Front matter (continued 9)

@Guatemala, People

Population: 10,721,387 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.58% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 35.42 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -2.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 53.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.42 years male: 61.86 years female: 67.1 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.76 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan Ethnic divisions: Ladino 56% (mestizo - mixed Indian and European ancestry), Indian 44% Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan Languages: Spanish 60%, Indian language 40% (18 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 55% male: 63% female: 47% Labor force: 2.5 million by occupation: agriculture 60%, services 13%, manufacturing 12%, commerce 7%, construction 4%, transport 3%, utilities 0.7%, mining 0.3% (1985)

@Guatemala, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala Digraph: GT Type: republic Capital: Guatemala Administrative divisions: 22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Constitution: 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986 note: suspended on 25 May 1993 by President SERRANO; reinstated on 5 June 1993 following ouster of president Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Ramiro DE LEON Carpio (since 6 June 1993); Vice President Arturo HERBRUGER (since 18 June 1993); election runoff held on 11 January 1991 (next to be held 11 November 1995); results - Jorge SERRANO Elias (MAS) 68.1%, Jorge CARPIO Nicolle (UCN) 31.9% note: President SERRANO resigned on 1 June 1993 shortly after dissolving Congress and the judiciary; on 6 June 1993, Ramiro DE LEON Carpio was chosen as the new president by a vote of Congress; he will finish off the remainder of SERRANO's five-year term which expires in 1995 cabinet: Council of Ministers; named by the president Legislative branch: unicameral Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica): last held on 11 November 1990 (next to be held 11 November 1995); results - UCN 25.6%, MAS 24.3%, DCG 17.5%, PAN 17.3%, MLN 4.8%, PSD/AP-5 3.6%, PR 2.1%; seats - (116 total) UCN 38, DCG 27, MAS 18, PAN 12, Pro-Rios Montt 10, MLN 4, PR 1, PSD/AP-5 1, independent 5 note: by agreement of 11 November 1993, a special election is to be held in mid-1994 to elect a new congress Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia) Political parties and leaders: National Centrist Union (UCN), (vacant); Solidarity Action Movement (MAS), Oliverio GARCIA Rodas; Christian Democratic Party (DCG), Alfonso CABRERA Hidalgo; National Advancement Party (PAN), Alvaro ARZU Irigoyen; National Liberation Movement (MLN), Mario SANDOVAL Alarcon; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Mario SOLARZANO Martinez; Popular Alliance 5 (AP-5), Max ORLANDO Molina; Revolutionary Party (PR), Carlos CHAVARRIA Perez; National Authentic Center (CAN), Hector MAYORA Dawe; Democratic Institutional Party (PID), Oscar RIVAS; Nationalist United Front (FUN), Gabriel GIRON; Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG), Efrain RIOS Montt Other political or pressure groups: Coordinating Comittee of Agricultural, Comercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations (CACIF); Mutual Support Group (GAM); Agrarian Owners Group (UNAGRO); Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC); leftist guerrilla movement known as Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union (URNG) has four main factions - Guerrilla army of the Poor (EGP); Revolutionary Organization of the People in Arms (ORPA); Rebel Armed Forces (FAR); Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT/O) Member of: BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edmond MULET Lesseur chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 745-4952 through 4954 FAX: (202) 745-1908 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Marilyn McAFEE (since 28 May 1993) embassy: 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] (2) 31-15-41 FAX: [502] (2) 31-88-55 Flag: three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath

@Guatemala, Economy

Overview: The economy is based on family and corporate agriculture, which accounts for 26% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of exports. Manufacturing, predominantly in private hands, accounts for about 18% of GDP and 12% of the labor force. In both 1990 and 1991, the economy grew by 3%, the fourth and fifth consecutive years of mild growth. In 1992 growth picked up to almost 5% as government policies favoring competition and foreign trade and investment took stronger hold. In 1993, despite political unrest, this momentum continued, foreign investment held up, and growth was estimated at 4%. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent- $31.3 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 4% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $3,000 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.6% (1993 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.1%; underemployment 30%-40% (1992 est.) Budget: revenues: $604 million (1990) expenditures: $808 million, including capital expenditures of $134 million (1990) Exports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, cardamon, beef partners: US 37%, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras Imports: $2.6 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles partners: US 45%, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Germany External debt: $2.2 billion ( 1992 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 1.9% (1991 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 847,600 kW production: 2.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 260 kWh (1992) Industries: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism Agriculture: accounts for 26% of GDP; most important sector of economy; contributes two-thirds of export earnings; principal crops - sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; livestock - cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens; food importer Illicit drugs: transit country for cocaine shipments; illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; the government has an active eradication program for cannabis and opium poppy Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $1.1 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $7.92 billion Currency: 1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos Exchange rates: free market quetzales (Q) per US$1 - 5.8542 (January 1994), 5,6354 (1993), 5.1706 (1992), 5.0289 (1991), 4.4858 (1990), 2.8161 (1989); note - black-market rate 2.800 (May 1989) Fiscal year: calendar year

@Guatemala, Communications

Railroads: 1,019 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track; 917 km government owned, 102 km privately owned Highways: total: 26,429 km paved: 2,868 km unpaved: gravel 11,421 km; unimproved earth 12,140 km Inland waterways: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season Pipelines: crude oil 275 km Ports: Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla Merchant marine: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,129 GRT/6,450 DWT Airports: total: 523 usable: 465 with permanent-surface runways: 11 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 20 Telecommunications: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala; 97,670 telephones; broadcast stations - 91 AM, no FM, 25 TV, 15 shortwave; connection into Central American Microwave System; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

@Guatemala, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,491,582; fit for military service 1,629,222; reach military age (18) annually 119,545 (1994 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $121 million, 1% of GDP (1993)

@Guernsey

Header Affiliation: (British crown dependency)

@Guernsey, Geography

Location: Western Europe, in the English Channel, 52 km west of France between UK and France Map references: Europe Area: total area: 194 sq km land area: 194 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 50 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm International disputes: none Climate: temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast Terrain: mostly level with low hills in southwest Natural resources: cropland Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA Note: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

