Front matter (continued 21)

@United Kingdom, Economy

Overview: The UK is one of the world's great trading powers and financial centers, and its economy ranks among the four largest in Western Europe. The economy is essentially capitalistic; over the past thirteen years the ruling Tories have greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves, and primary energy production accounts for 12% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance, now employing only 25% of the work force and generating only 21% of GDP. The economy is emerging out of its 3-year recession with only weak recovery in 1993; even so, the economy fared better in 1993 than the economies of most other European countries. Unemployment is hovering around 10% of the labor force. The government in 1992 adopted a pro-growth strategy, cutting interest rates sharply and removing the pound from the European exchange rate mechanism. Excess industrial capacity probably will moderate inflation which for the first time in a decade is below the EC average. The major economic policy question for Britain in the 1990s is the terms on which it participates in the financial and economic integration of Europe. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $980.2 billion (1993) National product real growth rate: 2.1% (1993) National product per capita: $16,900 (1993) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (1993) Unemployment rate: 10.3% (1993) Budget: revenues: $325.5 billion expenditures: $400.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $33 billion (1993 est.) Exports: $190.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, transport equipment partners: EC countries 56.7% (Germany 14.0%, France 11.1%, Netherlands 7.9%), US 10.9% Imports: $221.6 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods partners: EC countries 51.7% (Germany 14.9%, France 9.3%, Netherlands 8.4%), US 11.6% External debt: $16.2 billion (June 1992) Industrial production: growth rate 2.2% (1993 est.) Electricity: capacity: 99,000,000 kW production: 317 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,480 kWh (1992) Industries: production machinery including machine tools, electric power equipment, equipment for the automation of production, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods Agriculture: accounts for only 1.5% of GDP and 1% of labor force; highly mechanized and efficient farms; wide variety of crops and livestock products produced; about 60% self-sufficient in food and feed needs Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; producer of synthetic drugs; money-laundering center Economic aid: donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1992-93), $3.2 billion Currency: 1 British pound (#) = 100 pence Exchange rates: British pounds (#) per US$1 - 0.6699 (January 1994), 0.6033 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989) Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

@United Kingdom, Communications

Railroads: UK, 16,914 km total; Great Britain's British Railways (BR) operates 16,584 km 1,435-mm (standard) gauge (including 4,545 km electrified and 12,591 km double or multiple track), several additional small standard-gauge and narrow-gauge lines are privately owned and operated; Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) operates 330 km 1,600-mm gauge (including 190 km double track) Highways: total: 362,982 km (Great Britian 339,483 km; Northern Ireland 23,499 km) paved: 362,390 km (Great Britian 339,483 km, including 2,573 km limited access divided highway; Northern Ireland 22,907 km) unpaved: gravel 592 km (in Northern Ireland) Inland waterways: 2,291 total; British Waterways Board, 606 km; Port Authorities, 706 km; other, 979 km Pipelines: crude oil (almost all insignificant) 933 km; petroleum products 2,993 km; natural gas 12,800 km Ports: London, Liverpool, Felixstowe, Tees and Hartlepool, Dover, Sullom Voe, Southampton Merchant marine: 180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,428,571 GRT/4,297,489 DWT, bulk 17, cargo 35, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 24, liquefied gas 5, oil tanker 59, passenger 7, passenger cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 14, specialized tanker 1 Airports: total: 497 usable: 388 with permanent-surface runways: 251 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 37 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 133 Telecommunications: technologically advanced domestic and international system; 30,200,000 telephones; equal mix of buried cables, microwave and optical-fiber systems; excellent countrywide broadcast systems; broadcast stations - 225 AM, 525 (mostly repeaters) FM, 207 (3,210 repeaters) TV; 40 coaxial submarine cables; 5 satellite ground stations operating in INTELSAT (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), INMARSAT, and EUTELSAT systems; at least 8 large international switching centers

@United Kingdom, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 14,432,081; fit for military service 12,056,828 Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $34.8 billion, 3.7% of GDP (FY93/94)

@United States, Geography

Location: North America, between Canada and Mexico Map references: North America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 9,372,610 sq km land area: 9,166,600 sq km comparative area: about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about one-half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly smaller than China; about two and one-half times the size of Western Europe note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia Land boundaries: total 12,248 km, Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Cuba 29 km (US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay), Mexico 3,326 km Coastline: 19,924 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm depth continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca); US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation; Republic of Marshall Islands claims Wake Island Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida and arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 26% forest and woodland: 29% other: 25% Irrigated land: 181,020 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; sparse water resources in much of the western part of the country requires careful management; desertification natural hazards: tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic coast; tornadoes in the midwest; mudslides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to development international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Hazardous Wastes Note: world's fourth-largest country (after Russia, Canada, and China)

@United States, People

Population: 260,713,585 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 0.99% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 15.2 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 8.68 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 3.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 8.11 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.9 years male: 72.58 years female: 79.39 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: American(s) adjective: American Ethnic divisions: white 83.4%, black 12.4%, Asian 3.3%, Native American 0.8% (1992) Religions: Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989) Languages: English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority) Literacy: age 15 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1991) total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% Labor force: 129.525 million (includes armed forces and unemployed); civilian labor force 128.040 million) (1993) by occupation: managerial and professional 27.1%; technical, sales and administrative support 30.9%; services 13.8%; manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 25.5%; farming, forestry, and fishing 2.8%

@United States, Government

Names: conventional long form: United States of America conventional short form: United States Abbreviation: US or USA Digraph: US Type: federal republic; strong democratic tradition Capital: Washington, DC Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island note: since 18 July 1947, the US has administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with three of the four political units; the Northern Mariana Islands is a Commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US that was approved by the US Congress but to date the Compact process has not been completed in Palau, which continues to be administered by the US as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986) Independence: 4 July 1776 (from England) National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776) Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789 Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993); election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - William Jefferson CLINTON (Democratic Party) 43.2%, George BUSH (Republican Party) 37.7%, Ross PEROT (Independent) 19.0%, other 0.1% cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president with Senate approval Legislative branch: bicameral Congress Senate: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 8 November 1994); results - Democratic Party 53%, Republican Party 47%, other NEGL%; seats - (100 total) Democratic Party 57, Republican Party 43 House of Representatives: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 8 November 1994); results - Democratic Party 52%, Republican Party 46%, other 2%; seats - (435 total) Democratic Party 258, Republican Party 176, Independent 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Haley BARBOUR, national committee chairman; Jeanie AUSTIN, co-chairman; Democratic Party, David C. WILHELM, national committee chairman; several other groups or parties of minor political significance Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australian Group, BIS, CCC, COCOM, CP, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, FAO, ESCAP, G-2, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, PCA, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UNRWA, UN Security Council, UNTAC, UN Trusteeship Council, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Flag: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small white five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

