The 2010 CIA World Factbook (part 4 of 25)
over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups who have substantial numbers of kin in neighboring countries; Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic refugees, asylum seekers, and rebels, as well as illegal cross-border activities from Burma; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween River near the border with Burma; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China is reconsidering construction of 13 dams on the Salween River but energy-starved Burma with backing from Thailand remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream, despite identical regional and international protests; India seeks cooperation from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists, such as the United Liberation Front of Assam, from hiding in remote Burmese Uplands; after 21 years, Bangladesh in January 2008 resumed talks with Burma on delimiting a maritime boundary
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 503,000 (government offensives against ethnic insurgent groups near the eastern borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen, Karenni, Shan, Tavoyan, and Mon) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Burma is a source country for women, children, and men trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; Burmese women and children are trafficked to East and Southeast Asia for commercial sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, and forced labor; Burmese children are subjected to conditions of forced labor in Thailand as hawkers and beggars; women are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation to Malaysia and China; some trafficking victims transit Burma from Bangladesh to Malaysia and from China to Thailand; Burma's internal trafficking remains the most serious concern occurring primarily from villages to urban centers and economic hubs for labor in industrial zones, agricultural estates, and commercial sexual exploitation; the Burmese military continues to engage in the unlawful conscription of child soldiers, and continues to be the main perpetrator of forced labor inside Burma; ethnic insurgent groups also used compulsory labor of adults and unlawful recruitment of children; the regime's widespread use of and lack of accountability in forced labor and recruitment of child soldiers is particularly worrying and represents the top causal factor for Burma's significant trafficking problem
tier rating: Tier 3 - serious problems remain in Burma, and in some areas, most notably in the area of forced labor, the Government of Burma is not making significant efforts to comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, warranting a ranking of Tier 3; in other areas, particularly with regard to international sex trafficking of women and girls, the Government of Burma is making significant efforts (2010)
Illicit drugs:
remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium with an estimated production in 2008 of 340 metric tons, an increase of 26%, and poppy cultivation in 2008 totaled 22,500 hectares, a 4% increase from 2007; production in the United Wa State Army's areas of greatest control remains low; Shan state is the source of 94% of Burma's poppy cultivation; lack of government will to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption (2008)
page last updated on January 24, 2011
======================================================================
@Burundi (Africa)
Introduction ::Burundi
Background:
Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government, led by President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the country's last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many challenges.
Geography ::Burundi
Location:
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
3 30 S, 30 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 27,830 sq km country comparison to the world: 146 land: 25,680 sq km
water: 2,150 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 974 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; two wet seasons (February to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January)
Terrain:
hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
highest point: Heha 2,670 m
Natural resources:
nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 35.57%
permanent crops: 13.12%
other: 51.31% (2005)
Irrigated land:
210 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
3.6 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.29 cu km/yr (17%/6%/77%)
per capita: 38 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
flooding; landslides; drought
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment - international agreements:
party to: 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:
landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile
People ::Burundi
Population:
9,863,117 country comparison to the world: 85 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 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.3% (male 2,213,667/female 2,189,197)
15-64 years: 51.2% (male 2,399,466/female 2,470,743)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 95,324/female 142,933) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.8 years
male: 16.5 years
female: 17.2 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.561% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Birth rate:
41.43 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
Death rate:
9.87 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Net migration rate:
4.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Urbanization:
urban population: 10% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 6.8% 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: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 63.38 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 29 male: 68.02 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 58.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 58.29 years country comparison to the world: 191 male: 56.65 years
female: 59.98 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.25 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 32
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
110,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 44
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
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
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Burundian(s)
adjective: Burundian
Ethnic groups:
Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000
Religions:
Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%
Languages:
Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 59.3%
male: 67.3%
female: 52.2% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 9 years
female: 7 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
7.2% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 17
Government ::Burundi
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
conventional short form: Burundi
local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi
local short form: Burundi
former: Urundi
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bujumbura
geographic coordinates: 3 22 S, 29 21 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rural, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi
Independence:
1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution:
ratified by popular referendum 28 February 2005
Legal system:
based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (adult)
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA - Hutu (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Therence SINUNGURUZA - Tutsi (since 29 August 2010); Second Vice President Gervais RUFYIKIRI - Hutu (since 29 August 2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA - Hutu (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Therence SINUNGURUZA - Tutsi (since 29 August 2010); Second Vice President Gervais RUFYIKIRI - Hutu (since 29 August 2010)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permited the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; elections last held 28 June 2010 (next to be held in 2015); vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by parliament
election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA elected president by popular vote; Pierre NKURUNZIZA 91.6%, other 8.4%; note - opposition parties withdrew from the election due to alleged government interference in the electoral process
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of a Senate (54 seats; 34 members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms, with remaining seats assigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of state) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats, 60% Hutu and 40% Tutsi with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed by a National Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnic representation; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 23 July 2010 (next to be held in 2015); National Assembly - last held on 23 July 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - TBD; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD 81.2%, UPRONA 11.6%, FRODEBU 5.9%, others 1.3%; seats by party - CNDD 81, UPRONA 17, FRODEBU 5, other 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; High Court of Justice (composed of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court)
Political parties and leaders:
governing parties: Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Jeremie NGENDAKUMANA]; Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Bonaventure NIYOYANKANA]
note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are: National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD [Leonard NYANGOMA]; National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Forum for the Strengthening of Civil Society or FORSC [Pacifique NININAHAZWE] (civil society umbrella organization); Observatoire de lutte contre la corruption et les malversations economiques or OLUCOME [Gabriel RUFYIRI] (anti-corruption pressure group)
other: Hutu and Tutsi militias (loosely organized)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Angele NIYUHIRE
chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574
FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. H. SLUTZ
embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
telephone: [257] 223454
FAX: [257] 222926
Flag description:
divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below); green symbolizes hope and optimism, white purity and peace, and red the blood shed in the struggle for independence; the three stars in the disk represent the three major ethnic groups: Hutu, Twa, Tutsi, as well as the three elements in the national motto: unity, work, progress
National anthem:
name: "Burundi Bwacu" (Our Beloved Burundi)
lyrics/music: Jean-Baptiste NTAHOKAJA/Marc BARENGAYABO
note: adopted 1962
Economy ::Burundi
Economy - overview:
Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural which accounts for about 35% of GDP and employs more than 90% of the population. Burundi's primary exports are coffee and tea, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings, though exports are a relatively small share of GDP. Burundi's export earning - and its ability to pay for imports - rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi minority, 14% of the population, dominates the coffee trade. An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally. Only one in two children go to school, and approximately one in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply. Burundi's GDP grew around 4% annually in 2006-09. Political stability and the end of the civil war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a weak legal system, and low administrative capacity - risk undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi will continue to remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors; the delay of funds after a corruption scandal cut off bilateral aid in 2007 reduced government's revenues and its ability to pay salaries. Burundi joined the East African Community, which should boost Burundi's regional trade ties, and received $700 million in debt relief in 2009. Instability spilling over from eastern Congo-Kinshasa and the ban on minerals smuggled across Burundi's border will be the main challenges to economic growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.418 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 172 $3.29 billion (2009 est.)
$3.178 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.469 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 3.5% (2009 est.)
4.5% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$300 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 228 $300 (2009 est.)
$300 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 31.6%
industry: 21.4%
services: 47% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
4.245 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 85
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 93.6%
industry: 2.3%
services: 4.1% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
68% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 28% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
42.4 (1998) country comparison to the world: 52
Investment (gross fixed):
25.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 10.7% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 44 10.08% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.08% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 16.52% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$329.3 million (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 166 $293.6 million (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$568.3 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 $506.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$465.7 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 $415.2 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides
Industries:
light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing
Industrial production growth rate:
7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 40
Electricity - production:
92 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Electricity - consumption:
125.6 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 185
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
40 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200
Oil - consumption:
3,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 176
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Oil - imports:
2,495 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Current account balance:
-$136 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 -$127 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$71 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 199 $68 million (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides
Exports - partners:
Germany 21.6%, Switzerland 14.86%, Belgium 9.32%, Sweden 8.94%, Pakistan 5.82% (2009)
Imports:
$336 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 $275 million (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 16.87%, Belgium 11.17%, Uganda 8.62%, Kenya 7.57%, China 5.66%, France 5.35%, Germany 4.46%, India 4.24%, Tanzania 4.21% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$320 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $323 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (2003) country comparison to the world: 147
Exchange rates:
Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - 1,250.75 (2010), 1,230.18 (2009), 1,198 (2008), 1,065 (2007), 1,030 (2006)
Communications ::Burundi
Telephones - main lines in use:
31,500 (2009) country comparison to the world: 177
Telephones - mobile cellular:
838,400 (2009) country comparison to the world: 149
Telephone system:
general assessment: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relays
domestic: telephone density one of the lowest in the world; fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing but remains at a meager 10 per 100 persons
international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
state-controlled La Radiodiffusion et Television Nationale de Burundi (RTNB) operates the lone TV broadcast station and the only national radio network; about 10 privately-owned radio broadcast stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available in Bujumbura (2007)
Internet country code:
.bi
Internet hosts:
201 (2010) country comparison to the world: 194
Internet users:
157,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 147
Transportation ::Burundi
Airports:
8 (2010) country comparison to the world: 161
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2010)
Heliports:
1 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 12,322 km country comparison to the world: 129 paved: 1,286 km
unpaved: 11,036 km (2004)
Waterways:
mainly on Lake Tanganyika between Bujumbura, Burundi's principal port, and lake ports in Tanzania, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Bujumbura
Military ::Burundi
Military branches:
National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationale, FDN): Army (includes naval detachment and Air Wing), National Gendarmerie (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
military service is voluntary; the armed forces law of 31 December 2004 did not specify a minimum age for enlistment, but the government had previously said each recruit must have a primary school-leaving certificate; mandatory retirement age 45 (enlisted), 50 (NCOs), and 55 (officers) (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,099,541
females age 16-49: 2,118,918 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,337,935
females age 16-49: 1,414,035 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 111,829
female: 111,802 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
Transnational Issues ::Burundi
Disputes - international:
Burundi and Rwanda dispute sections of border on the Akanyaru/Kanyaru and the Kagera/Nyabarongo rivers, which have changed course since the 1960s, when the boundary was delimited; cross-border conflicts among Tutsi, Hutu, other ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces persist in the Great Lakes region
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 9,849 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
IDPs: 100,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2007)
page last updated on January 12, 2011
======================================================================
@Cambodia (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Cambodia
Background:
Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863 and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders have been tried or are awaiting trial for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, with little of the pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful.
Geography ::Cambodia
Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos
Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 181,035 sq km country comparison to the world: 89 land: 176,515 sq km
water: 4,520 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Land boundaries:
total: 2,572 km
border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km
Coastline:
443 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m
Natural resources:
oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential
Land use:
arable land: 20.44%
permanent crops: 0.59%
other: 78.97% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
476.1 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 4.08 cu km/yr (1%/0%/98%)
per capita: 290 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts
Environment - current issues:
illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, most of the population does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing and overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap
People ::Cambodia
Population:
14,453,680 country comparison to the world: 66 note: estimates for this country 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 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.6% (male 2,388,922/female 2,336,439)
15-64 years: 63.8% (male 4,498,568/female 4,743,677)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 197,649/female 329,038) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.6 years
male: 21.8 years
female: 23.3 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.705% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Birth rate:
25.58 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Death rate:
8.19 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 100
Net migration rate:
-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 136
Urbanization:
urban population: 22% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.045 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 56.94 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 37 male: 64.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 49.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.28 years country comparison to the world: 177 male: 59.95 years
female: 64.72 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.9 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
75,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
6,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40
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, Japanese encephalitis, 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: Cambodian(s)
adjective: Cambodian
Ethnic groups:
Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%
Religions:
Buddhist 96.4%, Muslim 2.1%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (1998 census)
Languages:
Khmer (official) 95%, French, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 73.6%
male: 84.7%
female: 64.1% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 10 years
female: 9 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 176
Government ::Cambodia
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form: Cambodia
local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation)
local short form: Kampuchea
former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia
Government type:
multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Phnom Penh
geographic coordinates: 11 33 N, 104 55 E
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
23 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1 municipality (krong, singular and plural)
provinces: Banteay Mean Choay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb, Krachen, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Choay, Pailin, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu (Sihanoukville), Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanokiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev
municipalities: Phnum Penh (Phnom Penh)
Independence:
9 November 1953 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 9 November (1953)
Constitution:
promulgated 21 September 1993
Legal system:
primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature with influences of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing influence of common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985) [co-prime minister from 1993 to 1997]; Permanent Deputy Prime Minister MEN SAM AN (since 25 September 2008); Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992); SOK AN, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK BUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004); BIN CHHIN (since 5 September 2007); KEAT CHHON, YIM CHHAI LY (since 24 September 2008); KE KIMYAN (since 12 March 2009)
cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the king chosen by a Royal Throne Council from among all eligible males of royal descent; following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the king
Legislative branch:
bicameral, consists of the Senate (61 seats; 2 members appointed by the monarch, 2 elected by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by parliamentarians and commune councils; members serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (123 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2012); National Assembly - last held on 27 July 2008 (next to be held in July 2013)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 69%, FUNCINPEC 21%, SRP 10%; seats by party - CPP 45, FUNCINPEC 10, SRP 2; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 58%, SRP 22%, HRP 7%; NRP 6%; FUNCINPEC 5%; others 2%; seats by party - CPP 90, SRP 26, HRP 3, FUNCINPEC 2, NRP 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitution and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts) exercises judicial authority
Political parties and leaders:
Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIM]; Human Rights Party or HRP [KHEM SOKHA, also spelled KEM SOKHA]; National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [KEV PUT REAKSMEI]; Nationalist Party or NP [CHHIM SEAK LENG] (formerly the NRP); Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI, also spelled SAM RAINSY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Cambodian Freedom Fighters or CFF; Partnership for Transparency Fund or PTF (anti-corruption organization); Students Movement for Democracy; The Committee for Free and Fair Elections or Comfrel
other: human rights organizations; vendors
International organization participation:
ADB, ARF, ASEAN, CICA (observer), EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador HENG HEM
chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carol A. RODLEY
embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh
mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546
telephone: [855] (23) 728-000
FAX: [855] (23) 728-600
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined in black in the center of the red band; red and blue are traditional Cambodian colors
note: only national flag to incorporate an actual building in its design
National anthem:
name: "Nokoreach" (Royal Kingdom)
lyrics/music: CHUON NAT/F. PERRUCHOT and J. JEKYLL
note: adopted 1941, restored 1993; the anthem, based on a Cambodian folk tune, was restored after the defeat of the Communist regime
Economy ::Cambodia
Economy - overview:
From 2004 to 2007, the economy grew about 10% per year, driven largely by an expansion in the garment sector, construction, agriculture, and tourism. GDP contracted 1.5% in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown, but climbed more than 4% in 1010, driven by renewed exports. With the January 2005 expiration of a WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Cambodian textile producers were forced to compete directly with lower-priced countries such as China, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. The garment industry currently employs more than 280,000 people - about 5% of the work force - and contributes more than 70% of Cambodia's exports. In 2005, exploitable oil deposits were found beneath Cambodia's territorial waters, representing a new revenue stream for the government if commercial extraction begins. Mining also is attracting significant investor interest, particularly in the northern parts of the country. The government has said opportunities exist for mining bauxite, gold, iron and gems. In 2006, a US-Cambodia bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) was signed, and several rounds of discussions have been held since 2007. Rubber exports increased about 25% in 2009 due to rising global demand. The tourism industry has continued to grow rapidly, with foreign arrivals exceeding 2 million per year in 2007-08, however, economic troubles abroad dampened growth in 2009. The global financial crisis is weakening demand for Cambodian exports, and construction is declining due to a shortage of credit. The long-term development of the economy remains a daunting challenge. The Cambodian government is working with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the World Bank and IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs. The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance. More than 50% of the population is less than 25 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$29.46 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 $28.3 billion (2009 est.)
$28.73 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.36 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.1% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 -1.5% (2009 est.)
5% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 $2,000 (2009 est.)
$2,100 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 29%
industry: 30%
services: 41% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
8 million (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 67.9%
industry: 12.7%
services: 19.5% (2009 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 2.5% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
31% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 34.2% (2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
43 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 40 (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 77
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 -0.7% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 83 5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 40 16.01% (31 December 2008)
Stock of narrow money:
$850.7 million (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 142 $747.2 million (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$4.982 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $3.899 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.195 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $1.991 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca, silk
Industries:
tourism, garments, construction, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
4.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72
Electricity - production:
1.273 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Electricity - consumption:
1.272 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
167 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199
Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Oil - imports:
30,970 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Current account balance:
-$918 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 -$865.7 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$5.212 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 $4.302 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear
Exports - partners:
US 45.32%, Singapore 9.46%, Germany 7.52%, UK 7.07%, Canada 6.31%, Vietnam 4.15% (2009)
Imports:
$6.944 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $5.876 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials, machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products
Imports - partners:
Thailand 24.83%, Vietnam 19.73%, China 14.08%, Singapore 11.34%, Hong Kong 7.41%, Taiwan 5.1%, South Korea 4.06% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.84 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $3.289 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.338 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 $4.284 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
riels (KHR) per US dollar - 4,217.96 (2010), 4,139.33 (2009), 4,070.94 (2008), 4,006 (2007), 4,103 (2006)
Communications ::Cambodia
Telephones - main lines in use:
54,200 (2009) country comparison to the world: 159
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.593 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 91
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate fixed-line and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile-cellular phone systems are widely used in urban areas to bypass deficiencies in the fixed-line network; mobile-phone coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas
domestic: fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, aided by increasing competition among service providers, is increasing and stands at 40 per 100 persons
international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2009)
Broadcast media:
mixture of state-owned, joint public-private, and privately-owned broadcast media; 9 TV broadcast stations with most operating on multiple channels, including 1 state-operated station broadcasting from multiple locations, 6 stations either jointly operated or privately-owned with some broadcasting from several locations, and 2 TV relay stations - one relaying a French television station and the other relaying a Vietnamese television station; multi-channel cable and satellite systems are available; roughly 50 radio broadcast stations - 1 state-owned broadcaster with multiple stations and a large mixture of public and private broadcasters; several international broadcasters are available (2009)
Internet country code:
.kh
Internet hosts:
5,452 (2010) country comparison to the world: 138
Internet users:
78,500 (2009) country comparison to the world: 166
Transportation ::Cambodia
Airports:
17 (2010) country comparison to the world: 141
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Heliports:
1 (2010)
Railways:
total: 690 km country comparison to the world: 105 narrow gauge: 690 km 1.000-m gauge
note: under restoration (2010)
Roadways:
total: 38,093 km country comparison to the world: 91 paved: 2,977 km
unpaved: 35,116 km (2007)
Waterways:
2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2010) country comparison to the world: 37
Merchant marine:
total: 620 country comparison to the world: 20 by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 526, carrier 5, chemical tanker 5, container 5, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 12, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 5
foreign-owned: 426 (Belgium 1, Canada 2, China 203, Cyprus 8, Egypt 12, Estonia 1, French Polynesia 1, Gabon 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Japan 2, Latvia 1, Lebanon 6, Netherlands 1, Romania 1, Russia 60, Singapore 4, South Korea 11, Syria 22, Taiwan 1, Turkey 26, UAE 2, UK 3, Ukraine 37, US 4, Vietnam 1) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Phnom Penh, Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville)
Military ::Cambodia
Military branches:
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Royal Cambodian Army, Royal Khmer Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
conscription law of October 2006 requires all males between 18-30 to register for military service; 18-month service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,980,995
females age 16-49: 3,970,244 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,751,618
females age 16-49: 2,835,807 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 168,519
female: 166,418 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Transnational Issues ::Cambodia
Disputes - international:
Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary with missing boundary markers and claims of Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory; maritime boundary with Vietnam is hampered by unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands; Thailand accuses Cambodia of obstructing inclusion of Thai areas near Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962, as part of a planned UN World Heritage site
Illicit drugs:
narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the government, military, and police; limited methamphetamine production; vulnerable to money laundering due to its cash-based economy and porous borders
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Cameroon (Africa)
Introduction ::Cameroon
Background:
The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.