@Guernsey, People

Population: 63,719 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.01% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 13.21 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 9.97 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 6.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.15 years male: 75.45 years female: 80.88 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.68 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander Ethnic divisions: UK and Norman-French descent Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist Languages: English, French; Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts Literacy: total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: NA

@Guernsey, Government

Names: conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey Digraph: GK Type: British crown dependency Capital: Saint Peter Port Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency) Independence: none (British crown dependency) National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice Legal system: English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Lt. Gen. Sir Michael WILKINS (since NA 1990); Bailiff Mr. Graham Martyn DOREY (since February 1992) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee (other committees); appointed by the States Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States: elections last held NA (next to be held NA); results - no percent of vote by party since all are independents; seats - (60 total, 33 elected), all independents Judicial branch: Royal Court Political parties and leaders: none; all independents Member of: none Diplomatic representation in US: none (British crown dependency) US diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency) Flag: white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag

@Guernsey, Economy

Overview: Financial services account from more than 50% of total income. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Bank profits (1992) registered a record 26% growth. Fund management and insurance are the two other major income generators. National product: GDP $NA National product real growth rate: 9% (1987) National product per capita: $NA Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (1988) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $208.9 million expenditures: $173.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988) Exports: $NA commodities: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables partners: UK (regarded as internal trade) Imports: $NA commodities: coal, gasoline, and oil partners: UK (regarded as internal trade) External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: capacity: 173,000 kW production: 525 million kWh consumption per capita: 9,060 kWh (1992) Industries: tourism, banking Agriculture: tomatoes, flowers (mostly grown in greenhouses), sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables, fruit; Guernsey cattle Economic aid: none Currency: 1 Guernsey (#G) pound = 100 pence Exchange rates: Guernsey pounds (#G) per US$1 - 0.6699 (January 1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound Fiscal year: calendar year

@Guernsey, Communications

Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA Ports: Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson 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: broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 41,900 telephones; 1 submarine cable

@Guernsey, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

@Guinea, Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 245,860 sq km land area: 245,860 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon Land boundaries: total 3,399 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km Coastline: 320 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds Terrain: generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 12% forest and woodland: 42% other: 40% Irrigated land: 240 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: deforestation; inadequate supplies of safe drinking water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

@Guinea, People

Population: 6,391,536 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.45% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 44.08 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 19.6 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 139.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 44.13 years male: 41.9 years female: 46.43 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.85 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean Ethnic divisions: Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, indigenous tribes 10% Religions: Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7% Languages: French (official); each tribe has its own language Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 24% male: 35% female: 13% Labor force: 2.4 million (1983) by occupation: agriculture 82.0%, industry and commerce 11.0%, services 5.4% note: 88,112 civil servants (1987); 52% of population of working age (1985)

@Guinea, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea Digraph: GV Type: republic Capital: Conakry Administrative divisions: 33 administrative regions (regions administratives, singular - region administrative); Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France) National holiday: Anniversary of the Second Republic, 3 April (1984) Constitution: 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale) Legal system: based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: none Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Lansana CONTE, elected in the first multi-party election 19 December 1993 prior to the election he had ruled as head of military government since 5 April 1984 cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire): the People's National Assembly was dissolved after the 3 April 1984 coup; framework established in December 1991 for a new National Assembly with 114 seats; legislative elections are scheduled for 1994 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel) Political parties and leaders: political parties were legalized on 1 April 1992 pro-government: Party for Unity and Progress (PUP) other: Rally for the Guinean People (RPG), Alpha CONDE; Union for a New Republic (UNR), Mamadou BAH; Party for Renewal and Progress (PRP), Siradiou DIALLO Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO (observer), ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Elhadj Boubacar BARRY chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 483-9420 FAX: (202) 483-8688 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph A. SALOOM embassy: 2nd Boulevard and 9th Avenue, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: (224) 44-15-20 through 24 FAX: (224) 44-15-22 Flag: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Rwanda, which has a large black letter R centered in the yellow band

@Guinea, Economy

Overview: Although possessing major mineral and hydropower resources and considerable potential for agricultural development, Guinea remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The agricultural sector contributes about 40% to GDP and employs more than 80% of the work force, while industry accounts for 27% of GDP. Guinea possesses over 25% of the world's bauxite reserves. The mining sector accounted for 85% of exports in 1991. Long-run improvements in literacy, financial institutions, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Except in the bauxite industry, foreign investment remains minimal. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $3.1 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 3.2% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $500 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16.6% (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $449 million expenditures: $708 million, including capital expenditures of $361 million (1990 est.) Exports: $622 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: bauxite, alumina, diamonds, gold, coffee, pineapples, bananas, palm kernels partners: US 23%, Belgium 12%, Ireland 12%, Spain 12% Imports: $768 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, and other grain partners: France 26%, Cote d'Ivoire 12%, Hong Kong 6%, Germany 6% External debt: 2.5 billion (1992) Industrial production: growth rate NA%; accounts for 27% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 113,000 kW production: 300 million kWh consumption per capita: 40 kWh (1989) Industries: bauxite mining, alumina, gold, diamond mining, light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP (includes fishing and forestry); mostly subsistence farming; principal products - rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, timber; livestock - cattle, sheep and goats; not self-sufficient in food grains Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $227 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.465 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $120 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $446 million Currency: 1 Guinean franc (FG) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Guinean francs (FG) per US$1 - 810.94 (1 July 1993), 922.9 (30 September 1992), 675 (1990), 618 (1989), 515 (1988), 440 (1987), 383 (1986) Fiscal year: calendar year

@Guinea, Communications

Railroads: 1,045 km; 806 km 1.000-meter gauge, 239 km 1.435-meter standard gauge Highways: total: 30,100 km paved: 1,145 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 12,955 km (of which barely 4,500 are currently all-weather roads); unimproved earth 16,000 km (1987) Inland waterways: 1,295 km navigable by shallow-draft native craft Ports: Conakry, Kamsar Airports: total: 15 usable: 15 with permanent-surface runways: 4 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 10 Telecommunications: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiocommunication stations, and new radio relay system; 15,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 3 AM 1 FM, 1 TV; 65,000 TV sets; 200,000 radio receivers; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

