Front matter (continued 9)
Reading edition
:Ireland Government
Member of: AG, BIS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NEA, NSG, OECD, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIIMOG, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Dermot GALLAGHER; Chancery at 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 462-3939; there are Irish Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco US: Ambassador Richard A. MOORE; Embassy at 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin; telephone [353] (1) 688777; FAX [353] (1) 689-946 Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of the Ivory Coast, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red
:Ireland Economy
Overview: The economy is small, open, and trade dependent. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 37% of GDP and about 80% of exports and employs 26% of the labor force. The government has successfully reduced the rate of inflation from double-digit figures in the late 1970s to 3.8% in 1991. In 1987, after years of deficits, the balance of payments was brought into the black. Unemployment, however, remains a serious problem. A 1991 unemployment rate of 20.4% placed Ireland along with Spain as the countries with the worst jobless records in Western Europe. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $39.2 billion, per capita $11,200; real growth rate 1.3% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.8% (1991) Unemployment rate: 20.4% (1991) Budget: revenues $11.4 billion; expenditures $12.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (1992 est.) Exports: $27.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products partners: EC 74% (UK 34%, Germany 11%, France 10%), US 8% Imports: $24.5 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: food, animal feed, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing partners: EC 66% (UK 41%, Germany 9%, France 4%), US 14% External debt: $14.8 billion (1990) Industrial production: growth rate 3.0% (1991); accounts for 37% of GDP Electricity: 4,957,000 kW capacity; 14,480 million kWh produced, 4,080 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GDP and 15% of the labor force; principal crops - turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; livestock - meat and dairy products; 85% self-sufficient in food; food shortages include bread grain, fruits, vegetables Economic aid: donor - ODA commitments (1980-89), $90 million Currency: Irish pound (plural - pounds); 1 Irish pound (#Ir) = 100 pence Exchange rates: Irish pounds (#Ir) per US$1 - 0.6227 (March 1992), 0.6190 (1991), 0.6030 (1990), 0.7472 (1989), 0.6553 (1988), 0.6720 (1987) Fiscal year: calendar year
:Ireland Communications
Railroads: Irish National Railways (CIE) operates 1,947 km 1.602-meter gauge, government owned; 485 km double track; 38 km electrified Highways: 92,294 km total; 87,422 km paved, 4,872 km gravel or crushed stone Inland waterways: limited for commercial traffic Pipelines: natural gas 225 km Ports: Cork, Dublin, Shannon Estuary, Waterford Merchant marine: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 146,081 GRT/177,058 DWT; includes 4 short-sea passenger, 32 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 3 container, 3 petroleum tanker, 3 specialized tanker, 2 chemical tanker, 6 bulk Civil air: 23 major transport aircraft Airports: 36 total, 35 usable; 17 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: small, modern system using cable and digital microwave circuits; 900,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 9 AM, 45 FM, 86 TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
:Ireland Defense Forces
Branches: Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (GARDA) Manpower availability: males 15-49, 894,421; 724,262 fit for military service; 34,182 reach military age (17) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $566 million, 1-2% of GDP (1992 est.)
:Israel Header
Note: The Arab territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the data below. As stated in the 1978 Camp David Accords and reaffirmed by President Bush's post-Gulf crisis peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, their relationship with their neighbors, and a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties. The Camp David Accords further specify that these negotiations will resolve the location of the respective boundaries. Pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has yet to be determined (see West Bank and Gaza Strip entries). On 25 April 1982 Israel relinquished control of the Sinai to Egypt. Statistics for the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights are included in the Syria entry.
:Israel Geography
Total area: 20,770 km2 Land area: 20,330 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than New Jersey Land boundaries: 1,006 km; Egypt 255 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307, Gaza Strip 51 km Coastline: 273 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: to depth of exploitation Territorial sea: 6 nm Disputes: separated from Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank by the 1949 Armistice Line; differences with Jordan over the location of the 1949 Armistice Line that separates the two countries; West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli occupied with status to be determined; Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Israeli troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982; water-sharing issues with Jordan Climate: temperate; hot and dry in desert areas Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley Natural resources: copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay, sand, sulfur, asphalt, manganese, small amounts of natural gas and crude oil Land use: arable land 17%; permanent crops 5%; meadows and pastures 40%; forest and woodland 6%; other 32%; includes irrigated 11% Environment: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; limited arable land and natural water resources pose serious constraints; deforestation Note: there are 175 Jewish settlements in the West Bank, 38 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 18 in the Gaza Strip, and 14 Israeli-built Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem
:Israel People
Population: 4,748,059 (July 1992), growth rate 4.0% (1992); includes 95,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank, 14,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 4,000 in the Gaza Strip, and 132,000 in East Jerusalem (1992 est.) Birth rate: 21 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 26 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 76 years male, 80 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Israeli(s); adjective - Israeli Ethnic divisions: Jewish 83%, non-Jewish (mostly Arab) 17% Religions: Judaism 82%, Islam (mostly Sunni Muslim) 14%, Christian 2%, Druze and other 2% Languages: Hebrew (official); Arabic used officially for Arab minority; English most commonly used foreign language Literacy: 92% (male 95%, female 89%) age 15 and over can read and write (1983) Labor force: 1,400,000 (1984 est.); public services 29.3%; industry, mining, and manufacturing 22.8%; commerce 12.8%; finance and business 9.5%; transport, storage, and communications 6.8%; construction and public works 6.5%; personal and other services 5.8%; agriculture, forestry, and fishing 5.5%; electricity and water 1.0% (1983) Organized labor: 90% of labor force
:Israel Government
Long-form name: State of Israel Type: republic Capital: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv Administrative divisions: 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv Independence: 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) Constitution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the basic laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law Legal system: mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Independence Day; Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May Executive branch: president, prime minister, vice prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral parliament (Knesset) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: President Chaim HERZOG (since 5 May 1983) Head of Government: Prime Minister Yitzhak SHAMIR (since 20 October 1986) Political parties and leaders: Israel currently has a coalition government comprising 12 parties that hold 66 of the Knesset's 120 seats; currently in state of flux; election held 23 June 1992 Members of the government: Likud bloc, Prime Minister Yitzhak SHAMIR; Sephardic Torah Guardians (SHAS), Minister of Interior Arieh DER'I; National Religious Party, Minister of Education Shulamit ALONI; Agudat Israel, Avraham SHAPIRA; Degel HaTorah, Avraham RAVITZ; Moriya, Minister of Immigrant Absorption, Yair TZABAN; Ge'ulat Israel, Eliezer MIZRAHI; New Liberal Party, Minister of Finance, Avraham SHOCHAT; Tehiya Party, Minister of Science Technology, Yuval NEEMAN; Tzomet Party Unity for Peace and Aliyah, Rafael EITAN; Moledet Party, Rehavam ZEEVI Opposition parties: Labor Party, Shimon PERES; Citizens' Rights Movement, Shulamit ALONI; United Workers' Party (MAPAM), Yair TZABAN; Center Movement-Shinui, Amnon RUBENSTEIN; New Israeli Communist Party (MAKI), Meir WILNER; Progressive List for Peace, Muhammad MI'ARI; Arab Democratic Party, `Abd Al Wahab DARAWSHAH; Black Panthers, Charlie BITON Suffrage: universal at age 18
:Israel Government
Elections: President: last held 23 February 1988 (next to be held February 1994); results - Chaim HERZOG reelected by Knesset Knesset: last held June 1992 (next to be held by NA; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) Labor Party 44, Likud bloc 12, SHAS 6, National Religious Party 6, Meretz 12, Agudat Yisrael 4, PAZI 3, MAKI 3, Tehiya Party 3, Tzomet Party 8, Moledet Party 3, Degel HaTorah 4, Center Movement Progressive List for Peace 1, Arab Democratic Party 2; Black Panthers 1, Moriya 1, Ge'ulat Yisrael 1, Unity for Peace and Aliyah 1 Communists: Hadash (predominantly Arab but with Jews in its leadership) has some 1,500 members Other political or pressure groups: Gush Emunim, Jewish nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now, critical of government's West Bank/Gaza Strip and Lebanon policies Member of: AG (observer), CCC, EBRD, FAO, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Zalman SHOVAL; Chancery at 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 364-5500; there are Israeli Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco US: Ambassador William HARROP; Embassy at 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv (mailing address is APO AE 09830; telephone [972] (3) 654338; FAX [972] (3) 663449; there is a US Consulate General in Jerusalem Flag: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag
:Israel Economy
Overview: Israel has a market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Industry employs about 20% of Israeli workers, agriculture 5%, and services most of the rest. Diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are leading exports. Israel usually posts balance-of-payments deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's $17 billion external debt is owed to the United States, which is its major source of economic and military aid. To earn needed foreign exchange, Israel has been targeting high-technology niches in international markets, such as medical scanning equipment. Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 dealt a blow to Israel's economy. Higher world oil prices added an estimated $300 million to the oil import bill that year and helped keep annual inflation at 18%. Regional tension and the continuing Palestinian uprising (intifadah) have contributed to a sharp drop in tourism - a key foreign exchange earner - to the lowest level since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR, which topped 330,000 during the period 1990-91, will increase unemployment, intensify housing problems, widen the government budget deficit, and fuel inflation. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $54.6 billion, per capita $12,000; real growth rate 5% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: 11% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $41.7 billion; expenditures $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92) Exports: $12.1 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: polished diamonds, citrus and other fruits, textiles and clothing, processed foods, fertilizer and chemical products, military hardware, electronics partners: US, EC, Japan, Hong Kong, Switzerland Imports: $18.1 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: military equipment, rough diamonds, oil, chemicals, machinery, iron and steel, cereals, textiles, vehicles, ships, aircraft partners: US, EC, Switzerland, Japan, South Africa, Canada, Hong Kong External debt: $24 billion, of which government debt is $17 billion (December 1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate - 7% (1991 est.); accounts for about 20% of GDP Electricity: 5,300,000 kWh capacity; 21,000 million kWh produced, 4,800 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: food processing, diamond cutting and polishing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, metal products, military equipment, transport equipment, electrical equipment, miscellaneous machinery, potash mining, high-technology electronics, tourism