@United States, Economy

Overview: The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $24,700, the largest among major industrial nations. The economy is market oriented with most decisions made by private individuals and business firms and with government purchases of goods and services made predominantly in the marketplace. In 1989 the economy enjoyed its seventh successive year of substantial growth, the longest in peacetime history. The expansion featured moderation in wage and consumer price increases and a steady reduction in unemployment to 5.2% of the labor force. In 1990, however, growth slowed to 1% because of a combination of factors, such as the worldwide increase in interest rates, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August, the subsequent spurt in oil prices, and a general decline in business and consumer confidence. In 1991 output fell by 1%, unemployment grew, and signs of recovery proved premature. Growth picked up to 2.6% in 1992 and to 3.0% in 1993. Unemployment, however, declined only gradually, the increase in GDP being mainly attributable to gains in output per worker. Ongoing economic problems for the remainder of the 1990s include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs, and sizable budget and trade deficits. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6.379 trillion (1993) National product real growth rate: 3% (1993) National product per capita: $24,700 (1993) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1993) Unemployment rate: 6% (May 1994) Budget: revenues: $1.1535 trillion expenditures: $1.4082 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.) Exports: $449 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products partners: Western Europe 24.3%, Canada 22.1%, Japan 10.5% (1993 est.) Imports: $582 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages partners: Canada, 19.3%, Western Europe 18.1%, Japan 18.1% (1993 est.) External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate 4.6% (1993); accounts for 23% of GDP (1991) Electricity: capacity: 780,000,000 kW production: 3.23 trillion kWh consumption per capita: 12,690 kWh (1992) Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining Agriculture: accounts for 2% of GDP and 2.8% of labor force; favorable climate and soils support a wide variety of crops and livestock production; world's second largest producer and number one exporter of grain; surplus food producer; fish catch of 4.4 million metric tons (1990) Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for domestic consumption with 1987 production estimated at 3,500 metric tons or about 25% of the available marijuana; ongoing eradication program aimed at small plots and greenhouses has not reduced production Economic aid: donor: commitments, including ODA and OOF, (FY80-89), $115.7 billion Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: British pounds: (#) per US$ - 0.6699 (January 1994), 0.6033 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989) Canadian dollars: (Can$) per US$ - 1.3174 (January 1994), 1.2901 (1993), 1.2087 (1992), 1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989) French francs: (F) per US$ - 5.9205 (January 1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989) Italian lire: (Lit) per US$ - 1,700.2 (January 1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1.372.1 (1989) Japanese yen: (Y) per US$ - 111.51 (January 1994), 111.20 (1993), 126.65 (1992), 134.71 (1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96 (1989) German deutsche marks: (DM) per US$ - 1.7431 (January 1994), 1.6533 (1993), 1.5617 (1992), 1.6595 (1991), 1.6157 (1990), 1.8800 (1989) Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

@United States, Communications

Railroads: 240,000 km of mainline routes, all standard 1.435 meter track, no government ownership (1989) Highways: total: 6,243,163 km paved: 3,633,520 km (including 84,865 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,609,643 km (1990) Inland waterways: 41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes (est.) Pipelines: petroleum 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km (1991) Ports: Anchorage, Baltimore, Beaumont, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Cleveland, Duluth, Freeport, Galveston, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Mobile, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Richmond (California), San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Wilmington Merchant marine: 385 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,567,000 GRT/19,511,000 DWT, bulk 23, cargo 36, intermodal 128, liquefied gas 13, passenger-cargo 3, tanker 169, tanker tug-barge 13 note: in addition, there are 219 government-owned vessels Airports: total: 14,177 usable: 12,417 with permanent-surface runways: 4,820 with runways over 3,659 m: 63 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 325 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2,524 Telecommunications: 126,000,000 telephone access lines; 7,557,000 cellular phone subscribers; broadcast stations - 4,987 AM, 4,932 FM, 1,092 TV; about 9,000 TV cable systems; 530,000,000 radio sets and 193,000,000 TV sets in use; 16 satellites and 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite ground stations - 45 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 16 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT (1990)

@United States, Defense Forces

Branches: Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (including Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $315.5 billion, 5.3% of GDP (1992)

@Uruguay, Geography

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Argentina and Brazil Map references: South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 176,220 sq km land area: 173,620 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Washington State Land boundaries: total 1,564 km, Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km Coastline: 660 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 200 nm; overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm International disputes: short section of boundary with Argentina is in dispute; two short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute - Arroyo de la Invernada (Arroio Invernada) area of the Rio Quarai and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the Uruguay River Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland Natural resources: soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 78% forest and woodland: 4% other: 10% Irrigated land: 1,100 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to seasonally high winds, droughts, floods international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

@Uruguay, People

Population: 3,198,910 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 0.75% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 17.7 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 9.39 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 17.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.09 years male: 70.88 years female: 77.47 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.44 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan Ethnic divisions: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4% Religions: Roman Catholic 66% (less than half adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30% Languages: Spanish, Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 96% male: 97% female: 96% Labor force: 1.355 million (1991 est.) by occupation: government 25%, manufacturing 19%, agriculture 11%, commerce 12%, utilities, construction, transport, and communications 12%, other services 21% (1988 est.)

@Uruguay, Government

Names: conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay local short form: Uruguay Digraph: UY Type: republic Capital: Montevideo Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres Independence: 25 August 1828 (from Brazil) National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1828) Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980 Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Luis Alberto LACALLE (since 1 March 1990); Vice President Gonzalo AGUIRRE Ramirez (since 1 March 1990); election last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera (Blanco) 37%, Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (Colorado) 29%, Liber SEREGNI Mosquera (Broad Front) 20% cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General) Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores): elections last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Blanco 40%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 23% New Space 7%; seats - (30 total) Blanco 12, Colorado 9, Broad Front 7, New Space 2 Chamber of Representatives (Camera de Representantes): elections last held NA November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Blanco 39%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 22%, New Space 8%, other 1%; seats - (99 total) number of seats by party NA Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: National (Blanco) Party; Colorado Party, Jorge BATLLE; Broad Front Coalition, Gen. Liber SEREGNI Mosquera; New Space Coalition, Hugo BATALLA Member of: AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MERCOSUR, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNOMOZ, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo MACGILLYCUDDY chancery: 1918 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: telephone (202) 331-1313 through 1316 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York consulate(s): New Orleans US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas DODD embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 23-60-61 or 48-77-77 FAX: [598] (2) 48-86-11 Flag: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

@Uruguay, Economy

Overview: Uruguay is a small economy with favorable climate, good soils, and solid hydropower potential. Economic development has been held back by excessive government regulation of economic detail and 50% to 130% inflation. After several years of sluggish growth, real GDP jumped by about 7.5% in 1992. The rise is attributable mainly to an increase in Argentine demand for Uruguayan exports, particularly agricultural products and electricity. In a major step toward greater regional economic cooperation, Uruguay in 1991 had joined Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay in forming the Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur). A referendum in December 1992 overturned key portions of landmark privatization legislation, dealing a serious blow to President LACALLE's broad economic reform plan. Hampered by a slowdown in the agricultural sector, the economy grew at only 2% in 1993 compared with 7.5% in 1992. Although inflation declined for the second consecutive year, a surge in the money supply, rising food prices, a record trade deficit, and an increase in the government deficit toward the end of the year foreshadowed troubles ahead in 1994. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $19 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 2% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $6,000 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 50% (1993 est.) Unemployment rate: 8.8% (1993 est.) Budget: revenues: $2.9 billion expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $388 million (1991 est.) Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animal products, leather, rice partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, China, Italy Imports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals, plastics partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Nigeria External debt: $4.2 billion (1993) Industrial production: growth rate 4.2% (1992 est.), accounts for almost 25% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 2,168,000 kW production: 5.96 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,900 kWh (1992) Industries: meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, fishing, petroleum refining, wine Agriculture: accounts for 12% of GDP; large areas devoted to livestock grazing; wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $105 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $420 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $69 million Currency: 1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1 - 4.4710 (January 1994), 3.9484 (1993); new Uruguayan pesos (N$Ur) per US$1 - 3,457.5 (December 1992), 3,026.9 (1992), 2,489 (1991), 1,594 (1990), 805 (1989) note: on 1 March 1993 the former New Peso (N$Ur) was replaced as Uruguay's unit of currency by the Peso which is equal to 1,000 of the New Pesos; consequently there is a major change in the peso/dollar exchange rate Fiscal year: calendar year

@Uruguay, Communications

Railroads: 3,000 km, all 1.435-meter (standard) gauge and government owned Highways: total: 49,900 km paved: 6,700 km unpaved: gravel 3,000 km; earth 40,200 km Inland waterways: 1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft Ports: Montevideo, Punta del Este, Colonia Merchant marine: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 84,797 GRT/132,296 DWT, cargo 1, container 2, oil tanker 1 Airports: total: 87 usable: 80 with permanent-surface runways: 16 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 14 Telecommunications: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave network; 337,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 99 AM, no FM, 26 TV, 9 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

@Uruguay, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy (including Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force, Grenadier Guards, Police Manpower availability: males age 15-49 765,490; fit for military service 621,629 Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $216 million, 2.3% of GDP (1991 est.)

