1,400,126/female 1,386,480)
15-64 years: 56.1% (male 1,898,995/female 1,936,892)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 92,070/female 120,379) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.3 years
male: 19 years
female: 19.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.316% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Birth rate:
33.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
Death rate:
10.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 31% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 77.82 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 23 male: 86.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.68 years country comparison to the world: 190 male: 54.56 years
female: 58.9 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.41 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008) (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian
Ethnic groups:
Lao 55%, Khmou 11%, Hmong 8%, other (over 100 minor ethnic groups) 26% (2005 census)
Religions:
Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census)
Languages:
Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.7%
male: 77%
female: 60.9% (2001 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 8 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 146
Government ::Laos
Country name:
conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
conventional short form: Laos
local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
local short form: Pathet Lao (unofficial)
Government type:
Communist state
Capital:
name: Vientiane (Viangchan)
geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 capital city* (nakhon luang, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang
Independence:
19 July 1949 (from France)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
Constitution:
promulgated 14 August 1991
Legal system:
based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006); Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001)
cabinet: Ministers appointed by president, approved by National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister nominated by president and elected by National Assembly for five-year term
election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 97%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular vote from a list of candidates selected by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP 113, independents 2
Judicial branch:
People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National Assembly Standing Committee)
Political parties and leaders:
Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone
chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ravic R. HUSO
embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam, Vientiane
mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, APO AP 96546
telephone: [856] 21-26-7000
FAX: [856] 21-26-7190
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band
Economy ::Laos
Economy - overview:
The government of Laos, one of the few remaining one-party Communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% per year from 1988-2008 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis that began in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with an underdeveloped infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications, though the government is sponsoring major improvements in the road system with support from Japan and China. Electricity is available in urban areas and in many rural districts. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for about 40% of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The government depends upon aid from international donors for over 80% of its capital investment. The economy has until recently benefited from high foreign investment in hydropower, mining, and construction. The fiscal crisis of late 2008, and the rapid drop in commodity prices - especially copper - has slowed these investments. Several policy changes since 2004 may help spur growth. Laos, which gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US in 2004, is taking steps to join the World Trade Organization. Related trade policy reforms will improve the business environment. On the fiscal side, a value-added tax (VAT) regime, which began with a few large businesses in early 2009, should slowly help streamline the government's inefficient tax system. Economic prospects will improve gradually as the administration continues to simplify investment procedures and as a more competitive banking sector extends credit to small farmers and small entrepreneurs. The government appears committed to raising the country's profile among investors. Foreign donors have praised the Lao government for its efforts to improve the investment regime. The World Bank has declared that Laos' goal of graduating from the UN Development Program's list of least-developed countries by 2020 could be achievable.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$14.01 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 $13.04 billion (2007 est.)
$12.13 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.374 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 7.5% (2007 est.)
8.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186 $2,000 (2007 est.)
$1,900 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 39.2%
industry: 34.3%
services: 26.5% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
2.1 million (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.4% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Population below poverty line:
30.7% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34.6 (2002) country comparison to the world: 88 37 (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $811.6 million
expenditures: $955.9 million (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 4.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7.67% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 21 12.67% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
24% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 6 28.5% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$327.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$717.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$285.8 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
Industries:
copper, tin, gold, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, cement, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
11% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8
Electricity - production:
3.075 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Electricity - consumption:
3.068 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - exports:
268 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
475.9 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147
Oil - consumption:
3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 173
Oil - imports:
3,080 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 169
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 78
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Current account balance:
-$52 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $107.3 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.163 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 $922.7 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold
Exports - partners:
Thailand 35.5%, Vietnam 15.5%, China 8.5% (2008)
Imports:
$1.384 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 $1.065 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
Thailand 68.5%, China 10.5%, Vietnam 5.8% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$803 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $540 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.179 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 122
Exchange rates:
kips (LAK) per US dollar - 8,760.69 (2008 est.), 9,658 (2007), 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004)
Communications ::Laos
Telephones - main lines in use:
97,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 145
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.822 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 123
Telephone system:
general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
domestic: multiple service providers; mobile cellular usage growing rapidly; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership approaching 30 per 100 persons
international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006)
Television broadcast stations:
7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006)
Internet country code:
.la
Internet hosts:
1,661 (2009) country comparison to the world: 152
Internet users:
130,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 145
Transportation ::Laos
Airports:
41 (2009) country comparison to the world: 103
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 21 (2009)
Pipelines:
refined products 540 km (2008)
Roadways:
total: 29,811 km country comparison to the world: 97 paved: 4,010 km
unpaved: 25,801 km (2006)
Waterways:
4,600 km country comparison to the world: 24 note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT country comparison to the world: 159 by type: cargo 1 (2008)
Military ::Laos
Military branches:
Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
15 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum 18-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,549,774
females age 16-49: 1,570,702 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,023,205
females age 16-49: 1,085,197 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 75,310
female: 74,498 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 162
Military - note:
serving one of the world's least developed countries, the Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF) is small, poorly funded, and ineffectively resourced; its mission focus is border and internal security, primarily in countering ethnic Hmong insurgent groups; together with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the government, the Lao People's Army (LPA) is the third pillar of state machinery, and as such is expected to suppress political and civil unrest and similar national emergencies, but the LPA also has upgraded skills to respond to avian influenza outbreaks; there is no perceived external threat to the state and the LPA maintains strong ties with the neighboring Vietnamese military (2008)
Transnational Issues ::Laos
Disputes - international:
Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels
Illicit drugs:
estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2008 was 1,900 hectares, about a 73% increase from 2007; estimated potential opium production in 2008 more than tripled to 17 metric tons; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Latvia (Europe)
Introduction ::Latvia
Background:
The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography ::Latvia
Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
Geographic coordinates:
57 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 64,589 sq km country comparison to the world: 123 land: 62,249 sq km
water: 2,340 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,382 km
border countries: Belarus 171 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km, Russia 292 km
Coastline:
498 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
maritime; wet, moderate winters
Terrain:
low plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Galzina Kalns 312 m
Natural resources:
peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 28.19%
permanent crops: 0.45%
other: 71.36% (2005)
Irrigated land:
200 sq km
note: land in Latvia is often too wet and in need of drainage not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
49.9 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.25 cu km/yr (55%/33%/12%)
per capita: 108 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east
People ::Latvia
Population:
2,231,503 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.3% (male 152,472/female 145,161)
15-64 years: 69.6% (male 756,469/female 797,505)
65 years and over: 17% (male 124,432/female 255,464) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.1 years
male: 37.1 years
female: 43.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.614% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 228
Birth rate:
9.78 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Death rate:
13.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Net migration rate:
-2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Urbanization:
urban population: 68% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: -0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 161 male: 10.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.15 years country comparison to the world: 119 male: 66.98 years
female: 77.59 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.3 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 100
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian
Ethnic groups:
Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)
Religions:
Lutheran 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%, unspecified 63.7% (2006)
Languages:
Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 14 years
female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 66
Government ::Latvia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia
local long form: Latvijas Republika
local short form: Latvija
former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Riga
geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons
Independence:
18 November 1918 (from the Soviet Russia)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 was the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution:
15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991; multiple amendments since
Legal system:
based on civil law system with traces of Socialist legal traditions and practices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (since 12 March 2009)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 May 2007 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by Parliament
election results: Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary vote - Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL 16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 6.9%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party - TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6; note - seats by party as of January 2009 - TP 21, SC 18, ZZS 17, JL 14, LPP/LC 10, Civic Union 7, TB/LNNK 5, PCTVL 5, independents 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by parliament); Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by parliament)
Political parties and leaders:
Civic Union [Sandra KALNIETE, Girts Valdis KRISTOVSKIS]; First Party of Latvia/Latvia's Way or LPP/LC [Ainars SLESERS, Ivars GODMANIS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS, Tatjana ZDANOKA]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS]; Harmony Center or SC [Nils USAKOVS, Janis URBANOVICS]; New Era Party or JL [Solvita ABOLTINA, Dzintars ZAKIS]; People's Party or TP [Mareks SEGLINS]; Society for Different Politics or SCP [Aigars STOKENBERGS; Artis PABRIKS]; The Union of Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia [Peteris KRIGERS], Employers' Confederation of Latvia [Elina EGLE], Farmers' Parliament [Juris LAZDINS]
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andrejs PILDEGOVICS
chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Bruce ROGERS
embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723
telephone: [371] 670-36200
FAX: [371] 678-20047
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
Economy ::Latvia
Economy - overview:
Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07; but entered a severe recession in 2008 as a result of an unsustainable current account deficit and large debt exposure amid the softening world economy. The IMF, EU, and other donors provided assistance to Latvia as part of an agreement to defend the currency's peg to the euro and reduce the fiscal deficit to about 5% of GDP. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit and inflation remain major concerns.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$38.95 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $40.83 billion (2007 est.)
$37.12 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$33.98 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-4.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 216 10% (2007 est.)
12.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$17,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $18,100 (2007 est.)
$16,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 22.7%
services: 74.2% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
1.193 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 12.1%
industry: 25.8%
services: 61.8% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 5.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 27.4% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36 (2005) country comparison to the world: 84 32 (1999)
Investment (gross fixed):
30.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23
Budget:
revenues: $12.06 billion
expenditures: $13.41 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
19.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 11.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 10.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 76 6% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.85% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$6.688 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 48 $8.196 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$5.572 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 64 $5.113 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$28.96 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 54 $27.56 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.609 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 91 $3.111 billion (31 December 2007)
$2.705 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Industries:
buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials
Industrial production growth rate:
-4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Electricity - production:
4.62 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
Electricity - consumption:
6.822 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99
Electricity - exports:
2.123 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
4.643 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Oil - consumption:
39,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103
Oil - exports:
5,873 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 103
Oil - imports:
43,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Natural gas - consumption:
2.05 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 76
Natural gas - imports:
2.05 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45
Current account balance:
-$4.492 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 -$6.485 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$9.634 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 $8.227 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Lithuania 15.5%, Russia 14.7%, Estonia 13.2%, Germany 7.7%, Sweden 6.2%, Denmark 4.3% (2008)
Imports:
$15.65 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $15.13 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners:
Lithuania 16.1%, Germany 12.9%, Russia 10.7%, Poland 7%, Estonia 7%, Sweden 4.4%, Finland 4.3% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.248 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $5.758 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$42.26 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 57 $38.95 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$11.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $9.779 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.083 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $782 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
lati (LVL) per US dollar - 0.4701 (2008 est.), 0.5162 (2007), 0.5597 (2006), 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004)
Communications ::Latvia
Telephones - main lines in use:
644,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 92
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.234 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 119
Telephone system:
general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephone service expands
domestic: number of telecommunications operators has grown rapidly since the fixed-line market opened to competition in 2003; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 125 per 100 persons
international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 62, shortwave 1 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
37 (plus 31 repeaters) (2008)
Internet country code:
.lv
Internet hosts:
257,414 (2009) country comparison to the world: 60
Internet users:
1.254 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 82
Transportation ::Latvia
Airports:
43 (2009) country comparison to the world: 100
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 20
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
under 914 m: 23 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 948 km; refined products 415 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 2,298 km country comparison to the world: 67 broad gauge: 2,265 km 1.520-m gauge
narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 69,675 km country comparison to the world: 68 paved: 69,675 km (2006)
Waterways:
300 km (2007) country comparison to the world: 93
Merchant marine:
total: 22 country comparison to the world: 95 by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 2 (Estonia 2)
registered in other countries: 118 (Antigua and Barbuda 13, Belize 12, Cambodia 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 1, Dominica 1, Jamaica 1, Liberia 21, Malta 19, Marshall Islands 16, Panama 8, Russia 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Riga, Ventspils
Military ::Latvia
Military branches:
National Armed Forces (Nacionalo Brunoto Speku): Ground Forces, Navy (Latvijas Juras Speki; includes Coast Guard (Latvijas Kara Flotes)), Latvian Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Speki), Border Guard, Latvian Home Guard (Latvijas Zemessardze) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 568,683
females age 16-49: 565,826 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 410,374
females age 16-49: 463,144 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 12,901
female: 12,497 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Transnational Issues ::Latvia
Disputes - international:
Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documentation in preparation; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules with Russia
Illicit drugs:
transshipment and destination point for cocaine, synthetic drugs, opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and neighboring Balkan countries; despite improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Lebanon (Middle East)
Introduction ::Lebanon
Background:
Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French separated out the region of Lebanon in 1920, and granted this area independence in 1943. A lengthy civil war (1975-1990) devastated the country, but Lebanon has since made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater voice in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, Lebanon has conducted several successful elections. Most militias have been disbanded, with the exception of Hizballah, designated by the US State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and Palestinian militant groups. During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in the Ta'if Accord Syria's troop deployment, numbering about 16,000 based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000 and the passage in September 2004 of UNSCR 1559 - a resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese affairs - encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI and 22 others in February 2005 led to massive demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar Revolution"), and Syria withdrew the remainder of its military forces in April 2005. In May-June 2005, Lebanon held its first legislative elections since the end of the civil war free of foreign interference, handing a majority to the bloc led by Saad HARIRI, the slain prime minister's son. In July 2006, Hizballah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers leading to a 34-day conflict with Israel in which approximately 1,200 Lebanese civilians were killed. UNSCR 1701 ended the war in August 2006, and Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deployed throughout the country for the first time in decades, charged with securing Lebanon's borders against weapons smuggling and maintaining a weapons-free zone in south Lebanon with the help of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The LAF in May-September 2007 battled Sunni extremist group Fatah al-Islam in the Nahr al-Barid Palestinian refugee camp, winning a decisive victory, but destroying the camp and displacing 30,000 Palestinian residents. Lebanese politicians in November 2007 were unable to agree on a successor to Emile LAHUD when he stepped down as president, creating a political vacuum until the election of Army Commander Michel SULAYMAN in May 2008 and the formation of a new unity government in July 2008.
