The 2010 CIA World Factbook (part 5 of 25)

cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the parliamentary assembly (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 10 January 2010 (next to be held in December 2015); the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president and then approved by the assembly

election results: Ivo JOSIPOVIC elected president; percent of vote in the second round - Ivo JOSIPOVIC 60%, Milan BANDIC 40%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly or Sabor (153 seats; members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 25 November 2007 (next to be held by November 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 57, HNS 6, HSS 6, HDSSB 3, IDS 3, SDSS 3, other 9

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts are appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Political parties and leaders:

Croatian Democratic Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB [Vladimir SISLJAGIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Jadranka KOSOR]; Croatian Party of the Right or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC]; Croatian Pensioner Party or HSU [Silvano HRELJA]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [Radimir CACIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Darinko KOSOR]; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Zoran MILANOVIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: human rights groups

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (applicant), FAO, G-11, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC

chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899

FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James B. FOLEY

embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb

mailing address: use street address

telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200

FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue - the Pan-Slav colors - superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms; the coat of arms consists of one main shield (a checkerboard of 13 red and 12 silver (white) fields) surmounted by five smaller shields that form a crown over the main shield; the five small shields represent five historic regions, they are (from left to right): Croatia, Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria, and Slavonia

note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Antun MIHANOVIC/Josip RUNJANIN

note: adopted 1972; "Lijepa nasa domovino," whose lyrics were written in 1835, served as an unofficial anthem beginning in 1891

Economy ::Croatia

Economy - overview:

Once one of the wealthiest of the Yugoslav republics, Croatia's economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war as output collapsed and the country missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Between 2000 and 2007, however, Croatia's economic fortunes began to improve slowly, with moderate but steady GDP growth between 4% and 6% led by a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. Inflation over the same period has remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable. Nevertheless, difficult problems still remain, including a stubbornly high unemployment rate, a growing trade deficit and uneven regional development. The state retains a large role in the economy, as privatization efforts often meet stiff public and political resistance. While macroeconomic stabilization has largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from politicians. The EU accession process should accelerate fiscal and structural reform. While long term growth prospects for the economy remain strong, Croatia will face significant pressure as a result of the global financial crisis. Croatia's high foreign debt, anemic export sector, strained state budget, and over-reliance on tourism revenue will result in higher risk to economic stability over the medium term.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$78.52 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $79.64 billion (2009 est.)

$84.54 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$59.92 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-1.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 201 -5.8% (2009 est.)

2.4% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$17,500 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $17,700 (2009 est.)

$18,800 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6.8%

industry: 27.2%

services: 66% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

1.762 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 5%

industry: 31.3%

services: 63.6% (2008)

Unemployment rate:

17.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 16.1% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line:

17% (2008)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 23.1% (2005 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

29 (2008) country comparison to the world: 116 29 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.4% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Public debt:

55% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 46.4% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 2.4% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

9% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 51 9% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

11.55% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 10.07% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$8.72 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 75 $8.964 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$40.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $42.59 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$48.62 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $48.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$25.64 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 55 $26.79 billion (31 December 2008)

$65.98 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Industries:

chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper, wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Electricity - production:

11.49 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Electricity - consumption:

18 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Electricity - exports:

5.668 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

12.24 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

23,960 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Oil - consumption:

106,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Oil - exports:

43,750 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Oil - imports:

122,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Oil - proved reserves:

73.35 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Natural gas - production:

2.847 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Natural gas - consumption:

3.205 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Natural gas - exports:

695.5 million cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Natural gas - imports:

1.22 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Natural gas - proved reserves:

30.58 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Current account balance:

-$2.312 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 159 -$3.247 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$11.51 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $10.72 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

transport equipment, machinery, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners:

Italy 19.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 12.98%, Germany 11.06%, Slovenia 7.47%, Austria 5.44%, Serbia 5.41% (2009)

Imports:

$20.93 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $21 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, transport and electrical equipment; chemicals, fuels and lubricants; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Italy 15.46%, Germany 13.57%, Russia 9.29%, China 6.83%, Slovenia 5.75%, Austria 5.04% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$13.79 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $14.89 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$59.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $62.41 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$34.63 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 $32.13 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$6.334 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $5.934 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

kuna (HRK) per US dollar - 5.6356 (2010), 5.271 (2009), 4.98 (2008), 5.3735 (2007), 5.8625 (2006)

Communications ::Croatia

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.859 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 59

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.035 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 84

Telephone system:

general assessment: the telecommunications network has improved steadily since the mid-1990s; local lines are digital

domestic: fixed-line teledensity holding steady at about 40 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscriptions exceed the population

international: country code - 385; digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of 2 fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; the ADRIA-1 submarine cable provides connectivity to Albania and Greece (2009)

Broadcast media:

the national state-owned public broadcaster, Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT), operates 2 terrestrial TV networks, a satellite channel that rebroadcasts programs for Croatians living abroad, and 6 regional TV centers; 2 private broadcasters operate national terrestrial networks; about 15 privately-owned regional TV stations; multi-channel cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; state-owned public broadcaster operates 3 national radio networks and a number of regional radio stations; 2 privately-owned national radio networks and a large number of regional, county, city, and community radio stations (2007)

Internet country code:

.hr

Internet hosts:

1.287 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 38

Internet users:

2.234 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 73

Transportation ::Croatia

Airports:

69 (2010) country comparison to the world: 73

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 23

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 9 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 46

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 38 (2010)

Heliports:

1 (2010)

Pipelines:

gas 1,327 km; oil 583 km (2009)

Railways:

total: 2,722 km country comparison to the world: 63 standard gauge: 2,722 km 1.435-m gauge (985 km electrified) (2009)

Roadways:

total: 29,248 km (includes 1,043 km of expressways) (2008) country comparison to the world: 99

Waterways:

785 km (2009) country comparison to the world: 74

Merchant marine:

total: 75 country comparison to the world: 56 by type: bulk carrier 24, cargo 7, chemical tanker 6, passenger/cargo 27, petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 1

foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 2)

registered in other countries: 33 (Bahamas 1, Belize 1, Liberia 2, Malta 7, Marshall Islands 12, Panama 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibernik, Split, Vukovar (on Danube River)

Military ::Croatia

Military branches:

Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH), consists of five major commands directly subordinate to a General Staff: Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM; includes coast guard), Air Force and Air Defense Command, Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command; Military Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary service; 6-month conscript service obligation; full conversion to voluntary military service by 2010 (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,021,904

females age 16-49: 1,023,465 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 770,574

females age 16-49: 844,594 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 27,670

female: 26,503 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.39% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Transnational Issues ::Croatia

Disputes - international:

dispute remains with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several small sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinders ratification of the 1999 border agreement; the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic; as a European Union peripheral state, Slovenia imposed a hard border Schengen regime with non-member Croatia in December 2007

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 2,900-7,000 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-95 war) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe (2008)

page last updated on January 20, 2011

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

@Cuba (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Cuba

Background:

The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from the US in 1902 after which the island experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country faced a severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba at times portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source if its difficulties. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 982 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2009.

Geography ::Cuba

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Geographic coordinates:

21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 110,860 sq km country comparison to the world: 105 land: 109,820 sq km

water: 1,040 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:

total: 29 km

border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km

note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba

Coastline:

3,735 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Natural resources:

cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 27.63%

permanent crops: 6.54%

other: 65.83% (2005)

Irrigated land:

8,700 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

38.1 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 8.2 cu km/yr (19%/12%/69%)

per capita: 728 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common

Environment - current issues:

air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: 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

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles

People ::Cuba

Population:

11,477,459 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.3% (male 1,077,745/female 1,020,393)

15-64 years: 70.4% (male 4,035,691/female 4,030,103)

65 years and over: 11.2% (male 584,478/female 703,242) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.8 years

male: 37.1 years

female: 38.6 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.217% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Birth rate:

11.02 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Death rate:

7.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Net migration rate:

-1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Urbanization:

urban population: 76% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.72 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 180 male: 6.39 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.64 years country comparison to the world: 53 male: 75.36 years

female: 80.05 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.61 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Cuban(s)

adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups:

white 65.1%, mulatto and mestizo 24.8%, black 10.1% (2002 census)

Religions:

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

Languages:

Spanish (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.8% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 18 years

male: 16 years

female: 19 years (2009)

Education expenditures:

13.6% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 2

People - note:

illicit emigration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and over-land via the southwest border

Government ::Cuba

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cuba

conventional short form: Cuba

local long form: Republica de Cuba

local short form: Cuba

Government type:

Communist state

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 23 07 N, 82 21 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Independence:

20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence

National holiday:

Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959)

Constitution:

24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002

Legal system:

based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal concepts with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24 February 2008); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura (since 24 February 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24 February 2008); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura (since 24 February 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the 31-member Council of State, elected by the assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held on 24 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz elected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (number of seats in the National Assembly is based on population; 614 seats; members elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 20 January 2008 (next to be held in January 2013)

election results: Cuba's Communist Party is the only legal party, and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed

Judicial branch:

People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice presidents, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Human Rights Watch; National Association of Small Farmers

International organization participation:

ACP, AOSIS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Jorge BOLANOS Suarez; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518; FAX: [1] (202) 797-8521

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Chief of Mission Jonathan D. FARRAR; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-1653; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland

Flag description:

five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; the blue bands refer to the three old divisions of the island: central, occidental, and oriental; the white bands describe the purity of the independence ideal; the triangle symbolizes liberty, equality, and fraternity, while the red color stands for the blood shed in the independence struggle; the white star, called La Estrella Solitaria (the Lone Star) lights the way to freedom and was taken from the flag of Texas

note: design similar to the Puerto Rican flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Pedro FIGUEREDO

note: adopted 1940; Pedro FIGUEREDO first performed "La Bayamesa" in 1868 during the Ten Years War against the Spanish; a leading figure in the uprising, FIGUEREDO was captured in 1870 and executed in front of a firing squad; just prior to the fusillade he is reputed to have shouted, "Morir por la Patria es vivir" (To die for the country is to live), a line from the anthem

Economy ::Cuba

Economy - overview:

The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm political control. The government announced it would eliminate 500,000 state jobs by March 2011 and has expanded opportunities for self-employment. President CASTRO said such changes were needed to update the economic model to ensure the survival of socialism. It has rolled back limited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. Since late 2000, Venezuela has been providing oil on preferential terms, and it currently supplies about 100,000 barrels per day of petroleum products. Cuba has been paying for the oil, in part, with the services of Cuban personnel in Venezuela including some 30,000 medical professionals.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$114.1 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $112.4 billion (2009 est.)

$110.8 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$57.49 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 172 1.4% (2009 est.)

4.1% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$9,900 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $9,800 (2009 est.)

$9,700 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4.2%

industry: 22.7%

services: 72.9% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

5.164 million country comparison to the world: 72 note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 20%

industry: 19.4%

services: 60.6% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 1.7% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

10.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Public debt:

34.4% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 34.7% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 -0.5% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA%

Stock of narrow money:

$11.57 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 69 $11.74 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$35.92 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $35.61 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Industries:

sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:

0.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Electricity - production:

16.89 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Electricity - consumption:

13.93 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

48,340 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Oil - consumption:

169,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Oil - imports:

104,800 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Oil - proved reserves:

178.9 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Natural gas - production:

400 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Natural gas - consumption:

400 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Natural gas - proved reserves:

70.79 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Current account balance:

-$87 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $539 million (2009 est.)

Exports:

$3.311 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $2.879 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Exports - partners:

China 25.68%, Canada 20.31%, Spain 6.79%, Netherlands 4.53% (2009)

Imports:

$10.25 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $8.91 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Venezuela 30.51%, China 15.48%, Spain 8.3%, US 6.87% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$4.847 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $4.647 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$19.75 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $19.42 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$4.138 billion (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Exchange rates:

Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar - 0.9259 (2010), 0.9259 (2009), 0.9259 (2008), 0.9259 (2007), 0.9231 (2006)

Communications ::Cuba

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.168 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 71

Telephones - mobile cellular:

443,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 162

Telephone system:

general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system; national fiber-optic system under development; 95% of switches digitized by end of 2006; mobile-cellular telephone service is expensive and must be paid in convertible pesos, which effectively limits subscribership

domestic: fixed-line density remains low at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; mobile-cellular service expanding but remains less than 5 per 100 persons

international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) (2009)

Broadcast media:

government owns and controls all broadcast media with private ownership of electronic media prohibited; government operates 4 national TV networks and many local TV stations; government operates 6 national radio networks, an international station, and many local radio stations; Radio-TV Marti is beamed from the US (2007)

Internet country code:

.cu

Internet hosts:

3,025 (2010) country comparison to the world: 145

Internet users:

1.606 million country comparison to the world: 79 note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the government-controlled "intranet" (2009)

Transportation ::Cuba

Airports:

136 (2010) country comparison to the world: 43

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 65

over 3,047 m: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 27 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 71

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 58 (2010)

Pipelines:

gas 41 km; oil 230 km (2009)

Railways:

total: 8,598 km country comparison to the world: 24 standard gauge: 8,322 km 1.435-m gauge (176 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 276 km 1.000-gauge

note: 4,533 km of the track is used by sugar plantations; 4,257 km is standard gauge; 276 km is narrow gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 60,858 km country comparison to the world: 75 paved: 29,820 km (includes 638 km of expressway)

unpaved: 31,038 km (2000)

Waterways:

240 km (almost all navigable inland waterways are near the mouths of rivers) (2010) country comparison to the world: 95

Merchant marine:

total: 5 country comparison to the world: 129 by type: cargo 2, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 2

registered in other countries: 6 (Cyprus 1, former Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 4) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Antilla, Cienfuegos, Guantanamo, Havana, Matanzas, Mariel, Nuevitas Bay, Santiago de Cuba, Tanamo

Military ::Cuba

Military branches:

Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR): Revolutionary Army (Ejercito Revolucionario, ER, includes Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT)); Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR, includes Marine Corps); Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Forces (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army (Ejercito Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT) (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation; both sexes subject to military service (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,078,049

females age 16-49: 3,004,713 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,516,543

females age 16-49: 2,450,902 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 74,084

female: 70,445 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Military - note:

the collapse of the Soviet Union deprived the Cuban military of its major economic and logistic support and had a significant impact on the state of Cuban equipment; the army remains well trained and professional in nature; while the lack of replacement parts for its existing equipment has increasingly affected operational capabilities, Cuba remains able to offer considerable resistance to any regional power (2010)

Transnational Issues ::Cuba

Disputes - international:

US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the facility can terminate the lease

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Cuba is principally a source country for children subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically commercial sexual exploitation within the country; the scope of trafficking within Cuba is difficult to gauge due to the closed nature of the government and sparse non-governmental or independent reporting

tier rating: Tier 3 - Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; in a positive step, the Government of Cuba shared information about human trafficking and its efforts to address the issue; the government did not prohibit all forms of trafficking during the reporting period, nor did it provide specific evidence that it prosecuted and punished trafficking offenders, protected victims of all forms of trafficking, or implemented victim protection policies or programs to prevent human trafficking (2010)

Illicit drugs:

territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US- and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999 (2008)

page last updated on January 20, 2011

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

@Curacao (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Curacao

Background:

Originally settled by Arawak Indians, Curacao was seized by the Dutch in 1634 along with the neighboring island of Bonaire. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of the Isla Refineria to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. In 1954, Curacao and several other Dutch Caribbean possesions were reorganized as the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In referenda in 2005 and 2009, the citizens of Curacao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in October of 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

Geography ::Curacao

Location:

Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea - located 56.35 km off the coast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:

12 10 N, 69 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 444 sq km country comparison to the world: 198 land: 444 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

none

Coastline:

364 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semi-arid with average rainfall of 600 mm/year

Terrain:

generally low, hilly terrain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mt. Christoffel, 372m

Natural resources:

calcium phosphates, aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Land use:

arable land: 10%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 90%

Irrigated land:

Total renewable water resources:

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

Natural hazards:

Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened

Environment - current issues:

Geography - note:

Curacao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group

People ::Curacao

Population:

142,180 (est. January 2010) country comparison to the world: 187

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.1% (males 15,337/females 14,589)

15-64 years: 66.7% (males 42,896/females 51,998)

65 years and over: 12.2% (males 6,972/females 10,388) (2010)

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

8 deaths/1,000 population (2009) country comparison to the world: 106

Net migration rate:

1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008) country comparison to the world: 50

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2010)

Life expectancy at birth:

total: NA

males: 72.4 years

females: 80.1 years (2009)

Total fertility rate:

2.1 children born/woman (2009) country comparison to the world: 120

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Religions:

Roman Catholic 80.1%, Protestant 5.5%, none 4.6%, Pentecostal 3.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, Jewish 0.8%, other 1.3%, not reported 0.3% (2001 census)

Languages:

Papiamento 81.2% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect), Dutch 8% (official), Spanish 4%, English 2.9%, other 3.9% (2001 census)

Government ::Curacao

Country name:

Dutch long form: Land Curacao

Dutch short form: Curacao

Papiamentu long form: Pais Korsou

Papiamentu short form: Korsou

former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies

Dependency status:

constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Government type:

parliamentary

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 55 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)

Constitution:

Staatsregeling, 10 October 2010; revised Kingdom Charter pending

Legal system:

based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 10 October 2010)

head of government: Prime Minister Gerrit SCHOTTE (since 10 October 2010)

cabinet: Executive Council (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the parliament

Legislative branch:

unicameral parliament or Staten (21 seats; members elected by popular vote for four year terms)

elections: last held 27 August 2010 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAR 30%, MFK 21%, PS 19%, MAN 9%, FOL 7%, PNP 6%; seats by party - PAR 8, MFK 5, PS 4, MAN 2, FOL 1, PNP 1

Judicial branch:

Common Court of Justice, Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Frente Obrero Liberashon (Workers' Liberation Front) or FOL [Anthony GODETT]; Movimentu Antiyas Nobo (New Antilles Movement) or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Movementu Futuro Korsou or MFK [Gerrit SCHOTTE]; Partido Antia Restruktura or PAR [Emily DE JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE LANNOOY]; Pueblo Soberano or PS [Herman WIELS]

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Consul General Valerie BELON

consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao

mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao

telephone: [599] (9) 4613066

FAX: [599] (9) 4616489

Flag description:

on a blue field a horizontal yellow band somewhat below the center divides the flag into proportions of 5:1:2; two five-pointed white stars - the smaller above and to the left of the larger - appear in the canton; the blue of the upper and lower sections symbolizes the sky and sea respectively; yellow represents the sun; the stars symbolize Curacao and its uninhabited smaller sister island of Klein Curacao; the five star points signify the five continents from which Curacao's people derive

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Guillermo ROSARIO, Mae HENRIQUEZ, Enrique MULLER, Betty DORAN/Frater Candidus NOWENS, Errol "El Toro" COLINA

note: adapted 1978; the lyrics, originally written in 1899, were rewritten in 1978 to make them less colonial in nature

Economy ::Curacao

Economy - overview:

Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP grew slightly during the past decade, the island enjoys a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Curacao has an excellent natural harbor that can accommodate large oil tankers. The Venezuelan state oil company leases the single refinery on the island from the government; most of the oil for the refinery is imported from Venezuela; most of the refined products are exported to the US. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, Brazil, Italy, and Mexico being the major suppliers. The government is attempting to diversify its industry and trade and has signed an Association Agreement with the EU to expand business there. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary problems complicate reform of the health and pension systems for an aging population.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.838 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 $2.606 billion (2007 est.)

$2.452 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.08 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (2008) country comparison to the world: 98 2.2% (2007)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$14,970 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 15%

services: 84% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

63,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1.2%

industry: 16.9%

services: 81.8%

Unemployment rate:

10.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.7% (2009 est,) country comparison to the world: 46 6.8% (2008 est.)

Agriculture - products:

aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Industries:

tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment facilities, light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate:

Electricity - production:

848.5 kWh (2005) country comparison to the world: 214

Exports:

$876 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 note: excludes oil

Exports - commodities:

petroleum products

Exports - partners:

US 13.1%, Guatemala 10.8%, Singapore 10.7%, Dominican Republic 9.6%, Haiti 7.6%, The Bahamas 6.1%, Honduras 4.5%, Mexico 4.2% (2009 est.)