@Guinea, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy (acts primarily as a coast guard), Air Force, Presidential Guard, Republican Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,440,297; fit for military service 726,543 Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $29 million, 1.2% of GDP (1988)

@Guinea-Bissau, Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Guinea and Senegal Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 36,120 sq km land area: 28,000 sq km comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut Land boundaries: total 724 km, Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km Coastline: 350 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: Guinea-Bissau and Senegal signed an agreement resolving their maritime boundary in 1993 Climate: tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds Terrain: mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east Natural resources: unexploited deposits of petroleum, bauxite, phosphates, fish, timber Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 43% forest and woodland: 38% other: 7% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not ratifed - Biodiversity, Climate Change

@Guinea-Bissau, People

Population: 1,098,231 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.37% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 40.75 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 17.03 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 120 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.44 years male: 45.79 years female: 49.15 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.51 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Guinea-Bissauan(s) adjective: Guinea-Bissauan Ethnic divisions: African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1% Religions: indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 30%, Christian 5% Languages: Portuguese (official), Criolo, African languages Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 36% male: 50% female: 24% Labor force: 403,000 (est.) by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry, services, and commerce 5%, government 5% note: population of working age 53% (1983)

@Guinea-Bissau, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau local long form: Republica de Guine-Bissau local short form: Guine-Bissau former: Portuguese Guinea Digraph: PU Type: republic formerly highly centralized, multiparty since mid-1991 Capital: Bissau Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali Independence: 10 September 1974 (from Portugal) National holiday: Independence Day, 10 September (1974) Constitution: 16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991 (currently undergoing revision to liberalize popular participation in the government) Legal system: NA Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President of the Council of State Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed power 14 November 1980 and was elected President of Council of State on 16 May 1984); election last held 19 June 1989 (next to be held 3 July 1994); results - Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA was reelected without opposition by the National People's Assembly Council of State: this body is elected by the National People's Assembly from among its own members to legislate between sessions of the National People's Assembly cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly: (Assembleia Nacional Popular) elections last held 15 June 1989 (next to be held 3 July 1994); results - PAIGC was the only party; seats - (150 total) PAIGC 150 Judicial branch: none; there is a Ministry of Justice in the Council of Ministers Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA, leader; Democratic Social Front (FDS), Rafael BARBOSA, leader; Bafata Movement, Domingos Fernandes GARNER, leader; Democratic Front (FD), Aristides MENEZES, leader note: PAIGC is still the major party (of 10 parties) and controls all aspects of the government Member of: ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alfredo Lopes CABRAL chancery: 918 16th Street NW, Mezzanine Suite, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: (202) 872-4222 FAX: (202) 872-4226 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Roger A. McGUIRE embassy: Barrio de Penha, Bissau mailing address: C.P. 297, 1067 Bissau Codex, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau telephone: [245] 25-2273, 25-2274, 25-2275, 25-2276 FAX: [245] 25-2282 Flag: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Cape Verde, which has the black star raised above the center of the red band and is framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell

@Guinea-Bissau, Economy

Overview: Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest countries in the world, with a per capita GDP of roughly $800. Agriculture and fishing are the main economic activities. Cashew nuts, peanuts, and palm kernels are the primary exports. Exploitation of known mineral deposits is unlikely at present because of a weak infrastructure and the high cost of development. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $860 million (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: NA National product per capita: $800 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 55% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $33.6 million expenditures: $44.8 million, including capital expenditures of $570,000 (1991 est.) Exports: $20.4 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels partners: Portugal, Spain, Senegal, India, Nigeria Imports: $63.5 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleum products, machinery and equipment partners: Portugal, Netherlands, China, Germany, Senegal External debt: $462 million (December 1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 0.1% (1991 est.); accounts for 5% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 22,000 kW production: 30 million kWh consumption per capita: 30 kWh (1991) Industries: agricultural processing, beer, soft drinks Agriculture: accounts for over 45% of GDP, nearly 100% of exports, and 90% of employment; rice is the staple food; other crops include corn, beans, cassava, cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, and cotton; not self-sufficient in food; fishing and forestry potential not fully exploited Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $49 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $615 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $41 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $68 million Currency: 1 Guinea-Bissauan peso (PG) = 100 centavos Exchange rates: Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1 - 11,850 (December 1993), 10,082 (1993), 6,934 (1992), 3,659 (1991), 2,185 (1990), 1,810 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year

@Guinea-Bissau, Communications

Highways: total: 3,218 km paved: bituminous 2,698 km unpaved: earth 520 km Inland waterways: scattered stretches are important to coastal commerce Ports: Bissau Airports: total: 32 usable: 16 with permanent-surface runways: 4 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 5 Telecommunications: poor system of radio relay, open-wire lines, and radiocommunications; 3,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 1 TV

@Guinea-Bissau, Defense Forces

Branches: People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; including Army, Navy, Air Force), paramilitary force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 243,715; fit for military service 139,161 Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $9.3 million, 5%-6% of GDP (1987)

@Guyana, Geography

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Suriname and Venezuela Map references: South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 214,970 sq km land area: 196,850 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Idaho Land boundaries: total 2,462 km, Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km Coastline: 459 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or the outer edge of continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: all of the area west of the Essequibo River claimed by Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Kutari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne) Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January) Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 83% other: 8% Irrigated land: 1,300 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation natural hazards: flash floods a constant threat during rainy seasons international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber; signed, but not ratifed - Biodiversity, Climate Change

@Guyana, People

Population: 729,425 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: -0.75% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 19.95 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 7.36 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -20.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 48.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.9 years male: 61.66 years female: 68.3 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.29 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese Ethnic divisions: East Indian 51%, black and mixed 43%, Amerindian 4%, European and Chinese 2% Religions: Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1% Languages: English, Amerindian dialects Literacy: age 15 and over having ever attended school (1990 est.) total population: 95% male: 98% female: 96% Labor force: 268,000 by occupation: industry and commerce 44.5%, agriculture 33.8%, services 21.7% note: public-sector employment amounts to 60-80% of the total labor force (1985)