@Uzbekistan, Geography

Location: Central Asia, bordering the Aral Sea, between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan Map references: Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - Central Asian States, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 447,400 sq km land area: 425,400 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than California Land boundaries: total 6,221 km, Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km Coastline: 0 km note: Uzbekistan borders the Aral Sea (420 km) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: Russia may dispute current de facto maritime border to midpoint of Caspian Sea from shore Climate: mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east Terrain: mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya and Sirdaryo Rivers; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 47% forest and woodland: 0% other: 42% Irrigated land: 41,550 sq km (1990) Environment: current issues: drying up of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salinization; soil contamination from agricultural chemicals, including DDT natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection Note: landlocked

@Uzbekistan, People

Population: 22,608,866 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.13% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 30.01 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 6.51 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 53.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.58 years male: 65.28 years female: 72.04 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.73 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Uzbek(s) adjective: Uzbek Ethnic divisions: Uzbek 71.4%, Russian 8.3%, Tajik 4.7%, Kazakh 4.1%, Tatar 2.4%, Karakalpak 2.1%, other 7% Religions: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3% Languages: Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% Literacy: age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% Labor force: 8.234 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 43%, industry and construction 22%, other 35% (1992)

@Uzbekistan, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: Uzbekiston Respublikasi local short form: none former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic Digraph: UZ Type: republic Capital: Tashkent (Toshkent) Administrative divisions: 12 wiloyatlar (singular - wiloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublikasi, singular - respublika), and 1 city** (shahri); Andijon Wiloyati, Bukhoro Wiloyati, Jizzakh Wiloyati, Farghona Wiloyati, Karakalpakstan* (Nukus), Qashqadaryo Wiloyati (Qarshi), Khorazm Wiloyati (Urganch), Namangan Wiloyati, Nawoiy Wiloyati, Samarqand Wiloyati, Sirdaryo Wiloyati (Guliston), Surkhondaryo Wiloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Wiloyati note: an administrative division has the same name as its administrative center (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) Independence: 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 September (1991) Constitution: new constitution adopted 8 December 1992 Legal system: evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Islam KARIMOV (since NA March 1990); election last held 29 December 1991 (next to be held NA December 1996); results - Islam KARIMOV 86%, Mukhammad SOLIKH 12%, other 2% head of government: Prime Minister Abdulkhashim MUTALOV (since 13 January 1992), First Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Hakimovitch DJURABEKOV (since NA) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Soviet: elections last held 18 February 1990 (next to be held winter 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (500 total) Communist 450, ERK 10, other 40; note - total number of seats will be reduced to 250 in next election Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Party (PDP; formerly Communist Party), Islam A. KARIMOV, chairman; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party (EDP), Muhammad SOLIKH, chairman (in exile); note - ERK was banned 9 December 1992 Other political or pressure groups: Birlik (Unity) People's Movement (BPM), Abdul Rakhim PULATOV, chairman (in exile); Islamic Rebirth Party (IRP), Abdullah UTAYEV, chairman note: PULATOV (BPM) and SOLIKH (EDP) are both in exile in the West; UTAYEV (IRP) is either in prison or in exile Member of: CCC, CIS, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IOC, ITU, NACC, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Fatikh TESHABAYEV chancery: Suites 619 and 623, 1511 K Street NW, Washington DC, 20005 telephone: (202) 638-4266/4267 FAX: (202) 638-4268 consulate(s) general: New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Henry L. CLARKE embassy: 82 Chelanzanskaya, Tashkent mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (3712) 77-14-07, 77-11-32 FAX: [7] (3712) 77-69-53 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a crescent moon and 12 stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

@Uzbekistan, Economy

Overview: Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 20% is intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. It is one of the poorest states of the former USSR with 60% of its population living in overpopulated rural communities. Nevertheless, Uzbekistan is the world's third largest cotton exporter, a major producer of gold and natural gas, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Since independence, the government has sought to prop up the Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on prices and production. Such policies have buffered the economy from the sharp declines in output and high inflation experienced by many other former Soviet republics. By late 1993, however, they had become increasingly unsustainable as inflation soared and Russia forced the Uzbek Government to introduce its own currency. Faced with mounting economic problems, the government has increased its cooperation with international financial institutions, announced an acceleration of privatization, and stepped up efforts to attract foreign investors. Nevertheless, the regime is likely to resist full-fledged market reforms. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $53.7 billion (1993 estimate from the UN International Comparison Program, as extended to 1991 and published in the World Bank's World Development Report 1993; and as extrapolated to 1993 using official Uzbek statistics, which are very uncertain because of major economic changes since 1990) National product real growth rate: -3.5% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $2,430 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18% per month (1993) Unemployment rate: 0.2% includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Exports: $706.5 million to outside the FSU countries (1993) commodities: cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products partners: Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, US Imports: $947.3 million from outside the FSU countries (1993) commodities: grain, machinery and parts, consumer durables, other foods partners: principally other FSU countries, Czech Republic External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate -7% (1993) Electricity: capacity: 11,950,000 kW production: 50.9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,300 kWh (1992) Industries: textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas Agriculture: livestock, cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication programs; used as transshipment points for illicit drugs to Western Europe Economic aid: recipient: $125 million by yearend 1993; future commitments for about $500 million Currency: introduced provisional som-coupons 10 November 1993 which circulated parallel to the Russian rubles; became the sole legal currency 31 January 1994; will be replaced in July 1994 by the som currency Exchange rates: NA Fiscal year: calendar year

@Uzbekistan, Communications

Railroads: 3,460 km; does not include industrial lines (1990) Highways: total: 78,400 km paved and gravel: 67,000 km unpaved: earth 11,400 km (1990) Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 810 km (1992) Ports: none; landlocked Airports: total: 265 usable: 74 with permanent-surface runways: 30 with runways over 3,659 m: 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 20 with runways 1,060-2,439 m: 19 note: a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip Telecommunications: poorly developed; 1,458,000 telephone circuits with 68.75 circuits per 1,000 persons (1991); linked by landline or microwave with CIS member states and by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch to other countries; new INTELSAT links to Tokyo and Ankara give Uzbekistan international access independent of Russian facilities; satellite earth stations - Orbita and INTELSAT; NMT-450 analog cellular network established in Tashkent

@Uzbekistan, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, National Guard, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 5,388,456; fit for military service 4,403,497; reach military age (18) annually 222,405 (1994 est.) Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

@Vanuatu, Geography

Location: Oceania, Melanesia, 5,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and Australia Map references: Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 14,760 sq km land area: 14,760 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut note: includes more than 80 islands Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 2,528 km Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 5% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 1% other: 91% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