Geography ::Lebanon
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Geographic coordinates:
33 50 N, 35 50 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 10,400 sq km country comparison to the world: 169 land: 10,230 sq km
water: 170 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total: 454 km
border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Coastline:
225 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
Terrain:
narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m
Natural resources:
limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 16.35%
permanent crops: 13.75%
other: 69.9% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,040 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
4.8 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.38 cu km/yr (33%/1%/67%)
per capita: 385 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity
People ::Lebanon
Population:
4,017,095 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.8% (male 528,047/female 506,838)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,294,485/female 1,399,047)
65 years and over: 7.2% (male 130,148/female 158,530) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.3 years
male: 28 years
female: 30.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.107% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
Birth rate:
17.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
Death rate:
6.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.82 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 99 male: 24.26 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.66 years country comparison to the world: 101 male: 71.15 years
female: 76.31 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 118
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
Nationality:
noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Lebanese
Ethnic groups:
Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians
Religions:
Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1.3%
note: 17 religious sects recognized
Languages:
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.4%
male: 93.1%
female: 82.2% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 153
Government ::Lebanon
Country name:
conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
conventional short form: Lebanon
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
local short form: Lubnan
former: Greater Lebanon
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Beirut
geographic coordinates: 33 52 N, 35 30 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beqaa, Beyrouth (Beirut), Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye
note: two new governorates - Aakar and Baalbek-Hermel - have been legislated but not yet implemented
Independence:
22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
Constitution:
23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989
Legal system:
mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education; excludes military personnel
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Michel SULAYMAN (since 25 May 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister Sa'ad AL-HARIRI (since 9 November 2009);Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since 9 November 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 25 May 2008 (next to be held in 2014); the prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly
election results: Michel SULAYMAN elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 for, 6 abstentions, 3 invalidated
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 7 June 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
election results: percent of vote by group - March 8 Coalition 54.7%, March 14 Coalition 45.3%; seats by group - March 14 Coalition 71; March 8 Coalition 57
Judicial branch:
four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime minister as needed)
Political parties and leaders:
14 March Coalition: Democratic Gathering Bloc [Walid JUNBLATT, leader of Progressive Socialist Party]; Democratic Left [Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad al-HARIRI]; Kataeb Party [Amine GEMAYEL]; Lebanese Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Tripoli Independent Bloc
8 March Coalition: Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, leader of Amal Movement]; Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc [Mohammad RA'AD] (includes Hizballah Party [Hassan NASRALLAH]); Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Syrian Ba'th Party [Sayez SHUKR]; Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSO]
Independent: Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Tashnaq
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Hizballah military wing
other: Palestinian militias; Maronite Christians; Sunnis and their militias; Shias and their militias
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine CHEDID
chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michele J. SISON
embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Awkar facing the Municipality)
mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070
telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600
FAX: [961] (4) 544136
Flag description:
three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in the white band
Economy ::Lebanon
Economy - overview:
Lebanon has a free-market economy and a strong laissez-faire commercial tradition. The government does not restrict foreign investment; however, the investment climate suffers from red tape, corruption, arbitrary licensing decisions, high taxes, tariffs, and fees, archaic legislation, and weak intellectual property rights. The Lebanese economy is service-oriented; main growth sectors include banking and tourism. The 1975-90 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. In the years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning national debt, the Rafiq HARIRI government in 2000 began an austerity program, reining in government expenditures, increasing revenue collection, and passing legislation to privatize state enterprises, but economic and financial reform initiatives stalled and public debt continued to grow despite receipt of more than $2 billion in bilateral assistance at the 2002 Paris II Donors Conference. The Israeli-Hizballah conflict in July-August 2006 caused an estimated $3.6 billion in infrastructure damage, and prompted international donors to pledge nearly $1 billion in recovery and reconstruction assistance. Donors met again in January 2007 at the Paris III Donor Conference and pledged more than $7.5 billion to Lebanon for development projects and budget support, conditioned on progress on Beirut's fiscal reform and privatization program. An 18-month political stalemate and sporadic sectarian and political violence hampered economic activity, particularly tourism, retail sales, and investment, until the new government was formed in July 2008. Political stability since the Doha Accord of May 2008 has helped to boost investment and tourism, but economic growth is likely to slow in 2009 as a result of the global economic recession.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$44.16 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $41.54 billion (2007 est.)
$39.95 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$29.35 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 4% (2007 est.)
-4.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $10,600 (2007 est.)
$10,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.1%
industry: 18.8%
services: 76.1% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
1.481 million country comparison to the world: 129 note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
9.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119
Population below poverty line:
28% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
22.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77
Budget:
revenues: $6.998 billion
expenditures: $9.955 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
160.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 177.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 4.2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 28 12% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.96% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 82 10.26% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$2.374 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$57.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$45.51 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$9.641 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 73 $10.86 billion (31 December 2007)
$8.279 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats
Industries:
banking, tourism, food processing, wine, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
9.03 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Electricity - consumption:
8.42 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
972 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146
Oil - consumption:
92,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
Oil - imports:
86,750 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 77
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Current account balance:
-$2.987 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 -$1.395 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$5.023 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $4.077 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
jewelry, base metals, chemicals, miscellaneous consumer goods, fruit and vegetables, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper
Exports - partners:
Syria 24.9%, UAE 12.9%, Switzerland 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 6.1%, Turkey 4.2% (2008)
Imports:
$16.25 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $11.93 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Syria 10.5%, France 9.5%, US 9.3%, Italy 7.3%, China 6.8%, Germany 4.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.8%, Turkey 4.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$28.28 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $20.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$33.28 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $31.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2008 est.), 1,507.5 (2007), 1,507.5 (2006), 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5 (2004)
Communications ::Lebanon
Telephones - main lines in use:
714,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 89
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.43 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 134
Telephone system:
general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system, severely damaged during the civil war, now complete
domestic: two wireless networks provide good service; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 50 per 100 persons
international: country code - 961; submarine cable links to Cyprus, Egypt, and Syria; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean); coaxial cable to Syria (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 20, FM 32 (plus about a dozen unlicensed stations operating), shortwave 4 (2007)
Television broadcast stations:
15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code:
.lb
Internet hosts:
45,352 (2009) country comparison to the world: 86
Internet users:
2.19 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 67
Transportation ::Lebanon
Airports:
7 (2009) country comparison to the world: 167
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 43 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 401 km country comparison to the world: 119 standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m
narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m
note: rail system unusable because of the damage done during fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2008)
Roadways:
total: 6,970 km (includes 170 km of expressways) (2005) country comparison to the world: 148
Merchant marine:
total: 33 country comparison to the world: 84 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 13, carrier 11, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 2
foreign-owned: 4 (Greece 2, Syria 2)
registered in other countries: 55 (Barbados 1, Cambodia 8, Comoros 4, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Georgia 4, Honduras 1, Italy 1, North Korea 1, Liberia 2, Malta 11, Mongolia 2, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Sierra Leone 1, Syria 3, Togo 1, unknown 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Beirut, Tripoli
Military ::Lebanon
Military branches:
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army (includes Navy), Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Lubnaniya) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,106,879
females age 16-49: 1,122,595 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 948,765
females age 16-49: 954,663 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 33,018
female: 31,800 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 45
Transnational Issues ::Lebanon
Disputes - international:
lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms area in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights; the roughly 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been in place since 1978
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 405,425 (Palestinian refugees (UNRWA)); 50,000-60,000 (Iraq)
IDPs: 17,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions); 200,000 (July-August 2006 war) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in 2002 despite continued significant cannabis consumption; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption; money laundering of drug proceeds fuels concern that extremists are benefiting from drug trafficking
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Lesotho (Africa)
Introduction ::Lesotho
Background:
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties continue to periodically demonstrate their distrust of the results.
Geography ::Lesotho
Location:
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
29 30 S, 28 30 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 30,355 sq km country comparison to the world: 141 land: 30,355 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 909 km
border countries: South Africa 909 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain:
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Natural resources:
water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
Land use:
arable land: 10.87%
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 89% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
5.2 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%)
per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level
People ::Lesotho
Population:
2,130,819 country comparison to the world: 142 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.8% (male 373,159/female 368,271)
15-64 years: 60.2% (male 629,346/female 654,054)
65 years and over: 5% (male 42,074/female 63,915) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.4 years
male: 20.9 years
female: 22 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.116% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Birth rate:
24.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 72
Death rate:
22.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Net migration rate:
-0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Urbanization:
urban population: 25% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 77.4 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 24 male: 81.75 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 72.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 40.38 years country comparison to the world: 221 male: 41.18 years
female: 39.54 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.06 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
23.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
270,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
18,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 24
Nationality:
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
adjective: Basotho
Ethnic groups:
Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Religions:
Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Languages:
Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.8%
male: 74.5%
female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 10 years
female: 10 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
13% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 2
Government ::Lesotho
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
conventional short form: Lesotho
local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
local short form: Lesotho
former: Basutoland
Government type:
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Maseru
geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Independence:
4 October 1966 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Constitution:
2 April 1993
Legal system:
based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile
head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution that came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: last held 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LCD 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4
Judicial branch:
High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional court
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP including the Lesotho People's Congress or LCP [Kelebone MAOPE], the Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE], and a faction of the Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotho Batho Democratic Party or BBDP; Basotho Congress Party or BCP; Basotho Democratic National Party or BDNP [Thabang NYEOE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justin Metsing LEKHANYA]; Basotholand African National Congress or BANC; Christian Democratic Party or CDP [Enerst RAMOKOENA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD (the governing party) [Pakalitha MOSISILI]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Thabang MATJAMA] (pushes for media freedom)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David Mohlomi RANTEKOA
chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert NOLAN
embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)
mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho
telephone: [266] 22 312666
FAX: [266] 22 310116
Flag description:
three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence
Economy ::Lesotho
Economy - overview:
Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 permitted the sale of water to South Africa and generated royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. In July 2007, Lesotho signed a Millennium Challenge Account Compact with the US worth $362.5 million.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.301 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 $3.091 billion (2007 est.)
$2.949 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.618 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 4.8% (2007 est.)
6.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 $1,500 (2007 est.)
$1,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15.1%
industry: 46.4%
services: 38.5% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
854,600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
industry and services: 14% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:
45% (2002) country comparison to the world: 190
Population below poverty line:
49% (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 39.4% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
63.2 (1995) country comparison to the world: 3 56 (1986-87)
Investment (gross fixed):
40.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Budget:
revenues: $825.1 million
expenditures: $758.7 million (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
14.05% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 12.82% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
16.19% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 50 14.13% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$416.5 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 98 $439.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$108.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 119 $160.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Industries:
food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
10% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Electricity - production:
502 million kWh country comparison to the world: 159 note: electricity supplied by South Africa (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
516.9 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
50 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 171
Oil - imports:
1,553 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 161
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Current account balance:
$121 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $211.8 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$956 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 $805 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners:
US 58.9%, Belgium 37%, Madagascar 1.2% (2008)
Imports:
$1.88 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 $1.604 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
China 35.5%, Hong Kong 22.1%, South Korea 19.1%, Germany 5.9%, Pakistan 4.6% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$993 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $874 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$619 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162 $689 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Communications ::Lesotho
Telephones - main lines in use:
65,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 156
Telephones - mobile cellular:
581,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 153
Telephone system:
general assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding
domestic: privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a subscribership exceeding 25 per 100 persons; rural services are scant
international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (2007)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2007)
Internet country code:
.ls
Internet hosts:
127 (2009) country comparison to the world: 197
Internet users:
73,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 163
Transportation ::Lesotho
Airports:
26 (2009) country comparison to the world: 126
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 18 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 7,091 km country comparison to the world: 147 paved: 1,404 km
unpaved: 5,687 km (2003)
Military ::Lesotho
Military branches:
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 525,203
females age 16-49: 522,485 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 267,083
females age 16-49: 240,868 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 26,039
female: 25,964 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 60
Military - note:
Lesotho's declared policy is maintenance of its independent sovereignty and preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; restructuring of the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) and Ministry of Defense and Public Service over the past five years has focused on subordinating the defense apparatus to civilian control and restoring the LDF's cohesion; the restructuring has considerably improved capabilities and professionalism, but the LDF is disproportionately large for a small, poor country; the government has outlined a reduction to a planned 1,500-man strength, but these plans have met with vociferous resistance from the political opposition and from inside the LDF (2008)
Transnational Issues ::Lesotho
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Liberia (Africa)
Introduction ::Liberia
Background:
Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) maintains a strong presence throughout the country, but the security situation is still fragile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country will take many years.
Geography ::Liberia
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:
6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 111,369 sq km country comparison to the world: 103 land: 96,320 sq km
water: 15,049 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km
Coastline:
579 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources:
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3.43%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 94.59% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
232 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.11 cu km/yr (27%/18%/55%)
per capita: 34 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Environment - current issues:
tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture
People ::Liberia
Population:
3,441,790 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.1% (male 760,989/female 758,554)
15-64 years: 53% (male 904,770/female 920,704)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 47,013/female 49,760) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 18 years
male: 17.9 years
female: 18.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.665% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 27
Birth rate:
42.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
Death rate:
20.73 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Net migration rate:
5.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
Urbanization:
urban population: 60% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 138.24 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 4 male: 153.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 122.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.84 years country comparison to the world: 218 male: 40.71 years
female: 43 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.79 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
35,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups:
indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)
Religions:
Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Languages:
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.5%
male: 73.3%
female: 41.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 8 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Liberia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Monrovia
geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe
Independence:
26 July 1847
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution:
6 January 1986
Legal system:
dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005 (next to be held in October 2011)
election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 59.6%, George WEAH 40.4%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; note - number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in October 2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in October 2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDC 15, LP 9, COTOL 8, UP 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15
note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH]; Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL [H. Varney SHERMAN]; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Roland MASSAQUOI]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: demobilized former military officers
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Milton Nathaniel BARNES
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD
embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 98, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [231] 7-705-4826
FAX: [231] 7-701-0370
Flag description:
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
Economy ::Liberia
Economy - overview:
Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, some have returned. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private investment. Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted, opening new sources of revenue for the government. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as infrastructure and power generation.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.531 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193 $1.43 billion (2007 est.)