Geography ::Cameroon
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 N, 12 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 475,440 sq km country comparison to the world: 53 land: 472,710 sq km
water: 2,730 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 4,591 km
border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km
Coastline:
402 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
Climate:
varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
Terrain:
diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Fako 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon)
Natural resources:
petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 12.54%
permanent crops: 2.52%
other: 84.94% (2005)
Irrigated land:
260 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
285.5 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.99 cu km/yr (18%/8%/74%)
per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes
volcanism: Mt. Cameroon (elev. 4,095 m, 13,435 ft), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in Oku volcanic field have released fatal levels of gas on occasion, killing some 1,700 people in 1986
Environment - current issues:
waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano
People ::Cameroon
Population:
19,294,149 country comparison to the world: 58 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 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.9% (male 3,891,762/female 3,822,870)
15-64 years: 55.9% (male 5,298,143/female 5,250,493)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 283,289/female 332,744) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.3 years
male: 19.2 years
female: 19.4 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.157% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
Birth rate:
33.58 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Death rate:
12.01 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 79
Urbanization:
urban population: 57% 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 62.15 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 32 male: 66.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 57.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.04 years country comparison to the world: 202 male: 53.21 years
female: 54.9 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.25 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 41
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
540,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
39,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Cameroonian(s)
adjective: Cameroonian
Ethnic groups:
Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
Languages:
24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.9%
male: 77%
female: 59.8% (2001 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 9 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
2.9% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 150
Government ::Cameroon
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form: Cameroon
local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon
local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon
former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon
Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime
Capital:
name: Yaounde
geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 regions (regions, singular - region); Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, North-West (Nord-Ouest), Ouest, Sud, South-West (Sud-Ouest)
Independence:
1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)
Constitution:
approved by referendum 20 May 1972; adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996
Legal system:
based on French civil law system with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
head of government: Prime Minister Philemon YANG (since 30 June 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 October 2004 (next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature
elections: last held on 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17
note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges; elected by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]; Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]; Progressive Movement or MP; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]; Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph FOE-ATANGANA
chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790
FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Janet E. GARVEY
embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaounde
mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
telephone: [237] 2220 15 00; Consular: [237] 2220 16 03
FAX: [237] 2220 16 00 Ext. 4531; Consular FAX: [237] 2220 17 52
branch office(s): Douala
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; the vertical tricolor recalls the flag of France; red symbolizes unity, yellow the sun, happiness, and the savannahs in the north, and green hope and the forests in the south; the star is referred to as the "star of unity"
note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia
National anthem:
name: "O Cameroun, Berceau de nos Ancetres" (O Cameroon, Cradle of Our Forefathers)
lyrics/music: Rene Djam AFAME, Samuel Minkio BAMBA, Moise Nyatte NKO"O [French], Benard Nsokika FONLON [English]/Rene Djam AFAME
note: adopted 1957; Cameroon's anthem, also known as "Chant de Ralliement" (The Rallying Song), has been used unofficially since 1948 although officially adopted in 1957; the anthem has French and English versions whose lyrics differ
Economy ::Cameroon
Economy - overview:
Because of its modest oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as stagnate per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. The IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. Weak prices for oil and cocoa led to the significant slowdown in growth in 2009. The government is under pressure to reduce its budget deficit, which by the government's own forecast will hit 2.8% of GDP, but the presidential election in 2011 may make fiscal austerity difficult.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$44.65 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 $43.44 billion (2009 est.)
$43.05 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$21.88 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 0.9% (2009 est.)
3.9% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,300 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $2,300 (2009 est.)
$2,300 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 30.9%
services: 49.1% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
7.836 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70%
industry: 13%
services: 17% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 177
Population below poverty line:
48% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 35.4% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.6 (2001) country comparison to the world: 43 47.7 (1996)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72
Public debt:
16.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 16.3% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 3% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 104 4.75% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2009 est.)
NA% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$2.888 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 111 $3.074 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$4.831 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $4.921 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$848.8 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 $1.523 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber
Industries:
petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Electricity - production:
5.601 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 108
Electricity - consumption:
4.801 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
77,310 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55
Oil - consumption:
26,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Oil - exports:
107,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 65
Oil - imports:
45,520 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
Oil - proved reserves:
200 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Natural gas - production:
20 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Natural gas - consumption:
20 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Natural gas - proved reserves:
135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 49
Current account balance:
-$826 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 -$1.137 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$4.371 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 $4.079 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 13.99%, Spain 12.25%, Italy 11.84%, China 9.14%, US 6.16%, France 5.51%, South Korea 4.66%, Belgium 4.33%, UK 4% (2009)
Imports:
$4.869 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $4.405 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food
Imports - partners:
France 21.03%, Nigeria 10.79%, China 10.25%, Belgium 6.62%, US 4.31% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.023 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 $3.676 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.344 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $3.231 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs 506.04 (2010), 472.19 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006)
Communications ::Cameroon
Telephones - main lines in use:
323,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 110
Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.397 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 80
Telephone system:
general assessment: system includes cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter; Camtel, the monopoly provider of fixed-line service, provides connections for only about 1 per 100 persons; equipment is old and outdated, and connections with many parts of the country are unreliable
domestic: mobile-cellular usage, in part a reflection of the poor condition and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network, has increased sharply, reaching a subscribership base of 40 per 100 persons
international: country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
government maintains tight control over broadcast media; state-owned Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), broadcasting on both a television and radio network, was the only officially recognized and fully licensed broadcaster until August 2007 when the government finally issued licenses to 2 private TV broadcasters and 1 private radio broadcaster; about 70 privately-owned unlicensed radio stations operating but are subject to closure at any time; foreign news services required to partner with state-owned national station (2007)
Internet country code:
.cm
Internet hosts:
90 (2010) country comparison to the world: 204
Internet users:
749,600 (2009) country comparison to the world: 106
Transportation ::Cameroon
Airports:
34 (2010) country comparison to the world: 111
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 6 (2010)
Pipelines:
oil 889 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 987 km country comparison to the world: 90 narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 50,000 km country comparison to the world: 81 paved: 5,000 km
unpaved: 45,000 km (2004)
Waterways:
major rivers in the south, such as the Wouri and the Sanaga, are largely non-navigable; in the north, the Benue, which connects through Nigeria to the Niger River, is navigable in the rainy season only to the port of Garoua (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Douala, Garoua, Limboh Terminal
Military ::Cameroon
Military branches:
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18-23 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; high school graduation required; service obligation 4 years; the government makes periodic calls for volunteers (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,553,576
females age 16-49: 4,443,217 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,721,307
females age 16-49: 2,647,640 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 213,538
female: 209,549 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 113
Transnational Issues ::Cameroon
Disputes - international:
Joint Border Commission with Nigeria reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately ceded sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a full phase-out of Nigerian control and patriation of residents in 2008; Cameroon and Nigeria agree on maritime delimitation in March 2008; sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 20,000-30,000 (Chad); 3,000 (Nigeria); 24,000 (Central African Republic) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Cameroon is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; most victims are children trafficked within country, with girls primarily trafficked for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation; both boys and girls are also trafficked within Cameroon for forced labor in sweatshops, bars, restaurants, and on tea and cocoa plantations; children are trafficked into Cameroon from neighboring states for forced labor in agriculture, fishing, street vending, and spare-parts shops; Cameroon is a transit country for children trafficked between Gabon and Nigeria, and from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia; it is a source country for women transported by sex-trafficking rings to Europe
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cameroon is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007, particularly in terms of efforts to prosecute and convict trafficking offenders; while Cameroon reported some arrests of traffickers, none of them were prosecuted or punished; the government does not identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations nor does it monitor the number of victims it intercepts (2008)
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Canada (North America)
Introduction ::Canada
Background:
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to the particular concerns of predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.
Geography ::Canada
Location:
Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
Geographic coordinates:
60 00 N, 95 00 W
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 9,984,670 sq km country comparison to the world: 2 land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than the US
Land boundaries:
total: 8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
Coastline:
202,080 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Terrain:
mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m
Natural resources:
iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, rare earth elements, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 4.57%
permanent crops: 0.65%
other: 94.78% (2005)
Irrigated land:
7,850 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
3,300 cu km (1985)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 44.72 cu km/yr (20%/69%/12%)
per capita: 1,386 cu m/yr (1996)
Natural hazards:
continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains
volcanism: the vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain dormant
Environment - current issues:
air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border
People ::Canada
Population:
33,759,742 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 36
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.1% (male 2,761,711/female 2,626,836)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,633,950/female 11,381,735)
65 years and over: 15.2% (male 2,220,189/female 2,862,787) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.7 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 41.8 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.804% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Birth rate:
10.28 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Death rate:
7.87 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Net migration rate:
5.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Urbanization:
urban population: 80% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.056 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 186 male: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.29 years country comparison to the world: 10 male: 78.72 years
female: 84 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.58 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
73,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Nationality:
noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian
Ethnic groups:
British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official) 58.8%, French (official) 21.6%, other 19.6% (2006 Census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years
male: 17 years
female: 17 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
4.9% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 75
Government ::Canada
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada
Government type:
a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Ottawa
geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 42 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
note: Canada is divided into six time zones
Administrative divisions:
10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*
Independence:
1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)
National holiday:
Canada Day, 1 July (1867)
Constitution:
made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments
Legal system:
based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
head of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General David JOHNSTON (since 1 October 2010)
head of government: Prime Minister Stephen Joseph HARPER (since 6 February 2006)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Commons generally designated prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and serve until 75 years of age) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve a maximum of five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held on 14 October 2008 (next to be held no later than 15 October 2012)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative Party 37.6%, Liberal Party 26.2%, New Democratic Party 18.2%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, Greens 6.8%, other 1%; seats by party - Conservative Party 145, Liberal Party 77, New Democratic Party 37, Bloc Quebecois 48, other 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queen's Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)
Political parties and leaders:
Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada [Stephen HARPER] (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party); Green Party [Elizabeth MAY]; Liberal Party [Michael IGNATIEFF]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: agricultural sector; automobile industry; business groups; chemical industry; commercial banks; communications sector; energy industry; environmentalists; public administration groups; steel industry; trade unions
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gary DOER
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7701
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson
consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton (New Jersey), Raleigh, San Jose (California), Tucson
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David C. JACOBSON
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430; P.O. Box 866, Station B, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5T1
telephone: [1] (613) 688-5335
FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg
Flag description:
two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width) with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the maple leaf has long been a Canadian symbol; the official colors of Canada are red and white
National anthem:
name: "O Canada"
lyrics/music: Adolphe-Basile ROUTHIER [French], Robert Stanley WEIR [English]/Calixa LAVALLEE
note: adopted 1980; originally written in 1880, "O Canada" served as an unofficial anthem many years before its official adoption; the anthem has French and English versions whose lyrics differ; as a Commonwealth realm, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)
Economy ::Canada
Economy - overview:
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US, its principal trading partner. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with the US, which absorbs about three-fourths of Canadian exports each year. Canada is the US's largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 through 2007. Buffeted by the global economic crisis, the economy dropped into a sharp recession in the final months of 2008, and Ottawa posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years of surplus. Canada's major banks, however, emerged from the financial crisis of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world, owing to the country's tradition of conservative lending practices and strong capitalization. During 2010, Canada's economy grew only 3%, because of weak exports.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.335 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $1.297 trillion (2009 est.)
$1.33 trillion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.564 trillion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 -2.5% (2009 est.)
0.5% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$39,600 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $38,700 (2009 est.)
$40,000 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.3%
industry: 26.4%
services: 71.3% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
18.59 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2%
manufacturing: 13%
construction: 6%
services: 76%
other: 3% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 8.3% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
10.8%; note - this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a calculation that results in higher figures than found in many comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 24.8% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.1 (2005) country comparison to the world: 100 31.5 (1994)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
Public debt:
82.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 82.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 0.3% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
0.5% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 132 1.75% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
2.4% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 4.73% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$560.8 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 10 $470.9 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$1.469 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $1.144 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.963 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $2.606 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.681 trillion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 10 $1.002 trillion (31 December 2008)
$2.187 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish
Industries:
transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum and natural gas
Industrial production growth rate:
5.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Electricity - production:
620.7 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7
Electricity - consumption:
536.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 8
Electricity - exports:
55.73 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
23.5 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
3.289 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Oil - consumption:
2.151 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
Oil - exports:
2.001 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
Oil - imports:
1.192 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Oil - proved reserves:
175.2 billion bbl country comparison to the world: 2 note: includes oil sands (1 January 2010 est.)
Natural gas - production:
161.3 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
Natural gas - consumption:
94.62 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7
Natural gas - exports:
94.67 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Natural gas - imports:
16.59 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.754 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 21
Current account balance:
-$40.21 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 -$38.08 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$406.8 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $323.3 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum
Exports - partners:
US 75.02%, UK 3.37%, China 3.09% (2009)
Imports:
$406.4 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $327.3 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods
Imports - partners:
US 51.1%, China 10.88%, Mexico 4.56% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$NA (31 December 2010 est.)
$54.36 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.009 trillion (30 June 2010) country comparison to the world: 15 $781.1 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$528.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $494.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$602.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $576.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar - 1.0346 (2010), 1.1431 (2009), 1.0364 (2008), 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006)
Communications ::Canada
Telephones - main lines in use:
18.251 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 16
Telephones - mobile cellular:
23.081 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 38
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: country code - 1; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean, and 2 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2007)
Broadcast media:
2 public television broadcasting networks each with a large number of network affilates; several private-commercial networks also with multiple network affiliates; overall, about 150 TV stations; multi-channel satellite and cable systems provide access to a wide range of stations including US stations; mix of public and commercial radio broadcasters with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the public radio broadcaster, operating 4 radio networks, Radio Canada International, and radio services to indigenous populations in the north; roughly 2,000 licensed radio stations in Canada (2008)
Internet country code:
.ca
Internet hosts:
7.77 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 13
Internet users:
26.96 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 16
Transportation ::Canada
Airports:
1,404 (2010) country comparison to the world: 4
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 514
over 3,047 m: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
1,524 to 2,437 m: 148
914 to 1,523 m: 249
under 914 m: 79 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 890
1,524 to 2,437 m: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 377
under 914 m: 440 (2010)
Heliports:
12 (2010)
Pipelines:
crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 46,688 km country comparison to the world: 5 standard gauge: 46,688 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 1,042,300 km country comparison to the world: 6 paved: 415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways)
unpaved: 626,700 km (2008)
Waterways:
636 km country comparison to the world: 78 note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 184 country comparison to the world: 36 by type: bulk carrier 66, cargo 12, carrier 1, chemical tanker 14, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 64, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 6
foreign-owned: 15 (France 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 4, US 9)
registered in other countries: 223 (Australia 7, Bahamas 102, Barbados 13, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 2, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 70, Liberia 4, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 4, Norway 1, Panama 5, Spain 5, US 1, Vanuatu 5) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Fraser River Port, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, Port-Cartier, Quebec City, Saint John (New Brunswick), Sept-Isles, Vancouver
Military ::Canada
Military branches:
Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command (LFC), Maritime Command (MARCOM), Air Command (AIRCOM), Canada Command (homeland security) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for reserve and military college applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,051,656
females age 16-49: 7,780,644 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,642,190
females age 16-49: 6,402,896 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 220,538
female: 208,033 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 126
Transnational Issues ::Canada
Disputes - international:
managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Gulf of Maine including the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; Canada, the US, and other countries dispute the status of the Northwest Passage; US works closely with Canada to intensify security measures for monitoring and controlling legal and illegal movement of people, transport, and commodities across the international border; sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; commencing the collection of technical evidence for submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in support of claims for continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from its declared baselines in the Arctic, as stipulated in Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; increasing ecstasy production, some of which is destined for the US; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector
page last updated on January 20, 2011
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@Cape Verde (Africa)
Introduction ::Cape Verde
Background:
The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.
Geography ::Cape Verde
Location:
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 24 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 4,033 sq km country comparison to the world: 175 land: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
965 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic
Terrain:
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)
Natural resources:
salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum
Land use:
arable land: 11.41%
permanent crops: 0.74%
other: 87.85% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.3 cu km (1990)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%)
per capita: 39 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active
volcanism: Fogo (elev. 2,829 m, 9,281 ft), which last erupted in 1995, is Cape Verde's only active volcano
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, 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:
strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site
People ::Cape Verde
Population:
508,659 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 169
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.2% (male 76,012/female 74,993)
15-64 years: 58.5% (male 123,376/female 127,653)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 10,040/female 17,400) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.3 years
male: 21.4 years
female: 23.1 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.459% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Birth rate:
21.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
Death rate:
6.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
Net migration rate:
-0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 148
Urbanization:
urban population: 60% 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: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 27.89 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 78 male: 31.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.41 years country comparison to the world: 144 male: 68.24 years
female: 72.64 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.54 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.04% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
775 (2001) country comparison to the world: 144
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
225 (as of 2001) country comparison to the world: 103
Nationality:
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean
Ethnic groups:
Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
Languages:
Portuguese (official), Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6%
male: 85.8%
female: 69.2% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 11 years
female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.7% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 39
Government ::Cape Verde
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Praia
geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W
time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal
Independence:
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
Constitution:
25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995 substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)
Legal system:
based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES (since 22 March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president
election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 22 January 2006 (next to be held on 6 February 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%, UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia
Political parties and leaders:
African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Jorge SANTOS]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: environmentalists; political pressure groups
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fatima Lima VEIGA
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
consulate(s) general: Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Dana BROWN
embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00
FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55
Flag description:
five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side; blue stands for the sea and the sky, the circle of stars represents the 10 major islands united into a nation, the stripes symbolize the road to formation of the country through peace (white) and effort (red)
National anthem:
name: "Cantico da Liberdade" (Song of Freedom)
lyrics/music: Amilcar Spencer LOPES/Adalberto Higino Tavares SILVA
note: adopted 1996
Economy ::Cape Verde
Economy - overview:
This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought and poor soil for agriculture on several of the islands. The economy is service oriented with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for about three-fourths of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit financed by foreign aid and remittances from its large pool of emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Despite the lack of resources, sound economic management has produced steadily improving incomes. Continued economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. Cape Verde became a member of the WTO in July 2008.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.861 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 186 $1.781 billion (2009 est.)