@Vanuatu, People

Population: 169,776 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.29% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 32.21 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 9.31 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 68.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.25 years male: 57.51 years female: 61.09 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.31 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu Ethnic divisions: indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific Islanders Religions: Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7% Languages: English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1979) total population: 53% male: 57% female: 48% Labor force: NA by occupation: NA

@Vanuatu, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides Digraph: NH Type: republic Capital: Port-Vila Administrative divisions: 11 island councils; Ambrym, Aoba/Maewo, Banks/Torres, Efate, Epi, Malakula, Paama, Pentecote, Santo/Malo, Shepherd, Tafea Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980) Constitution: 30 July 1980 Legal system: unified system being created from former dual French and British systems Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Maxime CARLOT Korman (since 16 December 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Sethy REGENVANU (since 17 December 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister, responsible to parliament Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament: elections last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held by November 1995); note - after election, a coalition was formed by the Union of Moderate Parties and the National United Party to form a new government on 16 December 1991, but political party associations are fluid; seats - (46 total) UMP 19; NUP 10; VP 10; MPP 4; TUP 1; Nagriamel 1; Friend 1 note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS; Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Serge VOHOR; Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Barak SOPE; National United Party (NUP), Walter LINI; Tan Union Party (TUP), Vincent BOULEKONE; Nagriamel Party, Jimmy STEVENS; Friend Melanesian Party, leader NA Member of: ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: Vanuatu does not have a mission in the US US diplomatic representation: the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow

@Vanuatu, Economy

Overview: The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming which provides a living for about 80% of the population. Fishing and tourism are the other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $142 million (1988 est.) National product real growth rate: 6% (1991) National product per capita: $1,050 (1990) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $90 million expenditures: $103 million, including capital expenditures of $45 million (1989 est.) Exports: $14.9 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee partners: Netherlands, Japan, France, New Caledonia, Belgium Imports: $74 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: machines and vehicles, food and beverages, basic manufactures, raw materials and fuels, chemicals partners: Australia 36%, Japan 13%, NZ 10%, France 8%, Fiji 8% External debt: $38 million (1991) Industrial production: growth rate 8.1% (1990); accounts for about 10% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 17,000 kW production: 30 million kWh consumption per capita: 180 kWh (1990) Industries: food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP; export crops - coconuts, cocoa, coffee, fish; subsistence crops - taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables Economic aid: recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $606 million Currency: 1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: vatu (VT) per US$1 - 123.48 (September 1993), 113.39 (1992), 111.68 (1991), 116.57 (1990), 116.04 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year

@Vanuatu, Communications

Railroads: none Highways: total: 1,027 km paved: 240 km unpaved: 787 km Ports: Port-Vila, Luganville, Palikoulo Merchant marine: 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,992,201 GRT/2,909,381 DWT, bulk 57, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 5, liquefied gas 3, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 8, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 19, vehicle carrier 11 note: a flag of convenience registry Airports: total: 31 usable: 31 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: 2 Telecommunications: broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, no TV; 3,000 telephones; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT ground station

@Vanuatu, Defense Forces

Branches: Vanuatu Police Force (VPF), paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF) note: no military forces Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

@Venezuela, Geography

Location: Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Colombia and Guyana Map references: South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 912,050 sq km land area: 882,050 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of California Land boundaries: total 4,993 km, Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km Coastline: 2,800 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 15 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; maritime boundary dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands Terrain: Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 39% other: 37% Irrigated land: 2,640 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast natural hazards: subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping Note: on major sea and air routes linking North and South America

@Venezuela, People

Population: 20,562,405 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.16% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 25.74 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 4.63 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 27.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73 years male: 70.12 years female: 76.03 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.05 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan Ethnic divisions: mestizo 67%, white 21%, black 10%, Indian 2% Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2% Languages: Spanish (official), Indian dialects spoken by about 200,000 Amerindians in the remote interior Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 88% male: 87% female: 90% Labor force: 5.8 million by occupation: services 56%, industry 28%, agriculture 16% (1985)

@Venezuela, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Venezuela conventional short form: Venezuela local long form: Republica de Venezuela local short form: Venezuela Digraph: VE Type: republic Capital: Caracas Administrative divisions: 21 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 territory* (territorio), 1 federal district** (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependence*** (dependencia federal); Amazonas*, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales***, Distrito Federal**, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Yaracuy, Zulia note: the federal dependence consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands Independence: 5 July 1811 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1811) Constitution: 23 January 1961 Legal system: based on Napoleonic code; judicial review of legislative acts in Cassation Court only; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Rafael CALDERA Rodriquez (since 2 February 1994); election last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held December 1998); results - Rafael CALDERA (National Convergence) 30.45%, Claudio FERMIN (AD) 23.59%, Oswaldo ALVAREZ PAZ (COPEI) 22.72%, Andres VELASQUEZ (Causa R) 21.94%, other 1.3% cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president Legislative branch: bicameral Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica) Senate (Senado): elections last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held December 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (52 total) AD 18, COPEI 15, Causa R 9, MAS 5, National Convergence 5; note - 3 former presidents (2 from AD, 1 from COPEI) hold lifetime senate seats Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados): elections last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held December 1998); results - AD 27.9%, COPEI 26.9%, MAS 12.4%, National Convergence 12.9%, Causa R 19.9%; seats - (201 total) AD 55, COPEI 53, MAS 24, National Convergence 26, Causa R 40, other 3 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia) Gonzalo RODRIGUEZ Corro, President Political parties and leaders: National Convergence (Convergencia), Jose Miguel UZCATEGUI, director; Social Christian Party (COPEI), Hilarion CARDOZO, president, and Jose CURIEL, secretary general; Democratic Action (AD), Pedro PARIS Montesinos, president, and Luis ALFARO Ucero, secretary general; Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Argelia LAYA, president, and Freddy MUNOZ, secretary general; Radical Cause (La Causa R), Pablo MEDINA, secretary general Other political or pressure groups: FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers (CTV, labor organization dominated by the Democratic Action); VECINOS groups Member of: AG, BCIE, CARICOM (observer), CDB, CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAS, ONUSAL, OPANAL, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Luis ECHEVERRIA chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: (202) 342-2214 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey DAVIDOW embassy: Avenida Francisco de Miranda and Avenida Principal de la Floresta, Caracas mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A, or APO AA 34037 telephone: [58] (2) 285-2222 FAX: [58] (2) 285-0336 consulate(s): Maracaibo (closed March 1994) Flag: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

@Venezuela, Economy

Overview: Petroleum is the backbone of the economy, accounting for 23% of GDP, 61% of central government ordinary revenues, and 77% of export earnings in 1993. Former President PEREZ introduced an economic readjustment program when he assumed office in February 1989. Lower tariffs and the removal of price controls, a free market exchange rate, and market-linked interest rates threw the economy into confusion, causing an 8% decline in GDP in 1989. The economy recovered part way in 1990 and grew by 9.7% in 1991 and 6.8% in 1992; economic activity fell by 1% in 1993, primarily because of business concerns over political instability. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $161 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: -1% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $8,000 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 46% (1993 est.) Unemployment rate: 8.2% (1993 est.) Budget: revenues: $9.8 billion expenditures: $11.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $103 million (1993 est.) Exports: $14.2 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum 77%, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures partners: US and Puerto Rico 42%, Japan, Netherlands, Italy Imports: $11 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials partners: US 50%, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Canada External debt: $28.5 billion (1993) Industrial production: growth rate 6.1% (1992 est.); accounts for 40% of GDP, including petroleum Electricity: capacity: 21,130,000 kW production: 58.541 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,830 kWh (1992) Industries: petroleum, iron-ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly Agriculture: accounts for 6% of GDP and 16% of labor force; products - corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee, beef, pork, milk, eggs, fish; not self-sufficient in food other than meat Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and coca leaf for the international drug trade on a small scale; however, large quantities of cocaine transit the country from Colombia; important money-laundering hub Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-86), $488 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $10 million Currency: 1 bolivar (Bs) = 100 centimos Exchange rates: bolivares (Bs) per US$1 - 107.260 (January 1994), 90.826 (1993), 68.38 (1992), 56.82 (1991), 46.90 (1990), 34.68 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year

