The 2003 CIA World Factbook
by United States. Central Intelligence Agency · English · Gutenberg #27558 · 7,769,808 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The 2003 CIA World Factbook
Author: United States. Central Intelligence Agency
Release date: December 18, 2008 [eBook #27558]
Most recently updated: October 21, 2025
Language: English
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/27558
Credits: Produced by Al Haines
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 2003 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK ***
THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 2003
CONTENTS
Countries and Locations
Field Listings
Rank Orders
Appendixes
Notes and Definitions
History of The World Factbook
Contributors and Copyright Information
Purchasing Information
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
=====================================================================
What's New
- Country information has been updated as of 18 December 2003.
- For Rank Order pages and downloadable, tab-delimited rank-order
files, a Rank Order page for Highways has been added.
- Entries for Natural Gas - production, Natural Gas - consumption,
Natural Gas - exports, and Natural Gas - imports have been added
to the Economy category of each country.
The World Factbook 2003 printed version provides a "snapshot" of
the world as of 1 January 2003.
=====================================================================
Country Listing
[Transcriber's note: To search on a country name in this file, prefix
the name with "@", e.g. "@Afghanistan". "Afghanistan" will find all
occurrences; prefixing it with "@" will find the correct location.]
A
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Arctic Ocean
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Atlantic Ocean
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
B
Bahamas, The
Bahrain
Baker Island
Bangladesh
Barbados
Bassas da India
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burma
Burundi
C
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Clipperton Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the
Cook Islands
Coral Sea Islands
Costa Rica
Cote d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
D
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
E
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Europa Island
F
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
G
Gabon
Gambia, The
Gaza Strip
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Glorioso Islands
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
H
Haiti
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Holy See (Vatican City)
Honduras
Hong Kong
Howland Island
Hungary
I
Iceland
India
Indian Ocean
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
J
Jamaica
Jan Mayen
Japan
Jarvis Island
Jersey
Johnston Atoll
Jordan
Juan de Nova Island
K
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kingman Reef
Kiribati
Korea, North
Korea, South
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
L
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
M
Macau
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Man, Isle of
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States of
Midway Islands
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
N
Namibia
Nauru
Navassa Island
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
O
Oman
P
Pacific Ocean
Pakistan
Palau
Palmyra Atoll
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paracel Islands
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Q
Qatar
R
Reunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
S
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia and Montenegro
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Southern Ocean
Spain
Spratly Islands
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
T
Taiwan entry follows Zimbabwe
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tromelin Island
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
U
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
V
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands
W
Wake Island
Wallis and Futuna
West Bank
Western Sahara
World
Y
Yemen
Z
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Taiwan
=====================================================================
Field Listings
[Transcriber's note: To search on a field code in this file, prefix
the code number with "@", e.g. "@2001". "2001" will find all
occurrences; prefixing it with "@" will find the correct location.]
Code Field Description
2001 GDP
2002 Population growth rate (%)
2003 GDP - real growth rate (%)
2004 GDP - per capita
2006 Dependency status
2007 Diplomatic representation from the US
2008 Transportation - note
2010 Age structure (%)
2011 Geographic coordinates
2012 GDP - composition by sector (%)
2013 Radio broadcast stations
2015 Television broadcast stations
2018 Sex ratio (male(s)/female)
2019 Heliports
2020 Elevation extremes (m)
2021 Natural hazards
2022 People - note
2023 Area - comparative
2024 Military manpower - military age (years of age)
2025 Military manpower - fit for military service
2026 Military manpower - reaching military age annually
2028 Background
2030 Airports - with paved runways
2031 Airports - with unpaved runways
2032 Environment - current issues
2033 Environment - international agreements
2034 Military expenditures - percent of GDP (%)
2038 Electricity - production (kWh)
2042 Electricity - consumption (kWh)
2043 Electricity - imports (kWh)
2044 Electricity - exports (kWh)
2045 Electricity - production by source (%)
2046 Population below poverty line (%)
2047 Household income or consumption by percentage share (%)
2048 Labor force - by occupation (%)
2049 Exports - commodities
2050 Exports - partners (%)
2051 Administrative divisions
2052 Agriculture - products
2053 Airports
2054 Birth rate (births/1,000 population)
2055 Military branches
2056 Budget
2057 Capital
2058 Imports - commodities
2059 Climate
2060 Coastline (km)
2061 Imports - partners (%)
2062 Economic aid - donor
2063 Constitution
2064 Economic aid - recipient
2065 Currency
2066 Death rate (deaths/1,000 population)
2067 Military expenditures - dollar figure
2068 Dependent areas
2070 Disputes - international
2075 Ethnic groups (%)
2076 Exchange rates
2077 Executive branch
2078 Exports
2079 Debt - external
2080 Fiscal year
2081 Flag description
2085 Highways (km)
2086 Illicit drugs
2087 Imports
2088 Independence
2089 Industrial production growth rate (%)
2090 Industries
2091 Infant mortality rate (deaths/1,000 live births)
2092 Inflation rate (consumer prices) (%)
2093 Waterways (km)
2094 Judicial branch
2095 Labor force
2096 Land boundaries (km)
2097 Land use (%)
2098 Languages (%)
2100 Legal system
2101 Legislative branch
2102 Life expectancy at birth (years)
2103 Literacy (%)
2105 Military manpower - availability
2106 Maritime claims
2107 International organization participation
2108 Merchant marine
2109 National holiday
2110 Nationality
2111 Natural resources
2112 Net migration rate (migrant(s)/1,000 population)
2113 Geography - note
2115 Political pressure groups and leaders
2116 Economy - overview
2117 Pipelines (km)
2118 Political parties and leaders
2119 Population
2120 Ports and harbors
2121 Railways (km)
2122 Religions (%)
2123 Suffrage
2124 Telephone system
2125 Terrain
2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman)
2128 Government type
2129 Unemployment rate (%)
2137 Military - note
2138 Communications - note
2140 Government - note
2142 Country name
2144 Location
2145 Map references
2146 Irrigated land (sq km)
2147 Area (sq km)
2149 Diplomatic representation in the US
2150 Telephones - main lines in use
2151 Telephones - mobile cellular
2152 Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
2153 Internet users
2154 Internet country code
2155 HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%)
2156 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
2157 HIV/AIDS - deaths
2158 Currency code
2172 Distribution of family income - Gini index
2173 Oil - production (bbl/day)
2174 Oil - consumption (bbl/day)
2175 Oil - imports (bbl/day)
2176 Oil - exports (bbl/day)
2177 Median age (years)
2178 Oil - proved reserves (bbl)
2179 Natural gas - proved reserves (cu m)
2180 Natural gas - production (cu m)
2181 Natural gas - consumption (cu m)
2182 Natural gas - imports (cu m)
2183 Natural gas - exports (cu m)
======================================================================
Rank Orders
[Transcriber's note: To search on a rank order in this file, prefix
the rank's name with "@", e.g. "@Population". "Population" will find
all occurrences; prefixing it with "@" will find the correct location.]
Guide to Rank Order Pages
Rank Order pages are presorted lists of data from selected Factbook
data fields. Rank Order pages are generally given in descending order -
highest to lowest - such as Population and Area. The two exceptions are
Unemployment Rate and Inflation Rate, which are in ascending - lowest
to highest - order. Rank Order pages are available for the following 34
fields in six of the nine Factbook categories.
Geography
Area - total
People
Population
Birth rate
Death rate
Infant mortality rate
Life expectancy at birth - total
Total fertility rate
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS - deaths
Economy
GDP
GDP - real growth rate
GDP - per capita
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Labor force
Unemployment rate
Industrial production growth rate
Electricity - production
Electricity - consumption
Oil - production
Oil - consumption
Oil - exports
Oil - imports
Oil - proved reserves
Natural Gas - proved reserves
Exports
Imports
Debt - external
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use
Telephones - mobile cellular
Internet users
Transportation
Railways - total
Highways - total
Military
Military expenditures - dollar figure
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
Factbook fields with Rank Order pages are easily identified with a
small bar chart icon to the right of the data field title.
Not all Rank Order pages include the same number of entries because
information for a particular field is not available for all countries.
In addition, not all data fields are suitable for displaying as Rank
Order pages, such as those containing textual information. Textual
information is more readily viewed by clicking on the Field Listing
icon next to the Data field title. The other icon next to the data
field title provides the definition of the field.
All of the ‘Rank Order’ pages can be downloaded as tab-delimited data
files and can be opened in other applications such as spreadsheets and
databases. To save a Rank Order page in a spreadsheet, first click on
the ‘Download Datafile’ choice above the Rank Order page you selected;
then, at the top of your browser window, click on 'File' and 'Save As'.
After saving the file, open the spreadsheet, find the saved file, and
'Open' it.
Additional Rank Order pages being considered for future updates of the
Factbook Web site include:
Median age
Literacy
Population below the poverty line
Highways
Waterways
Airports
This page was last updated on 21 October, 2003
=====================================================================
Appendixes
Appendix A - Abbreviations
Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups
Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements
Appendix D - Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes
Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes
Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names
======================================================================
Notes and Definitions
In addition to the updated information, The World Factbook printed
version features seven new entries. In the People category, an entry
has been added for Median age. In the Economy category, entries have
been added for Oil - production, Oil - consumption, Oil - exports, Oil
- imports, Oil - proved reserves, and Natural gas - proved reserves.
The web site version features four additional entries: Natural gas -
production, Natural gas - consumption, Natural gas - exports, and
Natural gas - imports. Revision of some individual country maps, first
introduced in the 2001 edition, is continued in this edition. The
revised maps include elevation extremes and a partial geographic grid.
Several regional maps have also been updated to reflect boundary
changes and place name spelling changes.
Abbreviations
This information is included in Appendix A: Abbreviations, which
includes all abbreviations and acronyms used in the Factbook, with
their expansions.
Acronyms
An acronym is an abbreviation coined from the initial letter of each
successive word in a term or phrase. In general, an acronym made up
solely from the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is
rendered in all capital letters (NATO from North Atlantic Treaty
Organization; an exception would be ASEAN for Association of Southeast
Asian Nations). In general, an acronym made up of more than the first
letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered with only an
initial capital letter (Comsat from Communications Satellite
Corporation; an exception would be NAM from Nonaligned Movement).
Hybrid forms are sometimes used to distinguish between initially
identical terms (WTO: WTrO for World Trade Organization and WToO for
World Tourism Organization).
Administrative divisions
This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-
order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on
Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet
acted on by BGN are noted.
Age structure
This entry provides the distribution of the population according to
age. Information is included by sex and age group (0-14 years, 15-64
years, 65 years and over). The age structure of a population affects a
nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations
(high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while
countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over)
need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be
used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid
growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead
to unrest.
Agriculture - products
This entry is a rank ordering of major crops and products starting with
the most important.
Airports
This entry gives the total number of airports. The runway(s) may be
paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, dirt, sand, or
gravel surfaces), but must be usable. Not all airports have facilities
for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
Airports - with paved runways
This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways
(concrete or asphalt surfaces). For airports with more than one runway,
only the longest runway is included according to the following five
groups - (1) over 3,047 m, (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m, (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m,
(4) 914 to 1,523 m, and (5) under 914 m. Only airports with usable
runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities
for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
Airports - with unpaved runways
This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways
(grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with
more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to
the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m, (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m, (3)
1,524 to 2,437 m, (4) 914 to 1,523 m, and (5) under 914 m. Only
airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all
airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic
control
Appendixes
This section includes Factbook-related material by topic.