:Israel Economy
Agriculture: accounts for about 3% of GDP; largely self-sufficient in food production, except for grains; principal products - citrus and other fruits, vegetables, cotton; livestock products - beef, dairy, and poultry Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $18.2 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.8 billion Currency: new Israeli shekel (plural - shekels); 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 2.4019 (March 1992), 2.2791 (1991), 2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989), 1.5989 (1988), 1.5946 (1987) Fiscal year: previously 1 April - 31 March; FY91 was 1 April - 31 December, and since 1 January 1992 the fiscal year has conformed to the calendar year
:Israel Communications
Railroads: 600 km 1.435-meter gauge, single track; diesel operated Highways: 4,750 km; majority is bituminous surfaced Pipelines: crude oil 708 km; petroleum products 290 km; natural gas 89 km Ports: Ashdod, Haifa Merchant marine: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 629,966 GRT/721,106 DWT; includes 8 cargo, 23 container, 2 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off; note - Israel also maintains a significant flag of convenience fleet, which is normally at least as large as the Israeli flag fleet; the Israeli flag of convenience fleet typically includes all of its petroleum tankers Civil air: 32 major transport aircraft Airports: 51 total, 44 usable; 26 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 11 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: most highly developed in the Middle East although not the largest; good system of coaxial cable and radio relay; 1,800,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 14 AM, 21 FM, 20 TV; 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT
:Israel Defense Forces
Branches: Israel Defense Forces, including ground, naval, and air components; historically, there have been no separate Israeli military services Manpower availability: eligible 15-49, 2,357,195; of the 1,189,275 males 15-49, 977,332 are fit for military service; of the 1,167,920 females 15-49, 955,928 are fit for military service; 44,624 males and 42,705 females reach military age (18) annually; both sexes are liable for military service; Nahal or Pioneer Fighting Youth, Frontier Guard, Chen Defense expenditures: $7.5 billion, 12.1% of GNP (1992 budget); note - does not include pay for reserve soldiers and other defense-related categories; actual outlays would therefore be higher
:Italy Geography
Total area: 301,230 km2 Land area: 294, 020 km2; includes Sardinia and Sicily Comparative area: slightly larger than Arizona Land boundaries: 1,899.2 km; Austria 430 km, France 488 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 199 km, Switzerland 740 km, Vatican City 3.2 km Coastline: 4,996 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: none Climate: predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands Natural resources: mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, dwindling natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal Land use: arable land 32%; permanent crops 10%; meadows and pastures 17%; forest and woodland 22%; other 19%; includes irrigated 10% Environment: regional risks include land-slides, mudflows, snowslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding, pollution; land sinkage in Venice Note: strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
:Italy People
Population: 57,904,628 (July 1992), growth rate 0.2% (1992) Birth rate: 10 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 81 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Italian(s); adjective - Italian Ethnic divisions: primarily Italian but population includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south; Sicilians; Sardinians Religions: virtually 100% Roman Catholic Languages: Italian; parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking; small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region; Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area Literacy: 97% (male 98%, female 96%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 23,988,000; services 58%, industry 32.2%, agriculture 9.8% (1988) Organized labor: 40-45% of labor force (est.)
:Italy Government
Long-form name: Italian Republic Type: republic Capital: Rome Administrative divisions: 20 regions (regioni, singular - regione); Abruzzi, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto Independence: 17 March 1861, Kingdom of Italy proclaimed Constitution: 1 January 1948 Legal system: based on civil law system, with ecclesiastical law influence; appeals treated as trials de novo; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Anniversary of the Republic, 2 June (1946) Executive branch: president, prime minister (president of the Council of Ministers) Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlamento) consists of an upper chamber or Senate of the Republic (Senato della Repubblica) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati) Judicial branch: Constitutional Court (Corte Costituzionale) Leaders: Chief of State: President Oscar Luigi SCALFARO (since 28 May 1992) Head of Government: Prime Minister Guiliano AMATO (since 28 June 1992); Deputy Prime Minister Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party (DC), Arnaldo FORLANI (general secretary), Ciriaco De MITA (president); Socialist Party (PSI), Bettino CRAXI (party secretary); Social Democratic Party (PSDI), Carlo VIZZINI (party secretary); Liberal Party (PLI), Renato ALTISSIMO (secretary general); Democratic Party of the Left (PDS - was Communist Party, or PCI, until January 1991), Achille OCCHETTO (secretary general); Italian Social Movement (MSI), Gianfranco FINI (national secretary); Republican Party (PRI), Giorgio La MALFA (political secretary); Lega Nord (Northern League), Umberto BOSSI, president Suffrage: universal at age 18 (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25) Elections: Senate: last held 5-6 April 1992 (next to be held by April 1997); results - DC 33.9%, PCI 28.3%, PSI 10.7%, other 27.1%; seats - (326 total, 315 elected) DC 107, PDS 64, PSI 49, Leagues 25, other 70 Chamber of Deputies: last held 5-6 April 1992 (next to be held April 1997); results - DC 29.7%, PDS 26.6%, PSI 13.6%, Leagues 8.7%, Communist Renewal 5.6%, MSI 5.4%, PRI 4.4%, PLI 2.8%, PSDI 2.7%, other 11%
:Italy Government
Other political or pressure groups: the Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (CGIL - Communist dominated, CISL - Christian Democratic, and UIL - Social Democratic, Socialist, and Republican); Italian manufacturers association (Confindustria); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura) Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), Australia Group, AsDB, BIS, CCC, CDB (nonregional member), CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, G-7, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IEA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, MTCR, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIIMOG, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Boris BIANCHERI CHIAPPORI; Chancery at 1601 Fuller Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 328-5500; there are Italian Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Consulates in Detroit and Newark (New Jersey) US: Ambassador Peter F. SECCHIA; Embassy at Via Veneto 119/A, 00187, Rome (mailing address is APO AE 09624); telephone [39] (6) 46741, FAX [39] (6) 467-2356; there are US Consulates General in Florence, Genoa, Milan, Naples, and Palermo (Sicily) Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Ivory Coast, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green
:Italy Economy
Overview: Since World War II the economy has changed from one based on agriculture into a ranking industrial economy, with approximately the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. The country is still divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by small private companies, and an undeveloped agricultural south, dominated by large public enterprises. Services account for 48% of GDP, industry about 35%, agriculture 4%, and public administration 13%. Most raw materials needed by industry and over 75% of energy requirements must be imported. After growing at an annual average rate of 3% during the period 1983-90, growth slowed to about 1% in 1991. For the 1990s, Italy faces the problems of refurbishing a tottering communications system, curbing pollution in major industrial centers, and adjusting to the new competitive forces accompanying the ongoing economic integration of the European Community. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $965.0 billion, per capita $16,700; real growth rate 1.0% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (1991) Unemployment rate: 11.0% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $431 billion; expenditures $565 billion, including capital expenditures of $48 billion (1991) Exports: $209 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: textiles, wearing apparel, metals, transportation equipment, chemicals partners: EC 58.5%, US 8%, OPEC 4% Imports: $222 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: petroleum, industrial machinery, chemicals, metals, food, agricultural products partners: EC 58%, OPEC 7%, US 5% External debt: NA Industrial production: growth rate - 2.0% (1991); accounts for almost 35% of GDP Electricity: 57,500,000 kW capacity; 235,000 million kWh produced, 4,072 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics Agriculture: accounts for about 4% of GDP and 10% of the work force; self-sufficient in foods other than meat and dairy products; principal crops - fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; fish catch of 388,200 metric tons in 1988 Economic aid: donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $25.9 billion Currency: Italian lira (plural - lire); 1 Italian lira (Lit) = 100 centesimi Exchange rates: Italian lire (Lit) per US$1 - 1,248.4 (March 1992), 1,240.6 (January 1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1,372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987)
:Italy Economy
Fiscal year: calendar year
:Italy Communications