@Venezuela, Communications

Railroads: 542 km total; 363 km 1.435-meter standard gauge all single track, government owned; 179 km 1.435-meter gauge, privately owned Highways: total: 81,000 km paved: 31,200 km unpaved: gravel 24,800 km; earth and unimproved earth 25,000 km Inland waterways: 7,100 km; Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels Pipelines: crude oil 6,370 km; petroleum products 480 km; natural gas 4,010 km Ports: Amuay Bay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Puerto Ordaz Merchant marine: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 741,688 GRT/1,204,233 DWT, bulk 4, cargo 16, combination bulk 1, container 1, liquefied gas 2, oil tanker 17, passenger cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea passenger 1 Airports: total: 425 usable: 392 with permanent-surface runways: 139 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 15 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 92 Telecommunications: modern and expanding; 1,440,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 181 AM, no FM, 59 TV, 26 shortwave; 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite ground stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 3 domestic

@Venezuela, Defense Forces

Branches: National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales, FAN) includes - Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada), Air Forces (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperation or Guardia Nacional) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 5,341,855; fit for military service 3,875,523; reach military age (18) annually 224,550 (1994 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.95 billion, 4% of GDP (1991)

@Vietnam, Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea, between Laos and the Philippines Map references: Asia, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 329,560 sq km land area: 325,360 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico Land boundaries: total 3,818 km, Cambodia 982 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 1,555 km Coastline: 3,444 km (excludes islands) Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: maritime boundary with Cambodia not defined; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei; unresolved maritime boundary with Thailand; maritime boundary dispute with China in the Gulf of Tonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan Climate: tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to mid-March) Terrain: low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest Natural resources: phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil deposits, forests Land use: arable land: 22% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 40% other: 35% Irrigated land: 18,300 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing threatening marine life populations natural hazards: occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding international agreements: party to - Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

@Vietnam, People

Population: 73,103,898 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.78% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 27.13 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 7.76 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -1.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 45.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.41 years male: 63.37 years female: 67.58 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.33 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural) adjective: Vietnamese Ethnic divisions: Vietnamese 85-90%, Chinese 3%, Muong, Thai, Meo, Khmer, Man, Cham Religions: Buddhist, Taoist, Roman Catholic, indigenous beliefs, Islamic, Protestant Languages: Vietnamese (official), French, Chinese, English, Khmer, tribal languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 88% male: 93% female: 83% Labor force: 32.7 million by occupation: agricultural 65%, industrial and service 35% (1990 est.)

@Vietnam, Government

Names: conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam conventional short form: Vietnam local long form: Cong Hoa Chu Nghia Viet Nam local short form: Viet Nam Abbreviation: SRV Digraph: VM Type: Communist state Capital: Hanoi Administrative divisions: 50 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), 3 municipalities* (thanh pho, singular and plural); An Giang, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Bac Thai, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Thuan, Can Tho, Cao Bang, Dac Lac, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Bac, Ha Giang, Ha Noi*, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hai Hung, Hai Phong*, Ho Chi Minh*, Hoa Binh, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Minh Hai, Nam Ha, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam-Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Song Be, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phu, Yen Bai Independence: 2 September 1945 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 2 September (1945) Constitution: 15 April 1992 Legal system: based on Communist legal theory and French civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Le Duc ANH (since 23 September 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Vo Van KIET (since 9 August 1991); First Deputy Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI (since 10 August 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen KHANH (since NA February 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Tran Duc LUONG (since NA February 1987) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president on proposal of the prime minister and ratification of the Assembly Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Quoc-Hoi): elections last held 19 July 1992 (next to be held NA July 1997); results - VCP is the only party; seats - (395 total) VCP or VCP-approved 395 Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court Political parties and leaders: only party - Vietnam Communist Party (VCP), DO MUOI, general secretary Member of: ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: none; Ambassador Le Van BANG is the Permanent Representative to the UN US diplomatic representation: none Flag: red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

@Vietnam, Economy

Overview: Vietnam has made significant progress in recent years moving away from the planned economic model toward a more effective market-based economic system. Most prices are now fully decontrolled, and the Vietnamese currency has been effectively devalued and floated at world market rates. In addition, the scope for private sector activity has been expanded, primarily through decollectivization of the agricultural sector and introduction of laws giving legal recognition to private business. Nearly three-quarters of export earnings are generated by only two commodities, rice and crude oil. Led by industry and construction, the economy did well in 1993 with output rising perhaps 7%. However, the industrial sector remains burdened by uncompetitive state-owned enterprises the government is unwilling or unable to privatize. Unemployment looms as a serious problem with roughly 25% of the workforce without jobs and with population growth swelling the ranks of the unemployed yearly. National product: GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $72 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 7% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $1,000 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.2% (1993 est.) Unemployment rate: 25% (1993 est.) Budget: revenues: $1.9 billion expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992) Exports: $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum, rice, agricultural products, marine products, coffee partners: Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Germany, Indonesia Imports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum products, steel products, railroad equipment, chemicals, medicines, raw cotton, fertilizer, grain partners: Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan External debt: $3.4 billion Western countries; $4.5 billion CEMA debts primarily to Russia; $700 million commercial debts (1993 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 15% (1992); accounts for 20% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 3,300,000 kW production: 9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 130 kWh (1992) Industries: food processing, textiles, machine building, mining, cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil Agriculture: accounts for almost 40% of GDP; paddy rice, corn, potatoes make up 50% of farm output; commercial crops (rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas) and animal products 50%; since 1989 self-sufficient in food staple rice; fish catch of 943,100 metric tons (1989 est.) Illicit drugs: minor opium producer and secondary transit point for Southeast Asian heroin destined for the US and Europe Economic aid: recipient: $1.9 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for 1994, Japan largest contributor with $550 million Currency: 1 new dong (D) = 100 xu Exchange rates: new dong (D) per US$1 - 10,800 (November 1993), 8,100 (July 1991), 7,280 (December 1990), 3,996 (March 1990); note - 1985-89 figures are end of year Fiscal year: calendar year

@Vietnam, Communications

Railroads: 3,059 km total; 2,454 1.000-meter gauge, 151 km 1.435-meter (standard) gauge, 230 km dual gauge (three rails), and 224 km not restored to service after war damage Highways: total: 85,000 km paved: 9,400 km unpaved: gravel, improved earth 48,700 km; unimproved earth 26,900 km Inland waterways: 17,702 km navigable; more than 5,149 km navigable at all times by vessels up to 1.8 meter draft Pipelines: petroleum products 150 km Ports: Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City Merchant marine: 101 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 460,225 GRT/741,231 DWT, bulk 3, cargo 86, oil tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 Airports: total: 100 usable: 100 with permanent-surface runways: 50 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 10 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 20 Telecommunications: the inadequacies of the obsolete switching equipment and cable system is a serious constraint on the business sector and on economic growth, and restricts access to the international links that Vietnam has established with most major countries; the telephone system is not generally available for private use (25 telephones for each 10,000 persons); 3 satellite earth stations; broadcast stations - NA AM, 288 FM; 36 (77 repeaters) TV; about 2,500,000 TV receivers and 7,000,000 radio receivers in use (1991)