$1.749 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.573 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 1.8% (2009 est.)
5.9% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,700 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 $3,600 (2009 est.)
$3,500 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9%
industry: 16.2%
services: 74.8% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
196,100 (2007) country comparison to the world: 169
Unemployment rate:
21% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Population below poverty line:
30% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.9%
highest 10%: 40.6% (2000)
Investment (gross fixed):
36.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 1% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7.5% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 54 7.5% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.98% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 9.99% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$585 million (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 155 $628.4 million (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$1.314 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 $1.399 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.179 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 $1.256 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish
Industries:
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Electricity - production:
250 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 173
Electricity - consumption:
232.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198
Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
Oil - imports:
1,619 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 178
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Current account balance:
-$286 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 -$319 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$114 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 $105 million (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides
Exports - partners:
Spain 53.98%, Portugal 22.23%, Morocco 7.13% (2009)
Imports:
$858 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 $835 million (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:
Portugal 44.86%, Netherlands 15.51%, Spain 6.1%, Italy 4.46%, Brazil 4.21% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$296 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $284 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$325 million (2002) country comparison to the world: 169
Exchange rates:
Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 88.58 (2010), 79.377 (2009), 73.84 (2008), 81.235 (2007), 87.946 (2006)
Communications ::Cape Verde
Telephones - main lines in use:
72,200 (2009) country comparison to the world: 153
Telephones - mobile cellular:
392,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 165
Telephone system:
general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998; broadband services launched in 2004
international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2 fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Broadcast media:
state-run TV and radio broadcast network plus a growing number of private broadcasters; Portuguese public TV and radio services for Africa are available; transmissions of a few international broadcasters are obtainable (2007)
Internet country code:
.cv
Internet hosts:
26 (2010) country comparison to the world: 215
Internet users:
150,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 148
Transportation ::Cape Verde
Airports:
10 (2010) country comparison to the world: 156
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 1,350 km country comparison to the world: 178 paved: 932 km
unpaved: 418 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 13 country comparison to the world: 104 by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo 7
foreign-owned: 3 (Spain 1, UK 2) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Porto Grande
Military ::Cape Verde
Military branches:
People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) for selective compulsory military service; 14-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 128,858
females age 16-49: 133,581 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 103,894
females age 16-49: 114,721 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 6,077
female: 6,075 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.5% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 165
Transnational Issues ::Cape Verde
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine destined for Western Europe, particularly because of Lusophone links to Brazil, Portugal, and Guinea-Bissau; has taken steps to deter drug money laundering, including a 2002 anti-money laundering reform that criminalizes laundering the proceeds of narcotics trafficking and other crimes and the establishment in 2008 of a Financial Intelligence Unit (2008)
page last updated on January 12, 2011
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@Cayman Islands (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Cayman Islands
Background:
The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries and were administered by Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies. When the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.
Geography ::Cayman Islands
Location:
Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica
Geographic coordinates:
19 30 N, 80 30 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 264 sq km country comparison to the world: 210 land: 264 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
160 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)
Terrain:
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff on Cayman Brac 43 m
Natural resources:
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use:
arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 96.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to November)
Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments
Geography - note:
important location between Cuba and Central America
People ::Cayman Islands
Population:
50,209 country comparison to the world: 206 note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.6% (male 4,824/female 4,783)
15-64 years: 71.1% (male 16,994/female 17,884)
65 years and over: 9.3% (male 2,139/female 2,411) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.4 years
male: 38 years
female: 38.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.338% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 36
Birth rate:
12.29 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Death rate:
5 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 185
Net migration rate:
16.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 2 note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2010 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.016 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.78 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 169 male: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.57 years country comparison to the world: 20 male: 77.91 years
female: 83.27 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.88 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian
Ethnic groups:
mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%
Religions:
Church of God 25.5%, Roman Catholic 12.6%, Presbyterian / United Church 9.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.4%, Baptist 8.3%, Pentecostal 6.7%, Anglican 3.9%, other religions 4%, non-denominational 5.7%, other 6.5%, none 6.1%, unspecified 3.2% (2007)
Languages:
English (official) 95%, Spanish 3.2%, other 1.8% (1999 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 161
Government ::Cayman Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: George Town (on Grand Cayman)
geographic coordinates: 19 18 N, 81 23 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, first Monday in July
Constitution:
The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009, 6 November 2009
Legal system:
British common law and local statutes
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Duncan TAYLOR (since 15 January 2010)
head of government: Premier McKeeva BUSH (since 6 November 2009)
cabinet: The Cabinet (six members are appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier, selected from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly) (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; the governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or coalition appointed by the governor as premier
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; 18 members elected by popular vote and 2 ex officio members from The Cabinet; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 20 May 2009 (next to be held not later than May 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDP 9, PPM 5, independent 1
Judicial branch:
Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal; Summary Court
Political parties and leaders:
People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]; United Democratic Party or UDP [McKeeva BUSH]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Trust
other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK); consular services provided through the US Embassy in Jamaica
Flag description:
a blue field, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a crest with a pineapple, representing the connection with Jamaica, and a turtle, representing Cayman's seafaring tradition, above a shield bearing a golden lion, symbolizing Great Britain, below which are three green stars (representing the three islands) surmounting white and blue wavy lines representing the sea and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS
National anthem:
name: "Beloved Isle Cayman"
lyrics/music: Leila E. ROSS
note: adopted 1993; served as an unofficial anthem since 1930; as a territory of the United Kingdom, in addition to the local anthem, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy ::Cayman Islands
Economy - overview:
With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 93,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2008, including almost 300 banks, 800 insurers, and 10,000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.9 million in 2008, with about half from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.25 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 $2.23 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.25 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176 0.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$43,800 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2%
services: 95.4% (1994 est.)
Labor force:
39,000 country comparison to the world: 198 note: nearly 55% are non-nationals (2007)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1.9%
industry: 19.1%
services: 79% (2008 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4% (2008) country comparison to the world: 37 4.4% (2004)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (2008) country comparison to the world: 121 4.4% (2004)
Stock of narrow money:
$334.3 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 165
Stock of broad money:
$5.564 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 109 $183.5 million (31 December 2007)
$188.4 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
Industries:
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
546 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 156
Electricity - consumption:
507.8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Oil - consumption:
3,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 204
Oil - imports:
3,294 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Exports:
$13.8 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 210 $2.52 million (2004)
Exports - commodities:
turtle products, manufactured consumer goods
Imports:
$876.5 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 173 $866.9 million (2004)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels
Debt - external:
$70 million (1996) country comparison to the world: 184
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.8496 (2006)
Communications ::Cayman Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
38,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 170
Telephones - mobile cellular:
33,800 (2004) country comparison to the world: 201
Telephone system:
general assessment: reasonably good system
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004
international: country code - 1-345; landing points for the MAYA-1, Eastern Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS), and the Cayman-Jamaica Fiber System submarine cables that provide links to the US and parts of Central and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Broadcast media:
4 television stations; cable and satellite subscription services offer a variety of international programming; government-owned Radio Cayman operates 2 networks broadcasting on 5 stations; 10 privately-owned radio stations operate alongside Radio Cayman (2007)
Internet country code:
.ky
Internet hosts:
21,910 (2010) country comparison to the world: 108
Internet users:
23,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 188
Transportation ::Cayman Islands
Airports:
3 (2010) country comparison to the world: 193
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 785 km country comparison to the world: 186 paved: 785 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 113 country comparison to the world: 46 by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 3, chemical tanker 56, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 10, vehicle carrier 15
foreign-owned: 99 (Germany 6, Greece 11, Italy 6, Japan 19, Switzerland 1, UK 2, US 54) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Cayman Brac, George Town
Military ::Cayman Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 12,108 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,860
females age 16-49: 10,287 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 326
female: 347 (2010 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues ::Cayman Islands
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
major offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe (2008)
page last updated on January 11, 2011
======================================================================
@Central African Republic (Africa)
Introduction ::Central African Republic
Background:
The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. Unrest in the neighboring nations of Chad, Sudan, and the DRC continues to affect stability in the Central African Republic as well.
Geography ::Central African Republic
Location:
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
7 00 N, 21 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 622,984 sq km country comparison to the world: 44 land: 622,984 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,203 km
border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
Terrain:
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m
Natural resources:
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3.1%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 96.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
144.4 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.03 cu km/yr (80%/16%/4%)
per capita: 7 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
Environment - current issues:
tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
People ::Central African Republic
Population:
4,844,927 country comparison to the world: 116 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 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.9% (male 928,277/female 917,739)
15-64 years: 55% (male 1,235,940/female 1,244,958)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 71,439/female 113,135) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.1 years
male: 18.7 years
female: 19.5 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.149% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Birth rate:
36.79 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Death rate:
15.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 78
Urbanization:
urban population: 39% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.3% 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: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 101.6 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 7 male: 109.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.68 years country comparison to the world: 214 male: 48.45 years
female: 50.95 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.68 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
160,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African
Ethnic groups:
Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Languages:
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.6%
male: 64.8%
female: 33.5% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years
male: 8 years
female: 5 years (2009)
Education expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 179
Government ::Central African Republic
Country name:
conventional long form: Central African Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
local short form: none
former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
abbreviation: CAR
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bangui
geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga
Independence:
13 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 1 December (1958)
Constitution:
ratified by popular referendum 5 December 2004; effective 27 December 2004
Legal system:
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)
head of government: Prime Minister Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (since 22 January 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: under the new constitution, the president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 13 March and 8 May 2005 (next to be held on 23 January 2011); prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority
election results: Francois BOZIZE elected president; percent of second round balloting - Francois BOZIZE (KNK) 64.6%, Martin ZIGUELE (MLPC) 35.4%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (105 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 13 March 2005 and 8 May 2005 (next to be held on 23 January 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KNK 42, MLPC 11, RDC 8, PSD 4, FPP 2, ADP 2, LONDO 1, independents 34, other 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (three judges appointed by the president, three by the president of the National Assembly, and three by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Rally or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Londo Association or LONDO; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Ange-Felix PATASSE] (the party of deposed president); National Convergence or KNK; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Monam (combating gender-base violence)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stanislas MOUSSA-KEMBE
chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Frederick B. COOK
embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
telephone: [236] 61 02 00
FAX: [236] 61 44 94
note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff
Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; a yellow five-pointed star to the hoist side of the blue band; banner combines the Pan-African and French flag colors; red symbolizes the blood spilled in the struggle for independence, blue represents the sky and freedom, white peace and dignity, green hope and faith, and yellow tolerance; the star represents aspiration towards a vibrant future
National anthem:
name: "Le Renaissance" (The Renaissance)
lyrics/music: Barthelemy BOGANDA/Herbert PEPPER
note: adopted 1960; Barthelemy BOGANDA, who wrote the anthem's lyrics, was the first prime minister of the autonomous French territory
Economy ::Central African Republic
Economy - overview:
Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with about 60% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates more than half of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 40%. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.468 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 $3.345 billion (2009 est.)
$3.289 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.113 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 1.7% (2009 est.)
2% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$700 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 222 $700 (2009 est.)
$700 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 55%
industry: 20%
services: 25% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
1.926 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 121
Unemployment rate:
8% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 note: 23% unemployment for Bangui
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1%
highest 10%: 33% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
61.3 (1993) country comparison to the world: 6
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 92 4.75% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2009 est.)
NA% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$288.8 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 167 $241.3 million (31 December 2008)
Stock of broad money:
$343.4 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 $292.9 million (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$357.6 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 167 $339.1 million (31 December 2008)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber
Industries:
gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2002) country comparison to the world: 107
Electricity - production:
115 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Electricity - consumption:
107 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Oil - imports:
2,203 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Current account balance:
-$77 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Exports:
$146.7 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Exports - partners:
Belgium 32.57%, China 10.49%, Indonesia 10.36%, Morocco 10.24%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.87%, France 5.79% (2009)
Imports:
$237.3 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 198
Imports - commodities:
food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners:
South Korea 19.29%, France 11.95%, US 7.78%, Cameroon 7.39%, Netherlands 6.77% (2009)
Debt - external:
$1.153 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148
Exchange rates:
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 506.04 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006)
note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par
Communications ::Central African Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:
12,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 199
Telephones - mobile cellular:
168,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 174
Telephone system:
general assessment: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
domestic: limited telephone service with less than 1 fixed-line connection per 100 persons; spurred by the presence of multiple mobile-cellular service providers, cellular usage is increasing from a low base; most fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone services are concentrated in Bangui
international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Broadcast media:
government-owned network, Radiodiffusion Television Centrafricaine, provides domestic TV broadcasting; licenses for 2 private TV stations are pending; state-owned radio network is supplemented by a small number of privately-owned broadcast stations as well as a few community radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)
Internet country code:
.cf
Internet hosts:
20 (2010) country comparison to the world: 217
Internet users:
22,600 (2009) country comparison to the world: 191
Transportation ::Central African Republic
Airports:
37 (2010) country comparison to the world: 106
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 35
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 6 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 24,307 km (2000) country comparison to the world: 105
Waterways:
2,800 km (the primary navigable river is the Ubangi, which joins the River Congo; it was the traditional route for the export of products because it connected with the Congo-Ocean railway at Brazzaville; because of the warfare on both sides of the River Congo from 1997, however, routes through Cameroon became preferred by importers and exporters) (2010) country comparison to the world: 35
Ports and terminals:
Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga
Military ::Central African Republic
Military branches:
Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees Centrafricaines, FACA): Ground Forces (includes Military Air Service), General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), National Police (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for selective military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,121,548
females age 16-49: 1,118,432 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 637,474
females age 16-49: 643,188 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 54,024
female: 53,203 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 136
Transnational Issues ::Central African Republic
Disputes - international:
periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 7,900 (Sudan); 3,700 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); note - UNHCR resumed repatriation of Southern Sudanese refugees in 2006
IDPs: 197,000 (ongoing unrest following coup in 2003) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Central African Republic is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, street vending, and forced agricultural, mine, market and restaurant labor; to a lesser extent, children are trafficked from the Central African Republic to Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo; rebels conscript children into armed forces within the country
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Central African Republic is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in 2007; efforts to address trafficking through vigorous law enforcement measures and victim protection efforts were minimal, though awareness about trafficking appeared to be increasing in the country; the government does not actively investigate cases, work to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, or rescue and provide care to victims; the government has not taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts (2008)
page last updated on January 19, 2011
======================================================================
@Chad (Africa)
Introduction ::Chad
Background:
Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a democratic constitution and held flawed presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which has sporadically flared up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005, new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and made probing attacks into eastern Chad despite signing peace agreements in December 2006 and October 2007. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits and won another controversial election in 2006. Sporadic rebel campaigns continued throughout 2006 and 2007. The capital experienced a significant rebel threat in early 2008.
Geography ::Chad
Location:
Central Africa, south of Libya
Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 19 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1.284 million sq km country comparison to the world: 21 land: 1,259,200 sq km
water: 24,800 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 5,968 km
border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197 km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
tropical in south, desert in north
Terrain:
broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Djourab 160 m
highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt
Land use:
arable land: 2.8%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 97.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:
300 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
43 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.23 cu km/yr (17%/0%/83%)
per capita: 24 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues
Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography - note:
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel
People ::Chad
Population:
10,543,464 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.7% (male 2,445,841/female 2,381,319)
15-64 years: 50.4% (male 2,386,428/female 2,816,050)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 126,351/female 173,219) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.6 years
male: 15.5 years
female: 17.8 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.038% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
Birth rate:
40.12 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Death rate:
15.79 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 7
Net migration rate:
-3.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Urbanization:
urban population: 27% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 97.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 9 male: 103 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 90.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.99 years country comparison to the world: 217 male: 46.95 years
female: 49.07 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.18 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
14,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
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
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Chadian(s)
adjective: Chadian
Ethnic groups:
Sara 27.7%, Arab 12.3%, Mayo-Kebbi 11.5%, Kanem-Bornou 9%, Ouaddai 8.7%, Hadjarai 6.7%, Tandjile 6.5%, Gorane 6.3%, Fitri-Batha 4.7%, other 6.4%, unknown 0.3% (1993 census)
Religions:
Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census)
Languages:
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
total population: 25.7%
male: 40.8%
female: 12.8% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 6 years
male: 8 years
female: 4 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 173
Government ::Chad
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Chad
conventional short form: Chad
local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad
local short form: Tchad/Tshad
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: N'Djamena
geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 15 02 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
22 regions (regions, singular - region); Barh el Gazel, Batha, Borkou, Chari-Baguirmi, Ennedi, Guera, Hadjer-Lamis, Kanem, Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Kebbi Est, Mayo-Kebbi Ouest, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile, Tibesti, Ville de N'Djamena, Wadi Fira
Independence:
11 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 11 August (1960)
Constitution:
passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4 December 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Emmanuel NADINGAR (since 5 March 2010)
cabinet: Council of State; members are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second round of voting; last election held on 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%, Delwa Kassire KOUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%, Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national referendum altered the constitution removing presidential term limits and permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the 1996 constitution called for a Senate that has never been formed
elections: National Assembly - last held on 21 April 2002 (next to be held by February 2011); note - legislative elections, originally scheduled for 2006, were first delayed by National Assembly action and subsequently by an accord, signed in August 2007, between government and opposition parties
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, UNDR 5, URD 3, other 11
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR]; National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire KOUMAKOYE]; National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]; Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni Oumar Mahamat SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
rebel groups
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR
chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Louis NIGRO
embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
telephone: [235] 251-62-11, 251-70-09, 251-77-59
FAX: [235] 251-56-54
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the flag combines the blue and red French (former colonial) colors with the red and yellow of the Pan-African colors; blue symbolizes the sky, hope, and the south of the country, which is relatively well-watered; yellow represents the sun, as well as the desert in the north of the country; red stands for progress, unity, and sacrifice
note: similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France
National anthem:
name: "La Tchadienne" (The Chadian)
lyrics/music: Louis GIDROL and his students/Paul VILLARD
note: adopted 1960
Economy ::Chad
Economy - overview:
Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted by major foreign direct investment projects in the oil sector that began in 2000. At least 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1 billion barrels - in southern Chad. Chinese companies are also expanding exploration efforts and are currently building a 300-km pipleline and the country's first refinery. The nation's total oil reserves are estimated at 1.5 billion barrels. Oil production came on stream in late 2003. Chad began to export oil in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export earnings.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$18.56 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $18.2 billion (2009 est.)
$18.49 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.592 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 -1.6% (2009 est.)
10.7% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,800 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 $1,800 (2009 est.)
$1,800 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 50.5%
industry: 7%
services: 42.5% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
4.293 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 83
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)
industry and services: 20% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA% est.)