Railroads: 20,011 km total; 16,066 km 1.435-meter government-owned standard gauge (8,999 km electrified); 3,945 km privately owned - 2,100 km 1.435-meter standard gauge (1,155 km electrified) and 1,845 km 0.950-meter narrow gauge (380 km electrified) Highways: 294,410 km total; autostrada (expressway) 5,900 km, state highways 45,170 km, provincial highways 101,680 km, communal highways 141,660 km; 260,500 km paved, 26,900 km gravel and crushed stone, 7,010 km earth Inland waterways: 2,400 km for various types of commercial traffic, although of limited overall value Pipelines: crude oil 1,703 km; petroleum products 2,148 km; natural gas 19,400 km Ports: Cagliari (Sardinia), Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Naples, Palermo (Sicily), Taranto, Trieste, Venice Merchant marine: 546 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,004,462 GRT/10,265,132 DWT; includes 17 passenger, 39 short-sea passenger, 94 cargo, 4 refrigerated cargo, 24 container, 66 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 9 vehicle carrier, 1 multifunction large-load carrier, 1 livestock carrier, 142 petroleum tanker, 33 chemical tanker, 39 liquefied gas, 10 specialized tanker, 10 combination ore/oil, 55 bulk, 2 combination bulk Civil air: 125 major transport aircraft Airports: 137 total, 134 usable; 91 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 36 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 39 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: modern, well-developed, fast; 25,600,000 telephones; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services; high-capacity cable and radio relay trunks; very good broadcast service by stations - 135 AM, 28 (1,840 repeaters) FM, 83 (1,000 repeaters) TV; international service by 21 submarine cables; 3 satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT with 3 Atlantic Ocean antennas and 2 Indian Ocean antennas; also participates in INMARSAT and EUTELSAT systems
:Italy Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri Manpower availability: males 15-49, 14,864,191; 12,980,362 fit for military service; 441,768 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $22.7 billion, 2.2% of GDP (1991)
:Ivory Coast Geography
Total area: 322,460 km2 Land area: 318,000 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico Land boundaries: 3,110 km; Burkina 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km Coastline: 515 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: none Climate: tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October) Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest Natural resources: crude oil, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper Land use: arable land 9%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 9%; forest and woodland 26%; other 52%; includes irrigated NEGL% Environment: coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; severe deforestation
:Ivory Coast People
Population: 13,497,153 (July 1992), growth rate 3.9% (1992) Birth rate: 47 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 3 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 94 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 53 years male, 57 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 6.8 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Ivorian(s); adjective - Ivorian Ethnic divisions: over 60 ethnic groups; most important are the Baoule 23%, Bete 18%, Senoufou 15%, Malinke 11%, and Agni; foreign Africans, mostly Burkinabe about 2 million; non-Africans about 130,000 to 330,000 (French 30,000 and Lebanese 100,000 to 300,000) Religions: indigenous 63%, Muslim 25%, Christian 12%, Languages: French (official), over 60 native dialects; Dioula most widely spoken Literacy: 54% (male 67%, female 40%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 5,718,000; over 85% of population engaged in agriculture, forestry, livestock raising; about 11% of labor force are wage earners, nearly half in agriculture and the remainder in government, industry, commerce, and professions; 54% of population of working age (1985) Organized labor: 20% of wage labor force
:Ivory Coast Government
Long-form name: Republic of the Ivory Coast; note - the local official name is Republique de Cote d'Ivoire Type: republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960 Capital: Yamoussoukro (although Yamoussoukro has been the capital since 1983, Adibjan remains the administrative center; foreign governments, including the United States, maintain presence in Abidjan) Administrative divisions: 49 departments (departements, singular - (departement); Abengourou, Abidjan, Aboisso, Adzope, Agboville, Bangolo, Beoumi, Biankouma, Bondoukou, Bongouanou, Bouafle, Bouake, Bouna, Boundiali, Dabakala, Daloa, Danane, Daoukro, Dimbokro, Divo, Duekoue, Ferkessedougou, Gagnoa, Grand-Lahou, Guiglo, Issia, Katiola, Korhogo, Lakota, Man, Mankono, Mbahiakro, Odienne, Oume, Sakassou, San-Pedro, Sassandra, Seguela, Sinfra, Soubre, Tabou, Tanda, Tingrela, Tiassale, Touba, Toumodi, Vavoua, Yamoussoukro, Zuenoula Independence: 7 August 1960 (from France) Constitution: 3 November 1960 Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: National Day, 7 December Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Dr. Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY (since 27 November 1960); Prime Minister Alassane OUATTARA (since 7 November 1990) Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of the Ivory Coast (PDCI), Dr. Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY; Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), Laurent GBAGBO; Ivorian Worker's Party (PIT), Francis WODIE; Ivorian Socialist Party (PSI), Morifere BAMBA; over 20 smaller parties Suffrage: universal at age 21 Elections: President: last held 28 October 1990 (next to be held October 1995); results - President Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY received 81% of the vote in his first contested election; he is currently serving his seventh consecutive five-year term National Assembly: last held 25 November 1990 (next to be held November 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (175 total) PDCI 163, FPI 9, PIT 1, independents 2 Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
:Ivory Coast Government
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Charles GOMIS; Chancery at 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 797-0300 US: Ambassador Kenneth L. BROWN; Embassy at 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan (mailing address is 01 B. P. 1712, Abidjan); telephone [225] 21-09-79 or 21-46-72, FAX [225] 22-32-59 Flag: three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France
:Ivory Coast Economy
Overview: Ivory Coast is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm-kernel oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for coffee and cocoa and to weather conditions. Despite attempts by the government to diversify, the economy is still largely dependent on agriculture and related industries. The agricultural sector accounts for over one-third of GDP and about 80% of export earnings and employs about 85% of the labor force. A collapse of world cocoa and coffee prices in 1986 threw the economy into a recession, from which the country had not recovered by 1990. Continuing poor prices for commodity exports, an overvalued exchange rate, a bloated public-sector wage bill, and a large foreign debt hindered economic recovery in 1991. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $10 billion, per capita $800; real growth rate -2.9% (1990) Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.8% (1990 est.) Unemployment rate: 14% (1985) Budget: revenues $2.8 billion (1989 est.); expenditures $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.) Exports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: cocoa 30%, coffee 20%, tropical woods 11%, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, cotton partners: France, FRG, Netherlands, US, Belgium, Spain (1985) Imports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: manufactured goods and semifinished products 50%, consumer goods 40%, raw materials and fuels 10% partners: France, other EC, Nigeria, US, Japan (1985) External debt: $15.0 billion (1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate - 6% (1989); accounts for 17% of GDP Electricity: 1,210,000 kW capacity; 2,680 million kWh produced, 210 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: foodstuffs, wood processing, oil refinery, automobile assembly, textiles, fertilizer, beverage Agriculture: most important sector, contributing one-third to GDP and 80% to exports; cash crops include coffee, cocoa beans, timber, bananas, palm kernels, rubber; food crops - corn, rice, manioc, sweet potatoes; not self-sufficient in bread grain and dairy products Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis on a small scale for the international drug trade Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $356 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $5.2 billion Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural - francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
:Ivory Coast Economy
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 269.01 (January 1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986) Fiscal year: calendar year
:Ivory Coast Communications
Railroads: 660 km (Burkina border to Abidjan, 1.00-meter gauge, single track, except 25 km Abidjan-Anyama section is double track) Highways: 46,600 km total; 3,600 km paved; 32,000 km gravel, crushed stone, laterite, and improved earth; 11,000 km unimproved Inland waterways: 980 km navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons Ports: Abidjan, San-Pedro Merchant marine: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,957 GRT/ 91,782 DWT; includes 5 cargo, 1 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker Civil air: 14 major transport aircraft, including multinationally owned Air Afrique fleet Airports: 45 total, 39 usable; 7 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 15 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: well-developed by African standards but operating well below capacity; consists of open-wire lines and radio relay links; 87,700 telephones; broadcast stations - 3 AM, 17 FM, 13 TV, 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station; 2 coaxial submarine cables
:Ivory Coast Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, Military Fire Group Manpower availability: males 15-49, 3,083,765; 1,597,108 fit for military service; 141,259 males reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $200 million, 2.3% of GDP (1988)
:Jamaica Geography
Total area: 10,990 km2 Land area: 10,830 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut Land boundaries: none Coastline: 1,022 km Maritime claims: Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: none Climate: tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain Natural resources: bauxite, gypsum, limestone Land use: arable land 19%; permanent crops 6%; meadows and pastures 18%; forest and woodland 28%; other 29%; includes irrigated 3% Environment: subject to hurricanes (especially July to November); deforestation; water pollution Note: strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal
:Jamaica People
Population: 2,506,701 (July 1992), growth rate 0.9% (1992) Birth rate: 23 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: -8 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 18 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 76 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Jamaican(s); adjective - Jamaican Ethnic divisions: African 76.3%, Afro-European 15.1%, East Indian and Afro-East Indian 3.0%, white 3.2%, Chinese and Afro-Chinese 1.2%, other 1.2% Religions: predominantly Protestant 55.9% (Church of God 18.4%, Baptist 10%, Anglican 7.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.9%, Pentecostal 5.2%, Methodist 3.1%, United Church 2.7%, other 2.5%), Roman Catholic 5%, other 39.1%, including some spiritualist cults (1982) Languages: English, Creole Literacy: 98% (male 98%, female 99%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1990 est.) Labor force: 1,062,100; services 41%, agriculture 22.5%, industry 19%; unemployed 17.5% (1989) Organized labor: 24% of labor force (1989)
:Jamaica Government