@Vietnam, Defense Forces

Branches: People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) including: Ground, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 18,281,483; fit for military service 11,602,318; reach military age (17) annually 762,943 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GNP

@Virgin Islands

Header Affiliation: (territory of the US)

@Virgin Islands, Geography

Location: Caribbean, in the eastern Caribbean Sea, about 110 km east and southeast of Puerto Rico Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total area: 352 sq km land area: 349 sq km comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 188 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: none Climate: subtropical, tempered by easterly tradewinds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November Terrain: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 6% meadows and pastures: 26% forest and woodland: 6% other: 47% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources natural hazards: rarely affected by hurricanes; subject to frequent severe droughts, floods, earthquakes international agreements: NA Note: important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

@Virgin Islands, People

Population: 97,564 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: -0.52% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 19.41 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -19.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 12.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.29 years male: 73.6 years female: 77.2 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.53 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander Ethnic divisions: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%, other 8%; black 80%, white 15%, other 5%; Hispanic origin 14% Religions: Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% Languages: English (official), Spanish, Creole Literacy: total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: 45,500 (1988) by occupation: tourism 70%

@Virgin Islands, Government

Names: conventional long form: Virgin Islands of the United States conventional short form: Virgin Islands Digraph: VQ Type: organized, unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior Capital: Charlotte Amalie Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US) National holiday: Transfer Day, 31 March (1917) (from Denmark to US) Constitution: Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 Legal system: based on US Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections Executive branch: chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Alexander A. FARRELLY (since 5 January 1987); Lieutenant Governor Derek M. HODGE (since 5 January 1987); election last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results - Governor Alexander FARRELLY (Democratic Party) 56.5% defeated Juan LUIS (independent) 38.5% Legislative branch: unicameral Senate: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 2 November 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15 total) number of seats by party NA US House of Representatives: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 2 November 1994); results - Ron DE LUGO reelected as delegate; seats - (1 total); seat by party NA; note - the Virgin Islands elect one representative to the US House of Representatives Judicial branch: US District Court: handles civil matters over $50,000, felonies (persons 15 years of age and over), and federal cases Territorial Court: handles civil matters up to $50,000, small claims, juvenile, domestic, misdemeanors, and traffic cases Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party, Marilyn STAPLETON; Independent Citizens' Movement (ICM), Virdin C. BROWN; Republican Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS Member of: ECLAC (associate), IOC Diplomatic representation in US: none (territory of the US) US diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US) Flag: white with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows an eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel

@Virgin Islands, Economy

Overview: Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The manufacturing sector consists of textile, electronics, pharmaceutical, and watch assembly plants. The agricultural sector is small, most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $1.2 billion (1987) National product real growth rate: NA% National product per capita: $11,000 (1987) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: 3.7% (1992) Budget: revenues: $364.4 million expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.) Exports: $2.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: refined petroleum products partners: US, Puerto Rico Imports: $3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials partners: US, Puerto Rico External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate 12% (year NA); accounts for NA% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 380,000 kW production: 565 million kWh consumption per capita: 5,710 kWh (1992) Industries: tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics Agriculture: truck gardens, food crops (small scale), fruit, sorghum, Senepol cattle Economic aid: recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $42 million Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: US currency is used Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

@Virgin Islands, Communications

Highways: total: 856 km paved: NA unpaved: NA Ports: Saint Croix - Christiansted, Frederiksted; Saint Thomas - Long Bay, Crown Bay, Red Hook; Saint John - Cruz Bay Airports: total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways : 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2 note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix Telecommunications: modern telephone system using fiber-optic cable, submarine cable, microwave radio, and satellite facilities; 58,931 telephones; 98,000 radios; 63,000 TV sets in use; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 8 FM, 4 TV (1988)

@Virgin Islands, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the US

@Wake Island

Header Affiliation: (territory of the US)

@Wake Island, Geography

Location: Oceania, Micronesia, in the North Pacific Ocean, 3,700 km west of Honolulu, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and the Northern Mariana Islands Map references: Oceania Area: total area: 6.5 sq km land area: 6.5 sq km comparative area: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 19.3 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 the Republic of the Marshall Islands Climate: tropical Terrain: atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim; average elevation less than 4 meters Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% Irrigated land: 0 sq km Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to occasional typhoons international agreements: NA Note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights

@Wake Island, People

Population: 302 (July 1994 est.)

@Wake Island, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Wake Island Digraph: WQ Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Air Force (under an agreement with the US Department of Interior) since 24 June 1972; presently administered by Base Commander, Major James ANDEL until August 1994, when Willis ALLEY will take over until July 1995 Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC Independence: none (territory of the US) Flag: the US flag is used

@Wake Island, Economy

Overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. Electricity: supplied by US military

@Wake Island, Communications

Ports: none; because of the reefs, there are only two offshore anchorages for large ships 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: satellite communications; 1 Autovon circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS); Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio and television service provided by satellite; broadcast station - closed early 1992. Note: formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used by US military, some commercial cargo planes, as well as the US Army Space and Strategic Defense Command for missile launches

@Wake Island, Defense Forces

defense is the responsibility of the US

@Wallis and Futuna

Header Affiliation: (overseas territory of France)

@Wallis and Futuna, Geography

Location: Oceania, Polynesia in the South Pacific Ocean, 4,600 km southwest of Honolulu, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand Map references: Oceania Area: total area: 274 sq km land area: 274 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 129 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October) Terrain: volcanic origin; low hills Natural resources: negligible Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 20% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 75% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA Note: both island groups have fringing reefs

@Wallis and Futuna, People

Population: 14,338 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.13% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 25.74 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 5.26 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -9.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 26.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.72 years male: 71.08 years female: 72.4 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.23 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander Ethnic divisions: Polynesian Religions: Roman Catholic Languages: French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language) Literacy: all ages can read and write (1969) total population: 50% male: 50% female: 51% Labor force: NA by occupation: agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (est.)

@Wallis and Futuna, Government

Names: conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna local short form: Wallis et Futuna Digraph: WF Type: overseas territory of France Capital: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea) Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France) Independence: none (overseas territory of France) Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: French legal system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981) head of government: High Administrator Philippe LEGRIX (since NA); President of the Territorial Assembly Soane Noni UHILA (since NA March 1992) cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of 3 kings and 3 members appointed by the high administrator on advice of the Territorial Assembly note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly (Assemblee Territoriale): elections last held 15 March 1987 (next to be held NA March 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (20 total) RPR 7, UPL 5, UDF 4, UNF 4 French Senate: elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held by NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) RPR 1 French National Assembly: elections last held 21 and 28 March 1992 (next to be held by NA September 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) MRG 1 Judicial branch: none; justice generally administered under French law by the chief administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic (RPR); Union Populaire Locale (UPL); Union Pour la Democratie Francaise (UDF); Lua kae tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche (MRG) Member of: FZ, SPC Diplomatic representation in US: none (overseas territory of France) US diplomatic representation: none (overseas territory of France) Flag: the flag of France is used

@Wallis and Futuna, Economy

Overview: The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of the labor force earning its livelihood from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New Caledonia. Wallis and Futuna imports food, fuel, clothing, machinery, and transport equipment, but its exports are negligible, consisting of copra and handicrafts. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $25 million (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: NA% National product per capita: $1,500 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $2.7 million expenditures: $2.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1983 est.) Exports: negligible commodities: copra, handicrafts partners: NA Imports: $13.3 million (c.i.f., 1984) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, transportation equipment, fuel partners: France, Australia, New Zealand External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: capacity: 1,200 kW production: 1 million kWh consumption per capita: 70 kWh (1990) Industries: copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber Agriculture: dominated by coconut production, with subsistence crops of yams, taro, bananas, and herds of pigs and goats Economic aid: recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $118 million Currency: 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 107.63 (January 1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.0 (1990), 115.99 (1989); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc Fiscal year: NA

@Wallis and Futuna, Communications

Highways: total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20km) paved: 16 km (on Il Uvea) unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km) Inland waterways: none Ports: Mata-Utu, Leava Airports: total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1 Telecommunications: 225 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV

@Wallis and Futuna, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of France

@West Bank

Header The war between Israel and Egypt, Syria, and Jordan in June 1967 ended with Israel in control of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights. Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula pursuant to a 1979 peace treaty with Egypt. The Israeli-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements ("the DOP"), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provides for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Under the DOP, final status negotiations are to begin no later than the beginning of the third year of the transitional period.