Population below poverty line:
80% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 30.8% (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
14.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 10% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 93 4.75% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2009 est.)
NA% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$920.9 million (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 139 $937.8 million (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$1.257 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 $1.008 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$943.8 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 $566.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Industries:
oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
Electricity - production:
100 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Electricity - consumption:
93 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
115,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 204
Oil - exports:
157,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
Oil - imports:
1,571 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Oil - proved reserves:
1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Current account balance:
-$2.6 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 -$2.305 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$3.036 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $2.709 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil, cattle, cotton, gum arabic
Exports - partners:
US 90.06%, France 4.81%, China 1.6% (2009)
Imports:
$2.631 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 $2.539 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
France 17.74%, Cameroon 12.7%, China 11.23%, US 7.59%, Italy 6.54%, Ukraine 5.33%, Netherlands 4.37% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$868 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $685 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$NA (31 December 2010 est.)
$1.749 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA (31 December 2010)
$4.5 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs 506.04 (2010), 472.19 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 480.1 (2007), 522.59 (2006)
Communications ::Chad
Telephones - main lines in use:
13,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 198
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.686 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 119
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate system of radiotelephone communication stations with high costs and low telephone density
domestic: fixed-line connections for only about 1 per 1000 persons coupled with mobile-cellular subscribership base of only about 25 per 100 persons
international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
1 state-owned TV broadcast station; state-owned radio network, Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne (RNT), operates national and regional stations; about 10 private radio stations; some stations rebroadcast programs from international broadcasters (2007)
Internet country code:
.td
Internet hosts:
5 (2010) country comparison to the world: 226
Internet users:
168,100 (2009) country comparison to the world: 145
Transportation ::Chad
Airports:
56 (2010) country comparison to the world: 83
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 48
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 21
under 914 m: 10 (2010)
Pipelines:
oil 250 km (2009)
Roadways:
total: 33,400 km country comparison to the world: 96 paved: 267 km
unpaved: 33,133 km (2002)
Waterways:
Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2010)
Military ::Chad
Military branches:
Armed Forces: Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale du Tchad, ANT), Chadian Air Force (Force Aerienne Tchadienne, FAT), Gendarmerie (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,025,929
females age 16-49: 2,377,898 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,141,776
females age 16-49: 1,354,111 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 125,073
female: 125,069 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.7% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 89
Transnational Issues ::Chad
Disputes - international:
since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military have driven hundreds of thousands of Darfur residents into Chad; Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict, reducing tensions with Sudan arising from cross-border banditry; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 234,000 (Sudan); 54,200 (Central African Republic)
IDPs: 178,918 (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Chad is a source, transit, and destination country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of children are trafficked within Chad for involuntary domestic servitude, forced cattle herding, forced begging, forced labor in petty commerce or the fishing industry, or for commercial sexual exploitation; to a lesser extent, Chadian children are also trafficked to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Nigeria for cattle herding; children may also be trafficked from Cameroon and the Central African Republic to Chad's oil producing regions for sexual exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - the Government of Chad does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making any significant efforts to do so; although facing resource constraints, the government has the capacity to conduct basic anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, yet did not do so during the last year; it showed no results in enforcing government policy prohibiting the recruitment of child soldiers; Chad has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2009)
page last updated on January 12, 2011
======================================================================
@Chile (South America)
Introduction ::Chile
Background:
Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while the indigenous Mapuche inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions. It was not until the 1880s that the Mapuche Indians were completely subjugated. After a series of elected governments, a three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and have helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.
Geography ::Chile
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Geographic coordinates:
30 00 S, 71 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 756,102 sq km country comparison to the world: 38 land: 743,812 sq km
water: 12,290 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 6,339 km
border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km
Coastline:
6,435 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200/350 nm
Climate:
temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south
Terrain:
low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m
Natural resources:
copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 2.62%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other: 96.95% (2005)
Irrigated land:
19,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
922 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 12.55 cu km/yr (11%/25%/64%)
per capita: 770 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
volcanism: Chile experiences significant volcanic activity due to the more than three-dozen active volcanoes situated within the Andes Mountains; Lascar (elev. 5,592 m, 18,346 ft), which last erupted in 2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (elev. 3,125 m, 10,253 ft) in central Chile, which last erupted in 2009, is another of the country's most active; Chaiten's 2008 eruption forced major evacuations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Cerro Hudson, Copahue, Guallatiri, Llullaillaco, Nevados de Chillan, San Pedro, and Villarrica
Environment - current issues:
widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions
People ::Chile
Population:
16,746,491 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.2% (male 1,966,017/female 1,877,963)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,625,963/female 5,628,146)
65 years and over: 9.1% (male 627,746/female 875,872) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 31.7 years
male: 30.7 years
female: 32.8 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.856% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Birth rate:
14.46 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Death rate:
5.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 169
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 77
Urbanization:
urban population: 88% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.3% 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: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.52 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 164 male: 8.29 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.53 years country comparison to the world: 56 male: 74.26 years
female: 80.96 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
31,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72
Nationality:
noun: Chilean(s)
adjective: Chilean
Ethnic groups:
white and white-Amerindian 95.4%, Mapuche 4%, other indigenous groups 0.6% (2002 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)
Languages:
Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.7%
male: 95.8%
female: 95.6% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 14 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 135
Government ::Chile
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Chile
conventional short form: Chile
local long form: Republica de Chile
local short form: Chile
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Santiago
geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March
note: the Chilean Government announced on 4 March 2010 that the end of DST would be delayed until 4 April 2010 providing respite to those affected by the 8.8 magnitude earthquake of February 2010
Administrative divisions:
15 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Arica y Parinacota, Atacama, Biobio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Los Rios, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence:
18 September 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 September (1810)
Constitution:
11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 1989, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005
Legal system:
based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; note - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of its criminal justice system to a US-style adversarial system
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sebastian PINERA Echenique (since 11 March 2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Sebastian PINERA Echenique (since 11 March 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held on 13 December 2009 with runoff election held on 17 January 2010 (next to be held in December 2013)
election results: Sebastian PINERA Echenique elected president; percent of vote - Sebastian PINERA Echenique 51.6%; Eduardo FREI 48.4%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (38 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve eight-year terms; one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 13 December 2009 (next to be held in December 2013); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 13 December 2009 (next to be held in December 2013)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 9 (PDC 4, PPD 3, PS 2), APC 9 (RN 6, UDI 3); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CC 58 (UDI 37, RN 18, other 3), CPD 57 (PDC 19, PPD 18, PS 11, PRSD 5, PC 3, other 1), PRI 3, independent 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is elected every three years by the 20-member court); Constitutional Tribunal (eight-members - two each from the Senate, Chamber of Deputies, Supreme Court, and National Security Council - review the constitutionality of laws approved by Congress)
Political parties and leaders:
Broad Social Movement or MAS; Clean Chile Vote Happy or CLVF (including Broad Social Movement, Country Force, and Regionalist Party of Independents or PRI); Coalition for Change or CC (formerly known as the Alliance for Chile (Alianza) or APC) (including National Renewal or RN [Carlos LARRAIN Pena], Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Juan Antonio COLOMA Correa], and Chile First [Vlado MIROSEVIC]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy (Concertacion) or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Ignacio WALKER], Party for Democracy or PPD [Carolina TOHA Morales], Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ Urrutia], and Socialist Party or PS [Osvaldo ANDRADE]); Partido Ecologista del Sur; Together We Can Do More (including Communist Party or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER del Valle], and Humanist Party or PH [Danilo MONTEVERDE])
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Roman Catholic Church, particularly conservative groups such as Opus Dei; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations
other: revitalized university student federations at all major universities
International organization participation:
APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arturo FERNANDOIS Vohringer
chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746
FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alejandro D. WOLFF
embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago
mailing address: APO AA 34033
telephone: [56] (2) 330-3000
FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710, 330-3160
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red represents the blood spilled to achieve independence
note: design was influenced by the US flag
National anthem:
name: "Himno Nacional de Chile" (National Anthem of Chile)
lyrics/music: Eusebio LILLO Robles and Bernardo DE VERA y Pintado/Ramon CARNICER y Battle
note: music adopted 1828, original lyrics adopted 1818, adapted lyrics adopted 1847; under Augusto PINOCHET"s military rule, a verse glorifying the army was added; however, as a protest, some citizens refused to sing this verse; it was removed when democracy was restored in 1990
Economy ::Chile
Economy - overview:
Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade and a reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Exports account for more than one-fourth of GDP, with commodities making up some three-quarters of total exports. Copper alone provides one-third of government revenue. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the situation in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first time in more than 15 years. In the years since then, growth has averaged 4% per year. Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chile claims to have more bilateral or regional trade agreements than any other country. It has 57 such agreements (not all of them full free trade agreements), including with the European Union, Mercosur, China, India, South Korea, and Mexico. Over the past seven years, foreign direct investment inflows have quadrupled to some $15 billion in 2010, but FDI had dropped to about $7 billion in 2009 in the face of diminished investment throughout the world. The Chilean government conducts a rule-based countercyclical fiscal policy, accumulating surpluses in sovereign wealth funds during periods of high copper prices and economic growth, and allowing deficit spending only during periods of low copper prices and growth. As of September 2008, those sovereign wealth funds - kept mostly outside the country and separate from Central Bank reserves - amounted to more than $20 billion. Chile used $4 billion from this fund to finance a fiscal stimulus package to fend off recession. In December 2009, the OECD invited Chile to become a full member, after a two year period of compliance with organization mandates. The economy started to show signs of a rebound in the fourth quarter, 2009, and GDP grew more than 5% in 2010. The magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile in February 2010 was one of the top ten strongest earthquakes on record. It caused considerable damage near the epicenter, located about 70 miles from Concepcion - and about 200 miles southwest of Santiago.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$260 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $246.9 billion (2009 est.)
$250.6 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$199.2 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 -1.5% (2009 est.)
3.7% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,500 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $14,900 (2009 est.)
$15,200 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.6%
industry: 40.5%
services: 53.9% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
7.58 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 13.2%
industry: 23%
services: 63.9% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
8.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 9.6% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
18.2% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 41.7% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
54.9 (2003) country comparison to the world: 14 57.1 (2000)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Public debt:
6.2% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 6.1% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 1.5% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
0.5% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 52 8.25% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.25% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 13.26% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$29.81 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 57 $23.68 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$160.3 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 45 $127.5 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$153.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 $133.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$209.5 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 29 $132.4 billion (31 December 2008)
$212.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber
Industries:
copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 97
Electricity - production:
60.6 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41
Electricity - consumption:
57.29 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
10,850 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Oil - consumption:
277,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47
Oil - exports:
49,250 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Oil - imports:
311,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 36
Oil - proved reserves:
150 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Natural gas - production:
1.65 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Natural gas - consumption:
2.34 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Natural gas - imports:
690 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Natural gas - proved reserves:
97.97 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Current account balance:
$1.033 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $4.217 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$64.28 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $53.74 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
Exports - partners:
China 16.46%, US 11.31%, Japan 9.06%, South Korea 6.49%, Brazil 4.64%, Mexico 4.09% (2009)
Imports:
$54.23 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $39.75 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas
Imports - partners:
US 21.77%, China 12.76%, Argentina 9.55%, Brazil 6.46%, South Korea 5.35% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$26.08 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $25.29 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$84.51 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $72.76 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$136.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $121.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$51.15 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $41.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar - 525.34 (2010), 560.86 (2009), 509.02 (2008), 526.25 (2007), 530.29 (2006)
Communications ::Chile
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.575 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 43
Telephones - mobile cellular:
16.45 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 44
Telephone system:
general assessment: privatization begun in 1988; most advanced telecommunications infrastructure in South America; modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations
domestic: number of fixed-line connections have stagnated in recent years as mobile-cellular usage continues to increase, reaching a level of 100 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 56; landing points for the Pan American, South America-1, and South American Crossing/Latin America Nautilius submarine cables providing links to the US and to Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
national and local terrestrial television channels, coupled with extensive cable TV networks; the state-owned Television Nacional de Chile (TVN) network is self-financed through commercial advertising revenues and is not under direct government control; large number of privately-owned TV stations; about 250 radio stations (2007)
Internet country code:
.cl
Internet hosts:
1.056 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 43
Internet users:
7.009 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 39
Transportation ::Chile
Airports:
366 (2010) country comparison to the world: 22
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 84
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m: 24 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 282
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 50
under 914 m: 217 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 2,673 km; liquid petroleum gas 519 km; oil 892 km; refined products 769 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 5,483 km country comparison to the world: 34 broad gauge: 1,706 km 1.676-m gauge (850 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 3,777 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 80,505 km country comparison to the world: 59 paved: 16,745 km (includes 2,414 km of expressways)
unpaved: 63,760 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 48 country comparison to the world: 71 by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 10, chemical tanker 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Norway 1)
registered in other countries: 48 (Argentina 6, Belize 1, Brazil 1, Cyprus 1, Isle of Man 8, Liberia 7, Panama 17, Singapore 7) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Coronel, Huasco, Lirquen, Puerto Ventanas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Valparaiso
Military ::Chile
Military branches:
Army of the Nation, Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes Naval Aviation, Marine Corps, and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile, FACh), Carabineros Corps (Cuerpo de Carabineros) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service, although the right to compulsory recruitment is retained; service obligation - 12 months for Army, 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,301,900
females age 16-49: 4,232,956 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,599,328
females age 16-49: 3,544,156 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 143,778
female: 138,058 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 52
Transnational Issues ::Chile
Disputes - international:
Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reinvigorated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile has offered instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas and other commodities; Chile rejects Peru's unilateral legislation to change its latitudinal maritime boundary with Chile to an equidistance line with a southwestern axis favoring Peru, in October 2007, Peru took its maritime complaint with Chile to the ICJ; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001, has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the region; some money laundering activity, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, making Chile a significant consumer of cocaine (2008)
page last updated on January 20, 2011
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@China (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::China
Background:
For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, MAO's successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight. China since the early 1990s has increased its global outreach and participation in international organizations.
Geography ::China
Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:
35 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 9,596,961 sq km country comparison to the world: 4 land: 9,569,901 sq km
water: 27,060 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries:
total: 22,117 km
border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km
regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km
Coastline:
14,500 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north
Terrain:
mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, rare earth elements, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)
Land use:
arable land: 14.86%
permanent crops: 1.27%
other: 83.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:
545,960 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
2,829.6 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 549.76 cu km/yr (7%/26%/68%)
per capita: 415 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence
volcanism: China contains some historically active volcanoes including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been relatively inactive in recent centuries
Environment - current issues:
air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in endangered species
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US); Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak
People ::China
Population:
1,330,141,295 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.8% (male 140,877,745/female 124,290,090)
15-64 years: 72.1% (male 495,724,889/female 469,182,087)
65 years and over: 8.1% (male 51,774,115/female 56,764,042) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 35.2 years
male: 34.5 years
female: 35.8 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.494% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
Birth rate:
12.17 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
Death rate:
6.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Net migration rate:
-0.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Urbanization:
urban population: 43% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.17 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.51 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 114 male: 15.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.51 years country comparison to the world: 93 male: 72.54 years
female: 76.77 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.54 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
700,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
39,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: Japanese encephalitis and dengue fever
soil contact disease: hantaviral hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS)
animal contact disease: rabies
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: Chinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups:
Han Chinese 91.5%, Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uighur, Tujia, Yi, Mongol, Tibetan, Buyi, Dong, Yao, Korean, and other nationalities 8.5% (2000 census)
Religions:
Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%
note: officially atheist (2002 est.)
Languages:
Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect) (official), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry)
note: Mongolian is official in Nei Mongol, Uighur is official in Xinjiang Uygur, and Tibetan is official in Xizang (Tibet)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.6%
male: 95.7%
female: 87.6% (2007)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 12 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 172
Government ::China
Country name:
conventional long form: People's Republic of China
conventional short form: China
local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
local short form: Zhongguo
abbreviation: PRC
Government type:
Communist state
Capital:
name: Beijing
geographic coordinates: 39 55 N, 116 23 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone; many people in Xinjiang Province observe an unofficial "Xinjiang timezone" of UTC+6, two hours behind Beijing
Administrative divisions:
23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular and plural)
provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan)
autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang Uygur, Xizang (Tibet)
municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin
note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau
Independence:
1 October 1949 (People's Republic of China established); notable earlier dates: 221 BC (unification under the Qin Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Qing Dynasty replaced by the Republic of China)
National holiday:
Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, 1 October (1949)
Constitution:
most recent promulgation 4 December 1982 with amendments in 1988, 1993, 1999, 2004
Legal system:
based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation; party organs exercise authority over judiciary; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003); Vice President XI Jinping (since 15 March 2008)
head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Executive Vice Premier LI Keqiang (17 March 2008), Vice Premier HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003), Vice Premier ZHANG Dejiang (since 17 March 2008), and Vice Premier WANG Qishan (since 17 March 2008)
cabinet: State Council appointed by National People's Congress (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected by National People's Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 15-17 March 2008 (next to be held in mid-March 2013); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress
election results: HU Jintao elected president by National People's Congress with a total of 2,963 votes; XI Jinping elected vice president with a total of 2,919 votes
Legislative branch:
unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,987 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and provincial people's congresses, and People's Liberation Army to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held in December 2007-February 2008 (date of next election to be held in late 2012 to early 2013)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - 2,987
note: only members of the CCP, its eight allied parties, and sympathetic independent candidates are elected
Judicial branch:
Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's Congress); Local People's Courts (comprise higher, intermediate, and basic courts); Special People's Courts (primarily military, maritime, railway transportation, and forestry courts)
Political parties and leaders:
Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP
Political pressure groups and leaders:
no substantial political opposition groups exist
International organization participation:
ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CDB, CICA, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-24 (observer), G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SCO, SICA (observer), UN, UN Security Council, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador ZHANG Yesui
chancery: 3505 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 495-2266
FAX: [1] (202) 495-2190
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jon M. HUNTSMAN, Jr.
embassy: 55 An Jia Lou Lu, 100600 Beijing
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [86] (10) 8531-3000
FAX: [86] (10) 8531-3300
consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan
Flag description:
red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner; the color red represents revolution, while the stars symbolize the four social classes - the working class, the peasantry, the urban petty bourgeoisie, and the national bourgeoisie (capitalists) - united under the Communist Party of China
National anthem:
name: "Yiyonggjun Jinxingqu" (The March of the Volunteers)
lyrics/music: TIAN Han/NIE Er
note: adopted 1949; the anthem, though banned during the Cultural Revolution, is more commonly known as "Zhongguo Guoge" (Chinese National Song); it was originally the theme song to the 1935 Chinese movie, "Sons and Daughters in a Time of Storm"
Economy ::China
Economy - overview:
China's economy since the late 1970s has changed from a closed, centrally planned system to a more market-oriented one that plays a major role in the global economy - in 2010 China became the world's largest exporter. Reforms began with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, creation of a diversified banking system, development of stock markets, rapid growth of the private sector, and opening to foreign trade and investment. China generally has implemented reforms in a gradualist fashion. In recent years, China has renewed its support for state-owned enterprises in sectors it considers important to "economic security," explicitly looking to foster globally competitive national champions. After keeping its currency tightly linked to the US dollar for years, in July 2005 China revalued its currency by 2.1% against the US dollar and moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. From mid 2005 to late 2008 cumulative appreciation of the renminbi against the US dollar was more than 20%, but the exchange rate remained virtually pegged to the dollar from the onset of the global financial crisis until June 2010, when Beijing allowed resumption of a gradual appreciation. The restructuring of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, China in 2010 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, having surpassed Japan in 2001. The dollar values of China's agricultural and industrial output each exceeded those of the US, although China was second to the US in the value of services it produced. Still, per capita income is below the world average. The Chinese government faces numerous economic development challenges, including: (a) reducing its high domestic savings rate and correspondingly low domestic demand; (b) sustaining adequate job growth for tens of millions of migrants and new entrants to the work force; (c) reducing corruption and other economic crimes; and (d) containing environmental damage and social strife related to the economy's rapid transformation. Economic development has progressed further in coastal provinces than in the interior, and approximately 200 million rural laborers and their dependents have relocated to urban areas to find work. One demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the north - is another long-term problem. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. The Chinese government is seeking to add energy production capacity from sources other than coal and oil, focusing on nuclear and alternative energy development. In 2009, the global economic downturn reduced foreign demand for Chinese exports for the first time in many years, but China rebounded quickly, outperforming all other major economies in 2010 with GDP growth around 10%. The economy appears set to remain on a strong growth trajectory in 2011, lending credibility to the stimulus policies the regime rolled out during the global financial crisis. The government vows to continue reforming the economy and emphasizes the need to increase domestic consumption in order to make the economy less dependent on exports for GDP growth in the future, but China likely will make only marginal progress toward these rebalancing goals in 2011. Two economic problems China currently faces are inflation - which, late in 2010, surpassed the government's target of 3% - and local government debt, which swelled as a result of stimulus policies, and is largely off-the-books and potentially low-quality.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$9.872 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $8.95 trillion (2009 est.)