$1.306 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$850 million (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 9.5% (2007 est.)
7.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 226 $400 (2007 est.)
$400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 76.9%
industry: 5.4%
services: 17.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70%
industry: 8%
services: 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
85% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 199
Population below poverty line:
80% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.4% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 15.05% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$145.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$49.89 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$1.157 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Industries:
rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
350 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Electricity - consumption:
325.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
Oil - exports:
23.37 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Oil - imports:
4,263 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 74
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Current account balance:
-$224 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 91
Exports:
$1.197 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 148
Exports - commodities:
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
Exports - partners:
India 26.5%, US 17.9%, Poland 13.9%, Germany 10.1%, Belgium 6.8% (2008)
Imports:
$7.143 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 103
Imports - commodities:
fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
South Korea 27.2%, Singapore 25.5%, Japan 11.8%, China 11% (2008)
Debt - external:
$3.2 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 121
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$124.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)
Communications ::Liberia
Telephones - main lines in use:
2,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 224
Telephones - mobile cellular:
732,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 148
Telephone system:
general assessment: the limited services available are found almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia; coverage extended to a number of other towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular network operators
domestic: fixed line service stagnant and extremely limited; mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity exceeding 20 per 100 persons
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2007)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2007)
Internet country code:
.lr
Internet hosts:
5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 226
Internet users:
20,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 190
Transportation ::Liberia
Airports:
33 (2009) country comparison to the world: 112
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 18 (2009)
Railways:
total: 429 km country comparison to the world: 118 standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge
note: most sections of the railway are inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003 (2008)
Roadways:
total: 10,600 km country comparison to the world: 137 paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 2,204 country comparison to the world: 2 by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 390, cargo 107, chemical tanker 241, combination ore/oil 7, container 750, liquefied gas 84, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 460, refrigerated cargo 103, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 36
foreign-owned: 2,109 (Argentina 3, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Canada 7, China 11, Croatia 2, Cyprus 63, Denmark 12, Estonia 1, France 5, Germany 849, Gibraltar 5, Greece 358, Hong Kong 44, India 2, Indonesia 2, Isle of Man 5, Israel 23, Italy 41, Japan 116, South Korea 3, Latvia 21, Lebanon 2, Mexico 2, Monaco 8, Netherlands 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 40, Poland 13, Qatar 4, Romania 2, Russia 94, Saudi Arabia 27, Singapore 32, Slovenia 3, Sweden 10, Switzerland 13, Taiwan 91, Turkey 7, Ukraine 25, UAE 23, UK 20, US 98, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Buchanan, Monrovia
Military ::Liberia
Military branches:
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 729,813
females age 16-49: 741,223 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 387,417
females age 16-49: 382,334 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 34,059
female: 33,281 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Transnational Issues ::Liberia
Disputes - international:
although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of 18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January 2007, Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 12,600 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in November 2004) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Libya (Africa)
Introduction ::Libya
Background:
The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI began to espouse his own political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. During the 1990s, QADHAFI began to rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in September 2003 after Libya accepted responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing. In December 2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction and to renounce terrorism. QADHAFI has made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to Brussels in April 2004. The US rescinded Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in June 2006. In January 2008, Libya assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term. In August 2008, the US and Libya signed a bilateral comprehensive claims settlement agreement to compensate claimants in both countries who allege injury or death at the hands of the other country, including the Lockerbie bombing, the LaBelle disco bombing, and the UTA 772 bombing. In October 2008, the US Government received $1.5 billion pursuant to the agreement to distribute to US national claimants, and as a result effectively normalized its bilateral relationship with Libya. The two countries then exchanged ambassadors for the first time since 1973 in January 2009.
Geography ::Libya
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:
25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,759,540 sq km country comparison to the world: 17 land: 1,759,540 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 4,348 km
border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline:
1,770 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north
exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain:
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use:
arable land: 1.03%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 98.78% (2005)
Irrigated land:
4,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.6 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 4.27 cu km/yr (14%/3%/83%)
per capita: 730 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues:
desertification; limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert
People ::Libya
Population:
6,310,434 country comparison to the world: 105 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 1,064,866/female 1,019,790)
15-64 years: 62.7% (male 2,033,478/female 1,920,755)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 133,092/female 138,453) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.9 years
male: 24 years
female: 23.8 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.17% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 46
Birth rate:
25.15 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
Death rate:
3.45 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 214
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 78% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 102 male: 23.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.26 years country comparison to the world: 57 male: 74.98 years
female: 79.65 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.08 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 101
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Libyan(s)
adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups:
Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3%
Languages:
Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.6%
male: 92.4%
female: 72% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 152
Government ::Libya
Country name:
conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
conventional short form: Libya
local long form: Al Jamahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uthma
local short form: none
Government type:
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state
Capital:
name: Tripoli (Tarabulus)
geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions
Independence:
24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
Constitution:
none; note - following the September 1969 military overthrow of the Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in December 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the Establishment of the People's Authority
Legal system:
based on Italian and French civil law systems and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and technically compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006)
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress
elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held March 2006 (next to be held March 2009)
election results: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral General People's Congress (760 seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: Arab nationalist movements; anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile Movement; Islamic elements
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ali Suleiman AUJALI
chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601
FAX: [1] (202) 944-9060
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gene A. CRETZ
embassy: off Jaraba Street, behind the Libyan-Swiss clinic, Ben Ashour
mailing address: US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC 20521-8850
telephone: [218] 91-220-3239
Flag description:
plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)
Economy ::Libya
Economy - overview:
The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, about one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. The expected weakness in world hydrocarbon prices throughout 2009 will reduce Libyan government tax income and constrain Libyan economic growth in 2009. Substantial revenues from the energy sector coupled with a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan officials in the past five years have made progress on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of mass destruction. UN Sanctions against Libya were lifted in September 2003. The process of lifting US unilateral sanctions began in the spring of 2004; all sanctions were removed by June 2006, helping Libya attract greater foreign direct investment, especially in the energy sector. Libyan oil and gas licensing rounds continue to draw high international interest; the National Oil Company set a goal of nearly doubling oil production to 3 million bbl/day by 2012. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for more than 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. Libya's primary agricultural water source remains the Great Manmade River Project, but significant resources are being invested in desalinization research to meet growing water demands.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$87.72 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $82.83 billion (2007 est.)
$78.44 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$89.92 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 5.6% (2007 est.)
5.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$14,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $13,700 (2007 est.)
$13,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.7%
industry: 70.9%
services: 27.4% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
1.64 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 17%
industry: 23%
services: 59% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Population below poverty line:
7.4% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
9.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147
Budget:
revenues: $58.04 billion
expenditures: $35.22 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 8.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 6.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 125 4% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.41% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 132 6% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$26.66 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 30 $18.04 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.264 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 73 $3.192 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle
Industries:
petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
6.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Electricity - production:
23.98 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
Electricity - consumption:
22.17 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Electricity - exports:
104 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
77 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
1.875 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
Oil - consumption:
273,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49
Oil - exports:
1.542 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Oil - imports:
575.3 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Oil - proved reserves:
43.66 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Natural gas - production:
15.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34
Natural gas - consumption:
5.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Natural gas - exports:
10.4 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 20
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.54 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22
Current account balance:
$37.39 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $28.45 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$64.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $46.97 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals
Exports - partners:
Italy 38%, Germany 12%, France 7.4%, Spain 6.9%, US 6.4%, Switzerland 4.6% (2008)
Imports:
$26.55 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $17.7 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer products
Imports - partners:
Italy 22.2%, China 9.3%, Germany 8.6%, Turkey 6.1%, Tunisia 5.8%, South Korea 4.7%, US 4.1%, France 4.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$92.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $79.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$6.223 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $4.837 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$11.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $8.775 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$5.15 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 $3.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar - 1.2112 (2008 est.), 1.2604 (2007), 1.3108 (2006), 1.3084 (2005), 1.305 (2004)
Communications ::Libya
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.033 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 79
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.828 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 90
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications system is state-owned and service is poor, but investment is being made to upgrade; state retains monopoly in fixed-line services; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996; multiple providers for a mobile telephone system that is growing rapidly; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is approaching 100 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations
international: country code - 218; 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 (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
12 (plus 1 repeater) (1999)
Internet country code:
.ly
Internet hosts:
11,751 (2009) country comparison to the world: 115
Internet users:
323,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 123
Transportation ::Libya
Airports:
137 (2009) country comparison to the world: 41
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 59
over 3,047 m: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 78
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 41
under 914 m: 17 (2009)
Heliports:
2 (2009)
Pipelines:
condensate 776 km; gas 2,860 km; oil 6,987 km (2008)
Roadways:
total: 100,024 km country comparison to the world: 41 paved: 57,214 km
unpaved: 42,810 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
total: 17 country comparison to the world: 101 by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Syria 2)
registered in other countries: 3 (Malta 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf, Tripoli, Zawiyah
Military ::Libya
Military branches:
Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan Arab Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriya al-Arabia al-Libyya, LAAF), Libyan Coast Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,682,183
females age 16-49: 1,611,001 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,466,578
females age 16-49: 1,409,684 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 60,710
female: 58,219 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 29
Transnational Issues ::Libya
Disputes - international:
Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in the Tommo region of Niger in a currently dormant dispute; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 8,000 (Palestinian Territories) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Libya is a transit and destination country for men and women from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Libya is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking in persons in 2007 when compared to 2006, particularly in the area of investigating and prosecuting trafficking offenses; Libya did not publicly release any data on investigations or punishment of any trafficking offenses (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Liechtenstein (Europe)
Introduction ::Liechtenstein
Background:
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and Russian troops during the Napoleanic wars, it became a sovereign state in 1806 and joined the Germanic Confederation in 1815. Liechtenstein became fully independent in 1866 when the Confederation dissolved. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. In 2000, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money-laundering legislation and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US that went into effect in 2003.
Geography ::Liechtenstein
Location:
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates:
47 16 N, 9 32 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 160 sq km country comparison to the world: 218 land: 160 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km
Coastline:
0 km (doubly landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Terrain:
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m
Natural resources:
hydroelectric potential, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
People ::Liechtenstein
Population:
34,761 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 210
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.6% (male 2,877/female 2,901)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 11,917/female 12,220)
65 years and over: 13.9% (male 2,085/female 2,761) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 41 years
male: 40.4 years
female: 41.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.702% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Birth rate:
9.75 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Death rate:
7.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Net migration rate:
4.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23
Urbanization:
urban population: 14% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 205 male: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.06 years country comparison to the world: 22 male: 76.59 years
female: 83.53 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.52 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 185
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein
Ethnic groups:
Liechtensteiner 65.6%, other 34.4% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)
Languages:
German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 16 years
female: 13 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Liechtenstein
Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein
local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
local short form: Liechtenstein
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Vaduz
geographic coordinates: 47 08 N, 9 31 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence:
23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)
National holiday:
Assumption Day, 15 August
Constitution:
5 October 1921; amended 15 September 2003
Legal system:
local civil and penal codes based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August 2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
head of government: Head of Government Klaus TSCHUTSCHER (since 25 March 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a coalition government
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 February 2009 (next to be held February 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - VU 47.6%, FBP 43.5%, FL 8.9%; seats by party - VU 13, FBP 11, FL 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht
Political parties and leaders:
Die Freie Liste (The Free List) or FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT]; Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei (Progressive Citizens' Party) or FBP [Marcus VOGT]; Vaterlaendische Union (Fatherland Union) or VU [Adolf HEEB]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
chancery: 2900 K Street, NW, Suite 602B, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590
FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band; the colors may derive from the blue and red livery design used in the principality's household in the 18th century; the prince's crown was introduced in 1937 to distinguish the flag from that of Haiti
Economy ::Liechtenstein
Economy - overview:
Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and the highest per capita income in the world. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe. In 2008 Liechtenstein came under renewed international pressure - particularly from Germany - to improve transparency in its banking and tax systems.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.16 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 165 $4.035 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.993 billion (2007)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 121
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$118,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 39%
services: 54% (2007)
Labor force:
32,440 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (2007) country comparison to the world: 194
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1.7%
industry: 43.5%
services: 55.4% (31 December 2006)
Unemployment rate:
1.5% (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 11 1.3% (September 2002)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million (1998 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2001) country comparison to the world: 8
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Industries:
electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Exports:
$2.47 billion
Exports - commodities:
small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products
Imports:
$917.3 million
Imports - commodities:
agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
Debt - external:
$0 (2001) country comparison to the world: 203
Exchange rates:
Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.0774 (2008 est.), 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004)
Communications ::Liechtenstein
Telephones - main lines in use:
19,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 195
Telephones - mobile cellular:
34,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 201
Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: fixed line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined telephone service subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons
international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)
Internet country code:
.li
Internet hosts:
9,287 (2009) country comparison to the world: 118
Internet users:
23,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 187
Transportation ::Liechtenstein
Pipelines:
gas 20 km (2008)
Railways:
9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2008)
Roadways:
total: 380 km country comparison to the world: 198 paved: 380 km (2007)
Waterways:
28 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 107
Military ::Liechtenstein
Military branches:
no regular military forces (constitutionally prohibited); Principality of Liechtenstein National Police (Landespolizei, LP) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,102 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,584
females age 16-49: 6,801 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 199
female: 222 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
Liechtenstein has no military forces, but is interested in European security policy and is an active member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
Transnational Issues ::Liechtenstein
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
has strengthened money laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore financial services sector
page last updated on November 4, 2009
======================================================================
@Lithuania (Europe)
Introduction ::Lithuania
Background:
Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended its territory to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through the person of a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795, when its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries. Lithuania regained its independence following World War I but was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography ::Lithuania
Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates:
56 00 N, 24 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 65,300 sq km country comparison to the world: 122 land: 62,680 sq km
water: 2,620 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,574 km
border countries: Belarus 680 km, Latvia 576 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km
Coastline:
90 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
Terrain:
lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Juozapines Kalnas 294 m
Natural resources:
peat, arable land, amber
Land use:
arable land: 44.81%
permanent crops: 0.9%
other: 54.29% (2005)
Irrigated land:
70 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
24.5 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3.33 cu km/yr (78%/15%/7%)
per capita: 971 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits
People ::Lithuania
Population:
3,555,179 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.2% (male 258,423/female 245,115)
15-64 years: 69.6% (male 1,214,743/female 1,261,413)
65 years and over: 16.2% (male 198,714/female 376,771) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.3 years
male: 36.8 years
female: 41.9 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.279% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 221
Birth rate:
9.11 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 208
Death rate:
11.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45
Net migration rate:
-0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
Urbanization:
urban population: 67% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: -0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 176 male: 7.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.9 years country comparison to the world: 86 male: 69.98 years
female: 80.1 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.23 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 215
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Lithuanian(s)
adjective: Lithuanian
Ethnic groups:
Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)
Languages:
Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.6% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 15 years
female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 72
Government ::Lithuania
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
conventional short form: Lithuania
local long form: Lietuvos Respublika
local short form: Lietuva
former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Vilnius
geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus
Independence:
11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 was the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution:
adopted 25 October 1992; last amended 13 July 2004
Legal system:
based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE (since 12 July 2009)
head of government: Prime Minister Andrius KUBILIUS (since 27 November 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 17 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014); prime minister appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament
election results: Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE elected president; percent of vote - Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE 69.1%, Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS 11.8%, Valentinas MAZURONIS 6.2%, others 12.9%; Andrius KUBILIUS' government approved by Parliament 83-40 with 5 abstentions
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members are elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 and 26 October 2008 (next to be held October 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - TS-LKD 19.7%, TPP 15.1%, TT 12.7%, LSDP 11.7%, KDP+J 9%, LRLS 5.7%, LCS 5.3%, LLRA 4.8%, LVLS 3.7%, NS 3.6%, other 8.7%; seats by faction - TS-LKD 44, LSDP 26, TPP 16, TT 15, LRLS 11, KDP+J 10, LCS 8, LLRA 3, LVLS 3, NS 1, independent 4
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Civil Democracy Party or PDP [Viktor MUNTIANAS]; Coalition of Labor Party and Youth or KDP+J [Viktor USPASKICH]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI]; Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS-LKD [Andrius KUBILIUS]; Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union or LVLS [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE]; Liberal and Center Union or LCS [Arturas ZUOKAS]; Liberal Movement or LRLS [Eligijus MASIULIS]; National Revival or TPP [Arunas VALINSKAS]; New Union (Social Liberal) or NS [Arturas PAULAUSKAS]; Order and Justice Party or TT [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Social Democratic Party or LSDP [Gediminas KIRKILAS]; Young Lithuania and New Nationalists [Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Europe House (promotes the EU); European Movement (promotes the EU); Lithuanian Future Forum (promotes the EU)
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Audrius BRUZGA
chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860
FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John A. CLOUD
embassy: Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106
mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106
telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500
FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red
Economy ::Lithuania
Economy - overview:
Lithuania's economy grew on average 8% per year for the four years prior to 2008, driven by exports and domestic consumer demand. Unemployment stood at 4.8% in 2008, while wages grew at double digit rates. The current account deficit rose to roughly 15% of GDP in 2007-08. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Despite Lithuania's EU accession, Lithuania's trade with its Central and Eastern European neighbors, and Russia in particular, accounts for a growing percentage of total trade. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities is nearly complete. Foreign government and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$63.37 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $61.52 billion (2007 est.)