Long-form name: none Type: parliamentary democracy Capital: Kingston Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland Independence: 6 August 1962 (from UK) Constitution: 6 August 1962 Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Independence Day (first Monday in August) Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Howard COOKE (since 1 August 1991) Head of Government: Prime Minister P. J. Patterson (since 30 March 1992) Political parties and leaders: People's National Party (PNP) P. J. Patterson; Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), Edward SEAGA Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: House of Representatives: last held 9 February 1989 (next to be held by February 1994); results - PNP 57%, JLP 43%; seats - (60 total) PNP 45, JLP 15 Other political or pressure groups: Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists) Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, GATT, G-15, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Richard BERNAL; Chancery at Suite 355, 1850 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006; telephone (202) 452-0660; there are Jamaican Consulates General in Miami and New York US: Ambassador Glen A. HOLDEN; Embassy at 3rd Floor, Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, Kingston; telephone (809) 929-4850 through 4859, FAX (809) 926-6743 Flag: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and fly side)
:Jamaica Economy
Overview: The economy is based on sugar, bauxite, and tourism. In 1985 it suffered a setback with the closure of some facilities in the bauxite and alumina industry, a major source of hard currency earnings. Since 1986 an economic recovery has been under way. In 1987 conditions began to improve for the bauxite and alumina industry because of increases in world metal prices. The recovery has also been supported by growth in the manufacturing and tourism sectors. In September 1988, Hurricane Gilbert inflicted severe damage on crops and the electric power system, a sharp but temporary setback to the economy. By October 1989 the economic recovery from the hurricane was largely complete, and real growth was up about 3% for 1989. In 1991, however, growth dropped to 1.0% as a result of the US recession, lower world bauxite prices, and monetary instability. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $3.6 billion, per capita $1,400; real growth rate 1.0% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 80% (1991 projected) Unemployment rate: 15.1% (1991) Budget: revenues $600 million; expenditures $736 million (FY91 est.) Exports: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991, projected) commodities: bauxite, alumina, sugar, bananas partners: US 36%, UK, Canada, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago Imports: $1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1991 projected) commodities: petroleum, machinery, food, consumer goods, construction goods partners: US 48%, UK, Venezuela, Canada, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago External debt: $3.8 billion (1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate - 2.0% (1990); accounts for almost 25% of GDP Electricity: 1,122,000 kW capacity; 2,520 million kWh produced, 1,012 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: tourism, bauxite mining, textiles, food processing, light manufactures Agriculture: accounts for about 9% of GDP, 22% of work force, and 17% of exports; commercial crops - sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, and vegetables; live-stock and livestock products include poultry, goats, milk; not self-sufficient in grain, meat, and dairy products Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of cannabis; transshipment point for cocaine from Central and South America to North America; government has an active cannabis eradication program Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.2 billion; other countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.6 billion Currency: Jamaican dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Jamaican dollar (J$) = 100 cents
:Jamaica Economy
Exchange rates: Jamaican dollars (J$) per US$1 - 21.946 (January 1992), 12.116 (1991), 7.184 (1990), 5.7446 (1989), 5.4886 (1988), 5.4867 (1987), 5.4778 (1986) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
:Jamaica Communications
Railroads: 294 km, all 1.435-meter standard gauge, single track Highways: 18,200 km total; 12,600 km paved, 3,200 km gravel, 2,400 km improved earth Pipelines: petroleum products 10 km Ports: Kingston, Montego Bay Merchant marine: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,619 GRT/16,302 DWT; includes 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum tanker, 2 bulk Civil air: 8 major transport aircraft Airports: 36 total, 23 usable; 13 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: fully automatic domestic telephone network; 127,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 10 AM, 17 FM, 8 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; 3 coaxial submarine cables
:Jamaica Defense Forces
Branches: Jamaica Defense Force (including Coast Guard and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force Manpower availability: males 15-49, 640,058; 454,131 fit for military service; no conscription; 26,785 reach minimum volunteer age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $20 million, less than 1% of GDP (FY91)
:Jan Mayen Geography
Total area: 373 km2 Land area: 373 km2 Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 124.1 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 10 nm Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 4 nm Disputes: Denmark has challenged Norway's maritime claims beween Greenland and Jan Mayen Climate: arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog Terrain: volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers; Beerenberg is the highest peak, with an elevation of 2,277 meters Natural resources: none Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100% Environment: barren volcanic island with some moss and grass; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 Note: located north of the Arctic Circle about 590 km north-northeast of Iceland between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea
:Jan Mayen People
Population: no permanent inhabitants
:Jan Mayen Government
Long-form name: none Type: territory of Norway Capital: none; administered from Oslo, Norway, through a governor (sysselmann) resident in Longyearbyen (Svalbard)
:Jan Mayen Economy
Overview: Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on the island. Electricity: 15,000 kW capacity; 40 million kWh produced, NA kWh per capita (1989)
:Jan Mayen Communications
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only Airports: 1 with runways 1,220 to 2,439 m Telecommunications: radio and meteorological station
:Jan Mayen Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of Norway
:Japan Geography
Total area: 377,835 km2 Land area: 374,744 km2; includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okinotori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto) Comparative area: slightly smaller than California Land boundaries: none Coastline: 29,751 km Maritime claims: Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm (3 nm in international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait) Disputes: Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan Islands and the Habomai island group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks disputed with South Korea; Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands) claimed by China and Taiwan Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish Land use: arable land 13%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 67%; other 18%; includes irrigated 9% Environment: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; subject to tsunamis Note: strategic location in northeast Asia
:Japan People
Population: 124,460,481 (July 1992), growth rate 0.4% (1992) Birth rate: 10 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 77 years male, 82 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Japanese (singular and plural); adjective - Japanese Ethnic divisions: Japanese 99.4%, other (mostly Korean) 0.6% Religions: most Japanese observe both Shinto and Buddhist rites so the percentages add to more than 100% - Shinto 95.8%, Buddhist 76.3%, Christian 1.4%, other 12% (1985) Languages: Japanese Literacy: 99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.) Labor force: 63,330,000; trade and services 54%; manufacturing, mining, and construction 33%; agriculture, forestry, and fishing 7%; government 3% (1988) Organized labor: about 29% of employed workers; public service 76.4%, transportation and telecommunications 57.9%, mining 48.7%, manufacturing 33.7%, services 18.2%, wholesale, retail, and restaurant 9.3%
:Japan Government
Long-form name: none Type: constitutional monarchy Capital: Tokyo Administrative divisions: 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi Independence: 660 BC, traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu Constitution: 3 May 1947 Legal system: civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations National holiday: Birthday of the Emperor, 23 December (1933) Executive branch: Emperor, prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Diet (Kokkai) consists of an upper house or House of Councillors (Sangi-in) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Shugi-in) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989) Head of Government: Prime Minister Kiichi MIYAZAWA (since 5 November 1991) Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Kiichi MIYAZAWA, president; Tamisuke WATANUKI, secretary general; Social Democratic Party of Japan (SDPJ), Makoto TANABE, Chairman; Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), Keizo OUCHI, chairman; Japan Communist Party (JCP), Tetsuzo FUWA, Presidium chairman; Komeito (Clean Government Party, CGP), Koshiro ISHIDA, chairman Suffrage: universal at age 20 Elections: House of Councillors: last held on 23 July 1989 (next to be held 26 July 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (263 total) LDP 114, SDPJ 71, CGP 20, JCP 14, other 33 House of Representatives: last held on 18 February 1990 (next to be held by February 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (512 total) LDP 278, SDPJ 137, CGP 46, JCP 16, DSP 13, others 5, independents 6, vacant 11 Communists: about 490,000 registered Communist party members
:Japan Government
Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), Australia Group, APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, COCOM, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-2, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Takakazu KURIYAMA; Chancery at 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-6700; there are Japanese Consulates General in Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland (Oregon), and a Consulate in Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) US: Ambassador Michael H. ARMACOST; Embassy at 10-5, Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku (107), Tokyo (mailing address is APO AP 96337-0001); telephone [81] (3) 3224-5000; FAX [81] (3) 3505-1862; there are US Consulates General in Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, and Sapporo and a Consulate in Fukuoka Flag: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center
:Japan Economy
Overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, and a comparatively small defense allocation have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity, notably in high-technology fields. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. Self-sufficent in rice, Japan must import 50% of its requirements for other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. Overall economic growth has been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s and 1980s. A major contributor to overall growth of 4.5% in 1991 was net exports, which cushioned the effect of slower growth in domestic demand. Inflation remains low at 3.3% and is easing due to lower oil prices and a stronger yen. Japan continues to run a huge trade surplus, $80 billion in 1991, which supports extensive investment in foreign assets. The increased crowding of its habitable land area and the aging of its population are two major long-run problems. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $2,360.7 billion, per capita $19,000; real growth rate 4.5% (1991) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (1991) Unemployment rate: 2.1% (1991) Budget: revenues $481 billion; expenditures $531 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of about $60 billion (FY91) Exports: $314.3 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: manufactures 97% (including machinery 40%, motor vehicles 18%, consumer electronics 10%) partners: Southeast Asia 31%, US 29%, Western Europe 23%, Communist countries 4%, Middle East 3% Imports: $236.6 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: manufactures 50%, fossil fuels 21%, foodstuffs and raw materials 25% partners: Southeast Asia 25%, US 22%, Western Europe 17%, Middle East 12%, Communist countries 8% External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate 2.1% (1991); accounts for 30% of GDP (mining and manufacturing) Electricity: 196,000,000 kW capacity; 823,000 million kWh produced, 6,640 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: metallurgy, engineering, electrical and electronic, textiles, chemicals, automobiles, fishing, telecommunications, machine tools, construction equipment Agriculture: accounts for only 2% of GDP; highly subsidized and protected sector, with crop yields among highest in world; principal crops - rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; animal products include pork, poultry, dairy and eggs; about 50% self-sufficient in food production; shortages of wheat, corn, soybeans; world's largest fish catch of 11.9 million metric tons in 1988
