THE WORLD FACTBOOK (continued 5)
Reading edition
_#_Member of: CARICOM (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM (guest), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Carlos A. MORALES Troncoso (serves concurrently as Vice President); Chancery at 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-6280; there are Dominican Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Consulates in Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Minneapolis, Mobile, Ponce (Puerto Rico), and San Francisco;
US—Ambassador Paul D. TAYLOR; Embassy at the corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo (mailing address is APO Miami 34041-0008); telephone [809] 541-2171
_#_Flag: a centered white cross that extends to the edges, divides the flag into four rectangles—the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross
_*Economy #_Overview: The economy is largely dependent on trade; imported components average 60% of the value of goods consumed in the domestic market. Rapid growth of free trade zones has established a significant expansion of manufacturing for export, especially wearing apparel. Over the past decade tourism has also increased in importance and is a major earner of foreign exchange and a source of new jobs. Agriculture remains a key sector of the economy. The principal commercial crop is sugarcane, followed by coffee, cotton, cocoa, and tobacco. Domestic industry is based on the processing of agricultural products, durable consumer goods, minerals, and chemicals. Unemployment is officially reported at about 30%, but there is considerable underemployment. An increasing foreign debt burden and galloping inflation are the economy's greatest weaknesses.
_#_GDP: $6.68 billion, per capita $940; real growth rate 4.2% (1989)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 70% (1990 est.)
_#_Unemployment rate: 29% (1990 est.)
_#_Budget: revenues $413 million; expenditures $522 million, including capital expenditures of $218 million (1988)
_#_Exports: $922 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
commodities—sugar, coffee, cocoa, gold, ferronickel;
partners—US 60%, EC 19%, Puerto Rico 8% (1990)
_#_Imports: $1.9 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.);
commodities—foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals;
partners—US 50%
_#_External debt: $4.2 billion (1990 est.)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 2.3% (1989 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 1,445,000 kW capacity; 4,200 million kWh produced, 580 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GDP and employs 49% of labor force; sugarcane most important commercial crop, followed by coffee, cotton, cocoa, and tobacco; food crops—rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; animal output—cattle, hogs, dairy products, meat, eggs; not self-sufficient in food
_#_Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $576.5 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $569 million
_#_Currency: Dominican peso (plural—pesos); 1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos
_#_Exchange rates: Dominican pesos per US$1—11.850 (January 1991), 8.290 (1990), 6.3400 (1989), 6.1125 (1988), 3.8448 (1987), 2.9043 (1986), 3.1126 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications #_Railroads: 1,655 km total in numerous segments; 4 different gauges from 0.558 m to 1.435 m
_#_Highways: 12,000 km total; 5,800 km paved, 5,600 km gravel and improved earth, 600 km unimproved
_#_Pipelines: crude oil, 96 km; refined products, 8 km
_#_Ports: Santo Domingo, Haina, San Pedro de Macoris, Puerto Plata
_#_Merchant marine: 4 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,326 GRT/38,661 DWT
_#_Civil air: 14 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 44 total, 30 usable; 14 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: relatively efficient domestic system based on islandwide radio relay network; 190,000 telephones; stations—120 AM, no FM, 18 TV, 6 shortwave; 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,963,260; 1,241,370 fit for military service; 81,083 reach military age (18) annually
_#Defense expenditures: $70 million, 1% of GDP (1990) % @Ecuador *Geography #_Total area: 283,560 km2; land area: 276,840 km2; includes Galapagos Islands
_#_Comparative area: slightly smaller than Nevada
_#_Land boundaries: 2,010 km total; Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
_#_Coastline: 2,237 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands;
Territorial sea: 200 nm
_#_Disputes: two sections of the boundary with Peru are in dispute
_#_Climate: tropical along coast becoming cooler inland
_#_Terrain: coastal plain (Costa), inter-Andean central highlands (Sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (Oriente)
_#_Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber
_#_Land use: arable land 6%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 17%; forest and woodland 51%; other 23% ; includes irrigated 2%
_#_Environment: subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; periodic droughts
_#_Note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
_*People #_Population: 10,751,648 (July 1991), growth rate 2.3% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 30 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 60 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 68 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 3.7 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Ecuadorian(s); adjective—Ecuadorian
_#_Ethnic divisions: mestizo (mixed Indian and Spanish) 55%, Indian 25%, Spanish 10%, black 10%
_#_Religion: Roman Catholic 95%
_#_Language: Spanish (official); Indian languages, especially Quechua
_#_Literacy: 86% (male 88%, female 84%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
_#_Labor force: 2,800,000; agriculture 35%, manufacturing 21%, commerce 16%, services and other activities 28% (1982)
_#_Organized labor: less than 15% of labor force
_*Government #_Long-form name: Republic of Ecuador
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Quito
_#_Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (provincias, singular—provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe
_#_Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain; Battle of Pichincha)
_#_Constitution: 10 August 1979
_#_Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 10 August (1809, independence of Quito)
_#_Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos (since 10 August 1988); Vice President Luis PARODI Valverde (since 10 August 1988)
_#_Political parties and leaders:
Right to center parties— Social Christian Party (PSC), former President Leon FEBRES Cordero Rivadeneira; Conservative Party (PC), Alberto DAHIK, leader; Radical Liberal Party (PLR), Blasco Manuel PENAHERRERA Padilla, director;
Centrist parties— Concentration of Popular Forces (CFP), Averroes BUCARAM Saxida, director; Radical Alfarist Front (FRA), Cecilia CALDERON de Castro, leader; People, Change, and Democracy (PCD), Aquiles RIGAIL Santistevan, director; Revolutionary Nationalist Party (PNR), Carlos Julio AROSEMENA Monroy, leader;
Center-left parties— Democratic Left (ID), President Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos, leader; Roldosist Party of Ecuador (PRE), Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director; Popular Democracy (DP), Vladimiro ALVAREZ, president; Christian Democratic (CD), Julio Cesar TRUJILLO; Democratic Party (PD), Francisco HUERTA Montalvo, leader;
Far-left parties— Broad Leftist Front (FADI), Rene MAUGE Mosquera, director; Socialist Party (PSE), Victor GRANDA Aguilar, secretary general; Democratic Popular Movement (MPD), Jaime HURTADO Gonzalez, leader; Ecuadorian National Liberation (LN), Alfredo CASTILLO, president; Popular Revolutionary Action Party (APRE), Lt. Gen. Frank VARGAS Pazzos, leader
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18; compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
_#_Elections:
President—first round held 31 January 1988 and second round on 8 May 1988 (next first round to be held May 1992 and second round June 1992); results—Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos (ID) 54%, Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz (PRE) 46%;
Chamber of Representatives—last held 17 June 1990 (next to be held June 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(72 total) PSC 16, ID 14, PRE 13, PSE 8, DP 7, CFP 3, PC 3, PLR 3, FADI 2, FRA 2, MPD 1
_#_Communists: Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-Moscow), Rene Mauge Mosquera, secretary general, 5,000 members; Communist Party of Ecuador/Marxist Leninist (PCMLE, Maoist), 3,000 members; Socialist Party of Ecuador (PSE, pro-Cuba), 5,000 members (est.); National Liberation Party (PLN, Communist), 5,000 members (est.)
_#_Member of: AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jaime MONCAYO; Chancery at 2535 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 234-7200; there are Ecuadorian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco, and a Consulate in San Diego;
US—Ambassador Paul C. LAMBERT; Embassy at Avenida Patria 120, on the corner of Avenida 12 de Octubre, Quito (mailing address is P. O. Box 538, Quito, or APO Miami 34039); telephone [593] (2) 562-890; there is a US Consulate General in Guayaquil
_#_Flag: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms
_*Economy #_Overview: Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Growth has been uneven because of natural disasters (e.g., a major earthquake in 1987), fluctuations in global oil prices, and government policies designed to curb inflation. The government has not taken a supportive attitude toward either domestic or foreign investment, although its agreement to enter the Andean free trade zone is an encouraging move.