@Guyana, Government

Names: conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana Digraph: GY Type: republic Capital: Georgetown Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK) National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970) Constitution: 6 October 1980 Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 5 October 1992); First Vice President Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992); election last held on 5 October 1992; results - Cheddi JAGAN was elected president since he was leader of the party with the most votes in the National Assembly elections head of government: Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly: elections last held on 5 October 1992 (next to be held in 1997); results - PPP 53.4%, PNC 42.3%, WPA 2%, TUF 1.2%; seats - (65 total, 53 elected) PPP 36, PNC 26, WPA 2, TUF 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Party (PPP), Cheddi JAGAN; People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE;; People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE; Working People's Alliance (WPA), Eusi KWAYANA, Rupert ROOPNARINE; Democratic Labor Movement (DLM), Paul TENNASSEE; People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Llewellyn JOHN; National Democratic Front (NDF), Joseph BACCHUS; The United Force (TUF), Manzoor NADIR; United Republican Party (URP), Leslie RAMSAMMY; National Republican Party (NRP), Robert GANGADEEN; Guyana Labor Party (GLP), Nanda GOPAUL Other political or pressure groups: Trades Union Congress (TUC); Guyana Council of Indian Organizations (GCIO); Civil Liberties Action Committee (CLAC) note: the latter two organizations are small and active but not well organized Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, ONUSAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 265-6900 through 6903 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador George F. Jones embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingstown, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown telephone: [592] (2) 54900 through 54909 and 57960 through 57969 FAX: [592] (2) 58497 Flag: green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and the green

@Guyana, Economy

Overview: Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, has pushed ahead strongly in 1991-93, at 7% average annual growth rate. Favorable factors include recovery in the key agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a sharp drop in the inflation rate, and the continued support of international organizations. Serious underlying economic problems will continue. Electric power has been in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government will have to persist in efforts to control external debt and inflation and to extend the privatization program. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $1.4 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 8.3% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $1,900 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (1993 Unemployment rate: 12% (1992 est.) Budget: revenues: $121 million expenditures: $225 million, including capital expenditures of $50 million (1990 est.) Exports: $400 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: sugar, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses partners: UK 33%, US 31%, Canada 9%, France 5%, Japan 3%, (1992) Imports: $520 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food partners: US 37%, Trinidad and Tobago 13%, UK 11%, Italy 8%, Japan 5% (1992) External debt: $1.9 billion including arrears (1992 est) Industrial production: growth rate 11% (1991 est.); accounts for about 11% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 253,500 kW production: 276 million kWh consumption per capita: 370 kWh (1992) Industries: bauxite mining, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles, gold mining Agriculture: most important sector, accounting for 25% of GDP and about half of exports; sugar and rice are key crops; development potential exists for fishing and forestry; not self-sufficient in food, especially wheat, vegetable oils, and animal products Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $116 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $325 million; Communist countries 1970-89, $242 million Currency: 1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 130.7 (January 1994), 126.7 (1993), 125.0 (1992), 111.8 (1991), 39.533 (1990), 27.159 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year

@Guyana, Communications

Railroads: no public railroads; about 100 km of narrow gauge industrial railroads to transport minerals, including bauxite Highways: total: 7,665 km paved: 550 km unpaved: gravel 5,000 km; earth 2,115 km Inland waterways: 6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively Ports: Georgetown, New Amsterdam Merchant marine: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,317 GRT/2,558 DWT Airports: total: 53 usable: 48 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 12 Telecommunications: fair system with radio relay network; over 27,000 telephones; tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 3 FM, no TV, 1 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

@Guyana, Defense Forces

Branches: Guyana Defense Force (GDF; including the Ground Forces, Coast Guard and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana National Service (GNS) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 197,802; fit for military service 150,072 Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

@Haiti, Geography

Location: Caribbean, in the northern Caribbean Sea, about 90 km southeast of Cuba Map references: Central America and the Caribbean, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 27,750 sq km land area: 27,560 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland Land boundaries: total 275 km, Dominican Republic 275 km Coastline: 1,771 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: claims US-administered Navassa Island Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous Natural resources: bauxite Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 13% meadows and pastures: 18% forest and woodland: 4% other: 45% Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes international agreements: party to - Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban Note: shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

@Haiti, People

Population: 6,491,450 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.63% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 39.72 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 18.78 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 108.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 45.11 years male: 43.45 years female: 46.85 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.94 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian Ethnic divisions: black 95%, mulatto and European 5% Religions: Roman Catholic 80% (of which an overwhelming majority also practice Voodoo), Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982) Languages: French (official) 10%, Creole Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 53% male: 59% female: 47% Labor force: 2.3 million by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9% note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1982)

@Haiti, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Haiti local long form: Republique d'Haiti local short form: Haiti Digraph: HA Type: republic Capital: Port-au-Prince Administrative divisions: 9 departments, (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804) Constitution: constitution approved March 1987, suspended June 1988, most articles reinstated March 1989; October 1991, government claims to be observing the Constitution Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February 1991), ousted in a coup in September 1991, but still recognized by international community as Chief of State; election last held 16 December 1990 (next to be held by December 1995); results - Rev. Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 67.5%, Marc BAZIN 14.2%, Louis DEJOIE 4.9% head of government: acting Prime Minister Robert MALVAL (since August 1993) cabinet: Cabinet; chosen by prime minister in consultation with the president Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) Senate: elections last held 18 January 1993, widely condemned as illegitimate (next to be held December 1994); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (27 total) FNCD 12, ANDP 8, PAIN 2, MRN 1, RDNP 1, PNT 1, independent 2 Chamber of Deputies: elections last held 16 December 1990, with runoff held 20 January 1991 (next to be held by December 1994); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (83 total) FNCD 27, ANDP 17, PDCH 7, PAIN 6, RDNP 6, MDN 5, PNT 3, MKN 2, MODELH 2, MRN 1, independents 5, other 2 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (Cour de Cassation) Political parties and leaders: National Front for Change and Democracy (FNCD), including National Congress of Democratic Movements (CONACOM), Victor BENOIT, and National Cooperative Action Movement (MKN), Volvick Remy JOSEPH; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti (MIDH), Marc BAZIN; National Progressive Revolutionary Party (PANPRA), Serge GILLES; National Patriotic Movement of November 28 (MNP-28), Dejean BELIZAIRE; National Agricultural and Industrial Party (PAIN), Louis DEJOIE; Movement for National Reconstruction (MRN), Rene THEODORE; Haitian Christian Democratic Party (PDCH), Joseph DOUZE; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats (RDNP), Leslie MANIGAT; National Party of Labor (PNT), Thomas DESULME; Mobilization for National Development (MDN), Hubert DE RONCERAY; Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Haiti (MODELH), Francois LATORTUE; Haitian Social Christian Party (PSCH), Gregoire EUGENE; Movement for the Organization of the Country (MOP), Gesner COMEAU and Jean MOLIERE Other political or pressure groups: Democratic Unity Confederation (KID); Roman Catholic Church; Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH); Federation of Workers Trade Unions (FOS); Autonomous Haitian Workers (CATH); National Popular Assembly (APN); Revolutionary Front for Haitian Advancement and Progress (FRAPH) Member of: ACCT, ACP, CARICOM (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jean CASIMIR chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 332-4090 through 4092 FAX: (202) 745-7215 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador William Lacy SWING embassy: Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 22-0354, 22-0368, 22-0200, or 22-0612 FAX: [509] 23-1641 Flag: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