$8.204 trillion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.745 trillion
note: because China's exchange rate is determine by fiat, rather than by market forces, the official exchange rate measure of GDP is not an accurate measure of China's output; GDP at the official exchange rate substantially understates the actual level of China's output vis-a-vis the rest of the world; in China's situation, GDP at purchasing power parity provides the best measure for comparing output across countries (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
10.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 9.1% (2009 est.)
9% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,400 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 $6,800 (2009 est.)
$6,200 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.6%
industry: 46.8%
services: 43.6% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
819.5 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 39.5%
industry: 27.2%
services: 33.2% (2008 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.3% (September 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 4.2% (December 2008 est.)
note: official data for urban areas only; including migrants may boost total unemployment to 9%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas
Population below poverty line:
2.8%
note: 21.5 million rural population live below the official "absolute poverty" line (approximately $90 per year); an additional 35.5 million rural population live above that level but below the official "low income" line (approximately $125 per year) (2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 15%
note: data are for urban households only (2008)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41.5 (2007) country comparison to the world: 54 40 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
47.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Public debt:
17.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 16.9% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 -0.7% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
2.79% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 129 2.79% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.81% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 5.31% (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$3.838 trillion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 4 $3.242 trillion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$10.08 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $8.933 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$8.156 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $7.24 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.008 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $2.794 trillion (31 December 2008)
$6.226 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
world leader in gross value of agricultural output; rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, apples, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish
Industries:
world leader in gross value of industrial output; mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing; transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships, and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles, satellites
Industrial production growth rate:
11% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Electricity - production:
3.451 trillion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Electricity - consumption:
3.438 trillion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Electricity - exports:
16.64 billion kWh (2008)
Electricity - imports:
3.842 billion kWh (2008)
Oil - production:
3.991 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
Oil - consumption:
8.2 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Oil - exports:
388,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32
Oil - imports:
4.393 million bbl/day (2008) country comparison to the world: 4
Oil - proved reserves:
20.35 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Natural gas - production:
82.94 billion cu m (2009) country comparison to the world: 8
Natural gas - consumption:
87.08 billion cu m (2009) country comparison to the world: 9
Natural gas - exports:
3.32 billion cu m (2009) country comparison to the world: 31
Natural gas - imports:
7.462 billion cu m (2009) country comparison to the world: 27
Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.03 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Current account balance:
$272.5 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $297.1 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$1.506 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $1.204 trillion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electrical and other machinery, including data processing equipment, apparel, textiles, iron and steel, optical and medical equipment
Exports - partners:
US 20.03%, Hong Kong 12.03%, Japan 8.32%, South Korea 4.55%, Germany 4.27% (2009)
Imports:
$1.307 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $954.3 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
electrical and other machinery, oil and mineral fuels, optical and medical equipment, metal ores, plastics, organic chemicals
Imports - partners:
Japan 12.27%, Hong Kong 10.06%, South Korea 9.04%, US 7.66%, Taiwan 6.84%, Germany 5.54% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.622 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $2.426 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$406.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $349.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$574.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $473.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$278.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $229.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Renminbi yuan (RMB) per US dollar - 6.7852 (2010), 6.8314 (2009), 6.9385 (2008), 7.61 (2007), 7.97 (2006)
Communications ::China
Telephones - main lines in use:
313.68 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 1
Telephones - mobile cellular:
747 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 1
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic and international services are increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and many towns; China continues to develop its telecommunications infrastructure, and is partnering with foreign providers to expand its global reach; China in the summer of 2008 began a major restructuring of its telecommunications industry, resulting in the consolidation of its six telecom service operators to three, China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom, each providing both fixed-line and mobile services
domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular telephone systems have been installed; mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing rapidly; the number of Internet users exceeded 250 million by summer 2008; a domestic satellite system with 55 earth stations is in place
international: country code - 86; a number of submarine cables provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean; 1 Intersputnik - Indian Ocean region; and 1 Inmarsat - Pacific and Indian Ocean regions) (2008)
Broadcast media:
all broadcast media are owned by, or affiliated with, the Communist Party of China or a government agency; no privately-owned television or radio stations with state-run Chinese Central TV, provincial, and municipal stations offering more than 2,000 channels; the Central Propaganda Department lists subjects that are off limits to domestic broadcast media with the government maintaining authority to approve all programming; foreign-made TV programs must be approved prior to broadcast (2008)
Internet country code:
.cn
Internet hosts:
15.251 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 6
Internet users:
389 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 1
Transportation ::China
Airports:
502 (2010) country comparison to the world: 15
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 442
over 3,047 m: 63
2,438 to 3,047 m: 137
1,524 to 2,437 m: 132
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 83 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 60
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 27 (2010)
Heliports:
48 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 32,545 km; oil 20,097 km; refined products 10,915 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 77,834 km country comparison to the world: 3 standard gauge: 77,084 km 1.435-m gauge (24,433 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 750 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 3,583,715 km (includes 53,913 km of expressways) (2007) country comparison to the world: 2
Waterways:
110,000 km navigable (2010) country comparison to the world: 1
Merchant marine:
total: 2,010 country comparison to the world: 3 by type: barge carrier 6, bulk carrier 571, cargo 639, carrier 5, chemical tanker 98, container 204, liquefied gas 55, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 83, petroleum tanker 271, refrigerated cargo 35, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 24
foreign-owned: 18 (Germany 1, Hong Kong 15, Japan 2)
registered in other countries: 1,623 (Bahamas 4, Bangladesh 1, Belize 64, Bermuda 13, Cambodia 203, Comoros 1, Cyprus 6, France 5, Georgia 11, Germany 2, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 432, India 1, Indonesia 1, Kiribati 28, Liberia 10, Malta 11, Marshall Islands 16, North Korea 1, Norway 25, Panama 574, Philippines 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 82, Sierra Leone 12, Singapore 26, South Korea 9, Thailand 1, Togo 2, Tuvalu 9, UK 7, unknown 59) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Dalian, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin
Military ::China
Military branches:
People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines and naval aviation), Air Force (Zhongguo Renmin Jiefangjun Kongjun, PLAAF; includes Airborne Forces), and Second Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed Police (PAP); PLA Reserve Force (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18-22 years of age for selective compulsory military service, with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all officers are volunteers); 18-19 years of age for women high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military jobs; in 2010, a decision was made to allow women in combat roles (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 381,747,145
females age 16-49: 360,385,629 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 314,668,817
females age 16-49: 298,745,786 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 10,699,186
female: 9,460,217 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 22
Transnational Issues ::China
Disputes - international:
continuing talks and confidence-building measures work toward reducing tensions over Kashmir that nonetheless remains militarized with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; China and India continue their security and foreign policy dialogue started in 2005 related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, and other matters; China claims most of India's Arunachal Pradesh to the base of the Himalayas; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes due to cartographic discrepancies; Chinese maps show an international boundary symbol off the coasts of the littoral states of the South China Seas, where China has interrupted Vietnamese hydrocarbon exploration; China asserts sovereignty over Scarborough Reef along with the Philippines and Taiwan, and over the Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Brunei; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" eased tensions in the Spratly's but is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Vietnam and China continue to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly's and in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; China and Taiwan continue to reject both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared equidistance line in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation; certain islands in the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in dispute with North Korea; North Korea and China seek to stem illegal migration to China by North Koreans, fleeing privations and oppression, by building a fence along portions of the border and imprisoning North Koreans deported by China; China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with their 2004 Agreement; China and Tajikistan have begun demarcating the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary was completed in 2009; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China has reconsidered construction of 13 dams on the Salween River, but energy-starved Burma, with backing from Thailand, remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream despite regional and international protests; Chinese and Hong Kong authorities met in March 2008 to resolve ownership and use of lands recovered in Shenzhen River channelization, including 96-hectare Lok Ma Chau Loop; Hong Kong developing plans to reduce 2,000 out of 2,800 hectares of its restricted Closed Area by 2010
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 300,897 (Vietnam); estimated 30,000-50,000 (North Korea)
IDPs: 90,000 (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: China is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; the majority of trafficking in China occurs within the country's borders, but there is also considerable international trafficking of Chinese citizens to Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America; Chinese women are lured abroad through false promises of legitimate employment, only to be forced into commercial sexual exploitation, largely in Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan; women and children are trafficked to China from Mongolia, Burma, North Korea, Russia, and Vietnam for forced labor, marriage, and prostitution; some North Korean women and children seeking to leave their country voluntarily cross the border into China and are then sold into prostitution, marriage, or forced labor
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - China is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the fourth consecutive year for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of punishment of trafficking crimes and the protection of Chinese and foreign victims of trafficking; victims are sometimes punished for unlawful acts that were committed as a direct result of their being trafficked, such as violations of prostitution or immigration/emigration controls; the Chinese Government continued to treat North Korean victims of trafficking solely as economic migrants, routinely deporting them back to horrendous conditions in North Korea; additional challenges facing the Chinese Government include the enormous size of its trafficking problem and the significant level of corruption and complicity in trafficking by some local government officials (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle region of Southeast Asia; growing domestic consumption of synthetic drugs, and heroin from Southeast and Southwest Asia; source country for methamphetamine and heroin chemical precursors, despite new regulations on its large chemical industry (2008)
page last updated on January 24, 2011
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@Christmas Island (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::Christmas Island
Background:
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.
Geography ::Christmas Island
Location:
Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
10 30 S, 105 40 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 135 sq km country comparison to the world: 221 land: 135 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
138.9 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
Terrain:
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m
Natural resources:
phosphate, beaches
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues:
loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining
Geography - note:
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
People ::Christmas Island
Population:
1,402 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 233
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:
0% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Birth rate:
NA
Death rate:
NA
Net migration rate:
NA
Sex ratio:
NA (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Total fertility rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island
Ethnic groups:
Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001)
Religions:
Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)
Languages:
English (official), Chinese, Malay
Literacy:
NA
Government ::Christmas Island
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island
Dependency status:
non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)
Independence:
none (territory of Australia)
National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Constitution:
Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992
Legal system:
under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law
Suffrage:
18 years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Brian LACY (since 5 October 2009)
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
Legislative branch:
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held on 17 October 2009 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
none
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of Australia)
Flag description:
territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island
note: the flag of Australia is used for official purposes
National anthem:
note: as a territory of Australia, "Advance Australia Fair" remains official as the national anthem, while "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see Australia)
Economy ::Christmas Island
Economy - overview:
Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993, but closed in 1998.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$NA
Labor force:
NA
Agriculture - products:
NA
Industries:
tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)
Exports:
$NA
Exports - commodities:
phosphate
Imports:
$NA
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.1151 (2010), 1.2822 (2009), 1.2059 (2008), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006)
Communications ::Christmas Island
Telephones - main lines in use:
NA
Telephone system:
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile-cellular telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005
international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat provides telephone and telex service) (2005)
Broadcast media:
1 community radio station; broadcasts of several Australian radio and television stations are received via satellite (2009)
Internet country code:
.cx
Internet hosts:
2,542 (2010) country comparison to the world: 149
Internet users:
464 (2001) country comparison to the world: 216
Transportation ::Christmas Island
Airports:
1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 235
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Railways:
total: 18 km country comparison to the world: 133 standard gauge: 18 km 1.435-m (not in operation) (2010)
Roadways:
total: 140 km country comparison to the world: 210 paved: 30 km
unpaved: 110 km (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Flying Fish Cove
Military ::Christmas Island
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues ::Christmas Island
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on January 12, 2011
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@Clipperton Island (North America)
Introduction ::Clipperton Island
Background:
This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935.
Geography ::Clipperton Island
Location:
Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km southwest of Mexico
Geographic coordinates:
10 17 N, 109 13 W
Map references:
Political Map of the World
Area:
total: 6 sq km country comparison to the world: 244 land: 6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
11.1 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, wet season (May to October)
Terrain:
coral atoll
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all coral) (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
reef 12 km in circumference
People ::Clipperton Island
Population:
uninhabited
Government ::Clipperton Island
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Clipperton Island
local long form: none
local short form: Ile Clipperton
former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion
Dependency status:
possession of France; administered directly by the Minister of Overseas France
Legal system:
the laws of France where applicable apply
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy ::Clipperton Island
Economy - overview:
Although 115 species of fish have been identified in the territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic activity is tuna fishing.
Transportation ::Clipperton Island
Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only
Military ::Clipperton Island
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues ::Clipperton Island
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on November 17, 2010
======================================================================
@Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Background:
There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.
Geography ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka
Geographic coordinates:
12 30 S, 96 50 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 14 sq km country comparison to the world: 240 land: 14 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island
Area - comparative:
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
26 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year
Terrain:
flat, low-lying coral atolls
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
cyclone season is October to April
Environment - current issues:
fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
Geography - note:
islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation; site of a World War I naval battle in November 1914 between the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney and the German raider SMS Emden; after being heavily damaged in the engagement, the Emden was beached by her captain on North Keeling Island
People ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Population:
596 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 237
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:
0% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Birth rate:
NA
Death rate:
NA
Net migration rate:
NA
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Total fertility rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander
Ethnic groups:
Europeans, Cocos Malays
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)
Languages:
Malay (Cocos dialect), English
Literacy:
NA
Government ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Dependency status:
non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: West Island
geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E
time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)
Independence:
none (territory of Australia)
National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Constitution:
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992
Legal system:
based upon the laws of Australia and local laws
Suffrage:
18 years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Brian LACY (since 5 October 2009)
cabinet: NA (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
Legislative branch:
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2007 (next to be held in May 2009)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Cocos Islands Youth Support Centre
International organization participation:
none
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of Australia)
Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used
National anthem:
note: as a territory of Australia, "Advance Australia Fair" remains official as the national anthem, while "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see Australia)
Economy ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Economy - overview:
Coconuts, grown throughout the islands, are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$NA
Labor force:
NA
Labor force - by occupation:
note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others
Unemployment rate:
60% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
Industries:
copra products and tourism
Exports:
$NA
Exports - commodities:
copra
Imports:
$NA
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.1151 (2010), 1.2822 (2009), 1.2059 (2008), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006)
Communications ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
287 (1992) country comparison to the world: 229
Telephone system:
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system; a local mobile-cellular network is in operation
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat) (2001)
Broadcast media:
1 local radio station staffed by community volunteers; broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations are received via satellite (2009)
Internet country code:
.cc
Internet hosts:
35,312 (2010) country comparison to the world: 96
Transportation ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Airports:
1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 234
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 22 km country comparison to the world: 220 paved: 10 km
unpaved: 12 km (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Port Refuge
Military ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force
Transnational Issues ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on January 12, 2011
======================================================================
@Colombia (South America)
Introduction ::Colombia
Background:
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A four-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders. In January 2011, Colombia assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2011-12 term.