:Japan Economy
Economic aid: donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $83.2 billion; ODA outlay of $9.1 billion in 1990 (est.) Currency: yen (plural - yen); 1 yen (Y) = 100 sen Exchange rates: yen (Y) per US$1 - 132.70 (March 1992), 134.71 (1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96 (1989), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
:Japan Communications
Railroads: 27,327 km total; 2,012 km 1.435-meter standard gauge and 25,315 km predominantly 1.067-meter narrow gauge; 5,724 km doubletrack and multitrack sections, 9,038 km 1.067-meter narrow-gauge electrified, 2,012 km 1.435-meter standard-gauge electrified (1987) Highways: 1,111,974 km total; 754,102 km paved, 357,872 km gravel, crushed stone, or unpaved; 4,400 km national expressways; 46,805 km national highways; 128,539 km prefectural roads; and 930,230 km city, town, and village roads Inland waterways: about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas Pipelines: crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas 1,800 km Ports: Chiba, Muroran, Kitakyushu, Kobe, Tomakomai, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Yokkaichi, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Niigata, Fushiki-Toyama, Shimizu, Himeji, Wakayama-Shimozu, Shimonoseki, Tokuyama-Shimomatsu Merchant marine: 976 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,684,459 GRT/34,683,035 DWT; includes 10 passenger, 40 short-sea passenger, 3 passenger cargo, 89 cargo, 44 container, 36 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 111 refrigerated cargo, 93 vehicle carrier, 227 petroleum tanker, 11 chemical tanker, 40 liquefied gas, 9 combination ore/oil, 3 specialized tanker, 260 bulk; note - Japan also owns a large flag of convenience fleet, including up to 55% of the total number of ships under the Panamanian flag Civil air: 360 major transport aircraft Airports: 163 total, 158 usable; 131 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 31 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 51 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: excellent domestic and international service; 64,000,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 318 AM, 58 FM, 12,350 TV (196 major - 1 kw or greater); satellite earth stations - 4 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT; submarine cables to US (via Guam), Philippines, China, and Russia
:Japan Defense Forces
Branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force), Maritime Safety Agency (Coast Guard) Manpower availability: males 15-49, 32,219,754; 27,767,280 fit for military service; 1,042,493 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $36.7 billion, 0.94% of GDP (FY92 est.)
:Jarvis Island Geography
Total area: 4.5 km2 Land area: 4.5 km2 Comparative area: about 7.5 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 8 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 12 nm Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: none Climate: tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun Terrain: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s) Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100% Environment: sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; lacks fresh water; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats Note: 2,090 km south of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, just south of the Equator, about halfway between Hawaii and the Cook Islands
:Jarvis Island People
Population: uninhabited Population: note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators
:Jarvis Island Government
Long-form name: none (territory of the US) Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
:Jarvis Island Economy
Overview: no economic activity
:Jarvis Island Communications
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only - one boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island Note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
:Jarvis Island Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
:Jersey Geography
Total area: 117 km2 Land area: 117 km2 Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 70 km Maritime claims: Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 3 nm Disputes: none Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast Natural resources: agricultural land Land use: arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and woodland NA%; other NA%; about 58% of land under cultivation Environment: about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier Note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; 27 km from France
:Jersey People
Population: 85,026 (July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992) Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 6 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Channel Islander(s); adjective - Channel Islander Ethnic divisions: UK and Norman-French descent Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian Languages: English and French (official), with the Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education age 5 to 16 Labor force: NA Organized labor: none
:Jersey Government
Long-form name: Bailiwick of Jersey Type: British crown dependency Capital: Saint Helier Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency) Independence: none (British crown dependency) Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice Legal system: English law and local statute National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) Executive branch: British monarch, lieutenant governor, bailiff Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States Judicial branch: Royal Court Leaders: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) Head of Government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air Marshal Sir John SUTTON (since NA 1990); Bailiff Peter CRILL (since NA) Political parties and leaders: none; all independents Suffrage: universal adult at age NA Elections: Assembly of the States: last held NA (next to be held NA); results - no percent of vote by party since all are independents; seats - (56 total, 52 elected) 52 independents Member of: none Diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency) Flag: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag
:Jersey Economy
Overview: The economy is based largely on financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EC countries. In 1986 the finance sector overtook tourism as the main contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of the island's output. In recent years the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate 8% (1987 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1988 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $308.0 million; expenditures $284.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985) Exports: $NA commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles partners: UK Imports: $NA commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals partners: UK External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 50,000 kW standby capacity (1990); power supplied by France Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy Agriculture: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; dairy and cattle farming Economic aid: none Currency: Jersey pound (plural - pounds); 1 Jersey pound (#J) = 100 pence Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (#J) per US$1 - 0.5799 (March 1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
:Jersey Communications
Ports: Saint Helier, Gorey, Saint Aubin Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m (Saint Peter) Telecommunications: 63,700 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 3 submarine cables
:Jersey Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
:Johnston Atoll Geography
Total area: 2.8 km2 Land area: 2.8 km2 Comparative area: about 4.7 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 10 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 12 nm Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: none Climate: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: mostly flat with a maximum elevation of 4 meters Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until about 1890) Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100% Environment: some low-growing vegetation Note: strategic location 717 nautical miles west-southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way between Hawaii and the Marshall Islands; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to the public; former nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS)
:Johnston Atoll People
Population: 1,375 (December 1991); all US government personnel and contractors
:Johnston Atoll Government
Long-form name: none (territory of the US) Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) and managed cooperatively by DNA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system Capital:
none; administered from Washington, DC Diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US) Flag: the flag of the US is used
:Johnston Atoll Economy
Overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. Electricity: supplied by the management and operations contractor
:Johnston Atoll Communications
Ports: Johnston Island Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,743 m Telecommunications: excellent system including 60-channel submarine cable, Autodin/SRT terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), commercial satellite television system, and UHF/VHF air-ground radio, marine VHF/FM Channel 16 Note: US Coast Guard operates a LORAN transmitting station (estimated closing date for LORAN is December 1992)
:Johnston Atoll Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
:Jordan Geography
Total area: 91,880 km2 Land area: 91,540 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana Land boundaries: 1,586 km; Iraq 134 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 742 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km Coastline: 26 km Maritime claims: Territorial sea: 3 nm Disputes: differences with Israel over the location of the 1949 Armistice Line that separates the two countries Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April) Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil Land use: arable land 4%; permanent crops 0.5%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 0.5%; other 94%; includes irrigated 0.5% Environment: lack of natural water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification Note: The war between Israel and the Arab states in June 1967 ended with Israel in control of the West Bank. As stated in the 1978 Camp David accords and reaffirmed by President Bush's post - Gulf crisis peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, their relationship with their neighbors, and a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties. The Camp David accords also specify that these negotiations will resolve the location of the respective boundaries. Pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has yet to be determined.