@Haiti, Economy

Overview: About 75% of the population live in abject poverty. Agriculture is mainly small-scale subsistence farming and employs nearly three-fourths of the work force. The majority of the population does not have ready access to safe drinking water, adequate medical care, or sufficient food. Few social assistance programs exist, and the lack of employment opportunities remains one of the most critical problems facing the economy, along with soil erosion and political instability. Trade sanctions applied by the Organization of American States in response to the September 1991 coup against President ARISTIDE have further damaged the economy. Output continued to drop in 1993 although not as sharply as in 1992. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $5.2 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: -13% (FY92 est.) National product per capita: $800 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% (FY92 est.) Unemployment rate: 25%-50% (1991) Budget: revenues: $300 million expenditures: $416 million, including capital expenditures of $145 million (1990 est.) Exports: $135 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: light manufactures 65%, coffee 19%, other agriculture 8%, other 8% partners: US 84%, Italy 4%, France 3%, other industrial countries 6%, less developed countries 3% (1987) Imports: $423 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: machines and manufactures 34%, food and beverages 22%, petroleum products 14%, chemicals 10%, fats and oils 9% partners: US 64%, Netherlands Antilles 5%, Japan 5%, France 4%, Canada 3%, Germany 3% (1987) External debt: $838 million (December 1990) Industrial production: growth rate -2% (1991 est.); accounts for 15% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 217,000 kW production: 480 million kWh consumption per capita: 75 kWh (1992) Industries: sugar refining, textiles, flour milling, cement manufacturing, tourism, light assembly industries based on imported parts Agriculture: accounts for 28% of GDP and employs around 70% of work force; mostly small-scale subsistence farms; commercial crops - coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, wood; staple crops - rice, corn, sorghum; shortage of wheat flour Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana en route to the US and Europe Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (1970-89), $700 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $770 million Currency: 1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: gourdes (G) per US$1 - 12.00 (1 July 1993), 8.4 (December 1991), fixed rate of 5.000 through second quarter of 1991 Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

@Haiti, Communications

Railroads: 40 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge, single-track, privately owned industrial line Highways: total: 4,000 km paved: 950 km unpaved: otherwise improved 900 km; unimproved earth 2,150 km Inland waterways: negligible; less than 100 km navigable Ports: Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haitien; six minor ports Airports: total: 14 usable: 11 with permanent-surface runways: 3 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3 Telecommunications: domestic facilities barely adequate, international facilities slightly better; 36,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 33 AM, no FM, 4 TV, 2 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

@Haiti, Defense Forces

Branches: Army (including Police), Navy, Air Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,313,265; fit for military service 709,712; reach military age (18) annually 62,488 (1994 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $34 million, 1.5% of GDP (1988 est.)

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Header Affiliation: (territory of Australia)

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Geography

Location: Southern Africa, in the Indian Ocean, 4,100 km southwest of Australia Map references: Antarctic Region Area: total area: 412 sq km land area: 412 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 101.9 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm International disputes: none Climate: antarctic Terrain: Heard Island - bleak and mountainous, with an quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands - small and rocky 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: NA international agreements: NA Note: primarily used for research stations

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands, People

Population: uninhabited

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Government

Names: conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands Digraph: HM Type: territory of Australia administered by the Ministry for Environment, Sport, and Territories Capital: none; administered from Canberra, Australia Independence: none (territory of Australia)

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Economy

Overview: no economic activity

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Communications

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

@Holy See (Vatican City), Geography

Location: Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome - central Italy Map references: Europe Area: total area: 0.44 sq km land area: 0.44 sq km comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: total 3.2 km, Italy 3.2 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: none Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) Terrain: low hill 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: NA international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution, Environmental Modification Note: urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights

@Holy See (Vatican City), People

Population: 821 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.15% (1994 est.) Birth rate: NA Death rate: NA Net migration rate: NA Infant mortality rate: NA Life expectancy at birth: NA Total fertility rate: NA Nationality: noun: none adjective: none Ethnic divisions: Italians, Swiss Religions: Roman Catholic Languages: Italian, Latin, various other languages Literacy: total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: NA by occupation: dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside the Vatican

@Holy See (Vatican City), Government

Names: conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) Digraph: VT Type: monarchical-sacerdotal state Capital: Vatican City Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy) National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope, 22 October (1978) (John Paul II) note: Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978 Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968) Legal system: NA Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old Executive branch: chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYLA; since 16 October 1978); election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); results - Karol WOJTYLA was elected for life by the College of Cardinals head of government: Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo Cardinal SODANO (since NA 1991) cabinet: Pontifical Commission; appointed by Pope Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy Political parties and leaders: none Other political or pressure groups: none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) Member of: CSCE, IAEA, ICFTU, IMF (observer), INTELSAT, IOM (observer), ITU, OAS (observer), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Agostino CACCIAVILLAN chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 333-7121 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond L. FLYNN embassy: Villino Pacelli, Via Aurelia 294, 00165 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, APO AE 09624 telephone: [396] 46741 FAX: [396] 638-0159 Flag: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band