Imports:

$1.34 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Imports - commodities:

crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners:

Venezuela 57.3%, US 19.2%, Brazil 8.1% (2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - 1.79 (2009), 1.79 (2008), 1.79 (2007), 1.79 (2006)

Transportation ::Curacao

Airports:

1 country comparison to the world: 231

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2010)

Roadways:

total: 550 km country comparison to the world: 191

Ports and terminals:

Bullen Baai, Fuik Bay, Willemstad

Military ::Curacao

Military branches:

the Royal Netherlands Navy maintains a permanent and active presence in the region from its main operating base on Curacao; other local security forces include a coast guard, para-military National Guard (Vrijwilligers Korps Curacao), and Police Force (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

no conscription (2010)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

page last updated on January 19, 2011

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

@Cyprus (Europe)

Introduction ::Cyprus

Background:

A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot-occupied area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), but it is recognized only by Turkey. The election of a new Cypriot president in 2008 served as the impetus for the UN to encourage both the Turkish and Cypriot Governments to reopen unification negotiations. In September 2008, the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities started negotiations under UN auspices aimed at reuniting the divided island. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies only to the areas under the internationally recognized government, and is suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. However, individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights accorded to other citizens of European Union states.

Geography ::Cyprus

Location:

Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

35 00 N, 33 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 9,251 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus) country comparison to the world: 170 land: 9,241 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:

total: 150.4 km (approximately)

border sovereign base areas: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia 103 km (approximately)

Coastline:

648 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Terrain:

central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m

Natural resources:

copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment

Land use:

arable land: 10.81%

permanent crops: 4.32%

other: 84.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

400 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.4 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.21 cu km/yr (27%/1%/71%)

per capita: 250 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Environment - current issues:

water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, 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:

the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)

People ::Cyprus

Population:

1,102,677 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17% (male 94,655/female 89,337)

15-64 years: 73.1% (male 411,952/female 381,074)

65 years and over: 9.9% (male 46,610/female 61,120) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 34.5 years

male: 33.2 years

female: 36.3 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.663% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Birth rate:

11.38 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Death rate:

6.42 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Net migration rate:

11.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Urbanization:

urban population: 70% 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: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.57 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 155 male: 11.46 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.66 years country comparison to the world: 52 male: 74.88 years

female: 80.57 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.45 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Nationality:

noun: Cypriot(s)

adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups:

Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)

Religions:

Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, other (includes Maronite and Armenian Apostolic) 4%

Languages:

Greek (official), Turkish (official), English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.6%

male: 98.9%

female: 96.3% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 14 years (2008)

Education expenditures:

7.1% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 19

Government ::Cyprus

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus

conventional short form: Cyprus

local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti

local short form: Kypros/Kibris

note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC")

Government type:

republic

note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in July 1974 that followed a Greek military-junta-supported coup attempt that gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), which is recognized only by Turkey

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 35 10 N, 33 22 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Nicosia (Lefkosia) and Larnaca

Independence:

16 August 1960 (from the UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these proclamations are only recognized by Turkey

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Constitution:

16 August 1960

note: from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974 Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)" when the Turkish Cypriots declared independence in 1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5 May 1985, although the "TRNC" remains unrecognized by any country other than Turkey

Legal system:

based on English common law with civil law modifications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Demetris CHRISTOFIAS (since 28 February 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot

head of government: President Demetris CHRISTOFIAS (since 28 February 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and vice president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 17 and 24 February 2008 (next to be held in February 2013)

election results: Demetris CHRISTOFIAS elected president; percent of vote (first round) - Ioannis KASOULIDES 33.5%, Demetris CHRISTOFIAS 33.3%, Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 31.8%; (second round) Demetris CHRISTOFIAS 53.4%, Ioannis KASOULIDES 46.6%

note: Dervis EROGLU became "president" of the "TRNC" on 23 April 2010 after "presidential" elections on 18 April 2010; results - Dervis EROGLU 50.4%, Mehmet Ali TALAT 42.9%; Huseyin OZGURGUN is "TRNC acting prime minister"

Legislative branch:

unicameral - area under government control: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: area under government control: last held on 21 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2011); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last held on 19 April 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: area under government control: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 31.1%, DISY 30.3%, DIKO 17.9%, EDEK 8.9%, EURO.KO 5.8%, Greens 2.0%; seats by party - AKEL 18, DISY 18, DIKO 11, EDEK 4, EURO.KO 4, Greens 1; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 44.1%, CTP 29.3%, DP 10.6%, other 16%; seats by party - UBP 26, CTP 15, DP 5, other 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and vice president)

note: there is also a Supreme Court in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots

Political parties and leaders:

area under government control: Democratic Party or DIKO [Marios KAROYIAN]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADES]; European Party or EURO.KO [Demetris SYLLOURIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDES]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; Movement for Social Democrats or EDEK [Yiannakis OMIROU]; Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Andros KYPRIANOU]; United Democrats or EDI [Michalis PAPAPETROU]

area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Centrist Party or HP [Rasit PERTEV]; Communal Democracy Party or TDP [Mehmet CAKICI]; Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP [Yusuf ALKIM]; Democratic Party or DP [Serdaer DENKTASH]; Freedom and Reform Party or ORP [Turgay AVCI]; National Unity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Nationalist Justice Party or MAP [Ata TEPE]; New Cyprus Party or YKP [Murat KANATLI]; Politics for the People Party or HIS [Ahmet YONLUER]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Ferdi Sabit SOYER]; United Cyprus Party or BKP [Izzet IZCAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO (Communist controlled)

International organization participation:

Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Pavlos ANASTASIADES

chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772, 462-0873

FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710

consulate(s) general: New York

note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Hilmi AKIL; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Frank C. URBANCIC, Jr.

embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, 2407 Engomi, Nicosia

mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia

telephone: [357] (22) 393939

FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Flag description:

white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities

note: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag retains the white field of the Cyprus national flag but displays narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance from the top and bottom edges between which are centered a red crescent and a red five-pointed star; the banner is modeled after the Turkish national flag but with the colors reversed

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS

note: adopted 1960; Cyprus adopted the Greek national anthem as its own; the Turkish community in Cyprus uses the anthem of Turkey

Economy ::Cyprus

Economy - overview:

The area of the Republic of Cyprus under government control has a market economy dominated by the service sector, which accounts for nearly four-fifths of GDP. Tourism, financial services, and real estate are the most important sectors. Erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect the economy's reliance on tourism, which often fluctuates with political instability in the region and economic conditions in Western Europe. Nevertheless, the economy in the area under government control has grown at a rate well above the EU average since 2000. Cyprus joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM2) in May 2005 and adopted the euro as its national currency on 1 January 2008. An aggressive austerity program in the preceding years, aimed at paving the way for the euro, helped turn a soaring fiscal deficit (6.3% in 2003) into a surplus of 1.2% in 2008, and reduced inflation to 4.7%. This prosperity came under pressure in 2009, as construction and tourism slowed in the face of reduced foreign demand triggered by the ongoing global financial crisis. Although Cyprus lagged its EU peers in showing signs of stress from the global crisis, the economy tipped into recession in mid 2009 and contracted 1.8% for the year. In addition, the budget deficit is on the rise and reached 5.7% of GDP in 2010, a violation of the EU's budget deficit criteria of no more than 3% of GDP. In response to the country's deteriorating finances, Nicosia is promising to implement measures to cut the cost of the state payroll, curb tax evasion, and revamp social benefits. However, it has been slow to act, lacking a consensus in parliament and among the social partners for its proposed measures.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$23.18 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $23.04 billion (2009 est.)

$23.45 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$22.75 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 185 -1.8% (2009 est.)

3.6% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$21,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $21,300 (2009 est.)

$22,000 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.1%

industry: 18.6%

services: 79.3% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

400,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 8.5%

industry: 20.5%

services: 71% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 5.3% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

29 (2005) country comparison to the world: 117

Investment (gross fixed):

19.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Public debt:

61.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 56.2% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 0.4% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

1.75% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 115 3% (31 December 2008)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.49% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 7.19% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$4.341 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 98 $4.602 billion (31 December 2009 est)

note: this figure represents the US dollar value of Cypriot pounds in circulation prior to Cyprus joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the EMU; individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders

Stock of broad money:

$50.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $53.46 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$101.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $80.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$4.993 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 71 $7.955 billion (31 December 2008)

$29.48 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables; poultry, pork, lamb; dairy, cheese

Industries:

tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum production, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone, and clay products

Industrial production growth rate:

0.1% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Electricity - production:

4.502 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Electricity - consumption:

4.277 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Oil - consumption:

59,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Oil - imports:

58,930 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Current account balance:

-$2.5 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 -$1.915 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$2.232 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $2.065 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement, clothing

Exports - partners:

Greece 23.83%, Germany 9.2%, UK 8.78% (2009)

Imports:

$7.962 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $7.973 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment

Imports - partners:

Greece 20.18%, Italy 10.67%, UK 8.95%, Germany 8.79%, Israel 6.99%, China 5.52%, Netherlands 4.85%, France 4.01% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$NA (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.289 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$NA (31 December 2010 est.)

$32.61 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$29.36 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $26.61 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$16.57 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $15.79 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.774 (2010), 0.718 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.4286 (2007), 0.4586 (2006)

Economy of the area administered by Turkish Cypriots:

Economy - overview: The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly half the per capita GDP of the south, and economic growth tends to be volatile, given the north's relative isolation, bloated public sector, reliance on the Turkish lira, and small market size. Agriculture and services, together, employ more than half of the work force. The Turkish Cypriot economy grew around 10.6% in 2006, fueled by growth in the construction and education sectors, as well as increased employment of Turkish Cypriots in the area under government control. GDP declined about 2.0% in 2007. The Turkish Cypriots are heavily dependent on transfers from the Turkish Government. Ankara directly finances about one-third of the "TRNC's" budget. Aid from Turkey has exceeded $400 million annually in recent years. The Turkish Cypriot economy experienced a sharp slowdown in 2008-09 due to the global financial crisis and, because of its reliance on British and Turkish tourism, which has declined due to the recession. Turkish Cypriot finances also deteriorated in 2009 as decreased state revenues and increased government expenditures on public sector salaries and social services led to a large budget deficit. As tourism and the world economy picked up, the economy grew about 0.6% in 2010.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.829 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -0.6% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita: $11,700 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.6%, industry: 22.5%, services: 69.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 95,030 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14.5%, industry: 29%, services: 56.5% (2004)

Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line: %NA

Inflation rate: 11.4% (2006)

Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion, expenditures: $2.5 billion (2006)

Agriculture - products: citrus fruit, dairy, potatoes, grapes, olives, poultry, lamb

Industries: foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, ship repair, clay, gypsum, copper, furniture

Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (2007 est.)

Electricity production: 998.9 million kWh (2005)

Electricity consumption: 797.9 million kWh (2005)

Exports: $68.1 million, f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Export - commodities: citrus, dairy, potatoes, textiles

Export - partners: Turkey 40%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited

Imports: $1.2 billion, f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Import - commodities: vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Import - partners: Turkey 60%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $NA

Debt - external: $NA

Currency (code): Turkish new lira (YTL)

Exchange rates: Turkish new lira per US dollar: 1.319 (2007) 1.4286 (2006) 1.3436 (2005) 1.4255 (2004) 1.5009 (2003)

Communications ::Cyprus

Telephones - main lines in use:

area under government control: 414,500 (2009); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 86,228 (2002) country comparison to the world: 101

Telephones - mobile cellular:

area under government control: 977,500 (2009); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 147,522 (2002) country comparison to the world: 146

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent in both area under government control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots

domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); a number of submarine cables, including the SEA-ME-WE-3, combine to provide connectivity to Western Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 8 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat)

Broadcast media:

mixture of state and privately-run television and radio services; the public broadcaster operates 2 TV channels and 4 radio stations; 6 private TV broadcasters, satellite and cable TV services including telecasts from Greece and Turkey, and a number of private radio stations are available; in areas administered by Turkish Cypriots, there are 2 public TV stations, 4 public radio stations, and privately-owned TV and radio broadcast stations (2007)

Internet country code:

.cy

Internet hosts:

187,881 (2010) country comparison to the world: 66

Internet users:

433,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 120

Transportation ::Cyprus

Airports:

15 (2010) country comparison to the world: 144

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Heliports:

9 (2010)

Roadways:

total: 14,671 km country comparison to the world: 122 12,321 km under government control (includes 257 km of expressways),

2,350 km administered by Turkish Cypriots (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 839 country comparison to the world: 13 by type: bulk carrier 267, cargo 173, chemical tanker 77, container 193, liquefied gas 10, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum tanker 69, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 13, vehicle carrier 4

foreign-owned: 637 (Austria 1, Belgium 2, Bermuda 1, Canada 2, Chile 1, China 6, Cuba 1, Denmark 6, Estonia 7, France 16, Germany 189, Greece 216, Hong Kong 2, India 2, Iran 10, Ireland 3, Israel 1, Italy 6, Japan 19, Monaco 1, Netherlands 24, Norway 12, Philippines 1, Poland 20, Portugal 2, Russia 47, Singapore 1, Slovenia 4, Spain 7, Sweden 5, Syria 1, UAE 5, UK 7, Ukraine 2, US 7)

registered in other countries: 138 (Bahamas 14, Belize 1, Burma 1, Cambodia 8, Comoros 2, Finland 1, Gibraltar 1, Greece 4, Hong Kong 3, Liberia 7, Malta 29, Marshall Islands 38, Norway 1, Panama 8, Russia 11, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 3, unknown 3) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

area under government control: Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos;; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Famagusta, Kyrenia

Military ::Cyprus

Military branches:

Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Forea, EF; includes naval and air elements); northern Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; women may volunteer for a 3-year term; length of normal service is 25 months (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 16-49: 322,807

females age 16-49: 284,386 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 16-49: 271,692

females age 16-49: 236,908 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 8,317

female: 7,542 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Transnational Issues ::Cyprus

Disputes - international:

hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the 1,000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and south; on 1 May 2004, Cyprus entered the European Union still divided, with the EU's body of legislation and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the north; Turkey protests Cypriot Government creating hydrocarbon blocks and maritime boundary with Lebanon in March 2007

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 210,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced for over 30 years) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector remains weak (2008)

page last updated on January 12, 2011

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

@Czech Republic (Europe)

Introduction ::Czech Republic

Background:

Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

Geography ::Czech Republic

Location:

Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria

Geographic coordinates:

49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 78,867 sq km country comparison to the world: 115 land: 77,247 sq km

water: 1,620 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 1,989 km

border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 815 km, Poland 615 km, Slovakia 197 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:

Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Elbe River 115 m

highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources:

hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Land use:

arable land: 38.82%

permanent crops: 3%

other: 58.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:

240 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

16 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.91 cu km/yr (41%/57%/2%)

per capita: 187 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

People ::Czech Republic

Population:

10,201,707 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.6% (male 712,045/female 673,657)

15-64 years: 71% (male 3,641,887/female 3,604,044)

65 years and over: 15.5% (male 623,882/female 956,389) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.4 years

male: 38.9 years

female: 42.2 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.106% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Birth rate:

8.76 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

Death rate:

10.79 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Net migration rate:

0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Urbanization:

urban population: 73% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.059 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 208 male: 4.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.01 years country comparison to the world: 62 male: 73.74 years

female: 80.48 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.25 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 216

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 10 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Nationality:

noun: Czech(s)

adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups:

Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Languages:

Czech 94.9%, Slovak 2%, other 2.3%, unidentified 0.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: NA

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2008)

Education expenditures:

4.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 88

Government ::Czech Republic

Country name:

conventional long form: Czech Republic

conventional short form: Czech Republic

local long form: Ceska Republika

local short form: Cesko

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 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:

13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky, Kralovehradecky, Liberecky, Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky, Pardubicky, Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky, Vysocina, Zlinsky

Independence:

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia); note - although 1 January is the day the Czech Republic came into being, the Czechs generally consider 28 October 1918, the day the former Czechoslovakia declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as their independence day

National holiday:

Czechoslovak Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Constitution:

ratified on 16 December 1992, effective on 1 January 1993; amended in 1997, 2000, 2001 (twice), 2002

Legal system:

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; legal code modified to bring it in line with European Union obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Petr NECAS (since 28 June 2010); First Deputy Prime Minister Karel SCHWARZENBERG (since 13 July 2010), Deputy Prime Minister Radek JOHN (since 13 July 2010)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last successful election held on 15 February 2008 (after earlier elections held 8 and 9 February 2008 were inconclusive; next election to be held in 2013); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Vaclav KLAUS reelected president on 15 February 2008; Vaclav KLAUS 141 votes, Jan SVEJNAR 111 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held in two rounds on 15-16 and 22-23 October 2010 (next to be held by October 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 28-29 May 2010 (next to be held by 2014)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CSSD 41, ODS 25, KDU-CSL 6, TOP 09 5, others 4; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CSSD 22.1%, ODS 20.2%, TOP 09 16.7%, KSCM 11.3%, VV 10.9%; seats by party - CSSD 56, ODS 53, TOP 09 41, KSCM 26, VV 24

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; Supreme Administrative Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Political parties and leaders:

Association of Independent Candidates-European Democrats or SNK-ED [Zdenka MARKOVA]; Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Pavel BELOBRADEK]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Petr NECAS]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Bohuslav SOBOTKA (acting)]; Green Party [Ondrej LISKA]; Public Affairs (VV) [Radek JOHN]; Tradice Odpovednost Prosperita 09 or TOP 09 [Karel SCHWARZENBERG]; Union of Freedom-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Jan CERNY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS [Jaroslav ZAVADIL]

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Daniel KOSTOVAL

chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100

FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Joseph PENNINGTON

embassy: Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague 1

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [420] 257 022 000

FAX: [420] 257 022 809

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

note: is identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia; uses the Pan-Slav colors inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Josef Kajetan TYL/Frantisek Jan SKROUP

note: adopted 1993; the anthem is a verse from the former Czechoslovakian anthem originally written as part of the opera "Fidlovacka"

Economy ::Czech Republic

Economy - overview:

The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Maintaining an open investment climate has been a key element of the Czech Republic's transition from a communist, centrally planned economy to a functioning market economy. As a member of the European Union, with an advantageous location in the center of Europe, a relatively low cost structure, and a well-qualified labor force, the Czech Republic is an attractive destination for foreign investment. Prior to its EU accession in 2004, the Czech government harmonized its laws and regulations with those of the European Union. The small, open, export-driven Czech economy grew by over 6% annually from 2005-2007 and by 2.5% in 2008. The conservative Czech financial system has remained relatively healthy throughout 2009. Nevertheless, the real economy contracted by 4.1% in 2009, mainly due to a significant drop in external demand as the Czech Republic's main export markets fell into recession. GDP is expected to grow by 2.4% in 2010, driven largely by a rebound in external demand, particularly from Gremany.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$261.5 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $256.9 billion (2009 est.)

$267.9 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$195.2 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 -4.1% (2009 est.)

2.5% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$25,600 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $25,200 (2009 est.)