_#_GDP: $10.6 billion, per capita $1,010; real growth rate 1.5% (1990)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 49.5% (1990)
_#_Unemployment rate: 8.0% (1990)
_#_Budget: revenues $2.2 billion; expenditures $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $375 million (1991)
_#_Exports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities—petroleum 47%, coffee, bananas, cocoa products, shrimp, fish products;
partners—US 60%, Latin America, Caribbean, EC countries
_#_Imports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities—transport equipment, vehicles, machinery, chemicals;
partners—US 34%, Latin America, Caribbean, EC, Japan
_#_External debt: $11.8 billion (December 1990)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate - 3.8% (1989); accounts for almost 40% of GDP, including petroleum
_#_Electricity: 1,983,000 kW capacity; 6,011 million kWh produced, 570 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal works, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, timber
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 18% of GDP and 35% of labor force (including fishing and forestry); leading producer and exporter of bananas and balsawood; other exports—coffee, cocoa, fish, shrimp; crop production—rice, potatoes, manioc, plantains, sugarcane; livestock sector—cattle, sheep, hogs, beef, pork, dairy products; net importer of foodgrains, dairy products, and sugar
_#_Illicit drugs: relatively small producer of coca following the successful eradication campaign of 1985-87; significant transit country, however, for derivatives of coca originating in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru
_#_Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $498 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1.7 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $64 million
_#_Currency: sucre (plural—sucres); 1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos
_#_Exchange rates: sucres (S/) per US$1—869.54 (December 1990), 767.75 (1990), 526.35 (1989), 301.61 (1988), 170.46 (1987), 122.78 (1986), 69.56 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications #_Railroads: 965 km total; all 1.067-meter-gauge single track
_#_Highways: 28,000 km total; 3,600 km paved, 17,400 km gravel and improved earth, 7,000 km unimproved earth
_#_Inland waterways: 1,500 km
_#_Pipelines: crude oil, 800 km; refined products, 1,358 km
_#_Ports: Guayaquil, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, Esmeraldas
_#_Merchant marine: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 342,411 GRT/495,482 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 8 cargo, 17 refrigerated cargo, 2 container, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 16 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 1 bulk
_#_Civil air: 44 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 153 total, 151 usable; 46 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 23 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: domestic facilities generally adequate; 318,000 telephones; stations—272 AM, no FM, 33 TV, 39 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: Army (Ejercito Ecuatoriano), Navy (Armada Ecuatoriana), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana), National Police
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 2,716,919; 1,840,296 fit for military service; 117,113 reach military age (20) annually
_#Defense expenditures: $176 million, 1.6% of GDP (1990 est.) % @Egypt *Geography #_Total area: 1,001,450 km2; land area: 995,450 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico
_#_Land boundaries: 2,689 km total; Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 255 km, Libya 1,150 km, Sudan 1,273 km
_#_Coastline: 2,450 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive economic zone: undefined;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: Administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary
_#_Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters
_#_Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta
_#_Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc
_#_Land use: arable land 3%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland NEGL%; other 95%; includes irrigated 5%
_#_Environment: Nile is only perennial water source; increasing soil salinization below Aswan High Dam; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; water pollution; desertification
_#_Note: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean; size and juxtaposition to Israel establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics
_*People #_Population: 54,451,588 (July 1991), growth rate 2.3% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 33 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 82 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 60 years male, 61 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 4.5 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Egyptian(s); adjective—Egyptian
_#_Ethnic divisions: Eastern Hamitic stock 90%; Greek, Italian, Syro-Lebanese 10%
_#_Religion: (official estimate) Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%; Coptic Christian and other 6%
_#_Language: Arabic (official); English and French widely understood by educated classes
_#_Literacy: 48% (male 63%, female 34%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
_#_Labor force: 15,000,000 (1989 est.); government, public sector enterprises, and armed forces 36%; agriculture 34%; privately owned service and manufacturing enterprises 20% (1984); shortage of skilled labor; 2,500,000 Egyptians work abroad, mostly in Iraq and the Gulf Arab states (1988 est.)
_#_Organized labor: 2,500,000 (est.)
_*Government #_Long-form name: Arab Republic of Egypt
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Cairo
_#_Administrative divisions: 24 governorates (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Ismailiyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Said, Dumyat, Janub Sina, Matruh, Shamal Sina, Suhaj
_#_Independence: 28 February 1922 (from UK); formerly United Arab Republic
_#_Constitution: 11 September 1971
_#_Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
_#_National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 23 July (1952)
_#_Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly (Majlis al-Chaab); note—there is an Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura) that functions in a consultative role
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (was made acting President on 6 October 1981 upon the assassination of President Sadat and sworn in as President on 14 October 1981);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Atef Mohammed Najib SEDKY (since 12 November 1986)
_#_Political parties and leaders: formation of political parties must be approved by government; National Democratic Party (NDP), President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK, leader, is the dominant party; legal opposition parties are Socialist Liberal Party (SLP), Kamal MURAD; Socialist Labor Party, Ibrahim SHUKRI; National Progressive Unionist Grouping (NPUG), Khalid MUHYI-AL-DIN; Umma Party, Ahmad al-SABAHI; New Wafd Party (NWP), Fuad SIRAJ AL-DIN; Misr al-Fatah Party (Young Egypt Party), Ali al-Din SALIH; Democratic Unionist Party, Muhammad Abd al-Mun'im TURK; The Greens Party, Hasan RAJAB
_#_Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
_#_Elections:
President—last held 5 October 1987 (next to be held October 1993); results—President Hosni MUBAREK was reelected;
People's Assembly—last held 29 November 1990 (next to be held November 1995); results—NDP 78.4%, NPUG 1.4%, independents 18.7%; seats—(454 total, 444 elected)—including NDP 348, NPUG 6, independents 83; note—most opposition parties boycotted;
Advisory Council—last held 8 June 1989 (next to be held June 1995); results—NDP 100%; seats—(258 total, 172 elected) NDP 172
_#_Communists: about 500 party members
_#_Other political or pressure groups: Islamic groups are illegal, but the largest one, the Muslim Brotherhood, is tolerated by the government; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned
_#_Member of: ABEDA, ACC, ACCT (associate), AfDB, AFESD, AG (observer), AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador El Sayed Abdel Raouf EL REEDY; Chancery at 2310 Decatur Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-5400; there are Egyptian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco;
US—Ambassador Frank G. WISNER; Embassy at Lazougi Street, Garden City, Cairo (mailing address is APO New York 09674-0006); telephone [20] (2) 355-7371; there is a US Consulate General in Alexandria
_#_Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with the national emblem (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle facing the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band
_*Economy #_Overview: Egypt has one of the largest public sectors of all the Third World economies, most industrial plants being owned by the government. Overregulation holds back technical modernization and foreign investment. Even so, the economy grew rapidly during the late 1970s and early 1980s, but in 1986 the collapse of world oil prices and an increasingly heavy burden of debt servicing led Egypt to begin negotiations with the IMF for balance-of-payments support. As part of the 1987 agreement with the IMF, the government agreed to institute a reform program to reduce inflation, promote economic growth, and improve its external position. The reforms have been slow in coming, however, and the economy has been largely stagnant for the past three years. The addition of 1 million people every seven months to Egypt's population exerts enormous pressure on the 5% of the total land area available for agriculture.
_#_GDP: $37.0 billion, per capita $700; real growth rate 1.0% (1990 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 26% (FY90)
_#_Unemployment rate: 15% (1989 est.)
_#_Budget: revenues $7 billion; expenditures $11.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $4 billion (FY89 est.)
_#_Exports: $3.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities—crude and refined petroleum, cotton yarn, raw cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals;
partners—EC, Eastern Europe, US, Japan
_#_Imports: $11.4 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities—machinery and equipment, foods, fertilizers, wood products, durable consumer goods, capital goods;
partners—EC, US, Japan, Eastern Europe
_#_External debt: $52 billion (December 1990 est.)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 2-4% (1989 est.); accounts for 24% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 11,273,000 kW capacity; 42,500 million kWh produced, 780 kWh per capita (1989)
_#_Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, petroleum, construction, cement, metals
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 20% of GNP and employs more than one-third of labor force; dependent on irrigation water from the Nile; world's sixth-largest cotton exporter; other crops produced include rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruit, vegetables; not self-sufficient in food; livestock—cattle, water buffalo, sheep, and goats; annual fish catch about 140,000 metric tons
_#_Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $15.7 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $9.3 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $2.9 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $2.4 billion
_#_Currency: Egyptian pound (plural—pounds); 1 Egyptian pound (5E) = 100 piasters
_#_Exchange rates: Egyptian pounds (5E) per US$1—2.9030 (January 1991), 2.7072 (1990), 2.5171 (1989), 2.2233 (1988), 1.5183 (1987), 1.3503 (1986), 1.3010 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
_*Communications #_Railroads: 5,110 km total; 4,763 km 1,435-meter standard gauge, 347 km 0.750-meter gauge; 951 km double track; 25 km electrified
_#_Highways: 51,925 km total; 17,900 km paved, 2,500 km gravel, 13,500 km improved earth, 18,025 km unimproved earth
_#_Inland waterways: 3,500 km (including the Nile, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the delta); Suez Canal, 193.5 km long (including approaches), used by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 meters of water
_#_Pipelines: crude oil, 1,171 km; refined products, 596 km; natural gas, 460 km
_#_Ports: Alexandria, Port Said, Suez, Bur Safajah, Damietta
_#_Merchant marine: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,121,534 GRT/1,725,369 DWT; includes 5 passenger, 7 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 85 cargo, 3 refrigerated cargo, 13 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 14 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 15 bulk
_#_Civil air: 43 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 91 total, 82 usable; 66 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 44 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: system is large but still inadequate for needs; principal centers are Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, and Tanta; intercity connections by coaxial cable and microwave; extensive upgrading in progress; 600,000 telephones (est.); stations—25 AM, 5 FM, 47 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 INMARSAT, 1 ARABSAT; 4 submarine coaxial cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; radio relay to Libya (may not be operational); radio relay to Jordan
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 13,333,285; 8,665,260 fit for military service; 584,780 reach military age (20) annually
_#Defense expenditures: $2.8 billion, 7.3% of GDP (1991) % @El Salvador *Geography #_Total area: 21,040 km2; land area: 20,720 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
_#_Land boundaries: 545 km total; Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
_#_Coastline: 307 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 200 nm (overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm)
_#_Disputes: dispute with Honduras over several sections of the land boundary; dispute over Golfo de Fonseca maritime boundary because of disputed sovereignty of islands
_#_Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April)
_#_Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
_#_Natural resources: hydropower, geothermal power, crude oil
_#_Land use: arable land 27%; permanent crops 8%; meadows and pastures 29%; forest and woodland 6%; other 30%; includes irrigated 5%
_#_Environment: The Land of Volcanoes; subject to frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
_#_Note: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea
_*People #_Population: 5,418,736 (July 1991), growth rate 2.0% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 34 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: - 6 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 47 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 63 years male, 68 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 4.1 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Salvadoran(s); adjective—Salvadoran
_#_Ethnic divisions: mestizo 89%, Indian 10%, white 1%
_#_Religion: Roman Catholic about 75%, with extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country (more than 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador at the end of 1990)
_#_Language: Spanish, Nahua (among some Indians)
_#_Literacy: 73% (male 76%, female 70%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
_#_Labor force: 1,700,000 (1982 est.); agriculture 40%, commerce 16%, manufacturing 15%, government 13%, financial services 9%, transportation 6%, other 1%; shortage of skilled labor and a large pool of unskilled labor, but manpower training programs improving situation (1984 est.)