@Holy See (Vatican City), Economy

Overview: This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. Budget: revenues: $86 million expenditures: $178 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.) Electricity: capacity: 5,000 kW standby production: power supplied by Italy consumption per capita: NA (1992) Industries: printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities Currency: 1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi Exchange rates: Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1 - 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); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely Fiscal year: calendar year

@Holy See (Vatican City), Communications

Railroads: 850 m, 750-mm gauge (links with Italian network near the Rome station of Saint Peter's) Highways: none; all city streets Telecommunications: broadcast stations - 3 AM, 4 FM, no TV; 2,000-line automatic telephone exchange; no communications satellite systems

@Holy See (Vatican City), Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City

@Honduras, Geography

Location: Middle America, between Guatemala and Nicaragua Map references: Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 112,090 sq km land area: 111,890 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee Land boundaries: total 1,520 km, Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km Coastline: 820 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: land boundary dispute with El Salvador mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision; ICJ referred the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua likely would be required Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains Terrain: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish Land use: arable land: 14% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 30% forest and woodland: 34% other: 20% Irrigated land: 900 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of freshwater) with heavy metals as well as several rivers and streams natural hazards: subject to frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Tropical Timber

@Honduras, People

Population: 5,314,794 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.73% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 34.97 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 6.22 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 45.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.6 years male: 65.23 years female: 70.08 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.71 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran Ethnic divisions: mestizo (mixed Indian and European) 90%, Indian 7%, black 2%, white 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority Languages: Spanish, Indian dialects Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 73% male: 76% female: 71% Labor force: 1.3 million by occupation: agriculture 62%, services 20%, manufacturing 9%, construction 3%, other 6% (1985)

@Honduras, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Honduras local long form: Republica de Honduras local short form: Honduras Digraph: HO Type: republic Capital: Tegucigalpa Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Constitution: 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982 Legal system: rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law; some influence of English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (since 27 January 1994); election last held on 28 November 1993 (next to be held November 1997); results - Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (PLH) 53%, Oswaldo RAMOS Soto (PNH) 41%, other 6% cabinet: Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional): elections last held on 27 November 1993 (next to be held November 1997); results - PNH 53%, PLH 41%, PDCH 1.0%, PINU-SD 2.5%, other 2.5%; seats - (134 total) PNH 55, PLH 77, PINU-SD 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica) Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party (PLH), Rafael PINEDA Ponce, president; National Party (PN) has two factions: Movimiento Nacional de Reivindication Callejista (Monarca), Rafael Leonardo CALLEJAS, and Oswaldista, Oswaldo RAMOS Soto, presidential candidate; National Innovation and Unity Party (PINU), Olban VALLADARES, president; Christian Democratic Party (PDCH), Efrain DIAZ Arrivillaga, president Other political or pressure groups: National Association of Honduran Campesinos (ANACH); Honduran Council of Private Enterprise (COHEP); Confederation of Honduran Workers (CTH); National Union of Campesinos (UNC); General Workers Confederation (CGT); United Federation of Honduran Workers (FUTH); Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras (CODEH); Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations (CCOP) Member of: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Arturo BENDANA chancery: 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 966-7702, 2604, 5008, 4596 FAX: (202) 966-9751 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, and Jacksonville US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador William PRYCE embassy: Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 32-3120 FAX: [504] 32-0027 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with five blue five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

@Honduras, Economy

Overview: Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Agriculture, the most important sector of the economy, accounts for more than 25% of GDP, employs 62% of the labor force, and produces two-thirds of exports. Productivity remains low. Industry, still in its early stages, employs nearly 9% of the labor force, accounts for 15% of GDP, and generates 20% of exports. The service sectors, including public administration, account for 50% of GDP and employ 20% of the labor force. Basic problems facing the economy include rapid population growth, high unemployment, a lack of basic services, a large and inefficient public sector, and the dependence of the export sector mostly on coffee and bananas, which are subject to sharp price fluctuations. A far-reaching reform program initiated by former President CALLEJAS in 1990 is beginning to take hold. In 1993 the large fiscal deficit emerged as a key economic problem, the result of improvident state spending. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $10 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 3.7% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $1,950 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 13% (1993 est.) Unemployment rate: 10%; underemployed 30%-40% (1992) Budget: revenues: $1.4 billion expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $511 million (1990 est.) Exports: $850 million (f.o.b., 1993 est) commodities: bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber partners: US 53%, Germany 11%, Belgium 8%, UK 5% Imports: $1.1 billion (c.i.f. 1993 est) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs partners: US 50%, Mexico 8%, Guatemala 6% External debt: $2.8 billion (1990) Industrial production: growth rate 0.8% (1990 est.); accounts for 15% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 575,000 kW production: 2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 390 kWh (1992) Industries: agricultural processing (sugar and coffee), textiles, clothing, wood products Agriculture: most important sector, accounting for more than 25% of GDP, more than 60% of the labor force, and two-thirds of exports; principal products include bananas, coffee, timber, beef, citrus fruit, shrimp; importer of wheat Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.4 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.1 billion Currency: 1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos Exchange rates: lempiras (L) per US$1 - 7.2600 (December 1993), 7.2600 (1993), 5.8300 (1992), 5.4000 (1991); 2.0000 (fixed rate until 1991) 5.70 parallel black-market rate (November 1990); the lempira was allowed to float in 1992 Fiscal year: calendar year

@Honduras, Communications

Railroads: 785 km total; 508 km 1.067-meter gauge, 277 km 0.914-meter gauge Highways: total: 8,950 km paved: 1,700 km unpaved: otherwise improved 5,000 km; unimproved earth 2,250 km Inland waterways: 465 km navigable by small craft Ports: Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo Merchant marine: 270 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 831,856 GRT/1,248,186 DWT, bulk 25, cargo 177, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 7, liquified gas 1, oil tanker 22, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 20, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 14 ships under the Honduran flag Airports: total: 160 usable: 133 with permanent-surface runways: 11 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 14 Telecommunications: inadequate system with only 7 telephones per 1,000 persons; international services provided by 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations and the Central American microwave radio relay system; broadcast stations - 176 AM, no FM, 7 SW, 28 TV

@Honduras, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, Public Security Forces (FUSEP) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,229,777; fit for military service 732,866; reach military age (18) annually 60,445 (1994 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $42.8 million, about 1.3% of GDP (1993 est.)