@West Bank, Geography

Location: Middle East, between Jordan and Israel Map references: Middle East Area: total area: 5,860 sq km land area: 5,640 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Delaware note: includes West Bank, East Jerusalem, Latrun Salient, Jerusalem No Man's Land, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus Land boundaries: total 404 km, Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli occupied with interim status subject to Israeli/Palestinian negotiations - final status to be determined Climate: temperate, temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters Terrain: mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east Natural resources: negligible Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 32% forest and woodland: 1% other: 40% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA Note: landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are 200 Jewish settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank and 25 in East Jerusalem (April 1994)

@West Bank, People

Population: 1,443,790 (July 1994 est.) note: in addition, there are 110,500 Jewish settlers in the West Bank and 144,100 in East Jerusalem (1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.68% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 32.48 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 5.11 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 33.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.39 years male: 68.88 years female: 71.98 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.2 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA Ethnic divisions: Palestinian Arab and other 88%, Jewish 12% Religions: Muslim 80% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 12%, Christian and other 8% Languages: Arabic, Hebrew spoken by Israeli settlers, English widely understood Literacy: total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: NA by occupation: construction 28.2%, agriculture 21.8%, industry 14.5%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 12.6%, other services 22.9% (1991) note: excluding Jewish settlers

@West Bank, Government

Note: Under the Israeli-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arragements ("the DOP"), Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, and subsequently to an elected Palestinian Council, as part of interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho has taken place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external security and for internal security and public order of settlements and Israelis. Final status is to be determined through direct negotiations within five years. Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank Digraph: WE

@West Bank, Economy

Overview: Economic progress in the West Bank has been hampered by Israeli military administration and the effects of the Palestinian uprising (intifadah). Industries using advanced technology or requiring sizable investment have been discouraged by a lack of local capital and restrictive Israeli policies. Capital investment consists largely of residential housing, not productive assets that would enable local Palestinian firms to compete with Israeli industry. A major share of GNP has traditionally been derived from remittances of workers employed in Israel and Persian Gulf states. Such transfers from the Gulf dropped after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. In the wake of the Persian Gulf crisis, many Palestinians have returned to the West Bank, increasing unemployment, and export revenues have dropped because of the decline of markets in Jordan and the Gulf states. Israeli measures to curtail the intifadah also have added to unemployment and lowered living standards. The area's economic situation has worsened since Israel's partial closure of the territories in 1993. National product: GNP - exchange rate conversion - $2 billion (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: -7% (1991 est.) National product per capita: $2,050 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: 15% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues: $43.4 million expenditures: $43.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90) Exports: $175 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: olives, fruit, vegetables partners: Jordan, Israel Imports: $775 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials partners: Jordan, Israel External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate -1% (1991); accounts for about 6% of GNP Electricity: power supplied by Israel Industries: generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers Agriculture: accounts for about 23% of GNP; olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables, beef, and dairy products Economic aid: $NA Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot; 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 2.9760 (February 1994), 2.8301 (1993), 2.4591 (1992), 2.2791 (1991), 2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989); Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1 - 0.7019 (February 1994), 0.6928 (1993), 0.6797 (1992), 0.6808 (1991), 0.6636 (1990), 0.5704 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

@West Bank, Communications

Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA note: small road network, Israelis developing east-west axial highways to service new settlements Airports: total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1 Telecommunications: open-wire telephone system currently being upgraded; broadcast stations - no AM, no FM, no TV

@West Bank, Defense Forces

Branches: NA Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

@Western Sahara, Geography

Location: Northern Africa, along the Atlantic Ocean, between Morocco and Mauritania Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 266,000 sq km land area: 266,000 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Colorado Land boundaries: total 2,046 km, Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km Coastline: 1,110 km Maritime claims: contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue International disputes: claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been currently in effect since September 1991 Climate: hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew Terrain: mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 19% forest and woodland: 0% other: 81% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: sparse water and arable land natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility international agreements: NA

@Western Sahara, People

Population: 211,877 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.5% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 47.22 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 19.04 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -3.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 152.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 45.59 years male: 44.66 years female: 46.83 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.96 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian Ethnic divisions: Arab, Berber Religions: Muslim Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic Literacy: total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: 12,000 by occupation: animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%

@Western Sahara, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Western Sahara Digraph: WI Type: legal status of territory and question of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government in exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR); territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government in exile was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991 Capital: none Administrative divisions: none (under de facto control of Morocco) Executive branch: none Member of: none Diplomatic representation in US: none US diplomatic representation: none

@Western Sahara, Economy

Overview: Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and having little rainfall, has a per capita GDP of roughly $300. Pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining are the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $60 million (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: NA% National product per capita: $300 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Exports: $8 million (f.o.b., 1982 est.) commodities: phosphates 62% partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts Imports: $30 million (c.i.f., 1982 est.) commodities: fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: capacity: 60,000 kW production: 79 million kWh consumption per capita: 425 kWh (1989) Industries: phosphate mining, fishing, handicrafts Agriculture: limited largely to subsistence agriculture; some barley is grown in nondrought years; fruit and vegetables are grown in the few oases; food imports are essential; camels, sheep, and goats are kept by the nomadic natives; cash economy exists largely for the garrison forces Economic aid: $NA Currency: 1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1 - 9.669 (January 1994), 9.299 (1993), 8.538 (1992), 8.707 (1991), 8.242 (1990), 8.488 (1989) Fiscal year: NA

@Western Sahara, Communications

Highways: total: 6,200 km unpaved: gravel 1,450 km; improved, unimproved earth, tracks 4,750 km Ports: El Aaiun, Ad Dakhla Airports: total: 14 usable: 14 with permanent-surface runways: 3 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 5 Telecommunications: sparse and limited system; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, troposcatter, and 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations linked to Rabat, Morocco; 2,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 2 TV

@Western Sahara, Defense Forces

Branches: NA Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

@Western Samoa, Geography

Location: Oceania, Polynesia, 4,300 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand Map references: Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 2,860 sq km land area: 2,850 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 403 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October) Terrain: narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 24% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 47% other: 10% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: soil erosion natural hazards: subject to occasional typhoons; active volcanism international agreements: party to - Biodiversity; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Law of the Sea

@Western Samoa, People

Population: 204,447 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.38% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 32.41 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 6.02 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 37 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.97 years male: 65.59 years female: 70.48 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.16 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Western Samoan(s) adjective: Western Samoan Ethnic divisions: Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% Religions: Christian 99.7% (about half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist) Languages: Samoan (Polynesian), English Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1971) total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% Labor force: 38,000 by occupation: agriculture 22,000 (1987 est.)