Area
This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land
and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or
coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by
international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water
bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of all water
surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines,
including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers).
Area - comparative
This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents.
Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states
based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of
the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178
sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi,
146 acres).
Background
This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues
and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.
Birth rate
This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per
1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth
rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the
rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility
and the age structure of the population.
Budget
This entry includes revenues, total expenditures, and capital
expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis,
i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms
Capital
This entry gives the location of the seat of government.
Climate
This entry includes a brief description of typical weather regimes
throughout the year.
Coastline
This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area
(including islands) and the sea.
Communications
This category deals with the means of exchanging information and
includes the telephone, radio, television, and Internet service
provider entries.
Communications - note
This entry includes miscellaneous communications information of
significance not included elsewhere.
Constitution
This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major
amendments.
Country data codes
see Data codes
Country map
Most versions of the Factbook provide a country map in color. The maps
were produced from the best information available at the time of
preparation. Names and/or boundaries may have changed subsequently.
Country name
This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US
Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional
long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local
long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former
(Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the
Terminology note.
Currency
This entry identifies the national medium of exchange and its basic
subunit.
Crude oil
See "Oil" entries
Currency code
This entry gives the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for each country.
Data codes
This information is presented in Appendix D: Cross-Reference List of
Country Data Codes and Appendix E: Cross-Reference List of
Hydrographic Data Codes. This appendix includes the US Government
approved Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) codes, the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) codes, and
Internet codes for land entities. The appendix also includes the
International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) codes, Aeronautical Chart
and Information Center (ACIC; now a part of the National Imagery and
Mapping Agency or NIMA) codes, and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
codes for hydrographic entities. The US Government has not yet approved
a standard for hydrographic data codes similar to the FIPS 10-4
standard for country data codes.
Date of information
In general, information available as of 1 January 2003 was used in the
preparation of this edition.
Death rate
This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year per
1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death
rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a
country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on
population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age
distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the
overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all
ages, as declining fertility results in an aging population.
Debt - external
This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents
repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services.
Dependency status
This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular
nonindependent entity and an independent state.
Dependent areas
This entry contains an alphabetical listing of all nonindependent
entities associated in some way with a particular independent state.
Diplomatic representation
The US Government has diplomatic relations with 185 independent states,
including 183 of the 189 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan,
Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, and the US itself). In addition, the US
has diplomatic relations with 1 independent state that is not in the UN
- Holy See.
Diplomatic representation in the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX,
consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation from the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing
address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations,
consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Disputes - international
This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from
traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one
sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international
terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US
Department of State. References to other situations involving borders
or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes,
geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does
not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US
Government.
Distribution of family income - Gini index
This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of
family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz
curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number
of families arranged from the poorest to the richest. The index is the
ratio of (a) the area between a country's Lorenz curve and the 45
degree helping line to (b) the entire triangular area under the 45
degree line. The more nearly equal a country's income distribution, the
closer its Lorenz curve to the 45-degree line and the lower its Gini
index, e.g., a Scandinavian country with an index of 25. The more
unequal a country's income distribution, the farther its Lorenz curve
from the 45-degree line and the higher its Gini index, e.g., a Sub-
Saharan country with an index of 50. If income were distributed with
perfect equality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the 45 degree
line and the index would be zero; if income were distributed with
perfect inequality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the horizontal
axis and the right vertical axis and the index would be 100.
Economic aid - donor
This entry refers to net official development assistance (ODA) from
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations to
developing countries and multilateral organizations. ODA is defined as
financial assistance that is concessional in character, has the main
objective to promote economic development and welfare of the less
developed countries (LDCs), and contains a grant element of at least
25%. The entry does not cover other official flows (OOF) or private
flows.
Economic aid - recipient
This entry, which is subject to major problems of definition and
statistical coverage, refers to the net inflow of Official Development
Finance (ODF) to recipient countries. The figure includes assistance
from the World Bank, the IMF, and other international organizations and
from individual nation donors. Formal commitments of aid are included
in the data. Omitted from the data are grants by private organizations.
Aid comes in various forms including outright grants and loans. The
entry thus is the difference between new inflows and repayments.
Economy
This category includes the entries dealing with the size, development,
and management of productive resources, i.e., land, labor, and capital.
Economy - overview
This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree
of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most
important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It
also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most
recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key
future macroeconomic trends.
Electricity - consumption
This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus
imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy
between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the
amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in
transmission and distribution.
Electricity - exports
This entry is the total exported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
Electricity - imports
This entry is the total imported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
Electricity - production
This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-
hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated
and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted
for as loss in transmission and distribution.
Electricity - production by source
This entry states the percentage share of electricity generated from
each energy source. These are fossil fuel, hydro, nuclear, and other
(solar, geothermal, and wind).
Elevation extremes
This entry includes both the highest point and the lowest point.
Entities
Some of the independent states, dependencies, areas of special
sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are not
independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US
Government. "Independent state" refers to a people politically
organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory.
"Dependencies" and "areas of special sovereignty" refer to a broad
category of political entities that are associated in some way with an
independent state. "Country" names used in the table of contents or for
page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the US
Board on Geographic Names and may include independent states,
dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty, or other geographic
entities. There are a total of 268 separate geographic entities in The
World Factbook that may be categorized as follows:
INDEPENDENT STATES
192 Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua
New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
OTHER
1 Taiwan
DEPENDENCIES AND AREAS OF SPECIAL SOVEREIGNTY
6 Australia - Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos
(Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald
Islands, Norfolk Island
2 China - Hong Kong, Macau
2 Denmark - Faroe Islands, Greenland
16 France - Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island,
French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,
Glorioso Islands, Guadeloupe, Juan de Nova Island, Martinique, Mayotte,
New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tromelin Island,
Wallis and Futuna
2 Netherlands - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
3 New Zealand - Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
3 Norway - Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
15 UK - Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British
Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey,
Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South
Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands
14 US - American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis
Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,
Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands,
Wake Island
MISCELLANEOUS
6 Antarctica, Gaza Strip, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, West
Bank, Western Sahara
OTHER ENTITIES
5 oceans - Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific
Ocean, Southern Ocean
1 World
268 total
Environment - current issues
This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental
problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the
entry:
acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid
precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this
process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish
and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid
rain).
acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur
dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially deadly
to the earth's fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH
scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are considered
alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid precipitation; note
- a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in
New England.
aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas,
smoke, or fog.
afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by
planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on
areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire.
asbestos - a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly
used in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic
in particulate form.
biodiversity - also biological diversity; the relative number of
species, diverse in form and function, at the genetic, organism,
community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an
ecosystem's ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption.
bio-indicators - a plant or animal species whose presence,
abundance, and health reveal the general condition of its habitat.
biomass - the total weight or volume of living matter in a given
area or volume.
carbon cycle - the term used to describe the exchange of carbon
(in various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere,
ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits.
catchments - assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and
runoff; an important water management technique in areas with limited
freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar.
DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) - a colorless, odorless
insecticide that has toxic effects on most animals; the use of DDT was
banned in the US in 1972.
defoliants - chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves
artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control,
and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health.
deforestation - the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g.,
unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing,
and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without
planting new growth.
desertification - the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or
semi-arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally productive
soils, or climate change.
dredging - the practice of deepening an existing waterway; also, a
technique used for collecting bottom-dwelling marine organisms (e.g.,
shellfish) or harvesting coral, often causing significant destruction
of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems.
drift-net fishing - done with a net, miles in extent, that is
generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often
results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non-
commercial marine species (by-catch) by its effect of "sweeping the
ocean clean".
ecosystems - ecological units comprised of complex communities of
organisms and their specific environments.
effluents - waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial
waste, which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting
it.
endangered species - a species that is threatened with extinction
either by direct hunting or habitat destruction.
freshwater - water with very low soluble mineral content; sources
include lakes, streams, rivers, glaciers, and underground aquifers.
greenhouse gas - a gas that "traps" infrared radiation in the
lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide,
nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary
greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere.
groundwater - water sources found below the surface of the earth
often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the
source for wells and natural springs.
Highlands Water Project - a series of dams constructed jointly by
Lesotho and South Africa to redirect Lesotho's abundant water supply
into a rapidly growing area in South Africa; while it is the largest
infrastructure project in southern Africa, it is also the most costly
and controversial; objections to the project include claims that it
forces people from their homes, submerges farmlands, and squanders
economic resources.
Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) - represents the 125,000 Inuits
of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international environmental
issues; a panel convenes every three years to determine the focus of
the ICC; the most current concerns are long-range transport of
pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change.
metallurgical plants - industries which specialize in the science,
technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly
concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of
ground water and air when not properly disposed.
noxious substances - injurious, very harmful to living beings.
overgrazing - the grazing of animals on plant material faster than
it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a
common effect of too many animals grazing limited range land.
ozone shield - a layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone gas
(O3) that resides approximately 25 miles above the Earth's surface and
absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to living
organisms.
poaching - the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern
with respect to endangered or threatened species.
pollution - the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made
waste.
potable water - water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed.
salination - the process through which fresh (drinkable) water
becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse
process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by
evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can
eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops.
siltation - occurs when water channels and reservoirs become
clotted with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil
erosion.
slash-and-burn agriculture - a rotating cultivation technique in
which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for
temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity declines
at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this
practice is sustainable while population levels are low and time is
permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation; conversely, where these
conditions do not exist, the practice can have disastrous consequences
for the environment .
soil degradation - damage to the land's productive capacity
because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of
pesticides or fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or
erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce
agricultural products.
soil erosion - the removal of soil by the action of water or wind,
compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing,
and desertification.
ultraviolet (UV) radiation - a portion of the electromagnetic
energy emitted by the sun and naturally filtered in the upper
atmosphere by the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living
organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in
humans.
water-born diseases - those in which the bacteria survive in, and
is transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an
untreated water supply.
Environment - international agreements
This entry separates country participation in international
environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed but not
ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the
abbreviated form of the full name.
Environmental agreements
This information is presented in Appendix C: Selected International
Environmental Agreements, which includes the name, abbreviation, date
opened for signature, date entered into force, objective, and parties
by category.
Ethnic groups
This entry provides a rank ordering of ethnic groups starting with the
largest and normally includes the percent of total population.
Exchange rates
This entry provides the official value of a country's monetary unit at
a given date or over a given period of time, as expressed in units of
local currency per US dollar and as determined by international market
forces or official fiat.
Executive branch
This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name
and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state
at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the
day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes
the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated
to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in
the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is
the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of
state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name
for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of
members. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession
to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election.
Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the
last election.
Exports
This entry provides the total US dollar amount of exports on an f.o.b.
(free on board) basis.
Exports - commodities
This entry provides a rank ordering of exported products starting with
the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar
value.
Exports - partners
This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with
the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar
value.