:Jordan People
Population: 3,557,304 (July 1992), growth rate 4.1% (1992); Palestinians now constitute roughly two-thirds of the population; most are Jordanian citizens Birth rate: 45 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 38 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 73 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Jordanian(s); adjective - Jordanian Ethnic divisions: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1% Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 8% Languages: Arabic (official); English widely understood among upper and middle classes Literacy: 80% (male 89%, female 70%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 572,000 (1988); agriculture 20%, manufacturing and mining 20% (1987 est.) Organized labor: about 10% of labor force
:Jordan Government
Long-form name: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Type: constitutional monarchy Capital: Amman Administrative divisions: 8 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, `Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Ma`an Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration; formerly Transjordan) Constitution: 8 January 1952 Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946) Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-`Umma) consists of an upper house or House of Notables (Majlis al-A`ayan) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Majlis al-Nuwaab); note - the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the King several times since 1974 and in November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held Judicial branch: Court of Cassation Leaders: Chief of State: King HUSSEIN Ibn Talal Al Hashemi (since 11 August 1952) Head of Government: Prime Minister Zayd bin SHAKIR (since 21 November 1991) Political parties and leaders: approximately 24 parties have been formed since the National Charter, but the number fluctuates; after the 1989 parliamentary elections, King Hussein promised to allow the formation of political parties; a national charter that sets forth the ground rules for democracy in Jordan - including the creation of political parties - was approved in principle by the special National Conference on 9 June 1991, but its specific provisions have yet to be passed by National Assembly Suffrage: universal at age 20 Elections: House of Representatives: last held 8 November 1989 (next to be held November 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (80 total) Muslim Brotherhood (fundamentalist) 22, Independent Islamic bloc (generally traditionalist) 6, Democratic bloc (mostly leftist) 9, Constitutionalist bloc (traditionalist) 17, Nationalist bloc (traditionalist) 16, independent 10 Member of: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNAVEM, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
:Jordan Government
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Hussein A. HAMMAMI; Chancery at 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 966-2664 US: Ambassador Roger Gram HARRISON; Embassy on Jebel Amman, Amman (mailing address is P. O. Box 354, Amman, or APO AE 09892); telephone [962] (6) 644-371 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran
:Jordan Economy
Overview: Jordan benefited from increased Arab aid during the oil boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when its annual GNP growth averaged more than 10%. In the remainder of the 1980s, however, reductions in both Arab aid and worker remittances slowed economic growth to an average of roughly 2% per year. Imports - mainly oil, capital goods, consumer durables, and food - have been outstripping exports, with the difference covered by aid, remittances, and borrowing. In mid-1989, the Jordanian Government began debt-rescheduling negotiations and agreed to implement an IMF program designed to gradually reduce the budget deficit and implement badly needed structural reforms. The Persian Gulf crisis that began in August 1990, however, aggravated Jordan's already serious economic problems, forcing the government to shelve the IMF program, stop most debt payments, and suspend rescheduling negotiations. Aid from Gulf Arab states and worker remittances have plunged, and refugees have flooded the country, straining government resources. Economic recovery is unlikely without substantial foreign aid, debt relief, and economic reform. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $3.6 billion, per capita $1,100; real growth rate 3% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: 40% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $1.7 billion; expenditures $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992) Exports: $1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures partners: India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Ethiopia, UAE, China Imports: $2.3 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods partners: EC, US, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Turkey External debt: $9 billion (December 1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 1% (1991 est.); accounts for 20% of GDP Electricity: 1,025,000 kW capacity; 3,900 million kWh produced, 1,150 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing Agriculture: accounts for about 7% of GDP; principal products are wheat, barley, citrus fruit, tomatoes, melons, olives; livestock - sheep, goats, poultry; large net importer of food Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.7 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.5 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $44 million Currency: Jordanian dinar (plural - dinars); 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils
:Jordan Economy
Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1 - 0.6861 (March 1992), 0.6807 1991), 0.6636 (1990), 0.5704 (1989), 0.3709 (1988), 0.3387 (1987) Fiscal year: calendar year
:Jordan Communications
Railroads: 619 km 1.050-meter gauge, single track Highways: 7,500 km; 5,500 km asphalt, 2,000 km gravel and crushed stone Pipelines: crude oil 209 km Ports: Al `Aqabah Merchant marine: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 60,378 GRT/113,557 DWT; includes 1 cargo and 1 petroleum tanker Civil air: 23 major transport aircraft Airports: 19 total, 15 usable; 14 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: adequate telephone system of microwave, cable, and radio links; 81,500 telephones; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 7 FM, 8 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT, 1 domestic TV receive-only; coaxial cable and microwave to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria; microwave link to Lebanon is inactive; participates in a microwave network linking Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco
:Jordan Defense Forces
Branches: Jordan Arab Army, Royal Jordanian Air Force, Royal Jordanian Navy, Public Security Force Manpower availability: males 15-49, 808,725; 576,934 fit for military service; 39,310 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $404 million, 9.5% of GDP (1990)
:Juan de Nova Island Geography
Total area: 4.4 km2 Land area: 4.4 km2 Comparative area: about 7.5 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 24.1 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 12 nm Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: claimed by Madagascar Climate: tropical Terrain: undetermined Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 90%; other 10% Environment: subject to periodic cyclones; wildlife sanctuary Note: located in the central Mozambique Channel about halfway between Africa and Madagascar
:Juan de Nova Island People
Population: uninhabited
:Juan de Nova Island Government
Long-form name: none Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic Jacques DEWATRE, resident in Reunion Capital: none; administered by France from Reunion
:Juan de Nova Island Economy
Overview: no economic activity
:Juan de Nova Island Communications
Railroads: short line going to a jetty Ports: none; offshore anchorage only Airports: 1 with non-permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m
:Juan de Nova Island Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
:Kazakhstan Geography
Total area: 2,717,300 km2 Land area: 2,669,800 km2 Comparative area: slightly less than four times the size of Texas Land boundaries: 12,012 km; China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km Coastline: 0 km note: Kazakhstan does border the Aral Sea (1,015 km) and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km) Maritime claims: none - landlocked Disputes: none Climate: dry continental, about half is desert Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oasis and desert in Central Asia Natural resources: petroleum, coal, iron, manganese, chrome, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium, iron Land use: NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other; includes NA% irrigated Environment: drying up of Aral Sea is causing increased concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; industrial pollution
:Kazakhstan People
Population: 17,103,927 (July 1992), growth rate 1.0% (1992) Birth rate: 23 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: -6.1 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 25.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 63 years male, 72 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Kazakh(s); adjective - Kazakhstani Ethnic divisions: Kazakh (Qazaq) 40%, Russian 38%, other Slavs 7%, Germans 6%, other 9% Religions: Muslim 47% Russian Orthodox NA%, Lutheran NA% Languages: Kazakh (Qazaq; official language), Russian Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write Labor force: 8,267,000 (1989) Organized labor: official trade unions, independent coal miners' union
:Kazakhstan Government
Long-form name: Republic of Kazakhstan Type: republic Capital: Alma-Ata (Almaty) Administrative divisions: 19 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast'); Aktyubinsk, Alma-Ata, Atyrau, Chimkent, Dzhambul, Dzhezkazgan, Karaganda, Kokchetav, Kustanay, Kzyl-Orda, Mangistauz (Aqtau), Pavlodar, Semipalatinsk, Severo-Kazakhstan (Petropavlovsk), Taldy-Kurgan, Tselinograd, Turgay (Arkalyk), Ural'sk, Vostochno-Kazakhstan (Ust'-Kamenogorsk); note - an oblast has the same name as its administrative center (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) Independence: 16 December 1991; from the Soviet Union (formerly the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic) Constitution: new postindependence constitution under preparation Legal system: NA National holiday: NA Executive branch: president with presidential appointed cabinet of ministers Legislative branch: Supreme Soviet Judicial branch: NA Leaders: Chief of State: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (since April 1990), Vice President Yerik ASANBAYEV (since 1 December 1991) Head of Government: Prime Minister Sergey TERESHCHENKO (since 14 October 1991), Deputy Prime Minister Davlat SEMBAYEV (since November 1990) Political parties and leaders: Peoples Forum Party, Olzhas SULEIMENOV and Mukhtar SHAKHANOV, co-chairmen; Socialist Party (former Communist Party), Anuar ALIJANOV, chairman; ZHOLTOKSAN, Hasan KOJAKHETOV, chairmen; AZAT Party, Sabitkazi AKETAEV, chairman Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: President: last held 1 December 1991 (next to be held NA); percent of vote by party NA; seats - (NA total) percent of seats by party NA Communists: party disbanded 6 September 1992 Member of: CIS, CSCE, IMF, NACC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD Diplomatic representation: Ambassador NA; Chancery at NA NW, Washington, DC 200__; telephone NA; there are NA Consulates General US: Ambassador-designate William Courtney; Embassy at Hotel Kazakhstan, Alma-Ata, (mailing address is APO AE 09862); telephone 8-011-7-3272-61-90-56 Flag: no national flag yet adopted