$56.49 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$47.3 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 8.9% (2007 est.)
7.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$17,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $17,200 (2007 est.)
$15,800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.5%
industry: 32.2%
services: 63.3% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
1.614 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 29.1%
services: 56.9% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 3.5% (2007 est.)
note: based on survey data, official registered unemployment of 5.7%
Population below poverty line:
4% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 27.4% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36 (2005) country comparison to the world: 85 34 (1999)
Investment (gross fixed):
24.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Budget:
revenues: $15.15 billion
expenditures: $16.66 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
15.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 25.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 5.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.73% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 109 4.85% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.29% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 122 6.86% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$9.519 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 45 $11.84 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$8.419 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 57 $6.917 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$29.21 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $25.05 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$3.625 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 74 $10.13 billion (31 December 2007)
$10.19 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish
Industries:
metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, amber jewelry
Industrial production growth rate:
1.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Electricity - production:
12.09 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Electricity - consumption:
9.612 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Electricity - exports:
6.606 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
5.649 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
8,247 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Oil - consumption:
73,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Oil - exports:
137,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Oil - imports:
204,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48
Oil - proved reserves:
12 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Natural gas - consumption:
3.53 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 75
Natural gas - imports:
3.53 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Current account balance:
-$5.629 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159 -$5.692 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$23.74 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $17.16 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001)
Exports - partners:
Russia 16%, Latvia 11.6%, Germany 7.2%, Poland 5.8%, Estonia 5.7%, France 4.9%, UK 4.7%, Denmark 4.7%, Belarus 4.5% (2008)
Imports:
$29.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $23.04 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
mineral products, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals
Imports - partners:
Russia 30.1%, Germany 11.8%, Poland 10%, Latvia 5.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$6.441 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $7.721 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$32.47 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 63 $30.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$12.85 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 $15.06 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.985 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 $1.65 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
litai (LTL) per US dollar - 2.3251 (2008 est.), 2.5362 (2007), 2.7498 (2006), 2.774 (2005), 2.7806 (2004)
Communications ::Lithuania
Telephones - main lines in use:
784,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 88
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.023 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 87
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate; being modernized to provide improved international capability and better residential access
domestic: rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services has resulted in a steady decline in the number of main line subscriptions; mobile-cellular teledensity has increased to about 140 per 100 persons while fixed-line teledensity has dropped to 22 per 100 persons
international: country code - 370; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite; landline connections to Latvia and Poland (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
44 (may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations) (2008)
Internet country code:
.lt
Internet hosts:
885,064 (2009) country comparison to the world: 39
Internet users:
1.777 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 72
Transportation ::Lithuania
Airports:
87 (2009) country comparison to the world: 67
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 32
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 19 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 55
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 51 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 1,695 km; refined products 114 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 1,765 km country comparison to the world: 78 broad gauge: 1,743 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 80,715 km country comparison to the world: 57 paved: 71,301 km (includes 309 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,414 km (2007)
Waterways:
441 km (2007) country comparison to the world: 86
Merchant marine:
total: 45 country comparison to the world: 73 by type: cargo 23, container 2, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 13
foreign-owned: 6 (Denmark 5, Ukraine 1)
registered in other countries: 28 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Cook Islands 1, North Korea 1, Malta 1, Norway 1, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, unknown 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Klaipeda
Military ::Lithuania
Military branches:
Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (Karines Oro Pajegos, KOP), National Defense Volunteer Forces (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
19-26 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation; male registration required at age 16 (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 915,187
females age 16-49: 906,097 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 677,689
females age 16-49: 743,468 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 23,556
female: 22,404 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Transnational Issues ::Lithuania
Disputes - international:
Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as a EU member state having an external border with a non-EU member, to strict Schengen border rules; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over potential hydrocarbons; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documents in preparation
Illicit drugs:
transshipment and destination point for cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, and opiates from Southwest Asia, Latin America, Western Europe, and neighboring Baltic countries; growing production of high-quality amphetamines, but limited production of cannabis, methamphetamines; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking legislation
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Luxembourg (Europe)
Introduction ::Luxembourg
Background:
Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.
Geography ::Luxembourg
Location:
Western Europe, between France and Germany
Geographic coordinates:
49 45 N, 6 10 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 2,586 sq km country comparison to the world: 178 land: 2,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
Terrain:
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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m
Natural resources:
iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land
Land use:
arable land: 27.42%
permanent crops: 0.69%
other: 71.89% (includes Belgium) (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
1.6 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.06 cu km/yr (42%/45%/13%)
per capita: 121 cu m/yr (1999)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world
People ::Luxembourg
Population:
491,775 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.5% (male 46,918/female 44,052)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 165,342/female 162,681)
65 years and over: 14.8% (male 29,839/female 42,943) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.2 years
male: 38.2 years
female: 40.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.172% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Birth rate:
11.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170
Death rate:
8.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
Net migration rate:
8.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
Urbanization:
urban population: 82% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 199 male: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.33 years country comparison to the world: 31 male: 76.07 years
female: 82.81 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 96
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 152
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Nationality:
noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg
Ethnic groups:
Luxembourger 63.1%, Portuguese 13.3%, French 4.5%, Italian 4.3%, German 2.3%, other EU 7.3%, other 5.2% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000)
Languages:
Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 131
Government ::Luxembourg
Country name:
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg
local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg
local short form: Luxembourg
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Luxembourg
geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
Independence:
1839 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday:
National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June; note - the actual date of birth was 23 January 1896, but the festivities were shifted by five months to allow observance during a more favorable time of year
Constitution:
17 October 1868; occasional revisions
Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 20 January 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch
elections: the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies
note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP
Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 7 June 2009 (next to be held by June 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 38%, LSAP 21.6%, DP 15%, Green Party 11.7%, ADR 8.1%, The Left 3.3%, other 2.3%; seats by party - CSV 26, LSAP 13, DP 9, Green Party 7, ADR 4, The Left 1
note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister
Judicial branch:
judicial courts and tribunals (three Justices of the Peace, two district courts, and one Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch
Political parties and leaders:
Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Robert MEHLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Francois BILTGEN]; Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left); Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); Greenpeace (environment protection); LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union)
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-Paul SENNINGER
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171 through 72
FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ann WAGNER
embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City
mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
telephone: [352] 46 01 23
FAX: [352] 46 14 01
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; the coloring is derived from the Grand Duke's coat of arms (a red lion on a white and blue striped field)
Economy ::Luxembourg
Economy - overview:
This stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - has historically featured solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, suffered from the global economic slump in the early part of this decade, the country continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per capita ranks third in the world, after Liechtenstein and Qatar. After two years of strong economic growth in 2006-07, turmoil in the world financial markets trimmed Luxembourg's economy in 2008.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$39.47 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 $39.84 billion (2007 est.)
$37.87 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$54.97 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-0.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205 5.2% (2007 est.)
6.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$81,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $83,000 (2007 est.)
$79,800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 13.6%
services: 86% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
206,000 of whom 125,400 are foreign cross-border workers commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 17.2%
services: 80.6% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 4.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 23.8% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2005) country comparison to the world: 126
Investment (gross fixed):
20.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106
Budget:
revenues: $22.42 billion
expenditures: $21 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
10.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 6.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 2.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 107 5% (31 December 2007)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Stock of money:
$NA
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
$NA
Stock of domestic credit:
$369.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 $100.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 $166.1 billion (31 December 2007)
$79.52 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy products, livestock products
Industries:
banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
1.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Electricity - production:
2.696 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130
Electricity - consumption:
6.525 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 100
Electricity - exports:
2.483 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
6.83 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Oil - consumption:
59,140 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93
Oil - exports:
168 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Oil - imports:
60,030 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
Natural gas - consumption:
1.255 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 160
Natural gas - imports:
1.255 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Current account balance:
$2.979 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $4.928 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$21.43 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $18.26 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass
Exports - partners:
Germany 21.8%, France 17.4%, Belgium 10%, Italy 6.9%, UK 6.5%, Netherlands 6%, Spain 4.9% (2008)
Imports:
$27.73 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $23.09 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods
Imports - partners:
Belgium 28%, Germany 24%, China 18.9%, France 10%, Netherlands 4.8% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$397.8 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $205.5 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.02 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 10 $NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$11.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Communications ::Luxembourg
Telephones - main lines in use:
260,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 118
Telephones - mobile cellular:
707,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 149
Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: fixed line teledensity over 50 per 100 persons; nationwide cellular telephone system with market for mobile-cellular phones virtually saturated
international: country code - 352 (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (1999)
Internet country code:
.lu
Internet hosts:
220,107 (2009) country comparison to the world: 62
Internet users:
387,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 113
Transportation ::Luxembourg
Airports:
2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 208
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 155 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 275 km country comparison to the world: 125 standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 5,227 km country comparison to the world: 152 paved: 5,227 km (includes 147 km of expressways) (2004)
Waterways:
37 km (on Moselle River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 106
Merchant marine:
total: 45 country comparison to the world: 74 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 3, chemical tanker 15, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 9
foreign-owned: 44 (Belgium 7, Denmark 1, France 17, Germany 5, Netherlands 2, UK 8, US 4)
registered in other countries: 1 (Ukraine 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Mertert
Military ::Luxembourg
Military branches:
Army (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
17-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions; no conscription; Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 116,305
females age 16-49: 114,566 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 95,840
females age 16-49: 94,641 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 3,170
female: 2,995 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Transnational Issues ::Luxembourg
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Macau (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Macau
Background:
Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on 20 December 1999. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be practiced in Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Geography ::Macau
Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates:
22 10 N, 113 33 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 28.2 sq km country comparison to the world: 235 land: 28.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 0.34 km
regional border: China 0.34 km
Coastline:
41 km
Maritime claims:
not specified
Climate:
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Terrain:
generally flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
typhoons
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)
Geography - note:
essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges
People ::Macau
Population:
559,846 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.1% (male 47,853/female 42,019)
15-64 years: 76.2% (male 199,593/female 227,010)
65 years and over: 7.7% (male 20,245/female 23,126) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 35.2 years
male: 35.9 years
female: 34.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.995% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Birth rate:
8.88 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 213
Death rate:
3.5 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 213
Net migration rate:
14.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
Urbanization:
urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.22 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 219 male: 3.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 84.36 years country comparison to the world: 1 male: 81.39 years
female: 87.47 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
0.91 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 223
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups:
Chinese 94.3%, other 5.7% (includes Macanese - mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) (2006 census)
Religions:
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none or other 35% (1997 est.)