Fiscal year
This entry identifies the beginning and ending months for a country's
accounting period of 12 months, which often is the calendar year but
which may begin in any month. All yearly references are for the
calendar year (CY) unless indicated as a noncalendar fiscal year (FY).
Flag description
This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual
flags or the best information available at the time the entry was
written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies
unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and
other areas do not have flags.
Flag graphic
Most versions of the Factbook include a color flag at the beginning of
the country profile. The flag graphics were produced from actual flags
or the best information available at the time of preparation. The flags
of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an
officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not
have flags.
GDP
This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final
goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. GDP dollar
estimates in the Factbook are derived from purchasing power parity
(PPP) calculations. See the note on GDP methodology for more
information.
GDP methodology
In the Economy section, GDP dollar estimates for all countries are
derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations rather than
from conversions at official currency exchange rates. The PPP method
involves the use of standardized international dollar price weights,
which are applied to the quantities of final goods and services
produced in a given economy. The data derived from the PPP method
provide the best available starting point for comparisons of economic
strength and well-being between countries. The division of a GDP
estimate in domestic currency by the corresponding PPP estimate in
dollars gives the PPP conversion rate. Whereas PPP estimates for OECD
countries are quite reliable, PPP estimates for developing countries
are often rough approximations. Most of the GDP estimates are based on
extrapolation of PPP numbers published by the UN International
Comparison Program (UNICP) and by Professors Robert Summers and Alan
Heston of the University of Pennsylvania and their colleagues. In
contrast, the currency exchange rate method involves a variety of
international and domestic financial forces that often have little
relation to domestic output. In developing countries with weak
currencies the exchange rate estimate of GDP in dollars is typically
one-fourth to one-half the PPP estimate. Furthermore, exchange rates
may suddenly go up or down by 10% or more because of market forces or
official fiat whereas real output has remained unchanged. On 12 January
1994, for example, the 14 countries of the African Financial Community
(whose currencies are tied to the French franc) devalued their
currencies by 50%. This move, of course, did not cut the real output of
these countries by half. One important caution: the proportion of, say,
defense expenditures as a percentage of GDP in local currency accounts
may differ substantially from the proportion when GDP accounts are
expressed in PPP terms, as, for example, when an observer tries to
estimate the dollar level of Russian or Japanese military expenditures.
Note: the numbers for GDP and other economic data can not be chained
together from successive volumes of the Factbook because of changes in
the US dollar measuring rod, revisions of data by statistical agencies,
use of new or different sources of information, and changes in national
statistical methods and practices.
GDP - composition by sector
This entry gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry,
and services to total GDP.
GDP - per capita
This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by
population as of 1 July for the same year.
GDP - real growth rate
This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation
and expressed as a percent.
Geographic coordinates
This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the
purpose of finding the approximate geographic center of an entity and
is based on the Gazetteer of Conventional Names, Third Edition, August
1988, US Board on Geographic Names and on other sources.
Geographic names
This information is presented in Appendix F: Cross-Reference List of
Geographic Names. It includes a listing of various alternate names,
former names, local names, and regional names referenced to one or more
related Factbook entries. Spellings are normally, but not always, those
approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Alternate names and
additional information are included in parentheses.
Geography
This category includes the entries dealing with the natural environment
and the effects of human activity.
Geography - note
This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of
significance not included elsewhere.
GNP
Gross national product (GNP) is the value of all final goods and
services produced within a nation in a given year, plus income earned
by its citizens abroad, minus income earned by foreigners from domestic
production. The Factbook, following current practice, uses GDP rather
than GNP to measure national production. However, the user must realize
that in certain countries net remittances from citizens working abroad
may be important to national well-being.
Government
This category includes the entries dealing with the system for the
adoption and administration of public policy.
Government type
This entry gives the basic form of government (e.g., republic,
constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy,
military dictatorship).
Government - note
This entry includes miscellaneous government information of
significance not included elsewhere.
Gross domestic product
see GDP
Gross national product
see GNP
Gross world product
see GWP
GWP
This entry gives the gross world product (GWP) or aggregate value of
all final goods and services produced worldwide in a given year.
Heliports
This entry gives the total number of established helicopter takeoff and
landing sites (which may or may not have fuel or other services).
Highways
This entry states the total length of the highway system and the length
of the paved and unpaved parts.
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49)
living with HIV/AIDS. The adult prevalence rate is calculated by
dividing the estimated number of adults living with HIV/AIDS at yearend
by the total adult population at yearend.
HIV/AIDS - deaths
This entry gives an estimate of the number of adults and children who
died of AIDS during a given calendar year.
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
This entry gives an estimate of all people (adults and children) alive
at yearend with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed
symptoms of AIDS.
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys,
the results adjusted for household size. Nations use different
standards and procedures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys
based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than
surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with
time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country
comparisons.
Hydrographic data codes
see Data codes
Illicit drugs
This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs -
narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and
cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and
prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold
outside of medical channels.
Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which
provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes
marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil).
Coca (mostly Erythroxylum coca) is a bush with leaves that contain
the stimulant used to make cocaine. Coca is not to be confused with
cocoa, which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making chocolate,
cocoa, and cocoa butter.
Cocaine is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca bush.
Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and anxiety
and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal,
phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Librium, Valium), methaqualone
(Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil, Placidyl,
Valmid).
Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a physical, mental,
emotional, or behavioral change in an individual.
Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance
that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral impairment
in an individual.
Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking, self-
awareness, and emotion. Hallucinogens include LSD (acid, microdot),
mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine variants
(PMA, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog), phencyclidine
analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin, psilocyn).
Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant
(Cannabis sativa).
Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine.
Mandrax is a trade name for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical
depressant. Marijuana is the dried leaf of the cannabis or hemp plant
(Cannabis sativa).
Methaqualone is a pharmaceutical depressant, referred to as
mandrax in Southwest Asia and Africa.
Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep, and
refer to opium, opium derivatives, and synthetic substitutes. Natural
narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolin), morphine (MS-Contin,
Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with codeine,
Robitussan AC), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics include heroin
(horse, smack), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Synthetic narcotics
include meperidine or Pethidine (Demerol, Mepergan), methadone
(Dolophine, Methadose), and others (Darvon, Lomotil).
Opium is the brown, gummy exudate of the incised, unripe seedpod
of the opium poppy. Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is the source for
the natural and semisynthetic narcotics. Poppy straw concentrate is the
alkaloid derived from the mature, dried opium poppy.
Qat (kat, khat) is a stimulant from the buds or leaves of Catha
edulis that is chewed or drunk as tea.
Quaaludes is the North American slang term for methaqualone, a
pharmaceutical depressant.
Stimulants are drugs that relieve mild depression, increase energy
and activity, and include cocaine (coke, snow, crack), amphetamines
(Desoxyn, Dexedrine), ephedrine, ecstasy (clarity, essence, doctor,
Adam), phenmetrazine (Preludin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), and others
(Cylert, Sanorex, Tenuate).
Imports
This entry provides the total US dollar amount of imports on a c.i.f.
(cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis.
Imports - commodities
This entry provides a rank ordering of imported products starting with
the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar
value.
Imports - partners
This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with
the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar
value.
Independence
For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was
achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other
countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the
strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the
traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation,
confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of
government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation
"none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the
Terminology note.
Industrial production growth rate
This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial
production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).
Industries
This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting with the
largest by value of annual output.
Infant mortality rate
This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in
a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year. This rate is often
used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices
compared with the previous year's consumer prices.
Internet country code
This entry includes the two-letter codes maintained by the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166
Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
This entry supplies the number of Internet Service Providers within a
country. An ISP is defined as a company that provides access to the
Internet.
Internet users
This entry gives the number of users within a country that access the
Internet. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users
who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who
access it only once within a period of several months.
International disputes
see Disputes - international
International organization participation
This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those
international organizations in which the subject country is a member or
participates in some other way.
International organizations
This information is presented in Appendix B: International
Organizations and Groups which includes the name, abbreviation, date
established, aim, and members by category.
Introduction
This category includes one entry, Background.
Irrigated land
This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is
artificially supplied with water.
Judicial branch
This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief
description of the selection process for members.
Labor force
This entry contains the total labor force figure.
Labor force - by occupation
This entry contains a rank ordering of component parts of the labor
force by occupation.
Land boundaries
This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the
individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries.
Land use
This entry contains the percentage shares of total land area for three
different types of land use: arable land - land cultivated for crops
that are replanted after each harvest like wheat, maize, and rice;
permanent crops - land cultivated for crops that are not replanted
after each harvest like citrus, coffee, and rubber; includes land under
flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land
under trees grown for wood or timber; other - any land not arable or
under permanent crops; includes permanent meadows and pastures, forests
and woodlands, built-on areas, roads, barren land, etc.
Languages
This entry provides a rank ordering of languages starting with the
largest and sometimes includes the percent of total population speaking
that language.
Legal system
This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's
historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International
Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
Legislative branch
This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral,
bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of
office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession
to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election.
Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats
held by each party in the last election.
Life expectancy at birth
This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group
of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains
constant in the future. The entry includes total population as well as
the male and female components. Life expectancy at birth is also a
measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the
mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the
potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for
the calculation of various actuarial measures.
Literacy
This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau
percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no
universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise
specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the
ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards
that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write
is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not
a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily
available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of
literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development
of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world.
Location
This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring
countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
Map references
This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a
country may be found. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be
helpful in finding some smaller countries.
Maritime claims
This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are
excerpted from the Law of the Sea (LOS) Convention, which alone
contains the full and definitive descriptions:
contiguous zone - according to the LOS Convention (Article 33),
this is a zone contiguous to a coastal State's territorial sea, over
which it may exercise the control necessary to: prevent infringement
of its customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws and regulations
within its territory or territorial sea; punish infringement of the
above laws and regulations committed within its territory or
territorial sea; the contiguous zone may not extend beyond 24 nautical
miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea
is measured (e.g. the US has claimed a 12-mile contiguous zone in
addition to its 12-mile territorial sea)
continental shelf - the LOS Convention (Article 76) defines the
continental shelf of a coastal State as comprising the seabed and
subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea
throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer
edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles
from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is
measured where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend
up to that distance; the continental margin comprises the submerged
prolongation of the landmass of the coastal State, and consists of the
seabed and subsoil of the shelf, the slope and the rise; it does not
include the deep ocean floor with its oceanic ridges or the subsoil
thereof
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) - the LOS Convention (Part V)
defines the EEZ as a zone beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea in
which a coastal State has: sovereign rights for the purpose of
exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural
resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to
the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other
activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone,
such as the production of energy from the water, currents, and winds;
jurisdiction with regard to the establishment and use of artificial
islands, installations, and structures; marine scientific research; the
protection and preservation of the marine environment; the outer limit
of the exclusive economic zone shall not exceed 200 nautical miles from
the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured
exclusive fishing zone - while this term is not used in the LOS
Convention, some States (e.g. the United Kingdom) have chosen not to
claim an EEZ, but rather to claim jurisdiction over the living
resources off their coast; in such cases, the term exclusive fishing
zone is often used
territorial sea - the sovereignty of a coastal State extends
beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of
sea, described as the territorial sea in the LOS Convention (Part II);
this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as
well as its underlying seabed and subsoil; every State has the right to
establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not
exceeding 12 nautical miles
Median Age
This entry is the age that divides a population into two numerically
equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and
half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age
distribution of a population. Currently, the median age ranges from a
low of about 15 in Uganda and Gaza Strip to 40 or more in several
European countries and Japan. See the entry for "Age structure" for the
importance of a younger versus an older age structure and, by
implication, a lower versus a higher median age.