@Hong Kong

Header Affiliation: (dependent territory of the UK)

@Hong Kong, Geography

Location: Eastern Asia, on the southeast coast of China bordering the South China Sea Map references: Asia, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 1,040 sq km land area: 990 sq km comparative area: slightly less than six times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: total 30 km, China 30 km Coastline: 733 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 3 nm territorial sea: 3 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall Terrain: hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 12% other: 79% Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1989) Environment: current issues: air and water pollution from rapid urbanization natural hazards: occasional typhoons international agreements: NA Note: more than 200 islands

@Hong Kong, People

Population: 5,548,754 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: -0.09% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 12.16 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 5.85 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -7.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.09 years male: 76.67 years female: 83.71 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.37 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese Ethnic divisions: Chinese 95%, other 5% Religions: eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10% Languages: Chinese (Cantonese), English Literacy: age 15 and over having ever attended school (1971) total population: 77% male: 90% female: 64% Labor force: 2.8 million (1990) by occupation: manufacturing 28.5%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 27.9%, services 17.7%, financing, insurance, and real estate 9.2%, transport and communications 4.5%, construction 2.5%, other 9.7% (1989)

@Hong Kong, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Hong Kong Abbreviation: HK Digraph: HK Type: dependent territory of the UK scheduled to revert to China in 1997 Capital: Victoria Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK) Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK; the UK signed an agreement with China on 19 December 1984 to return Hong Kong to China on 1 July 1997; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Hong Kong's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle) National holiday: Liberation Day, 29 August (1945) Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice; new Basic Law approved in March 1990 in preparation for 1997 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: direct election 21 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 professionals of electoral college and functional constituencies Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor Chris PATTEN (since 9 July 1992); Chief Secretary Anson CHAN Fang On-Sang (since 29 November 1993) cabinet: Executive Council; appointed by the governor Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council: indirect elections last held 12 September 1991 and direct elections were held for the first time 15 September 1991 (next to be held in September 1995 when the number of directly-elected seats increases to 20); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total; 21 indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 18 directly elected, 18 appointed by governor, 3 ex officio members); indirect elections - number of seats by functional constituency NA; direct elections - UDHK 12, Meeting Point 3, ADPL 1, other 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: United Democrats of Hong Kong, Martin LEE, chairman; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, TSANG Yuk-shing, chairman; Hong Kong Democratic Foundation, Dr. Patrick SHIU Kin-ying, chairman note: in April 1994, the United Democrats of Hong Kong and Meeting Point merged to form the "Democratic Party;" the merger becomes effective in October 1994 Other political or pressure groups: Liberal Party, Allen LEE, chairman; Meeting Point, Anthony CHEUNG Bing-leung, chairman; Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, Frederick FUNG Kin Kee, chairman; Liberal Democratic Federation, HU Fa-kuang, chairman; Federation of Trade Unions (pro-China), LEE Chark-tim, president; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy), LAU Chin-shek, chairman; Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, CHEUNG Man-kwong, president; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China, Szeto WAH, chairman note: in April 1994, the United Democrats of Hong Kong and Meeting Point merged to form the "Democratic Party;" the merger becomes effective in October 1994 Member of: COCOM (cooperating), APEC, AsDB, CCC, ESCAP (associate), GATT, ICFTU, IMO (associate), INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: none (dependent territory of the UK) US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Consul General Richard MUELLER consulate general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 464, Box 30, Hong Kong, or FPO AP 96522-0002 telephone: [852] 523-9011 FAX: [852] 845-1598 Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with the Hong Kong coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a shield (bearing two junks below a crown) held by a lion (representing the UK) and a dragon (representing China) with another lion above the shield and a banner bearing the words HONG KONG below the shield

@Hong Kong, Economy

Overview: Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy with few tariffs or nontariff barriers. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Manufacturing accounts for about 17% of GDP. Goods and services exports account for about 50% of GDP. Real GDP growth averaged a remarkable 8% in 1987-88, slowed to 3.0% in 1989-90, and picked up to 4.2% in 1991, 5.0% in 1992, and 5.2% in 1993. Unemployment, which has been declining since the mid-1980s, is now about 2%. A shortage of labor continues to put upward pressure on prices and the cost of living. Short-term prospects remain bright so long as major trading partners continue to be reasonably prosperous. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $119 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 5.2% (1993) National product per capita: $21,500 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (1993) Unemployment rate: 2.3% (1993 est.) Budget: revenues: $19.2 billion expenditures: $19.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94) Exports: $145.1 billion (including re-exports of $104.2 billion )(f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: clothing, textiles, yarn and fabric, footwear, electrical appliances, watches and clocks, toys partners: China 32%, US 23%, Germany 5%, Japan 5%, UK 3% (1993 est.) Imports: $149.6 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum partners: China 36%, Japan 19%, Taiwan 9%, US 7% (1993 est.) External debt: none (1993) Industrial production: growth rate 2% (1993 est.) Electricity: capacity: 9,566,000 kW production: 29.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 4,980 kWh (1992) Industries: textiles, clothing, tourism, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks Agriculture: minor role in the economy; local farmers produce 26% fresh vegetables, 27% live poultry; 8% of land area suitable for farming Illicit drugs: a hub for Southeast Asian heroin trade; transshipment and major financial and money-laundering center Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $152 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $923 million Currency: 1 Hong Kong dollar (HK$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Hong Kong dollars (HK$) per US$ - 7.800 (1993), 7.741 (1992), 7.771 (1991), 7.790 (1990), 7.800 (1989); note - linked to the US dollar at the rate of about 7.8 HK$ per 1 US$ since 1985 Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Hong Kong, Communications