_#_Organized labor: total labor force 15%; agricultural labor force 10%; urban labor force 7% (1987 est.)
_*Government #_Long-form name: Republic of El Salvador
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: San Salvador
_#_Administrative divisions: 14 departments (departamentos, singular—departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan
_#_Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
_#_Constitution: 20 December 1983
_#_Legal system: based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
_#_Executive branch: president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Alfredo CRISTIANI (since 1 June 1989); Vice President Jose Francisco MERINO (since 1 June 1989)
_#_Political parties and leaders: National Republican Alliance (ARENA), Armando CALDERON Sol; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Fidel CHAVEZ Mena; National Conciliation Party (PCN), Ciro CRUZ Zepeda; National Democratic Union (UDN), Mario AGUINADA Carranza; the Democratic Convergence (CD) is a coalition of three parties—the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Wilfredo BARILLAS; the National Revolutionary Movement (MNR), Rene FLORES; and the Popular Social Christian Movement (MPSC), Ruben ZAMORA; Authentic Christian Movement (MAC), Julio REY PRENDES; Democratic Action (AD), Ricardo GONZALEZ Camacho
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
President—last held 19 March 1989 (next to be held March 1994); results—Alfredo CRISTIANI (ARENA) 53.8%, Fidel CHAVEZ Mena (PDC) 36.6%, other 9.6%;
Legislative Assembly—last held 10 March 1991 (next to be held March 1994); results—ARENA 44.3%, PDC 27.96%, CD 12.16%, PCN 8.99%, MAC 3.23%, UDN 2.68%; seats—(84 total) ARENA 39, PDC 26, PCN 9, CD 8, UDN 1, MAC 1
_#_Other political or pressure groups:
Leftist revolutionary movement—Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), leadership body of the insurgency, four factions—Popular Liberation Forces (FPL), Armed Forces of National Resistance (FARN), People's Revolutionary Army (ERP), Salvadoran Communist Party/Armed Forces of Liberation (PCES/FAL), and Central American Workers' Revolutionary Party (PRTC)/Popular Liberation Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARLP);
Leftist political parties—National Democratic Union (UDN), National Revolutionary Movement (MNR), and Popular Social Movement (MPSC);
FMLN front organizations:
Labor fronts include—National Union of Salvadoran Workers (UNTS), leftist umbrella front group, leads FMLN front network; National Federation of Salvadoran Workers (FENASTRAS), best organized of front groups and controlled by FMLN's National Resistance (RN); Social Security Institute Workers Union (STISSS), one of the most militant fronts, is controlled by FMLN'S Armed Forces of National Resistance (FARN) and RN; Association of Telecommunications Workers (ASTTEL); Centralized Union Federation of El Salvador (FUSS); Treasury Ministry Employees (AGEMHA);
Nonlabor fronts include—Committee of Mothers and Families of Political Prisoners, Disappeared Persons, and Assassinated of El Salvador (COMADRES); Nongovernmental Human Rights Commission (CDHES); Committee of Dismissed and Unemployed of El Salvador (CODYDES); General Association of Salvadoran University Students (AGEUS); National Association of Salvadoran Educators (ANDES-21 DE JUNIO); Salvadoran Revolutionary Student Front (FERS), associated with the Popular Forces of Liberation (FPL); Association of National University Educators (ADUES); Salvadoran University Students Front (FEUS); Christian Committee for the Displaced of El Salvador (CRIPDES), an FPL front; The Association for Communal Development in El Salvador (PADECOES), controlled by the People's Revolutionary Army (ERP); Confederation of Cooperative Associations of El Salvador (COACES);
Labor organizations—Federation of Construction and Transport Workers Unions (FESINCONSTRANS), independent; Salvadoran Communal Union (UCS), peasant association; Unitary Federation of Salvadoran Unions (FUSS), leftist; National Federation of Salvadoran Workers (FENASTRAS), leftist; Democratic Workers Central (CTD), moderate; General Confederation of Workers (CGT), moderate; National Unity of Salvadoran Workers (UNTS), leftist; National Union of Workers and Peasants (UNOC), moderate labor coalition of democratic labor organizations; United Workers Front (FUT);
Business organizations—National Association of Private Enterprise (ANEP), conservative; Productive Alliance (AP), conservative; National Federation of Salvadoran Small Businessmen (FENAPES), conservative
_#_Member of: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Miguel Angel SALAVERRIA; Chancery at 2308 California Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-3480 through 3482; there are Salvadoran Consulates General in Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco;
US—Ambassador William G. WALKER; Embassy at 25 Avenida Norte No. 1230, San Salvador (mailing address is APO Miami 34023); telephone [503] 26-7100
_#_Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band—it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
_*Economy #_Overview: The agricultural sector accounts for 25% of GDP, employs about 40% of the labor force, and contributes about 66% to total exports. Coffee is the major commercial crop, accounting for 45% of export earnings. The manufacturing sector, based largely on food and beverage processing, accounts for 18% of GDP and 15% of employment. Economic losses because of guerrilla sabotage total more than $2.0 billion since 1979. The costs of maintaining a large military seriously constrain the government's efforts to provide essential social services. Nevertheless, growth in national output last year exceeded growth in population for the first time since 1987.
_#_GDP: $5.4 billion, per capita $1,030; real growth rate 2.8% (1990 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% (1990)
_#_Unemployment rate: 10% (1989)
_#_Budget: revenues $751 million; expenditures $790 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
_#_Exports: $571 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
commodities—coffee 45%, sugar, cotton, shrimp;
partners—US 49%, FRG 24%, Guatemala 7%, Costa Rica 4%, Japan 4%
_#_Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.);
commodities—petroleum products, consumer goods, foodstuffs, machinery, construction materials, fertilizer;
partners—US 40%, Guatemala 12%, Venezuela 7%, Mexico 7%, FRG 5%, Japan 4%
_#_External debt: $2.1 billion (December 1990 est.)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 2.4% (1990); accounts for 22% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 682,000 kW capacity; 1,849 million kWh produced, 350 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: food processing, textiles, clothing, beverages, petroleum, tobacco products, chemicals, furniture
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 25% of GDP and 40% of labor force (including fishing and forestry); coffee most important commercial crop; other products—sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseeds, beef, dairy products, shrimp; not self-sufficient in food
_#_Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $2.95 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $455 million
_#_Currency: Salvadoran colon (plural—colones); 1 Salvadoran colon (C) = 100 centavos
_#_Exchange rates: Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1—8.0 (April 1991, floating rate since mid-1990); 5.0000 (fixed rate 1986 to mid-1990)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications #_Railroads: 602 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track
_#_Highways: 10,000 km total; 1,500 km paved, 4,100 km gravel, 4,400 km improved and unimproved earth
_#_Inland waterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable
_#_Ports: Acajutla, Cutuco
_#_Civil air: 7 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 116 total, 82 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: nationwide trunk radio relay system; connection into Central American Microwave System; 116,000 telephones; stations—77 AM, no FM, 5 TV, 2 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Police, Treasury Police
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,220,088; 780,108 fit for military service; 71,709 reach military age (18) annually
_#Defense expenditures: $220 million, 3.6% of GDP (1990) % @Equatorial Guinea *Geography #_Total area: 28,050 km2; land area: 28,050 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
_#_Land boundaries: 539 km total; Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
_#_Coastline: 296 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay
_#_Climate: tropical; always hot, humid
_#_Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
_#_Natural resources: timber, crude oil, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium
_#_Land use: arable land 8%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 51%; other 33%
_#_Environment: subject to violent windstorms
_#_Note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated
_*People #_Population: 378,729 (July 1991), growth rate 2.6% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 42 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 16 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 116 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 49 years male, 53 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 5.4 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s); adjective—Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
_#_Ethnic divisions: indigenous population of Bioko, primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos; Rio Muni, primarily Fang; less than 1,000 Europeans, mostly Spanish
_#_Religion: natives all nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic; some pagan practices retained
_#_Language: Spanish (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo
_#_Literacy: 50% (male 64%, female 37%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
_#_Labor force: 172,000 (1986 est.); agriculture 66%, services 23%, industry 11% (1980); labor shortages on plantations; 58% of population of working age (1985)
_#_Organized labor: no formal trade unions
_*Government #_Long-form name: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Malabo
_#_Administrative divisions: 2 provinces (provincias, singular—provincia); Bioko, Rio Muni; note—there may now be 6 provinces named Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele Nzas
_#_Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain; formerly Spanish Guinea)
_#_Constitution: 15 August 1982
_#_Legal system: in transition; partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 12 October (1968)
_#_Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives of the People (Camara de Representantes del Pueblo)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Cristino SERICHE BIOKO MALABO (since 15 August 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Isidoro Eyi MONSUY ANDEME (since 15 August 1989)
_#_Political parties and leaders: only party—Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO, party leader
_#_Suffrage: universal adult at age NA
_#_Elections:
President—last held 25 June 1989 (next to be held 25 June 1996); results—President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO was reelected without opposition;
Chamber of People's Representatives—last held 10 July 1988 (next to be held 10 July 1993); results—PDGE is the only party; seats—(41 total) PDGE 41
_#_Communists: no significant number
_#_Member of: ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS (associate), NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Damaso OBIANG NDONG; Chancery at 801 Second Avenue, Suite 1403, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 599-1523;
US—Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William MITHOEFER; Embassy at Calle de Los Ministros, Malabo (mailing address is P. O. Box 597, Malabo; telephone [240] (9) 2185, 2406, 2507
_#_Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)
_*Economy #_Overview: The economy, destroyed during the regime of former President Macias Nguema, is now based on agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which account for about 60% of GNP and nearly all exports. Subsistence agriculture predominates, with cocoa, coffee, and wood products providing income, foreign exchange, and government revenues. There is little industry. Commerce accounts for about 10% of GNP, and the construction, public works, and service sectors for about 34%. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Oil exploration, taking place under concessions offered to US, French, and Spanish firms, has been moderately successful, and some revenues from oil exports will begin rolling in by mid-1991.