Languages:
Cantonese 85.7%, Hokkien 4%, Mandarin 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 2.7%, English 1.5%, Tagalog 1.3%, other 1.6% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3%
male: 95.3%
female: 87.8% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 16 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.4% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 160
Government ::Macau
Country name:
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Macau
local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
Dependency status:
special administrative region of China
Government type:
limited democracy
Administrative divisions:
none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)
Independence:
none (special administrative region of China)
National holiday:
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Constitution:
Basic Law, approved on 31 March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"
Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system
Suffrage:
direct election 18 years of age for some non-executive positions, 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
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of 1 government secretary, 3 legislators, 4 businessmen, 1 pro-Beijing unionist, and 1 pro-Beijing educator
elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 26 July 2009 (next to be held on in July 2014)
election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected with 296 votes in 2004 election; Fernando CHUI Sai-on elected in 2009 with 282 votes, takes office on 20 December 2009
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 members elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held on 20 September 2009)
election results: percent of vote - New Democratic Macau Association 18.8%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16.6%, Union for Development 13.3%, Union for Promoting Progress 9.6%, Macau Development Alliance 9.3%, others 32.4%; seats by political group - New Democratic Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens' Association 2, Union for Development 2, Union for Promoting Progress 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, New Hope 1, Convergence for Development 1, General Union for the Good of Macau 1; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive
Judicial branch:
Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders:
New Hope [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; Union for Promoting Progress [LEONG Heng-teng]
note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Civic Power [Agnes LAM Lok-fong]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO]; Macau Worker's Union [HO Heng-kuok]; Roman Catholic Church; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]
International organization participation:
IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WFTU, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau
Flag description:
light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in the center of the arc and two smaller on either side; the lotus is the floral emblem of Macau, the three petals represent the peninsula and two islands that make up Macau; the five stars echo those on the flag of China
Economy ::Macau
Economy - overview:
Macau's economy has enjoyed strong growth in recent years on the back of its expanding tourism and gaming sectors. After opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, the territory attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment, transforming Macao into the world's largest gaming center. By 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for 75% of total government revenue. In 2008, government revenue from gaming was set to double 2006 collections. The expanding casino sector, and China's decision beginning in 2002 to relax travel restrictions, reenergized Macau's tourism industry. This city of just over 500,000 hosted more than 30 million visitors in 2008. Almost 60% came from mainland China despite increasing restrictions on travel to the SAR. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has been in a slow decline since the termination of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. In 2008, exports of textiles and garments generated only $1.1 billion, compared to $13.7 billion in gross gaming receipts. The Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free access to the mainland. Macau's currency, the Pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely accepted in the territory.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$18.14 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 $12.5 billion (2006)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$22.04 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
15% (2008) country comparison to the world: 2 16.6% (2006)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$30,000 (2007) country comparison to the world: 45 $28,400 (2006)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 2.8%
services: 97.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
337,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157
Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 7.4%, construction 12.6%, transport and communications 5%, wholesale and retail trade 12.5%, restaurants and hotels 12.7%, gambling 14%, public sector 6%, financial services 2.1%, other services and agriculture 27.7% (2008 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3% (2008) country comparison to the world: 33 3.1% (2006)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $6.2 billion
expenditures: $2.9 billion (2008)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.2% (December 2008) country comparison to the world: 105 7.2% (2006)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.43% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$1.591 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 $1.16 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$22.15 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 $21.91 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$11.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 68 $NA (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$2.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$NA (31 December 2007)
$413.1 million (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:
only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the catch is exported to Hong Kong
Industries:
tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
1.106 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
Electricity - consumption:
3.311 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
2.215 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169
Oil - consumption:
16,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152
Oil - imports:
5,027 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162
Natural gas - consumption:
81.6 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 158
Natural gas - imports:
81.9 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65
Natural gas - proved reserves:
300,000 cu m (1 January 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103
Exports:
$2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $2.557 billion (2006 est.); note - includes reexports
Exports - commodities:
clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts
Exports - partners:
US 39.9%, Hong Kong 19.7%, China 12.3%, Germany 4% (2008)
Imports:
$5.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $4.559 billion (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils
Imports - partners:
China 39.3%, Hong Kong 10.1%, Japan 8.5%, US 5.5%, France 5.3%, Switzerland 4.7% (2008)
Debt - external:
$0 (2006) country comparison to the world: 205
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$7.9 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 82 $6.5 billion (2006)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.9 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 65 $1.1 billion (2006)
Exchange rates:
patacas (MOP) per US dollar - 8.011 (2007), 8.0015 (2006), 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003)
Communications ::Macau
Telephones - main lines in use:
173,533 (2009) country comparison to the world: 127
Telephones - mobile cellular:
993,545 (2009) country comparison to the world: 145
Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: termination of monopoly over mobile-cellular telephone services in 2001 spurred sharp increase in subscriptions with mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 180 per 100 persons in 2008; fixed-line subscribership appears to have peaked and is now in decline
international: country code - 853; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; HF radiotelephone communication facility; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2009)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2008)
Internet country code:
.mo
Internet hosts:
244 (2009) country comparison to the world: 183
Internet users:
259,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 130
Transportation ::Macau
Airports:
1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 221
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)
Heliports:
2 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 404 km country comparison to the world: 196 paved: 404 km (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Macau
Military ::Macau
Military branches:
no regular military forces; defense is the responsibility of China (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 121,825 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 122,962
females age 16-49: 148,809 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 4,578
female: 4,052 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of China
Transnational Issues ::Macau
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China; consumer of opiates and amphetamines
page last updated on November 10, 2009
======================================================================
@Macedonia (Europe)
Introduction ::Macedonia
Background:
Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue. Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led to the internationally-brokered Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of minorities. Fully implementing the Framework Agreement and stimulating economic growth and development continue to be challenges for Macedonia, although progress has been made on both fronts over the past several years.
Geography ::Macedonia
Location:
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Geographic coordinates:
41 50 N, 22 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 25,713 sq km country comparison to the world: 149 land: 25,433 sq km
water: 280 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Vermont
Land boundaries:
total: 766 km
border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Kosovo 159 km, Serbia 62 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
Terrain:
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m
Natural resources:
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 22.01%
permanent crops: 1.79%
other: 76.2% (2005)
Irrigated land:
550 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
6.4 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.27
per capita: 1,118 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
high seismic risks
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe
People ::Macedonia
Population:
2,066,718 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.2% (male 206,054/female 191,354)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 722,823/female 710,830)
65 years and over: 11.4% (male 102,231/female 133,426) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 35.1 years
male: 34.1 years
female: 36.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.262% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Birth rate:
11.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Death rate:
8.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Net migration rate:
-0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112
Urbanization:
urban population: 67% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.01 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 157 male: 9.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.68 years country comparison to the world: 88 male: 72.18 years
female: 77.38 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.58 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Nationality:
noun: Macedonian(s)
adjective: Macedonian
Ethnic groups:
Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)
Religions:
Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)
Languages:
Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.1%
male: 98.2%
female: 94.1% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.5% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 130
Government ::Macedonia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form: Macedonia
local long form: Republika Makedonija
local short form: Makedonija
note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (FYROM)
former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Skopje
geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 21 26 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
84 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer Sandevo, Debar, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Gjorce Petrov) (Skopje), Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rostusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci
note: the 10 municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute the larger Skopje Municipality
Independence:
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:
Ilinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day
Constitution:
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 and in 2005
note: amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary
Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Gjorge IVANOV (since 12 May 2009)
head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties VMRO/DPMNE, BDI/DUI, and several small parties
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election: first round held 22 March 2009, second round held 5 April 2009 (next to be held in March 2014); prime minister elected by the Assembly following legislative elections
election results: Gjorge IVANOV elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Gjorge IVANOV 63.14%, Ljubomir FRCKOSKI 36.86%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats; members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 1 June and 15 June 2008 (next to be held by July 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE-led block 49%, SDSM-led block 24%, BDI/DUI 13%, PDSh/DPA 8%, other 6%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE-led block 63, SDSM-led block 27, BDI/DUI 18, PDSh/DPA 11, PEI 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; Republican Judicial Council
note: the Assembly appoints the judges
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic League of Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh/DPA [Menduh THACI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia [Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Union of Albanians or BDSh [Bardyl MAHMUTI]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [Mitko KOSTOV]; Democratic Union for Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; For a Better Macedonia coalition [Nikola GRUEVSKI] (includes VMRO-DPMNE, SP, Democratic Union, Democratic Renewal of Macedonia, Democratic Party of Turks, Democratic Party of Serbs, SR, and smaller parties); Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Jovan MANSIEVSKI]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative [Harun ALIU]; National Democratic Union or BDK [Hysni SHAQIR]; New Democracy of DR/ND [Imer SELMANI]; New Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Sefedin HARUNI]; Party for European Future or PEI [Fijat CANOSKI]; Party of Free Democrats or PSD [Ljubco JORDANOVSKI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran ZAEV]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV-ZINGO]; Sun-Coalition for Europe [Radmila SKERINSKA] (includes SDSM, NSDP, LDP, Liberal Party and smaller parties); Union of Romas or SR [Shaban SALIU]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of Free Trade Unions [Svetlana PETROVIC]; Federation of Trade Unions [Vanco MURATOVSKI]; Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture [Dojcin CVETANOSKI]; World Macedonian Congress [Todor PETROV]
International organization participation:
BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zoran JOLEVSKI
chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131
consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Philip T. REEKER
embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje
mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
telephone: [389] 2 311-6180
FAX: [389] 2 311-7103
Flag description:
a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field
Economy ::Macedonia
Economy - overview:
Having a small, open economy makes Macedonia vulnerable to economic developments in Europe and dependent on regional integration and progress toward EU membership for continued economic growth. At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the central government and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the downsized Yugoslavia, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. In 2001, during a civil conflict, the economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth averaged 4% per year during 2003-06 and more than 5% per year during 2007-08. Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it has so far lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and creating jobs, despite making extensive fiscal and business sector reforms. Official unemployment remains high at nearly 35%, but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market, estimated to be more than 20% of GDP, that is not captured by official statistics. In the wake of the global economic downturn, Macedonia has experienced decreased foreign direct investment, lowered credit, and a slowdown of export growth. The Government of Macedonia now predicts growth in 2009 to be no more than 3%.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$18.83 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 $17.88 billion (2007 est.)
$16.88 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
Macedonia has a large informal sector
GDP (official exchange rate):
$9.569 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 5.9% (2007 est.)
3.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$9,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $8,700 (2007 est.)
$8,200 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.5%
industry: 27.8%
services: 60.7% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
925,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 19.6%
industry: 30.4%
services: 50% (September 2007)
Unemployment rate:
33.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 34.9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
29.8% (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2003) country comparison to the world: 68
Investment (gross fixed):
20.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101
Budget:
revenues: $3.167 billion
expenditures: $3.239 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
20.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 20% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 2.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 64 6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.68% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 83 10.23% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.307 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 81 $1.173 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$3.254 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 80 $3.127 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.906 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 84 $2.924 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 93 $2.715 billion (31 December 2007)
$1.098 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables, fruits; milk, eggs
Industries:
food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate:
4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67
Electricity - production:
6.376 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 103
Electricity - consumption:
7.358 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
2.491 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
Oil - consumption:
21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Oil - exports:
7,410 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98
Oil - imports:
26,730 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 105
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 102
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Natural gas - consumption:
70 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 153
Natural gas - imports:
70 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
Current account balance:
-$1.21 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 -$247 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.971 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $3.35 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel
Exports - partners:
Serbia and Montenegro 20.4%, Germany 15.4%, Greece 12.4%, Bulgaria 10.1%, Italy 8.8%, Croatia 6.5% (2008)
Imports:
$6.523 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $4.976 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food products
Imports - partners:
Germany 13.3%, Greece 12.4%, Bulgaria 9.9%, Serbia and Montenegro 6.9%, Italy 6.3%, Turkey 5.6%, Slovenia 5.3%, Poland 4.4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.109 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $2.265 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.667 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $3.967 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$2.405 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar - 41.414 (2008 est.), 44.732 (2007), 48.978 (2006), 48.92 (2005), 49.41 (2004)
Communications ::Macedonia
Telephones - main lines in use:
457,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 101
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.502 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 116
Telephone system:
general assessment: competition from the mobile-cellular segment of the telecommunications market has led to a drop in fixed-line telephone subscriptions
domestic: combined fixed line and mobile telephone subscribership approaching 150 per 100 persons
international: country code - 389 (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 29, FM 32, shortwave 0 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
52 (2007)
Internet country code:
.mk
Internet hosts:
57,763 (2009) country comparison to the world: 81
Internet users:
847,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 97
Transportation ::Macedonia
Airports:
14 (2009) country comparison to the world: 150
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 699 km country comparison to the world: 105 standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (223 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 13,182 km (includes 208 km of expressways) (2002) country comparison to the world: 128
Military ::Macedonia
Military branches:
Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational Command, with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV), Special Operations Regiment (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 532,856
females age 16-49: 513,684 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 444,247
females age 16-49: 427,556 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 14,596
female: 13,881 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
Transnational Issues ::Macedonia
Disputes - international:
Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008; Greece continues to reject the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: fewer than 1,000 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; although not a financial center and most criminal activity is thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Madagascar (Africa)
Introduction ::Madagascar
Background:
Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA achieved a second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006. In early 2009, protests due to increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA stepping down and the presidency was conferred to the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA. Following negotiations in July and August of 2009, a power-sharing agreement with a 15-month transitional period was established. Elections are expected in the fall of 2010.