$26,200 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.2%

industry: 38.3%

services: 59.5% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

5.37 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 3.6%

industry: 40.2%

services: 56.2% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

9.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 8.1% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4.3%

highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26 (2005) country comparison to the world: 131 25.4 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Public debt:

40% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 34% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 1% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

1% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 131 2.25% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.99% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 6.25% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$96.82 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 32 $92.95 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$138.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $139 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$119.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $118.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$52.69 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 52 $48.85 billion (31 December 2008)

$73.42 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Industries:

motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Electricity - production:

82.72 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Electricity - consumption:

61.65 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Electricity - exports:

19.99 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

8.52 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

10,970 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Oil - consumption:

207,600 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Oil - exports:

29,670 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Oil - imports:

219,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Oil - proved reserves:

15 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Natural gas - production:

176 million cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Natural gas - consumption:

8.182 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Natural gas - exports:

1.111 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Natural gas - imports:

9.683 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Natural gas - proved reserves:

3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Current account balance:

-$5.956 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 -$2.146 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$116.5 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $112.6 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and fuel, chemicals

Exports - partners:

Germany 32.25%, Slovakia 9.02%, Poland 5.8%, France 5.62%, UK 4.93%, Austria 4.71%, Italy 4.38% (2009)

Imports:

$109.2 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $103.1 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Germany 30.67%, Poland 6.97%, Slovakia 6.6%, Netherlands 5.99%, China 5.7%, Austria 5.26%, Russia 4.93%, Italy 3.98% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$38.67 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $41.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$86.79 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $82.42 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$126.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $121.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$15.85 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $14.35 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

koruny (CZK) per US dollar - 19.737 (2010), 19.063 (2009), 17.064 (2008), 20.53 (2007), 22.596 (2006)

Communications ::Czech Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.092 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 53

Telephones - mobile cellular:

14.258 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 51

Telephone system:

general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; virtually all exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay

domestic: access to the fixed-line telephone network expanded throughout the 1990s but the number of fixed line connections has been dropping since then; mobile telephone usage increased sharply beginning in the mid-1990s and the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population

international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2009)

Broadcast media:

roughly 130 television broadcasters operating some 350 television channels with 4 publicly operated and the remainder in private hands; 13 television stations have national coverage with 4 being publicly operated; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; about 70 radio broadcasters are registered operating roughly 85 radio stations with 15 stations publicly operated; 16 radio stations provide national coverage with the remainder local or regional (2008)

Internet country code:

.cz

Internet hosts:

3.494 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 25

Internet users:

6.681 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 40

Transportation ::Czech Republic

Airports:

122 (2010) country comparison to the world: 49

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 44

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 18 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 78

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 27

under 914 m: 50 (2010)

Heliports:

1 (2010)

Pipelines:

gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2009)

Railways:

total: 9,620 km country comparison to the world: 22 standard gauge: 9,521 km 1.435-m gauge (3,013 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 99 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 128,582 km country comparison to the world: 37 paved: 128,582 km (includes 691 km of expressways) (2008)

Waterways:

664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2010) country comparison to the world: 77

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2010) country comparison to the world: 162

Ports and terminals:

Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Military ::Czech Republic

Military branches:

Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces Command (includes Land Forces and Air Forces), Support and Training Forces Command (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,517,268

females age 16-49: 2,418,163 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,086,662

females age 16-49: 2,003,055 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 55,139

female: 52,440 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.46% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Transnational Issues ::Czech Republic

Disputes - international:

while threats of international legal action never materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the popular Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless Prague closes its controversial Soviet-style nuclear plant in Temelin, bordering Austria

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime; significant consumer of ecstasy (2008)

page last updated on January 20, 2011

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

@Denmark (Europe)

Introduction ::Denmark

Background:

Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Geography ::Denmark

Location:

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Geographic coordinates:

56 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 43,094 sq km country comparison to the world: 133 land: 42,434 sq km

water: 660 sq km

note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Land boundaries:

total: 68 km

border countries: Germany 68 km

Coastline:

7,314 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Terrain:

low and flat to gently rolling plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m

highest point: Mollehoj/Ejer Bavnehoj 171 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand

Land use:

arable land: 52.59%

permanent crops: 0.19%

other: 47.22% (2005)

Irrigated land:

4,490 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

6.1 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.67 cu km/yr (32%/26%/42%)

per capita: 123 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen

People ::Denmark

Population:

5,515,575 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.1% (male 511,882/female 485,782)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,817,800/female 1,798,964)

65 years and over: 16.1% (male 387,142/female 498,940) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.7 years

male: 39.8 years

female: 41.6 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.267% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Birth rate:

10.4 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Death rate:

10.19 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Net migration rate:

2.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Urbanization:

urban population: 87% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.055 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 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: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 198 male: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.47 years country comparison to the world: 47 male: 76.11 years

female: 80.97 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.74 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

4,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Nationality:

noun: Dane(s)

adjective: Danish

Ethnic groups:

Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali

Religions:

Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian (includes Protestant and Roman Catholic) 3%, Muslim 2%

Languages:

Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority)

note: English is the predominant second language

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: 16 years

female: 18 years (2007)

Education expenditures:

7.9% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 12

Government ::Denmark

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark

conventional short form: Denmark

local long form: Kongeriget Danmark

local short form: Danmark

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 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

note: applies to continental Denmark only, not to its North Atlantic components

Administrative divisions:

metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular - region); Hovedstaden, Midtjylland, Nordjylland, Sjaelland, Syddanmark

note: an extensive local government reform merged 271 municipalities into 98 and 13 counties into five regions, effective 1 January 2007

Independence:

ca. 965 (unified and Christianized under HARALD I Gormson); 5 June 1849 (becomes a constitutional monarchy)

National holiday:

none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day

Constitution:

5 June 1953; note - constitution allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state

Legal system:

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born on 26 May 1968)

head of government: Prime Minister Lars Loekke RASMUSSEN (since 5 April 2009)

cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral People's Assembly or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms unless the Folketing is dissolved earlier)

elections: last held on 13 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 26.2%, Social Democrats 25.5%, Danish People's Party 13.9%, Socialist People's Party 13.0%, Conservative People's Party 10.4%, Social Liberal Party 5.1%, New Alliance 2.8%, Red-Green Unity List 2.2%, other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 46, Social Democrats 45, Danish People's Party 25, Socialist People's Party 23, Conservative People's Party 18, Social Liberal Party 9, New Alliance 5, Red-Green Alliance 4; note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and the two seats from the Faroe Islands

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed for life by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democrats [Bjarne Hartung KIRKEGAARD] (was Christian People's Party); Conservative Party [Lars BARFOED] (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party); Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Alliance [Anders SAMUELSEN] (formerly known as New Alliance); Liberal Party [Lars Loekke RASMUSSEN]; Red-Green Unity List (Alliance) [collective leadership] (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party); Social Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party [Margrethe VESTAGER]; Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation of Danish Employers or DA [President Jorn Neergaard LARSEN]; Principal DA member organizations: Confederation of Danish Industries [CEO Karsten DYBVAD]; Confederation of Danish Labor Unions [President Harald BORSTING]; Danish Bankers Association [CEO Joergen HORWITZ]; DaneAge Association [President Bjarne HASTRUP]; Danish Society for Nature Conservation [President Ella Maria BISSCHOP-LARSEN]

other: humanitarian relief; development assistance; human rights NGOs

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, 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, MONUSCO, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TAKSOE-JENSEN

chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300

FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Laurie S. FULTON

embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen

mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716

telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00

FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Flag description:

red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side; the banner is referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) and is one of the oldest national flags in the world; traditions as to the origin of the flag design vary, but the best known is a legend that the banner fell from the sky during an early-13th century battle; caught up by the Danish king before it ever touched the earth, this heavenly talisman inspired the royal army to victory; in actuality, the flag may derive from a crusade banner or ensign

note: the shifted design element was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

National anthem:

name: "Der er et yndigt land" (There is a Lovely Land); "Kong Christian" (King Christian)

lyrics/music: Adam Gottlob OEHLENSCHLAGER/Hans Ernst KROYER; Johannes EWALD/unknown

note: Denmark has two national anthems with equal status; "Der er et yndigt land," adopted 1844, is a national anthem, while "Kong Christian," adopted 1780, serves as both a national and royal anthem; "Kong Christian" is also known as "Kong Christian stod ved hojen mast" (King Christian Stood by the Lofty Mast) and "Kongesangen" (The King's Anthem); within Denmark, the royal anthem is played only when royalty is present and is usually followed by the national anthem; when royalty is not present, only the national anthem is performed; outside Denmark, the royal anthem is played, unless the national anthem is requested

Economy ::Denmark

Economy - overview:

This thoroughly modern market economy features a high-tech agricultural sector, state-of-the-art industry with world-leading firms in pharmaceuticals, maritime shipping and renewable energy, and a high dependence on foreign trade. The Danish economy is also characterized by extensive government welfare measures, an equitable distribution of income, and comfortable living standards. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. After a long consumption-driven upswing, Denmark's economy began slowing in 2007 with the end of a housing boom. Housing prices dropped markedly in 2008-09. The global financial crisis has exacerbated this cyclical slowdown through increased borrowing costs and lower export demand, consumer confidence, and investment. The global financial crises cut Danish GDP by 0.9% in 2008 and 4.7% in 2009. Historically low levels of unemployment rose sharply with the recession but remain below 5%, about half the level of the EU. Denmark made a modest recovery in 2010 in part because of increased government spending. An impending decline in the ratio of workers to retirees will be a major long-term issue. Denmark maintained a healthy budget surplus for many years up to 2008, but the budget balance swung into deficit during 2009-10. Nonetheless, Denmark's fiscal position remains among the strongest in the EU. Despite previously meeting the criteria to join the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), so far Denmark has decided not to join, although the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$204.1 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $200.5 billion (2009 est.)

$210.4 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$304.6 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 -4.7% (2009 est.)

-0.9% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$37,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $36,400 (2009 est.)

$38,400 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.1%

industry: 22.8%

services: 76.1% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

2.82 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.5%

industry: 20.2%

services: 77.3% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 4.3% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line:

12.1% (2007)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.9%

highest 10%: 28.7% (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

29 (2007) country comparison to the world: 118 24.7 (1992)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Public debt:

46.6% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 41.5% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 1.3% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

1% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 110 3.5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2009 est.)

NA% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$148.1 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 23 $153.1 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$209 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $226.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$636.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $671.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$186.9 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 30 $131.5 billion (31 December 2008)

$277.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish

Industries:

iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products, shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Industrial production growth rate:

4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Electricity - production:

36.4 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Electricity - consumption:

34.3 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Electricity - exports:

11.36 billion kWh (2008)

Electricity - imports:

12.82 billion kWh (2008)

Oil - production:

262,100 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Oil - consumption:

166,500 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Oil - exports:

268,500 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Oil - imports:

173,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Oil - proved reserves:

1.06 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Natural gas - production:

8.398 billion cu m (2009) country comparison to the world: 43

Natural gas - consumption:

4.41 billion cu m (2009) country comparison to the world: 61

Natural gas - exports:

3.98 billion cu m (2009) country comparison to the world: 29

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 91

Natural gas - proved reserves:

61.3 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Current account balance:

$14.35 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $12.43 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$99.37 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $91.51 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture, windmills

Exports - partners:

Germany 17.53%, Sweden 12.68%, UK 8.49%, US 6.05%, Norway 6.01%, Netherlands 4.84%, France 4.57% (2009)

Imports:

$90.83 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $84.46 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

Germany 21.07%, Sweden 13.18%, Norway 7%, Netherlands 6.97%, China 6.22%, UK 5.53% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$NA (31 December 2010 est.)

$76.65 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$559.5 billion (30 June 2010) country comparison to the world: 18 $588.8 billion (31 December 2008)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$149.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $144.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$199.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $186.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.774 (2010), 5.3609 (2009), 5.0236 (2008), 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006)

Communications ::Denmark

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.062 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 55

Telephones - mobile cellular:

7.406 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 79

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services

domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, multiple cellular mobile communications systems

international: country code - 45; a series of fiber-optic submarine cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth stations - 18 (6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East)); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (2008)

Broadcast media:

strong public-sector television presence with state-owned Danmarks Radio (DR) operating 4 channels and publicly-owned TV2 operating roughly a half dozen channels; broadcasts of privately-owned stations are available via satellite and cable feed; DR operates 4 nationwide FM radio stations, 15 digital audio broadcasting stations, and about 15 web-based radio stations; approximately 250 commercial and community radio stations are operational (2007)

Internet country code:

.dk

Internet hosts:

4.145 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 22

Internet users:

4.75 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 48

Transportation ::Denmark

Airports:

92 (2010) country comparison to the world: 65

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 28

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 3 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 64

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 61 (2010)

Pipelines:

gas 2,858 km; oil 107 km (2009)

Railways:

total: 2,667 km country comparison to the world: 64 standard gauge: 2,667 km 1.435-m gauge (640 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 73,197 km country comparison to the world: 64 paved: 73,197 km (includes 1,111 km of expressways) (2008)

Waterways:

400 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 89

Merchant marine:

total: 347 country comparison to the world: 28 by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 56, carrier 1, chemical tanker 104, container 87, liquefied gas 4, passenger/cargo 40, petroleum tanker 38, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 3

foreign-owned: 32 (Germany 10, Greece 1, Iceland 3, Norway 2, Sweden 16)

registered in other countries: 592 (Antigua and Barbuda 20, Bahamas 59, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Cyprus 6, Egypt 1, France 12, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 6, Hong Kong 41, Isle of Man 26, Italy 4, Jamaica 1, Liberia 4, Lithuania 8, Malaysia 1, Malta 41, Marshall Islands 7, Mexico 2, Netherlands 36, former Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 11, Panama 46, Portugal 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 19, Singapore 125, South Africa 1, Spain 2, Sweden 15, UK 46, Uruguay 1, US 34, Venezuela 1, unknown 3) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Kalundborg

Military ::Denmark

Military branches:

Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet, Arctic Command, Tactical Air Command, Home Guard (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,235,947

females age 16-49: 1,221,386 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,013,814

females age 16-49: 1,001,411 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 37,831

female: 35,930 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Transnational Issues ::Denmark

Disputes - international:

Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue to study proposals for full independence; sovereignty dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

page last updated on January 20, 2011

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

@Dhekelia (Europe)

Introduction ::Dhekelia

Background:

By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area.

Geography ::Dhekelia

Location:

Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta

Geographic coordinates:

34 59 N, 33 45 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 130.8 sq km country comparison to the world: 222 note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

Area - comparative:

about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 103 km (approximately)

border countries: Cyprus 103 km (approximately)

Coastline:

27.5 km

Climate:

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Environment - current issues:

netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn

Geography - note:

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area land 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land

People ::Dhekelia

Population:

approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 service and UK based contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents country comparison to the world: 220

Languages:

English, Greek

Government ::Dhekelia

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Dhekelia

Dependency status:

a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Capital:

name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri

geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Constitution:

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document

Legal system:

the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Administrator Major General Jamie GORDON (since October 2008); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; the administrator appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

the flag of the UK is used

National anthem:

note: as a United Kingdom area of special sovereignty,"God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

Economy ::Dhekelia

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Industries:

none

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7338 (2009), 0.6827 (2008)

note: on 1 January 2008, Dhekelia and Akrotiri adopted the euro along with the rest of Cyprus

Communications ::Dhekelia

Broadcast media:

British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite TV service as well as BFBS radio broadcasts to the Dhekelia Sovereign Base (2009)

Military ::Dhekelia

Military - note:

includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway

page last updated on January 12, 2011

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

@Djibouti (Africa)

Introduction ::Djibouti

Background:

The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second term in 2005. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country but also has strong ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the only US military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the global war on terrorism.

Geography ::Djibouti

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia

Geographic coordinates:

11 30 N, 43 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 23,200 sq km country comparison to the world: 150 land: 23,180 sq km

water: 20 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries:

total: 516 km

border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Coastline:

314 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

desert; torrid, dry

Terrain:

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m

highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Natural resources:

potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

Land use:

arable land: 0.04%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 99.96% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.3 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.02 cu km/yr (84%/0%/16%)

per capita: 25 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

volcanism: Djibouti experiences limited volcanic activity; Ardoukoba (elev. 298 m, 978 ft) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species

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:

strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa

People ::Djibouti

Population:

740,528 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.3% (male 131,878/female 131,449)

15-64 years: 60.4% (male 194,503/female 243,495)

65 years and over: 3.2% (male 10,462/female 12,835) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.4 years

male: 19.8 years

female: 22.8 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.181% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Birth rate:

25.58 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Death rate:

8.37 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Net migration rate:

4.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 20

Urbanization:

urban population: 87% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.8 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 56.65 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 39 male: 64.55 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 48.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 60.73 years country comparison to the world: 186 male: 58.31 years

female: 63.22 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.79 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

16,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: 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: Djiboutian(s)

adjective: Djiboutian

Ethnic groups:

Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian)

Religions:

Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Languages:

French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.9%

male: 78%

female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 5 years

male: 5 years

female: 4 years (2007)

Education expenditures:

8.7% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 8

Government ::Djibouti

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti

conventional short form: Djibouti

local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti

local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti

former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Government type:

republic

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 11 35 N, 43 09 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah

Independence:

27 June 1977 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution:

approved by referendum 4 September 1992; note - constitution allows for multiparties

Legal system:

based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law; accepts ICJ compulsory jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4 March 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; president is eligible to hold office until age 75; election last held on 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - constitutional amendments in 2010 provided for the establishment of a senate

elections: last held on 8 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLAH) 65

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party); Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed YOUSSOUF]; Union for a Presidential Majority or UMP [Mohamed Dileita DILEITA] (a coalition of parties including RPP, FRUD, PND, and PPSD); Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, and UDJ)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine

chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270

FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James C. SWAN

embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti

mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti

telephone: [253] 35 39 95

FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center; blue stands for sea and sky and the Issa Somali people; green symbolizes earth and the Afar people; white represents peace; the red star recalls the struggle for independence and stands for unity

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Aden ELMI/Abdi ROBLEH

note: adopted 1977

Economy ::Djibouti

Economy - overview:

The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in the Horn of Africa. Two-thirds of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. Imports and exports from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia represent 70% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal. Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of nearly 60% in urban areas continues to be a major problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% between 1999 and 2006 because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Djibouti has experienced relatively minimal impact from the global economic downturn, but its reliance on diesel-generated electricity and imported food leave average consumers vulnerable to global price shocks.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.099 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $2.003 billion (2009 est.)

$1.908 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.139 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 5% (2009 est.)

5.8% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,800 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 $2,800 (2009 est.)

$2,700 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.2%

industry: 14.9%

services: 81.9% (2006)

Labor force:

351,700 (2007) country comparison to the world: 159

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

59% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 note: data are for urban areas, 83% in rural areas

Population below poverty line:

42% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.4%

highest 10%: 30.9% (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6% (2009 est.) 5% country comparison to the world: 161

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 11.56% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$577.8 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 156 $462.7 million (31 December 2008)

Stock of broad money:

$940.8 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165 $800.8 million (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$339 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 168 $269.9 million (31 December 2008)

Agriculture - products:

fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

Industries:

construction, agricultural processing

Electricity - production:

280 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Electricity - consumption:

260.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Oil - consumption:

12,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Oil - exports:

19 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Oil - imports:

8,476 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Current account balance:

-$352 million (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 -$212 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$100 million (2009); $340 million country comparison to the world: 192

Exports - commodities:

reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Exports - partners:

Somalia 76.68%, France 4.89%, UAE 4.22% (2009)

Imports:

$644 million (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $1.555 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities:

foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 16.26%, India 16.03%, China 14.26%, US 9.57%, Malaysia 6.63%, Japan 4.74% (2009)

Debt - external:

$428 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 165

Exchange rates:

Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar - 177.71 (2007), 174.75 (2006), 177.72 (2005), 177.72 (2004), 177.72 (2003)

Communications ::Djibouti

Telephones - main lines in use:

16,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 197

Telephones - mobile cellular:

128,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 179

Telephone system:

general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country

domestic: Djibouti Telecom is the sole provider of telecommunications services and utilizes mostly a microwave radio relay network; fiber-optic cable is installed in the capital; rural areas connected via wireless local loop radio systems; mobile cellular coverage is primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city

international: country code - 253; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network (2009)

Broadcast media:

maintains restrictions on the licensing and operation of broadcast media; state-owned Radiodiffusion-Television de Djibouti (RTD) operates the sole terrestrial TV station as well as the only 2 domestic radio networks; no private TV or radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code:

.dj

Internet hosts:

195 (2010) country comparison to the world: 196

Internet users:

25,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 184

Transportation ::Djibouti

Airports:

13 (2010) country comparison to the world: 151

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Railways:

total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the 781 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) country comparison to the world: 126 narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge

note: railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but is largely inoperable (2008)

Roadways:

total: 3,065 km country comparison to the world: 164 paved: 1,226 km

unpaved: 1,839 km (2000)

Ports and terminals:

Djibouti

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden are high risk for piracy; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers, and cargo are held for ransom

Military ::Djibouti

Military branches:

Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 165,000

females age 16-49: 213,894 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 110,441

females age 16-49: 147,939 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 8,260

female: 8,503 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 30

Transnational Issues ::Djibouti

Disputes - international:

Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia; Kuwait is chief investor in the 2008 restoration and upgrade of the Ethiopian-Djibouti rail link; in 2008, Eritrean troops move across the border on Ras Doumera peninsula and occupy Doumera Island with undefined sovereignty in the Red Sea

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 8,642 (Somalia) (2007)

page last updated on January 19, 2011

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

@Dominica (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Dominica

Background:

Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.