:Kazakhstan Economy
Overview: The second-largest in area of the 15 former Soviet republics, Kazakhstan has vast oil, coal, and agricultural resources. Kazakhstan is highly dependent on trade with Russia, exchanging its natural resources for finished consumer and industrial goods. Kazakhstan now finds itself with serious pollution problems, backward technology, and little experience in foreign markets. The government in 1991 pushed privatization of the economy at a faster pace than Russia's program. The ongoing transitional period - marked by sharp inflation in wages and prices, lower output, lost jobs, and disruption of time-honored channels of supply - has brought considerable social unrest. Kazakhstan lacks the funds, technology, and managerial skills for a quick recovery of output. US firms have been enlisted to increase oil output but face formidable obstacles; for example, oil can now reach Western markets only through pipelines that run across independent (and sometimes unfriendly) former Soviet republics. Finally, the end of monolithic Communist control has brought ethnic grievances into the open. The 6 million Russians in the republic, formerly the favored class, now face the hostility of a society dominated by Muslims. Ethnic rivalry will be just one of the formidable obstacles to the creation of a productive, technologically advancing society. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $NA; per capita NA; real growth rate - 7% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 83% (1991) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $NA million; expenditures $NA million, including capital expenditures of $1.76 billion (1991) Exports: $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: oil, ferrous and nonferrous metals, chemicals, grain, wool, meat (1991) partners: Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan Imports: $NA million (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: machinery and parts, industrial materials partners: Russia and other former Soviet republics External debt: $2.6 billion (1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 0.7% (1991) Electricity: 17,900,000 kW capacity; 79,100 million kWh produced, 4,735 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: extractive industries (oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur) iron and steel, nonferrous metal, tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials Agriculture: employs 30% of the labor force; grain, mostly spring wheat; meat, cotton, wool
:Kazakhstan Economy
Illicit drugs: illicit producers of cannabis and opium; mostly for domestic consumption; status of government eradication programs unknown; used as transshipment points for illicit drugs to Western Europe Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $NA billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-86), $NA million; Communist countries (1971-86), $NA million Currency: as of May 1992, retaining ruble as currency Exchange rates: NA Fiscal year: calendar year
:Kazakhstan Communications
Railroads: 14,460 km (all 1.520-meter gauge); does not include industrial lines (1990) Highways: 189,000 km total (1990); 188,900 km hard surfaced (paved or gravel), 80,900 km earth Inland waterways: NA km perennially navigable Pipelines: crude oil NA km, refined products NA km, natural gas NA Ports: none - landlocked; inland - Guryev Civil air: NA major transport aircraft Airports: NA Telecommunications: telephone service is poor, with only about 6 telephones for each 100 persons; of the approximately 1 million telephones, Alma-Ata has 184,000; international traffic with other former USSR republics and China carried by landline and microwave, and with other countries by satellite and through the Moscow international gateway switch; satellite earth stations - INTELSAT and Orbita
:Kazakhstan Defense Forces
Branches: Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard; CIS Forces (Ground, Air, Air Defense, and Strategic Rocket) Manpower availability: males 15-49, NA fit for military service; NA reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP
:Kenya Geography
Total area: 582,650 km2 Land area: 569,250 km2 Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada Land boundaries: 3,477 km; Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km Coastline: 536 km Maritime claims: Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary; possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior Terrain: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west Natural resources: gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barytes, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife Land use: arable land 3%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 7%; forest and woodland 4%; other 85%; includes irrigated NEGL% Environment: unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; glaciers on Mt. Kenya Note: the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa
:Kenya People
Population: 26,164,473 (July 1992), growth rate 3.6% (1992) Birth rate: 44 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 68 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 60 years male, 64 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 6.2 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Kenyan(s); adjective - Kenyan Ethnic divisions: Kikuyu 21%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 11%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, Asian, European, and Arab 1% Religions: Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, Muslim 6% Languages: English and Swahili (official); numerous indigenous languages Literacy: 69% (male 80%, female 58%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 9.2 million (includes unemployed); the total employed is 1.37 million (14.8% of the labor force); services 54.8%, industry 26.2%, agriculture 19.0% (1989) Organized labor: 390,000 (est.)
:Kenya Government
Long-form name: Republic of Kenya Type: republic Capital: Nairobi Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western Independence: 12 December 1963 (from UK; formerly British East Africa) Constitution: 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, and 1991 Legal system: based on English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991 National holiday: Independence Day, 12 December (1963) Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Bunge) Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Daniel Teroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); Vice President George SAITOTI (since 10 May 1989) Political parties and leaders: ruling party is Kenya African National Union (KANU), Daniel T. arap MOI, president; opposition parties include Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD), Oginga ODINJA; Democratic Party of Kenya (DP), KIBAKI; note - some dozen other opposition parties Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: President: last held on 21 March 1988 (next to be held before March 1993); results - President Daniel T. arap MOI was reelected National Assembly: last held on 21 March 1988 (next to be held before March 1993); will be first multiparty election since repeal of one-party state law Other political or pressure groups: labor unions; exile opposition - Mwakenya and other groups Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Denis Daudi AFANDE; Chancery at 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-6101; there are Kenyan Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York
:Kenya Government
US: Ambassador Smith HEMPSTONE, Jr.; Embassy at the corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi (mailing address is P. O. Box 30137, Nairobi or APO AE 09831); telephone [254] (2) 334141; FAX [254] (2) 340838; there is a US Consulate in Mombasa Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center
:Kenya Economy
Overview: Kenya's 3.6% annual population growth rate - one of the highest in the world - presents a serious problem for the country's economy. In the meantime, GDP growth in the near term has kept slightly ahead of population - annually averaging 4.9% in the 1986-90 period. Undependable weather conditions and a shortage of arable land hamper long-term growth in agriculture, the leading economic sector. In 1991, deficient rainfall, stagnant export volume, and sagging export prices held economic growth below the all-important population growth figure. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $9.7 billion, per capita $385 (1989 est.); real growth rate 2.3% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.3% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: NA%, but there is a high level of unemployment and underemployment Budget: revenues $2.4 billion; expenditures $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $0.74 billion (FY90) Exports: $1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: tea 25%, coffee 21%, petroleum products 7% (1989) partners: EC 44%, Africa 25%, Asia 5%, US 5%, Middle East 4% (1988) Imports: $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 29%, petroleum and petroleum products 15%, iron and steel 7%, raw materials, food and consumer goods (1989) partners: EC 45%, Asia 11%, Middle East 12%, US 5% (1988) External debt: $6.0 billion (December 1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 5.4% (1989 est.); accounts for 17% of GDP Electricity: 730,000 kW capacity; 2,700 million kWh produced, 110 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural processing, oil refining, cement, tourism Agriculture: most important sector, accounting for 29% of GDP, about 19% of the work force, and over 50% of exports; cash crops - coffee, tea, sisal, pineapple; food products - corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables, dairy products; food output not keeping pace with population growth Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis used mostly for domestic consumption; widespread cultivation of cannabis and qat on small plots; transit country for heroin and methaqualone en route from Southwest Asia to West Africa, Western Europe, and the US Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $839 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $7,490 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $74 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $83 million Currency: Kenyan shilling (plural - shillings); 1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents
:Kenya Economy
Exchange rates: Kenyan shillings (KSh) per US$1 - 28.466 (January 1992), 27.508 (1991), 22.915 (1990), 20.572 (1989), 17.747 (1988), 16.454 (1987) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
:Kenya Communications
Railroads: 2,040 km 1.000-meter gauge Highways: 64,590 km total; 7,000 km paved, 4,150 km gravel, remainder improved earth Inland waterways: part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya; principal inland port is at Kisumu Pipelines: petroleum products 483 km Ports: Mombasa, Lamu Merchant marine: 1 petroleum tanker ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,727 GRT/5,558 DWT Civil air: 19 major transport aircraft Airports: 249 total, 214 usable; 21 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 46 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: in top group of African systems; consists primarily of radio relay links; over 260,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 16 AM; 4 FM, 6 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT
:Kenya Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service Unit of the Police Manpower availability: males 15-49, 5,688,543; 3,513,611 fit for military service; no conscription Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $100 million, 1% of GDP (1989 est.)