@Western Samoa, Government

Names: conventional long form: Independent State of Western Samoa conventional short form: Western Samoa Digraph: WS Type: constitutional monarchy under native chief Capital: Apia Administrative divisions: 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano Independence: 1 January 1962 (from UN trusteeship administered by New Zealand) National holiday: National Day, 1 June (1962) Constitution: 1 January 1962 Legal system: based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal, but only matai (head of family) are able to run for the Legislative Assembly Executive branch: chief of state: Chief Susuga Malietoa TANUMAFILI II (Co-Chief of State from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole Chief of State on 5 April 1963) head of government: Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the head of state with the prime minister's advice Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono): elections last held 5 April 1991 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (47 total) HRPP 28, SNDP 18, independents 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), TOFILAU Eti Alesana, chairman; Samoan National Development Party (SNDP), TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, LORCS, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Neroni SLADE chancery: 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800, New York, NY 10017 telephone: (212) 599-6196 or 6197 FAX: (212) 972-3970 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: the ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Western Samoa embassy: 5th floor, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P.O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: (685) 21-631 FAX: (685) 22-030 Flag: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation

@Western Samoa, Economy

Overview: Agriculture employs more than half of the labor force, contributes 50% to GDP, and furnishes 90% of exports. The bulk of export earnings comes from the sale of coconut oil and copra. The economy depends on emigrant remittances and foreign aid to support a level of imports much greater than export earnings. Tourism has become the most important growth industry, and construction of the first international hotel is under way. The economy continued to falter in 1993, as remittances and tourist earnings fell off. A fungal plant disease severely damaged the taro crop, the primary food and export crop. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $400 million (1992 est.) National product real growth rate: -4.3% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $2,000 (1992 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (1993 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $95.3 million expenditures: $95.4 million, including capital expenditures of $41 million (1992 est.) Exports: $5.7 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: coconut oil and cream, taro, copra, cocoa partners: New Zealand 34%, American Samoa 21%, Germany 18%, Australia 11% Imports: $11.5 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: intermediate goods 58%, food 17%, capital goods 12% partners: New Zealand 37%, Australia 25%, Japan 11%, Fiji 9% External debt: $83 million (December 1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -0.3% (1992 est.); accounts for 16% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 29,000 kW production: 45 million kWh consumption per capita: 240 kWh (1990) Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing Agriculture: accounts for about 50% of GDP; coconuts, fruit (including bananas, taro, yams) Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $18 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $306 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $4 million Currency: 1 tala (WS$) = 100 sene Exchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1 - 2.5920 (January 1994), 2.5681 (1993), 2.4655 (1992), 2.3975 (1991), 2.3095 (1990), 2.2686 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year

@Western Samoa, Communications

Highways: total: 2,042 km paved: 375 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, earth 1,667 km Ports: Apia Merchant marine: 1 roll on/roll off cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,838 GRT/5,536 DWT Airports: total: 3 usable: 3 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: 7,500 telephones; 70,000 radios; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT ground station

@Western Samoa, Defense Forces

Branches: Department of Police and Prisons Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

@World, Geography

Map references: Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 510.072 million sq km land area: 148.94 million sq km water area: 361.132 million sq km comparative area: land area about 16 times the size of the US note: 70.8% of the world is water, 29.2% is land Land boundaries: the land boundaries in the world total 250,883.64 km (not counting shared boundaries twice) Coastline: 356,000 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm claimed by most but can vary continental shelf: 200-m depth claimed by most or to depth of exploitation, others claim 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm claimed by most but can vary exclusive economic zone: 200 nm claimed by most but can vary territorial sea: 12 nm claimed by most but can vary note: boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm; 42 nations and other areas that are landlocked include Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe Climate: two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow temperate zones from a wide equatorial band of tropical to subtropical climates Terrain: highest elevation is Mt. Everest at 8,848 meters and lowest depression is the Dead Sea at 392 meters below sea level; greatest ocean depth is the Marianas Trench at 10,924 meters Natural resources: the rapid using up of nonrenewable mineral resources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality (especially in Eastern Europe and the former USSR) pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only beginning to address Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 24% forest and woodland: 31% other: 34% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion natural hazards: large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) international agreements: 20 selected international environmental agreements included under the Environment entry for each country and in Appendix E: Selected International Environmental Agreements

@World, People

Population: 5,643,289,771 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.5% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 25 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 65 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62 years male: 61 years female: 64 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (1994 est.) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.); total population: 82% male: 68% female: 75% Labor force: 2.24 billion (1992) by occupation: NA

@World, Government

Digraph: XX Administrative divisions: 265 sovereign nations, dependent areas, other, and miscellaneous entries Legal system: varies by individual country; 182 are parties to the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ or World Court)

@World, Economy

Overview: Real global output - gross world product (GWP) - rose roughly 2% in 1993, with results varying widely among regions and countries. Average growth of 1% in the GDP of industrialized countries (57% of GWP in 1993) and average growth of 6% in the GDP of less developed countries (37% of GWP) were partly offset by a further 10% drop in the GDP of the former USSR/Eastern Europe area (now only 6% of GWP). Within the industrialized world the US posted a 3% growth rate whereas both Japan and the 12-member European Union (formerly the European Community) had zero growth. With the notable exception of Japan at 2.5%, unemployment was typically 6-11% in the industrial world. The US accounted for 22% of GWP in 1993; Western Europe accounted for 22.5%; and Japan accounted for 9%. These are the three "economic superpowers" which are presumably destined to compete for mastery in international markets on into the 21st century. As for the less developed countries, China, India, and the Four Dragons—South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore—once again posted good records; however, many other countries, especially in Africa, continued to suffer from drought, rapid population growth, inflation, and civil strife. Central Europe, especially Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, made considerable progress in moving toward "market-friendly" economies, whereas the 15 ex-Soviet countries typically experienced further declines in output of 10-15%. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government in a number of cases is losing control over resources as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in former Yugoslavia, and in India. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of nearly 100 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems, the industrialized countries have inadequate resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. (For the specific economic problems of each country, see the individual country entries in this volume.) National product: GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power equivalent - $29 trillion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 2% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $5,200 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): developed countries: 5% (1993 est.) developing countries: 50% (1993 est.) note: these figures vary widely in individual cases Unemployment rate: developed countries typically 6%-11%; developing countries, extensive unemployment and underemployment (1993) Exports: $3.64 trillion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services partners: in value, about 75% of exports from the developed countries Imports: $3.82 trillion (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services partners: in value, about 75% of imports by the developed countries External debt: $1 trillion for less developed countries (1993 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -1% (1992 est.) Electricity: capacity: 2,864,000,000 kW production: 11.45 trillion kWh consumption per capita: 2,150 kWh (1990) Industries: industry worldwide is dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to these technological forces, and the technological gap between the industrial nations and the less-developed countries continues to widen; the rapid development of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already grim environmental problems Agriculture: the production of major food crops has increased substantially in the last 20 years; the annual production of cereals, for instance, has risen by 50%, from about 1.2 billion metric tons to about 1.8 billion metric tons; production increases have resulted mainly from increased yields rather than increases in planted areas; while global production is sufficient for aggregate demand, about one-fifth of the world's population remains malnourished, primarily because local production cannot adequately provide for large and rapidly growing populations, which are too poor to pay for food imports; conditions are especially bad in Africa where drought in recent years has intensified the consequences of overpopulation Economic aid: $NA