Geography ::Colombia
Location:
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama
Geographic coordinates:
4 00 N, 72 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 1,138,910 sq km country comparison to the world: 26 land: 1,038,700 sq km
water: 100,210 sq km
note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 6,309 km
border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km
Coastline:
3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
Terrain:
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 2.01%
permanent crops: 1.37%
other: 96.62% (2005)
Irrigated land:
9,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
2,132 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 10.71 cu km/yr (50%/4%/46%)
per capita: 235 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts
volcanism: Galeras (elev. 4,276 m, 14,029 ft) is one of Colombia's most active volcanoes, having erupted in 2009 and 2010 causing major evacuations; it has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Nevado del Ruiz (elev. 5,321 m, 17,453 ft), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985 producing lahars that killed 23,000 people; the volcano last erupted in 1991; additionally, after 500 years of dormancy, Nevado del Huila reawakened in 2007 and has experienced frequent eruptions since then; other historically active volcanoes include Cumbal, Dona Juana, Nevado del Tolima, and Purace
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
People ::Colombia
Population:
44,205,293 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.7% (male 6,192,707/female 5,919,959)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 14,292,342/female 14,717,249)
65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,093,432/female 1,461,683) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.6 years
male: 26.7 years
female: 28.6 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.184% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 105
Birth rate:
17.76 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 112
Death rate:
5.24 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Net migration rate:
-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Urbanization:
urban population: 74% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.7% 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: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.87 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 111 male: 20.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.31 years country comparison to the world: 97 male: 70.98 years
female: 77.84 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.18 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
170,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Colombian(s)
adjective: Colombian
Ethnic groups:
mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%
Languages:
Spanish (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.4%
male: 90.1%
female: 90.7% (2005 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 111
Government ::Colombia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
conventional short form: Colombia
local long form: Republica de Colombia
local short form: Colombia
Government type:
republic; executive branch dominates government structure
Capital:
name: Bogota
geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada
Independence:
20 July 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
Constitution:
5 July 1991; amended many times
Legal system:
based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and reached full implementation in January 2008; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2010); Vice President Angelino GARZON (since 7 August 2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2010); Vice President Angelino GARZON (since 7 August 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 30 May 2010 with a runoff election 20 June 2010 (next to be held in May 2014)
election results: Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon 69.06%, Antanas MOCKUS 27.52%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (166 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 14 March 2010 (next to be held in March 2014); Chamber of Representatives - last held on 14 March 2010 (next to be held in March 2014)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - U Party 28, PC 22, PL 16, PIN 9, CR 8, PDA 8, Green Party 5, other parties 5; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - U Party 47, PC 37, PL 36, CR 16, PIN 12, PDA 4, Green Party 3, other parties 10; note - as of 1 January 2011, the Senate currently has 101 seats after one seat became vacant due to a PL senator losing their seat for illegal collusion with the FARC; the Chamber of Representatives also has one seat vacant after only 165 of the 166 candidates were credentialed
Judicial branch:
four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)
Political parties and leaders:
Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Clara LOPEZ]; Conservative Party or PC [Fernando ARAUJO]; Green Party [Luis GARZON]; Liberal Party or PL [Rafael PARDO]; National Integration Party or PIN [Angel ALIRIO Moreno]; Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]; Social National Unity Party or U Party [Juan Francisco LOZANO Ramirez]
note: Colombia has seven major political parties, and numerous smaller movements
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Liberation Army or ELN; Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC
note: two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia
International organization participation:
BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gabriel SILVA Lujan
chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD
embassy: Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogota, D.C.
mailing address: Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C.
telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811
FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Columbia, the short-lived South American republic that broke up in 1830; various interpretations of the colors exist and include: yellow for the gold in Colombia's land, blue for the seas on its shores, and red for the blood spilled in attaining freedom; alternatively, the colors have been described as representing more elemental concepts such as sovereignty and justice (yellow), loyalty and vigilance (blue), and valour and generosity (red); or simply the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity
note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center
National anthem:
name: "Himno Nacional de la Republica de Colombia" (National Anthem of the Republic of Colombia)
lyrics/music: Rafael NUNEZ/Oreste SINDICI
note: adopted 1920; the anthem was created from an inspirational poem written by President Rafael NUNEZ
Economy ::Colombia
Economy - overview:
Colombia experienced accelerating growth between 2002 and 2007, chiefly due to improvements in domestic security, rising commodity prices, and to President URIBE's promarket economic policies. Foreign direct investment reached a record $10 billion in 2008, and continues to flow in, especially in the oil sector. A series of policies enhanced Colombia's investment climate: pro-business reforms in the oil and gas sectors and export-led growth fueled mainly by the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act. Inequality, underemployment, and narcotrafficking remain significant challenges, and Colombia's infrastructure requires major improvements to sustain economic expansion. Because of the global financial crisis and weakening demand for Colombia's exports, Colombia's economy grew only 2.7% in 2008, and 0.8% in 2009 but rebounded to around 4.5% in 2010. The government has encouraged exporters to diversify their customer base beyond the United States and Venezuela, traditionally Colombia's largest trading partners; the SANTOS administration continues to pursue free trade agreements with Asian and South American partners and awaits the approval of a Canadian trade accord by Canada's and EU's parliaments. The business sector remains concerned about Venezuela's trade restrictions on Colombian exports, an appreciating domestic currency, and the pending US Congressional approval of the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$431.9 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $413.7 billion (2009 est.)
$410.4 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$283.1 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 0.8% (2009 est.)
2.7% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$9,800 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $9,500 (2009 est.)
$9,500 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.3%
industry: 38%
services: 52.7% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
21.27 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 18%
industry: 18.9%
services: 63.1% (2009 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 12% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
46.8% (2008)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.8%
highest 10%: 45% (2008)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
58.5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 8 53.8 (1996)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Public debt:
44.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 45.3% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 4.2% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3% (October 2010) country comparison to the world: 79 5.5% (31 December 2009)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.98% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 17.18% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$31.83 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 54 $24.41 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$104.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $82.39 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$123 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $96.66 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$133.3 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 39 $87.03 billion (31 December 2008)
$102 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp
Industries:
textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds
Industrial production growth rate:
5.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Electricity - production:
50.58 billion kWh (2007) country comparison to the world: 48
Electricity - consumption:
38.59 billion kWh (2007) country comparison to the world: 53
Electricity - exports:
876.7 million kWh (2007)
Electricity - imports:
39.4 million kWh (2007)
Oil - production:
686,600 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28
Oil - consumption:
288,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Oil - exports:
294,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
Oil - imports:
16,540 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
Oil - proved reserves:
2.1 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Natural gas - production:
9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
Natural gas - consumption:
8.1 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Natural gas - exports:
900 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Natural gas - proved reserves:
112 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
Current account balance:
-$5.946 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 -$4.991 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$40.24 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 $34.03 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, cut flowers
Exports - partners:
US 39%, Venezuela 12%, Netherlands 4% (2009)
Imports:
$36.26 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $31.48 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity
Imports - partners:
US 28%, China 11%, Mexico 7%, Brazil 6.5%, France 4.5%, Germany 4% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$26.92 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $24.99 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$57.74 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 $52.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$84.62 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $75.22 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$19.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $16.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar - 1,893.1 (2010), 2,157.6 (2009), 2,243.6 (2008), 2,013.8 (2007), 2,358.6 (2006)
Communications ::Colombia
Telephones - main lines in use:
7.5 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 25
Telephones - mobile cellular:
42.16 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 29
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system in many respects with a nationwide microwave radio relay system, a domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations, and a fiber-optic network linking 50 cities; telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s; multiple providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services
domestic: fixed-line connections stand at about 15 per 100 persons; mobile cellular telephone subscribership is about 90 per 100 persons; competition among cellular service providers is resulting in falling local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep decline in the market share of fixed line services
international: country code - 57; landing points for the ARCOS, Colombia-Florida Subsea Fiber (CFX-1), Maya-1, Pan American, and the South America-1 submarine cables providing links to the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully digitalized international switching centers) (2009)
Broadcast media:
combination of state-owned and privately-owned broadcast media provide service; more than 500 radio stations and large number of national, regional, and local TV stations (2007)
Internet country code:
.co
Internet hosts:
2.527 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 32
Internet users:
22.538 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 18
Transportation ::Colombia
Airports:
990 (2010) country comparison to the world: 7
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 116
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 41
914 to 1,523 m: 50
under 914 m: 15 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 874
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 35
914 to 1,523 m: 228
under 914 m: 610 (2010)
Heliports:
2 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 4,567 km; oil 6,097 km; refined products 3,382 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 3,802 km country comparison to the world: 45 standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 3,652 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 164,257 km (2005) country comparison to the world: 31
Waterways:
18,000 km (2010) country comparison to the world: 6
Merchant marine:
total: 13 country comparison to the world: 105 by type: cargo 11, petroleum tanker 1, specialized tanker 1
registered in other countries: 3 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Panama 2) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Puerto Bolivar, Santa Marta, Turbo
Military ::Colombia
Military branches:
National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Republica de Colombia, includes Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (Infanteria de Marina, IM), and Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation - 18 months (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 11,556,939
females age 16-49: 11,609,122 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,957,960
females age 16-49: 9,763,655 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 432,280
female: 416,051 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 34
Transnational Issues ::Colombia
Disputes - international:
in December 2007, ICJ allocates San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but does not rule on 82 degrees W meridian as maritime boundary with Nicaragua; managed dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all neighboring borders and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries; Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 1.8-3.5 million (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator with 167,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2007, a 6% increase over 2006, producing a potential of 535 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to nearly all of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2005, aerial eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 130,000 hectares but aggressive replanting on the part of coca growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portion of narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange; important supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation is estimated to have fallen 25% between 2006 and 2007; most Colombian heroin is destined for the US market (2008)
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Comoros (Africa)
Introduction ::Comoros
Background:
Comoros has endured more than 20 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power in a bloodless coup, and helped negotiate the 2000 Fomboni Accords power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and each island maintains its own local government. AZALI won the 2002 presidential election, and each island in the archipelago elected its own president. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President SAMBI was elected to office. In 2007, Mohamed BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union, refusing to step down in favor of fresh Anjouanais elections when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections in July. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis by applying sanctions and a naval blockade on Anjouan, but in March 2008, AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The move was generally welcomed by the island's inhabitants.
Geography ::Comoros
Location:
Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
12 10 S, 44 15 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 2,235 sq km country comparison to the world: 179 land: 2,235 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
340 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Terrain:
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Karthala 2,360 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 35.87%
permanent crops: 23.32%
other: 40.81% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
1.2 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.01 cu km/yr (48%/5%/47%)
per capita: 13 cu m/yr (1999)
Natural hazards:
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore
volcanism: Karthala (elev. 2,361 m, 7,746 ft) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud
Environment - current issues:
soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
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, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
People ::Comoros
Population:
773,407 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.2% (male 159,282/female 158,073)
15-64 years: 54.8% (male 203,533/female 208,591)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 10,474/female 12,485) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.9 years
male: 18.6 years
female: 19.2 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.731% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22
Birth rate:
34.71 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Death rate:
7.4 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 121
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 76
Urbanization:
urban population: 28% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.7% 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: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 64.61 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 27 male: 72.41 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 56.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.83 years country comparison to the world: 172 male: 61.41 years
female: 66.32 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.78 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran
Ethnic groups:
Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Languages:
Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 56.5%
male: 63.6%
female: 49.3% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 12 years
female: 10 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
7.6% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 14
Government ::Comoros
Country name:
conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Udzima wa Komori (Comorian); Union des Comores (French); Jumhuriyat al Qamar al Muttahidah (Arabic)
local short form: Komori (Comorian); Comores (French); Juzur al Qamar (Arabic)
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Moroni
geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore (N'gazidja), Anjouan (Ndzuwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*
Independence:
6 July 1975 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Constitution:
23 December 2001
Legal system:
French and Islamic law in a new consolidated code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006)
head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held on 14 May 2006 (next to be held on 7 November 2010)
election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed DJAANFAMI 13.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and 18 by universal suffrage to serve for five years);
elections: last held on 6 and 20 December 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - pro-union coalition 19, autonomous coalition 4, independents 1; note - 9 additional seats are filled by deputies from local island assemblies
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic)
Political parties and leaders:
Camp of the Autonomous Islands or CdIA (a coalition of parties organized by the islands' presidents in opposition to the Union President); Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assowmani]; Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AMF, AOSIS, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Representative to the UN and Ambassador to the US Mohamed TOIHIRI
chancery: Mission to the US, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 418, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros
Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue, with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, N'gazidja, Nzwani, and Mahore (Mayotte - territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros)
note: the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
National anthem:
name: "Udzima wa ya Masiwa" (The Union of the Great Islands)
lyrics/music: Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE/Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE and Kamildine ABDALLAH
note: adopted 1978
Economy ::Comoros
Economy - overview:
One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. Export income is heavily reliant on the three main crops of vanilla, cloves, and ylang-ylang and Comoros' export earnings are easily disrupted by disasters such as fires. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government - which is hampered by internal political disputes - lacks a comprehensive strategy to attract foreign investment and is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. Political problems have inhibited growth, which has averaged only about 1% in 2006-09. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP. In September 2009 the IMF approved Comoros for a three-year $21 million loan. The IMF gave generally positive reports of the country's program performance as of October 2010. The African Development Bank approved a $34.6 million debt-relief package loan for Comoros in September 2010, and Comoros will attempt to qualifry for debt relief in 2012 under the IMF and World Bank's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$789.4 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 207 $776.2 million (2009 est.)
$762.5 million (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$557 million (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 159 1.8% (2009 est.)
1% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 216 $1,000 (2009 est.)
$1,000 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 40%
industry: 4%
services: 56% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
268,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:
20% (1996 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
Population below poverty line:
60% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.9%
highest 10%: 55.2% (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Central bank discount rate:
2.21% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 81 5.36% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.5% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 10.5% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$104.7 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 179 $98.36 million (31 December 2008)
Stock of broad money:
$168.6 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 182 $143.7 million (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$79.75 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 $60.57 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)
Industries:
fishing, tourism, perfume distillation
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
22 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 204
Electricity - consumption:
20.46 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 204
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 202
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 203
Oil - imports:
766 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Current account balance:
$8 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Exports:
$32 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 202
Exports - commodities:
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra
Exports - partners:
Turkey 25.2%, France 20.44%, Singapore 17.44%, Algeria 8.02%, Italy 6.09%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2009)
Imports:
$143 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 205
Imports - commodities:
rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners:
France 15.5%, China 14.66%, India 10.55%, UAE 7.88%, Pakistan 5.69%, Kenya 4.51% (2009)
Debt - external:
$232 million (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 173
Exchange rates:
Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 361.4 (2007), 391.8 (2006), 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003)
note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Communications ::Comoros
Telephones - main lines in use:
25,400 (2009) country comparison to the world: 183
Telephones - mobile cellular:
100,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 185
Telephone system:
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations
domestic: fixed-line connections only about 3 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage about 15 per 100 persons
international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
Broadcast media:
national state-owned TV station and a TV station run by Anjouan regional government; national state-owned radio; regional governments on the islands of Grande Comore and Anjouan each operate a radio station; a few independent and small community radio stations operate on the islands of Grande Comore and Moheli, and these two islands have access to Mayotte Radio and French TV (2007)
Internet country code:
.km
Internet hosts:
14 (2010) country comparison to the world: 219
Internet users:
24,300 (2009) country comparison to the world: 186
Transportation ::Comoros
Airports:
4 (2010) country comparison to the world: 189
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 880 km country comparison to the world: 184 paved: 673 km
unpaved: 207 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 177 country comparison to the world: 37 by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 102, carrier 5, chemical tanker 6, container 2, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 12
foreign-owned: 98 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 8, China 1, Cyprus 2, Greece 3, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Latvia 1, Lebanon 3, Lithuania 3, Monaco 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 2, Pakistan 3, Russia 21, Syria 6, Turkey 16, UAE 11, UK 1, Ukraine 10, US 2) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Mayotte, Mutsamudu
Military ::Comoros
Military branches:
Army of National Development (AND): Comoran Security Force, Comoran Coast Guard, Comoran Federal Police (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for 2-year voluntary military service; no conscription; women first inducted into the Army in 2004 (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 178,670
females age 16-49: 177,811 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 130,064
females age 16-49: 140,600 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 8,519
female: 8,498 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 50
Transnational Issues ::Comoros
Disputes - international:
claims French-administered Mayotte and challenges France's and Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser, a drying reef in the Mozambique Channel; in May 2008, African Union forces are called in to assist the Comoros military recapture Anjouan Island from rebels who seized it in 2001
page last updated on January 10, 2011
======================================================================
@Congo, Democratic Republic of the (Africa)
Introduction ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Background:
Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003. Joseph KABILA as president and four vice presidents represented the former government, former rebel groups, the political opposition, and civil society. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006 and KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national senators in January 2007.
Geography ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Location:
Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Geographic coordinates:
0 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 2,344,858 sq km country comparison to the world: 12 land: 2,267,048 sq km
water: 77,810 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 10,730 km
border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Coastline:
37 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors
Climate:
tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)
Terrain:
vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
Natural resources:
cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber
Land use:
arable land: 2.86%
permanent crops: 0.47%
other: 96.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
110 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,283 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.36 cu km/yr (53%/17%/31%)
per capita: 6 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes
volcanism: Nyiragongo (elev. 3,470 m, 11,384 ft), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter of a million people; the volcano produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km (60 mi)/hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira, which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano
Environment - current issues:
poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
straddles equator; has narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands
People ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Population:
70,916,439 country comparison to the world: 19 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 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.9% (male 16,161,301/female 16,038,024)
15-64 years: 50.6% (male 17,289,453/female 17,483,027)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 699,667/female 1,021,070) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.5 years
male: 16.3 years
female: 16.7 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.165% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
Birth rate:
42.26 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Death rate:
11.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Net migration rate:
0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
Urbanization:
urban population: 34% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5.1% 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: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 79.36 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 15 male: 87.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 71.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.73 years country comparison to the world: 198 male: 52.93 years
female: 56.59 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.11 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 7
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.2% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.1 million (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100,000 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups:
over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Religions:
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10%
Languages:
French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba
total population: 67.2%
male: 80.9%
female: 54.1% (2001 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years
male: 9 years
female: 6 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: DRC
local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo
local short form: RDC
former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
abbreviation: DRC
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Kinshasa
geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E
time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu
note: according to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new provinces by 2009
Independence:
30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 June (1960)
Constitution:
18 February 2006
Legal system:
civil law based on Belgian law with Napoleonic Civil Code influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 17 January 2001);
head of government: Prime Minister Adolphe MUZITO (since 10 October 2008)
cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: under the new constitution the president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 30 July 2006 and on 29 October 2006 (next to be held on 27 November 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Joseph KABILA elected president; percent of vote (second round) - Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42%
note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and a run-off on 29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve five-year terms) and a National Assembly (500 seats; 61 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies, 439 members elected by open list proportional-representation in multi-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 19 January 2007 (next to be held on 27 November 2011); National Assembly - last held on 30 July 2006 (next to be held on 27 November 2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, independents 26, others 18 (political parties that won a single seat); National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15, independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that won 10 or fewer seats)
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Appeals Court or Cour de Cassation; Council of State; High Military Court; plus civil and military courts and tribunals
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO]; Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA]; Convention of Christian Democrats or CDC; Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph KABILA]; Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]; Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI]; Union of Mobutuist Democrats or UDEMO [MOBUTU Nzanga]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
MONUC - UN organization working with the government; FARDC (Forces Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo) - Army of the Democratic Republic of the Congo which commits atrocities on citizens; FDL (Forces Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda) - Rwandan militia group
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU
chancery: Suite 601, 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690 through 7691
FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Samuel BROCK
embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
telephone: [243] (81) 225-5872
FAX: [243] (81) 301-0561
Flag description:
sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner; blue represents peace and hope, red the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow the country's wealth and prosperity; the star symbolizes unity and the brilliant future for the country
National anthem:
name: "Debout Congolaise" (Arise Congolese)
lyrics/music: Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londi
note: adopted 1960; the anthem was replaced during the period in which the country was known as Zaire, but was readopted in 1997
Economy ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Economy - overview:
The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - is slowly recovering from decades of decline. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960 and conflict that began in May 1997 has dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of more than 5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms. Progress has been slow and the International Monetary Fund curtailed their program for the DRC at the end of March 2006 because of fiscal overruns. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector, and is not reflected in GDP data. Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth from 2006-2008, however, the government's review of mining contracts that began in 2006, combined with a fall in world market prices for the DRC's key mineral exports temporarily weakened output in 2009, leading to a balance of payments crisis. The recovery in mineral prices beginning in mid 2009 boosted mineral exports, and emergency funds from the IMF boosted foreign reserves. An uncertain legal framework, corruption, a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the mining sector and the economy as a whole. The global recession cut economic growth in 2009 to less than half its 2008 level, but growth returned to 3% in 2010. The DRC signed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF in 2009 and received $12 billion in multilateral and bilateral debt relief in 2010.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$22.92 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $22.25 billion (2009 est.)
$21.64 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$12.6 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 2.8% (2009 est.)
6.2% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$300 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 229 $300 (2009 est.)
$300 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 37.4%
industry: 26%
services: 36.6% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
23.53 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
NA% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 34.7% (2006)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
26.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 223 46.2% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
70% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 2 40% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
65.42% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 43.15% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$613.9 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 152 $597 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of broad money:
$1.562 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 $1.275 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$928.5 million (31 December 2008)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Industries:
mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan, zinc, tin, diamonds), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
8.217 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98
Electricity - consumption:
5.997 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 105
Electricity - exports:
1.916 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
6 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
16,360 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Oil - consumption:
10,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148
Oil - exports:
20,090 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Oil - imports:
11,350 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Oil - proved reserves:
180 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Natural gas - proved reserves:
991.1 million cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 98
Current account balance:
-$1.47 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 -$402 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.8 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $6.6 billion (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, coffee
Exports - partners:
China 46.75%, US 15.35%, Belgium 10.68%, Zambia 5.78%, Finland 4.38% (2009)
Imports:
$5.2 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $6.7 billion (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:
South Africa 18.22%, Belgium 10.2%, China 8.34%, Zambia 7.77%, France 7.28%, Zimbabwe 6.52%, Kenya 5.48%, Netherlands 4.13%, Italy 3.96% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.01 billion (March 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 $1 billion (December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.3 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $12.7 billion (2008 est.)
Exchange rates:
Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar - 930 (2010), 810 (2009), 559 (2008), 516 (2007), 464.69 (2006)
Communications ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Telephones - main lines in use:
40,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 167
Telephones - mobile cellular:
10.163 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 63
Telephone system:
general assessment: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations; inadequate fixed line infrastructure
domestic: state-owned operator providing less than 1 fixed-line connection per 1000 persons; given the backdrop of a wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of mobile-cellular services has surged and subscribership in 2009 exceeded 10 million - roughly 15 per 100 persons
international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
state-owned TV broadcast station with near national coverage; more than a dozen privately-owned TV stations with 2 having near national coverage; 2 state-owned radio stations are supplemented by more than 100 private radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)
Internet country code:
.cd
Internet hosts:
3,006 (2010) country comparison to the world: 146
Internet users:
290,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 131
Transportation ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Airports:
198 (2010) country comparison to the world: 31
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 26
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 172
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 91
under 914 m: 61 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 37 km; oil 39 km; refined products 756 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 4,007 km country comparison to the world: 42 narrow gauge: 3,882 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 153,497 km country comparison to the world: 34 paved: 2,794 km
unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)
Waterways:
15,000 km (including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes) (2009) country comparison to the world: 8
Merchant marine:
total: 1 country comparison to the world: 158 by type: petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Republic of the Congo 1) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka
Military ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Military branches:
Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces d'Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo, FARDC): Army, National Navy (La Marine Nationale), Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18-45 years of age for voluntary military service (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,192,858 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,301,818
females age 16-49: 9,440,111 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 842,020
female: 839,044 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 59
Transnational Issues ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Disputes - international:
heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledged in 2004 to abate tribal, rebel, and militia fighting in the region, including northeast Congo, where the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), organized in 1999, maintains over 16,500 uniformed peacekeepers; members of Uganda's Lords Resistance Army forces continue to seek refuge in Congo's Garamba National Park as peace talks with the Uganda government evolve; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area; Uganda and DROC dispute Rukwanzi island in Lake Albert and other areas on the Semliki River with hydrocarbon potential; boundary commission continues discussions over Congolese-administered triangle of land on the right bank of the Lunkinda river claimed by Zambia near the DROC village of Pweto
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 132,295 (Angola); 37,313 (Rwanda); 17,777 (Burundi); 13,904 (Uganda); 6,181 (Sudan); 5,243 (Republic of Congo)
IDPs: 1.4 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to trafficking for the purposes of forced labor and forced prostitution; the majority of this trafficking is internal, and much of it is perpetrated by armed groups and government forces outside government control within the country's unstable eastern provinces
tier rating: Tier 3 - Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government did not show evidence of progress in prosecuting and punishing labor or sex trafficking offenders, including members of its own armed forces; providing protective services for the vast majority of trafficking victims; or raising public awareness of human trafficking; in addition, the government's anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts decreased during the reporting period (2010)
Illicit drugs:
one of Africa's biggest producers of cannabis, but mostly for domestic consumption; traffickers exploit lax shipping controls to transit pseudoephedrine through the capital; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center (2008)
page last updated on January 20, 2011
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@Congo, Republic of the (Africa)
Introduction ::Congo, Republic of the
Background:
Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.
Geography ::Congo, Republic of the
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Geographic coordinates:
1 00 S, 15 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 342,000 sq km country comparison to the world: 63 land: 341,500 sq km
water: 500 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 5,504 km
border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903 km
Coastline:
169 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Terrain:
coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 1.45%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 98.4% (2005)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
832 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.03 cu km/yr (59%/29%/12%)
per capita: 8 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
seasonal flooding
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
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: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
People ::Congo, Republic of the
Population:
4,125,916 country comparison to the world: 126 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 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.9% (male 927,599/female 915,540)
15-64 years: 51.2% (male 1,021,975/female 1,034,119)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 46,687/female 66,889) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.9 years
male: 16.7 years
female: 17.2 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.807% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
Birth rate:
41.01 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Death rate:
11.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Net migration rate:
-1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Urbanization:
urban population: 61% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.7% 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: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 77.93 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 17 male: 83.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 72.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.54 years country comparison to the world: 199 male: 53.27 years
female: 55.84 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.77 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
79,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
6,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
animal contact disease: rabies
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups:
Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
Religions:
Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Languages:
French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 9 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 174
Government ::Congo, Republic of the
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
local long form: Republique du Congo
local short form: none
former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Brazzaville
geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E
time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Independence:
15 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution:
approved by referendum 20 January 2002
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997); note - the position of prime minister was abolished in September 2009
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 July 2009 (next to be held in 2016)
election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 78.6%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 7.5%, Nicephore Fylla de SAINT-EUDES 7%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (72 seats; members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 5 August 2008 (next to be held in 2013); National Assembly - last held on 24 June and 5 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RMP 33, FDU 23, UPADS 2, independents 7, other 7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, MCDDI 11, UPADS 11, MAR 5, MSD 5, independents 37, other 22
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Action Movement for Renewal or MAR; Congolese Labour Party or PCT; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMP; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR; United Democratic Forces or FDU [Sebastian EBAO]; many less important parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Allan EASTHAM
embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, BDEAC Building, 4th Floor, Brazzaville; note - a new embassy is expected to open in 2009
mailing address: B.P. 1015, Brazzaville
telephone: [242] 281-1481, 281-3368; note - until the new embassy in Brazzaville becomes operational, some duties will still be handled in the US embassy in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; green symbolizes agriculture and forests, yellow the friendship and nobility of the people, red is unexplained but has been associated with the struggle for independence
note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia
National anthem:
name: "La Congolaise" (The Congolese)
lyrics/music: Jacques TONDRA and Georges KIBANGHI/Jean ROYER and Joseph SPADILIERE
note: originally adopted 1959, restored 1991
Economy ::Congo, Republic of the
Economy - overview:
The economy is a mixture of subsistence agriculture, an industrial sector based largely on oil and support services, and government spending. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. Characterized by budget problems and overstaffing, the government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings through oil-backed loans that have contributed to a growing debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. However, the reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. Economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget deficit. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. The drop in oil prices during the global crisis reduced oil revenue by about 30%, but the subsequent recovery of oil prices has boosted the economy's GDP and near-term prospects. In March 2006, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo, receiving $1.9 billion in debt relief under the program in 2010.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$17.45 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 $15.79 billion (2009 est.)
$14.67 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.88 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
10.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 7.6% (2009 est.)
5.6% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,200 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 $3,900 (2009 est.)
$3,800 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.4%
industry: 63.7%
services: 32% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
1.514 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 129
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1%
highest 10%: 37.1% (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
41.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 4.3% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 102 4.75% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2009 est.)
NA% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$2.403 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 118 $1.887 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$2.746 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 $2.178 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.58 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 133 $1.889 billion (31 December 2008)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Industries:
petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate:
12% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 8
Electricity - production:
400 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Electricity - consumption:
471 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
449 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
274,400 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39
Oil - consumption:
10,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
Oil - exports:
241,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48
Oil - imports:
2,136 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 175
Oil - proved reserves:
1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Natural gas - production:
180 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
Natural gas - consumption:
180 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Natural gas - proved reserves:
90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 55
Current account balance:
-$569 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 -$1.195 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$9.2 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $7.425 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners:
US 40.08%, China 30.18%, France 8.17%, Taiwan 6.4%, India 4.2% (2009)
Imports:
$3.607 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $3.259 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
France 20.64%, China 14.54%, Italy 9.56%, US 9.02%, India 5.55%, Belgium 4.51% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.123 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $3.806 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$5 billion (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 105
Exchange rates:
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs per US dollar - 507.71 (2010), 472.19 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 483.6 (2007), 522.59 (2006)
Communications ::Congo, Republic of the
Telephones - main lines in use:
24,300 (2009) country comparison to the world: 185
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.171 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 131
Telephone system:
general assessment: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable with services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order
domestic: fixed-line infrastructure inadequate providing less than 1 connection per 100 persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed line infrastructure, mobile-cellular subscribership has surged and now exceeds 50 per 100 persons
international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
1 state-owned TV and 3 state-owned radio stations; several privately-owned TV and radio stations; satellite TV service is available; rebroadcasts of several international broadcasters are available (2007)
Internet country code:
.cg
Internet hosts:
42 (2010) country comparison to the world: 213
Internet users:
245,200 (2009) country comparison to the world: 136
Transportation ::Congo, Republic of the
Airports:
25 (2010) country comparison to the world: 130
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 7 km; oil 211 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 795 km country comparison to the world: 103 narrow gauge: 795 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 17,289 km country comparison to the world: 118 paved: 864 km
unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)
Waterways:
1,120 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui rivers above Brazzaville; there are many ferries across the river to Kinshasa; the Congo south of Brazzaville-Kinshasa to the coast is not navigable because of rapids, thereby necessitating a rail connection to Pointe Noire; other rivers are used for local traffic only) (2010) country comparison to the world: 62
Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 1 (Democratic Republic of the Congo 1) (2010) country comparison to the world: 163
Ports and terminals:
Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Military ::Congo, Republic of the
Military branches:
Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise), Gendarmerie, Special Presidential Security Guard (GSSP) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; women allowed to serve (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 898,850
females age 16-49: 886,063 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 557,764
females age 16-49: 546,755 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 48,365
female: 47,874 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 137
Transnational Issues ::Congo, Republic of the
Disputes - international:
the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 46,341 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 6,564 (Rwanda)
IDPs: 48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic Lari) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; girls are trafficked from rural areas within the country for commercial sexual exploitation, forced street vending, and domestic servitude; children are trafficked from other African countries for domestic servitude, forced market vending, and forced labor in the fishing industry
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Republic of the Congo is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; struggling to recover from six years of civil conflict that ended in 2003, the Republic of the Congo's capacity to address trafficking is handicapped; the government neither monitors its borders for trafficking activity nor provides specialized anti-trafficking training for law enforcement officials; the government does not encourage victims to assist in trafficking investigations or prosecutions, and has not taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts in the Republic of the Congo (2008)
page last updated on January 12, 2011
======================================================================
@Cook Islands (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::Cook Islands
Background:
Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965, residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems.
Geography ::Cook Islands
Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
21 14 S, 159 46 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 236 sq km country comparison to the world: 214 land: 236 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
120 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March
Terrain:
low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 8.33%
other: 75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
typhoons (November to March)
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
Geography - note:
the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km
People ::Cook Islands
Population:
11,488 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 223
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.1% (male 1,704/female 1,508)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 3,898/female 3,664)
65 years and over: 9.2% (male 540/female 556) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 31.2 years
male: 30.5 years
female: 31.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
-3.256% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 231
Birth rate:
15.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Death rate:
7.22 deaths/1,000 population NA country comparison to the world: 127
Urbanization:
urban population: 74% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: -0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.046 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.33 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 116 male: 19.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.47 years country comparison to the world: 94 male: 71.69 years
female: 77.38 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.43 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Cook Islander(s)
adjective: Cook Islander
Ethnic groups:
Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census)
Religions:
Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official), Maori
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 95%
male: NA
female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 10 years
female: 10 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
0.2% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 186
People - note:
2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017
Government ::Cook Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands
former: Harvey Islands
Dependency status:
self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense in consultation with the Cook Islands
Government type:
self-governing parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Avarua
geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W
time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none
Independence:
none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)
Constitution:
4 August 1965
Legal system:
based on New Zealand law and English common law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (adult)
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) represented by Sir Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner Linda TE PUNI (since 3 June 2010)
head of government: Prime Minister Henry PUNA (since 30 November 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; the UK representative appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of a House of Ariki, or upper house, made up of traditional leaders and a Legislative Assembly, or lower house, (24 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence but has no legislative powers
elections: last held on 17 November 2010 (next to be held by 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CIP 16, Demo 8
Judicial branch:
High Court
Political parties and leaders:
Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo [Dr. Terepai MAOATE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Reform Conference (lobby for political system changes)
other: various groups lobbying for political change
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, IMSO, IOC, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag
National anthem:
name: "Te Atua Mou E" (To God Almighty)
lyrics/music: Tepaeru Te RITO/Thomas DAVIS
note: adopted 1982; as prime minister, Sir Thomas DAVIS composed the anthem; his wife, a tribal chief, wrote the lyrics
Economy ::Cook Islands
Economy - overview:
Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, employing more than one-quarter of the working population, provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Islands' leading export. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$183.2 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 216
GDP (official exchange rate):
$183.2 million (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.1% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$9,100 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15.1%
industry: 9.6%
services: 75.3% (2004)
Labor force:
6,820 (2001) country comparison to the world: 217
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 29%
industry: 15%
services: 56% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
13.1% (2005) country comparison to the world: 138
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
Agriculture - products:
copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry
Industries:
fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
1% (2002) country comparison to the world: 145
Electricity - production:
31 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 201
Electricity - consumption:
28.83 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 201
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Oil - imports:
495 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Current account balance:
$26.67 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 57
Exports:
$5.222 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 216
Exports - commodities:
copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Imports:
$81.04 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 211
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
Debt - external:
$141 million (1996 est.) country comparison to the world: 178
Exchange rates:
NZ dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4015 (2009), 1.4151 (2008), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006)
Communications ::Cook Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
6,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 208
Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 211
Telephone system:
general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
domestic: individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable
international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Broadcast media:
1 privately-owned TV station broadcasts from Rarotonga providing a mix of local news and overseas-sourced programs; a satellite program package is available; 6 radio stations broadcast with 1 reportedly reaching all of the islands (2009)
Internet country code:
.ck
Internet hosts:
2,521 (2010) country comparison to the world: 150
Internet users:
6,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 204
Transportation ::Cook Islands
Airports:
10 (2010) country comparison to the world: 157
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 320 km country comparison to the world: 203 paved: 33 km
unpaved: 287 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
total: 34 country comparison to the world: 82 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 27, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 5
foreign-owned: 23 (Egypt 1, Germany 1, Latvia 1, Lithuania 2, former Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 6, NZ 1, Russia 1, Sweden 3, Turkey 4, UK 2) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Avatiu
Military ::Cook Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces; National Police Department (2009)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,272
females age 16-49: 2,222 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 136
female: 115 (2010 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
Transnational Issues ::Cook Islands
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on January 19, 2011
======================================================================
@Coral Sea Islands (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::Coral Sea Islands
Background:
Scattered over more than three-quarters of a million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.
Geography ::Coral Sea Islands
Location:
Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates:
18 00 S, 152 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: less than 3 sq km country comparison to the world: 248 land: less than 3 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km with the Willis Islets the most important
Area - comparative:
NA
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
3,095 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical
Terrain:
sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
occasional tropical cyclones
Environment - current issues:
no permanent fresh water resources
Geography - note:
important nesting area for birds and turtles
People ::Coral Sea Islands
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station on Willis Island (July 2007 est.)
Government ::Coral Sea Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands
Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department
Legal system:
the laws of Australia where applicable apply
Executive branch:
administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of Australia)
Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used
Economy ::Coral Sea Islands
Economy - overview:
no economic activity
Communications ::Coral Sea Islands
Communications - note:
there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland
Transportation ::Coral Sea Islands
Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only
Military ::Coral Sea Islands
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues ::Coral Sea Islands
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on November 17, 2010
======================================================================
@Costa Rica (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Costa Rica
Background:
Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
Geography ::Costa Rica
Location:
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic coordinates:
10 00 N, 84 00 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 51,100 sq km country comparison to the world: 129 land: 51,060 sq km
water: 40 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Coastline:
1,290 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Terrain:
coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Natural resources:
hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 4.4%
permanent crops: 5.87%
other: 89.73% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,080 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
112.4 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.68 cu km/yr (29%/17%/53%)
per capita: 619 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
volcanism: Arenal (elev. 1,670 m, 5,479 ft), which erupted in 2010, is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (elev. 3,432 m, 11,260 ft), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba
Environment - current issues:
deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65
People ::Costa Rica
Population:
4,516,220 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.7% (male 581,916/female 555,216)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,443,606/female 1,411,168)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 120,969/female 141,002) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.4 years
male: 27.9 years
female: 28.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.347% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 93
Birth rate:
16.65 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Death rate:
4.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 206
Net migration rate:
1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Urbanization:
urban population: 63% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.3% 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: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.72 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 154 male: 10.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.54 years country comparison to the world: 55 male: 74.93 years
female: 80.28 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.93 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,700 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican
Ethnic groups:
white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
Languages:
Spanish (official), English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.9%
male: 94.7%
female: 95.1% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 66
Government ::Costa Rica
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica
Government type:
democratic republic
Capital:
name: San Jose
geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:
7 November 1949
Legal system:
based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Laura CHINCHILLA Miranda (since 8 May 2010); First Vice President Alfio PIVA Mesen (since 8 May 2010); Second Vice President Luis LIBERMAN Ginsburg (since 8 May 2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Laura CHINCHILLA Miranda (since 8 May 2010); First Vice President Alfio PIVA Mesen (since 8 May 2010); Second Vice President Luis LIBERMAN Ginsburg (since 8 May 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held on 7 February 2010 (next to be held in February 2014)
election results: Laura CHINCHILLA Miranda elected president; percent of vote - Laura CHINCHILLA Miranda (PLN) 46.7%; Otton SOLIS (PAC) 25.1%, Otto GUEVARA Guth (ML) 20.8%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 7 February 2010 (next to be held in February 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 23, PAC 10, ML 9, PUSC 6, PASE 4, other 5
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for renewable eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Accessibility Without Exclusion or PASE [Oscar Andres LOPEZ Arias]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Alberto CANAS Escalante]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Marco GONZALEZ Nunez]; Frente Amplio [Jose MERINO del Rio]; Homeland First or PP (Patria Primero) [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel VILLALOBOS Umana]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO Fernandez]; National Rescue Party or PRN [Fabio Enrique DELGADO Hernandez]; National Union Party or PUN [Arturo ACOSTA Mora]; Patriotic Alliance [Mariano FIGUERES Olsen]; Patriotic Union or UP [Jose Miguel CORRALES Bolanos]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis FISHMAN Zonzinski]; Union for Change Party or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Costa Rican Exporter's Chamber or CADEXCO; Costa Rican Solidarity Movement; Costa Rican Union of Private Sector Enterprises or UCCAEP [Rafael CARRILLO]; Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; National Association of Public and Private Employees or ANEP [Albino VARGAS]; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert BROWN]
International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Meta Shanon FIGUERES Boggs
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945 or 2946
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anne Slaughter ANDREW
embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 2519-2000
FAX: [506] 2519-2305
Flag description:
five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk toward the hoist side of the red band; Costa Rica retained the earlier blue-white-blue flag of Central America until 1848 when, in response to revolutionary activity in Europe, it was decided to incorporate the French colors into the national flag and a central red stripe was added; today the blue color is said to stand for the sky, opportunity, and perseverence, white denotes peace, happiness, and wisdom, while red represents the blood shed for freedom, as well as the generosity and vibrancy of the people
note: somewhat resembles the flag of North Korea; similar to the flag of Thailand but with the blue and red colors reversed
National anthem:
name: "Himno Nacional de Costa Rica" (National Anthem of Costa Rica)
lyrics/music: Jose Maria ZELEDON Brenes/Manuel Maria GUTIERREZ
note: adopted 1949; the anthem's music was originally written for an 1853 welcome ceremony for diplomatic missions from the United States and United Kingdom; the lyrics were added in 1903
Economy ::Costa Rica
Economy - overview:
Prior to the global economic crisis, Costa Rica enjoyed stable economic growth. The economy contracted 0.7% in 2009, but resumed growth at more than 3% in 2010. While the traditional agricultural exports of bananas, coffee, sugar, and beef are still the backbone of commodity export trade, a variety of industrial and specialized agricultural products have broadened export trade in recent years. High value added goods and services, including microchips, have further bolstered exports. Tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange, as Costa Rica's impressive biodiversity makes it a key destination for ecotourism. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and relatively high education levels, as well as the fiscal incentives offered in the free-trade zones; and Costa Rica has attracted one of the highest levels of foreign direct investment per capita in Latin America. However, many business impediments, such as high levels of bureaucracy, difficulty of enforcing contracts, and weak investor protection, remain. Poverty has remained around 15-20% for nearly 20 years, and the strong social safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded due to increased financial constraints on government expenditures. Unlike the rest of Central America, Costa Rica is not highly dependent on remittances as they only represent about 2% of GDP. Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government. The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of - mostly unskilled - labor, but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system. The US-Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force on 1 January 2009, after significant delays within the Costa Rican legislature. CAFTA-DR will likely lead to increased foreign direct investment in key sectors of the economy, including the insurance and telecommunications sectors recently opened to private investors. President CHINCHILLA is likely to push for fiscal reform in the coming year, seeking to boost revenue, possibly through revised tax legislation, to fund an increase in security services and education.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$51.3 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $49.57 billion (2009 est.)
$49.91 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$35.02 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 -0.7% (2009 est.)
2.6% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,400 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $11,100 (2009 est.)
$11,400 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.3%
industry: 22.9%
services: 70.8% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
2.17 million country comparison to the world: 117 note: this official estimate excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica (2010 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 22%
services: 64% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 7.8% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
16% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.5%
highest 10%: 35.5% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
48 (2008) country comparison to the world: 30 45.9 (1997)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
Public debt:
44.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 42% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 7.8% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
23% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 5 25% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.72% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 15.83% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$4.504 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 94 $3.992 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$16.81 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 87 $15.84 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$15.82 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $14.74 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.452 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 96 $1.887 billion (31 December 2008)
$2.035 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef, poultry, dairy; timber
Industries:
microprocessors, food processing, medical equipment, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 108
Electricity - production:
8.808 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 96
Electricity - consumption:
8.064 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Electricity - exports:
77.16 million kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
203.2 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Oil - consumption:
44,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99
Oil - exports:
2,117 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Oil - imports:
47,860 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Current account balance:
-$1.469 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 -$537 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$10.01 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $8.847 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; beef; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners:
US 32.61%, Netherlands 12.82%, China 11.81%, Mexico 4.2% (2009)
Imports:
$13.69 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $10.87 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum, construction materials
Imports - partners:
US 44.72%, Mexico 7.65%, Venezuela 5.56%, China 5.15%, Japan 4.36% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.584 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $4.066 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$9.126 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 $7.972 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$13.92 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $12.17 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$547 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $539 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Costa Rican colones (CRC) per US dollar - 526.68 (2010), 573.29 (2009), 530.41 (2008), 519.53 (2007), 511.3 (2006)
Communications ::Costa Rica
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.493 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 64
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.95 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 134
Telephone system:
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; under the terms of CAFTA-DR, the state-run telecommunications monopoly scheduled to be opened to competition from domestic and international firms, has been delayed by the nation's telecommunications regulator.
domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available
international: country code - 506; landing points for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), MAYA-1, and the Pan American Crossing submarine cables that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
multiple privately-owned television stations and 1 publicly-owned television station; cable network services are widely available; more than 100 privately-owned radio stations and a public radio network (2007)
Internet country code:
.cr
Internet hosts:
34,024 (2010) country comparison to the world: 97
Internet users:
1.485 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 82
Transportation ::Costa Rica
Airports:
151 (2010) country comparison to the world: 36
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 39
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 12 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 112
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 94 (2010)
Pipelines:
refined products 796 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 278 km country comparison to the world: 123 narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge
note: none of the railway network is in use (2008)
Roadways:
total: 35,330 km country comparison to the world: 95 paved: 8,621 km
unpaved: 26,709 km (2004)
Waterways:
730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2010) country comparison to the world: 75
Merchant marine:
total: 1 country comparison to the world: 160 by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Caldera, Puerto Limon
Military ::Costa Rica
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,241,183
females age 16-49: 1,217,037 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,044,923
females age 16-49: 1,026,432 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 42,486
female: 40,745 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 155
Transnational Issues ::Costa Rica
Disputes - international:
the ICJ has given Costa Rica until January 2008 to reply and Nicaragua until July 2008 to rejoin before rendering its decision on the navigation, security, and commercial rights of Costa Rican vessels on the Rio San Juan over which Nicaragua retains sovereignty
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 9,699-11,500 (Colombia) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis in remote areas; domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising; significant consumption of amphetamines; seizures of smuggled cash in Costa Rica and at the main border crossing to enter Costa Rica from Nicaragua have risen in recent years (2008)
page last updated on January 12, 2011
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@Cote d'Ivoire (Africa)
Introduction ::Cote d'Ivoire
Background:
Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the West African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. In December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert GUEI blatantly rigged elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular protest forced him to step aside and brought Laurent GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the country, and in January 2003 were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December 2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the civil war, such as land reform and grounds for citizenship, remained unresolved. In March 2007 President GBAGBO and former New Force rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. As a result of the agreement, SORO joined GBAGBO's government as Prime Minister and the two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the zone of confidence separating North from South, integrate rebel forces into the national armed forces, and hold elections. Disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of rebel forces have been problematic as rebels seek to enter the armed forces. Citizen identification and voter registration pose election difficulties, and balloting planned for November 2009 was postponed with no future date set. Several thousand UN troops and several hundred French remain in Cote d'Ivoire to help the parties implement their commitments and to support the peace process.
Geography ::Cote d'Ivoire
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 5 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 322,463 sq km country comparison to the world: 68 land: 318,003 sq km
water: 4,460 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 3,110 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km
Coastline:
515 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)
Terrain:
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
highest point: Monts Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 10.23%
permanent crops: 11.16%
other: 78.61% (2005)
Irrigated land:
730 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
81 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.93 cu km/yr (24%/12%/65%)
per capita: 51 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible
Environment - current issues:
deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents
Environment - international agreements:
party to: 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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated
People ::Cote d'Ivoire
Population:
21,058,798 country comparison to the world: 57 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 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.6% (male 4,215,912/female 4,146,077)
15-64 years: 56.6% (male 5,942,642/female 5,720,108)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 296,074/female 296,255) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.4 years
male: 19.6 years
female: 19.3 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.105% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 47
Birth rate:
31.48 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Death rate:
10.43 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population NA country comparison to the world: 75
Urbanization:
urban population: 49% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.2% 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: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 24 male: 73.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.19 years country comparison to the world: 195 male: 55.27 years
female: 57.13 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.01 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
480,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
38,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies
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: Ivoirian(s)
adjective: Ivoirian
Ethnic groups:
Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 14,000 French) (1998)
Religions:
Muslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none 16.7% (2008 est.)
note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)
Languages:
French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.7%
male: 60.8%
female: 38.6% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 6 years
male: 10 years
female: 5 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
4.6% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 89
Government ::Cote d'Ivoire
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
note: pronounced coat-div-whar
former: Ivory Coast
Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960
note: the government is currently operating under a power-sharing agreement mandated by international mediators
Capital:
name: Yamoussoukro
geographic coordinates: 6 49 N, 5 17 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan
Administrative divisions:
19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-Huit Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue, Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama, Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan
Independence:
7 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 August (1960)
Constitution:
approved by referendum 23 July 2000
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alassane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010); note - former President Laurent GBAGBO has refused to cede power
head of government: Prime Minister Guillaume SORO (since 4 April 2007); note - on 4 December 2010, Gilbert Marie N'GBO AKE was also appointed to the position by former president GBAGBO
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - under the current power-sharing agreement the prime minister and the president share the authority to appoint ministers (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 31 October and 28 November 2010 (next to be held in 2015); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Alassane OUATTARA elected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA 54.1%, Laurent GBAGBO 45.9%; note - President OUATTARA was declared winner by the election commission and took the oath of office on 4 December, Prime Minister SORO resigned from the incumbent administration and was subsequently appointed to the same position by OUATTARA; former president GBAGBO refused to cede and on 5 December appointed Gilbert Marie N'GBO AKE as Prime Minister
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats; members elected in single- and multi-district elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: elections last held on 10 December 2000 with by-elections on 14 January 2001 (elections originally scheduled for 2005 have been repeatedly postponed by the government)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
note: a Senate was scheduled to be created in October 2006 elections that never took place
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases, Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of members
Political parties and leaders:
Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Theodore MEL EG]; Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Pascale Affi N'GUESSAN]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Opposition Movement of the Future or MFA [Innocent Augustin ANAKY]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI [Toikeuse MABRI]; over 144 smaller registered parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of University and High School Students of Cote d'Ivoire or FESCI [Serges KOFFI]; Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace or RHDP [Alphonse DJEDJE MADY]; Young Patriots [Charles BLE GOUDE]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS (suspended), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yao Charles KOFFI
chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
FAX: [1] (202) 244-3088
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
embassy: Cocody Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan
mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01
telephone: [225] 22 49 40 00
FAX: [225] 22 49 43 32
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; orange symbolizes the land (savannah) of the north and fertility, white stands for peace and unity, green represents the forests of the south and the hope for a bright future
note: similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France
National anthem:
name: "L'Abidjanaise" (Song of Abidjan)
lyrics/music: Mathieu EKRA, Joachim BONY, and Pierre Marie COTY/Pierre Marie COTY and Pierre Michel PANGO
note: adopted 1960; although the nation's capital city moved from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro in 1983, the anthem still owes its name to the former capital
Economy ::Cote d'Ivoire
Economy - overview:
Cote d'Ivoire is heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population. Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products, and, to a lesser extent, in climatic conditions. Cocoa, oil, and coffee are the country's top export revenue earners, but the country is also producing gold. Since the end of the civil war in 2003, political turmoil has continued to damage the economy, resulting in the loss of foreign investment and slow economic growth. GDP grew by more than 2% in 2008 and around 4% per year in 2009-10. Per capita income has declined by 15% since 1999, but registered a slight improvement in 2009-10. Power cuts caused by a turbine failure in early 2010 slowed economic activity. Cote d'Ivoire in 2010 signed agreements to restructure its Paris Club bilateral, other bilateral, and London Club debt. Cote d'Ivoire's long term challenges include political instability and degrading infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$37.8 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $36.48 billion (2009 est.)
$35.01 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$22.38 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 4.2% (2009 est.)
2.3% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,800 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 $1,800 (2009 est.)
$1,700 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 28.2%
industry: 21.3%
services: 50.6% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
7.617 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 68%
industry and services: NA (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA
note: unemployment may have climbed to 40-50% as a result of the civil war
Population below poverty line:
42% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 34% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.6 (2002) country comparison to the world: 44 36.7 (1995)
Investment (gross fixed):
9.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Public debt:
63.3% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 66.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 0.9% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 101 4.75% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2009 est.)
NA% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$5.094 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 87 $4.959 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$7.653 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $7.437 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.448 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $5.308 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$6.141 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 73 $7.071 billion (31 December 2008)
$8.353 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber
Industries:
foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity, ship construction and repair
Industrial production growth rate:
4.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Electricity - production:
5.275 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 112
Electricity - consumption:
3.231 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Electricity - exports:
772 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
58,950 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Oil - exports:
115,700 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Oil - imports:
80,960 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
Oil - proved reserves:
250 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Natural gas - production:
1.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Natural gas - consumption:
1.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Natural gas - proved reserves:
28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
Current account balance:
$534 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $1.67 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$10.25 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $10.5 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 13.92%, France 10.75%, US 7.79%, Germany 7.2%, Nigeria 6.99%, Ghana 5.56% (2009)
Imports:
$7.015 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $6.318 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Nigeria 20.75%, France 14.19%, China 7.18%, Thailand 5.09% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.985 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $3.267 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$11.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $11.34 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 506.04 (2010), 472.19 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006)
Communications ::Cote d'Ivoire
Telephones - main lines in use:
282,100 (2009) country comparison to the world: 117
Telephones - mobile cellular:
13.346 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 53
Telephone system:
general assessment: well developed by African standards; telecommunications sector privatized in late 1990s and operational fixed-lines have increased since that time with two fixed-line providers operating over open-wire lines, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optics; 90% digitalized
domestic: with multiple mobile-cellular service providers competing in the market, usage has increased sharply to roughly 65 per 100 persons
international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
state-owned television operates 2 stations; no private terrestrial TV stations, but satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio operates 2 stations; some private radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)
Internet country code:
.ci
Internet hosts:
9,865 (2010) country comparison to the world: 121
Internet users:
967,300 (2009) country comparison to the world: 103
Transportation ::Cote d'Ivoire
Airports:
27 (2010) country comparison to the world: 121
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 20
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 3 (2010)
Pipelines:
condensate 86 km; gas 180 km; oil 92 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 660 km country comparison to the world: 108 narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge
note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2008)
Roadways:
total: 80,000 km country comparison to the world: 60 paved: 6,500 km
unpaved: 73,500 km
note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable (2006)
Waterways:
980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons) (2008) country comparison to the world: 67
Ports and terminals:
Abidjan, Espoir, San-Pedro
Military ::Cote d'Ivoire
Military branches:
Cote d'Ivoire Defense and Security Forces (FDSCI): Army, Navy, Air Force (2006)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,094,762
females age 16-49: 4,895,446 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,242,965
females age 16-49: 3,069,569 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 240,989
female: 237,180 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.5% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 97
Transnational Issues ::Cote d'Ivoire
Disputes - international:
despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict still leaves displaced hundreds of thousands of Ivorians in and out of the country as well as driven out migrants from neighboring states who worked in Ivorian cocoa plantations; the March 2007 peace deal between Ivorian rebels and the government brought significant numbers of rebels out of hiding in neighboring states
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 25,615 (Liberia)
IDPs: 709,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
Cote d'Ivoire is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; trafficking within the country is more prevalent than international trafficking and the majority of victims are children; women and girls are trafficked from northern areas to southern cities for domestic servitude, restaurant labor, and sexual exploitation; boys are trafficked internally for agricultural and service labor and transnationally for forced labor in agriculture, mining, construction, and in the fishing industry; women and girls are trafficked to and from other West and Central African countries for domestic servitude and forced street vending
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cote d'Ivoire is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking in 2007, particularly with regard to its law enforcement efforts and protection of sex trafficking victims; in addition, Ivoirian law does not prohibit all forms of trafficking, and Cote d'Ivoire has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; utility as a narcotic transshipment point to Europe reduced by ongoing political instability; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center (2008)
page last updated on January 20, 2011
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@Croatia (Europe)
Introduction ::Croatia
Background:
The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998. In April 2009, Croatia joined NATO; it is a candidate for eventual EU accession.
Geography ::Croatia
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia
Geographic coordinates:
45 10 N, 15 30 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 56,594 sq km country comparison to the world: 126 land: 55,974 sq km
water: 620 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,982 km
border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 455 km
Coastline:
5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast
Terrain:
geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Dinara 1,831 m
Natural resources:
oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 25.82%
permanent crops: 2.19%
other: 71.99% (2005)
Irrigated land:
110 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
105.5 cu km (1998)
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, 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, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits; most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of Croatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks
People ::Croatia
Population:
4,486,881 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.6% (male 358,360/female 340,098)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,506,364/female 1,522,789)
65 years and over: 17% (male 295,960/female 465,838) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.2 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 43 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.061% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 204
Birth rate:
9.63 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 201
Death rate:
11.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Net migration rate:
1.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 46
Urbanization:
urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.055 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 175 male: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.58 years country comparison to the world: 80 male: 71.95 years
female: 79.4 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.43 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 10 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis
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: Croat(s), Croatian(s)
adjective: Croatian
Ethnic groups:
Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)
Languages:
Croatian (official) 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.1%
male: 99.3%
female: 97.1% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 14 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 112
Government ::Croatia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Croatia
conventional short form: Croatia
local long form: Republika Hrvatska
local short form: Hrvatska
former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia
Government type:
presidential/parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Zagreb
geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 16 00 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:
20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad - singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska, Brodsko-Posavska, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska (Dubrovnik-Neretva), Istarska (Istria), Karlovacka, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka, Krapinsko-Zagorska, Licko-Senjska (Lika-Senj), Medimurska, Osjecko-Baranjska, Pozesko-Slavonska (Pozega-Slavonia), Primorsko-Goranska, Sibensko-Kninska, Sisacko-Moslavacka, Splitsko-Dalmatinska (Split-Dalmatia), Varazdinska, Viroviticko-Podravska, Vukovarsko-Srijemska, Zadarska, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka
Independence:
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 was the day the Croatian parliament voted for independence; following a three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8 October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia
Constitution:
adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001
Legal system:
based on Austro-Hungarian law system with Communist law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ivo JOSIPOVIC (since 18 February 2010)
head of government: Prime Minister Jadranka KOSOR (since 6 July 2009); Deputy Prime Ministers Bozidar PANKRETIC (since 6 July 2009), Darko MILINOVIC (since 13 November 2009), Domagoj Ivan MILOSEVIC (since 29 December 2010), Petar COBANKOVIC (since 29 December 2010), Slobodan UZELAC (since 12 January 2008), Gordan JANDROKOVIC (since 29 December 2010)