:Kingman Reef Geography
Total area: 1 km2 Land area: 1 km2 Comparative area: about 1.7 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 3 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 12 nm Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: none Climate: tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds Terrain: low and nearly level with a maximum elevation of about 1 meter Natural resources: none Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100% Environment: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; wet or awash most of the time Note: located 1,600 km south-southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa; maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes this a navigational hazard; closed to the public
:Kingman Reef People
Population: uninhabited
:Kingman Reef Government
Long-form name: none Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Navy Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
:Kingman Reef Economy
Overview: no economic activity
:Kingman Reef Communications
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only Airports: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938
:Kingman Reef Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
:Kiribati Geography
Total area: 717 km2 Land area: 717 km2; includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands Comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 1,143 km Maritime claims: Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: none Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979) Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 51%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 3%; other 46% Environment: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited Note: Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia and Nauru
:Kiribati People
Population: 74,788 (July 1992), growth rate 2.1% (1992) Birth rate: 33 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 99 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 56 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 3.9 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - I-Kiribati (singular and plural); adjective - I-Kiribati Ethnic divisions: Micronesian Religions: Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985) Languages: English (official), Gilbertese Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) Labor force: 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.) Organized labor: Kiribati Trades Union Congress - 2,500 members
:Kiribati Government
Long-form name: Republic of Kiribati; note - pronounced Kiribas Type: republic Capital: Tarawa Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - a new administrative structure of 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) may have been changed to 21 island councils (one for each of the inhabited islands) named Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Canton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands) Constitution: 12 July 1979 National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979) Executive branch: president (Beretitenti), vice president (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti), Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu) Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 8 July 1991); Vice President Taomati IUTA (since 8 July 1991) Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party, Teatao TEANNAKI; Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO; New Movement Party, leader NA; Liberal Party, Tewareka TENTOA; note - there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: President: last held on 8 July 1991 (next to be held May 1995); results - Teatao TEANNAKI 52%, Roniti TEIWAKI 28% House of Assembly: last held on 8 May 1991 (next to be held May 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP (associate), IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador (vacant) lives in Tarawa (Kiribati) US: the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati Flag: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean
:Kiribati Economy
Overview: The country has few national resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Real GDP declined about 8% in 1987, as the fish catch fell sharply to only one-fourth the level of 1986 and copra production was hampered by repeated rains. Output rebounded strongly in 1988, with real GDP growing by 17%. The upturn in economic growth came from an increase in copra production and a good fish catch. Following the strong surge in output in 1988, GNP increased 1% in both 1989 and 1990. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $36.8 million, per capita $525; real growth rate 1.0% (1990 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.0% (1990 est.) Unemployment rate: 2% (1985); considerable underemployment Budget: revenues $29.9 million; expenditures $16.3 million, including capital expenditures of $14.0 million (1990 est.) Exports: $5.8 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: fish 55%, copra 42% partners: EC 20%, Marshall Islands 12%, US 8%, American Samoa 4% (1985) Imports: $26.7 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, fuel, transportation equipment partners: Australia 39%, Japan 21%, NZ 6%, UK 6%, US 3% (1985) External debt: $2.0 million (December 1989 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1988 est.); accounts for less than 4% of GDP Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 13 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: fishing, handicrafts Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP (including fishing); copra and fish contribute about 95% to exports; subsistence farming predominates; food crops - taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; not self-sufficient in food Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $273 million Currency: Australian dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3177 (March 1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986) Fiscal year: NA
:Kiribati Communications
Highways: 640 km of motorable roads Inland waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands Ports: Banaba and Betio (Tarawa) Civil air: 2 Trislanders; no major transport aircraft Airports: 21 total; 20 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: 1,400 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
:Kiribati Defense Forces
Branches: no military force maintained; the Police Force carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; there are small police posts on all islands Manpower availability: NA Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP
:Korea, North Geography
Total area: 120,540 km2 Land area: 120,410 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Mississippi Land boundaries: 1,673 km; China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km Coastline: 2,495 km Maritime claims: Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Military boundary line: 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea (all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned) Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: short section of boundary with China is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer Terrain: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower Land use: arable land 18%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest and woodland 74%; other 7%; includes irrigated 9% Environment: mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated; late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding Note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia
:Korea, North People
Population: 22,227,303 (July 1992), growth rate 1.9% (1992) Birth rate: 24 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 30 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 72 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Korean(s);adjective - Korean Ethnic divisions: racially homogeneous Religions: Buddhism and Confucianism; some Christianity and syncretic Chondogyo; autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom Languages: Korean Literacy: 99%, (male 99%, female 99%); note - presumed to be virtually universal among population under age 60 Labor force: 9,615,000; agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%; shortage of skilled and unskilled labor (mid-1987 est.) Organized labor: 1,600,000 members; single-trade union system coordinated by the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea under the Central Committee
:Korea, North Government
Long-form name: Democratic People's Republic of Korea; abbreviated DPRK Type: Communist state; Stalinist dictatorship Capital: P'yongyang Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural); Chagang-do, Hamgyong-namdo, Hamgyong-bukto, Hwanghae-namdo, Hwanghae-bukto, Kaesong-si*, Kangwon-do, Namp'o-si*, P'yongan-bukto, P'yongan-namdo,P'yongyang-si*, Yanggang-do Independence: 9 September 1948 Constitution: adopted 1948, revised 27 December 1972 Legal system: based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Independence Day, 9 September (1948) Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, premier, eleven vice premiers, State Administration Council (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui) Judicial branch: Central Court Leaders: Chief of State: President KIM Il-song (national leader since 1945, formally President since 28 December 1972); designated Successor KIM Chong-il (son of President, born 16 February 1942) Head of Government: Premier YON Hyong-muk (since December 1988) Political parties and leaders: major party - Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KIM Il-song, general secretary, and his son, KIM Chong-il, secretary, Central Committee; Korean Social Democratic Party, YI Kye-paek, chairman; Chondoist Chongu Party, CHONG Sin-hyok, chairman Suffrage: universal at age 17 Elections: President: last held 24 May 1990 (next to be held NA 1994); results - President KIM Il-song was reelected without opposition Supreme People's Assembly: last held on 24 May 1990 (next to be held NA 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (687 total) the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats Communists: KWP claims membership of about 3 million Member of: ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, IFAD, IMF (observer), IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: none
:Korea, North Government
Flag: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star
:Korea, North Economy
Overview: More than 90% of this command economy is socialized; agricultural land is collectivized; and state-owned industry produces 95% of manufactured goods. State control of economic affairs is unusually tight even for a Communist country because of the small size and homogeneity of the society and the strict rule of KIM Il-song and his son, KIM Chong-il. Economic growth during the period 1984-89 averaged 2-3%, but output declined by 2-4% annually during 1990-91, largely because of disruptions in economic relations with the USSR. Abundant natural resources and hydropower form the basis of industrial development. Output of the extractive industries includes coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals. Manufacturing is centered on heavy industry, with light industry lagging far behind. Despite the use of improved seed varieties, expansion of irrigation, and the heavy use of fertilizers, North Korea has not yet become self-sufficient in food production. Four consecutive years of poor harvests, coupled with distribution problems, have led to chronic food shortages. North Korea remains far behind South Korea in economic development and living standards. GNP: purchasing power equivalent - $23.3 billion, per capita $1,100; real growth rate -2% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: officially none Budget: revenues $17.3 billion; expenditures $17.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990) Exports: $2.02 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural products, manufactures partners: USSR, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Singapore Imports: $2.62 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: petroleum, machinery and equipment, coking coal, grain partners: USSR, Japan, China, Hong Kong, FRG, Singapore External debt: $7 billion (1991) Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 7,140,000 kW capacity; 36,000 million kWh produced, 1,650 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: machine building, military products, electric power, chemicals, mining, metallurgy, textiles, food processing Agriculture: accounts for about 25% of GNP and 36% of work force; principal crops - rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; livestock and livestock products - cattle, hogs, pork, eggs; not self-sufficient in grain; fish catch estimated at 1.7 million metric tons in 1987 Economic aid: Communist countries, $1.4 billion a year in the 1980s Currency: North Korean won (plural - won); 1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon