Front matter (continued 2)

*Argentina, Geography

Note: second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)

*Argentina, People

Population: 33,533,256 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.13% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 19.75 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 8.64 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 30 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.19 years male: 67.91 years female: 74.65 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.72 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine Ethnic divisions: white 85%, mestizo, Indian, or other nonwhite groups 15% Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 90% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 6% Languages: Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 95% male: 96% female: 95% Labor force: 10.9 million by occupation: agriculture 12%, industry 31%, services 57% (1985 est.)

*Argentina, Government

Names: conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina Digraph: AR Type: republic Capital: Buenos Aires Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 federal district*, (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Distrito Federal*, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La, Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego (Territorio Nacional de la Tierra del Fuego, Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur), Tucuman note: the national territory is in the process of becoming a province; the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica Independence: 9 July 1816 (from Spain) Constitution: 1 May 1853 Legal system: mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Revolution Day, 25 May (1810) Political parties and leaders: Justicialist Party (JP), Carlos Saul MENEM, Peronist umbrella political organization; Radical Civic Union (UCR), Mario LOSADA, moderately left-of-center party; Union of the Democratic Center (UCD), Jorge AGUADO, conservative party; Intransigent Party (PI), Dr. Oscar ALENDE, leftist party; Dignity and Independence Political Party (MODIN), Aldo RICO, right-wing party; several provincial parties Other political or pressure groups: Peronist-dominated labor movement; General Confederation of Labor (CGT; Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business organizations; students; the Roman Catholic Church; the Armed Forces Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: Chamber of Deputies: last held in three phases during late 1991 for half of 254 seats; seats (254 total) - JP 122, UCR 85, UCD 10, other 37 (1993) President: last held 14 May 1989 (next to be held NA May 1995); results - Carlos Saul MENEM was elected

*Argentina, Government

Senate: last held May 1989, but provincial elections in late 1991 set the stage for indirect elections by provincial senators for one-third of 46 seats in the national senate in May 1992; seats (46 total) - JP 27, UCR 14, others 5 Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President (position vacant) Member of: AG (observer), Australian Group, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, AfDB, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MERCOSUR, MINURSO, OAS, PCA, RG, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos ORTIZ DE ROZAS chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 939-6400 through 6403 consulates general: Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulates: Baltimore, Chicago, and Los Angeles US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador James CHEEK (since 28 May 1993) embassy: 4300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires mailing address: APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (1) 774-7611 or 8811, 9911 FAX: [54] (1) 775-4205 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

*Argentina, Economy

Overview: Argentina is rich in natural resources and has a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Nevertheless, following decades of mismanagement and statist policies, the economy in the late 1980s was plagued with huge external debts and recurring bouts of hyperinflation. Elected in 1989, in the depths of recession, President MENEM has implemented a comprehensive economic restructuring program that shows signs of putting Argentina on a path of stable, sustainable growth. Argentina's currency has traded at par with the US dollar since April 1991, and inflation has fallen to its lowest level in 20 years. Argentines have responded to the relative price stability by repatriating flight capital and investing in domestic industry. Much remains to be done in the 1990s in dismantling the old statist barriers to growth and in solidifying the recent economic gains. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $112 billion (1992 est.) National product real growth rate: 7% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $3,400 (1992 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 17.7% (1992) Unemployment rate: 6.9% (1992) Budget: revenues $33.1 billion; expenditures $35.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.5 billion (1992) Exports: $12.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: meat, wheat, corn, oilseed, hides, wool partners: US 12%, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Netherlands Imports: $14.0 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, fuels and lubricants, agricultural products partners: US 22%, Brazil, Germany, Bolivia, Japan, Italy, Netherlands External debt: $54 billion (June 1992) Industrial production: growth rate 10% (1992 est.); accounts for 26% of GDP Electricity: 17,911,000 kW capacity; 51,305 million kWh produced, 1,559 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel Agriculture: accounts for 8% of GDP (including fishing); produces abundant food for both domestic consumption and exports; among world's top five exporters of grain and beef; principal crops - wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets Illicit drugs: increasing use as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for the US and Europe

*Argentina, Economy

Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.0 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.4 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $718 million Currency: 1 peso = 100 centavos Exchange rates: pesos per US$1 - 0.99000 (January1993), 0.99064 (1992), 0.95355 (1991), 0.48759 (1990), 0.04233 (1989), 0.00088 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Argentina, Communications

Railroads: 34,172 km total (includes 209 km electrified); includes a mixture of 1.435-meter standard gauge, 1.676-meter broad gauge, 1.000-meter narrow gauge, and 0.750-meter narrow gauge Highways: 208,350 km total; 47,550 km paved, 39,500 km gravel, 101,000 km improved earth, 20,300 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 11,000 km navigable Pipelines: crude oil 4,090 km; petroleum products 2,900 km; natural gas 9,918 km Ports: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, La Plata, Rosario, Santa Fe Merchant marine: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,695,420 GRT/1,073,904 DWT; includes 30 cargo, 5 refrigerated cargo, 4 container, 1 railcar carrier, 14 oil tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 4 bulk, 1 roll-on/roll-off Airports: total: 1,700 usable: 1,451 with permanet-surface runways: 137 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 31 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 326 Telecommunications: extensive modern system; 2,650,000 telephones (12,000 public telephones); microwave widely used; broadcast stations - 171 AM, no FM, 231 TV, 13 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; domestic satellite network has 40 earth stations

*Argentina, Defense Forces

Branches: Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic, Argentine Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Argentine Naval Prefecture (Coast Guard only), National Aeronautical Police Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 8,267,316; fit for military service 6,702,303; reach military age (20) annually 284,641 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

*Armenia, Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, between Turkey and Azerbaijan Map references: Africa, Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - European States, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 29,800 km2 land area: 28,400 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland Land boundaries: total 1,254 km, Azerbaijan (east) 566 km, Azerbaijan (south) 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: violent and longstanding dispute with Azerbaijan over ethnically Armenian exclave of Nagorno-Karabakh; some irredentism by Armenians living in southern Georgia; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have greatly subsided Climate: continental, hot, and subject to drought Terrain: high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 15% forest and woodland: 0% other: 56% Irrigated land: 3,050 km2 (1990) Environment: pollution of Razdan and Aras Rivers; air pollution in Yerevan; energy blockade has led to deforestation as citizens scavenge for firewood, use of Lake Sevan water for hydropower has lowered lake level, threatened fish population Note: landlocked

*Armenia, People

Population: 3,481,207 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.23% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 25.79 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -6.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 28.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.77 years male: 68.36 years female: 75.36 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.31 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian Ethnic divisions: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other 2% Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94% Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2% Literacy: age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% Labor force: 1.63 million by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 18%, other 40% (1990)

*Armenia, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic Digraph: AM Type: republic Capital: Yerevan Administrative divisions: none (all rayons are under direct republic jurisdiction) Independence: 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) Constitution: adopted NA April 1978; post-Soviet constitution not yet adopted Legal system: based on civil law system National holiday: NA Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Movement, Husik LAZARYAN, chairman; National Democratic Union; National Self-Determination Association; Armenian Democratic Liberal Organization, Ramkavar AZATAKAN, chairman; Dashnatktsutyan Party (Armenian Revolutionary Federation, ARF), Rouben MIRZAKHANIN; Chairman of Parliamentary opposition - Mekhak GABRIYELYAN; Christian Democratic Union; Constitutional Rights Union; Republican Party Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: President: last held 16 October 1991 (next to be held NA); results - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN 86%; radical nationalists about 7%; note - Levon TER-PETROSYAN was elected Chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet 4 August 1990 Supreme Soviet: last held 20 May 1990 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (240 total) non-aligned 149, Armenian National Movement 52, Armenian Democratic Liberal Organization 14, Dashnatktsutyan 12, National Democratic Union 9, Christian Democratic Union 1, Constitutional Rights Union 1, National Self-Determination Association 1, Republican Party 1 Executive branch: president, council of ministers, prime minister Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Soviet Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN (since 16 October 1991), Vice President Gagik ARUTYUNYAN (since 16 October 1991)

*Armenia, Government

Head of Government: Prime Minister Hrant BAGRATYAN (since NA February 1993); Supreme Soviet Chairman Babken ARARKTSYAN (since NA 1990) Member of: BSEC, CIS, CSCE, EBRD, IBRD, ICAO, IMF, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rouben SHUGARIAN chancery: 122 C Street NW, Suite 360, Washington, DC 20001 telephone: (202) 628-5766 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Designate Harry GILMORE embassy: 18 Gen Bagramian, Yerevan mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (7) (885) 215-1122, 215-1144 FAX: (7) (885) 215-1122 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold

*Armenia, Economy

Overview: Armenia under the old centrally planned Soviet system had built up textile, machine-building, and other industries and had become a key supplier to sister republics. In turn, Armenia had depended on supplies of raw materials and energy from the other republics. Most of these supplies enter the republic by rail through Azerbaijan (85%) and Georgia (15%). The economy has been severely hurt by ethnic strife with Azerbaijan over control of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, a mostly Armenian-populated enclave within the national boundaries of Azerbaijan. In addition to outright warfare, the strife has included interdiction of Armenian imports on the Azerbaijani railroads and expensive airlifts of supplies to beleaguered Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. An earthquake in December 1988 destroyed about one-tenth of industrial capacity and housing, the repair of which has not been possible because the supply of funds and real resources has been disrupted by the reorganization and subsequent dismantling of the central USSR administrative apparatus. Among facilities made unserviceable by the earthquake are the Yerevan nuclear power plant, which had supplied 40% of Armenia's needs for electric power and a plant that produced one-quarter of the output of elevators in the former USSR. Armenia has some deposits of nonferrous metal ores (bauxite, copper, zinc, and molybdenum) that are largely unexploited. For the mid-term, Armenia's economic prospects seem particularly bleak because of ethnic strife and the unusually high dependence on outside areas, themselves in a chaotic state of transformation. The dramatic drop in output in 1992 is attributable largely to the cumulative impact of the blockade; of particular importance was the shutting off in the summer of 1992 of rail and road links to Russia through Georgia due to civil strife in the latter republic. National product: GDP $NA National product real growth rate: -34% (1992) National product per capita: $NA Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% per month (first quarter 1993) Unemployment rate: 2% of officially registered unemployed but large numbers of underemployed Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Exports: $30 million to outside the successor states of the former USSR (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, light industrial products, processed food items (1991) partners: NA Imports: $300 million from outside the successor statees of the former USSR (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: machinery, energy, consumer goods (1991) partners: NA External debt: $650 million (December 1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -50% (1992 est.)

*Armenia, Economy

Electricity: 2,875,000 kW capacity; 9,000 million kWh produced, 2,585 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: diverse, including (in percent of output of former USSR) metalcutting machine tools (5.5%), forging-pressing machines (1.9%), electric motors (9%), tires (1.5%), knitted wear (4.4%), hosiery (3.0%), shoes (2.2%), silk fabric (0.8%), washing machines (2.0%), chemicals, trucks, watches, instruments, and microelectronics (1990) Agriculture: accounts for about 20% of GDP; only 29% of land area is arable; employs 18% of labor force; citrus, cotton, and dairy farming; vineyards near Yerevan are famous for brandy and other liqueurs Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe Economic aid: wheat from US, Turkey Currency: retaining Russian ruble as currency (January 1993) Exchange rates: rubles per US$1 - 415 (24 December 1992) but subject to wide fluctuations Fiscal year: calendar year

*Armenia, Communications

Railroads: 840 km; does not include industrial lines (1990) Highways: 11,300 km total; 10,500 km hard surfaced, 800 km earth (1990) Inland waterways: NA km Pipelines: natural gas 900 km (1991) Ports: none; landlocked Airports: total: 12 useable: 10 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3 Telecommunications: progress on installation of fiber optic cable and construction of facilities for mobile cellular phone service remains in the negotiation phase for joint venture agreement; Armenia has about 260,000 telephones, of which about 110,000 are in Yerevan; average telephone density is 8 per 100 persons; international connections to other former republics of the USSR are by landline or microwave and to other countries by satellite and by leased connection through the Moscow international gateway switch; broadcast stations - 100% of population receives Armenian and Russian TV programs; satellite earth station - INTELSAT

*Armenia, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air Force, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 848,223; fit for military service 681,058; reach military age (18) annually 28,101 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: 250 million rubles, NA% of GDP (1992 est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

*Aruba, Header

Affiliation: (part of the Dutch realm)

*Aruba, Geography

Location: in the southern Caribbean Sea, 28 km north of Venezuela and 125 km east of Colombia Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total area: 193 km2 land area: 193 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 68.5 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation Natural resources: negligible; white sandy beaches Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% Irrigated land: NA km2 Environment: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

*Aruba, People

Population: 65,117 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.66% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 15.33 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 6.05 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.3 years male: 72.65 years female: 80.13 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban Ethnic divisions: mixed European/Caribbean Indian 80% Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish Literacy: total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: NA by occupation: most employment is in the tourist industry (1986)

*Aruba, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba Digraph: AA Type: part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles Capital: Oranjestad Administrative divisions: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands) Independence: none (part of the Dutch realm; in 1990, Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996) Constitution: 1 January 1986 Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March Political parties and leaders: Electoral Movement Party (MEP), Nelson ODUBER; Aruban People's Party (AVP), Henny EMAN; National Democratic Action (ADN), Pedro Charro KELLY; New Patriotic Party (PPN), Eddy WERLEMEN; Aruban Patriotic Party (PPA), Benny NISBET; Aruban Democratic Party (PDA), Leo BERLINSKI; Democratic Action '86 (AD '86), Arturo ODUBER; Organization for Aruban Liberty (OLA), Glenbert CROES note: governing coalition includes the MEP, PPA, and ADN Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: Legislature: last held 8 January 1993 (next to be held by NA January 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) MEP 9, AVP 8, ADN 1, PPA 1, OLA 1, other 1 Executive branch: Dutch monarch, governor, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral legislature (Staten) Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice Leaders: Chief of State: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since NA) Head of Government: Prime Minister Nelson ODUBER (since NA February 1989) Member of: ECLAC (associate), INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WTO (associate) Diplomatic representation in US: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands) Flag: blue with two narrow horizontal yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner

*Aruba, Economy

Overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. Hotel capacity expanded rapidly between 1985 and 1989 and nearly doubled in 1990 alone. Unemployment has steadily declined from about 20% in 1986 to about 3% in 1991. The reopening of the local oil refinery, once a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, promises to give the economy an additional boost. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $900 million (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: 6% (1991 est.) National product per capita: $14,000 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.6% (1991) Unemployment rate: 3% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $145 million; expenditures $185 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1988) Exports: $902.4 million, including oil re-exports (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: mostly petroleum products partners: US 64%, EC Imports: $1,311.3 million, including oil for processing and re-export (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products partners: US 8%, EC External debt: $81 million (1987) Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 310,000 kW capacity; 945 million kWh produced, 14,610 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining Agriculture: poor quality soils and low rainfall limit agricultural activity to the cultivation of aloes, some livestock, and fishing Illicit drugs: drug money laundering center Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $220 million Currency: 1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1 - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Aruba, Communications

Highways: NA km all-weather highways Ports: Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas Airports: total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0 note: government-owned airport east of Oranjestad accepts transatlantic flights Telecommunications: generally adequate; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links; 72,168 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten

*Aruba, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Header

Affiliation: (territory of Australia)

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Geography

Location: in the Indian Ocean, 320 km off the northwest coast of Australia, between Australia and Indonesia Map references: Oceania, Southeast Asia Area: total area: 5 km2 land area: 5 km2 comparative area: about 8.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 74.1 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploration exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical Terrain: low with sand and coral Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) Irrigated land: 0 km2 Environment: surrounded by shoals and reefs; Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are only seasonal caretakers

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Government

Names: conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands Digraph: AT Type: territory of Australia administered by the Australian Ministry for Arts, Sports, the Environment, Tourism, and Territories Capital: none; administered from Canberra, Australia Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia) Independence: none (territory of Australia) Legal system: relevant laws of the Northern Territory of Australia Diplomatic representation in US: none (territory of Australia) US diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Economy

Overview: no economic activity

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Communications

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force

*Atlantic Ocean, Geography

Location: body of water between the Western Hemisphere and Europe/Africa Map references: Africa, Antarctic Region, Arctic Region, Central America and the Caribbean, Europe, North America, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 82.217 million km2 comparative area: slightly less than nine times the size of the US; second-largest of the world's four oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than Indian Ocean or Arctic Ocean) note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies Coastline: 111,866 km International disputes: some maritime disputes (see littoral states) Climate: tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent from August to November Terrain: surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the north Atlantic, counterclockwise warm water gyre in the south Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin; maximum depth is 8,605 meters in the Puerto Rico Trench Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones Environment: endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea; icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; icebergs from Antarctica occur in the extreme southern Atlantic Note: ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north Atlantic from October to May and extreme south Atlantic from May to October; persistent fog can be a hazard to shipping from May to September; major choke points include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Dover Strait, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; north Atlantic shipping lanes subject to icebergs from February to August; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

*Atlantic Ocean, Government

Digraph: ZH

*Atlantic Ocean, Economy

Overview: Economic activity is limited to exploitation of natural resources, especially fish, dredging aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and crude oil and natural gas production (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

*Atlantic Ocean, Communications

Ports: Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (formerly Leningrad; Russia), Stockholm (Sweden) Telecommunications: numerous submarine cables with most between continental Europe and the UK, North America and the UK, and in the Mediterranean; numerous direct links across Atlantic via INTELSAT satellite network Note: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways

*Australia, Geography

Location: Oceania, between Indonesia and New Zealand Map references: Southeast Asia, Oceania, Antarctic Region, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 7,686,850 km2 land area: 7,617,930 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than the US note: includes Macquarie Island Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 25,760 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory) Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 58% forest and woodland: 14% other: 22% Irrigated land: 18,800 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: subject to severe droughts and floods; cyclones along coast; limited freshwater availability; irrigated soil degradation; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along west coast in summer; desertification Note: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country

*Australia, People

Population: 17,827,204 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.41% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 14.43 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 7.38 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 7.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.36 years male: 74.24 years female: 80.63 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian Ethnic divisions: Caucasian 95%, Asian 4%, Aboriginal and other 1% Religions: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3% Languages: English, native languages Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% Labor force: 8.63 million (September 1991) by occupation: finance and services 33.8%, public and community services 22.3%, wholesale and retail trade 20.1%, manufacturing and industry 16.2%, agriculture 6.1% (1987)

*Australia, Government

Names: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia Digraph: AS Type: federal parliamentary state Capital: Canberra Administrative divisions: 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales,, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria,, Western Australia Dependent areas: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies) Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901 Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January Political parties and leaders: government: Australian Labor Party, Paul John KEATING opposition: Liberal Party, John HEWSON; National Party, Timothy FISCHER; Australian Democratic Party, John COULTER Other political or pressure groups: Australian Democratic Labor Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Elections: House of Representatives: last held 13 March 1993 (next to be held by NA May 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (147 total) Labor 80, Liberal-National 65, independent 2 Senate: last held 13 March 1993 (next to be held by NA May 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (76 total) Liberal-National 36, Labor 30, Australian Democrats 7, Greens 2, independents 1 Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives Judicial branch: High Court

*Australia, Government

Leaders: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General William George HAYDEN (since 16 February 1989) Head of Government: Prime Minister Paul John KEATING (since 20 December 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Brian HOWE (since 4 June 1991) Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, COCOM, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, G-8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, PCA, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. COOK chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 797-3000 consulates general: Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: (vacant) embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (6) 270-5000 FAX: [61] (6) 270-5970 consulates general: Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney consulate: Brisbane Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars

*Australia, Economy

Overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP comparable to levels in industrialized West European countries. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Of the top 25 exports, 21 are primary products, so that, as happened during 1983-84, a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $293.5 billion (1992) National product real growth rate: 2.5% (1992) National product per capita: $16,700 (1992) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.8% (September 1992) Unemployment rate: 11.3% (December 1992) Budget: revenues $68.5 billion; expenditures $78.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93) Exports: $41.7 billion (f.o.b., FY91) commodities: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment partners: Japan 26%, US 11%, NZ 6%, South Korea 4%, Singapore 4%, UK, Taiwan, Hong Kong Imports: $37.8 billion (f.o.b., FY91) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, crude oil and petroleum products partners: US 24%, Japan 19%, UK 6%, FRG 7%, NZ 4% (1990) External debt: $130.4 billion (June 1991) Industrial production: growth rate NA%; accounts for 32% of GDP Electricity: 40,000,000 kW capacity; 150,000 million kWh produced, 8,475 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP and 37% of export revenues; world's largest exporter of beef and wool, second-largest for mutton, and among top wheat exporters; major crops - wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruit; livestock - cattle, sheep, poultry Illicit drugs: Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate Economic aid: donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $10.4 billion Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

*Australia, Economy

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4837 (January 1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2836 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

*Australia, Communications

Railroads: 40,478 km total; 7,970 km 1.600-meter gauge, 16,201 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 16,307 km 1.067-meter gauge; 183 km dual gauge; 1,130 km electrified; government owned (except for a few hundred kilometers of privately owned track) (1985) Highways: 837,872 km total; 243,750 km paved, 228,396 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized soil surface, 365,726 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 8,368 km; mainly by small, shallow-draft craft Pipelines: crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km Ports: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport, Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart, Launceston, Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville Merchant marine: 82 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,347,271 GRT/3,534,926 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 8 cargo, 7 container, 8 roll-on/roll-off, 1 vehicle carrier, 17 oil tanker, 3 chemical tanker, 4 liquefied gas, 30 bulk, 2 combination bulk Airports: total: 481 usable: 439 with permanent-surface runways: 243 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 20 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 268 Telecommunications: good international and domestic service; 8.7 million telephones; broadcast stations - 258 AM, 67 FM, 134 TV; submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; domestic satellite service; satellite stations - 4 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 6 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

*Australia, Defense Forces

Branches: Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 4,830,068; fit for military service 4,198,622; reach military age (17) annually 135,591 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $7.1 billion, 2.4% of GDP (FY92/93)

*Austria, Geography

Location: Central Europe, between Germany and Hungary Map references: Africa, Arctic Region, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 83,850 km2 land area: 82,730 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine Land boundaries: total 2,496 km, Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 262 km, Switzerland 164 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: none Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers Terrain: in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping Natural resources: iron ore, petroleum, timber, magnesite, aluminum, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 24% forest and woodland: 39% other: 19% Irrigated land: 40 km2 (1989) Environment: population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere Note: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube

*Austria, People

Population: 7,915,145 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.55% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 11.54 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 10.42 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 4.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.4 years male: 73.18 years female: 79.8 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian Ethnic divisions: German 99.4%, Croatian 0.3%, Slovene 0.2%, other 0.1% Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 6%, other 9% Languages: German Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1974) total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: 3.47 million (1989) by occupation: services 56.4%, industry and crafts 35.4%, agriculture and forestry 8.1% note: an estimated 200,000 Austrians are employed in other European countries; foreign laborers in Austria number 177,840, about 6% of labor force (1988)

*Austria, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich Digraph: AU Type: federal republic Capital: Vienna Administrative divisions: 9 states (bundeslander, singular - bundesland); Burgenland, Karnten, Niederosterreich, Oberosterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien Independence: 12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire) Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1945) Legal system: civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by a Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955) Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO), Franz VRANITZKY, chairman; Austrian People's Party (OVP), Erhard BUSEK, chairman; Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), Jorg HAIDER, chairman; Communist Party (KPO), Walter SILBERMAYER, chairman; Green Alternative List (GAL), Johannes VOGGENHUBER, chairman Other political or pressure groups: Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist); three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party (OVP) representing business, labor, and farmers; OVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action Suffrage: 19 years of age, universal; compulsory for presidential elections Elections: President: last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 1996); results of second ballot - Thomas KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43% National Council: last held 7 October 1990 (next to be held October 1994); results - SPO 43%, OVP 32.1%, FPO 16.6%, GAL 4.5%, KPO 0.7%, other 0.32%; seats - (183 total) SPO 80, OVP 60, FPO 33, GAL 10 Executive branch: president, chancellor, vice chancellor, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung) consists of an upper council or Federal Council (Bundesrat) and a lower council or National Council (Nationalrat)

*Austria, Government

Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for civil and criminal cases, Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) for bureaucratic cases, Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) for constitutional cases Leaders: Chief of State: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992) Head of Government: Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986); Vice Chancellor Erhard BUSEK (since 2 July 1991) Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, COCOM (cooperating country), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-9, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNDOF, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Friedrich HOESS chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: (202) 895-6700 FAX: (202) 895-6750 consulates general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Roy Michael HUFFINGTON chancery: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Unit 27937, Vienna mailing address: APO AE 09222 telephone: [43] (1) 31-339 FAX: [43] (1) 310-0682 consulate general: Salzburg Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

*Austria, Economy

Overview: Austria boasts a prosperous and stable socialist market economy with a sizable proportion of nationalized industry and extensive welfare benefits. Thanks to an excellent raw material endowment, a technically skilled labor force, and strong links to German industrial firms, Austria occupies specialized niches in European industry and services (tourism, banking) and produces almost enough food to feed itself with only 8% of the labor force in agriculture. Increased export sales resulting from German unification, continued to boost Austria's economy through 1991. However, Germany's economic difficulties in 1992 slowed Austria's GDP growth to 2% from the 3% of 1991. Austria's economy, moreover, is not expected to grow by more than 1% in 1993, and inflation is forecast to remain about 4%. Unemployment will likely remain at current levels at least until 1994. Living standards in Austria are comparable with the large industrial countries of Western Europe. Problems for the l990s include an aging population, the high level of subsidies, and the struggle to keep welfare benefits within budgetary capabilities. The continued opening of Eastern European markets, however, will increase demand for Austrian exports. Austria, a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), in 1992 ratified the European Economic Area Treaty, which will extend European Community rules on the free movement of people, goods, capital and services to the EFTA countries, and Austrians plan to hold a national referendum within the next two years to vote on EC membership. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $141.3 billion (1992) National product real growth rate: 1.8% (1992) National product per capita: $18,000 (1992) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.4% (1992 est.) Budget: revenues $47.8 billion; expenditures $53.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.) Exports: $43.5 billion (1992 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles, paper products, chemicals partners: EC 65.8% (Germany 39%), EFTA 9.1%, Eastern Europe/former USSR 9.0%, Japan 1.7%, US 2.8% (1991) Imports: $50.7 billion (1992 est.) commodities: petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals partners: EC 67.8% (Germany 43.0%), EFTA 6.9%, Eastern Europe/former USSR 6.0%, Japan 4.8%, US 3.9% (1991) External debt: $11.8 billion (1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 2.0% (1991) Electricity: 17,600,000 kW capacity; 49,500 million kWh produced, 6,300 kWh per capita (1992)

*Austria, Economy

Industries: foods, iron and steel, machines, textiles, chemicals, electrical, paper and pulp, tourism, mining, motor vehicles Agriculture: accounts for 3.2% of GDP (including forestry); principal crops and animals - grains, fruit, potatoes, sugar beets, sawn wood, cattle, pigs, poultry; 80-90% self-sufficient in food Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route Economic aid: donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $2.4 billion Currency: 1 Austrian schilling (S) = 100 groschen Exchange rates: Austrian schillings (S) per US$1 - 11.363 (January 1993), 10.989 (1992), 11.676 (1991), 11.370 (1990), 13.231 (1989), 12.348 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Austria, Communications

Railroads: 5,749 km total; 5,652 km government owned and 97 km privately owned (0.760-, 1.435- and 1.000-meter gauge); 5,394 km 1.435-meter standard gauge of which 3,154 km is electrified and 1,520 km is double tracked; 339 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge of which 84 km is electrified Highways: 95,412 km total; 34,612 km are the primary network (including 1,012 km of autobahn, 10,400 km of federal, and 23,200 km of provincial roads); of this number, 21,812 km are paved and 12,800 km are unpaved; in addition, there are 60,800 km of communal roads (mostly gravel, crushed stone, earth) Inland waterways: 446 km Pipelines: crude oil 554 km; natural gas 2,611 km; petroleum products 171 km Ports: Vienna, Linz (Danube river ports) Merchant marine: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 154,159 GRT/256,765 DWT; includes 23 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 1 oil tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 3 bulk Airports: total: 55 usable: 55 with permanent-surface runways: 20 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 4 Telecommunications: highly developed and efficient; 4,014,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 21 (545 repeaters) FM, 47 (870 repeaters) TV; satellite ground stations for Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and EUTELSAT systems

*Austria, Defense Forces

Branches: Army (including Flying Division) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,016,464; fit for military service 1,694,140; reach military age (19) annually 50,259 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.7 billion, 0.9% of GDP (1993 est.)

*Azerbaijan, Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, between Armenia and Turkmenistan, bordering the Caspian Sea Map references: Africa, Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - Central Asian States, Commonwealth of Independent States - European States, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 86,600 km2 land area: 86,100 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Maine note: includes the Nakhichevan' Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast; region's autonomy was abolished by Azerbaijan Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991 Land boundaries: total 2,013 km, Armenia (west) 566 km, Armenia (southwest) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran (south) 432 km, Iran (southwest) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) note: Azerbaijan does border the Caspian Sea (800 km, est.) Maritime claims: NA note: Azerbaijani claims in Caspian Sea unknown; 10 nm fishing zone provided for in 1940 treaty regarding trade and navigation between Soviet Union and Iran International disputes: violent and longstanding dispute with Armenia over status of Nagorno-Karabakh, lesser dispute concerns Nakhichevan; some Azerbaijanis desire absorption of and/or unification with the ethnically Azeri portion of Iran; minor irredentist disputes along Georgia border Climate: dry, semiarid steppe; subject to drought Terrain: large, flat Kura-Aras Lowland (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Karabakh Upland in west; Baku lies on Aspheson Peninsula that juts into Caspian Sea Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina Land use: arable land: 18% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 25% forest and woodland: 0% other: 57% Irrigated land: 14,010 km2 (1990)

*Azerbaijan, Geography

Environment: local scientists consider Apsheron Peninsula, including Baku and Sumgait, and the Caspian Sea to be "most ecologically devastated area in the world" because of severe air and water pollution Note: landlocked

*Azerbaijan, People

Population: 7,573,435 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.5% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 24.09 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 6.61 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 35.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.6 years male: 66.77 years female: 74.63 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.76 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Azerbaijani(s) adjective: Azerbaijani Ethnic divisions: Azeri 82.7%, Russian 5.6%, Armenian 5.6%, Daghestanis 3.2%, other 2.9%, note - Armenian share may be less than 5.6% because many Armenians have fled the ethnic violence since 1989 census Religions: Moslem 87%, Russian Orthodox 5.6%, Armenian Orthodox 5.6%, other 1.8% Languages: Azeri 82%, Russian 7%, Armenian 5%, other 6% Literacy: age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% Labor force: 2.789 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 32%, industry and construction 26%, other 42% (1990)

*Azerbaijan, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan conventional short form: Azerbaijan local long form: Azarbaijchan Respublikasy local short form: none former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic Digraph: AJ Type: republic Capital: Baku (Baky) Administrative divisions: 1 autonomous republic (avtomnaya respublika); Nakhichevan (administrative center at Nakhichevan) note: all rayons except for the exclave of Nakhichevan are under direct republic jurisdiction; 1 autonomous oblast, Nagorno-Karabakh (officially abolished by Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991) has declared itself Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Independence: 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) Constitution: adopted NA April 1978; writing a new constitution mid-1993 Legal system: based on civil law system National holiday: NA Political parties and leaders: New Azerbaijan Party, ALIYEV; Musavat Party (Azerbaijan Popular Front - APF), Isa GAMBAROV; National Independence Party (main opposition party), Etibar MAMEDOV; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Zardusht Ali ZADE; Party of Revolutionary Revival (successor to the Communist Party), Sayad Afes OGLV, general secretary; Party of Independent Azerbaijan, SOVLEYMANOV Other political or pressure groups: self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: President: last held 8 June 1992 (next to be held NA); results - Abdulfaz Ali ELCHIBEY, won 60% of vote National Council: last held 30 September and 14 October 1990 for the Supreme Soviet (next expected to be held late 1993 for the National Council); seats for Supreme Soviet - (360 total) Communists 280, Democratic Bloc 45 (grouping of opposition parties), other 15, vacant 20; note - on 19 May 1992 the Supreme Soviet was disbanded in favor of a Popular Front-dominated National Council; seats - (50 total) 25 Popular Front, 25 opposition elements Executive branch: president, council of ministers Legislative branch: National Parliament (National Assembly or Milli Mejlis)

*Azerbaijan, Government

Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: President Ebulfez ELCHIBEY (since 7 June 1992) Head of Government: Prime Minister Penah HUSEYNOV (since 29 April 1993; resigned 7 June 1993; likely replacement - E'tibar MAMEDOV); National Parliament Chairman Isa GAMBAROV (since 19 May 1992; resigned 13 June 1993; likely replacement Geydar ALIYEV) Member of: BSEC, CSCE, EBRD, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, IDB, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, ITU, NACC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz PASHAYEV chancery: 1615 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: NA US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard MILES embassy: Hotel Intourist, Baku mailing address: APO AE 09862 telephone: 7-8922-91-79-56 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

*Azerbaijan, Economy

Overview: Azerbaijan is less developed industrially than either Armenia or Georgia, the other Transcaucasian states. It resembles the Central Asian states in its majority Muslim population, high structural unemployment, and low standard of living. The economy's most prominent products are cotton, oil, and gas. Production from the Caspian oil and gas field has been in decline for several years. With foreign assistance, the oil industry might generate the funds needed to spur industrial development. However, civil unrest, marked by armed conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region between Muslim Azeris and Christian Armenians, makes foreign investors wary. Azerbaijan accounted for 1.5% to 2% of the capital stock and output of the former Soviet Union. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the ex-Soviet republics in making the transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its propects somewhat. Old economic ties and structures have yet to be replaced. A particularly galling constraint on economic revival is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said to consume 25% of Azerbaijan's economic resources. National product: GDP $NA National product real growth rate: -25% (1992) National product per capita: $NA Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% per month (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: 0.2% includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992) Exports: $821 million to outside the successor states of the former USSR (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: oil and gas, chemicals, oilfield equipment, textiles, cotton (1991) partners: mostly CIS and European countries Imports: $300 million from outside the successor states of the former USSR (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: machinery and parts, consumer durables, foodstuffs, textiles (1991) partners: European countries External debt: $1.3 billion (1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -27% (1992) Electricity: 6,025,000 kW capacity; 22,300 million kWh produced, 2,990 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles Agriculture: cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep and goats

*Azerbaijan, Economy

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and opium; mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment points for illicit drugs to Western Europe Economic aid: wheat from Turkey Currency: 1 manat (abbreviation NA) = 10 Russian rubles; ruble still used Exchange rates: NA Fiscal year: calendar year

*Azerbaijan, Communications

Railroads: 2,090 km; does not include industrial lines (1990) Highways: 36,700 km total (1990); 31,800 km hard surfaced; 4,900 km earth Pipelines: crude oil 1,130 km, petroleum products 630 km, natural gas 1,240 km Ports: inland - Baku (Baky) Airports: total: 65 useable: 33 with permanent-surface runways: 26 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 8 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 23 Telecommunications: domestic telephone service is of poor quality and inadequate; 644,000 domestic telephone lines (density - 9 lines per 100 persons (1991)), 202,000 persons waiting for telephone installations (January 1991); connections to other former USSR republics by cable and microwave and to other countries via the Moscow international gateway switch; INTELSAT earth station installed in late 1992 in Baku with Turkish financial assistance with access to 200 countries through Turkey; domestic and Russian TV programs are received locally and Turkish and Iranian TV is received from an INTELSAT satellite through a receive-only earth station

*Azerbaijan, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air Force, Navy, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,842,917; fit for military service 1,497,640; reach military age (18) annually 66,928 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: 2,848 million rubles, NA% of GDP (1992 est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

*The Bahamas, Geography

Location: in the western North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida and northwest of Cuba Map references: Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 13,940 km2 land area: 10,070 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 3,542 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream Terrain: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 32% other: 67% Irrigated land: NA km2 Environment: subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood damage Note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain

*The Bahamas, People

Population: 268,726 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.62% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 18.97 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 2.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 31.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.02 years male: 68.19 years female: 75.96 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian Ethnic divisions: black 85%, white 15% Religions: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2% Languages: English, Creole, among Haitian immigrants Literacy: age 15 and over but definition of literacy not available (1963) total population: 90% male: 90% female: 89% Labor force: 127,400 by occupation: government 30%, hotels and restaurants 25%, business services 10%, agriculture 5% (1989)

*The Bahamas, Government

Names: conventional long form: The Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas Digraph: BF Type: commonwealth Capital: Nassau Administrative divisions: 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK) Constitution: 10 July 1973 Legal system: based on English common law National holiday: National Day, 10 July (1973) Political parties and leaders: Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Sir Lynden O. PINDLING; Free National Movement (FNM), Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM; Vanguard Nationalist and Socialist Party (VNPS), Lionel CAREY, chairman; People's Democratic Force (PDF), Fred MITCHELL Other political or pressure groups: Vanguard Nationalist and Socialist Party (VNSP), a small leftist party headed by Lionel CAREY; Trade Union Congress (TUC), headed by Arlington MILLER Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: House of Assembly: last held 19 August 1992 (next to be held by August 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (49 total) FNM 32, PLP 17 Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an appointed upper house or Senate and a directly elected lower house or House of Assembly Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford DARLING (since 2 January 1992) Head of Government: Prime Minister Hubert INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) Member of: ACP, C, CCC, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

*The Bahamas, Government

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy Baswell DONALDSON chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 319-2660 consulates general: Miami and New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Chic HECHT embassy: Mosmar Building, Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau telephone: (809) 322-1181 or 328-2206 FAX: (809) 328-7838 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

*The Bahamas, Economy

Overview: The Bahamas is a stable, middle-income, developing nation whose economy is based primarily on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone provides about 50% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs about 50,000 people or 40% of the local work force. The economy has slackened in recent years, as the annual increase in the number of tourists slowed. Nonetheless, per capita GDP is one of the highest in the region. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.6 billion (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: 3% (1991) National product per capita: $10,200 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.2% (1991) Unemployment rate: 16% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $627.5 million; expenditures $727.5 million, including capital expenditures of $100 million (1992 est.) Exports: $306 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish partners: US 41%, Norway 30%, Denmark 4% Imports: $1.14 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, mineral fuels, crude oil partners: US 35%, Nigeria 21%, Japan 13%, Angola 11% External debt: $1.2 billion (December 1990) Industrial production: growth rate 3% (1990); accounts for 15% of GDP Electricity: 424,000 kW capacity; 929 million kWh produced, 3,599 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt production, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral welded steel pipe Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP; dominated by small-scale producers; principal products-citrus fruit, vegetables, poultry; large net importer of food Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $1.0 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $345 million Currency: 1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1-1.00 (fixed rate) Fiscal year: calendar year

*The Bahamas, Communications

Highways: 2,400 km total; 1,350 km paved, 1,050 km gravel Ports: Freeport, Nassau Merchant marine: 853 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,136,078 GRT/33,119,750 DWT; includes 53 passenger, 18 short-sea passenger, 159 cargo, 40 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 48 container, 6 vehicle carrier, 181 oil tanker, 14 liquefied gas, 22 combination ore/oil, 43 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 159 bulk, 7 combination bulk, 102 refrigerated cargo; note-a flag of convenience registry Airports: total: 60 usable: 55 with permanent-surface runways: 31 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3, 659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 26 Telecommunications: highly developed; 99,000 telephones in totally automatic system; tropospheric scatter and submarine cable links to Florida; broadcast stations-3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 3 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*The Bahamas, Defense Forces

Branches: Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 68,020; fit for military service NA (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion-$65 million, 2.7% of GDP (1990)

*Bahrain, Geography

Location: Middle East, in the central Persian Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and Qatar Map references: Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 620 km2 land area: 620 km2 comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 161 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Qatar Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers Terrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 0% other: 90% Irrigated land: 10 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: subsurface water sources being rapidly depleted (requires development of desalination facilities); dust storms; desertification Note: close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf through which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

*Bahrain, People

Population: 568,471 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 3.01% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 26.89 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 3.87 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 7.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 20.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.12 years male: 70.72 years female: 75.63 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.99 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini Ethnic divisions: Bahraini 63%, Asian 13%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%, other 6% Religions: Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30% Languages: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 77% male: 82% female: 69% Labor force: 140,000 by occupation: industry and commerce 85%, agriculture 5%, services 5%, government 3% (1982) note: 42% of labor force is Bahraini

*Bahrain, Government

Names: conventional long form: State of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Dawlat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn Digraph: BA Type: traditional monarchy Capital: Manama Administrative divisions: 12 districts (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa'wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Mintaqat Juzur Hawar, Sitrah Independence: 15 August 1971 (from UK) Constitution: 26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973 Legal system: based on Islamic law and English common law National holiday: Independence Day, 16 December Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active Suffrage: none Elections: none Executive branch: amir, crown prince and heir apparent, prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly was dissolved 26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet; appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992 Judicial branch: High Civil Appeals Court Leaders: Chief of State: Amir 'ISA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 2 November 1961); Heir Apparent HAMAD bin 'Isa Al Khalifa (son of Amir; born 28 January 1950) Head of Government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 19 January 1970) Member of: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador 'Abd al-Rahman Faris Al KHALIFA chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

*Bahrain, Government

telephone: (202) 342-0741 or 342-0742 consulate general: New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Charles W. HOSTLER embassy: Road No. 3119 (next to Alahli Sports Club), Zinj District, Manama mailing address: P. O. 26431, Manama, or FPO AE 09834-6210 telephone: [973] 273-300 FAX: (973) 272-594 Flag: red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side

*Bahrain, Economy

Overview: Petroleum production and processing account for about 80% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 31% of GDP. Economic conditions have fluctuated with the changing fortunes of oil since 1985, for example, during the Gulf crisis of 1990-91. Bahrain with its highly developed communication and transport facilities is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $4.3 billion (1992 est.) National product real growth rate: 3% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $7,800 (1992 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: 8%-10% (1989) Budget: revenues $1.2 billion; expenditures $1.32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989) Exports: $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 80%, aluminum 7% partners: Japan 13%, UAE 12%, India 10%, Pakistan 8% Imports: $3.7 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% partners: Saudi Arabia 41%, US 14%, UK 7%, Japan 5% External debt: $1.8 billion (1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 3.8% (1988); accounts for 44% of GDP Electricity: 1,600,000 kW capacity; 4,700 million kWh produced, 8,500 kWh per capita (1992 est.) Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing Agriculture: including fishing, accounts for less than 2% of GDP; not self-sufficient in food production; heavily subsidized sector produces fruit, vegetables, poultry, dairy products, shrimp, fish; fish catch 9,000 metric tons in 1987 Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $24 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $45 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.8 billion Currency: 1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1 - 0.3760 (fixed rate) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Bahrain, Communications

Highways: 200 km bituminous surfaced, including 25 km bridge-causeway to Saudi Arabia opened in November 1986; NA km natural surface tracks Pipelines: crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km Ports: Mina' Salman, Manama, Sitrah Merchant marine: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 186,331 GRT/249,490 DWT; includes 5 cargo, 2 container, 1 liquefied gas, 1 bulk Airports: total: 3 usable: 3 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1 Telecommunications: modern system; good domestic services; 98,000 telephones (1 for every 6 persons); excellent international connections; tropospheric scatter to Qatar, UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 2 TV

*Bahrain, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, Police Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 194,770; fit for military service 107,696; reach military age (15) annually 5,043 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $245 million, 6% of GDP (1990)

*Baker Island, Header

Affiliation: (territory of the US)

*Baker Island, Geography

Location: in the North Pacific Ocean, just north of the Equator, 2,575 km southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia Map references: Oceania Area: total area: 1.4 km2 land area: 1.4 km2 comparative area: about 2.3 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 4.8 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m or depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun Terrain: low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891) Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% Irrigated land: 0 km2 Environment: treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; lacks fresh water; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

*Baker Island, People

Population: uninhabited; note - American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and cemetery ruinsare located near the middle of the west coast

*Baker Island, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Baker Island Digraph: FQ 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

*Baker Island, Economy

Overview: no economic activity

*Baker Island, Communications

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only, one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast Airports: 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m Note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

*Baker Island, Defense Forces

defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

*Bangladesh, Geography

Location: South Asia, at the head of the Bay of Bengal, almost completely surrounded by India Map references: Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 144,000 km2 land area: 133,910 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin Land boundaries: total 4,246 km, Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km Coastline: 580 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: up to outer limits of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: a portion of the boundary with India is in dispute; water-sharing problems with upstream riparian India over the Ganges Climate: tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October) Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber Land use: arable land: 67% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 16% other: 11% Irrigated land: 27,380 km2 (1989) Environment: vulnerable to droughts; much of country routinely flooded during summer monsoon season; overpopulation; deforestation

*Bangladesh, People

Population: 122,254,849 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 2.35% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 35.41 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 11.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 109.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.7 years male: 55 years female: 54.38 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.55 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh Ethnic divisions: Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, tribals less than 1 million Religions: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, other Languages: Bangla (official), English Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 35% male: 47% female: 22% Labor force: 35.1 million by occupation: agriculture 74%, services 15%, industry and commerce 11% (FY86) note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)

*Bangladesh, Government

Names: conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh former: East Pakistan Digraph: BG Type: republic Capital: Dhaka Administrative divisions: 64 districts (zillagulo, singular - zilla); Bagerhat, Bandarban, Barguna, Barisal, Bhola, Bogra, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Chapai Nawabganj, Chattagram, Chuadanga, Comilla, Cox's Bazar, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Feni, Gaibandha, Gazipur, Gopalganj, Habiganj, Jaipurhat, Jamalpur, Jessore, Jhalakati, Jhenaidah, Khagrachari, Khulna, Kishorganj, Kurigram, Kushtia, Laksmipur, Lalmonirhat, Madaripur, Magura, Manikganj, Meherpur, Moulavibazar, Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Naogaon, Narail, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Nator, Netrakona, Nilphamari, Noakhali, Pabna, Panchagar, Parbattya Chattagram, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Satkhira, Shariyatpur, Sherpur, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Tangail, Thakurgaon Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan) Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended NA March 1991 Legal system: based on English common law National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971) Political parties and leaders: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khaleda ZIAur Rahman; Awami League (AL), Sheikh Hasina WAJED; Jatiyo Party (JP), Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD (in jail); Jamaat-E-Islami (JI), Ali KHAN; Bangladesh Communist Party (BCP), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK; National Awami Party (Muzaffar); Workers Party, leader NA; Jatiyo Samajtantik Dal (JSD), Serajul ALAM KHAN; Ganotantri Party, leader NA; Islami Oikya Jote, leader NA; National Democratic Party (NDP), leader NA; Muslim League, Khan A. SABUR; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; United People's Party, Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: National Parliament: last held 27 February 1991 (next to be held NA February 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved for women) BNP 168, AL 93, JP 35, JI 20, BCP 5, National Awami Party (Muzaffar) 1, Workers Party 1, JSD 1, Ganotantri Party 1, Islami Oikya Jote 1, NDP 1, independents 3 President: last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by NA October 1996); results - Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)

*Bangladesh, Government

Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991) Head of Government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAur Rahman (since 20 March 1991) Member of: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UNPROFOR, UPU, WHO, WFTU, WIPO, WCL, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abul AHSAN chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: (202) 342-8372 through 8376 consulate general: New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador William B. MILAM embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212 telephone: [880] (2) 884700-22 FAX: [880] (2) 883648 Flag: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam

*Bangladesh, Economy

Overview: Bangladesh is one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. Its economy is overwhelmingly agricultural. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, government interference with the economy, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, a low level of industrialization, failure to fully exploit energy resources (natural gas), and inefficient and inadequate power supplies. An excellent rice crop and expansion of the export garment industry helped growth in FY91/92. Policy reforms intended to reduce government regulation of private industry and promote public-sector efficiency have been announced but are being implemented only slowly. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $23.8 billion (FY92) National product real growth rate: 3.8% (FY92) National product per capita: $200 (FY92) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.09% (FY92) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $2.5 billion; expenditures $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92) Exports: $2.0 billion (FY92) commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, shrimp partners: US 28%, Western Europe 39% (FY91) Imports: $3.4 billion (FY91/92) commodities: capital goods, petroleum, food, textiles partners: Japan 10.0%, Western Europe 17%, US 5.0% (FY91) External debt: $11.8 billion (FY92 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 4.0% (FY92 est.); accounts for less than 10% of GDP Electricity: 2,400,000 kW capacity; 9,000 million kWh produced, 75 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing, steel, fertilizer Agriculture: accounts for about 40% of GDP, 60% of employment, and one-fifth of exports; imports 10% of food grain requirements; world's largest exporter of jute; commercial products - jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, potatoes, beef, milk, poultry; shortages include wheat, vegetable oils, cotton; fish catch 778,000 metric tons in 1986 Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.4 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $11.65 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $6.52 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $1.5 billion Currency: 1 taka (Tk) = 100 paise

*Bangladesh, Economy

Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1 - 39.000 (January 1993), 38.951 (1992), 36.596 (1991), 34.569 (1990), 32.270 (1989), 31.733 (1988) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

*Bangladesh, Communications

Railroads: 2,892 km total (1986); 1,914 km 1.000 meter gauge, 978 km 1.676 meter broad gauge Highways: 7,240 km total (1985); 3,840 km paved, 3,400 km unpaved Inland waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes) Pipelines: natural gas 1,220 km Ports: Chittagong, Chalna Merchant marine: 42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 314,228 GRT/461,607 DWT; includes 34 cargo, 2 oil tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 3 bulk Airports: total: 16 usable: 12 with permanent-surface runways: 12 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 6 Telecommunications: adequate international radio communications and landline service; fair domestic wire and microwave service; fair broadcast service; 241,250 telephones; broadcast stations - 9 AM, 6 FM, 11 TV; 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth stations

*Bangladesh, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force paramilitary forces: Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps Manpower availability: males age 15-49 30,909,597; fit for military service 18,348,702 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $355 million, 1.5% of GDP (FY92/93)

*Barbados, Geography

Location: in the extreme eastern Caribbean Sea, about 375 km northeast of Venezuela Map references: Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 430 km2 land area: 430 km2 comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 97 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October) Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region Natural resources: petroleum, fishing, natural gas Land use: arable land: 77% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 9% forest and woodland: 0% other: 14% Irrigated land: NA km2 Environment: subject to hurricanes (especially June to October) Note: easternmost Caribbean island

*Barbados, People

Population: 255,338 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.18% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 15.78 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 8.53 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -5.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 21.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.49 years male: 70.75 years female: 76.46 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Barbadian(s) adjective: Barbadian Ethnic divisions: African 80%, mixed 16%, European 4% Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, unknown 3%, other 9% (1980) Languages: English Literacy: age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% Labor force: 120,900 (1991) by occupation: services and government 37%, commerce 22%, manufacturing and construction 22%, transportation, storage, communications, and financial institutions 9%, agriculture 8%, utilities 2% (1985 est.)

*Barbados, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados Digraph: BB Type: parliamentary democracy Capital: Bridgetown Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas note: the new city of Bridgetown may be given parish status Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK) Constitution: 30 November 1966 Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966) Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party (DLP), Erskine SANDIFORD; Barbados Labor Party (BLP), Henry FORDE; National Democratic Party (NDP), Richie HAYNES Other political or pressure groups: Barbados Workers Union, Leroy TROTMAN; People's Progressive Movement, Eric SEALY; Workers' Party of Barbados, Dr. George BELLE; Clement Payne Labor Union, David COMMISSIONG Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: House of Assembly: last held 22 January 1991 (next to be held by January 1996); results - DLP 49.8%; seats - (28 total) DLP 18, BLP 10 Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature Leaders: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Nita BARROW (since 6 June 1990) Head of Government: Prime Minister Lloyd Erskine SANDIFORD (since 2 June 1987) Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Rudi WEBSTER

*Barbados, Government

chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 939-9200 through 9202 consulate general: New York consulate: Los Angeles US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador G. Philip HUGHES embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Box B, FPO AA 34054 telephone: (809) 436-4950 through 4957 FAX: (809) 429-5246 Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

*Barbados, Economy

Overview: A per capita income of $7,000 gives Barbados one of the highest standards of living of all the small island states of the eastern Caribbean. Historically, the economy was based on the cultivation of sugarcane and related activities. In recent years, however, the economy has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The tourist industry is now a major employer of the labor force and a primary source of foreign exchange. The economy slowed in 1990-91, however, and Bridgetown's declining hard currency reserves and inability to finance its deficits have caused it to adopt an austere economic reform program. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.8 billion ( 1991) National product real growth rate: -4% (1991) National product per capita: $7,000 (1991) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.1% (1991) Unemployment rate: 23% (1992) Budget: revenues $547 million; expenditures $620 million (FY92-93), including capital expenditures of $60 million Exports: $205.8 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: sugar and molasses, chemicals, electrical components, clothing, rum, machinery and transport equipment partners: CARICOM 31%, US 16%, UK 13% Imports: $697 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: foodstuffs, consumer durables, raw materials, machinery, crude oil, construction materials, chemicals partners: US 34%, CARICOM 16%, UK 11%, Canada 6% External debt: $750 million (1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -1.3% (1991); accounts for 10% of GDP Electricity: 152,100 kW capacity; 540 million kWh produced, 2,118 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export, petroleum Agriculture: accounts for 8% of GDP; major cash crop is sugarcane; other crops - vegetables, cotton; not self-sufficient in food Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $15 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $171 million Currency: 1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1 - 2.0113 (fixed rate) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

*Barbados, Communications

Highways: 1,570 km total; 1,475 km paved, 95 km gravel and earth Ports: Bridgetown Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 48,710 GRT79,263 DWT; includes 1 cargo, 2 oil tanker Airports: total: 1 usable: 1 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0 Telecommunications: islandwide automatic telephone system with 89,000 telephones; tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad and Saint Lucia; broadcast stations - 3 AM, 2 FM, 2 (1 is pay) TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Barbados, Defense Forces

Branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force, including the Ground Forces and Coast Guard, Royal Barbados Police Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 70,254; fit for military service 49,096 (1993 est.); no conscription Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $10 million, 0.7% of GDP (1989)

*Bassas da India, Header

Affiliation: (possession of France)

*Bassas da India, Geography

Location: Southern Africa, in the southern Mozambique Channel about halfway between Madagascar and Mozambique Map references: Africa Area: total area: NA km2 land area: NA km2 comparative area: NA Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 35.2 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: claimed by Madagascar Climate: tropical Terrain: a volcanic rock 2.4 meters high Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all rock) Irrigated land: 0 km2 Environment: surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones Note: navigational hazard since it is usually under water during high tide

*Bassas da India, People

Population: uninhabited

*Bassas da India, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bassas da India Digraph: BS Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic Jacques DEWATRE (since July 1991), resident in Reunion Capital: none; administered by France from Reunion Independence: none (possession of France)

*Bassas da India, Economy

Overview: no economic activity

*Bassas da India, Communications

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

*Bassas da India, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of France

*Belarus, Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, between Poland and Russia Map references: Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - European States, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 207,600 km2 land area: 207,600 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Kansas Land boundaries: total 3,098 km, Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 605 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: none Climate: mild and moist; transitional between continental and maritime Terrain: generally flat and contains much marshland Natural resources: forest land, peat deposits Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 15% forest and woodland: 0% other: 56% Irrigated land: 1,490 km2 (1990) Environment: southern part of Belarus highly contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' Note: landlocked

*Belarus, People

Population: 10,370,269 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.34% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 13.28 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 11.1 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 1.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 19.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.73 years male: 66.04 years female: 75.66 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian Ethnic divisions: Belarusian 77.9%, Russian 13.2%, Polish 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.9%, other 1.9% Religions: Eastern Orthodox NA%, other NA% Languages: Byelorussian, Russian, other Literacy: age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% Labor force: 5.418 million by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 20%, other 38% (1990)

*Belarus, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Belarus local short form: none former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic Digraph: BO Type: republic Capital: Minsk Administrative divisions: 6 oblasts (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and one municipality* (harady,, singular - horad); Brestskaya, Homyel'skaya, Minsk*, Hrodzyenskaya,, Mahilyowskaya, Minskaya, Vitsyebskaya note: each voblasts' has the same name as its administrative center Independence: 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) Constitution: adopted NA April 1978 Legal system: based on civil law system National holiday: 24 August (1991) Political parties and leaders: Belarusian Popular Front (BPF), Zenon PAZNYAK, chairman; United Democratic Party of Belarus (UDPB), Aleksandr DOBROVOLSKIY, chairman; Social Democratic Party of Belarus (SDBP), Mikhail TKACHEV, chairman; Belarus Workers Union, Mikhail SOBOL, Chairman; Belarus Peasants Party; Party of People's Unity, Gennadiy KARPENKO; Communist Party of Belarus Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: Supreme Soviet: last held 4 April 1990 (next to be held NA); results - Communists 87%; seats - (360 total) number of seats by party NA; note - 50 seats are for public bodies; the Communist Party obtained an overwhelming majority Executive branch: chairman of the Supreme Soviet, chairman of the Council of Ministers; note - Belarus has approved a directly elected presidency but so far no elections have been scheduled Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Soviet Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: Chairman of the Supreme Soviet Stanislav S. SHUSHKEVICH (since 18 September 1991) Head of Government: Prime Minister Vyacheslav F. KEBICH (since NA April 1990), First Deputy Prime Minister Mikhail MYASNIKOVICH (since NA 1991)

*Belarus, Government

Member of: CBSS (observer), CIS, CSCE, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ILO, IMF, INMARSAT, IOC, ITU, NACC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Designate Sergey Nikolayevich MARTYNOV chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 619, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 638-2954 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador David H. SWARTZ embassy: Starovilenskaya #46, Minsk mailing address: APO AE 09862 telephone: 7-0172-34-65-37 Flag: three horizontal bands of white (top), red, and white

*Belarus, Economy

Overview: In many ways Belarus resembles the three Baltic states, for example, in its industrial competence, its higher-than-average standard of living, and its critical dependence on the other former Soviet states for fuels and raw materials. Belarus ranks fourth in gross output among the former Soviet republics, having produced 4% of the total GDP and employing 4% of the labor force in the old USSR. Once a mainly agricultural area, it now supplies important producer and consumer goods - sometimes as the sole producer - to the other states. Belarus had a significant share of the machine-building capacity of the former USSR. It is especially noted for production of tractors, large trucks, machine tools, and automation equipment. The soil in Belarus is not as fertile as the black earth of Ukraine, but by emphasizing favorable crops and livestock (especially pigs and chickens), Belarus has become a net exporter to the other former republics of meat, milk, eggs, flour, and potatoes. Belarus produces only small amounts of oil and gas and receives most of its fuel from Russia through the Druzhba oil pipeline and the Northern Lights gas pipeline. These pipelines transit Belarus en route to Eastern Europe. Belarus produces petrochemicals, plastics, synthetic fibers (nearly 30% of former Soviet output), and fertilizer (20% of former Soviet output). Raw material resources are limited to potash and peat deposits. The peat (more than one-third of the total for the former Soviet Union) is used in domestic heating, as boiler fuel for electric power stations, and in the production of chemicals. The potash supports fertilizer production. In 1992 GDP fell an estimated 13%, largely because the country is highly dependent on the ailing Russian economy for raw materials and parts. National product: GDP $NA National product real growth rate: -13% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $NA Inflation rate (consumer prices): 30% per month (first quarter 1993) Unemployment rate: 0.5% of officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Exports: $1.1 billion to outside of the successor states of the former USSR (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs partners: NA Imports: $751 million from outside the successor states of the former USSR (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: machinery, chemicals, textiles partners: NA External debt: $2.6 billion (end of 1991) Industrial production: growth rate -9.6%; accounts for about 50% of GDP (1992)

*Belarus, Economy

Electricity: 8,025,000 kW capacity; 37,600 million kWh produced, 3,626 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: employ about 27% of labor force and produce a wide variety of products essential to the other states; products include (in percent share of total output of former Soviet Union): tractors (12%); metal-cutting machine tools (11%); off-highway dump trucks up to 110-metric-ton load capacity (100%); wheel-type earthmovers for construction and mining (100%); eight- wheel-drive, high-flotation trucks with cargo capacity of 25 metric tons for use in tundra and roadless areas (100%); equipment for animal husbandry and livestock feeding (25%); motorcycles (21.3%); television sets (11%); chemical fibers (28%); fertilizer (18%); linen fabric (11%); wool fabric (7%); radios; refrigerators; and other consumer goods Agriculture: accounts for almost 25% of GDP and 5.7% of total agricultural output of former Soviet Union; employs 20% of the labor force; in 1988 produced the following (in percent of total Soviet production): grain (3.6%), potatoes (12.2%), vegetables (3.0%), meat (6.0%), milk (7.0%); net exporter of meat, milk, eggs, flour, potatoes Illicit drugs: illicit producer of opium and cannabis; mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe Economic aid: NA Currency: 1 rubel (abbreviation NA) = 10 Russian rubles note: the rubel circulates with the Russian ruble; certain purchase are made only with rubels; government has established a different, and varying, exchange rate for trade between Belarus and Russia Exchange rates: NA Fiscal year: calendar year

*Belarus, Communications

Railroads: 5,570 km; does not include industrial lines (1990) Highways: 98,200 km total; 66,100 km hard surfaced, 32,100 km earth (1990) Inland waterways: NA km Pipelines: crude oil 1,470 km, refined products 1,100 km, natural gas 1,980 km (1992) Ports: none; landlocked Merchant marine: claims 5% of former Soviet fleet Airports: total: 124 useable: 55 with permanent-surface runways: 31 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 28 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 20 Telecommunications: construction of NMT-450 analog cellular network proceeding in Minsk, in addition to installation of some 300 km of fiber optic cable in the city network; telephone network has 1.7 million lines, 15% of which are switched automatically; Minsk has 450,000 lines; telephone density is approximately 17 per 100 persons; as of 1 December 1991, 721,000 applications from households for telephones were still unsatisfied; international connections to other former Soviet republics are by landline or microwave and to other countries by leased connection through the Moscow international gateway switch; Belarus has not constructed ground stations for international telecommunications via satellite to date

*Belarus, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air Forces, Air Defense Forces, Security Forces (internal and border troops) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,491,039; fit for military service 1,964,577; reach military age (18) annually 71,875 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: 56.5 billion rubles, NA% of GDP (1993 est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

*Belgium, Geography

Location: Western Europe, bordering on the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands Map references: Arctic Region, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 30,510 km2 land area: 30,230 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland Land boundaries: total 1,385 km, France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km Coastline: 64 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: equidistant line with neighbors exclusive fishing zone: equidistant line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast) territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast Natural resources: coal, natural gas Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 21% other: 34% Irrigated land: 10 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: air and water pollution Note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of the EC

*Belgium, People

Population: 10,040,939 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.23% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 11.94 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 10.32 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.72 years male: 73.41 years female: 80.21 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.62 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian Ethnic divisions: Fleming 55%, Walloon 33%, mixed or other 12% Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% Languages: Flemish (Dutch) 56%, French 32%, German 1%, legally bilingual 11% divided along ethnic lines Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: 4.126 million by occupation: services 63.6%, industry 28%, construction 6.1%, agriculture 2.3% (1988)