_#_GDP: $144 million, per capita $411; real growth rate 2.9% (1988 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.9% (1989 est.)
_#_Unemployment rate: NA%
_#_Budget: revenues $23 million; expenditures $31 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1988)
_#_Exports: $41 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities—coffee, timber, cocoa beans;
partners—Spain 44%, FRG 19%, Italy 12%, Netherlands 11% (1987)
_#_Imports: $57.1 million (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities—petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery;
partners—Spain 34%, Italy 16%, France 14%, Netherlands 8% (1987)
_#_External debt: $195 million (1989)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate - 6.8% (1990 est.); acounts for about 4% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 23,000 kW capacity; 60 million kWh produced, 170 kWh per capita (1989)
_#_Industries: fishing, sawmilling
_#_Agriculture: cash crops—timber and coffee from Rio Muni, cocoa from Bioko; food crops—rice, yams, cassava, bananas, oil palm nuts, manioc, livestock
_#_Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY81-89), $14 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $112 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $55 million
_#_Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural—francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
_#_Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1—256.54 (January 1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
_*Communications #_Highways: Rio Muni—1,024 km; Bioko—216 km
_#_Ports: Malabo, Bata
_#_Merchant marine: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,413 GRT/6,699 DWT; includes 1 cargo and 1 passenger-cargo
_#_Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 4 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: poor system with adequate government services; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; 2,000 telephones; stations—2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Police
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 79,641; 40,369 fit for military service
_#Defense expenditures: $NA, 11% of GNP (FY81 est.) % @Ethiopia *Geography #_Total area: 1,221,900 km2; land area: 1,101,000 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
_#_Land boundaries: 5,141 km total; Djibouti 459 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 2,221 km
_#_Coastline: 1,094 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: southern half of the boundary with Somalia is a Provisional Administrative Line; possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis; territorial dispute with Somalia over the Ogaden; separatist movement in Eritrea; antigovernment insurgencies in Tigray and other areas
_#_Climate: tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation; some areas prone to extended droughts
_#_Terrain: high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley
_#_Natural resources: small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash
_#_Land use: arable land 12%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 41%; forest and woodland 24%; other 22%; includes irrigated NEGL%
_#_Environment: geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; frequent droughts; famine
_#_Note: strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; major resettlement project—that was ongoing in rural areas and would have significantly altered population distribution and settlement patterns over the next several decades—has been derailed because of ongoing civil wars
_*People #_Population: 53,191,127 (July 1991), growth rate 3.1% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 45 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 15 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 114 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 50 years male, 53 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Ethiopian(s); adjective—Ethiopian
_#_Ethnic divisions: Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigrean 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%
_#_Religion: Muslim 40-45%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35-40%, animist 15-20%, other 5%
_#_Language: Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic, English (major foreign language taught in schools)
_#_Literacy: 62% (male NA%, female NA%) age 10 and over can read and write (1983 est.)
_#_Labor force: 18,000,000; agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985)
_#_Organized labor: All Ethiopian Trade Union formed by the government in January 1977 to represent 273,000 registered trade union members
_*Government #_Long-form name: People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
_#_Type: on 28 May 1991 the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) took control in Addis Ababa; on 29 May 1991 Issayas AFEWORKE, secretary general of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF), announced the formation of a provisional government in Eritrea, in preparation for an eventual referendum on independence for the province
_#_Capital: Addis Ababa
_#_Administrative divisions: 25 administrative regions (astedader akababiwach, singular—astedader akababi) and 5 autonomous regions* (rasgez akababiwach, singular—rasgez akababi); Addis Abeba (Addis Ababa), Arsi, Aseb*, Asosa, Bale, Borena, Debub Gonder, Debub Shewa, Debub Welo, Dire Dawa*, Ertra (Eritrea)*, Gambela, Gamo Gofa, Ilubabor, Kefa, Metekel, Mirab Gojam, Mirab Harerge, Mirab Shewa, Misrak Gojam, Misrak Harerge, Nazaret, Ogaden*, Omo, Semen Gonder, Semen Shewa, Semen Welo, Sidamo, Tigray*, Welega
_#_Independence: oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world—at least 2,000 years
_#_Constitution: 12 September 1987
_#_Legal system: complex structure with civil, Islamic, common, and customary law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
_#_National holiday: National Revolution Day, 12 September (1974)
_#_Executive branch: president, vice president, Council of State prime minister, five deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Shengo)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—Interim President Meles ZENAWI (since 1 June 1991);
Head of Government—Acting Prime Minister Tamrat LAYNE (since 6 June 1991)
_#_Political parties and leaders: only party—Workers' Party of Ethiopia (WPE)
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
President—last held 10 September 1987 (next to be held September 1992); results—MENGISTU Haile-Mariam elected by the National Assembly, but resigned and left Ethiopia on 21 May 1991;
National Assembly—last held 14 June 1987 (next to be held NA); results—WPE was the only party; seats—(835 total) WPE 835
_#_Other political or pressure groups: Oromo Liberation Front; Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party (EPRP)
_#_Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Counselor, Charge d'Affaires ad interim GIRMA Amare; Chancery at 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 234-2281 or 2282;
US—Charge d'Affaires Robert G. HOUDEK; Embassy at Entoto Street, Addis Ababa (mailing address is P.O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa); telephone [251] (01) 550666
_#_Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa and the colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors
_*Economy #_Overview: Ethiopia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in Africa. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which accounts for about 45% of GDP, 90% of exports, and 80% of total employment; coffee generates 60% of export earnings. The manufacturing sector is heavily dependent on inputs from the agricultural sector. Over 90% of large-scale industry, but less then 10% of agriculture, is state run. Favorable agricultural weather largely explains the 4.5% growth in output in FY89.
_#_GDP: $6.6 billion, per capita $130, real growth rate - 0.4% (FY89 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.2% (1989)
_#_Unemployment rate: NA
_#_Budget: revenues $1.8 billion; expenditures $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $842 million (FY88)
_#_Exports: $429 million (f.o.b., FY88);
commodities—coffee 60%, hides;
partners—US, FRG, Djibouti, Japan, PDRY, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia
_#_Imports: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., FY88);
commodities—food, fuels, capital goods;
partners—USSR, Italy, FRG, Japan, UK, US, France
_#_External debt: $2.6 billion (1988)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 2.3% (FY89 est.); accounts for 13% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 330,000 kW capacity; 700 million kWh produced, 14 kWh per capita (1989)
_#_Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing, cement
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 45% of GDP and is the most important sector of the economy even though frequent droughts and poor cultivation practices keep farm output low; famines not uncommon; export crops of coffee and oilseeds grown partly on state farms; estimated 50% of agricultural production at subsistence level; principal crops and livestock—cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseeds, sugarcane, potatoes and other vegetables, hides and skins, cattle, sheep, goats
_#_Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $504 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $8 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $2.0 billion
_#_Currency: birr (plural—birr); 1 birr (Br) = 100 cents
_#_Exchange rates: birr (Br) per US$1—2.0700 (fixed rate)
_#_Fiscal year: 8 July-7 July
_*Communications #_Railroads: 988 km total; 681 km 1.000-meter gauge; 307 km 0.950-meter gauge (nonoperational)
_#_Highways: 44,300 km total; 3,650 km bituminous, 9,650 km gravel, 3,000 km improved earth, 28,000 km unimproved earth
_#_Ports: Aseb, Mitsiwa
_#_Merchant marine: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 69,398 GRT/89,457 DWT; includes 9 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll off cargo, 1 livestock carrier, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker
_#_Civil air: 21 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 153 total, 111 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 49 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: open-wire and radio relay system adequate for government use; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; stations—4 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 45,000 TV sets; 3,300,000 radios; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, Police Force
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 11,717,614; 6,072,112 fit for military service; 609,346 reach military age (18) annually
_#Defense expenditures: $NA, 8.5% of GDP (1988) % @Europa Island (French possession) *Geography #_Total area: 28 km2; land area: 28 km2
_#_Comparative area: about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 22.2 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: claimed by Madagascar
_#_Climate: tropical
_#_Terrain: NA
_#_Natural resources: negligible
_#_Land use: arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and woodland NA%; other NA%; heavily wooded
_#_Environment: wildlife sanctuary
_#_Note: located in the Mozambique Channel 340 km west of Madagascar
_*People #_Population: uninhabited
_*Government #_Long-form name: none
_#_Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic Daniel CONSTANTIN, resident in Reunion
_*Economy #_Overview: no economic activity
_*Communications #_Airports: 1 with runway 1,220 to 2,439 m
_#_Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
_#_Telecommunications: 1 meteorological station
_*Defense Forces #Note: defense is the responsibility of France % @_Falkland Islands
(Islas Malvinas) (dependent territory of the UK) _*Geography #_Total area: 12,170 km2; land area: 12,170 km2; includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
_#_Comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 1,288 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 100 meter depth;
Exclusive fishing zone: 150 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina
_#_Climate: cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate
_#_Terrain: rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
_#_Natural resources: fish and wildlife
_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 99%; forest and woodland 0%; other 1%
_#_Environment: poor soil fertility and a short growing season
_#_Note: deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors
_*People #_Population: 1,968 (July 1991), growth rate NEGL% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Falkland Islander(s); adjective—Falkland Island
_#_Ethnic divisions: almost totally British
_#_Religion: primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, and United Free Church; Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist
_#_Language: English
_#_Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education age 5 to 15 (1988)
_#_Labor force: 1,100 (est.); agriculture, mostly sheepherding about 95%
_#_Organized labor: Falkland Islands General Employees Union, 400 members
_*Government #_Long-form name: Colony of the Falkland Islands
_#_Type: dependent territory of the UK
_#_Capital: Stanley
_#_Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
_#_Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
_#_Constitution: 3 October 1985
_#_Legal system: English common law
_#_National holiday: Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
_#_Executive branch: British monarch, governor, Executive Council
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government—Governor William Hugh FULLERTON (since NA 1988)
_#_Political parties: NA
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
Legislative Council—last held 11 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(10 total, 8 elected) number of seats by party NA
_#_Member of: ICFTU
_#_Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
_#_Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms in a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT
_*Economy #_Overview: The economy is based on sheep farming, which directly or indirectly employs most of the work force. A few dairy herds are kept to meet domestic consumption of milk and milk products, and crops grown are primarily those for providing winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. Rich stocks of fish in the surrounding waters are not presently exploited by the islanders. So far efforts to establish a domestic fishing industry have been unsuccessful. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees amount to more than $40 million per year and are a primary source of income for the government. To encourage tourism, the Falkland Islands Development Corporation has built three lodges for visitors attracted by the abundant wildlife and trout fishing.
_#_GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.4% (1980-87 average)
_#_Unemployment rate: NA%; labor shortage
_#_Budget: revenues $62.7 million; expenditures $41.8 million, excluding capital expenditures of $NA (FY90)
_#_Exports: at least $14.7 million;
commodities—wool, hides and skins, and other;
partners—UK, Netherlands, Japan (1987 est.)
_#_Imports: at least $13.9 million;
commodities—food, clothing, fuels, and machinery;
partners—UK, Netherlands Antilles (Curacao), Japan (1987 est.)
_#_External debt: $NA
_#_Industrial production: growth rate NA%
_#_Electricity: 9,200 kW capacity; 17 million kWh produced, 8,680 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: wool and fish processing
_#_Agriculture: predominantly sheep farming; small dairy herds; some fodder and vegetable crops
_#_Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $109 million
_#_Currency: Falkland pound (plural—pounds); 1 Falkland pound (5F) = 100 pence
_#_Exchange rates: Falkland pound (5F) per US$1—0.5171 (January 1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985); note—the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound
_#_Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
_*Communications #_Highways: 510 km total; 30 km paved, 80 km gravel, and 400 km unimproved earth
_#_Ports: Port Stanley
_#_Civil air: no major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 5 total, 5 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220 to 2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radio networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands; 590 telephones; stations—2 AM, 3 FM, no TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station with links through London to other countries
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: British Forces Falkland Islands (including Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and Royal Marines); Police Force
_#Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK % @Faroe Islands (part of the Danish realm) *Geography #_Total area: 1,400 km2; land area: 1,400 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly less than eight times the size of Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 764 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
_#_Climate: mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy
_#_Terrain: rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast
_#_Natural resources: fish
_#_Land use: arable land 2%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 98%
_#_Environment: precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands; archipelago of 18 inhabited islands and a few uninhabited islets
_#_Note: strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic about midway between Iceland and Shetland Islands
_*People #_Population: 48,151 (July 1991), growth rate 0.9% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 75 years male, 81 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Faroese (sing., pl.); adjective—Faroese
_#_Ethnic divisions: homogeneous Scandinavian population
_#_Religion: Evangelical Lutheran
_#_Language: Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish
_#_Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
_#_Labor force: 17,585; largely engaged in fishing, manufacturing, transportation, and commerce
_#_Organized labor: NA
_*Government #_Long-form name: none
_#_Type: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark
_#_Capital: Torshavn
_#_Administrative divisions: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
_#_Independence: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark
_#_Constitution: Danish
_#_Legal system: Danish
_#_National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)
_#_Executive branch: Danish monarch, high commissioner, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet (Landsstyri)
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Logting)
_#_Judicial branch: none
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Bent KLINTE (since NA);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Atli P. DAM (since 15 January 1991)
_#_Political parties and leaders: two-party ruling coalition—Social Democratic Party, Atli P. DAM; People's Party, Jogvan SUNDSTEIN;
opposition—Cooperation Coalition Party, Pauli ELLEFSEN; Republican Party, Signer HANSEN; Progressive and Fishing Industry Party-Christian People's Party (PFIP-CPP), leader NA; Progress Party, leader NA; Home Rule Party, Hilmar KASS
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 20
_#_Elections:
Faroese Parliament—last held 17 November 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results—Social Democratic 27.4%, People's Party 21.9%, Cooperation Coalition Party 18.9%, Republican Party 14.7%, Home Rule 8.8%, PFIP-CPP 5.9%, other 2.4%; seats—(32 total) two-party coalition 17 (Social Democratic 10, People's Party 7), Cooperation Coalition Party 6, Republican Party 4, Home Rule 3, PFIP-CPP 2;
Danish Parliament—last held on 12 December 1990 (next to be held by December 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(2 total) Social Democratic 1, People's Party 1; note—the Faroe Islands elects two representatives to the Danish Parliament
_#_Communists: insignificant number
_#_Member of:
_#_Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
_#_Flag: white with a red cross outlined in blue that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
_*Economy #_Overview: The Faroese, who have long been enjoying the affluent living standards of the Danes and other Scandinavians, now must cope with the decline of the all-important fishing industry and with an external debt twice the size of annual income. When the nations of the world extended their fishing zones to 200 nautical miles in the early 1970s, the Faroese no longer could continue their traditional long-distance fishing and subsequently depleted their own nearby fishing areas; one estimate foresaw a 25% drop in fish catch in 1990 alone. Half the fishing fleet is for sale, and the 22 fish-processing plants work at only half capacity. The government no longer can maintain its high level of spending on roads and tunnels, hospitals, sports facilities, and other social welfare programs.
_#_GDP: $662 million, per capita $14,000; real growth rate 3% (1989 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.0% (1988)
_#_Unemployment rate: NA%, but increasing
_#_Budget: revenues $442 million; expenditures $442 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1989)
_#_Exports: $343 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities—fish and fish products 88%, animal feedstuffs, transport equipment;
partners—Denmark 16%, UK 14%, FRG 13.4%, US 10%, France 9%, Japan 5%
_#_Imports: $344 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.);
commodities—machinery and transport equipment 30%, manufactures 16%, food and livestock 15%, chemicals 6%, fuels 4%;
partners: Denmark 44%, Norway 16%, FRG 6%, Sweden 6%, US 3%
_#_External debt: $1.3 billion (1989)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate NA%
_#_Electricity: 80,000 kW capacity; 280 million kWh produced, 5,910 kWh per capita (1989)
_#_Industries: fishing, shipbuilding, handicrafts
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 27% of GDP and employs 27% of labor force; principal crops—potatoes and vegetables; livestock—sheep; annual fish catch about 360,000 metric tons
_#_Economic aid: none
_#_Currency: Danish krone (plural—kroner); 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 ore
_#_Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1—5.817 (January 1991), 6.189 (1990), 7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988), 6.840 (1987), 8.091 (1986), 10.596 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
_*Communications #_Highways: 200 km
_#_Ports: Torshavn, Tvoroyri
_#_Merchant marine: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,249 GRT/11,887 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 2 cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo; note—a subset of the Danish register
_#_Airports: 1 with permanent surface runway 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: good international communications; fair domestic facilities; 27,900 telephones; stations—1 AM, 3 (10 repeaters) FM, 3 (29 repeaters) TV; 3 coaxial submarine cables
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: no organized native military forces; only a small Police Force is maintained
_#Note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark % @Fiji *Geography #_Total area: 18,270 km2; land area: 18,270 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 1,129 km
_#_Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
_#_Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin
_#_Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper; offshore oil potential
_#_Land use: arable land 8%; permanent crops 5%; meadows and pastures 3%; forest and woodland 65%; other 19%; includes irrigated NEGL%
_#_Environment: subject to hurricanes from November to January; includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
_#_Note: located 2,500 km north of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean
_*People #_Population: 744,006 (July 1991), growth rate 0.8% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 26 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: - 12 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 19 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 62 years male, 67 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Fijian(s); adjective—Fijian
_#_Ethnic divisions: Indian 49%, Fijian 46%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5%
_#_Religion: Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2%; note—Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is a Muslim minority (1986)
_#_Language: English (official); Fijian; Hindustani
_#_Literacy: 86% (male 90%, female 81%) age 15 and over can read and write (1985 est.)
_#_Labor force: 235,000; subsistence agriculture 67%, wage earners 18%, salary earners 15% (1987)
_#_Organized labor: about 45,000 employees belong to some 46 trade unions, which are organized along lines of work and ethnic origin (1983)
_*Government #_Long-form name: Republic of Fiji
_#_Type: military coup leader Major General Sitiveni Rabuka formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987
_#_Capital: Suva
_#_Administrative divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western
_#_Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)
_#_Constitution: 10 October 1970 (suspended 1 October 1987); a new Constitution was proposed on 23 September 1988 and promulgated on 25 July 1990
_#_Legal system: based on British system
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 10 October (1970)
_#_Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: the bicameral Parliament, consisting of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives, was dissolved following the coup of 14 May 1987; the Constitution of 23 September 1988 provides for a bicameral Parliament
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—President Ratu Sir Penaia Kanatabatu GANILAU (since 5 December 1987);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (since 5 December 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Josefata KAMIKAMICA (since NA October 1991); note—Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA served as prime minister from 10 October 1970 until the 5-11 April 1987 election; after a second coup led by Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA on 25 September 1987, Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA was reappointed as prime minister
_#_Political parties and leaders: Fijian Political Party (primarily Fijian), leader NA; National Federation (primarily Indian), Siddiq KOYA; Western United Front (Fijian), Ratu Osea GAVIDI; Fiji Labor Party, Adi Kuini BAVADRA
_#_Suffrage: none
_#_Elections:
House of Representatives—last held 14 May 1987 (next to be held July 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(70 total, with ethnic Fijians allocated 37 seats, ethnic Indians 27 seats, and independents and other 6 seats) number of seats by party NA
_#_Communists: some
_#_Member of: ACP, AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, PCA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Charge d'Affaires Ratu Finau MARA; Chancery at Suite 240, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone (202) 337-8320; there is a Fijian Consulate in New York;
US—Ambassador Evelyn I. H. TEEGEN; Embassy at 31 Loftus Street, Suva (mailing address is P. O. Box 218, Suva); telephone [679] 314-466 or 314-069
_#_Flag: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
_*Economy #_Overview: Fiji's economy is primarily agricultural, with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports are a major source of foreign exchange and sugar processing accounts for one-third of industrial output. Industry, including sugar milling, contributes 13% to GDP. Fiji traditionally had earned considerable sums of hard currency from the 250,000 tourists who visited each year. In 1987, however, after two military coups, the economy went into decline. GDP dropped by 7.8% in 1987 and by another 2.5% in 1988; political uncertainty created a drop in tourism, and the worst drought of the century caused sugar production to fall sharply. In contrast, sugar and tourism turned in strong performances in 1989, and the economy rebounded vigorously. In 1990 the economy received a setback from cyclone Sina which cut sugar output by an estimated 21%.
_#_GDP: $1.3 billion, per capita $1,693; real growth rate 3.5% (1991 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.5% (1991 est.)
_#_Unemployment rate: 5.9 (1991 est.)
_#_Budget: revenues $314 million; expenditures $355 million, including capital expenditures of $81 million (1990 est.)
_#_Exports: $646 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.);
commodities—sugar 40%, gold, clothing, copra, processed fish, lumber;
partners—EC 31%, Australia 21%, Japan 8%, US 6%
_#_Imports: $840 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.);
commodities—machinery and transport 32%, food 15%, petroleum products, consumer goods, chemicals;
partners—Australia 30%, NZ 17%, Japan 13%, EC 6%, US 6%
_#_External debt: $428 million (December 1990 est.)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 8.4% (1991 est.); accounts for 13% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 215,000 kW capacity; 330 million kWh produced, 430 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: sugar, tourism, copra, gold, silver, fishing, clothing, lumber, small cottage industries
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 23% of GDP; principal cash crop is sugarcane; coconuts, cassava, rice, sweet potatoes, and bananas; small livestock sector includes cattle, pigs, horses, and goats
_#_Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-87), $732 million
_#_Currency: Fijian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Fijian dollar (F$) = 100 cents
_#_Exchange rates: Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1—1.4476 (January 1991), 1.4809 (1990), 1.4833 (1989), 1.4303 (1988), 1.2439 (1987), 1.1329 (1986), 1.1536 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications #_Railroads: 644 km 0.610-meter narrow gauge, belonging to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation
_#_Highways: 3,300 km total (1984)—390 km paved; 1,200 km bituminous-surface treatment; 1,290 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized soil surface; 420 unimproved earth
_#_Inland waterways: 203 km; 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges
_#_Ports: Lambasa, Lautoka, Savusavu, Suva
_#_Merchant marine: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 34,214 GRT/37,161 DWT; includes 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 container, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker
_#_Civil air: 1 DC-3 and 1 light aircraft
_#_Airports: 26 total, 24 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio center; important COMPAC cable link between US-Canada and New Zealand-Australia; 53,228 telephones; stations—7 AM, 1 FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: Fiji Military Force (FMF; Army, Navy, Police)
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 190,120; 104,861 fit for military service; 7,879 reach military age (18) annually
_#Defense expenditures: $25.8 million, 2.5% of GDP (1988) % @Finland *Geography #_Total area: 337,030 km2; land area: 305,470 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana
_#_Land boundaries: 2,628 km total; Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, USSR 1,313 km
_#_Coastline: 1,126 km excluding islands and coastal indentations
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 6 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm;
Territorial sea: 4 nm
_#_Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
_#_Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
_#_Natural resources: timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver
_#_Land use: arable land 8%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest and woodland 76%; other 16%; includes irrigated NEGL%
_#_Environment: permanently wet ground covers about 30% of land; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
_#_Note: long boundary with USSR; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent
_*People #_Population: 4,991,131 (July 1991), growth rate 0.3% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 80 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Finn(s); adjective—Finnish
_#_Ethnic divisions: Finn, Swede, Lapp, Gypsy, Tatar
_#_Religion: Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Greek Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%
_#_Language: Finnish 93.5%, Swedish (both official) 6.3%; small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities
_#_Literacy: 100% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
_#_Labor force: 2,470,000; services 38.2%, mining and manufacturing 22.7%, commerce 14.9%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 8.8%, construction 8.0%, transportation and communications 7.2% (1989)
_#_Organized labor: 80% of labor force
_*Government #_Long-form name: Republic of Finland
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Helsinki
_#_Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (laanit, singular—laani); Ahvenanmaa, Hame, Keski-Suomi, Kuopio, Kymi, Lappi, Mikkeli, Oulu, Pohjois-Karjala, Turku ja Pori, Uusimaa, Vaasa
_#_Independence: 6 December 1917 (from Soviet Union)
_#_Constitution: 17 July 1919
_#_Legal system: civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
_#_Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of State (Valtioneuvosto)
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Eduskunta
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Korkein Oikeus)
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—President Mauno KOIVISTO (since 27 January 1982);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Esko AHO (since 26 April 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Ilkka KANERVA (since 26 April 1991)
_#_Political parties and leaders:
government coalition—Center Party, Esko AHO; National Coalition (Conservative) Party, Ilkka SUOMINEN; and Swedish People's Party, (Johan) Ole NORRBACK;
other parties—Social Democratic Party, Pertti PAASIO; Leftist Alliance (Communist) consisting of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative, Claes ANDERSSON; Green League, Heidi HAUTALA; Rural Party, Heikki RIIHIJAERVI; Finnish Christian League, Esko ALMGREN; Liberal People's Party, Kyosti LALLUKKA
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
President—last held 31 January-1 February and 15 February 1988 (next to be held January 1994); results—Mauno KOIVISTO 48%, Paavo VAYRYNEN 20%, Harri HOLKERI 18%;
Eduskunta—last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held March 1995); results—Center Party 24.8%, Social Democratic Party 22.1%, National Coalition (Conservative) Party 19.3%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.1%, Green League 6.8%, Swedish People's Party 5.5%, Rural 4.8%, Finnish Christian League 3.1%, Liberal People's Party 0.8%; seats—(200 total) Center Party 55, Social Democratic Party 48, National Coalition (Conservative) Party 40, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 19, Swedish People's Party 12, Green League 10, Finnish Christian League 8, Rural 7, Liberal People's Party 1
_#_Communists: 28,000 registered members; an additional 45,000 persons belong to People's Democratic League
_#_Other political or pressure groups: Finnish Communist Party-Unity, Esko-Juhani TENNILA; Constitutional Rightist Party; Finnish Pensioners Party; Communist Workers Party, Timo LAHDENMAKI
_#_Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, BIS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA (associate), FAO, G-9, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIIMOG, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jukka VALTASAARI; Chancery at 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington DC 20016; telephone (202) 363-2430; there are Finnish Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York, and Consulates in Chicago and Houston;
US—Ambassador John G. WEINMANN; Embassy at Itainen Puistotie 14A, SF-00140, Helsinki (mailing address is APO New York 09664); telephone [358] (0) 171931
_#_Flag: white with a blue cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
_*Economy #_Overview: Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free market economy, with per capita output nearly three-fourths the US figure. Its main economic force is the manufacturing sector—principally the wood, metals, and engineering industries. Trade is important, with the export of goods representing about 30% of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imported raw materials, energy, and some components of manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic commodities. The economy, which experienced an average of 4.9% annual growth between 1987 and 1989, leveled off in 1990 and is now in a recession facing negative growth in 1991. The clearing account system between Finland and the Soviet Union in the postwar period—mainly Soviet oil and gas for Finnish manufactured goods—had kept Finland isolated from world recessions; the system, however, was dismantled on 1 January 1991 in favor of hard currency trade. As a result, Finland must increase its competitiveness in certain sectors, for example, textiles, foodstuffs, paper, and metals, and has already begun to shift trade westward. Finland, as a member of EFTA, is negotiating a European Economic Area arrangement with the EC which would allow for free movement of capital, goods, services, and labor within the organization.
_#_GDP: $77.3 billion, per capita $15,500; real growth rate - 0.1% (1990)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.0% (1991 est.)
_#_Unemployment rate: 5.7% (1991 est.)
_#_Budget: revenues $35.1 billion; expenditures $33.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.4 billion (1990)
_#_Exports: $23.3 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities—timber, paper and pulp, ships, machinery, clothing and footwear;
partners—EC 44.0% (UK 12.0%, FRG 10.8%), USSR 14.5%, Sweden 14.3%, US 6.4%
_#_Imports: $24.4 billion (c.i.f., 1989);
commodities—foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, fodder grains;
partners—EC 44.5% (FRG 17.3%, UK 6.6%), Sweden 13.6%, USSR 11.5%, US 6.3%
_#_External debt: $5.3 billion (1989)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate - 3.0% (1991 est.); accounts for 28% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 13,324,000 kW capacity; 49,330 million kWh produced, 9,940 kWh per capita (1989)
_#_Industries: metal manufacturing and shipbuilding, forestry and wood processing (pulp, paper), copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 8% of GNP (including forestry); livestock production, especially dairy cattle, predominates; forestry is an important export earner and a secondary occupation for the rural population; main crops—cereals, sugar beets, potatoes; 85% self-sufficient, but short of food and fodder grains; annual fish catch about 160,000 metric tons
_#_Economic aid: donor—ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $2.7 billion
_#_Currency: markka (plural—markkaa); 1 markka (FMk) or Finmark = 100 pennia
_#_Exchange rates: markkaa (FMk) per US$1—3.6421 (January 1991), 3.8235 (1990), 4.2912 (1989), 4.1828 (1988), 4.3956 (1987), 5.0695 (1986), 6.1979 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications #_Railroads: 5,924 km total; Finnish State Railways (VR) operate a total of 5,863 km 1.524-meter gauge, of which 480 km are multiple track and 1,445 km are electrified
_#_Highways: about 103,000 km total, including 35,000 km paved (bituminous, concrete, bituminous-treated surface) and 38,000 km unpaved (stabilized gravel, gravel, earth); additional 30,000 km of private (state-subsidized) roads
_#_Inland waterways: 6,675 km total (including Saimaa Canal); 3,700 km suitable for steamers
_#_Pipelines: natural gas, 580 km
_#_Ports: Helsinki, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku; 6 secondary, numerous minor ports
_#_Merchant marine: 83 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 807,020 GRT/831,774 DWT; includes 3 passenger, 10 short-sea passenger, 16 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 23 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 14 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 6 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 8 bulk
_#_Civil air: 42 major transport
_#_Airports: 160 total, 157 usable; 57 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 23 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: good service from cable and radio relay network; 3,140,000 telephones; stations—4 AM, 42 (101 relays) FM, 79 (197 relays) TV; 2 submarine cables; satellite service via Swedish earth stations; earth stations—2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 EUTELSAT
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including Sea Guard)
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,313,346; 1,089,217 fit for military service; 32,866 reach military age (17) annually
_#Defense expenditures: $1.1 billion, 1.5% of GDP (1989 est.) % @France *Geography #_Total area: 547,030 km2; land area: 545,630 km2; includes Corsica and the rest of metropolitan France, but excludes the overseas administrative divisions
_#_Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Colorado
_#_Land boundaries: 2,892.4 km total; Andorra 60 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km
_#_Coastline: 3,427 km (includes Corsica, 644 km)
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12-24 nm;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: maritime boundary dispute with Canada (Saint Pierre and Miquelon); Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; Seychelles claims Tromelin Island; Suriname claims part of French Guiana; Mexico claims Clipperton Island; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land)
_#_Climate: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean
_#_Terrain: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
_#_Natural resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, fish, timber, zinc, potash
_#_Land use: arable land 32%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 23%; forest and woodland 27%; other 16%; includes irrigated 2%
_#_Environment: most of large urban areas and industrial centers in Rhone, Garonne, Seine, or Loire River basins; occasional warm tropical wind known as mistral
_#_Note: largest West European nation
_*People #_Population: 56,595,587 (July 1991), growth rate 0.4% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 14 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 82 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women); adjective—French
_#_Ethnic divisions: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, and Basque minorities
_#_Religion: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim (North African workers) 1%, unaffiliated 6%
_#_Language: French (100% of population); rapidly declining regional dialects (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
_#_Literacy: 99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
_#_Labor force: 24,170,000; services 61.5%, industry 31.3%, agriculture 7.3% (1987)
_#_Organized labor: 20% of labor force (est.)
_*Government #_Long-form name: French Republic
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Paris
_#_Administrative divisions: metropolitan France—22 regions (regions, singular—region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes;
note—the 22 regions are subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon)
_#_Dependent areas: Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna; note—the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
_#_Independence: unified by Clovis in 486, First Republic proclaimed in 1792
_#_Constitution: 28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in 1962
_#_Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts
_#_National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
_#_Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlement) consists of an upper house or Senate (Senat) and a lower house or National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
_#_Judicial branch: Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation)
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Edith CRESSON (since 15 May 1991)
_#_Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic (RPR, formerly UDR), Jacques CHIRAC; Union for French Democracy (UDF, federation of PR, CDS, and RAD), Valery Giscard d'ESTAING; Republican Party (PR), Gerard LONGUET; Center for Social Democrats (CDS), Pierre MEHAIGNERIE; Radical (RAD), Yves GALLARD; Socialist Party (PS), Pierre MAUROY; Left Radical Movement (MRG), Yves COLLIN; Communist Party (PCF), Georges MARCHAIS; National Front (FN), Jean-Marie LE PEN
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
President—last held 8 May 1988 (next to be held May 1995); results—Second Ballot Francois MITTERRAND 54%, Jacques CHIRAC 46%;
Senate—last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(321 total; 296 metropolitan France, 13 for overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad) RPR 93, UDF 143 (PR 53, CDS 65, RAD 25), PS 64, PCF 16, independents 2, unknown 3;
National Assembly—last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results—Second Ballot PS-MRG 48.7%, RPR 23.1%, UDF 21%, PCF 3.4%, other 3.8%; seats—(577 total) PS 275, RPR 132, UDF 90, UDC 40, PCF 25, independents 15
_#_Communists: 700,000 claimed but probably closer to 150,000; Communist voters, 2.8 million in 1988 election
_#_Other political or pressure groups: Communist-controlled labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) nearly 2.4 million members (claimed); Socialist-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail or CFDT) about 800,000 members est.; independent labor union (Force Ouvriere) 1 million members (est.); independent white-collar union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) 340,000 members (claimed); National Council of French Employers (Conseil National du Patronat Francais—CNPF or Patronat)
_#_Member of: ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CDB, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, FAO, FZ, GATT, G-5, G-7, G-10, IABD, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NATO, NEA, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UN Security Council, UN Trusteeship Council, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jacques ANDREANI; Chancery at 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington DC 20007; telephone (202) 944-6000; there are French Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico);
US—Ambassador Walter J. P. CURLEY; Embassy at 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08 (mailing address is APO New York 09777); telephone [33] (1) 42-96-12-02 or 42-61-80-75; there are US Consulates General in Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, and Strasbourg
_#_Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Ivory Coast, and Luxembourg; the official flag for all French dependent areas
_*Economy #_Overview: One of the world's most developed economies, France has substantial agricultural resources and a highly diversified modern industrial sector. Large tracts of fertile land, the application of modern technology, and subsidies have combined to make it the leading agricultural producer in Western Europe. France is largely self-sufficient in agricultural products and is a major exporter of wheat and dairy products. The industrial sector generates about one-quarter of GDP, and the growing services sector has become crucial to the economy. After sluggish growth during the period 1982-87, the economy expanded at a rapid 3.8% pace in 1988-89. The economy slowed down in 1990, with growth of 2.0% expected in 1991. The economy has had difficulty generating enough jobs for new entrants into the labor force, resulting in a high unemployment rate, which probably will rise to around 10% during the slowdown. The steadily advancing economic integration within the European Community is a major force affecting the fortunes of the various economic sectors.
_#_GDP: $873.5 billion, per capita $15,500; real growth rate 2.8% (1990)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.7% (1990 est.)
_#_Unemployment rate: 9% (1990)
_#_Budget: revenues $207.6 billion; expenditures $224.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $34 billion (1990 est.)
_#_Exports: $181.2 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities—machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, agricultural products, iron and steel products, textiles and clothing;
partners—FRG 16%, Italy 12.1%, UK 9.5%, Spain 9.5%, Netherlands 9.2%, Belgium-Luxembourg 8.9%, US 6.6%, Japan 1.9%, USSR 1.0% (1989 est.)
_#_Imports: $201.6 billion (c.i.f., 1989);
commodities—crude oil, machinery and equipment, agricultural products, chemicals, iron and steel products;
partners—FRG 19.4%, Italy 11.6%, Belgium-Luxembourg 9.2%, Netherlands 8.6%, US 7.6%, Spain 7.4%, UK 7.1%, Japan 4.1%, USSR 1.4% (1989 est.)
_#_External debt: $59.3 billion (December 1987)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 3.7% (1989); accounts for 26% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 109,972,000 kW capacity; 403,570 million kWh produced, 7,210 kWh per capita (1989)
_#_Industries: steel, machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics, mining, textiles, food processing, and tourism
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GNP (including fishing and forestry); one of the world's top five wheat producers; other principal products—beef, dairy products, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; self-sufficient for most temperate-zone foods; shortages include fats and oils and tropical produce, but overall net exporter of farm products; fish catch of 850,000 metric tons ranks among world's top 20 countries and is all used domestically
_#_Economic aid: donor—ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $75.1 billion
_#_Currency: French franc (plural—francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
_#_Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1—5.8 (May 1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications #_Railroads: French National Railways (SNCF) operates 34,568 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; 11,674 km electrified, 15,132 km double or multiple track; 2,138 km of various gauges (1.000-meter to 1.440-meter), privately owned and operated
_#_Highways: 1,551,400 km total; 33,400 km national highway; 347,000 km departmental highway; 421,000 km community roads; 750,000 km rural roads; 5,401 km of controlled-access divided autoroutes; about 803,000 km paved
_#_Inland waterways: 14,932 km; 6,969 km heavily traveled
_#_Pipelines: crude oil, 3,059 km; refined products, 4,487 km; natural gas, 24,746 km
_#_Ports: maritime—Bordeaux, Boulogne, Brest, Cherbourg, Dunkerque, Fos-Sur-Mer, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Rouen, Sete, Toulon; inland—42
_#_Merchant marine: 133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,141,276 GRT/5,006,695 DWT; includes 8 short-sea passenger, 15 cargo, 18 container, 2 multifunction large-load carrier, 29 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 34 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 8 chemical tanker, 6 liquefied gas, 2 specialized tanker, 11 bulk; note—France also maintains a captive register for French-owned ships in the Kerguelen Islands (French Southern and Antarctic Lands) and French Polynesia
_#_Civil air: 195 (1989 est.)
_#_Airports: 470 total, 460 usable; 246 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways over 3,659 m; 34 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 136 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: highly developed system provides satisfactory telephone, telegraph, radio and TV broadcast services; 39,200,000 telephones; stations—40 AM, 138 (777 relays) FM, 216 (8,902 relays) TV; 25 submarine coaxial cables; communication satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT, 3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, EUTELSAT, MARISAT, and domestic systems
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: Army, Navy (including Naval Air), Air Force, National Gendarmerie
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 14,366,492; 12,077,706 fit for military service; 395,128 reach military age (18) annually
_#Defense expenditures: $29.7 billion, 3.6% of GDP (1990) % @French Guiana (overseas department of France) *Geography #_Total area: 91,000 km2; land area: 89,150 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana
_#_Land boundaries: 1,183 km total; Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
_#_Coastline: 378 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
_#_Climate: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
_#_Terrain: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
_#_Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
_#_Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest and woodland 82%; other 18%
_#_Environment: mostly an unsettled wilderness
_*People #_Population: 101,603 (July 1991), growth rate 3.3% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 10 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 18 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 3.7 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—French Guianese (sing., pl.); adjective—French Guiana
_#_Ethnic divisions: black or mulatto 66%; Caucasian 12%; East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%; other 10%
_#_Religion: predominantly Roman Catholic
_#_Language: French
_#_Literacy: 82% (male 81%, female 83%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
_#_Labor force: 23,265; services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
_#_Organized labor: 7% of labor force
_*Government #_Long-form name: Department of Guiana
_#_Type: overseas department of France
_#_Capital: Cayenne
_#_Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
_#_Independence: none (overseas department of France)
_#_Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
_#_Legal system: French legal system
_#_National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
_#_Executive branch: French president, commissioner of the republic
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council
_#_Judicial branch: highest local court is the Court of Appeals based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981);
Head of Government—Commissioner of the Republic Jean-Francois DI CHIARA (since NA 1990)
_#_Political parties and leaders: Guianese Socialist Party (PSG), Gerard HOLDER; Rally for the Republic (RPR), Paulin BRUNE; Guyanese Democratic Action (ADG), Andre Lecante; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Claude Ho A CHUCK; National Front (FN), Guy MALON; Popular and National Party of Guiana (PNPG), Claude ROBO; National Anti-Colonist Guianese Party (PANGA), Michel KAPEL
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
Regional Council—last held 16 March 1986 (next to be held NA 1991); results—PSG 43%, RPR 27.7%, ADG 12.2%, UDF 8.9%, FN 3.7%, PNPG 1.4%, other 3.1%; seats—(31 total) PSG 15, RPR 9, ADG 4, UDF 3;
French Senate—last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(1 total) PSG 1;
French National Assembly—last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(2 total) PSG 1, RPR 1
_#_Communists: Communist party membership negligible
_#_Member of: FZ, WCL, WFTU
_#_Diplomatic representation: as an overseas department of France the interests of French Guiana are represented in the US by France
_#_Flag: the flag of France is used
_*Economy #_Overview: The economy is tied closely to that of France through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities, with exports of fish and fish products (mostly shrimp) accounting for more than 60% of total revenue in 1987. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops—rice, cassava, bananas, and sugarcane—are limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.
_#_GDP: $186 million, per capita $2,240; real growth rate NA% (1985)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (1987)
_#_Unemployment rate: 15% (1987)
_#_Budget: revenues $735 million; expenditures $735 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1987)
_#_Exports: $54.0 million (f.o.b., 1987);
commodities—shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence;
partners—France 31%, US 22%, Japan 10% (1987)
_#_Imports: $394.0 million (c.i.f., 1987);
commodities—food (grains, processed meat), other consumer goods, producer goods, petroleum;
partners—France 62%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, US 4%, FRG 3% (1987)
_#_External debt: $1.2 billion (1988)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate NA%
_#_Electricity: 92,000 kW capacity; 185 million kWh produced, 1,890 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
_#_Agriculture: some vegetables for local consumption; rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, bananas, sugar; livestock—cattle, pigs, poultry
_#_Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.25 billion
_#_Currency: French franc (plural—francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
_#_Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1—5.1307 (January 1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications #_Highways: 680 km total; 510 km paved, 170 km improved and unimproved earth
_#_Inland waterways: 460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal steamers; 3,300 km possibly navigable by native craft
_#_Ports: Cayenne
_#_Civil air: no major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 10 total, 10 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: fair open wire and radio relay system; 18,100 telephones; stations—5 AM, 7 FM, 9 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
_*Defense Forces #_Branches: French Forces, Gendarmerie
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49 28,650; 18,903 fit for military service
_#Note: defense is the responsibility of France % @French Polynesia (overseas territory of France) *Geography #_Total area: 3,941 km2; land area: 3,660 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 2,525 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Climate: tropical, but moderate
_#_Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
_#_Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt
_#_Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops 19%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and woodland 31%; other 44%
_#_Environment: occasional cyclonic storm in January; includes five archipelagoes
_#_Note: Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean—the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru
_*People #_Population: 195,046 (July 1991), growth rate 2.5% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 31 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 71 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 3.9 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—French Polynesian(s); adjective—French Polynesian
_#_Ethnic divisions: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
_#_Religion: mainly Christian; Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%
_#_Language: French (official), Tahitian
_#_Literacy: 98% (male 98%, female 98%) age 14 and over but definition of literacy not available (1977)
_#_Labor force: 76,630 employed (1988)
_#_Organized labor: NA
_*Government #_Long-form name: Territory of French Polynesia
_#_Type: overseas territory of France since 1946
_#_Capital: Papeete
_#_Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent; note—Clipperton Island is administered from French Polynesia and may have become a dependency of French Polynesia
_#_Independence: none (overseas territory of France)
_#_Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
_#_Legal system: based on French system
_#_National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
_#_Executive branch: French president, high commissioner of the republic, president of the Council of Ministers, vice president of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly
_#_Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); High Commissioner of the Republic Jean MONTPEZAT (since NA November 1987);
Head of Government—President of the Council of Ministers Gaston FLOSSE (since 10 May 1991); Vice President of the Council of Ministers NA
_#_Political parties and leaders: People's Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira; Gaullist), Gaston FLOSSE; Polynesian Union Party (Te Tiarama; centrist), Alexandre LEONTIEFF; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api), Emile VERNAUDON; Polynesian Liberation Front (Tavini Huiraatira), Oscar TEMARU; other small parties
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
Territorial Assembly—last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held March 1996); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(41 total) People's Rally (Gaullist) 18, Polynesian Union Party 14, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4;
French Senate—last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(1 total) party NA;
French National Assembly last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(2 total) People's Rally (Gaullist) 1, New Fatherland Party 1
_#_Member of: FZ, SPC, WMO
_#_Diplomatic representation: as an overseas territory of France, French Polynesian interests are represented in the US by France
_#_Flag: the flag of France is used
_*Economy #_Overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. Tourism accounts for about 20% of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings.
_#_GDP: $1.2 billion, per capita $6,300; real growth rate NA% (1990 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.3% (1989 est.)
_#_Unemployment rate: 8% (1986 est.)
_#_Budget: revenues $614 million; expenditures $957 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988)
_#_Exports: $75 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities—coconut products 79%, mother-of-pearl 14%, vanilla, shark meat;
partners—France 54%, US 17%, Japan 17%
_#_Imports: $806 million (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities—fuels, foodstuffs, equipment;
partners—France 53%, US 11%, Australia 6%, NZ 5%
_#_External debt: $NA
_#_Industrial production: growth rate NA%
_#_Electricity: 72,000 kW capacity; 265 million kWh produced, 1,390 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
_#_Agriculture: coconut and vanilla plantations; vegetables and fruit; poultry, beef, dairy products
_#_Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.95 billion
_#_Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (plural—francs); 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
_#_Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1—93.28 (January 1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988), 109.27 (1987), 125.92 (1986), 163.35 (1985); note—linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications #_Highways: 600 km (1982)
_#_Ports: Papeete, Bora-bora
_#_Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,128 GRT/6,710 DWT; includes 1 passenger-cargo, 1 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo; note—a captive subset of the French register
_#_Civil air: about 6 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 43 total, 41 usable; 23 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: 33,200 telephones; 84,000 radio receivers; 26,400 TV sets; stations—5 AM, 2 FM, 6 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
_*Defense Forces #_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 50,844; NA fit for military service
_#Note: defense is responsibility of France % @French Southern and Antarctic Lands (overseas territory of France) *Geography #_Total area: 7,781 km2; land area: 7,781 km2; includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Crozet; excludes Terre Adelie claim of about 500,000 km2 in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
_#_Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Delaware
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 1,232 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (Iles Kerguelen only);
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: Terre Adelie claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US
_#_Climate: antarctic
_#_Terrain: volcanic
_#_Natural resources: fish, crayfish
_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
_#_Environment: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes
_#_Note: located in the southern Indian Ocean about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia
_*People #_Population: summer (January 1991)—180, winter (July 1991)—150, growth rate 0.0% (1991); note—mostly researchers
_*Government #_Long-form name: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
_#_Type: overseas territory of France since 1955; governed by High Administrator Bernard de GOUTTES (since NA May 1990), who is assisted by a 7-member Consultative Council and a 12-member Scientific Council
_#_Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes Terre Adelie claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
_#_Flag: the flag of France is used
_*Economy #_Overview: Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fishing catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.