Merchant marine
Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of
goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships),
which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc.; or a
grouping of merchant ships by nationality or register. This entry
contains information in two subfields - total and ships by type. Total
includes the total number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for
those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage
is the total weight of cargo, plus bunkers, stores, etc. that a ship
can carry when immersed to the appropriate load line. GRT or gross
register tonnage is a figure obtained by measuring the entire sheltered
volume of the ship available for cargo and passengers and converting it
to tons on the basis of 100 cubic feet per ton; there is no stable
relationship between GRT and DWT. Ships by type includes a listing of
barge carriers, bulk cargo ships, cargo ships, chemical tankers,
combination bulk carriers, combination ore/oil carriers, container
ships, liquefied gas tankers, livestock carriers, multifunctional
large-load carriers, petroleum tankers, passenger ships,
passenger/cargo ships, railcar carriers, refrigerated cargo ships,
roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, short-sea passenger ships, specialized
tankers, and vehicle carriers.
A captive register is a register of ships maintained by a
territory, possession, or colony primarily or exclusively for the use
of ships owned in the parent country; it is also referred to as an
offshore register, the offshore equivalent of an internal register.
Ships on a captive register will fly the same flag as the parent
country, or a local variant of it, but will be subject to the maritime
laws and taxation rules of the offshore territory. Although the nature
of a captive register makes it especially desirable for ships owned in
the parent country, just as in the internal register, the ships may
also be owned abroad. The captive register then acts as a flag of
convenience register, except that it is not the register of an
independent state.
A flag of convenience register is a national register offering
registration to a merchant ship not owned in the flag state. The major
flags of convenience (FOC) attract ships to their registers by virtue
of low fees, low or nonexistent taxation of profits, and liberal
manning requirements. True FOC registers are characterized by having
relatively few of the registered ships actually owned in the flag
state. Thus, while virtually any flag can be used for ships under a
given set of circumstances, an FOC register is one where the majority
of the merchant fleet is owned abroad. It is also referred to as an
open register.
A flag state is the nation in which a ship is registered and which
holds legal jurisdiction over operation of the ship, whether at home or
abroad. Maritime legislation of the flag state determines how a ship is
crewed and taxed and whether a foreign-owned ship may be placed on the
register.
An internal register is a register of ships maintained as a subset
of a national register. Ships on the internal register fly the national
flag and have that nationality but are subject to a separate set of
maritime rules from those on the main national register. These
differences usually include lower taxation of profits, use of foreign
nationals as crewmembers, and, usually, ownership outside the flag
state (when it functions as an FOC register). The Norwegian
International Ship Register and Danish International Ship Register are
the most notable examples of an internal register. Both have been
instrumental in stemming flight from the national flag to flags of
convenience and in attracting foreign-owned ships to the Norwegian and
Danish flags.
A merchant ship is a vessel that carries goods against payment of
freight; it is commonly used to denote any nonmilitary ship but
accurately restricted to commercial vessels only.
A register is the record of a ship's ownership and nationality as
listed with the maritime authorities of a country; also, it is the
compendium of such individual ships' registrations. Registration of a
ship provides it with a nationality and makes it subject to the laws of
the country in which registered (the flag state) regardless of the
nationality of the ship's ultimate owner.
Military
This category includes the entries dealing with a country's military
structure, manpower, and expenditures.
Military branches
This entry lists the names of the ground, naval, air, marine, and other
defense or security forces.
Military expenditures - dollar figure
This entry gives current military expenditures in US dollars; the
figure is calculated by multiplying the estimated defense spending in
percentage terms by the gross domestic product (GDP) calculated on an
exchange rate basis not purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Dollar
figures for military expenditures should be treated with caution
because of different price patterns and accounting methods among
nations, as well as wide variations in the strength of their
currencies.
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
This entry gives current military expenditures as an estimated percent
of gross domestic product (GDP).
Military manpower - availability
This entry gives the total numbers of males and females age 15-49 and
assumes that every individual is fit to serve.
Military manpower - fit for military service
This entry gives the number of males and females age 15-49 fit for
military service. This is a more refined measure of potential military
manpower availability which tries to correct for the health situation
in the country and reduces the maximum potential number to a more
realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve.
Military manpower - military age
This entry gives the minimum age at which an individual may volunteer
for military service or be subject to conscription.
Military manpower - reaching military age annually
This entry gives the number of draft-age males and females entering the
military manpower pool in any given year and is a measure of the
availability of draft-age young adults.
Military - note
This entry includes miscellaneous military information of significance
not included elsewhere.
Money figures
All money figures are expressed in contemporaneous US dollars unless
otherwise indicated.
National holiday
This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually
independence day.
Nationality
This entry provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and
adjective.
Natural Gas - consumption
This entry is the total quantity of natural gas consumed in cubic
meters. The discrepancy between the quantity of natural gas produced
and/or imported and the quantity consumed and/or exported is due to the
omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
Natural Gas - exports
This entry is the total quantity of natural gas exported in cubic
meters.
Natural Gas - imports
This entry is the total quantity of natural gas imported in cubic
meters.
Natural Gas - production
This entry is the total quantity of natural gas produced in cubic
meters. The discrepancy between the quantity of natural gas produced
and/or imported and the quantity consumed and/or exported is due to the
omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
Natural Gas - proved reserves
This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic
meters (cu. m.). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas,
which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated
with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a
given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic
conditions.
Natural hazards
This entry lists potential natural disasters.
Natural resources
This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other
resources of commercial importance.
Net migration rate
This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of
persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000
persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering
the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56
migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as
net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net
migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall
level of population change. High levels of migration can cause problems
such as increasing unemployment and potential ethnic strife (if people
are coming in) or a reduction in the labor force, perhaps in certain
key sectors (if people are leaving).
Oil - consumption
This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The
discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the
amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock
changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
Oil - exports
This entry is the total oil exported in barrels per day (bbl/day),
including both crude oil and oil products.
Oil - imports
This entry is the total oil imported in barrels per day (bbl/day),
including both crude oil and oil products.
Oil - production
This entry is the total oil produced in barrels per day (bbl/day). The
discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the
amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock
changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
Oil - proved reserves
This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil in barrels
(bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by
analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a
high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given
date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic
conditions.
People
This category includes the entries dealing with the characteristics of
the people and their society.
People - note
This entry includes miscellaneous demographic information of
significance not included elsewhere.
Personal Names - Capitalization
The Factbook uses all uppercase letters for personal names by which the
subject is usually referred to in various media. An example is
President Vicente FOX Quesada of Mexico. Members of royal families are
usually referred by other than their family name (King and Prime
Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Queen BEATRIX of
the Netherlands, or King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet of Thailand). Some Asians
are referred to by the first element of their name - also their
surname, such as President NO Muh-hyun of South Korea.
Personal Names - Spelling
The romanization of personal names in the Factbook normally follows the
same transliteration system used by the US Board on Geographic Names
for spelling place names. At times, however, a foreign leader expressly
indicates a preference for, or the media or official documents
regularly use, a romanized spelling that differs from the
transliteration derived from the US Government standard. In such cases,
the Factbook uses the alternative spelling.
Personal Names - Titles
The Factbook capitalizes any valid title (or short form of it)
immediately preceding a person's name. A title standing alone is
lowercased. Examples: President PUTIN and President BUSH are chiefs of
state. In Russia, the president is chief of state and the premier is
the head of the government, while in the US, the president is both
chief of state and head of government.
Petroleum
See "Oil" entries
Petroleum products
See "Oil" entries
Pipelines
This entry gives the lengths and types of pipelines for transporting
products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products.
Political parties and leaders
This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations
and their leaders.
Political pressure groups and leaders
This entry includes a listing of organizations with leaders involved in
politics, but not standing for legislative election.
Population
This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on
statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration
systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on
assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one
overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and
within its region. Note: starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic
estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken
into account the effects of the growing impact of the HIV/AIDS
epidemic. These countries are currently: The Bahamas, Benin, Botswana,
Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central
African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South
Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and
Zimbabwe.
Population below poverty line
National estimates of the percentage of the population lying below the
poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups, with the results
weighted by the number of people in each group. Definitions of poverty
vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally
employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations.
Population growth rate
The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a
surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants
entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative.
The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be
imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for
infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources
(e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can
be seen as threatening by neighboring countries.
Ports and harbors
This entry lists the major ports and harbors selected on the basis of
overall importance to each country. This is determined by evaluating a
number of factors (e.g., dollar value of goods handled, gross tonnage,
facilities, military significance).
Radio broadcast stations
This entry includes the total number of AM, FM, and shortwave broadcast
stations.
Railways
This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of
its component parts by gauge: broad, dual, narrow, standard, and other.
Reference maps
This section includes world and regional maps.
Religions
This entry includes a rank ordering of religions by adherents starting
with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total
population.
Sex ratio
This entry includes the number of males for each female in five age
groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and
for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an
indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For
instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now
attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong
preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and
fertility patterns. Eventually it could cause unrest among young adult
males who are unable to find partners.
Suffrage
This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to
vote is universal or restricted.
Telephone numbers
All telephone numbers in the Factbook consist of the country code in
brackets, the city or area code (where required) in parentheses, and
the local number. The one component that is not presented is the
international access code, which varies from country to country. For
example, an international direct dial telephone call placed from the US
to Madrid, Spain, would be as follows:
011 [34] (1) 577-xxxx, where
011 is the international access code for station-to-station calls;
01 is for calls other than station-to-station calls,
[34] is the country code for Spain,
(1) is the city code for Madrid,
577 is the local exchange, and
xxxx is the local telephone number.
An international direct dial telephone call placed from another country
to the US would be as follows:
international access code + [1] (202) 939-xxxx, where
[1] is the country code for the US,
(202) is the area code for Washington, DC,
939 is the local exchange, and
xxxx is the local telephone number.
Telephone system
This entry includes a brief characterization of the system with details
on the domestic and international components. The following terms and
abbreviations are used throughout the entry:
Africa ONE - a fiber-optic submarine cable link encircling the
continent of Africa.
Arabsat - Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia).
Autodin - Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense).
CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications.
cellular telephone system - the telephones in this system are
radio transceivers, with each instrument having its own private radio
frequency and sufficient radiated power to reach the booster station in
its area (cell), from which the telephone signal is fed to a telephone
exchange.
Central American Microwave System - a trunk microwave radio relay
system that links the countries of Central America and Mexico with each
other.
coaxial cable - a multichannel communication cable consisting of a
central conducting wire, surrounded by and insulated from a cylindrical
conducting shell; a large number of telephone channels can be made
available within the insulated space by the use of a large number of
carrier frequencies.
Comsat - Communications Satellite Corporation (US).
DSN - Defense Switched Network (formerly Automatic Voice Network
or Autovon); basic general-purpose, switched voice network of the
Defense Communications System (US Department of Defense).
Eutelsat - European Telecommunications Satellite Organization
(Paris).
fiber-optic cable - a multichannel communications cable using a
thread of optical glass fibers as a transmission medium in which the
signal (voice, video, etc.) is in the form of a coded pulse of light.
GSM - a global system for mobile (cellular) communications devised
by the Groupe Special Mobile of the pan-European standardization
organization, Conference Europeanne des Posts et Telecommunications
(CEPT) in 1982.
HF - high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-
kHz range.
Inmarsat - International Mobile Satellite Organization (London);
provider of global mobile satellite communications for commercial,
distress, and safety applications at sea, in the air, and on land.
Intelsat - International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
(Washington, DC).
Intersputnik - International Organization of Space Communications
(Moscow); first established in the former Soviet Union and the East
European countries, it is now marketing its services worldwide with
earth stations in North America, Africa, and East Asia.
landline - communication wire or cable of any sort that is
installed on poles or buried in the ground. Marecs - Maritime European
Communications Satellite used in the Inmarsat system on lease from the
European Space Agency.
Marisat - satellites of the Comsat Corporation that participate in
the Inmarsat system.
Medarabtel - the Middle East Telecommunications Project of the
International Telecommunications Union (ITU) providing a modern
telecommunications network, primarily by microwave radio relay, linking
Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia,
Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen; it was initially started in
Morocco in 1970 by the Arab Telecommunications Union (ATU) and was
known at that time as the Middle East Mediterranean Telecommunications
Network.
microwave radio relay - transmission of long distance telephone
calls and television programs by highly directional radio microwaves
that are received and sent on from one booster station to another on an
optical path.
NMT - Nordic Mobile Telephone; an analog cellular telephone system
that was developed jointly by the national telecommunications
authorities of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway,
and Sweden).
Orbita - a Russian television service; also the trade name of a
packet-switched digital telephone network.
radiotelephone communications - the two-way transmission and
reception of sounds by broadcast radio on authorized frequencies using
telephone handsets.
PanAmSat - PanAmSat Corporation (Greenwich, CT).
satellite communication system - a communication system consisting
of two or more earth stations and at least one satellite that provide
long distance transmission of voice, data, and television; the system
usually serves as a trunk connection between telephone exchanges; if
the earth stations are in the same country, it is a domestic system.
satellite earth station - a communications facility with a
microwave radio transmitting and receiving antenna and required
receiving and transmitting equipment for communicating with satellites.
satellite link - a radio connection between a satellite and an
earth station permitting communication between them, either one-way
(down link from satellite to earth station - television receive-only
transmission) or two-way (telephone channels).
SHF - super high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to
30,000-MHz range.
shortwave - radio frequencies (from 1.605 to 30 MHz) that fall
above the commercial broadcast band and are used for communication over
long distances.
Solidaridad - geosynchronous satellites in Mexico's system of
international telecommunications in the Western Hemisphere.
Statsionar - Russia's geostationary system for satellite
telecommunications.
submarine cable - a cable designed for service under water.
TAT - Trans-Atlantic Telephone; any of a number of high-capacity
submarine coaxial telephone cables linking Europe with North America.
telefax - facsimile service between subscriber stations via the
public switched telephone network or the international Datel network.
telegraph - a telecommunications system designed for unmodulated
electric impulse transmission.
telex - a communication service involving teletypewriters
connected by wire through automatic exchanges.
tropospheric scatter - a form of microwave radio transmission in
which the troposphere is used to scatter and reflect a fraction of the
incident radio waves back to earth; powerful, highly directional
antennas are used to transmit and receive the microwave signals;
reliable over-the-horizon communications are realized for distances up
to 600 miles in a single hop; additional hops can extend the range of
this system for very long distances.
trunk network - a network of switching centers, connected by
multichannel trunk lines.
UHF - ultra high frequency; any radio frequency in the 300- to
3,000-MHz range.
VHF - very high frequency; any radio frequency in the 30- to 300-
MHz range.
Telephones - main lines in use
This entry gives the total number of main telephone lines in use.
Telephones - mobile cellular
This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephones in use.
Television - broadcast stations
This entry gives the total number of separate broadcast stations plus
any repeater stations.
Terminology
Due to the highly structured nature of the Factbook database, some
collective generic terms have to be used. For example, the word Country
in the Country name entry refers to a wide variety of dependencies,
areas of special sovereignty, uninhabited islands, and other entities
in addition to the traditional countries or independent states.
Military is also used as an umbrella term for various civil defense,
security, and defense activities in many entries. The Independence
entry includes the usual colonial independence dates and former ruling
states as well as other significant nationhood dates such as the
traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation,
confederation, establishment, or state succession that are not strictly
independence dates. Dependent areas have the nature of their dependency
status noted in this same entry.
Terrain
This entry contains a brief description of the topography.
Total fertility rate
This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would
be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing
years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each
age. The total fertility rate is a more direct measure of the level of
fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per
woman. This indicator shows the potential for population growth in the
country. High rates will also place some limits on the labor force
participation rates for women. Large numbers of children born to women
indicate large family sizes that might limit the ability of the
families to feed and educate their children.
Transnational Issues
This category includes only two entries at the present time - Disputes
- international and Illicit drugs - that deal with current issues going
beyond national boundaries.
Transportation
This category includes the entries dealing with the means for movement
of people and goods.
Transportation - note
This entry includes miscellaneous transportation information of
significance not included elsewhere.
Unemployment rate
This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without
jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
Waterways
This entry gives the total length and individual names of navigable
rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water.
Years
All year references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as
fiscal year (FY). The calendar year is an accounting period of 12
months from 1 January to 31 December. The fiscal year is an accounting
period of 12 months other than 1 January to 31 December.
Note: Information for the US and US dependencies was compiled from
material in the public domain and does not represent Intelligence
Community estimates.
This page was last updated on 23 October, 2003
=====================================================================
A Brief History of Basic Intelligence and The World Factbook
The Intelligence Cycle is the process by which information is acquired,
converted into intelligence, and made available to policymakers.
Information is raw data from any source, data that may be fragmentary,
contradictory, unreliable, ambiguous, deceptive, or wrong.
Intelligence is information that has been collected, integrated,
evaluated, analyzed, and interpreted. Finished intelligence is the
final product of the Intelligence Cycle ready to be delivered to the
policymaker.
The three types of finished intelligence are: basic, current, and
estimative. Basic intelligence provides the fundamental and factual
reference material on a country or issue. Current intelligence reports
on new developments. Estimative intelligence judges probable outcomes.
The three are mutually supportive: basic intelligence is the foundation
on which the other two are constructed; current intelligence
continually updates the inventory of knowledge; and estimative
intelligence revises overall interpretations of country and issue
prospects for guidance of basic and current intelligence. The World
Factbook, The President's Daily Brief, and the National Intelligence
Estimates are examples of the three types of finished intelligence.
The United States has carried on foreign intelligence activities
since the days of George Washington but only since World War II have
they been coordinated on a government-wide basis. Three programs have
highlighted the development of coordinated basic intelligence since
that time: (1) the Joint Army Navy Intelligence Studies (JANIS), (2)
the National Intelligence Survey (NIS), and (3) The World Factbook.
During World War II, intelligence consumers realized that the
production of basic intelligence by different components of the US
Government resulted in a great duplication of effort and conflicting
information. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 brought home
to leaders in Congress and the executive branch the need for
integrating departmental reports to national policymakers. Detailed and
coordinated information was needed not only on such major powers as
Germany and Japan, but also on places of little previous interest. In
the Pacific Theater, for example, the Navy and Marines had to launch
amphibious operations against many islands about which information was
unconfirmed or nonexistent. Intelligence authorities resolved that the
United States should never again be caught unprepared.
In 1943, Gen. George B. Strong (G-2), Adm. H. C. Train (Office of
Naval Intelligence - ONI), and Gen. William J. Donovan (Director of the
Office of Strategic Services - OSS) decided that a joint effort should
be initiated. A steering committee was appointed on 27 April 1943 that
recommended the formation of a Joint Intelligence Study Publishing
Board to assemble, edit, coordinate, and publish the Joint Army Navy
Intelligence Studies (JANIS). JANIS was the first interdepartmental
basic intelligence program to fulfill the needs of the US Government
for an authoritative and coordinated appraisal of strategic basic
intelligence. Between April 1943 and July 1947, the board published 34
JANIS studies. JANIS performed well in the war effort, and numerous
letters of commendation were received, including a statement from Adm.
Forrest Sherman, Chief of Staff, Pacific Ocean Areas, which said,
"JANIS has become the indispensable reference work for the shore-based
planners."
The need for more comprehensive basic intelligence in the postwar
world was well expressed in 1946 by George S. Pettee, a noted author on
national security. He wrote in The Future of American Secret
Intelligence (Infantry Journal Press, 1946, page 46) that world
leadership in peace requires even more elaborate intelligence than in
war. "The conduct of peace involves all countries, all human activities
- not just the enemy and his war production."
The Central Intelligence Agency was established on 26 July 1947
and officially began operating on 18 September 1947. Effective 1
October 1947, the Director of Central Intelligence assumed operational
responsibility for JANIS. On 13 January 1948, the National Security
Council issued Intelligence Directive (NSCID) No. 3, which authorized
the National Intelligence Survey (NIS) program as a peacetime
replacement for the wartime JANIS program. Before adequate NIS country
sections could be produced, government agencies had to develop more
comprehensive gazetteers and better maps. The US Board on Geographic
Names (BGN) compiled the names; the Department of the Interior produced
the gazetteers; and CIA produced the maps.
The Hoover Commission's Clark Committee, set up in 1954 to study
the structure and administration of the CIA, reported to Congress in
1955 that: "The National Intelligence Survey is an invaluable
publication which provides the essential elements of basic intelligence
on all areas of the world. There will always be a continuing
requirement for keeping the Survey up-to-date." The Factbook was
created as an annual summary and update to the encyclopedic NIS
studies. The first classified Factbook was published in August 1962,
and the first unclassified version was published in June 1971. The NIS
program was terminated in 1973 except for the Factbook, map, and
gazetteer components. The 1975 Factbook was the first to be made
available to the public with sales through the US Government Printing
Office (GPO). The Factbook was first made available on the Internet in
June 1997. The year 2003 marks the 56th anniversary of the
establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency and the 60th year of
continuous basic intelligence support to the US Government by The World
Factbook and its two predecessor programs.
This page was last updated on 23 October, 2003
=====================================================================
Contributors and Copyright Information
In general, information available as of 1 January 2003 was used in the
preparation of this edition.
The World Factbook is prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency for
the use of US Government officials, and the style, format, coverage,
and content are designed to meet their specific requirements.
Information is provided by Antarctic Information Program (National
Science Foundation), Bureau of the Census (Department of Commerce),
Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor), Central Intelligence
Agency, Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs, Defense
Intelligence Agency (Department of Defense), Department of State, Fish
and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior), Maritime
Administration (Department of Transportation), National Imagery and
Mapping Agency (Department of Defense), Naval Facilities Engineering
Command (Department of Defense), Office of Insular Affairs (Department
of the Interior), Office of Naval Intelligence (Department of Defense),
US Board on Geographic Names (Department of the Interior), US
Transportation Command (Department of Defense), and other public and
private sources.
The Factbook is in the public domain. Accordingly, it may be copied
freely without permission of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
The official seal of the CIA, however, may NOT be copied without
permission as required by the CIA Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. section 403m).
Misuse of the official seal of the CIA could result in civil and
criminal penalties.
Comments and queries are welcome and may be addressed to:
Central Intelligence Agency
Attn.: Office of Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20505
Telephone: [1] (703) 482-0623
FAX: [1] (703) 482-1739
This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003
=====================================================================
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The World Factbook can be accessed on the Internet at:
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This page was last updated on 11 August, 2003
=====================================================================
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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This page was last updated on 21 October, 2003
=====================================================================
@Afghanistan
Introduction Afghanistan
Background:
Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and civil
unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to withdraw
10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied and
trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting
subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, giving
rise to a state of warlordism that eventually spawned the Taliban.
Backed by foreign sponsors, the Taliban developed as a political
force and eventually seized power. The Taliban were able to capture
most of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds
primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in
support of the opposition following the 11 September 2001 terrorist
attacks forced the group's downfall. In late 2001, major leaders
from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany,
and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government
structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as
Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001.
The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002,
and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional
Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide Loya Jirga to
adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate to hold nationwide
elections. In December 2002, the TISA marked the one-year
anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. In addition to occasionally
violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out
remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from
enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land
mines.
Geography Afghanistan
Location:
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Geographic coordinates:
33 00 N, 65 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 647,500 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 647,500 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,529 km
border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km,
Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites,
sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Land use:
arable land: 12.13%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 87.65% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
23,860 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding;
droughts
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of
potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of
the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building
materials); desertification; air and water pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to
southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the
country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan
Corridor)
People Afghanistan
Population:
28,717,213 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.8% (male 6,123,971; female 5,868,013)
15-64 years: 55.4% (male 8,240,743; female 7,671,242)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 427,710; female 385,534) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.9 years
male: 19.1 years
female: 18.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
3.38%
note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and
its continuing impact (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
40.63 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
17.15 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
10.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 142.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 138.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 145.99 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.97 years
male: 47.67 years
female: 46.23 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.64 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.01% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan
Ethnic groups:
Pashtun 44%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 10%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks,
Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 13%, Uzbek 8%
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%
Languages:
Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily
Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and
Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 21% (1999 est.)
total population: 36%
male: 51%
People - note:
large numbers of Afghan refugees create burdens on neighboring
states
Government Afghanistan
Country name:
conventional long form: Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
local short form: Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan
local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan
Government type:
transitional
Capital:
Kabul
Administrative divisions:
32 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis,
Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand,
Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar, Kondoz,
Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan, Paktia,
Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, and Zabol
Independence:
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Constitution:
the Bonn Agreement called for a Loya Jirga (Grand Council) to be
convened within 18 months of the establishment of the Transitional
Authority to draft a new constitution for the country; the basis for
the next constitution is the 1964 Constitution, according to the
Bonn Agreement
Legal system:
the Bonn Agreement calls for a judicial commission to rebuild the
justice system in accordance with Islamic principles, international
standards, the rule of law, and Afghan legal traditions
Suffrage:
NA; previously males 15-50 years of age
Executive branch:
note: following the Taliban's refusal to hand over Usama bin LADIN
to the US for his suspected involvement in the 11 September 2001
terrorist attacks in the US, a US-led international coalition was
formed; after several weeks of aerial bombardment by coalition
forces and military action on the ground, including Afghan
opposition forces, the Taliban was ousted from power on 17 November
2001; in December 2001, a number of prominent Afghans met under UN
auspices in Bonn, Germany, to decide on a plan for governing the
country; as a result, the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) - made up
of 30 members, headed by a chairman - was inaugurated on 22 December
2001 with a six-month mandate to be followed by a two-year
Transitional Authority (TA), after which elections are to be held;
the structure of the follow-on TA was announced on 10 June 2002,
when the Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) convened establishing the
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA), which has 18
months to hold a Loya Jirga to adopt a constitution and 24 months to
hold nationwide elections
chief of state: President of the TISA, Hamid KARZAI (since 10 June
2002); note - presently the president and head of government
head of government: President of the TISA, Hamid KARZAI (since 10
June 2002); note - presently the president and head of government
cabinet: the 30-member TISA
elections: nationwide elections are to be held by June 2004,
according to the Bonn Agreement
Legislative branch:
nonfunctioning as of June 1993
Judicial branch:
the Bonn Agreement called for the establishment of a Supreme Court;
there is also a Minister of Justice
Political parties and leaders:
NA; note - political parties in Afghanistan are in flux and many
prominent players have plans to create new parties; the Transitional
Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA) is headed by President Hamid
KARZAI; the TISA is a coalition government formed of leaders from
across the Afghan political spectrum; there are also several
political factions not holding positions in the Transitional
government that are forming new groups and parties in the hopes of
participating in 2004 elections
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA; note - ministries formed under the Transitional Islamic State
of Afghanistan (TISA) include former influential Afghans, diaspora
members, and former political leaders
International organization participation:
AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOM
(observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: ambassador Seyyed Tayeb JAWAD
chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: 202-483-6487
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: 202-483-6410
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Patrick John FINN; note -
embassy in Kabul reopened 16 December 2001, following closure in
January 1989
embassy: Great Masood Road, Kabul
mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA 20189-6180
telephone: [93] (2) 290002, 290005, 290154
FAX: 00932290153
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and green, with a
gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem features a
temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left and right
and by a bold Islamic inscription above
Economy Afghanistan
Economy - overview:
Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly
dependent on foreign aid, farming and livestock raising (sheep and
goats), and trade with neighboring countries. Economic
considerations have played second fiddle to political and military
upheavals during more than two decades of war, including the nearly
10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989).
During that conflict, one-third of the population fled the country,
with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of 4 to 6 million
refugees. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the
past 20 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the
disruption of trade and transport; severe drought added to the
nation's difficulties in 1998-2002. The majority of the population
continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and
medical care, and a dearth of jobs, problems exacerbated by
political uncertainties and the general level of lawlessness.
International efforts to rebuild Afghanistan were addressed at the
Tokyo Donors Conference for Afghan Reconstruction in January 2002,
when $4.5 billion was pledged, $1.7 billion for 2002. Of that
approximately $900 million was directed to humanitarian aid - food,
clothing, and shelter - and another $90 million for the Afghan
Transitional Authority. Further World Bank and other aid came in
2003. Priority areas for reconstruction include upgrading education,
health, and sanitation facilities; providing income generating
opportunities; enhancing administrative and security arrangements,
especially in regional areas; developing the agricultural sector;
rebuilding transportation, energy, and telecommunication
infrastructure; and reabsorbing 2 million returning refugees. The
replacement of the opium trade - which may account for one-third of
GDP - and the search for oil and gas resources in the northern
region are two major long-term issues.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $19 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 60%
industry: 20%
services: 20% (1990 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
Labor force:
10 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 80%, industry 10%, services 10% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues: $200 million
expenditures: $550 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003 plan est.)
Industries:
small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes,
fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
334.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 36.3%
hydro: 63.7%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
511.4 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
200 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:
220 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
220 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
49.98 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:
opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins
Exports:
$1.2 billion (not including illicit exports) (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities:
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and
pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
Exports - partners:
Pakistan 26.8%, India 26.5%, Finland 5.8%, Germany 5.1%, UAE 4.4%,
Belgium 4.3%, Russia 4.2%, US 4.2% (2002)
Imports:
$1.3 billion (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
Pakistan 25.1%, South Korea 14.4%, Japan 9.4%, US 9%, Kenya 5.8%,
Germany 5.4% (2002)
Debt - external:
NA (1996 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
international pledges made by more than 60 countries and
international financial institutions at the Tokyo Donors Conference
for Afghan reconstruction in January 2002 reached $4.5 billion
through 2006, with $1.8 billion allocated for 2002; another $1.7
billion was pledged for 2003.
Currency:
afghani (AFA)
Currency code:
AFA
Exchange rates:
afghanis per US dollar - 3,000 (October-December 2002), 3,000
(2001), 3,000 (2000), 3,000 (1999), 3,000 (1998), note: before 2002
the market rate varied widely from the official rate; in 2002 the
afghani was revalued and the currency stabilized
Fiscal year:
21 March - 20 March
Communications Afghanistan
Telephones - main lines in use:
29,000 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA
Telephone system:
general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service
domestic: in 1997, telecommunications links were established between
Mazar-e Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul through
satellite and microwave systems
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);
commercial satellite telephone center in Ghazni
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7 (6 are inactive; the active station is in Kabul), FM 1,
shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian (Dari), Urdu, and
English) (1999)
Radios:
167,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
at least 10 (one government-run central television station in Kabul
and regional stations in nine of the 32 provinces; the regional
stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997, there was a
station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four northern Afghanistan
provinces) (1998)
Televisions:
100,000 (1999)
Internet country code:
.af
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
NA
Transportation Afghanistan
Railways:
total: 24.6 km
broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to
Towraghondi; 15 km 1.524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to
Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya (2001)
Highways:
total: 21,000 km
paved: 2,793 km
unpaved: 18,207 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:
1,200 km
note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT (2001)
Pipelines:
gas 651 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:
Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
Airports:
47 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 37
under 914 m: 11 (2002)
914 to 1,523 m: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
Heliports:
5 (2002)
Military Afghanistan
Military branches:
NA; note - the December 2001 Bonn Agreement called for all militia
forces to come under the authority of the central government, but
regional leaders have continued to retain their militias and the
formation of a nation army will be a gradual process; Afghanistan's
forces continue to be factionalized, largely along ethnic lines
Military manpower - military age:
22 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 7,160,603 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,837,646 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 275,223 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$525.2 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
7.7% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Afghanistan
Disputes - international:
thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Iran and Pakistan;
isolating terrain and close ties among Pashtuns in Pakistan make
cross-border activities difficult to control; prolonged regional
drought strains water-sharing arrangements for Amu Darya and Helmand
River states
Illicit drugs:
world's largest producer of opium; cultivation of opium poppy -
used to make heroin - expanded to 30,750 hectares in 2002, despite
eradication; potential opium production of 1,278 metric tons; source
of hashish; many narcotics-processing labs throughout the country;
drug trade source of instability and some government groups profit
from the trade; 80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from
Afghan opium; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the
hawala system
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Albania
Introduction Albania
Background:
Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic
Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The
transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to
deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure,
widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents.
International observers judged legislative elections in 2001 to be
acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified
serious deficiencies that should be addressed through reforms in the
Albanian electoral code.
Geography Albania
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea,
between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro
Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 28,748 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km
Coastline:
362 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers;
interior is cooler and wetter
Terrain:
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel,
hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 21.09%
permanent crops: 4.45%
other: 74.46% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
3,400 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast;
floods; drought
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and
domestic effluents
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to
Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
People Albania
Population:
3,582,205 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.1% (male 520,714; female 486,911)
15-64 years: 64.6% (male 1,115,887; female 1,196,477)
65 years and over: 7.3% (male 115,754; female 146,462) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.5 years
male: 24.8 years
female: 28.1 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
1.03% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
18.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
6.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 37.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 34.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 39.68 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.37 years
male: 69.53 years
female: 75.42 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian
Ethnic groups:
Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Gypsy, Serb, and
Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from
1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Religions:
Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious
observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing
private religious practice
Languages:
Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek
Literacy:
definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 93.3%
female: 79.5% (2003 est.)
Government Albania
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
Government type:
emerging democracy
Capital:
Tirana
Administrative divisions:
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i
Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i
Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku
i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores
Independence:
28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1912)
Constitution:
a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November
1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote
Legal system:
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24
July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
approved by the president
elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held NA
June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly
vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100
are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for
four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 June 2001 with subsequent rounds on 8 July,
22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and
coalition allies 36.8%, NDP 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH 2.6%,
PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies 46, NDP 6,
PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH 3, PAD 3, independents 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a
four-year term)
Political parties and leaders:
Agrarian Party of Albania or PASH [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian
Democratic Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI]; Communist Party of Albania or
PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance or PAD [Nerltan CEKA];
Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement Party or
PLL [Guri DUROLLARI]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK
[Abaz ERMENJI]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQUIRI];
Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy or DS
[Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI];
Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albanian Party of Labor) [Fatos
NANO]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Omonia [Vangjel DULES]
International organization participation:
ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Fatos TARIFA
FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James F. JEFFREY
embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place,
Washington, DC 20521-9510
telephone: [355] (4) 247285
FAX: [355] (4) 232222
Flag description:
red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
Economy Albania
Economy - overview:
Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the
difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The
government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur
economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances
from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and
Italy; this helps offset the sizable trade deficit. Agriculture,
which accounts for half of GDP, is held back because of frequent
drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small
plots of land. Severe energy shortages are forcing small firms out
of business, increasing unemployment, scaring off foreign investors,
and spurring inflation. The government plans to boost energy imports
to relieve the shortages. In addition, the government is moving to
improve the poor national road network, a long-standing barrier to
sustained economic growth.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $15.69 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 49%
industry: 27%
services: 24% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
1.283 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000
domestically unemployed) (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 50%, industry and services 50%
Unemployment rate:
17% officially; may be as high as 30% (2001 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $697 million
expenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $368
million (2002 est.)
Industries:
food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement,
chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Industrial production growth rate:
9% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.289 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.9%
hydro: 97.1%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
5.898 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
221 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
1.2 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
5,952 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
22,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
185.5 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:
30 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
30 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.316 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes;
meat, dairy products
Exports:
$340 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude
oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco
Exports - partners:
Italy 76.6%, Germany 5.6%, Greece 2.7% (2002)
Imports:
$1.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Italy 39.4%, Greece 24.5%, Turkey 6%, Germany 5% (2002)
Debt - external:
$784 million (2000)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000 est.)
Currency:
lek (ALL)
Currency code:
ALL
Exchange rates:
leke per US dollar - NA (2002), 143.49 (2001), 143.71 (2000),
137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Albania
Telephones - main lines in use:
120,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
250,000 (2001)
Telephone system:
general assessment: Albania has the poorest telephone service in
Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100 inhabitants; it is
doubtful that every village has telephone service
domestic: obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for
every village; in 1992, following the fall of the Communist
government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used
it to build fences
international: inadequate; international traffic carried by
microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios:
1 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus 58 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
700,000 (2001)
Internet country code:
.al
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2001)
Internet users:
12,000 (2001)
Transportation Albania
Railways:
total: 447 km
standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)
Highways:
total: 18,000 km
paved: 5,400 km
unpaved: 12,600 km (2000)
Waterways:
43 km
note: includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and
Lake Prespa (1990)
Pipelines:
gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:
Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
Merchant marine:
total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 21,954 GRT/34,412 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 11, roll on/roll off 1, includes some
foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:
Croatia 1, Honduras 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:
12 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
over 3,047 m: 1
Heliports:
1 (2002)
Military Albania
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops,
Border Guards
Military manpower - military age:
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 906,168 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 742,837 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 36,985 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$56.5 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.49% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Albania
Disputes - international:
the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of
ethnic Albanians outside its borders in the Kosovo region of Serbia
and Montenegro, and in the northern Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, while continuing to seek regional cooperation; some
outside ethnic Albanian groups voice union with Albania
Illicit drugs:
increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian
opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to
a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for
Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production;
ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and rapidly
expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with
regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal
aliens
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Algeria
Introduction Algeria
Background:
After a century of rule by France, Algeria became independent in
1962. The surprising first round success of the fundamentalist FIS
(Islamic Salvation Front) party in the December 1991 balloting
caused the army to intervene, crack down on the FIS, and postpone
the subsequent elections. The fundamentalist response has resulted
in a continuous low-grade civil conflict with the secular state
apparatus, which nonetheless has allowed elections featuring
pro-government and moderate religious-based parties. The FIS's armed
wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000 and many
armed militants of other groups surrendered under an amnesty program
designed to promote national reconciliation. Nevertheless, small
numbers of armed militants persist in confronting government forces
and carrying out isolated attacks on villages and other types of
terrorist attacks. Other concerns include Berber unrest, large-scale
unemployment, a shortage of housing, and the need to diversify the
petroleum-based economy.
Geography Algeria
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco
and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:
28 00 N, 3 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 2,381,740 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 2,381,740 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 6,343 km
border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,
Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km
Coastline:
998 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along
coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau;
sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
Terrain:
mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point: Tahat 3,003 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
Land use:
arable land: 3.21%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 96.58% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
5,600 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and
floods in rainy season
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices;
desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes,
and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers
and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming
polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff;
inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note:
second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
People Algeria
Population:
32,818,500 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.8% (male 5,485,197; female 5,285,434)
15-64 years: 63% (male 10,460,475; female 10,224,389)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 624,839; female 738,166) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.5 years
male: 22.3 years
female: 22.6 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
1.65% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
21.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 37.74 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 35.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 40.34 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.54 years
male: 69.14 years
female: 72.01 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.55 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian
Ethnic groups:
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
Religions:
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Languages:
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70%
male: 78.8%
female: 61% (2003 est.)
Government Algeria
Country name:
conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local short form: Al Jaza'ir
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
Sha'biyah
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Algiers
Administrative divisions:
48 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain
Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida,
Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa,
El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel,
Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila,
Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi
Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret,
Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen
Independence:
5 July 1962 (from France)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)
Constitution:
19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November
1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996
Legal system:
socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of
legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of
various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 9 May 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 15 April 1999 (next to be held NA April 2004);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA elected president; percent of
vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA over 70%; note - his six opposing
candidates withdrew on the eve of the election citing electoral fraud
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or
Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from 380 seats
in the 2002 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (144 seats; one-third of
the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by
indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; the constitution
requires half the council to be renewed every three years)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next
to be held NA 2007); Council of Nations - last held 30 December 2000
(next to be held NA 2003)
election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 48, MRN 43, MSP 38, PT
21, FNA 8, Nahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; Council of
Nations - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RND 79,
FLN 12, FFS 4, MSP 1 (remaining 48 seats appointed by the president,
party breakdown NA)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; Democratic National
Rally or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman]; Islamic Salvation Front or
FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh
KEBIR (self-exile in Germany)]; Society of Peace Movement or MSP
[Boujerra SOLTANI]; National Entente Movement or MEN [Ali
BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Ali BENFLIS, secretary
general]; National Reform Movement or MRN [Abdellah DJABALLAH];
National Renewal Party or PRA [leader NA]; Progressive Republican
Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said
SAADI, secretary general]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement
[Lahbib ADAMI]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL];
Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary general
(self-exile in Switzerland)]; Union for Democracy and Liberty
[Mouley BOUKHALAFA]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUN]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
in March 1997
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE
(partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Idriss JAZAIRY
chancery: 2137 Wyoming Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. ERDMAN (as of 10 July 2003)
embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers
telephone: [213] (21) 691-425/255/186
FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79
Flag description:
two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red,
five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color
boundary; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional
symbols of Islam (the state religion)
Economy Algeria
Economy - overview:
The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting
for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of
export earnings. Algeria has the fifth-largest reserves of natural
gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it ranks
14th in oil reserves. Algeria's financial and economic indicators
improved during the mid-1990s, in part because of policy reforms
supported by the IMF and debt rescheduling from the Paris Club.
Algeria's finances in 2000-03 benefited from substantial trade
surpluses, record foreign exchange reserves, and reductions in
foreign debt. Real GDP has risen due to higher oil output and
increased government spending. The government's continued efforts to
diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment
outside the energy sector, however, has had little success in
reducing high unemployment and improving living standards.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $173.8 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 60%
services: 32% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:
23% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.3 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
9.4 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
government 29%, agriculture 25%, construction and public works 15%,
industry 11%, other 20% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:
31% (2002 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $20.3 billion
expenditures: $18.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8
billion (2001 est.)
Industries:
petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical,
petrochemical, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:
6% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:
24.69 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.7%
hydro: 0.3%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
22.9 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
340 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
275 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
1.52 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
209,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
13.1 billion bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:
80.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
22.32 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
57.98 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
4.739 trillion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle
Exports:
$19.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
Exports - partners:
Italy 18.9%, Spain 13.1%, France 13%, US 12.1%, Netherlands 6%,
Brazil 5.9%, Canada 5.7%, Turkey 5.3%, Belgium 5.1% (2002)
Imports:
$10.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
France 31%, Italy 10%, US 8.3%, Germany 6.6%, Spain 5.9%, Turkey
4.2% (2002)
Debt - external:
$21.6 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$162 million (2000 est.)
Currency:
Algerian dinar (DZD)
Currency code:
DZD
Exchange rates:
Algerian dinars per US dollar - 79.68 (2002), 77.22 (2001), 75.26
(2000), 66.57 (1999), 58.74 (1998)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Algeria
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.3 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
33,500 (1999)
Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very low, not
exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of fixed main
lines increased in the last few years to a little more than
2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much
of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
earth stations are planned)
international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy,
France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and
Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and
1 Arabsat (1998)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)
Radios:
7.1 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:
3.1 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.dz
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
180,000 (2001)
Transportation Algeria
Railways:
total: 3,973 km
standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2002)
Highways:
total: 104,000 km
paved: 71,656 km (including 640 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,344 km (1999)
Waterways:
none
Pipelines:
condensate 1,344 km; gas 87,347 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,213 km;
oil 6,496 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:
Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene,
Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes
Merchant marine:
total: 69 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 884,032 GRT/1,010,777 DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 23, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas
10, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 12, short-sea passenger 4,
specialized tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered
here as a flag of convenience: United Arab Emirates 2 (2002 est.)
Airports:
136 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 54
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 82
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
under 914 m: 19 (2002)
914 to 1,523 m: 38
Heliports:
1 (2002)
Military Algeria
Military branches:
People's National Army (ANP), Algerian National Navy (ANN), Air
Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age:
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 9,243,884 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,646,418 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 412,545 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.87 billion (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.1% (FY99)
Transnational Issues Algeria
Disputes - international:
Libya claims about 32,000 sq km in a dormant dispute still
reflected on its maps in southeastern Algeria; armed bandits based
in Mali attack southern Algerian towns; border with Morocco remains
closed over mutual claims of harboring militants, arms smuggling;
Algeria supports the exiled Sahrawi Polisario Front and rejects
Moroccan administration of Western Sahara
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@American Samoa
Introduction American Samoa
Background:
Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered" by European
explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter
half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which
Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally
occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the
excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.
Geography American Samoa
Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half
way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
14 20 S, 170 00 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 199 sq km
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
water: 0 sq km
land: 199 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
116 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual
rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April,
dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains,
two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Lata 966 m
Natural resources:
pumice, pumicite
Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 10%
other: 85% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
typhoons common from December to March
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the
government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to
improve water catchments and pipelines
Geography - note:
Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the
South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and
protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic
location in the South Pacific Ocean
People American Samoa
Population:
70,260 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.5% (male 13,557; female 12,818)
15-64 years: 57% (male 19,712; female 20,346)
65 years and over: 5.4% (male 2,081; female 1,746) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.6 years
male: 21.1 years
female: 22.2 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
2.22% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
3.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.75 years
male: 71.35 years
female: 80.41 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: American Samoan(s)
adjective: American Samoan
Ethnic groups:
Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%
Religions:
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and
other 30%
Languages:
Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian
languages), English
note: most people are bilingual
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97% (1980 est.)
Government American Samoa
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS
Dependency status:
unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by
the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Pago Pago
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative
divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three
districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a,
Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western
Independence:
none (territory of the US)
National holiday:
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Constitution:
ratified 1966, in effect 1967
Legal system:
NA
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of
vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID
(independent) 47.8%
note: Togiola TULAFONO became acting governor 26 March 2003 upon the
death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
following the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA on 26 March 2003;
TULAFONO had been the Lieutenant Governor
cabinet: NA
Legislative branch:
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of
Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote
and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island;
members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are
elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party
- NA%; seats by party - independents 18
note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US
House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2002 (next
to be held NA November 2004); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA
(Democrat) reelected as delegate
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2002
(next to be held NA November 2004); Senate - last held 7 November
2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
Judicial branch:
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by
the US Secretary of the Interior)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of the US)
Flag description:
blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer
side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald
eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional
Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club
Economy American Samoa
Economy - overview:
This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of
the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked
to the US, with which American Samoa conducts most of its foreign
trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of
the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers
from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's
economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger
and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its
limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism, a
developing sector, has been held back by the recurring financial
difficulties in East Asia.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
Labor force:
14,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:
government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
6% (2000)
Budget:
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)
expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY96/97)
Industries:
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels),
handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
130 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
120.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
3,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra,
pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Exports:
$345 million (1999)
Exports - commodities:
canned tuna 93%
Exports - partners:
Indonesia 71.1%, Japan 7.7%, Samoa 7.7%, Australia 6.7% (2002)
Imports:
$452 million (1999)
Imports - commodities:
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%,
machinery and parts 6%
Imports - partners:
Australia 41%, New Zealand 23%, South Korea 18% (2002)
Debt - external:
$NA
Economic aid - recipient:
important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in
1994
Currency:
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
USD
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Communications American Samoa
Telephones - main lines in use:
13,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,550 (1997)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone
services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
57,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)
Televisions:
14,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.as
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
NA
Transportation American Samoa
Railways:
0 km
Highways:
total: 350 km
paved: 150 km
unpaved: 200 km
Waterways:
none
Ports and harbors:
Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u
Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)
Airports:
3 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Military American Samoa
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues American Samoa
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Andorra
Introduction Andorra
Background:
For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique
co-principality, ruled by the French chief of state and the Spanish
bishop of Urgel. In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the
titular heads of state retained, but the government transformed into
a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished,
mountainous Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War
II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal)
are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.
Geography Andorra
Location:
Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
Geographic coordinates:
42 30 N, 1 30 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 468 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 468 sq km
Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 120.3 km
border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Terrain:
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Land use:
arable land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.78% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
avalanches
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil
erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the
Pyrenees
People Andorra
Population:
69,150 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.1% (male 5,473; female 4,974)
15-64 years: 71.7% (male 26,063; female 23,542)
65 years and over: 13.2% (male 4,543; female 4,555) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.1 years
male: 39.4 years
female: 38.8 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
1.06% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
9.65 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
5.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
6.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 83.49 years
male: 80.58 years
female: 86.58 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran
Ethnic groups:
Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6%
(1998)
Religions:
Roman Catholic (predominant)
Languages:
Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 100%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government Andorra
Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra
local short form: Andorra
local long form: Principat d'Andorra
Government type:
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its
heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president
of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented
locally by coprinces' representatives
Capital:
Andorra la Vella
Administrative divisions:
7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella,
Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant Julia
de Loria
Independence:
1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of
Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)
National holiday:
Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)
Constitution:
Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved
by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993
Legal system:
based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995),
represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish
Coprince Episcopal Monsignor Joan Enric VIVES SICILIA (since 12 May
2003), represented by Nemesi MARQUES OSTE (since NA)
elections: Executive Council president elected by the General
Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year
term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council
president; percent of General Council vote - NA%
cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive
Council president
head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE MOLNE
(since 21 December 1994)
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las
Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from
a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the 7
parishes; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 46.1%, PSD 30%, PD
23.8%, other 0.1%; seats by party - PLA 15, PSD 6, PD 5,
independents 2
Judicial branch:
Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts
or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or
Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice
or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri
Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or PD (formerly part of National Democratic Group
or AND) [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Marc
FORNE MOLNE] (used to be Liberal Union or UL); Liberal Union or UL
[Francesc CERQUEDA]; National Democratic Group or AND [Ladislau BARO
SOLO]; National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vicenc MATEU ZAMORA];
New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU CASSANY]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD (formerly part of National Democratic Group of AND)
[leader NA]; Union of the People of Ordino (Unio Parroquial
d'Ordino) or UPO [Simo DURO COMA]
note: there are two other small parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
CE, ECE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN,
UNESCO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jelena V.
PIA-COMELLA
chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017
FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630
telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to
Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are
represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain);
mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain;
telephone: (3493) 280-2227; FAX: (3493) 205-7705
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red
with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat
of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad
and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the
center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem
Economy Andorra
Economy - overview:
Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy,
accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 million tourists
visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its
summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has
recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain
have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and
lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, also
contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is
limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be
imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising.
Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and
furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is
treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs)
and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.8% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.3% (2000)
Labor force:
33,000 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
0%
Budget:
revenues: $385 million
expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997)
Industries:
tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 0%
other: 0%
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and France;
Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower
Agriculture - products:
small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep
Exports:
$58 million f.o.b. (1998)
Exports - commodities:
tobacco products, furniture
Exports - partners:
Spain 58%, France 34% (2000)
Imports:
$1.077 billion (1998)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, food, electricity
Imports - partners:
Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (2000)
Debt - external:
$NA
Economic aid - recipient:
none
Currency:
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
EUR
Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
(1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Andorra
Telephones - main lines in use:
32,946 (December 1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
14,117 (December 1998)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
between exchanges
international: landline circuits to France and Spain
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
16,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (1997)
Televisions:
27,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ad
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
24,500 (2001)
Transportation Andorra
Railways:
0 km
Highways:
total: 269 km
paved: 198 km
unpaved: 71 km (1994)
Waterways:
none
Ports and harbors:
none
Airports:
none (2002)
Military Andorra
Military branches:
no regular military forces, but there is a police force
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
Transnational Issues Andorra
Disputes - international:
none; border is undemarcated in sections but is not in dispute (a
few French farmers still remain upset about the transfer of 35
hectares of land to Andorra)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Angola
Introduction Angola
Background:
Civil war has been the norm in Angola since independence from
Portugal in 1975. A 1994 peace accord between the government and the
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided
for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government
and armed forces. A national unity government was installed in April
of 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering
hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million lives
may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter century. The
death of insurgent leader Jonas SAVIMBI in 2002 and a subsequent
cease-fire with UNITA may bode well for the country.
Geography Angola
Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
12 30 S, 18 30 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,246,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,246,700 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,198 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of
which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province),
Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km
Coastline:
1,600 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry
season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Terrain:
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold,
bauxite, uranium
Land use:
arable land: 2.41%
permanent crops: 0.4%
other: 97.19% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
750 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Environment - current issues:
overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to
population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical
rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical
timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of
biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and
siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of
the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo
People Angola
Population:
10,766,471 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.5% (male 2,363,829; female 2,317,610)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,941,999; female 2,842,923)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 134,330; female 165,780) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.2 years
male: 18.2 years
female: 18.2 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
1.97% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
45.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
25.83 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 193.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 180.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 206.26 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 36.96 years
male: 36.13 years
female: 37.83 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
350,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
24,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Angolan(s)
adjective: Angolan
Ethnic groups:
Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European
and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998
est.)
Languages:
Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42%
male: 56%
female: 28% (1998 est.)
Government Angola
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Angola
conventional short form: Angola
local short form: Angola
former: People's Republic of Angola
local long form: Republica de Angola
Government type:
republic, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong
presidential system
Capital:
Luanda
Administrative divisions:
18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela,
Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene,
Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico,
Namibe, Uige, Zaire
Independence:
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
Constitution:
11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March
1991, and 26 August 1992
Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently
modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of
free markets
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was
appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002, but this is not a
position of real power
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by universal ballot for a NA-year term;
President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without opposition
under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first
multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA)
election results: DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a
run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA)
repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats;
members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%,
others 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD
3, others 7
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal da Relacao (judges are appointed by the
president)
Political parties and leaders:
Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA];
National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed
leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the
Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [interim leader: PAULO Lukamba
"Gato"], largest opposition party has engaged in years of armed
resistance; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA
[Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS], ruling party in power since 1975; Social
Renewal Party or PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA, Antonio
MUACHICUNGO]
note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections
but only won a few seats and have little influence in the National
Assembly
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita
Henriques TIAGO; Antonio Bento BEMBE]
note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed
struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS (observer),
OAU, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKIDI
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258
consulate(s) general: Houston and New York
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156
chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher William DELL
embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of
Luanda), Luanda
mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda;
pouch: American Embassy Luanda, Department of State, Washington, DC
20521-2550
telephone: [244] (2) 445-481, 447-028, 446-224
FAX: [244] (2) 446-924
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered
yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a
cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)
Economy Angola
Economy - overview:
Angola has been an economy in disarray because of a quarter century
of nearly continuous warfare. An apparently durable peace was
established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI on
February 22, 2002, but consequences from the conflict continue
including the impact of wide-spread land mines. Subsistence
agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population.
Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the
economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and more than half of
exports. Much of the country's food must still be imported. To fully
take advantage of its rich natural resources - gold, diamonds,
extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits -
Angola will need to continue reforming government policies. While
Angola made progress in bringing inflation down further, from 325%
in 2000 to about 106% in 2002, the government has failed to make
sufficient progress on reforms recommended by the IMF such as
increasing foreign exchange reserves and promoting greater
transparency in government spending. Increased oil production should
bring about 6% GDP growth in 2003.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $18.36 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.4% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 67%
services: 25% (2001 e
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