Geography ::Dominica

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

15 25 N, 61 20 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 751 sq km country comparison to the world: 188 land: 751 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

148 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Terrain:

rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Morne Diablotins 1,447 m

Natural resources:

timber, hydropower, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 6.67%

permanent crops: 21.33%

other: 72% (2005)

Irrigated land:

Total renewable water resources:

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.02 cu km/yr

per capita: 213 cu m/yr (1996)

Natural hazards:

flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months

Environment - current issues:

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world

People ::Dominica

Population:

72,813 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24% (male 8,910/female 8,518)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 24,532/female 23,301)

65 years and over: 10.2% (male 3,187/female 4,212) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.3 years

male: 29.8 years

female: 30.8 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.213% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Birth rate:

15.68 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Death rate:

8.12 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Net migration rate:

-5.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Urbanization:

urban population: 74% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 132 male: 17.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.77 years country comparison to the world: 76 male: 72.82 years

female: 78.87 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.08 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Nationality:

noun: Dominican(s)

adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:

black 86.8%, mixed 8.9%, Carib Amerindian 2.9%, white 0.8%, other 0.7% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 61.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%, Pentecostal 5.6%, Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.2%, other Christian 7.7%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.6%, none 6.1% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official), French patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 94%

male: 94%

female: 94% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2008)

Education expenditures:

4.8% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 79

Government ::Dominica

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica

conventional short form: Dominica

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter

Independence:

3 November 1978 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Constitution:

3 November 1978

Legal system:

based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held on 1 October 2003 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL consented to a second term in 2008 at the request of the prime minister and leader of the opposition

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats; 9 members appointed, 21 elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 18 December 2009 (next to be held in 2015); note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace period

election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 61.2%, UWP 34.9%; seats by party - DLP 18, UWP 3

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders:

Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers Party or UWP [Earl WILLIAMS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

International organization participation:

ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, PetroCaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hubert J. CHARLES

chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781

FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica

Flag description:

green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a Sisserou Parrot, unique to Dominica, encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes); green symbolizes the island's lush vegetation; the triple-colored cross represents the Christian Trinity; the yellow color denotes sunshine, the main agricultural products (citrus and bananas), and the native Carib Indians; black is for the rich soil and the African heritage of most citizens; white signifies rivers, waterfalls, and the purity of aspirations; the red disc stands for social justice

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Wilfred Oscar Morgan POND/Lemuel McPherson CHRISTIAN

note: adopted 1967

Economy ::Dominica

Economy - overview:

The Dominican economy has been dependent on agriculture - primarily bananas - in years past, but increasingly has been driven by tourism as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. In order to diversify the island's production base, the government also is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and has signed an agreement with the EU to develop geothermal energy resources. In 2003, the government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy - including elimination of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to address an economic and financial crisis and to meet IMF requirements. This restructuring paved the way for an economic recovery - real growth for 2006 reached a two-decade high - and helped to reduce the debt burden, which remains at about 85% of GDP. Hurricane Dean struck the island in August 2007 causing damages equivalent to 20% of GDP. In 2009, growth slowed as a result of the global recession; it picked up only slightly in 2010.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$765.4 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 209 $754.8 million (2009 est.)

$757.1 million (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$375 million (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 173 -0.3% (2009 est.)

3.2% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,500 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $10,400 (2009 est.)

$10,400 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 17.7%

industry: 32.8%

services: 49.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

25,000 (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 40%

industry: 32%

services: 28% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

23% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Population below poverty line:

30% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Public debt:

78% of GDP (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 85% of GDP (2006 est.) (2006 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.1% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 2.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 61 6.5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.02% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 9.06% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$74.84 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 183 $67.94 million (31 December 2008)

Stock of broad money:

$398.5 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 176 $362 million (31 December 2008)

Stock of domestic credit:

$213.6 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174 $193.1 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, citrus, mangos, root crops, coconuts, cocoa

note: forest and fishery potential not exploited

Industries:

soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

85 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Electricity - consumption:

79.05 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Oil - imports:

838 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Current account balance:

-$72 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Exports:

$94 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 194

Exports - commodities:

bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Exports - partners:

Japan 28.62%, UK 19.81%, Antigua and Barbuda 7.7%, Guyana 6.52%, Jamaica 5.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.2% (2009)

Imports:

$296 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 196

Imports - commodities:

manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Japan 31.29%, US 19.73%, Trinidad and Tobago 11.8%, China 11.58% (2009)

Debt - external:

$213 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 174

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Communications ::Dominica

Telephones - main lines in use:

17,500 (2009) country comparison to the world: 196

Telephones - mobile cellular:

106,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 184

Telephone system:

general assessment: fully automatic network

domestic: Fixed-line teledensity is roughly 25 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity approached 150 per 100 persons in 2009

international: country code - 1-767; landing points for the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and the Global Caribbean Network (GCN) submarine cables providing connectivity to other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Broadcast media:

no terrestrial television service available; subscription cable TV provider offers some locally produced programming plus channels from the US, Latin America, and the Caribbean; state-operated radio broadcasts on 6 stations; privately-owned radio broadcasts on about 15 stations (2007)

Internet country code:

.dm

Internet hosts:

718 (2010) country comparison to the world: 174

Internet users:

28,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 182

Transportation ::Dominica

Airports:

2 (2010) country comparison to the world: 208

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)

Roadways:

total: 780 km country comparison to the world: 187 paved: 393 km

unpaved: 387 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 40 country comparison to the world: 78 by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 20, chemical tanker 2, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 37 (Australia 1, Estonia 6, Germany 2, Greece 9, India 2, Latvia 1, Norway 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 1, Syria 2, Turkey 1, Ukraine 2)

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Portsmouth, Roseau

Military ::Dominica

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2010)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 18,975 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 15,963

females age 16-49: 15,426 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 729

female: 688 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

Transnational Issues ::Dominica

Disputes - international:

Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer (2008)

page last updated on January 11, 2011

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

@Dominican Republic (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Dominican Republic

Background:

Explored and claimed by Christopher COLUMBUS on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821 but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-61. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962 but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become president. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. Former President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a new term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term, and was since reelected to a second consecutive term.

Geography ::Dominican Republic

Location:

Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:

19 00 N, 70 40 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 48,670 sq km country comparison to the world: 131 land: 48,320 sq km

water: 350 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries:

total: 360 km

border countries: Haiti 360 km

Coastline:

1,288 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 6 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

Terrain:

rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m

highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Natural resources:

nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Land use:

arable land: 22.49%

permanent crops: 10.26%

other: 67.25% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,750 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

21 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 3.39 cu km/yr (32%/2%/66%)

per capita: 381 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

People ::Dominican Republic

Population:

9,823,821 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.4% (male 1,543,141/female 1,488,016)

15-64 years: 62.7% (male 3,087,351/female 2,960,319)

65 years and over: 5.9% (male 264,476/female 306,751) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.8 years

male: 25.6 years

female: 26 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.357% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Birth rate:

19.9 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Death rate:

4.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Net migration rate:

-2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Urbanization:

urban population: 69% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.1 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 90 male: 25.11 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.15 years country comparison to the world: 60 male: 75.01 years

female: 79.38 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.47 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

62,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

4,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Dominican(s)

adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:

mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Languages:

Spanish (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87%

male: 86.8%

female: 87.2% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 11 years

female: 13 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

2.2% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 165

Government ::Dominican Republic

Country name:

conventional long form: Dominican Republic

conventional short form: The Dominican

local long form: Republica Dominicana

local short form: La Dominicana

Government type:

democratic republic

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Bahoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde

Independence:

27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution:

28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002 and January 2010

Legal system:

based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

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

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held on 16 May 2008 (next to be held in May 2012)

election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ reelected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ 53.6%, Miguel VARGAS 41%, Amable ARISTY less than 5%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (178 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held on 16 May 2010 (next to be held in May 2014); House of Representatives - last held on 16 May 2010 (next to be held in May 2014)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 31, PRD 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 105, PRD 75, PRSC 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party congressional representative)

Political parties and leaders:

Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon ALBURQUERQUE]; National Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ANTUN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Foundation for Institution-Building and Justice (FINJUS)

International organization participation:

ACP, AOSIS, BCIE, Caricom (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto B. SALADIN Selin

chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280

FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057

consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Sun Valley (California)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Raul H. YZAGUIRRE

embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo

mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500

telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171

FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Flag description:

a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by a laurel branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon; in the shield a bible is opened to a verse that reads "Y la verdad nos hara libre" (And the truth shall set you free); blue stands for liberty, white for salvation, and red for the blood of heroes

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Emilio PRUD"HOMME/Jose REYES

note: adopted 1934; also known as "Quisqueyanos valientes" (Valient Sons of Quisqueye); the anthem never refers to the people as Dominican but rather calls them "Quisqueyanos," a reference to the indigenous name of the island

Economy ::Dominican Republic

Economy - overview:

The Dominican Republic has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, but in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for nearly 60% of exports. Remittances from the US amount to about a tenth of GDP, equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters of tourism receipts. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GDP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of GDP. High unemployment and underemployment remains an important long-term challenge. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) came into force in March 2007, boosting investment and exports and reducing losses to the Asian garment industry. The growth of the Dominican Republic's economy slowed in 2008-09 because of the global recession, but still remained one of the fastest growing in the region.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$84.94 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $81.52 billion (2009 est.)

$78.76 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$50.87 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 3.5% (2009 est.)

5.3% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,600 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $8,400 (2009 est.)

$8,200 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 11.5%

industry: 21%

services: 67.5% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

4.498 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 14.6%

industry: 22.3%

services: 63.1% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

14.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 14.9% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line:

42.2% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.5%

highest 10%: 38.7% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

49.9 (2005) country comparison to the world: 25 47.4 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

15.4% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Public debt:

41.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 40.8% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 166 1.4% (2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

18.14% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 19.95% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$4.734 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 93 $4.079 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$15.71 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $14 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$21.63 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $18.91 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs

Industries:

tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:

1.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Electricity - production:

14.02 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Electricity - consumption:

12.7 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Oil - consumption:

118,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Oil - imports:

116,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Natural gas - consumption:

470 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Natural gas - imports:

470 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Current account balance:

-$3.862 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 167 -$2.328 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$6.161 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 $5.462 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods

Exports - partners:

US 54.08%, Haiti 9.78% (2009)

Imports:

$14.53 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $12.28 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:

US 42.79%, Venezuela 7.04%, Mexico 6.17%, Colombia 5.59% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.705 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $2.905 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$13.09 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $11.04 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$19.45 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $17.95 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA (31 December 2010 est.)

$59 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar - 36.92 (2010), 36.027 (2009), 34.775 (2008), 33.113 (2007), 33.406 (2006)

Communications ::Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:

965,400 (2009) country comparison to the world: 80

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.63 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 71

Telephone system:

general assessment: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network

domestic: fixed-line teledensity is about 10 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile-cellular service with a subscribership of roughly 75 per 100 persons

international: country code - 1-809; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), Antillas 1, and the Fibralink submarine cables that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Broadcast media:

combination of state-owned and privately-owned broadcast media; 1 state-owned television network and a number of private TV networks; networks operate repeaters to extend signals throughout country; combination of state-owned and privately-owned radio stations; more than 300 radio stations operating (2007)

Internet country code:

.do

Internet hosts:

283,298 (2010) country comparison to the world: 60

Internet users:

2.701 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 68

Transportation ::Dominican Republic

Airports:

35 (2010) country comparison to the world: 110

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 16

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 19

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 17 (2010)

Railways:

total: 1,784 km country comparison to the world: 77 standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,409 km 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges

note: 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m, 0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2008)

Roadways:

total: 19,705 km country comparison to the world: 110 paved: 9,872 km

unpaved: 9,833 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 161 by type: cargo 1

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Andres (Boca Chica), Puerto Haina, Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo

Military ::Dominican Republic

Military branches:

Army, Navy (Marina de Guerra), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

16-21 years of age for compulsory military service; recruits must be Dominican Republic citizens; women may volunteer (2010)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,514,160

females age 16-49: 2,395,804 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,090,785

females age 16-49: 1,957,233 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 98,394

female: 94,576 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.7% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 154

Transnational Issues ::Dominican Republic

Disputes - international:

Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better work

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: the Dominican Republic is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a large number of Dominican women are trafficked into prostitution and sexual exploitation in Western Europe, Australia, Central and South America, and Caribbean destinations; a significant number of women, boys, and girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation and domestic servitude

tier rating: Tier 3 - for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of not adequately investigating and prosecuting public officials who may be complicit with trafficking activity, and inadequate government efforts to protect trafficking victims; the government has taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts with children through criminal prosecutions (2008)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money laundering activity in particular by Colombian narcotics traffickers; significant amphetamine consumption (2008)

page last updated on January 12, 2011

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

@Ecuador (South America)

Introduction ::Ecuador

Background:

What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected Presidents. In September 2008, voters approved a new constitution; Ecuador's twentieth since gaining independence. General elections, under the new constitutional framework, were held in April 2009, and voters re-elected President Rafael CORREA.

Geography ::Ecuador

Location:

Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates:

2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 283,561 sq km country comparison to the world: 73 land: 276,841 sq km

water: 6,720 sq km

note: includes Galapagos Islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries:

total: 2,010 km

border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Coastline:

2,237 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500-m isobath

Climate:

tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain:

coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

note: due to the fact that the earth is not a perfect sphere and has an equatorial bulge, the highest point on the planet furthest from its center is Mount Chimborazo not Mount Everest, which is merely the highest peak above sea-level

Natural resources:

petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 5.71%

permanent crops: 4.81%

other: 89.48% (2005)

Irrigated land:

8,650 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

432 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 16.98 cu km/yr (12%/5%/82%)

per capita: 1,283 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent earthquakes; landslides; volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts

volcanism: Ecuador experiences volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Sangay (elev. 5,230 m, 17,159 ft), which erupted in 2010, is mainland Ecuador's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes in the Andes include Antisana, Cayambe, Chacana, Cotopaxi, Guagua Pichincha, Reventador, Sumaco, and Tungurahua; Fernandina (elev. 1,476 m, 4,842 ft), a shield volcano that last erupted in 2009, is the most active of the many Galapagos volcanoes; other historically active Galapagos volcanoes include Wolf, Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul, Pinta, Marchena, and Santiago

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People ::Ecuador

Population:

14,790,608 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.1% (male 2,312,610/female 2,220,378)

15-64 years: 62.7% (male 4,506,908/female 4,636,703)

65 years and over: 6.2% (male 432,144/female 464,358) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.3 years

male: 24.7 years

female: 25.9 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.466% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Birth rate:

20.32 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Death rate:

5 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Net migration rate:

-0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Urbanization:

urban population: 66% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.26 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 100 male: 23.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.52 years country comparison to the world: 81 male: 72.58 years

female: 78.6 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.46 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

26,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Ecuadorian(s)

adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Languages:

Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91%

male: 92.3%

female: 89.7% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 14 years (2008)

Education expenditures:

1% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 182

Government ::Ecuador

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador

conventional short form: Ecuador

local long form: Republica del Ecuador

local short form: Ecuador

Government type:

republic

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

24 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Santa Elena, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence:

24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Constitution:

20 October 2008

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

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

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term and can be re-elected for another consecutive term; election last held on 26 April 2009 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: President Rafael CORREA Delgado reelected president; percent of vote - Rafael CORREA Delgado 52%; Lucio GUTIERREZ 28.2%; Alvaro NOBOA 11.4%; other 8.4%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (124 seats; members are elected through a party-list proportional representation system to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 26 April 2009 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAIS 59, PSP 19, PSC 11, PRIAN 7, MPD 5, PRE 3, other 20; note - defections by members of National Assembly are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties

Judicial branch:

National Court of Justice or Corte Nacional de Justicia (according to the Constitution, justices are elected through a procedure overseen by the Judiciary Council); Constitutional Court or Corte Constitucional (Constitutional Court justices are appointed by a commission composed of two delegates each from the Executive, Legislative, and Transparency branches of government)

Political parties and leaders:

Alianza PAIS movement [Rafael Vicente CORREA Delgado]; Christian Democratic Union or UDC [Luis ACOSTA Moreta]; Democratic Left or ID [Dalton BACIGALUPO]; Ethical and Democratic Network or RED [Martha ROLDOS]; Institutional Renewal and National Action Party or PRIAN [Vicente TAIANO]; Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement - New Country or MUPP-NP [Jorge GUAMAN Coronel]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Luis VILLACIS]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Pulley, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Silvia SALGADO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Marlon SANTI, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F. Napoleon SALTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador or FEINE [Manuel CHUGCHILAN, president]; National Federation of Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Luis Alberto ANDRANGO Cadena, president]

International organization participation:

CAN, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga

chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200

FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Heather HODGES

embassy: Avenida Avigiras E12-170 y Avenida Eloy Alfaro, Quito

mailing address: Avenida Guayacanes N52-205 y Avenida Avigiras

telephone: [593] (2) 398-5000

FAX: [593] (2) 398-5100

consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Columbia, the South American republic that broke up in 1830; the yellow color represents sunshine, grain, and mineral wealth, blue the sky, sea, and rivers, and red the blood of patriots spilled in the struggle for freedom and justice

note: similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Juan Leon MERA/Antonio NEUMANE

note: adopted 1948; Juan Leon MERA wrote the lyrics in 1865; only the chorus and second verse are sung

Economy ::Ecuador

Economy - overview:

Ecuador is substantially dependent on its petroleum resources, which have accounted for more than half of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of public sector revenues in recent years. In 1999/2000, Ecuador suffered a severe economic crisis, with GDP contracting by more than 6%. Poverty increased significantly, the banking system collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external debt later that year. In March 2000, the Congress approved a series of structural reforms that also provided for the adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and positive growth returned in the years that followed, helped by high oil prices, remittances, and increased non-traditional exports. From 2002-06 the economy grew 5.5%, the highest five-year average in 25 years. After moderate growth in 2007, the economy reached a growth rate of 7.2% in 2008, in large part due to high global petroleum prices. President Rafael CORREA, who took office in January 2007, defaulted on Ecuador's sovereign debt in December 2008, refusing to make payment on $3.2 billion in international bonds, representing over 80% of Ecuador's private external debt. Economic policies under the CORREA administration - including an announcement in late 2009 terminating 13 bilateral investment treaties - have generated economic uncertainty and discouraged private investment. The Ecuadorian economy slowed to 0.4% growth in 2009 due to the global financial crisis, and the sharp decline in world oil prices and remittance flows, but picked up to a 2.4% growth rate in 2010.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$114.7 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $112 billion (2009 est.)

$111.6 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$61.49 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 0.4% (2009 est.)

7.2% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,800 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 $7,700 (2009 est.)

$7,800 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6.8%

industry: 32.9%

services: 60.3% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

4.59 million (urban) (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 8.3%

industry: 21.2%

services: 70.4% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

7.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 8.5% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line:

35.1% (2008)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.2%

highest 10%: 43.3%

note: data for urban households only (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

47.9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 31 50.5 (2006)

note: data are for urban households

Investment (gross fixed):

23.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Public debt:

23.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 19.7% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 8.4% (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

9.19% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 50 9.14% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

19% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 102 9.14% (31 December 2008)

Stock of narrow money:

$6.198 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 83 $5.201 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$18.62 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $15.47 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$14.92 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $12.31 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$4.248 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 83 $4.562 billion (31 December 2008)

$4.266 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Industries:

petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Electricity - production:

16.42 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Electricity - consumption:

15.81 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Electricity - exports:

20.68 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

1.12 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

485,700 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Oil - consumption:

181,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Oil - exports:

327,600 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Oil - imports:

54,190 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Oil - proved reserves:

6.542 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - production:

260 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Natural gas - consumption:

260 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Natural gas - proved reserves:

7.985 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Current account balance:

-$692 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 -$337.4 million (2009 est.)

Exports:

$17.37 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $14.35 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, hemp, wood, fish

Exports - partners:

US 33.5%, Peru 6.8%, Chile 6.5%, Columbia 4.9%, Colombia 4.58%, Russia 4.11% (2009)

Imports:

$17.65 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $14.27 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

industrial materials, fuels and lubricants, nondurable consumer goods

Imports - partners:

US 25.4%, Columbia 10.6%, Venezuela 6.5%, Brazil 4.5%, Brazil 4.35% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.59 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $3.792 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$14.71 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $13.48 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$12.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $11.95 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA (31 December 2010 est.)

$8.019 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

1 (2010), 1 (2009)

note: the US dollar is legal tender

Communications ::Ecuador

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.004 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 56

Telephones - mobile cellular:

13.635 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 52

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded

domestic: fixed-line services provided by multiple telecommunications operators; fixed-line teledensity stands at about 14 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular use has surged and subscribership reached about 95 per 100 persons in 2009

international: country code - 593; landing points for the PAN-AM and South America-1 submarine cables that provide links to the west coast of South America, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and extending onward to Aruba and the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Broadcast media:

private broadcast media dominate; all stations are privately-owned except for 1 government-controlled station; multiple television networks, a number of national TV channels, and a large number of local channels; more than 400 radio stations; broadcast media required by law to give the government free air time to broadcast programs produced by the state (2007)

Internet country code:

.ec

Internet hosts:

67,975 (2010) country comparison to the world: 82

Internet users:

3.352 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 64

Transportation ::Ecuador

Airports:

428 (2010) country comparison to the world: 18

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 105

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 55 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 323

914 to 1,523 m: 39

under 914 m: 284 (2010)

Heliports:

2 (2010)

Pipelines:

extra heavy crude 435 km; gas 5 km; oil 1,374 km; refined products 1,301 km (2009)

Railways:

total: 965 km country comparison to the world: 91 narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 43,670 km country comparison to the world: 86 paved: 6,472 km

unpaved: 37,198 km (2006)

Waterways:

1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2010) country comparison to the world: 54

Merchant marine:

total: 41 country comparison to the world: 76 by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger 9, petroleum tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 1

registered in other countries: 7 (Bolivia 1, Panama 6) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

Military ::Ecuador

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE) (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age for selective conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,662,176

females age 16-49: 3,781,102 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,770,465

females age 16-49: 3,217,235 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 150,296

female: 145,184 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.9% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 138

Transnational Issues ::Ecuador

Disputes - international:

organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador's shared border, which thousands of Colombians also cross to escape the violence in their home country

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 11,526 (Colombia); note - UNHCR estimates as many as 250,000 Columbians are seeking asylum in Ecuador, many of whom do not register as refugees for fear of deportation (2007)

Illicit drugs:

significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru, with much of the US-bound cocaine passing through Ecuadorian Pacific waters; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drug traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak anti-money-laundering regime; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents (2008)

page last updated on January 19, 2011

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

@Egypt (Africa)

Introduction ::Egypt

Background:

The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty with the overthrow of the British-backed monarchy in 1952. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to meet the demands of Egypt's growing population through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.

Geography ::Egypt

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:

27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,001,450 sq km country comparison to the world: 30 land: 995,450 sq km

water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 2,665 km

border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline:

2,450 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain:

vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m

highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, rare earth elements, zinc

Land use:

arable land: 2.92%

permanent crops: 0.5%

other: 96.58% (2005)

Irrigated land:

34,220 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

86.8 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 68.3 cu km/yr (8%/6%/86%)

per capita: 923 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods; landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms; sandstorms

Environment - current issues:

agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents; limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile, which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources

Environment - international agreements:

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics; dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees

People ::Egypt

Population:

80,471,869 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33% (male 13,308,407/female 12,711,900)

15-64 years: 62.7% (male 25,138,546/female 24,342,230)

65 years and over: 4.3% (male 1,546,774/female 1,818,778) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 24 years

male: 23.8 years

female: 24.3 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.997% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Birth rate:

25.02 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Death rate:

4.85 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Net migration rate:

-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Urbanization:

urban population: 43% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.8% 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: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 26.2 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 82 male: 27.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.4 years country comparison to the world: 122 male: 69.82 years

female: 75.1 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.01 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: Rift Valley fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

Nationality:

noun: Egyptian(s)

adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups:

Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% (2006 census)

Religions:

Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%

Languages:

Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 71.4%

male: 83%

female: 59.4% (2005 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 113

Government ::Egypt

Country name:

conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt

conventional short form: Egypt

local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

local short form: Misr

former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

Government type:

republic

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends first Friday in August

Administrative divisions:

29 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah (El Beheira), Al Fayyum (El Faiyum), Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah (Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah (El Monofia), Al Minya, Al Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Uqsur, Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf (Beni Suef), Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Helwan, Janub Sina' (South Sinai), Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh (Western Desert), Qina (Qena), Shamal Sina' (North Sinai), Sittah Uktubar, Suhaj (Sohag)

Independence:

28 February 1922 (from UK protectorate status; the revolution that began 23 July 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 June 1953 and all British troops withdrawn 18 June 1956); note - it was in ca. 3200 B.C. that the Two Lands of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt were first united politically

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

Constitution:

11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980, 25 May 2005, and 26 March 2007

Legal system:

based on Islamic and civil law (particularly Napoleonic codes); judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981)

head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (no term limits); note - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a constitutional amendment that changed the presidential election to a multicandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominated by the People's Assembly and the nomination was validated by a national, popular referendum; last referendum held on 26 September 1999; first election under terms of the constitutional amendment held on 7 September 2005 (next scheduled for 2011)

election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote - Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%

Legislative branch:

bicameral system consists of the Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (Shura Council) that traditionally functions only in a consultative role (264 seats; 176 members elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half of the elected members) and the People's Assembly or Majlis al-Sha'b (518 seats; 508 members elected by popular vote, 64 seats reserved for women, 10 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)

elections: Advisory Council - last held in June 2007 (next to be held in 2013); People's Assembly - last held in November-December 2010 in one round of voting and one run-off election (next to be held in 2015)

election results: Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 80, Al-Geel 1, Nasserist 1, NWP 1, Tagammu 1, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 3; People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 419, NWP 6, Tagammu 5, Democratic Peace Party 1, Social Justice Party 1, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 71, seats undecided 4, seats appointed by president 10

Judicial branch:

Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:

Al-Geel; Democratic Peace Party; Nasserist Party [Ahmed HASSAN]; National Democratic Party or NDP (governing party) [Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Sayed EL-BEDAWY]; Social Justice Party [Mohamed Abdel Al HASAN]; Tomorrow Party [Ayman NOURI]

note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government; only parties with representation in elected bodies are listed

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Muslim Brotherhood (technically illegal)

note: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties and political activity, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes Egypt's most potentially significant political opposition; President MUBARAK has alternated between tolerating limited political activity by the Brotherhood and blocking its influence (its members compete as independents in elections but do not currently hold any seats in the legislature); civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; only trade unions and professional associations affiliated with the government are officially sanctioned; Internet social networking groups and bloggers

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CICA, COMESA, D-8, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Sameh Hassan SHOUKRY

chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400

FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY

embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo

mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900; 5 Tawfik Diab Street, Garden City, Cairo

telephone: [20] (2) 2797-3300

FAX: [20] (2) 2797-3200

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white)

note: similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars in the white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Younis-al QADI/Sayed DARWISH

note: adopted 1979; after the signing of the 1979 peace with Israel, Egypt sought to create an anthem less militaristic than its previous one; Sayed DARWISH, commonly considered the father of modern Egyptian music, composed the anthem

Economy ::Egypt

Economy - overview:

Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt is bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley, where most economic activity takes place. Egypt's economy was highly centralized during the rule of former President Gamal Abdel NASSER but has opened up considerably under former President Anwar EL-SADAT and current President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK. Cairo from 2004 to 2008 aggressively pursued economic reforms to attract foreign investment and facilitate GDP growth. The global financial crisis has slowed the reform efforts. The budget deficit climbed to over 8% of GDP and Egypt's GDP growth slowed to 4.6% in 2009, predominately due to reduced growth in export-oriented sectors, including manufacturing and tourism, and Suez Canal revenues. In 2010, the government spent more on infrastructure and public projects, and exports drove GDP growth to more than 5%, but GDP growth in 2011 is unlikely to bounce back to pre-global financial recession levels, when it stood at 7%. Despite the relatively high levels of economic growth over the past few years, living conditions for the average Egyptian remain poor.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$500.9 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $475.7 billion (2009 est.)

$454.8 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$216.8 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 4.6% (2009 est.)

7.2% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,200 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 $6,000 (2009 est.)

$5,900 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 13.5%

industry: 37.9%

services: 48.6% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

26.1 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 32%

industry: 17%

services: 51% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

9.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 9.4% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line:

20% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.9%

highest 10%: 27.6% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34.4 (2001) country comparison to the world: 90

Investment (gross fixed):

18.4% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Public debt:

80.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 80.9% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 11.9% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

8.5% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 36 11.5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

11.98% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 12.33% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$37.8 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 49 $33.42 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$166.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $146.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$145.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $131.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$89.95 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 40 $85.89 billion (31 December 2008)

$139.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats

Industries:

textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures

Industrial production growth rate:

5.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Electricity - production:

118.4 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Electricity - consumption:

104.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Electricity - exports:

814 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

251 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

680,500 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Oil - consumption:

683,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Oil - exports:

89,300 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Oil - imports:

48,450 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Oil - proved reserves:

4.3 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Natural gas - production:

62.7 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Natural gas - consumption:

42.5 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Natural gas - exports:

8.55 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.656 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Current account balance:

$270 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 -$3.195 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$25.34 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $23.09 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals, processed food

Exports - partners:

US 7.95%, Italy 7.26%, Spain 6.78%, India 6.69%, Saudi Arabia 5.53%, Syria 5.3%, France 4.39%, South Korea 4.27% (2009)

Imports:

$46.52 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $45.56 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners:

US 9.92%, China 9.63%, Germany 6.98%, Italy 6.88%, Turkey 4.94% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$35.72 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $33.93 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$30.61 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $29.66 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$72.41 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $66.71 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$4.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 $4.272 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

Egyptian pounds (EGP) per US dollar - 5.6124 (2010), 5.545 (2009), 5.4 (2008), 5.67 (2007), 5.725 (2006)

Communications ::Egypt

Telephones - main lines in use:

10.313 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 21

Telephones - mobile cellular:

55.352 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 19

Telephone system:

general assessment: underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s; principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay

domestic: largest fixed-line system in the region; as of 2010 there were three mobile-cellular networks with a total of more than 55 million subscribers

international: country code - 20; landing point for Aletar, the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks, Link Around the Globe (FLAG) Falcon and FLAG FEA; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean, 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat); tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel (2009)

Broadcast media:

mix of state-run and private broadcast media; state-run TV operates 2 national and 6 regional terrestrial networks as well as a few satellite channels; about 20 private satellite channels and a large number of Arabic satellite channels are available via subscription; state-run radio operates about 70 stations belonging to 8 networks; 2 privately-owned radio stations operational (2008)

Internet country code:

.eg

Internet hosts:

187,197 (2010) country comparison to the world: 67

Internet users:

20.136 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 21

Transportation ::Egypt

Airports:

86 (2010) country comparison to the world: 66

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 73

over 3,047 m: 15

2,438 to 3,047 m: 36

1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 5 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 4 (2010)

Heliports:

6 (2010)

Pipelines:

condensate 320 km; condensate/gas 13 km; gas 6,262 km; liquid petroleum gas 956 km; oil 4,319 km; oil/gas/water 3 km; refined products 895 km; unknown 59 km (2009)

Railways:

total: 5,500 km country comparison to the world: 33 standard gauge: 5,500 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2009)

Roadways:

total: 65,050 km country comparison to the world: 71 paved: 47,500 km

unpaved: 17,550 km (2009)

Waterways:

3,500 km country comparison to the world: 30 note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m (2010)

Merchant marine:

total: 66 country comparison to the world: 63 by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 24, container 3, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 9

foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 1, France 1, Greece 8, Jordan 2, Lebanon 1)

registered in other countries: 52 (Cambodia 12, Cook Islands 1, Georgia 11, Honduras 2, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 1, Moldova 5, Panama 11, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra Leone 2, unknown 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Ayn Sukhnah, Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Sidi Kurayr, Suez

Military ::Egypt

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service obligation 12-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 20,619,887

females age 16-49: 19,785,004 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 17,733,851

females age 16-49: 16,942,010 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 799,377

female: 764,602 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Transnational Issues ::Egypt

Disputes - international:

Sudan claims but Egypt de facto administers security and economic development of Halaib region north of the 22nd parallel boundary; Egypt no longer shows its administration of the Bir Tawil trapezoid in Sudan on its maps; Gazan breaches in the security wall with Egypt in January 2008 highlight difficulties in monitoring the Sinai border; Saudi Arabia claims Egyptian-administered islands of Tiran and Sanafir

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 60,000 - 80,000 (Iraq); 70,198 (Palestinian Territories); 12,157 (Sudan) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transit point for cannabis, heroin, and opium moving to Europe, Israel, and North Africa; transit stop for Nigerian drug couriers; concern as money laundering site due to lax enforcement of financial regulations

page last updated on January 20, 2011

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

@El Salvador (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::El Salvador

Background:

El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.

Geography ::El Salvador

Location:

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 21,041 sq km country comparison to the world: 153 land: 20,721 sq km

water: 320 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries:

total: 545 km

border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Coastline:

307 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Terrain:

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 31.37%

permanent crops: 11.88%

other: 56.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

450 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

25.2 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.28 cu km/yr (25%/16%/59%)

per capita: 186 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

volcanism: El Salvador experiences significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (elev. 1,893 m, 6,211 ft), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (elev. 2,130 m, 6,988 ft), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

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:

smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea

People ::El Salvador

Population:

6,052,064 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.4% (male 1,299,608/female 1,245,617)

15-64 years: 59.3% (male 2,033,423/female 2,225,810)

65 years and over: 5.3% (male 166,224/female 214,536) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.9 years

male: 22.5 years

female: 25.3 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.332% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Birth rate:

18.06 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Death rate:

5.61 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Net migration rate:

-9.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 212

Urbanization:

urban population: 61% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.97 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 98 male: 23.01 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.18 years country comparison to the world: 116 male: 69.91 years

female: 76.62 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.12 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

35,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,700 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Salvadoran(s)

adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic groups:

mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.)

Languages:

Spanish (official), Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Literacy:

definition: age 5 and over can read and write

total population: 81.1%

male: 82.8%

female: 79.6% (2007 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2008)

Education expenditures:

3.6% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 128

Government ::El Salvador

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador

conventional short form: El Salvador

local long form: Republica de El Salvador

local short form: El Salvador

Government type:

republic

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulutan

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

20 December 1983

Legal system:

based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mauricio FUNES Cartagena (since 1 June 2009); Vice President Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN (since 1 June 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Mauricio FUNES Cartagena (since 1 June 2009); Vice President Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN (since 1 June 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held on 15 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2014)

election results: Mauricio FUNES Cartagena elected president; percent of vote - Mauricio FUNES Cartagena 51.3%, Rodrigo AVILA 48.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms)

elections: last held on 18 January 2009 (next to be held in March 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FMLN 35, ARENA 32, PCN 11, PDC 5, CD 1; note - as of 1 January 2011, the current composition of the legislature by seats is as follows: FMLN 35, ARENA 19, GANA 16, PCN 10, PDC 2, CD 1, Independent 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (15 judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly; the 15 judges are assigned to four Supreme Court chambers - constitutional, civil, penal, and administrative conflict)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Oscar KATTAN] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA]; Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA [Alfredo CRISTIANI]; Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA [Andres ROVIRA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, CD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Robert ALTSCHUL Fuentes

chancery: Suite 100, 1400 16th Street, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671

FAX: [1] (202) 234-3763

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Duluth (Georgia), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington (DC), Woodbridge (Virginia)

consulate(s): Boston, Elizabeth (New Jersey)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert BLAU

embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador

mailing address: Unit 3450, APO AA 34023; 3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450

telephone: [503] 2501-2999

FAX: [503] 2501-2150

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water, as well as peace and prosperity

note: similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Juan Jose CANAS/Juan ABERLE

note: officially adopted 1953, in use since 1879; the anthem of El Salvador is one of the world's longest

Economy ::El Salvador

Economy - overview:

Despite being the smallest country geographically in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy in the region. The economy took a hit from the global recession and real GDP contracted by 3.5% in 2009. The economy began a slow recovery in 2010 on the back of improved export and remittances figures. Remittances accounted for 16% of GDP in 2009, and about a third of all households receive these transfers. In 2006 El Salvador was the first country to ratify the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), which has bolstered the export of processed foods, sugar, and ethanol, and supported investment in the apparel sector amid increased Asian competition and the expiration of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. El Salvador has promoted an open trade and investment environment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds. In late 2006, the government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a five-year, $461 million compact to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the country's northern region, the primary conflict zone during the civil war, through investments in education, public services, enterprise development, and transportation infrastructure. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador lost control over monetary policy. Any counter-cyclical policy response to the downturn must be through fiscal policy, which is constrained by legislative requirements for a two-thirds majority to approve any international financing.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$43.98 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $43.46 billion (2009 est.)

$45.04 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$21.8 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 174 -3.5% (2009 est.)

2.4% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,300 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $7,200 (2009 est.)

$7,500 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 11%

industry: 29.1%

services: 59.9% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

2.94 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 19%

industry: 23%

services: 58% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 7.2% (2009 est.)

note: data are official rates; but the economy has much underemployment

Population below poverty line:

30.7% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1%

highest 10%: 37% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

52.4 (2002) country comparison to the world: 18 52.5 (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):

13.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Public debt:

55% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 52.3% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 -0.2% (2009)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.33% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 120 7.81% (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money:

$2.534 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 117 $2.153 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$9.666 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $9.011 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$10.01 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $9.867 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$4.432 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 82 $4.656 billion (31 December 2008)

$6.743 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products

Industries:

food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Industrial production growth rate:

0.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Electricity - production:

5.559 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Electricity - consumption:

4.676 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Electricity - exports:

7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

38 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Oil - consumption:

46,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Oil - exports:

1,927 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Oil - imports:

46,310 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Current account balance:

-$907 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 -$374 million (2009)

Exports:

$4.377 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $3.797 billion (2009)

Exports - commodities:

offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, textiles and apparel, gold, ethanol, chemicals, electricity, iron and steel manufactures

Exports - partners:

US 43.86%, Guatemala 13.92%, Honduras 13.22%, Nicaragua 5.65% (2009)

Imports:

$7.98 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $7.255 billion (2009)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Imports - partners:

US 29.79%, Mexico 10.26%, Guatemala 9.7%, China 4.5%, Honduras 4.4% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.819 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $2.985 billion (31 December 2009)

Debt - external:

$11.45 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $10.83 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$7.522 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $7.132 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$273 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $333 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001

Communications ::El Salvador

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.099 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 75

Telephones - mobile cellular:

7.566 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 78

Telephone system:

general assessment: multiple mobile-cellular providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2009 teledensity exceeded 100 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system

international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2009)

Broadcast media:

multiple privately-owned national terrestrial television networks, supplemented by cable TV networks that carry international channels; hundreds of commercial radio broadcast stations and 1 government-owned radio broadcast station (2007)

Internet country code:

.sv

Internet hosts:

13,849 (2010) country comparison to the world: 119

Internet users:

746,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 107

Transportation ::El Salvador

Airports:

65 (2010) country comparison to the world: 75

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 61

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 47 (2010)

Heliports:

1 (2010)

Railways:

total: 283 km country comparison to the world: 122 narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge

note: railways have been inoperable since 2005 because of disuse and high costs that led to a lack of maintenance (2008)

Roadways:

total: 10,886 km country comparison to the world: 134 paved: 2,827 km (includes 327 km of expressways)

unpaved: 8,059 km (2000)

Waterways:

Rio Lempa is partially navigable for small craft (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Military ::El Salvador

Military branches:

Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation - 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,426,142

females age 16-49: 1,590,778 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,056,532

females age 16-49: 1,356,824 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 71,292

female: 68,821 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.6% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 160

Transnational Issues ::El Salvador

Disputes - international:

International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine

page last updated on January 19, 2011

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

@Equatorial Guinea (Africa)

Introduction ::Equatorial Guinea

Background:

Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996, 2002, and 2009 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the population's living standards.

Geography ::Equatorial Guinea

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon

Geographic coordinates:

2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 28,051 sq km country comparison to the world: 145 land: 28,051 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 539 km

border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline:

296 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Land use:

arable land: 4.63%

permanent crops: 3.57%

other: 91.8% (2005)

Irrigated land:

Total renewable water resources:

26 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%)

per capita: 220 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

violent windstorms; flash floods

volcanism: Santa Isabel (elev. 3,007 m, 9,865 ft), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel, along with two dormant volcanoes, forms Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea

Environment - current issues:

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, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

insular and continental regions widely separated

People ::Equatorial Guinea

Population:

650,702 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.9% (male 134,823/female 130,308)

15-64 years: 54% (male 167,820/female 174,238)

65 years and over: 4.1% (male 11,574/female 14,678) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 19 years

male: 18.4 years

female: 19.6 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.674% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Birth rate:

36 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Death rate:

9.26 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 74

Urbanization:

urban population: 39% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 79.47 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 14 male: 80.55 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 78.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 61.98 years country comparison to the world: 182 male: 61.05 years

female: 62.94 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

370 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

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 yellow fever

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)

adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups:

Fang 85.7%, Bubi 6.5%, Mdowe 3.6%, Annobon 1.6%, Bujeba 1.1%, other 1.4% (1994 census)

Religions:

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Languages:

Spanish 67.6% (official), other 32.4% (includes French (official), Fang, Bubi) (1994 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87%

male: 93.4%

female: 80.5% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 9 years

female: 7 years (2000)

Education expenditures:

0.6% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 185

Government ::Equatorial Guinea

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea

conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea

local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee equatoriale

local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale

former: Spanish Guinea

Government type:

republic

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence:

12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution:

approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995

Legal system:

partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)

head of government: Prime Minister Ignacio MILAM Tang (since 8 July 2008);

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 (no term limits); election last held on 29 November 2009 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president; percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 95.8%, Placido Mico ABOGO 3.6%; elections marred by widespread fraud

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 4 May 2008 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 89, EC 10, CPDS 1

note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president

Judicial branch:

Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:

Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MICO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO] (ruling party); Electoral Coalition or EC; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Avelino MOCACHE]; Popular Union or UP

Political pressure groups and leaders:

ASODEGUE (Madrid-based pressure group for democratic reform); Global Witness (anti-corruption)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, CPLP (associate), FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDO

chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700

FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Alberto M. FERNANDEZ

embassy: K-3, Carreterade Aeropuerto, al lado de Restaurante El Paraiso, Malabo; note - relocated embassy is opened for limited functions; inquiries should continue to be directed to the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon

mailing address: B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520

telephone: [237] 2220-1500

FAX: [237] 2220-1572

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice); green symbolizes the jungle and natural resources, blue represents the sea that connects the mainland to the islands, white stands for peace, and red recalls the fight for independence

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO/Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO or Ramiro Sanchez LOPEZ (disputed)

note: adopted 1968

Economy ::Equatorial Guinea

Economy - overview:

The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth but fluctuating oil prices have produced huge swings in GDP growth in recent years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming is the dominate form of livelihood. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of corruption and mismanagement. Government officials and their family members own most businesses, but corruption is rampant. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth remained strong in 2008, led by oil, but dropped in 2009-10, as the price of oil fell.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$24.66 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $24.18 billion (2009 est.)

$22.96 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.55 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 5.3% (2009 est.)

11.3% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$37,900 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $38,200 (2009 est.)

$37,200 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.2%

industry: 93.9%

services: 3.8% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

195,200 NA (2007) country comparison to the world: 170

Unemployment rate:

30% (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

29.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Public debt:

4.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 5.4% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 7.1% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.25% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 100 4.75% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2009 est.)

NA% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$1.86 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 121 $1.295 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$2.207 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 $1.473 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.534 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 136 $3.579 billion (31 December 2008)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Industries:

petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:

1.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Electricity - production:

28 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Electricity - consumption:

26.04 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

346,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Oil - exports:

362,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Oil - imports:

1,114 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Oil - proved reserves:

1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Natural gas - production:

6.67 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Natural gas - consumption:

1.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Natural gas - exports:

5.17 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Natural gas - proved reserves:

36.81 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Current account balance:

-$1.477 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 -$1.883 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$10.24 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $8.495 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Exports - partners:

US 30.31%, China 12.54%, Japan 9.21%, Spain 7.5%, South Korea 7.01%, Taiwan 5.63%, Italy 5.38%, Netherlands 4.09% (2009)

Imports:

$5.743 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $5.258 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Imports - partners:

China 19.97%, US 17.28%, Spain 14.94%, France 9.49%, Cote d'Ivoire 6.34%, Italy 5.02% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$4.086 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $3.252 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$832 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 $766 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs per US dollar - 506.04 (2010), 472.19 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 481.83 (2007), 522.4 (2006)

Communications ::Equatorial Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 201

Telephones - mobile cellular:

445,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 161

Telephone system:

general assessment: digital fixed-line network in most major urban areas and good mobile coverage

domestic: fixed-line density is about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing and in 2009 stood at about 70 percent of the population

international: country code - 240; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2009)

Broadcast media:

state maintains control of broadcast media with domestic broadcast media limited to 1 state-owned TV station, 1 state-owned radio station, and 1 private radio station owned by the president's eldest son; satellite TV service is available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are accessible (2007)

Internet country code:

.gq

Internet hosts:

9 (2010) country comparison to the world: 221

Internet users:

14,400 (2009) country comparison to the world: 199

Transportation ::Equatorial Guinea

Airports:

7 (2010) country comparison to the world: 166

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2010)

Pipelines:

gas 38 km (2009)

Roadways:

total: 2,880 km (2000) country comparison to the world: 167

Merchant marine:

total: 4 country comparison to the world: 131 by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Norway 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Bata, Luba, Malabo (2010)

Military ::Equatorial Guinea

Military branches:

National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Guinea Ecuatoria, GNGE (Army), with Coast Guard (Navy) and Air Wing) (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; service obligation 2 years; women hold only administrative positions in the Coast Guard (2011)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 146,241

females age 16-49: 146,138 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 109,311

females age 16-49: 111,543 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 7,186

female: 6,920 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.1% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 173

Transnational Issues ::Equatorial Guinea

Disputes - international:

in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River and imprecisely defined maritime coordinates in the ICJ decision delay final delimitation; UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane and lesser islands and to create a maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Equatorial Guinea is primarily a destination country for children trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and possibly for the purpose of sexual exploitation; children have been trafficked from nearby countries for domestic servitude, market labor, ambulant vending, and possibly sexual exploitation; women may also be trafficked to Equatorial Guinea from Cameroon, Benin, other neighboring countries, and China for sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Equatorial Guinea is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking, particularly in the areas of prosecuting and convicting trafficking offenders and failing to formalize mechanisms to provide assistance to victims; although the government made some effort to enforce laws against child labor exploitation, it failed to report any trafficking prosecutions or convictions in 2007; the government continued to lack shelters or formal procedures for providing care to victims (2008)

page last updated on January 24, 2011

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

@Eritrea (Africa)

Introduction ::Eritrea

Background:

The UN awarded Eritrea to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices in December 2000. Eritrea hosted a UN peacekeeping operation that monitored a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) on the border with Ethiopia. Eritrea's denial of fuel to the mission caused the UN to withdraw the mission and terminate its mandate 31 July 2008. An international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002. However, both parties have been unable to reach agreement on implementing the decision. On 30 November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission remotely demarcated the border by coordinates and dissolved itself, leaving Ethiopia still occupying several tracts of disputed territory, including the town of Badme. Eritrea accepted the EEBC's "virtual demarcation" decision and called on Ethiopia to remove its troops from the TSZ that it states is Eritrean territory. Ethiopia has not accepted the virtual demarcation decision. In 2009 the UN imposed sanctions on Eritrea after accusing it of backing anti-Ethiopian Islamist insurgents in Somalia.

Geography ::Eritrea

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 39 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 117,600 sq km country comparison to the world: 100 land: 101,000 sq km

water: 16,600 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:

total: 1,626 km

border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Coastline:

2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands

Terrain:

dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: near Kulul within the Danakil Depression -75 m

highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Natural resources:

gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish

Land use:

arable land: 4.78%

permanent crops: 0.03%

other: 95.19% (2005)

Irrigated land:

210 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

6.3 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.3 cu km/yr (3%/0%/97%)

per capita: 68 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent droughts; locust swarms

volcanism: Dubbi (elev. 1,625 m, 5,331 ft), which last erupted in 1861, is the country's only historically active volcano

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993

People ::Eritrea

Population:

5,792,984 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.8% (male 1,212,848/female 1,202,240)

15-64 years: 53.7% (male 1,483,169/female 1,547,078)

65 years and over: 3.6% (male 92,009/female 109,824) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.5 years

male: 18.2 years

female: 18.9 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.522% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Birth rate:

33.48 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Death rate:

8.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 73

Urbanization:

urban population: 21% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 5.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 42.33 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 65 male: 47.87 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 36.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 62.15 years country comparison to the world: 180 male: 60.06 years

female: 64.3 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.6 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

38,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

2,600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Eritrean(s)

adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups:

nine recognized ethnic groups: Tigrinya 55%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Kunama 2%, Rashaida 2%, Bilen 2%, other (Afar, Beni Amir, Nera) 5% (2010 est.)

Religions:

Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages:

Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 58.6%

male: 69.9%

female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 6 years

male: 7 years

female: 5 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 168

Government ::Eritrea

Country name:

conventional long form: State of Eritrea

conventional short form: Eritrea

local long form: Hagere Ertra

local short form: Ertra

former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Government type:

transitional government

note: following a successful referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997, did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential elections; parliamentary elections were scheduled in December 2001 but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 15 20 N, 38 56 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub (South), Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

Independence:

24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Constitution:

adopted on 23 May 1997, but has not yet been fully implemented

Legal system:

primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957 with revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; government also issues unilateral proclamations setting laws and policies; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Islamic law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly

head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993)

cabinet: State Council the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); the most recent and only election held on 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated)

election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%, other 5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly, which had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely

Judicial branch:

High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also have military and special courts

Political parties and leaders:

People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ [ISAIAS Afworki] (the only party recognized by the government); note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly has yet to debate or vote on it

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Eritrean Democratic Party (EDP) [HAGOS, Mesfin]; Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ (includes Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM also known as the Abu Sihel Movement); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement); Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador GHIRMAI Ghebremariam

chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991

FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304

consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Joel REIFMAN

embassy: 179 Ala Street, Asmara

mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara

telephone: [291] (1) 120004

FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Flag description:

red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle; green stands for the country's agriculture economy, red signifies the blood shed in the fight for freedom, and blue symbolizes the bounty of the sea; the wreath-olive branch symbol is similar to that on the first flag of Eritrea from 1952; the shape of the red triangle broadly mimics the shape of the country

National anthem:

lyrics/music: SOLOMON Tsehaye Beraki/Isaac Abraham MEHAREZGI and ARON Tekle Tesfatsion

note: adopted 1993; upon independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea adopted its own national anthem

Economy ::Eritrea

Economy - overview:

Since independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country, accentuated by the recent implementation of restrictive economic policies. Eritrea has a command economy under the control of the sole political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). Like the economies of many African nations, a large share of the population - nearly 80% - is engaged in subsistence agriculture, but they produce only a small share of total output. Since the conclusion of the Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 2000, the government has maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda. The government strictly controls the use of foreign currency by limiting access and availability. Few private enterprises remain in Eritrea. Eritrea's economy depends heavily on taxes paid by members of the diaspora. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists from the military continue to interfere with agricultural production, and Eritrea's recent harvests have been unable to meet the food needs of the country. The Government continues to place its hope for additional revenue on the development of several international mining projects. Despite difficulties for international companies in working with the Eritrean Government, a Canadian mining company signed a contract with the government in 2007 and began mineral extraction in 2010. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and more importantly, on the government's willingness to support a true market economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.178 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 167 $4.017 billion (2009 est.)

$3.877 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.254 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 3.6% (2009 est.)

2% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$700 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 223 $700 (2009 est.)

$700 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 11.8%

industry: 20.4%

services: 67.7% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

1.935 million NA (2007) country comparison to the world: 120

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry and services: 20% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

10.3% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

20% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 221 20% (2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA%

Stock of narrow money:

$1.382 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 128 $1.007 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$2.872 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $2.171 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$2.919 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $2.206 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, sisal; livestock, goats; fish

Industries:

food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light manufacturing, salt, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Electricity - production:

271 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Electricity - consumption:

228 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Oil - consumption:

5,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Oil - imports:

4,790 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Current account balance:

-$212 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 -$188 million (2009 est.)

Exports:

$25 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 $20 million (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures

Exports - partners:

India 25.3%, Italy 20.7%, Sudan 14.1%, China 12.9%, France 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.4% (2008)

Imports:

$738 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 $682 million (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 20.7%, India 13.6%, Italy 12.6%, China 9.9%, US 5.1%, Germany 4.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$104 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $88 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$NA (31 December 2010 est.)

$961.9 million (31 December 2008 est.)

Exchange rates:

nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 15.375 (2010), 15.375 (2009), 15.38 (2008), 15.5 (2007), 15.4 (2006)

Communications ::Eritrea

Telephones - main lines in use:

48,500 (2009) country comparison to the world: 163

Telephones - mobile cellular:

141,100 (2009) country comparison to the world: 177

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership is only about 3 per 100 persons (2009)

international: country code - 291; note - international connections exist

Broadcast media:

government controls broadcast media with private ownership prohibited; 1 state-owned TV station; state-owned radio operates 2 networks; purchases of satellite dishes and subscriptions to international broadcast media are permitted (2007)

Internet country code:

.er

Internet hosts:

1,241 (2010) country comparison to the world: 166

Internet users:

200,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 140

Transportation ::Eritrea

Airports:

13 (2010) country comparison to the world: 152

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 9

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2010)

Heliports:

1 (2010)

Railways:

total: 306 km country comparison to the world: 120 narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 4,010 km country comparison to the world: 157 paved: 874 km

unpaved: 3,136 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 4 country comparison to the world: 132 by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Assab, Massawa

Military ::Eritrea

Military branches:

Eritrean Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

18-40 years of age for male and female voluntary and compulsory military service; 16-month conscript service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,307,012

females age 16-49: 1,319,682 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 864,608

females age 16-49: 920,104 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 64,489

female: 64,476 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

6.3% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Transnational Issues ::Eritrea

Disputes - international:

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision but, neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting eastern Sudanese rebel groups; in 2008 Eritrean troops move across the border on Ras Doumera peninsula and occupy Doumera Island with undefined sovereignty in the Red Sea

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 32,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPs are near the central border region) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Eritrea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; each year, large numbers of migrant workers depart Eritrea in search of work, particularly in the Gulf States, where some likely become victims of forced labor, including in domestic servitude, or commercial sexual exploitation; thousands of Eritreans flee the country illegally, mostly to Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya where their illegal status makes them vulnerable to situations of human trafficking; the government remains complicit in conscripting children into military service

tier rating: Tier 3 - the Government of Eritrea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the Eritrean government does not operate with transparency and published neither data nor statistics regarding its efforts to combat human trafficking; it did not respond to requests to provide information for this report; the government made no known progress in prosecuting and punishing trafficking crimes over the reporting period and did not appear to provide any significant assistance to victims of trafficking during the reporting period (2009)

page last updated on January 12, 2011

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

@Estonia (Europe)

Introduction ::Estonia

Background:

After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US - it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography ::Estonia

Location:

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

59 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 45,228 sq km country comparison to the world: 132 land: 42,388 sq km

water: 2,840 sq km

note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Land boundaries:

total: 633 km

border countries: Latvia 343 km, Russia 290 km

Coastline:

3,794 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states

Climate:

maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain:

marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Natural resources:

oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Land use:

arable land: 12.05%

permanent crops: 0.35%

other: 87.6% (2005)

Irrigated land:

40 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

21.1 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.41 cu km/yr (56%/39%/5%)

per capita: 1,060 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Environment - current issues:

air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies in 2000 was one-20th the level of 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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:

the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

People ::Estonia

Population:

1,291,170 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.9% (male 99,748/female 94,051)

15-64 years: 67.5% (male 417,816/female 459,246)

65 years and over: 17.6% (male 75,486/female 153,024) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.2 years

male: 36.7 years

female: 43.7 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.635% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 227

Birth rate:

10.42 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Death rate:

13.48 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Net migration rate:

-3.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Urbanization:

urban population: 69% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.063 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female

total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.19 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 167 male: 8.34 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.08 years country comparison to the world: 117 male: 67.74 years

female: 78.76 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.43 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Estonian(s)

adjective: Estonian

Ethnic groups:

Estonian 68.7%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.2%, Finn 0.8%, other 1.6% (2008 census)

Religions:

Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%, none 6.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.8% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 17 years (2008)

Education expenditures:

5% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 68

Government ::Estonia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Estonia

conventional short form: Estonia

local long form: Eesti Vabariik

local short form: Eesti

former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 59 26 N, 24 43 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond); Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)

note: counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses

Independence:

20 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:

adopted 28 June 1992

Legal system:

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Toomas Hendrik ILVES (since 9 October 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)

cabinet: Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus members of local councils) elects the president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest number of votes; election last held on 23 September 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2011); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament

election results: Toomas Hendrik ILVES elected president on 23 September 2006 by a 345-member electoral assembly; ILVES received 174 votes to incumbent Arnold RUUTEL's 162; remaining 9 ballots left blank or invalid

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 4 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - Estonian Reform Party 27.8%, Center Party of Estonia 26.1%, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 17.9%, Social Democratic Party 10.6%, Estonian Greens 7.1%, Estonian People's Union 7.1%, other 5%; seats by party - Estonian Reform Party 31, Center Party 28, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 19, Social Democratic Party 10, Estonian Greens 6, Estonian People's Union 6, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (chairman appointed for life by Parliament)

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR]; Estonian Greens (Rohelised) [Marek STRANDBERG]; Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Juhan AARE]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Social Democratic Party [Sven MIKSER]; Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) [Mart LAAR]

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Vaino REINART

chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101

FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. POLT

embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [372] 668-8100

FAX: [372] 668-8265

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white; various interpretations are linked to the flag colors; blue represents faith, loyalty, and devotion, while also reminiscent of the sky, sea, and lakes of the country; black symbolizes the soil of the country and the dark past and suffering endured by the Estonian people; white refers to the striving towards enlightenment and virtue, and is the color of birch bark and snow, as well as summer nights illuminated by the midnight sun

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Johann Voldemar JANNSEN/Fredrik PACIUS

note: adopted 1920, though banned between 1940 and 1990 under Soviet occupation; the anthem, used in Estonia since 1869, shares the same melody with that of Finland but has different lyrics

Economy ::Estonia

Economy - overview:

Estonia, a 2004 European Union entrant, has a modern market-based economy and one of the higher per capita income levels in Central Europe and the Baltic region. Estonia's successive governments have pursued a free market, pro-business economic agenda and have wavered little in their commitment to pro-market reforms. The current government has pursued relatively sound fiscal policies that have resulted in balanced budgets and very low public debt. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and strong trade ties with Finland, Sweden, and Germany. Tallinn's priority has been to sustain high growth rates - on average 8% per year from 2003 to 2007. Estonia's economy slowed down markedly and fell sharply into recession in mid-2008, primarily as a result of an investment and consumption slump following the bursting of the real estate market bubble. GDP dropped nearly 15% in 2009, among the world's highest rates of contraction. A modest recovery began in 2010, but unemployment stands above 13%. Estonia adopted the euro in January 2011.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$24.53 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 $24.07 billion (2009 est.)

$27.96 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$19.22 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 -13.9% (2009 est.)

-5.1% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$19,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 $18,500 (2009 est.)

$21,400 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.5%

industry: 28.7%

services: 68.8% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

688,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.8%

industry: 22.7%

services: 74.5% (2008)

Unemployment rate:

13.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 13.8% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line:

19.5% (2007)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 27.7% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34 (2008) country comparison to the world: 91 37 (1999)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Public debt:

7.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 7.1% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 -0.1% (2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.39% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 8.55% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$5.345 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 85 $5.822 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$10.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $11.37 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$18.94 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $20.32 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$2.654 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 94 $1.95 billion (31 December 2008)

$6.037 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Industries:

engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:

10% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Electricity - production:

11.46 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Electricity - consumption:

7.686 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Electricity - exports:

2.31 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

1.369 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

7,600 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Oil - consumption:

30,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Oil - exports:

7,280 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Oil - imports:

30,590 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Natural gas - consumption:

1.51 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Natural gas - imports:

1.51 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Current account balance:

$265 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $898.7 million (2009 est.)