Geography ::Madagascar
Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 47 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 587,041 sq km country comparison to the world: 46 land: 581,540 sq km
water: 5,501 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
4,828 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath
Climate:
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Terrain:
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Natural resources:
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 5.03%
permanent crops: 1.02%
other: 93.95% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10,860 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
337 cu km (1984)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 14.96 cu km/yr (3%/2%/96%)
per capita: 804 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
People ::Madagascar
Population:
20,653,556 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.5% (male 4,523,033/female 4,460,473)
15-64 years: 53.5% (male 5,483,684/female 5,557,098)
65 years and over: 3% (male 280,677/female 348,591) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 18 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 18.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
3% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Birth rate:
38.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23
Death rate:
8.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 29% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 54.2 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 47 male: 59.12 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 49.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.89 years country comparison to the world: 176 male: 60.93 years
female: 64.91 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.14 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
14,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, malaria, and plague
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy
Ethnic groups:
Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
Languages:
English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.9%
male: 75.5%
female: 62.5% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 9 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 144
Government ::Madagascar
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara
local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara
former: Malagasy Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Antananarivo
geographic coordinates: 18 55 S, 47 31 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Independence:
26 June 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Constitution:
passed by referendum 19 August 1992
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Andry RAJOELINA (since 18 March 2009)
head of government: Prime Minister Monja Roindefo ZAFITSIMIVALO (since 18 March 2009)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA 54.8%, Jean LAHINIRIKO 11.7%, Roland RATSIRAKA 10.1%, Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO 9.1%, Norbert RATSIRAHONANA 4.2%, Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO 4.2%, Elia RAVELOMANANTSOA 2.6%, Pety RAKOTONIAINA 1.7%, other 1.6%; note - RAVALOMANANA stepped down on 17 March 2009
note:: on 17 March 2009, democratically elected President Marc RAVALOMANANA stepped down handing the government over to the military, which in turn conferred the presidency on opposition leader and Antananarivo mayor Andry RAJOELINA, who will head the High Transition Authority; a power-sharing agreement reached in August 2009 established a 15-month transition period, concluding in general elections
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies; the remaining one-third of seats appointed by the president; to serve four-year terms) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats - reduced from 160 seats by an April 2007 national referendum; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 23 September 2007 (next to be held in late 2010); note - a power-sharing agreement in the summer of 2009 established a 15-month transition, concluding in general elections
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TIM 106, LEADER/Fanilo 1, independents 20
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
Political parties and leaders:
Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot RAJAONARIVELO]; Democratic Party for Union in Madagascar or PSDUM [Jean LAHINIRIKO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jocelyn Bertin RADIFERA
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525 through 5526
FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador R. Niels MARQUARDT
embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
Economy ::Madagascar
Economy - overview:
Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$20.18 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 $18.86 billion (2007 est.)
$17.76 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$9.463 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 6.2% (2007 est.)
5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 212 $1,000 (2007 est.)
$900 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 26.2%
industry: 15.2%
services: 58.5% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
9.504 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 51
Population below poverty line:
50% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 41.5% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.5 (2001) country comparison to the world: 33 38.1 (1999)
Investment (gross fixed):
26.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40
Budget:
revenues: $1.612 billion
expenditures: $2.05 billion (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 10.3% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
45% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 3 45% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.217 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 84 $1.161 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$667.2 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 104 $577.4 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$820.3 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 111 $767.5 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
Industries:
meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Electricity - production:
1.045 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Electricity - consumption:
971.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 146
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
84.57 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Oil - consumption:
20,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Oil - exports:
364.9 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Oil - imports:
16,940 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 159
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
Current account balance:
-$1.03 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 -$807 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.254 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 $1.095 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products
Exports - partners:
France 38.9%, US 20.3%, Germany 5% (2008)
Imports:
$2.419 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $1.944 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food
Imports - partners:
China 20.1%, Bahrain 8.7%, France 6.3%, South Africa 5.7%, US 4.9%, India 4.4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$982.3 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $846.7 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.023 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 $4.6 billion (2002)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar - 1,654.78 (2008 est.), 1,880 (2007), 2,161.4 (2006), 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004)
Communications ::Madagascar
Telephones - main lines in use:
164,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 130
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.835 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 88
Telephone system:
general assessment: system is above average for the region; Antananarivo's main telephone exchange modernized in the late 1990s, but the rest of the analogue-based telephone system is poorly developed; have added new fixed lines since 2005
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density about 25 per 100 persons
international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)
Internet country code:
.mg
Internet hosts:
27,807 (2009) country comparison to the world: 93
Internet users:
316,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 124
Transportation ::Madagascar
Airports:
89 (2009) country comparison to the world: 66
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 27
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 62
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 39
under 914 m: 21 (2009)
Railways:
total: 854 km country comparison to the world: 98 narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 65,663 km country comparison to the world: 69 paved: 7,617 km
unpaved: 58,046 km (2003)
Waterways:
600 km country comparison to the world: 80 note: 432 km navigable (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 8 country comparison to the world: 120 by type: cargo 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Military ::Madagascar
Military branches:
People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for male-only compulsory military service; 18-month conscript service obligation (either military or equivalent civil service); 20-30 years of age for National Gendarmerie recruits (35 years of age for those with military experience) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,443,341
females age 16-49: 4,441,124 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,150,043
females age 16-49: 3,404,988 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 236,500
female: 235,994 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 136
Transnational Issues ::Madagascar
Disputes - international:
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Malawi (Africa)
Introduction ::Malawi
Background:
Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Current President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2005. As president, MUTHARIKA has overseen substantial economic improvement but because of political deadlock in the legislature, his minority party has been unable to pass significant legislation, and anti-corruption measures have stalled. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.
Geography ::Malawi
Location:
Southern Africa, east of Zambia
Geographic coordinates:
13 30 S, 34 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 118,484 sq km country comparison to the world: 99 land: 94,080 sq km
water: 24,404 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
Terrain:
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m
Natural resources:
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land use:
arable land: 20.68%
permanent crops: 1.18%
other: 78.14% (2005)
Irrigated land:
560 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
17.3 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.01 cu km/yr (15%/5%/80%)
per capita: 78 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature
People ::Malawi
Population:
14,268,711 country comparison to the world: 66 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.8% (male 3,272,790/female 3,258,893)
15-64 years: 51.5% (male 3,696,857/female 3,656,918)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 162,863/female 220,390) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.8 years
male: 16.8 years
female: 16.9 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.388% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36
Birth rate:
41.48 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Death rate:
17.6 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 19% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 89.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 14 male: 93.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 84.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 43.82 years country comparison to the world: 216 male: 44.07 years
female: 43.57 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.59 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
11.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
930,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
68,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian
Ethnic groups:
Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European
Religions:
Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)
Languages:
Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other 3.6% (1998 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.7%
male: 76.1%
female: 49.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 9 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
5.8% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 44
Government ::Malawi
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
local long form: Dziko la Malawi
local short form: Malawi
former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland
Government type:
multiparty democracy
Capital:
name: Lilongwe
geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 47 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
28 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Neno, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba
Independence:
6 July 1964 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)
Constitution:
18 May 1994
Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004)
cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)
election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA 66%, John TEMBO 30.7%, other 3.3%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPP 114, MCP 26, UDF 17, independents 32, other 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Dindi NYASULU]; Congress of Democrats or CODE [Ralph KASAMBARA]; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Bingu wa MUTHARIKA]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George MNESA]; Maravi People's Party [Uladi MUSSA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New Rainbow Coalition Party [Beatrice MWALE]; New Republican Party [Gwanda CHAKUWAMBA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP [Stanley MASAULI]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI]; United Democratic Party [Kenedy KALAMBO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Agri-Ecology Media (agriculture and environmental group); Council for NGOs in Malawi or CONGOMA (human rights, democracy, and development); Human Rights Consultative Committee or HRCC (human rights); Malawi Law Society (human rights and law reform); Malawi Movement for the Restoration of Democracy or MMRD (acts to restore and maintain democracy); Public Affairs Committee or PAC (promotes democracy, development, peace and unity)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE
chancery: 1029 Vermont Avenue, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270
FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter W. BODDE
embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3
mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone: [265] (1) 773 166
FAX: [265] (1) 770 471
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band
Government - note:
no party has a majority in the fractured legislature
Economy ::Malawi
Economy - overview:
Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 85% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for more than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In December 2007, the US granted Malawi eligibility status to receive financial support within the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) initiative. Malawi will now begin a consultative process to develop a five-year program before funding can begin. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces many challenges including developing a market economy, improving educational facilities, facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, President MUTHARIKA championed an anticorruption campaign. Since 2005 President MUTHARIKA'S government has exhibited improved financial discipline under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE and signed a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility worth $56 million with the IMF. Improved relations with the IMF lead other international donors to resume aid as well.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$11.95 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 $10.9 billion (2007 est.)
$10.1 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.268 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 7.9% (2007 est.)
8.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 220 $800 (2007 est.)
$700 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 39.2%
industry: 16.8%
services: 44% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
5.747 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
53% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 31.9% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2004) country comparison to the world: 67
Investment (gross fixed):
8.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Budget:
revenues: $1.254 billion
expenditures: $1.351 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
49.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 228.3% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 7.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
15% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 15 15% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
25.28% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 9 27.72% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$361.5 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$250.4 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$406.2 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
$587.2 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats
Industries:
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate:
4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
Electricity - production:
1.69 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Electricity - consumption:
1.572 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Oil - consumption:
8,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Oil - imports:
6,960 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 147
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 154
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Current account balance:
-$241 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 -$75 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$830 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 $721 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel
Exports - partners:
South Africa 14.2%, Egypt 9.8%, Zimbabwe 8.6%, US 7.4%, Netherlands 7%, Russia 5.7%, Germany 5.7% (2008)
Imports:
$1.587 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 $1.323 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
Imports - partners:
South Africa 41.5%, China 7.3%, India 6.1%, Tanzania 5.4%, US 4.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$185 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145 $217.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.005 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 $894 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$11.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - 142.41 (2008 est.), 141.12 (2007), 135.96 (2006), 108.894 (2005), 108.898 (2004)
Communications ::Malawi
Telephones - main lines in use:
236,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 122
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.781 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 127
Telephone system:
general assessment: rudimentary
domestic: fixed-line subscribership about 2 per 100 persons; privatization of Malawi Telecommunications (MTL), a necessary step in bringing improvement to telecommunications services, completed in 2006; mobile-cellular services are expanding but cellular network coverage is limited and is based around the main urban areas; mobile cellular subscribership approaching 15 per 100 persons
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus one shortwave station on standby) (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Internet country code:
.mw
Internet hosts:
741 (2009) country comparison to the world: 165
Internet users:
316,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 125
Transportation ::Malawi
Airports:
32 (2009) country comparison to the world: 113
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 10 (2009)
Railways:
total: 797 km country comparison to the world: 102 narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 15,451 km country comparison to the world: 122 paved: 6,956 km
unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)
Waterways:
700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 76
Ports and terminals:
Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba
Military ::Malawi
Military branches:
Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; standard obligation is 2 years of active duty and 5 years of reserve service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,050,444 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,732,621
females age 16-49: 1,562,107 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 174,044
female: 173,828 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 123
Transnational Issues ::Malawi
Disputes - international:
disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Malaysia (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Malaysia
Background:
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's history were marred by a Communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to expansion in manufacturing, services, and tourism.
Geography ::Malaysia
Location:
Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:
2 30 N, 112 30 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 329,847 sq km country comparison to the world: 66 land: 328,657 sq km
water: 1,190 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 2,669 km
border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Coastline:
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
Climate:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Terrain:
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
Natural resources:
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use:
arable land: 5.46%
permanent crops: 17.54%
other: 77% (2005)
Irrigated land:
3,650 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
580 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 9.02 cu km/yr (17%/21%/62%)
per capita: 356 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
flooding; landslides; forest fires
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
People ::Malaysia
Population:
25,715,819 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 46
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.4% (male 4,153,621/female 3,914,962)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 8,210,373/female 8,143,043)
65 years and over: 5% (male 569,245/female 724,575) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.9 years
male: 24.3 years
female: 25.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.723% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Birth rate:
22.24 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Death rate:
5.02 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Net migration rate:
NA
note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 70% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.87 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 124 male: 18.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.29 years country comparison to the world: 108 male: 70.56 years
female: 76.21 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.95 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
80,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Malaysian(s)
adjective: Malaysian
Ethnic groups:
Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8% (2004 est.)
Religions:
Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% (2000 census)
Languages:
Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.7%
male: 92%
female: 85.4% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
6.2% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 37
Government ::Malaysia
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Malaysia
local long form: none
local short form: Malaysia
former: Federation of Malaya
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
note: nominally headed by paramount ruler (commonly referred to as the King) and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans) except Melaka and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government; powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration controls)
Capital:
name: Kuala Lumpur
geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions:
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and 1 federal territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya
Independence:
31 August 1957 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)
Constitution:
31 August 1957; amended many times, the latest in 2007
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; Islamic law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law and religion; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King - Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since 13 December 2006); (the position of the king is primarily ceremonial)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (since 3 April 2009); Deputy Prime Minister MUHYIDDIN bin Mohamed Yassin (since 9 April 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the king
elections: kings are elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held on 3 November 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands the support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister (since independence this has been the leader of the UMNO party)
election results: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected king; in practice, selection is based on principle of rotation among rulers of states
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the king, 26 elected by 13 state legislatures; serve three-year terms with limit of two terms) and House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members elected by popular vote; serve up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by June 2013)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - BN coalition 50.3%, opposition parties 46.8%, others 2.9%; seats - BN coalition 140, opposition parties 82
Judicial branch:
Civil Courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges are appointed by the king on the advice of the prime minister); Sharia Courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance only for Muslims; decisions of Sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts
Political parties and leaders:
National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (ruling coalition) consists of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [KOH Tsu Koon]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Tee Keat]; Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB [Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO [NAJIB bin Abdul Razak]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK]; People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Kayveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP [William MAWAN])
People's Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) or PR (opposition coalition) consists of the following parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]; People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismail]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG]
independent party: Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Saban) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Bar Council BERSIH (electoral reform coalition); PEMBELA (Muslim NGO coalition)
other: religious groups; women's groups; youth groups
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador JAMALUDDIN Jarjis
chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James R. KEITH
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152
telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207
Flag description:
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US
Economy ::Malaysia
Economy - overview:
Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. After coming to office in 2003, former Prime Minister ABDULLAH tried to move the economy farther up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in high technology industries, medical technology, and pharmaceuticals. The Government of Malaysia is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand to wean the economy off of its dependence on exports. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics - remain a significant driver of the economy. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce government subsidies. Malaysia "unpegged" the ringgit from the US dollar in 2005 and the currency appreciated 6% per year against the dollar in 2006-08. Although this has helped to hold down the price of imports, inflationary pressures began to build in 2007 - in 2008 inflation stood at nearly 6%, year-over-year. The government presented its five-year national development agenda in April 2006 through the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for the allocation of the national budget from 2006-10. ABDULLAH unveiled a series of ambitious development schemes for several regions that have had trouble attracting business investment. Real GDP growth averaged about 6% per year under ABDULLAH, but regions outside of Kuala Lumpur and the manufacturing hub Penang did not fare as well. The central bank maintains healthy foreign exchange reserves and the regulatory regime has limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier financial instruments and the global financial crisis. Decreasing worldwide demand for consumer goods is expected to hurt economic growth in 2009 and beyond, however.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$385.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $368.3 billion (2007 est.)
$346.8 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$221.6 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 6.2% (2007 est.)
5.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $14,800 (2007 est.)
$14,200 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.1%
industry: 43.7%
services: 46.3% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
11.09 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 36%
services: 51% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 3.2% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
5.1% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 28.5% (2004 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.1 (2002) country comparison to the world: 38 49.2 (1997)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112
Budget:
revenues: $48.49 billion
expenditures: $58.85 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
40% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 45.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 2% (2007 est.)
note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.08% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 127 6.41% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$51.51 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 $49.41 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$200.9 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 14 $187.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$246.7 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 28 $220 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$187.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 29 $325.7 billion (31 December 2007)
$235.4 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber, pepper, timber
Industries:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging
Industrial production growth rate:
1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Electricity - production:
103.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Electricity - consumption:
99.25 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Electricity - exports:
2.268 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
727,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27
Oil - consumption:
547,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Oil - exports:
511,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Oil - imports:
314,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 36
Oil - proved reserves:
4 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Natural gas - production:
57.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Natural gas - consumption:
26.27 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Natural gas - exports:
31.03 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 9
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.35 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
Current account balance:
$33.76 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $28.93 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$198.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $176.4 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals
Exports - partners:
Singapore 14.7%, US 12.5%, Japan 10.8%, China 9.5%, Thailand 4.8%, Hong Kong 4.3% (2008)
Imports:
$154.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $139.1 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals
Imports - partners:
China 12.8%, Japan 12.5%, Singapore 11%, US 10.8%, Thailand 5.6%, South Korea 4.6%, Indonesia 4.6%, Germany 4.3% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$91.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $101.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$75.33 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 42 $62.33 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$83.35 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $76.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$71.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $58.18 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
ringgits (MYR) per US dollar - 3.33 (2008 est.), 3.46 (2007), 3.6683 (2006), 3.8 (2005), 3.8 (2004)
Communications ::Malaysia
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.292 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 36
Telephones - mobile cellular:
27.125 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 31
Telephone system:
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; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity 125 per 100 persons
international: country code - 60; landing point for several major international submarine cable networks that provide connectivity to Asia, Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
88 (mainland Malaysia 51, Sabah 16, and Sarawak 21) (2006)
Internet country code:
.my
Internet hosts:
362,968 (2009) country comparison to the world: 53
Internet users:
16.903 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 22
Transportation ::Malaysia
Airports:
118 (2009) country comparison to the world: 51
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 38
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 80
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 73 (2009)
Heliports:
2 (2009)
Pipelines:
condensate 3 km; gas 1,965 km; oil 31 km; refined products 114 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 1,849 km country comparison to the world: 75 standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,792 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 98,721 km country comparison to the world: 42 paved: 80,280 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways)
unpaved: 18,441 km (2004)
Waterways:
7,200 km country comparison to the world: 20 note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 306 country comparison to the world: 30 by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 97, carrier 1, chemical tanker 34, container 46, liquefied gas 33, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 71, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: 40 (Germany 1, Hong Kong 14, Japan 4, Russia 2, Singapore 16, Sweden 3)
registered in other countries: 68 (Bahamas 13, Marshall Islands 3, Norway 1, Panama 12, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Singapore 27, Thailand 3, Tuvalu 1, US 2, unknown 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bintulu, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Labuan, George Town (Penang), Port Kelang, Tanjung Pelepas
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift; increased naval patrols in 2009 resulted in significantly reduced numbers of incidents
Military ::Malaysia
Military branches:
Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,440,338
females age 16-49: 6,280,826 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,493,946
females age 16-49: 5,409,524 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 266,267
female: 252,543 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.03% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Transnational Issues ::Malaysia
Disputes - international:
Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings in response to the memorials and countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime boundary and sovereignty of Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; Brunei and Malaysia agreed in September 2008 to resolve their offshore and deepwater seabed dispute, resume hydrocarbon exploration and renounce any territorial claims on land; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 15,174 (Indonesia); 21,544 (Burma) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, and men, women, and children for forced labor; Malaysia is mainly a destination country for men, women, and children who migrate willingly from South and Southeast Asia to work, some of whom are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by Malaysian employers in the domestic, agricultural, construction, plantation, and industrial sectors; to a lesser extent, some Malaysian women, primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are trafficked abroad for commercial sexual exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Malaysia improved from Tier 3 to the Tier 2 Watch List for 2008 when it enacted comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation in July 2007; however, it did not take action against exploitative employers or labor traffickers in 2007; the government has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties; heroin still primary drug of abuse, but synthetic drug demand remains strong; continued ecstasy and methamphetamine producer for domestic users and, to a lesser extent, the regional drug market
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Maldives (South Asia)
Introduction ::Maldives
Background:
The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated the islands' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the president and his government pledged to embark upon democratic reforms including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress was sluggish, however, and many promised reforms were slow to be realized. Nonetheless, political parties were legalized in 2005. In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution, which was ratified by the president in August. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the former regime. Challenges facing the new president include strengthening democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse.
Geography ::Maldives
Location:
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Geographic coordinates:
3 15 N, 73 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 298 sq km country comparison to the world: 209 land: 298 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
644 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain:
flat, with white sandy beaches
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 30%
other: 56.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
0.03 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.003 cu km/yr (98%/2%/0%)
per capita: 9 cu m/yr (1987)
Natural hazards:
tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise
Environment - current issues:
depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
People ::Maldives
Population:
396,334 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.3% (male 45,038/female 43,291)
15-64 years: 73.8% (male 180,874/female 111,703)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 7,711/female 7,717) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.7 years
male: 26.5 years
female: 24.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.168% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 217
Birth rate:
14.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Death rate:
3.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 212
Net migration rate:
-12.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Urbanization:
urban population: 38% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.62 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.44 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 29.53 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 77 male: 32.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.97 years country comparison to the world: 94 male: 71.78 years
female: 76.28 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 147
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 100 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian
Ethnic groups:
South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs
Religions:
Sunni Muslim
Languages:
Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.3%
male: 96.2%
female: 96.4% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 15
Government ::Maldives
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Male
geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 capital city*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale* (Male), Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
Independence:
26 July 1965 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Constitution:
new constitution ratified 7 August 2008
Legal system:
based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku (since 11 November 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku (since 11 November 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: under the new constitution, the president is elected by direct vote; president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 and 28 October 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
election results: Mohamed NASHEED elected president; percent of vote - NASHEED 54.25%, Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 45.75%
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Council or People's Majlis (77 seats; members elected by direct vote to serve five-year terms); note - the Majlis in February 2009 passed legislation that incresed the number of seats to 77 from 50
elections: last held 9 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: percent of vote - DRP 36.8%, MDP 32.9 %, PA 9.2%, DQP 2.6% AP 1.3%, independents 17.1%; seats by party - DRP 28, MDP 25, PA 7, DQP 2, AP 1, independents 13; note - one seat unfilled
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval of voting members of the People's Council; High Court; Trial Courts; all lower court judges are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission
Political parties and leaders:
Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Abdul Majeed Abdul BARI]; Dhivehi Quamee Party or DQP [Hassan SAEED]; Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM]; Islamic Democratic Party or IDP [Omar NASEER]; Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]; People's Alliance or PA [Abdullah YAMEEN]; Republican (Jumhooree) Party [Gasim IBRAHIM]; Social Liberal Party or SLP [Ibrahim ISMAIL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: various unregistered political parties
International organization participation:
ADB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Abdul Ghafoor MOHAMED
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195
FAX: [1] (212) 661-6405
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr., is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits
Flag description:
red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag
Economy ::Maldives
Economy - overview:
Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Fishing is the second leading sector. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 7% of GDP. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more foreign investment. Real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year for more than a decade. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million. As a result of the tsunami, the GDP contracted by about 4.6% in 2005. A rebound in tourism, post-tsunami reconstruction, and development of new resorts helped the economy recover quickly, with GDP growth registering 18% in 2006. Growth slowed in 2007-08, but remained above 5% per year. The trade deficit expanded sharply as a result of high oil prices and imports of construction material. Government spending on social needs, subsidies, and civil servant salaries have created a large budget deficit and inflation has picked up sharply, reaching nearly 13% in October 2008 due to high oil and food prices. Diversifying beyond tourism and fishing, reforming public finance, and increasing employment are the major challenges facing the government. Over the longer term Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is 1 meter or less above sea level.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.723 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 $1.628 billion (2007 est.)
$1.519 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.261 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 7.2% (2007 est.)
18% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 $4,500 (2007 est.)
$4,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 7%
industry: 17%
services: 76% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
136,100 (2007) country comparison to the world: 172
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 22%
industry: 18%
services: 60% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
14.4% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Population below poverty line:
21% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $762 million (including foreign grants)
expenditures: $884 million (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.8% (October 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
13% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 12.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 60 13% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$475.2 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 $344.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$487.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 108 $434.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.548 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 97 $1.08 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Industries:
tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.9% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Electricity - production:
205 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 176
Electricity - consumption:
190.7 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 178
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Oil - consumption:
6,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Oil - imports:
5,406 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 155
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 147
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157
Current account balance:
-$638 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 -$472 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$113 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 $167 million (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish
Exports - partners:
Thailand 34.4%, UK 13.8%, France 12.2%, Italy 9%, Sri Lanka 8.5% (2008)
Imports:
$1.276 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168 $930 million (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods
Imports - partners:
Singapore 27.2%, UAE 16.9%, Malaysia 9.7%, India 7.7%, Thailand 4.9%, Sri Lanka 4.6%, Germany 4.1% (2008)
Debt - external:
$477 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166 $482 million (2006 est.)
Exchange rates:
rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar - 12.8 (2008), 12.8 (2007), 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004)
Communications ::Maldives
Telephones - main lines in use:
50,396 (2009) country comparison to the world: 162
Telephones - mobile cellular:
450,500 (2009) country comparison to the world: 158
Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone services have improved; each island now has at least 1 public telephone, and there are mobile cellular networks with a rapidly expanding subscribership that exceeds 100 per 100 persons
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service
international: country code - 960; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2009)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2006)
Internet country code:
.mv
Internet hosts:
1,732 (2009) country comparison to the world: 151
Internet users:
71,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 164
Transportation ::Maldives
Airports:
5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 180
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 88 km country comparison to the world: 213 paved roads: 88 km - 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu Atolis; 14 km on Laamu
note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 29 country comparison to the world: 86 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 23, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Greece 1)
registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Tuvalu 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Male
Military ::Maldives
Military branches:
Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Rapid Reaction Force, Security Protection Group, Coast Guard (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 89,505
females age 16-49: 85,745 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 138,746
females age 16-49: 82,247 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 4,576
female: 3,942 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.5% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Military - note:
the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), with its small size and with little serviceable equipment, is inadequate to prevent external aggression and is primarily tasked to reinforce the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and ensure security in the exclusive economic zone (2008)
Transnational Issues ::Maldives
Disputes - international:
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 1,000-10,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Mali (Africa)
Introduction ::Mali
Background:
The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a military coup - led by the current president Amadou TOURE - enabling Mali's emergence as one of the strongest democracies on the continent. President Alpha KONARE won Mali's first democratic presidential election in 1992 and was reelected in 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, KONARE stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE, who was subsequently elected to a second term in 2007. The elections were widely judged to be free and fair.
Geography ::Mali
Location:
Western Africa, southwest of Algeria
Geographic coordinates:
17 00 N, 4 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,240,192 sq km country comparison to the world: 24 land: 1,220,190 sq km
water: 20,002 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 7,243 km
border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)
Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
Natural resources:
gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower
note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
Land use:
arable land: 3.76%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 96.21% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,360 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
100 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 6.55 cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%)
per capita: 484 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan
People ::Mali
Population:
12,666,987 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
Age structure:
0-14 years: 48.3% (male 3,089,406/female 3,023,341)
15-64 years: 48.7% (male 3,065,167/female 3,101,914)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 151,718/female 235,441) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 15.8 years
male: 15.5 years
female: 16.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.765% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
Birth rate:
49.15 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Death rate:
15.82 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
Net migration rate:
-5.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Urbanization:
urban population: 32% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 102.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 8 male: 111.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 92.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 50.35 years country comparison to the world: 207 male: 48.38 years
female: 52.38 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.29 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 46
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Malian(s)
adjective: Malian
Ethnic groups:
Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%
Religions:
Muslim 90%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%
Languages:
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 46.4%
male: 53.5%
female: 39.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years
male: 8 years
female: 5 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 87
Government ::Mali
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mali
conventional short form: Mali
local long form: Republique de Mali
local short form: Mali
former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bamako
geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou
Independence:
22 September 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 September (1960)
Constitution:
adopted 12 January 1992
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Modibo SIDIBE (since 28 September 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2012); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE reelected president; percent of vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 71.2%, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 19.2%, other 9.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 1 and 22 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ADP coalition 113 (including ADEMA 51, URD 34, MPR 8, CNID 7, UDD 3, and other 10), FDR coalition 15 (including RPM 11, PARENA 4), SADI 4, independent 15
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democratic Change (political group comprised mainly of Tuareg from Mali's northern region); African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO, secretary general]; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to support the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE]; Convergence 2007 [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]; Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (a coalition of political parties including RPM and PARENA formed to oppose the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Mady KONATE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]; Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel MAIGA]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Amadou Ali NIANGADOU]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA]; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Basir GOLOGO]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Soumaila CISSE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: the army; Islamic authorities; rebels in the northern region; state-run cotton company CMDT; tuaregs
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP
chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC
embassy: located just off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge just west of the Bamako central district
mailing address: ACI 2000, Rue 243, Porte 297, Bamako
telephone: [223] 270-2300
FAX: [223] 270-2479
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy ::Mali
Economy - overview:
Mali is among the 25 poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for gold and cotton, its main exports. The government has continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali has invested in tourism and a tractor assembly factory. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a 5% average in 1996-2008. Worker remittances and external trade routes for the landlocked country have been jeopardized by continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire, however, Mali is building a road network that will connect it to all adjacent countries and it has a railway line to Senegal.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$14.75 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $14.04 billion (2007 est.)
$13.65 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.774 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 2.8% (2007 est.)
5.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209 $1,100 (2007 est.)
$1,100 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 45%
industry: 17%
services: 38% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
3.241 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Population below poverty line:
36.1% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 30.5% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.1 (2001) country comparison to the world: 60 50.5 (1994)
Budget:
revenues: $1.5 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Central bank discount rate:
4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 122 4.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA%
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$1.58 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$697.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$1.099 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats
Industries:
food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
515 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Electricity - consumption:
479 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Oil - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Oil - imports:
4,402 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 162
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 152
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Current account balance:
-$446 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104
Exports:
$294 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 175
Exports - commodities:
cotton, gold, livestock
Exports - partners:
China 26.7%, Thailand 10.7%, Denmark 6.4%, Pakistan 5.2%, Morocco 5% (2008)
Imports:
$2.358 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 146
Imports - commodities:
petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
Senegal 13.1%, France 11.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.2%, China 5.9% (2008)
Debt - external:
$2.8 billion (2002) country comparison to the world: 129
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par
Communications ::Mali
Telephones - main lines in use:
82,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 148
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.267 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 103
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving; provides only minimal service
domestic: fixed-line subscribership remains less than 1 per 100 persons; increasing use of local radio loops to extend network coverage to remote areas; mobile-cellular subscribership has increased sharply to about 25 per 100 persons
international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 230 (27 regional and government stations, and 203 private stations), shortwave 1 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus repeaters) (2007)
Internet country code:
.ml
Internet hosts:
519 (2009) country comparison to the world: 171
Internet users:
200,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 136
Transportation ::Mali
Airports:
22 (2009) country comparison to the world: 134
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 14
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Railways:
total: 593 km country comparison to the world: 112 narrow gauge: 593 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 18,709 km country comparison to the world: 114 paved: 3,368 km
unpaved: 15,341 km (2004)
Waterways:
1,800 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 46
Ports and terminals:
Koulikoro
Military ::Mali
Military branches:
Malian Armed Forces: Army, Republic of Mali Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,603,700
females age 16-49: 2,441,776 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,649,772
females age 16-49: 1,579,601 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 147,846
female: 140,543 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 87
Transnational Issues ::Mali
Disputes - international:
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 6,300 (Mauritania) (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Malta (Europe)
Introduction ::Malta
Background:
Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.
Geography ::Malta
Location:
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
Geographic coordinates:
35 50 N, 14 35 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 316 sq km country comparison to the world: 207 land: 316 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
196.8 km (excludes 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain:
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)
Natural resources:
limestone, salt, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13%
other: 65.62% (2005)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.07 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (74%/1%/25%)
per capita: 50 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration
People ::Malta
Population:
405,165 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.1% (male 33,526/female 31,780)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 142,491/female 138,769)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 25,406/female 33,193) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.5 years
male: 38.1 years
female: 40.9 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.4% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Birth rate:
10.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Death rate:
8.38 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100
Net migration rate:
2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44
Urbanization:
urban population: 94% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.75 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 213 male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.44 years country comparison to the world: 29 male: 77.21 years
female: 81.8 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.51 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Nationality:
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese
Ethnic groups:
Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%
Languages:
Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.8% (2005 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8%
male: 92%
female: 93.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 65
Government ::Malta
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta
local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
local short form: Malta
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Valletta
geographic coordinates: 35 53 N, 14 30 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders
Independence:
21 September 1964 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September (1964)
Constitution:
1964; amended many times
Legal system:
based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President George ABELA (since 4 April 2009)
head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 January 2009 (next to be held by April 2014); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
election results: George ABELA elected president by the House of Representatives
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives (normally 65 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms; note - the current Parliament is composed of 69 seats; when the political party winning the plurality of votes does not win a majority of seats, the constitution provides that a sufficient number of seats will be added to Parliament to ensure that the party that won the elections has a majority in Parliament)
elections: last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - PN 49.3%, MLP 48.9%, other 1.8%; seats by party - PN 35, MLP 34
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Political parties and leaders:
Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Arnold CASSOLA]; Azzjoni Nazzjonaili or AN [Josi MUSCAT]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Joseph MUSCAT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Alleanza Liberal-Demokratika Maltra or ALDM (for divorce, abortion, gay marriage, the rights existent in other EU member states); Alleanza Nazzionali Repubblikana or ANR (for traditional values, anti-immigration); Alternattiva Demokratika (pro-environment); Azzjoni Nazzjonali or AN (freedom to participate in democratic government); Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar (pro-environment); Ghazdatal-Konsumaturi (consumer rights)
other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
Australia Group, C, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark MICELI-FARRUGIA
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611 through 3612
FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jason DAVIS
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, VLT 01
mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01
telephone: [356] 2561 4000
FAX: [356] 21 243229
Flag description:
two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red
Economy ::Malta
Economy - overview:
Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. Malta's geographic position between the EU and Africa makes it a recipient of illegal immigration, which has strained Malta's political and economic resources. The financial services industry has grown in recent years, but is not fully modernized. Malta's economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing - especially electronics and pharmaceuticals - and tourism all of which have been negatively affected by the global economic downturn. Malta adopted the euro on 1 January 2008. The Maltese government in 2009 will be challenged to contain the budget deficit, which ballooned in 2008 to about 4.1% of GDP, placing it above the euro zone's 3% maximum.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$9.933 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 $9.707 billion (2007 est.)
$9.317 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.37 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 4.2% (2007 est.)
3.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$24,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $24,200 (2007 est.)
$23,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 18%
services: 80.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
173,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 170
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.3%
industry: 29.6%
services: 68% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2007) country comparison to the world: 127
Investment (gross fixed):
16.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Budget:
revenues: $3.378 billion
expenditures: $3.77 billion (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 1.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3% (31 December 2008)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.89% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 130 6.24% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.639 billion (31 January 2008) country comparison to the world: 56 $4.603 billion (31 December 2007)
note: this figure represents the US dollar value of Maltese liri in circulation prior to Malta joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the EMU; individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
$8.771 billion (31 January 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $7.645 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$16.17 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $10.99 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 84 $5.633 billion (31 December 2007)
$4.504 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs
Industries:
tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
2.146 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Electricity - consumption:
1.832 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Oil - consumption:
19,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 181
Oil - imports:
17,910 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 148
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Current account balance:
-$445 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 -$468 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.06 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 $3.305 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures
Exports - partners:
Germany 13.5%, Singapore 13%, France 12.2%, US 9.6%, UK 8.2%, Hong Kong 6.7%, Japan 6.4%, Italy 4.7% (2008)
Imports:
$4.792 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $4.655 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco
Imports - partners:
Italy 28.1%, UK 13.5%, France 8.2%, Germany 7.4%, Singapore 6.4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$373.4 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $3.798 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$188.8 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 181
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3106 (2007), 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003)
Communications ::Malta
Telephones - main lines in use:
241,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 120
Telephones - mobile cellular:
385,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 161
Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic system is adequate; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
international: country code - 356; submarine cable connects to Italy; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (2006)
Internet country code:
.mt
Internet hosts:
25,139 (2009) country comparison to the world: 94
Internet users:
198,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 137
Transportation ::Malta
Airports:
1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 219
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 2,227 km country comparison to the world: 171 paved: 2,014 km
unpaved: 213 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,438 country comparison to the world: 4 by type: bulk carrier 459, cargo 411, carrier 2, chemical tanker 171, container 80, liquefied gas 25, passenger 29, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 159, refrigerated cargo 32, roll on/roll off 37, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 17
foreign-owned: 1,343 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 2, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 15, Bulgaria 5, Canada 1, China 12, Croatia 9, Cyprus 31, Denmark 30, Egypt 1, Estonia 11, France 5, Germany 91, Greece 452, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 5, India 2, Iran 79, Israel 18, Italy 50, Japan 8, South Korea 2, Latvia 19, Lebanon 11, Libya 3, Lithuania 1, Norway 93, Pakistan 2, Poland 24, Portugal 3, Romania 8, Russia 58, Slovenia 4, Spain 3, Sweden 2, Switzerland 20, Syria 6, Turkey 176, Ukraine 30, UAE 5, UK 19, US 23)
registered in other countries: 3 (Panama 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport), Valletta
Military ::Malta
Military branches:
Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 96,309
females age 16-49: 92,242 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 80,186
females age 16-49: 76,426 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,695
female: 2,533 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.7% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
Transnational Issues ::Malta
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Marshall Islands (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::Marshall Islands
Background:
After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network.
Geography ::Marshall Islands
Location:
Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia
Geographic coordinates:
9 00 N, 168 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 181 sq km country comparison to the world: 216 land: 181 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: the archipelago includes 11,673 sq km of lagoon waters and includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik
Area - comparative:
about the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
370.4 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border typhoon belt
Terrain:
low coral limestone and sand islands
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
Natural resources:
coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Land use:
arable land: 11.11%
permanent crops: 44.44%
other: 44.45% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
infrequent typhoons
Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the islands of Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein atoll, famous as a World War II battleground, surrounds the world's largest lagoon and is used as a US missile test range; the island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and one of the most densely populated locations in the Pacific
People ::Marshall Islands
Population:
64,522 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.6% (male 12,683/female 12,217)
15-64 years: 58.5% (male 19,302/female 18,459)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 902/female 959) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.2 years
male: 21.3 years
female: 21.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.08% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Birth rate:
30.7 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47
Death rate:
4.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199
Net migration rate:
-5.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Urbanization:
urban population: 71% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.45 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 87 male: 28.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.19 years country comparison to the world: 130 male: 69.15 years
female: 73.34 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.59 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
adjective: Marshallese
Ethnic groups:
Marshallese 92.1%, mixed Marshallese 5.9%, other 2% (2006)
Religions:
Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)
Languages:
Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census)
note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 93.6%
female: 93.7% (1999)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
11.8% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 3
Government ::Marshall Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
conventional short form: Marshall Islands
local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
local short form: Marshall Islands
abbreviation: RMI
former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District
Government type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004
Capital:
name: Majuro
geographic coordinates: 7 06 N, 171 23 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik, Wotho, Wotje
Independence:
21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)
Constitution:
1 May 1979
Legal system:
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jurelang ZEDKAIA (since 2 November 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jurelang ZEDKAIA (since 2 November 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of the legislature
elections: president elected by Nitijela (legislature) from among its members for a four-year term; election last held 7 January 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: Litokwa TOMEING removed as president by no confidence vote on 21 October 2009; legislature elects ZEDKAIA president on 26 October 2009
Legislative branch:
unicameral legislature or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 19 November 2007 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 4
note: the Council of Chiefs or Ironij is a 12-member body comprised of tribal chiefs that advises on matters affecting customary law and practice
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; High Court; Traditional Rights Court
Political parties and leaders:
traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Aelon Kein Ad Party [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Charles A. PAUL
chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414
FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236
consulate(s) general: Honolulu
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Clyde BISHOP
embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379
telephone: [692] 247-4011
FAX: [692] 247-4012
Flag description:
blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes
Economy ::Marshall Islands
Economy - overview:
US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. The Marshall Islands received more than $1 billion in aid from the US from 1986-2002. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free Association, the US will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$133.5 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 218 $115 million (2001 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$161.7 million (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-0.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201 3.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 $2,900 (2005 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 31.7%
industry: 14.9%
services: 53.4% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
14,680 (2000) country comparison to the world: 205
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 21.4%
industry: 20.9%
services: 57.7% (2000)
Unemployment rate:
36% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 30.9% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $123.3 million
expenditures: $1.213 billion (2008)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 3% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens
Industries:
copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items (from seashells, wood, and pearls)
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Exports:
$19.4 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 $9.1 million (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities:
copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish
Imports:
$79.4 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 $54.7 million (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco
Debt - external:
$87 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 $86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications ::Marshall Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
4,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 215
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 219
Telephone system:
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 high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) and mini-satellite telephones
international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2005)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (additionally, the American Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (Central Pacific Network) operates one FM and one AM station on Kwajalein Island) (2005)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (both are US military stations; Marshalls Broadcasting Service, a cable company, operates on Majuro) (2005)
Internet country code:
.mh
Internet hosts:
6 (2009) country comparison to the world: 224
Internet users:
2,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 208
Transportation ::Marshall Islands
Airports:
15 (2009) country comparison to the world: 145
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2007) country comparison to the world: 174
Merchant marine:
total: 1,049 country comparison to the world: 10 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 284, cargo 71, carrier 1, chemical tanker 191, combination ore/oil 4, container 188, liquefied gas 47, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 221, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 14, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 6
foreign-owned: 990 (Australia 1, Bermuda 4, Brazil 1, Canada 6, Chile 4, China 7, Croatia 6, Cyprus 37, Denmark 10, Germany 235, Greece 269, Hong Kong 4, Iceland 3, India 1, Ireland 1, Isle of Man 1, Italy 3, Japan 17, South Korea 10, Latvia 16, Malaysia 3, Mexico 4, Monaco 13, Netherlands 8, Norway 66, Pakistan 1, Panama 1, Romania 1, Russia 9, Saudi Arabia 5, Singapore 18, Slovenia 4, Spain 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 12, Taiwan 1, Turkey 50, UAE 15, UK 10, US 123) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Majuro
Military ::Marshall Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces; under the 1983 Compact of Free Association, the US has full authority and responsibility for security and defense of the Marshall Islands; Marshall Islands Police (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,708 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 13,041
females age 16-49: 13,199 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 540
female: 521 (2009 est.)