Exports:

$10.77 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $9.08 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 29%, wood and paper 13%, metals 10%, food products 8%, textiles 5%, chemical products

Exports - partners:

Finland 18.57%, Sweden 12.52%, Latvia 9.51%, Russia 9.33%, Germany 6.09%, Lithuania 4.76%, US 4.26% (2009)

Imports:

$11.52 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $9.783 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 35%, textiles 19%, mineral fuels 19%, chemical products 9%, foodstuffs 6%

Imports - partners:

Finland 14.52%, Lithuania 10.84%, Latvia 10.47%, Germany 10.33%, Russia 8.59%, Sweden 8.34%, Poland 5.63% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.641 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $3.981 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$25.13 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $25.56 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$17.53 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $16.23 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$7.134 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $6.534 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

kroon (EEK) per US dollar - 12.11 (2010), 11.232 (2009), 10.7 (2008), 11.535 (2007), 12.473 (2006)

note: Estonia adopted the euro on 1 January 2011

Communications ::Estonia

Telephones - main lines in use:

492,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 98

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.72 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 117

Telephone system:

general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service with a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet services available

domestic: substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; Internet services are widely available; schools and libraries are connected to the Internet, a large percentage of the population files income-tax returns online, and online voting was used for the first time in the 2005 local elections

international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; 2 international switches are located in Tallinn (2008)

Broadcast media:

the publicly-owned broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhaaling (ERR), operates 2 television channels; national private TV channels expanding service; a range of channels are aimed at Russian-speaking viewers; high penetration rate for cable TV services with more than half of Estonian households connected; publicly-owned broadcaster, ERR, operates 4 radio networks and there are a growing number of private commercial radio stations broadcasting nationally, regionally, and locally (2008)

Internet country code:

.ee

Internet hosts:

729,534 (2010) country comparison to the world: 48

Internet users:

971,700 (2009) country comparison to the world: 102

Transportation ::Estonia

Airports:

19 (2010) country comparison to the world: 136

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 13

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 3 (2010)

Heliports:

1 (2010)

Pipelines:

gas 859 km (2009)

Railways:

total: 1,196 km country comparison to the world: 86 broad gauge: 1,196 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (131 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 58,034 km country comparison to the world: 78 paved: 34,936 km (includes 104 km of expressways)

unpaved: 23,098 km (2009)

Waterways:

520 km (320 km are navigable year round) (2010) country comparison to the world: 84

Merchant marine:

total: 24 country comparison to the world: 94 by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 17, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 3 (Germany 1, Norway 2)

registered in other countries: 77 (Antigua and Barbuda 20, Belize 1, Cambodia 1, Cyprus 7, Dominica 6, Finland 2, Latvia 4, Malta 16, former Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10, Sierra Leone 1, Sweden 3, Venezuela 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Kuivastu, Kunda, Muuga, Parnu Reid, Sillamae, Tallinn

Military ::Estonia

Military branches:

Estonian Defense Forces: Land Force, Navy, Air Force (Eesti Ohuvagi), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit, KL) (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

obligation for compulsory service ages 16-60, with conscription "likely" ages 18-27; service requirement 8-11 months (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 297,096

females age 16-49: 308,229 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 213,740

females age 16-49: 255,926 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 6,945

female: 6,564 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

2% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Transnational Issues ::Estonia

Disputes - international:

Russia recalled its signature to the 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia in 2005, rather than concede to Estonia's appending prepared a unilateral declaration referencing Soviet occupation and territorial losses; Russia demands better accommodation of Russian-speaking population in Estonia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen border rules with Russia

Illicit drugs:

growing producer of synthetic drugs; increasingly important transshipment zone for cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and synthetic drugs since joining the European Union and the Schengen Accord; potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds; major use of opiates and ecstasy

page last updated on January 20, 2011

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

@Ethiopia (Africa)

Introduction ::Ethiopia

Background:

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. In November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission remotely demarcated the border by geographical coordinates, but final demarcation of the boundary on the ground is currently on hold because of Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to Ethiopia.

Geography ::Ethiopia

Location:

Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,104,300 sq km country comparison to the world: 27 land: 1 million sq km

water: 104,300 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,328 km

border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Terrain:

high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Danakil Depression -125 m

highest point: Ras Dejen 4,533 m

Natural resources:

small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 10.01%

permanent crops: 0.65%

other: 89.34% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,900 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

110 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 5.56 cu km/yr (6%/0%/94%)

per capita: 72 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

volcanism: Ethiopia experiences volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (elev. 613 m, 2,011 ft), which has caused frequent lava flows in recent years, is the country's most active volcano; Dabbahu became active in 2005, causing evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Alayta, Dalaffilla, Dallol, Dama Ali, Fentale, Kone, Manda Hararo, and Manda-Inakir

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

People ::Ethiopia

Population:

88,013,491 country comparison to the world: 14 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: 46.1% (male 19,596,784/female 19,688,887)

15-64 years: 51.2% (male 21,376,495/female 22,304,812)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 975,923/female 1,294,437) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.8 years

male: 16.5 years

female: 17.2 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.202% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Birth rate:

43.34 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Death rate:

11.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Net migration rate:

-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 119 note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2010 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 17% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 78.99 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 16 male: 90.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 67.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 55.8 years country comparison to the world: 196 male: 53.28 years

female: 58.39 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.07 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

980,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

67,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Ethiopian(s)

adjective: Ethiopian

Ethnic groups:

Oromo 34.5%, Amara 26.9%, Somalie 6.2%, Tigraway 6.1%, Sidama 4%, Guragie 2.5%, Welaita 2.3%, Hadiya 1.7%, Affar 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, other 11.3% (2007 Census)

Religions:

Orthodox 43.5%, Muslim 33.9%, Protestant 18.6%, traditional 2.6%, Catholic 0.7%, other 0.7% (2007 Census)

Languages:

Amarigna (Amharic) (official) 32.7%, Oromigna (official regional) 31.6%, Tigrigna (official regional) 6.1%, Somaligna 6%, Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14.8%, English (official) (major foreign language taught in schools), Arabic (official) (1994 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 42.7%

male: 50.3%

female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 9 years

female: 8 years (2008)

Education expenditures:

5.5% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 44

Government ::Ethiopia

Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

conventional short form: Ethiopia

local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik

local short form: Ityop'iya

former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa

abbreviation: FDRE

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 9 02 N, 38 42 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 ethnically based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular - astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples), Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali), Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples)

Independence:

oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years (may be traced to the Aksumite Kingdom, which coalesced in the first centuries B.C.)

National holiday:

National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

Constitution:

ratified 8 December 1994, effective 22 August 1995

Legal system:

based on civil law; currently transitional mix of national and regional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995)

cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994 constitution; ministers selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by the House of People's Representatives for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 9 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2013); prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections

election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of vote by the House of People's Representatives - 79%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation (or upper chamber responsible for interpreting the constitution and federal-regional issues) (108 seats; members chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives (or lower chamber responsible for passing legislation) (547 seats; members directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 23 May 2010 (next to be held in 2015)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPRDF 499, SPDP 24, BGPDP 9, ANDP 8, GPUDM 3, HNL 1, FORUM 1, APDO 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [Mohammed KEDIR]; Arena Tigray; Argoba People's Democratic Organization or APDO; Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Party or BGPDP [Mulualem BESSE]; Coalition for Unity and Democratic Party or CUDP; Ethiopian Federal Democatic Forum or FORUM (a UDJ-led 8-party alliance established for the 2010 parliamentary elections); Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF; Gambella Peoples Unity Democratic Movement or GPUDM [Umod UBONG]; Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM; Harari National League or HNL [Murad ABDULHADI]; Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa]; Oromo People's Congress or OPC [IMERERA Gudina]; Somali Democratic Alliance Forces or SODAF; Somali People's Democratic Party or SPDP; United Ethiopian Democratic Forces or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]; Unity for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [Birtukan MEDEKSA, currently imprisoned]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front or EPPF; Ogaden National Liberation Front or ONLF; Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Tesfaye YILMA Sabo

chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200

FAX: [1] (202) 587-0195

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH

embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa

mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa

telephone: [251] 11-517-40-00

FAX: [251] 11-517-40-01

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red, with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; green represents hope and the fertility of the land, yellow symbolizes justice and harmony, while red stands for sacrifice and heroism in the defense of the land; the blue of the disk symbolizes peace and the pentagram represents the unity and equality of the nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia

note: Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag (adopted ca. 1895) were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the Pan-African colors; the emblem in the center of the current flag was added in 1996

National anthem:

name: "Whedefit Gesgeshi Woude Henate Ethiopia" (March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia)

lyrics/music: DEREJE Melaku Mengesha/SOLOMON Lulu

note: adopted 1992

Economy ::Ethiopia

Economy - overview:

Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, accounting for almost 45% of GDP, and 85% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006, but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement income. Under Ethiopia's constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans. In November 2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in December 2005 the IMF forgave Ethiopia's debt. The global economic downturn led to balance of payments pressures, partially alleviated by recent emergency funding from the IMF. While GDP growth has remained high, per capita inome is among the lowest in the world.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$84.02 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $78.52 billion (2009 est.)

$72.24 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$30.94 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 8.7% (2009 est.)

11.6% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 214 $900 (2009 est.)

$900 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 42.9%

industry: 13.7%

services: 43.4% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

37.9 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 17

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 85%

industry: 5%

services: 10% (2009 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

38.7% (FY05/06 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4.1%

highest 10%: 25.6% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30 (2000) country comparison to the world: 112 40 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.2% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Public debt:

39.3% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 35.4% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 8.5% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 129 7% (31 December 2006)

Stock of narrow money:

$4.764 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 91 $4.972 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$8.248 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $8.641 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$8.661 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 $9.292 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, potatoes, qat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish

Industries:

food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals processing, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

9.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Electricity - production:

3.46 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Electricity - consumption:

3.13 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Oil - consumption:

38,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Oil - imports:

33,590 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Oil - proved reserves:

430,000 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Natural gas - proved reserves:

24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Current account balance:

-$2.232 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 -$1.996 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$1.729 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $1.636 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

Exports - partners:

China 10.87%, Germany 9.75%, Saudi Arabia 7.39%, US 7.21%, Netherlands 6.38%, Switzerland 5.33%, Sudan 4.35%, Belgium 4% (2009)

Imports:

$7.517 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $6.946 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

Imports - partners:

China 14.73%, Saudi Arabia 8.41%, India 7.65%, US 4.3% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.88 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $1.781 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.289 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $3.621 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

birr (ETB) per US dollar - 14.4 (2010), 11.7776 (2009), 9.57 (2008), 8.96 (2007), 8.69 (2006)

Communications ::Ethiopia

Telephones - main lines in use:

915,100 (2009) country comparison to the world: 82

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.052 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 103

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate telephone system with the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) maintaining a monopoly over telecommunication services; open-wire, microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; 2 domestic satellites provide the national trunk service

domestic: the number of fixed lines and mobile telephones is increasing from a small base; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is only about 5 per 100 persons

international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) (2009)

Broadcast media:

1 public TV broadcast station broadcasting nationally and 1 public radio broadcaster with stations in each of the 13 administrative districts; a few commercial radio stations and roughly a dozen community radio stations (2009)

Internet country code:

.et

Internet hosts:

151 (2010) country comparison to the world: 200

Internet users:

447,300 (2009) country comparison to the world: 119

Transportation ::Ethiopia

Airports:

61 (2010) country comparison to the world: 79

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 17

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 44

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 7 (2010)

Railways:

total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the 781 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) country comparison to the world: 106 narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge

note: railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but is largely inoperable (2008)

Roadways:

total: 36,469 km country comparison to the world: 94 paved: 6,980 km

unpaved: 29,489 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 9 country comparison to the world: 118 by type: cargo 8, roll on/roll off 1 (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Ethiopia is landlocked and uses ports of Djibouti in Djibouti and Berbera in Somalia

Military ::Ethiopia

Military branches:

Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) (2010)

note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct call-ups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 18,485,269

females age 16-49: 19,145,307 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 11,466,713

females age 16-49: 12,444,706 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 934,523

female: 947,103 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.2% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 124

Transnational Issues ::Ethiopia

Disputes - international:

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; civil unrest in eastern Sudan has hampered efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 66,980 (Sudan); 16,576 (Somalia); 13,078 (Eritrea)

IDPs: 200,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000, ethnic clashes in Gambela, and ongoing Ethiopian military counterinsurgency in Somali region; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe, as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money laundering center

page last updated on January 20, 2011

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

@European Union (Europe)

Introduction ::European Union

Preliminary statement:

The evolution of the European Union (EU) from a regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's supranational organization of 27 countries across the European continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the norm in Europe. On a few occasions even country-level unions were arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples - but for such a large number of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching entity is truly unique.

Although the EU is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as ASEAN, NAFTA, or Mercosur, and it has many of the attributes associated with independent nations: its own flag, anthem, founding date, and currency, as well as an incipient common foreign and security policy in its dealings with other nations.

In the future, many of these nation-like characteristics are likely to be expanded. Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed appropriate as a new, separate entity in The World Factbook. However, because of the EU's special status, this description is placed after the regular country entries.

Background:

Following the two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris.

The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since.

In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15.

A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries (the European Monetary Union or EMU) began using the euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania joined, bringing the current membership to 27. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (in force as of 1 February 2003) set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An effort to establish an EU constitution, begun in October 2004, failed to attain unanimous ratification. A new effort, undertaken in June 2007, created an Intergovernmental Conference to formulate a political agreement - initially known as the Reform Treaty but subsequently referred to as the Treaty of Lisbon - which would serve as a constitution. Unlike the constitution, however, the Treaty of Lisbon sought to amend existing treaties rather than replace them. In October 2009, an Irish referendum approved the Treaty (overturning a previous rejection) and cleared the way for an ultimate unanimous endorsement - the Czech Republic signed on soon after. Treaty implementation began on 1 December 2009. In 2010, the prospect of a Greek default on its euro-denominated debt created severe strains within the EMU and raised the question of whether a member country might be removed.

Geography ::European Union

Location:

Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west and Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to the east

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 4,324,782 sq km

Area - comparative:

less than one-half the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 12,440.8 km

border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km, Macedonia 394 km, Moldova 450 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 945 km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 446 km, Ukraine 1,257 km

note: data for European Continent only

Coastline:

65,992.9 km

Maritime claims:

Climate:

cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south

Terrain:

fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the central and southern areas

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m

highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m; note - situated on the border between France and Italy

Natural resources:

iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish

Land use:

arable land: NA

permanent crops: NA

other: NA

Irrigated land:

168,050 sq km (2003 est.)

Natural hazards:

flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic

Environment - current issues:

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94

signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

People ::European Union

Population:

492,387,344 (July 2010 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.44% (male 38,992,677/female 36,940,450)

15-64 years: 67.23% (male 166,412,403/female 164,295,636)

65 years and over: 17.33% (male 35,376,333/female 49,853,361) (2009 est.)

Median age:

note - see individual country entries of member states (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.098 % (2010 est.)

Birth rate:

9.83 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate:

10.33 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.61 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 181 male: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.82 years country comparison to the world: 41 male: 75.7 years

female: 82.13 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.51 children born/woman (2010 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

note - see individual country entries of member states

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

note - see individual country entries of member states

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

note - see individual country entries of member states

Religions:

Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish

Languages:

Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish

note: only official languages are listed; German, the major language of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, is the most widely spoken mother tongue - over 19% of the EU population; English is the most widely spoken language - about 49% of the EU population is conversant with it (2007)

Government ::European Union

Union name:

conventional long form: European Union

abbreviation: EU

Political structure:

a hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 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

note: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, Belgium; the European Parliament meets in Brussels and Strasbourg, France; the Court of Justice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg

Member states:

27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; note - candidate countries: Croatia, Iceland, Macedonia, Montenegro, Turkey

Independence:

7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)

National holiday:

Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday, the day that Robert SCHUMAN proposed the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community to achieve an organized Europe

Constitution:

none

note: based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in 2003; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October 2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in French and Dutch referenda in May-June 2005 dealt a severe setback to the ratification process; in June 2007, the European Council agreed on a clear and concise mandate for an Intergovernmental Conference to form a political agreement and put it into legal form; this agreement, known as the Reform Treaty, would have served as a constitution and was presented to the European Council in October 2007 for individual country ratification; it was rejected by Irish voters in June 2008, again stalling the ratification process; the Reform Treaty, more recently known as the Treaty of Lisbon, was again circulated for ratification, and by November 2009 was approved by all 27 countries; it came into effect on 1 December 2009

Legal system:

comparable to the legal systems of member states; first supranational law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of union: President of the European Commission Jose Manuel BARROSO (since 2004)

cabinet: European Commission (composed of 27 members, one from each member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy areas) (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the president of the European Commission designated by member governments and confirmed by the European Parliament; working from member state recommendations, the Commission president then assembles a "college" of Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a five-year term; the next confirmation process will likely be held in January 2015

note: the European Council brings together heads of state and government and the president of the European Commission and meets at least four times a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major political issues relating to European integration and to issue general policy guidelines; leaders of the EU member states appointed then Belgian Prime Minister Herman VAN ROMPUY to be the first full-time president of the European Council in November 2009; he took office on 1 December 2009 and will serve a two-and-one-half-year term, renewable once; his core responsibilities include chairing the four summits each year and providing continuity beyond the rotating, six-month presidencies of the Council of the EU

Legislative branch:

two legislative bodies consisting of the Council of the European Union (27 member-state ministers having 345 votes; the number of votes is roughly proportional to member-states' population) and the European Parliament (736 seats; seats allocated among member states in proportion to population; members elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term); note - the Council is the main decision-making body of the EU; leaders of the EU member states appointed UK Baroness Catherine Ashton to be the first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; Ashton took office on 1 December 2009; her concurrent appointment as Vice President of the European Commission - both of which are subject to confirmation by the European Parliament - endows her position with the policymaking influence of the Council of the EU and the budgetary influence of the European Commission

elections: last held on 4-7 June 2009 (next to be held in June 2014)

election results: percent of vote - EPP 36%, S&D 25%, ALDE 11.4%, Greens/EFA 7.5%, ECR 7.3%, GUE/NGL 4.8%, EFD 4.3%, independents 3.7%; seats by party - EPP 265, S&D 184, ALDE 84, Greens/EFA 55, ECR 54, GUE/NGL 35, EFD 32, independents 27

Judicial branch:

Court of Justice of the European Communities (ensures that the treaties are interpreted and applied uniformly throughout the EU; resolve constitutional issues among the EU institutions) - 27 justices (one from each member state) appointed for a six-year term; note - for the sake of efficiency, the court can sit with 13 justices known as the "Grand Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 27 justices appointed for a six-year term

Political parties and leaders:

Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left or GUE/NGL [Lothar BISKY]; Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group or EFD [Nigel FARAGE and Francesco SPERONI]; European Conservatives and Reformists Group or ECR [Michael KAMINSKI]; Group of Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Rebecca HARMS and Daniel COHN-BENDIT]; Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Guy VERHOFSTADT]; Group of the European People's Party or EPP [Joseph DAUL]; Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament or S&D [Martin SCHULZ]

International organization participation:

European Union: ARF (dialogue member), ASEAN (dialogue member), FAO, G-8, G-20, IDA, OAS (observer), PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN (observer), WTO

European Commission: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, EBRD, FATF, G-10, IEA, LAIA WTO, ZC (observer)

European Central Bank: BIS

European Investment Bank: EBRD

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Joao P. Castanheira do VALE DE ALMEIDA

chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500

FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Christopher MURRAY

embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat/Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels

mailing address: same as above

telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111

FAX: [32] (2) 508-2063

Flag description:

a blue field with 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle in the center; blue represents the sky of the Western world, the stars are the peoples of Europe in a circle, a symbol of unity; the number of stars is fixed

National anthem:

lyrics/music: none/Ludwig VON BEETHOVEN, arranged by Herbert VON KARAJAN

note: adopted 1972, not in use until 1986; according to the European Union, the song is meant to represent all of Europe rather than just the organization; the song also serves as the anthem for the Council of Europe

Economy ::European Union

Economy - overview:

Internally, the EU has abolished trade barriers, adopted a common currency, and is striving toward convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe's trade position and its political and economic power. Because of the great differences in per capita income among member states (from $7,000 to $78,000) and in national attitudes toward issues like inflation, debt, and foreign trade, the EU faces difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. In the wake of the global economic crisis, the European Commission projected that the EU's economy would shrink by 4% in 2009 and 0.1% in 2010. The EU has recovered from the crisis faster than expected, however, and the Commission estimates 2010 growth at 1.8%. Significant risks to growth nevertheless remain, including, high official debts and deficits, aging populations, over-regulation of non-financial businesses, and doubts about the sustainability of European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). In June 2010, prompted by the Greek financial crisis, the EU and the IMF set up a $1 trillion bailout fund to rescue any EMU member in danger of default, but it has not calmed market jitters that have diminished the value of the euro. Eleven established EU member states introduced the euro as their common currency on 1 January 1999 (Greece did so two years later), but the UK and Denmark have 'opt-outs' that allow them to keep their national currencies, and Sweden has not taken the steps needed to participate. Between 2004 and 2007, the EU admitted 12 countries that are, in general, less advanced economically than the other 15. Of the 12 most recent member states, only Slovenia (1 January 2007), Cyprus and Malta (1 January 2008), Slovakia (1 January 2009), and Estonia (1 January 2011) have adopted the euro; the remaining states other than the UK and Denmark are legally required to adopt the currency upon meeting EU's fiscal and monetary convergence criteria.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$14.89 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $14.64 trillion (2009 est.)

$15.27 trillion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$15.9 trillion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 -4% (2009 est.)

0.6% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$32,900 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $32,400 (2009 est.)

$33,900 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.8%

industry: 25.2%

services: 72.9% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

225.2 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 5.6%

industry: 27.7%

services: 66.7% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

9.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 9% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line:

note - see individual country entries of member states

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 25.6% (2002 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

31 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 31.2 (1996 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.6% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 1.8% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

1.75% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 121 3% (31 December 2008)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.52% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 8.58% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$5.542 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 2 $5.649 trillion (31 December 2007)

note: this is the quantity of money, M1, for the euro area, converted into US dollars at the exchange rate for the date indicated; it excludes the stock of money carried by non-euro-area members of the European Union

Stock of broad money:

$11.17 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $10.83 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

note: this is the quantity of quasi money, M2-M1, for the euro area, converted into US dollars at the exchange rate for the date indicated; it excludes the stock of quasi money carried by non-euro-area members of the European Union

Stock of domestic credit:

$22.65 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $21.24 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)

note: this figure refers to the euro area only; it excludes credit data for non-euro-area members of the EU

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $7.564 trillion (31 December 2008)

$15.57 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes; dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry; fish

Industries:

among the world's largest and most technologically advanced, the EU industrial base includes: ferrous and non-ferrous metal production and processing, metal products, petroleum, coal, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, construction equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power equipment, machine tools and automated manufacturing systems, electronics and telecommunications equipment, fishing, food and beverage processing, furniture, paper, textiles, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

3.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Electricity - production:

3.08 trillion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Electricity - consumption:

2.906 trillion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Electricity - exports:

NA kWh

Electricity - imports:

NA kWh

Oil - production:

2.383 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Oil - consumption:

13.68 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Oil - exports:

2.196 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Oil - imports:

8.613 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Oil - proved reserves:

5.414 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Natural gas - production:

181.6 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Natural gas - consumption:

489.4 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Natural gas - exports:

NA cu m

Natural gas - imports:

NA cu m

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.242 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Current account balance:

$NA (2009)

$51.4 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$1.952 trillion (2007) country comparison to the world: 1 $1.33 trillion (2005)

note: external exports, excluding intra-EU trade

Exports - commodities:

machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, wood pulp and paper products, textiles, meat, dairy products, fish, alcoholic beverages.

Imports:

$1.69 trillion (2007) country comparison to the world: 2 $1.466 trillion (2005)

note: external imports, excluding intra-EU trade

Imports - commodities:

machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil, chemicals, textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$NA

Debt - external:

country comparison to the world: 2 $13.72 trillion (30 June 2010); This is the external debt for the euro area only; it excludes the external debt of the non-euro-area members of the EU

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7338 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)

Communications ::European Union

Telephones - main lines in use:

238 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

466 million (2005)

Telephone system:

note - see individual country entries of member states

Internet country code:

.eu; note - see country entries of member states for individual country codes

Internet hosts:

140,277; note - this sum reflects the number of internet hosts assigned the .eu internet country code (2010)

Internet users:

247 million (2006)

Transportation ::European Union

Airports:

3,383 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1,992

over 3,047 m: 116

2,438 to 3,047 m: 340

1,524 to 2,437 m: 546

914 to 1,523 m: 422

under 914 m: 568 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1,391

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

914 to 1,523 m: 254

under 914 m: 1,112 (2010)

Heliports:

99 (2010)

Railways:

total: 229,450 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 5,919,704 km (2008)

Waterways:

52,332 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Braila (Romania), Bremen (Germany), Burgas (Bulgaria), Constanta (Romania), Copenhagen (Denmark), Galati (Romania), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Naples (Italy), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia), Tulcea (Romania), Varna (Bulgaria)

Military ::European Union

Military - note:

the five-nation Eurocorps - created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg - has deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and assumed command of the ISAF in Afghanistan in August 2004; Eurocorps directly commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina; in November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers formally committed to creating 13 1,500-man battle groups by the end of 2007, to respond to international crises on a rotating basis; 22 of the EU's 27 nations have agreed to supply troops; France, Italy, and the UK formed the first of three battle groups in 2005; Norway, Sweden, Estonia, and Finland established the Nordic Battle Group effective 1 January 2008; nine other groups are to be formed; a rapid-reaction naval EU Maritime Task Group was stood up in March 2007 (2007)

Transnational Issues ::European Union

Disputes - international:

as a political union, the EU has no border disputes with neighboring countries, but Estonia has no land boundary agreements with Russia, Slovenia disputes its land and maritime boundaries with Croatia, and Spain has territorial and maritime disputes with Morocco and with the UK over Gibraltar; the EU has set up a Schengen area - consisting of 22 EU member states that have signed the convention implementing the Schengen agreements or "acquis" (1985 and 1990) on the free movement of persons and the harmonization of border controls in Europe; these agreements became incorporated into EU law with the implementation of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam on 1 May 1999; in addition, non-EU states Iceland and Norway (as part of the Nordic Union) have been included in the Schengen area since 1996 (full members in 2001), and Switzerland since 2008 bringing the total current membership to 25; the UK (since 2000) and Ireland (since 2002) take part in only some aspects of the Schengen area, especially with respect to police and criminal matters; nine of the 12 new member states that joined the EU since 2004 joined Schengen on 21 December 2007; of the three remaining EU states, Cyprus is expected to join by 2009, while Romania and Bulgaria continue to enhance their border security systems

page last updated on January 20, 2011

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

@Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (South America)

Introduction ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Background:

Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced an Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.

Geography ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Location:

Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina

Geographic coordinates:

51 45 S, 59 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 12,173 sq km country comparison to the world: 164 land: 12,173 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,288 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but typically does not accumulate

Terrain:

rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Natural resources:

fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2005)

Irrigated land:

Natural hazards:

strong winds persist throughout the year

Environment - current issues:

overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the 1986 Chornobyl disaster

Geography - note:

deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season

People ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Population:

3,140 (July 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 230

Age structure:

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:

0.011% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Urbanization:

urban population: 92% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Nationality:

noun: Falkland Islander(s)

adjective: Falkland Island

Ethnic groups:

British

Religions:

Christian 67.2%, none 31.5%, other 1.3% (2006 census)

Languages:

English

Literacy:

Government ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina

Government type:

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 51 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends third Sunday in April

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

National holiday:

Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Constitution:

1 January 2009

Legal system:

English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Governor Nigel HAYWOOD (since 16 October 2010) is the Queen's representative; Chief Executive Dr. Tim THOROGOOD (since 3 January 2008)

cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor; the governor must obey the rulings of the Executive Council on domestic affairs (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly (10 seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote; members to serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor

elections: last held on 5 November 2009 (next to be held in November 2013)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:

none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Falkland Islands Association (supports freedom of the people from external causes)

International organization participation:

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Christopher LANHAM

note: adopted 1930s; the song is the local unofficial anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

Economy ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Economy - overview:

The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987, the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falkland Islands' exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which help support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Foreign exchange earnings come from shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date, no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Political tensions between the UK and Argentina rose in early 2010 after a UK company began oil drilling activities in the waters around the Falkland Islands but abated somewhat when the drilling operation failed to discover commercially exploitable oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$105.1 million (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

GDP (official exchange rate):

$105.1 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$35,400 (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 95%

industry: NA%

services: NA% (1996)

Labor force:

1,724 (1996) (1996) country comparison to the world: 224

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)

industry and services: 5% (1996)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.6% (1998) country comparison to the world: 105

Agriculture - products:

fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products; fish, squid

Industries:

fish and wool processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

16 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Electricity - consumption:

14.88 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Oil - consumption:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Oil - imports:

271 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Exports:

$125 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Exports - commodities:

wool, hides, meat, fish, squid

Imports:

$90 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Imports - commodities:

fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Falkland pounds (FKP) per US dollar - 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)

note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Communications ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 223

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3,300 (2009) country comparison to the world: 212

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands

international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries

Broadcast media:

television service provided by a multi-channel service provider; radio services provided by the public broadcaster Falkland Islands Radio Service (FIRS), broadcasting on both AM and FM frequencies, and by the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) (2007)

Internet country code:

.fk

Internet hosts:

91 (2010) country comparison to the world: 203

Internet users:

2,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 208

Transportation ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Airports:

7 (2010) country comparison to the world: 167

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 5

under 914 m: 5 (2010)

Roadways:

total: 440 km country comparison to the world: 197 paved: 50 km

unpaved: 390 km (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Stanley

Military ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Military branches:

no regular military forces

Military expenditures:

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Disputes - international:

Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks

page last updated on January 10, 2011

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

@Faroe Islands (Europe)

Introduction ::Faroe Islands

Background:

The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high degree of self government was granted the Faroese in 1948, who have autonomy over most internal affairs while Denmark is responsible for justice, defense, and foreign affairs. The Faroe Islands are not part of the European Union.

Geography ::Faroe Islands

Location:

Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about half way between Iceland and Norway

Geographic coordinates:

62 00 N, 7 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 1,393 sq km country comparison to the world: 182 land: 1,393 sq km

water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

Area - comparative:

eight times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,117 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:

mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy

Terrain:

rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Natural resources:

fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use:

arable land: 2.14%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.86% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

Environment - current issues:

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Marine Dumping - associate member to the London Convention and Ship Pollution

Geography - note:

archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands

People ::Faroe Islands

Population:

49,057 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.6% (male 5,451/female 5,108)

15-64 years: 64% (male 16,708/female 14,544)

65 years and over: 14.4% (male 3,324/female 3,721) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.1 years

male: 36.5 years

female: 37.9 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.424% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Birth rate:

12.9 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Death rate:

8.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Urbanization:

urban population: 41% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.069 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.18 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 176 male: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.58 years country comparison to the world: 33 male: 77.13 years

female: 82.21 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.43 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Nationality:

noun: Faroese (singular and plural)

adjective: Faroese

Ethnic groups:

Scandinavian

Religions:

Evangelical Lutheran 83.8%, other and unspecified 16.2% (2006 census)

Languages:

Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Literacy:

NA; note - probably 99%, the same as Denmark proper

Government ::Faroe Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Faroe Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Foroyar

Dependency status:

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

Government type:

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 62 01 N, 6 46 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 34 municipalities

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

National holiday:

Olaifest (Olavsoka ), 29 July

Constitution:

5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:

the laws of Denmark where applicable apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Dan Michael KNUDSEN, chief administrative officer (since 2008)

head of government: Prime Minister Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN (since 26 September 2008)

cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held on 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012)

election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister in 2008; governing coalition collapses in September 2008, Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN becomes prime minister

Legislative branch:

unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats; members elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 21%, Social Democratic Party 19.3%, Republican Party 23.3%, People's Party 20.1%, Center Party 8.4%, Independence Party 7.2%, other 0.7%; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Union Party 7, Social Democratic Party 6, People's Party 7, Center Party 3, Independence Party 2

note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 13 November 2007 (next to be held no later than November 2011); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, Union Party 1

Judicial branch:

none

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party [Jenis av RANA]; Independence Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD]; People's Party [Jorgen NICLASEN]; Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Kaj Leo JOHANNESEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

conservationists

International organization participation:

Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:

white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); referred to as Merkid, meaning "the banner" or "the mark," the flag resembles those of neighboring Iceland and Norway, and uses the same three colors - but in a different sequence; white represents the clear Faroese sky as well as the foam of the waves; red and blue are traditional Faroese colors

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Simun av SKAROI/Peter ALBERG

note: adopted 1948; the anthem is also known as "Tu alfagra land mitt" (Thou Fairest Land of Mine); as an autonomous overseas division of Denmark, the Faroe Islands are permitted their own national anthem

Economy ::Faroe Islands

Economy - overview:

The Faroese economy is dependent on fishing, which makes the economy vulnerable to price swings. The sector accounts for about 95% of exports and nearly half of GDP. In early 2008 the Faroese economy began to slow as a result of smaller catches and historically high oil prices that continue to trouble the economy. Though oil prices have come down, reduced catches, especially of cod and haddock, have continued to strain the Faroese economy. GDP grew 0.5% in 2008-09. The slowdown in the Faroese economy followed a strong performance since the mid-1990s with annual growth rates averaging close to 6%, mostly a result of increased fish landings and salmon farming, and high export prices. Unemployment reached its lowest level in the first half of 2008, but increased to 3.9% in 2009 and is rising. The Faroese Home Rule Government produced increasing budget surpluses that helped to reduce the large public debt, most of it to Denmark. However, total dependence on fishing and salmon farming make the Faroese economy very vulnerable to fluctuations in world demand. In addition, budget surpluses turned to deficits in 2008-09, and the economy at both the country and local level is running large deficits. Initial discoveries of oil in the Faroese area give hope for eventual oil production, which may provide a foundation for a more diversified economy and less dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by an annual subsidy from Denmark amounting to about 6% of Faroese GDP, the Faroese have a standard of living almost equal to that of Denmark and Greenland.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.642 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.45 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$34,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 16%

industry: 29%

services: 55% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

34,680 (November 2008) country comparison to the world: 201

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 10.2%

industry: 20.5%

services: 69.2% (2008)

Unemployment rate:

3.9% (2009) country comparison to the world: 34 1.2% (2008)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-1.1% (2009) country comparison to the world: 6 6.4% (2008)

Agriculture - products:

milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Industries:

fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Electricity - production:

275.8 million kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Electricity - consumption:

264.4 million kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Oil - consumption:

5,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2008) country comparison to the world: 195

Oil - imports:

4,922 bbl/day (2008) country comparison to the world: 157

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 196

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 185

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Exports:

$848 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 157 $634 million (2006)

Exports - commodities:

fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships

Exports - partners:

Hungary 36.26%, Denmark 21.36%, UK 12.21%, Nigeria 7.72%, US 6.49%, Norway 5.46% (2009)

Imports:

$983 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 171 $751 million (2006)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, machinery and transport equipment 29%, fuels, fish, salt

Imports - partners:

Denmark 54.42%, Norway 20.76%, Sweden 4.79% (2009)

Debt - external:

$68.1 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 185

Exchange rates:

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.774 (2009), 5.0236 (2008), 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006)

Communications ::Faroe Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

20,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 192

Telephones - mobile cellular:

57,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 194

Telephone system:

general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities

domestic: conversion to digital system completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed

international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Broadcast media:

1 publicly-owned TV station; the Faroese telecommunications company distributes local and international channels through its digital terrestrial network; publicly-owned radio station supplemented by 2 privately-owned stations broadcasting over multiple frequencies (2008)

Internet country code:

.fo

Internet hosts:

8,936 (2010) country comparison to the world: 128

Internet users:

37,500 (2009) country comparison to the world: 175

Transportation ::Faroe Islands

Airports:

1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 230

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)

Roadways:

total: 463 km (2006) country comparison to the world: 194

Merchant marine:

total: 26 country comparison to the world: 91 by type: cargo 11, chemical tanker 6, container 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 11 (Norway 6, Sweden 5) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Fuglafjordur, Torshavn, Vagur

Military ::Faroe Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 11,788 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,792

females age 16-49: 8,354 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 379

female: 368 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues ::Faroe Islands

Disputes - international:

because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been deferred; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

page last updated on January 19, 2011

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

@Fiji (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Fiji

Background:

Fiji became independent in 1970 after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987 caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became interim prime minister. Since taking power BAINIMARAMA has neutralized his opponents, crippled Fiji's democratic institutions, and refused to hold elections.

Geography ::Fiji

Location:

Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

18 00 S, 175 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 18,274 sq km country comparison to the world: 156 land: 18,274 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,129 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added

Climate:

tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Natural resources:

timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 10.95%

permanent crops: 4.65%

other: 84.4% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

28.6 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.07 cu km/yr (14%/14%/71%)

per capita: 82 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

People ::Fiji

Population:

875,983 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.3% (male 146,327/female 140,327)

15-64 years: 64.9% (male 307,077/female 305,886)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 20,300/female 24,803) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.6 years

male: 26.4 years

female: 26.8 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.827% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Birth rate:

21.52 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Death rate:

5.88 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Net migration rate:

-7.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Urbanization:

urban population: 52% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 11.28 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 146 male: 12.42 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.03 years country comparison to the world: 136 male: 68.46 years

female: 73.73 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.65 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

600 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Nationality:

noun: Fijian(s)

adjective: Fijian

Ethnic groups:

Fijian 57.3% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 37.6%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 3.9% (European, other Pacific Islanders, Chinese) (2007 census)

Religions:

Christian 64.5% (Methodist 34.6%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Assembly of God 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.9%, Anglican 0.8%, other 10.4%), Hindu 27.9%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other or unspecified 0.3%, none 0.7% (2007 census)

Languages:

English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.7%

male: 95.5%

female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

6.2% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 33

Government ::Fiji

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands

conventional short form: Fiji

local long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti

local short form: Fiji/Viti

Government type:

republic

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins fourth Sunday in October; ends last Sunday in March

Administrative divisions:

4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western

Independence:

10 October 1970 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Constitution:

enacted on 25 July 1997; effective on 28 July 1998; note - it encourages multiculturalism and makes multiparty government mandatory

Legal system:

based on British system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU (since 30 July 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000); note - although QARASE is still the legal prime minister, he has been confined to his home island; former President ILOILOVATU appointed Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA interim prime minister under the military regime

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and responsible to Parliament; note - coup leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA has appointed an interim cabinet (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: under the constitution, president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); in 2007 the Great Council of Chiefs was suspended from its role in electing the president; prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU was appointed by Chief Justice Anthony GATES

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 members appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister, 8 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 1 appointed on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 members reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held on 6-13 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - SDL 44.6%, FLP 39.2%, UPP 0.8%, independents 4.9%, other 10.5%; seats by party - SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, independents 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT [Sitiveni RABUKA] (primarily Fijian), and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP (became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP; Justice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR; National Federation Party or NFP [Pramond RAE] (primarily Indian); Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the Truth or POTT; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Group Against Racial Discrimination or GARD [Dr. Anirudk SINGH] (for restoration of a democratic government); Viti Landowners Association

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C (suspended), CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Winston THOMPSON

chancery: 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 466-8320

FAX: [1] (202) 466-8325

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador C. Steven MCGANN

embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva

mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva

telephone: [679] 331-4466

FAX: [679] 330-0081

Flag description:

light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the blue symbolizes the Pacific ocean and the Union Jack reflects the links with Great Britain; the shield - taken from Fiji's coat of arms - depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George; the four quarters depict stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT/C. Austin MILES (adapted by Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT)

note: adopted 1970; the anthem is known in Fijian as "Meda Dau Doka" (Let Us Show Pride); adapted from the hymn, "Dwelling in Beulah Land," the anthem's English lyrics are generally sung, although they differ in meaning from the official Fijian lyrics

Economy ::Fiji

Economy - overview:

Spotted a typo or a problem in this chapter? Tell us

The 2010 CIA World Factbook (part 5 of 25)

Cite this passage

MLA

APA

Chicago

The 2010 CIA World Factbook (part 5 of 25)