Railroads: 35 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, government owned Highways: total: 1,100 km paved: 794 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, earth 306 km Ports: Hong Kong Merchant marine: 201 ships (1,000 GRT or over), totaling 6,972,233 GRT/11,965,809 DWT, bulk 105, cargo 23, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 6, container 29, liquefied gas 7, oil tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 7, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 2 note: a flag of convenience registry; ships registered in Hong Kong fly the UK flag, and an estimated 500 Hong Kong-owned ships are registered elsewhere Airports: total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0 Telecommunications: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services; 3,000,000 telephones; microwave transmission links and extensive optical fiber transmission network; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 6 FM, 4 TV; 1 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) repeater station and 1 British Forces Broadcasting Service repeater station; 2,500,000 radio receivers; 1,312,000 TV sets (1,224,000 color TV sets); satellite earth stations - 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT; coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; links to 5 international submarine cables providing access to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

@Hong Kong, Defense Forces

Branches: Headquarters of British Forces, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Police Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,636,397; fit for military service 1,251,901; reach military age (18) annually 42,044 (1994 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $300 million, 0.5% of GDP (1989 est.); this represents one-fourth of the total cost of defending itself, the remainder being paid by the UK Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

@Howland Island

Header Affiliation: (territory of the US)

@Howland Island, Geography

Location: Oceania, Polynesia, in the North Pacific Ocean, 2,575 km southwest of Honolulu, just north of the Equator, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia Map references: Oceania Area: total area: 1.6 sq km land area: 1.6 sq km comparative area: about 2.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 6.4 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: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun Terrain: low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s) Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 5% other: 95% Irrigated land: 0 sq km Environment: current issues: lacks freshwater natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA Note: almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats

@Howland Island, People

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

@Howland Island, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Howland Island Digraph: HQ Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC

@Howland Island, Economy

Overview: no economic activity

@Howland Island, Communications

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only, one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast Airports: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan - they left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable Note: Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart

@Howland Island, Defense Forces

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

@Hungary, Geography

Location: Central Europe, between Slovakia and Romania Map references: Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe Area: total area: 93,030 sq km land area: 92,340 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana Land boundaries: total 1,989 km, Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151 km (all with Serbia), Slovakia 515 km, Slovenia 82 km, Ukraine 103 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Slovakia Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils Land use: arable land: 50.7% permanent crops: 6.1% meadows and pastures: 12.6% forest and woodland: 18.3% other: 12.3% Irrigated land: 1,750 sq km (1989) Environment: current issues: air pollution; industrial and municipal pollution of Lake Balaton natural hazards: levees are common along many streams, but flooding occurs almost every year international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea Note: landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin

@Hungary, People

Population: 10,319,113 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: -0.03% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 12.46 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 12.72 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 12.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.37 years male: 67.37 years female: 75.58 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian Ethnic divisions: Hungarian 89.9%, Gypsy 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%, Romanian 0.7% Religions: Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other 7.5% Languages: Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8% Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% Labor force: 5.4 million by occupation: services, trade, government, and other 44.8%, industry 29.7%, agriculture 16.1%, construction 7.0% (1991)

@Hungary, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Hungary conventional short form: Hungary local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag local short form: Magyarorszag Digraph: HU Type: republic Capital: Budapest Administrative divisions: 38 counties (megyek, singular - megye) and 1 capital city* (fovaros); Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Budapest*, Csongrad, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Fejer, Gyor, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Hodmezovasarhely, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Komarom-Esztergom, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Pest, Somogy, Sopron, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala, Zalaegerszeg Independence: 1001 (unification by King Stephen I) National holiday: St. Stephen's Day (National Day), 20 August (commemorates the founding of Hungarian state circa 1000 A.D.) Constitution: 18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight Legal system: in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based on Western model Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously interim president from 2 May 1990); election last held 3 August 1990 (next to be held NA 1995); results - President GONCZ elected by parliamentary vote; note - President GONCZ was elected by the National Assembly with a total of 295 votes out of 304 as interim President from 2 May 1990 until elected President head of government: Prime Minister Peter BOROSS (since 12 December 1993 on the death of Jozsef ANTALL); new prime minister will probably be Gyula HORN cabinet: Council of Ministers; elected by the National Assembly on recommendation of the president Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Orszaggyules): elections last held on 8 and 29 May 1994 (next to be held spring 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (386 total) Hungarian Socialist Party 209, Alliance of Free Democrats 70, Hungarian Democratic Forum 37, Independent Smallholders 26, Christian Democratic People's Party 22, Federation of Young Democrats 20, other 2 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court Political parties and leaders: Democratic Forum, Sandor LESZAK, chairman; Independent Smallholders (FKGP), Jozsef TORGYAN, president; Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), Gyula HORN, president; Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP), Dr. Lazlo SURJAN, president; Federation of Young Democrats (FIDESZ), Viktor ORBAN, chairman; Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ), Ivan PETO, chairman note: the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party (MSZMP) renounced Communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) in October 1989; there is still a small MSZMP Member of: Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-9, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pal TAR chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 362-6730 FAX: (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald BLINKEN embassy: V. Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest mailing address: Am Embassy, Unit 1320, Budapest; APO AE 09213 telephone: [36] (1) 112-6450 FAX: [36] (1) 132-8934 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

@Hungary, Economy

Overview: Hungary is still in the midst of a difficult transition from a command to a market economy. Its economic reforms during the Communist era gave it a head start on this process, particularly in terms of attracting foreign investors - Hungary has accounted for about half of all foreign direct investment in Eastern Europe since 1989. Nonetheless, the economy continued to contract in 1993, with real GDP falling perhaps 1%. Although the privatization process has lagged, in December 1993 Hungary carried out the largest privatization yet in Eastern Europe, selling a controlling interest in the Matav telecommunications firm to private investors - including a 30% share to a US-German consortium for $875 million. Overall, about half of GDP now originates in the private sector. Unemployment rose to about 13% in 1993 while inflation remained above 20%, and falling exports pushed the trade deficit to about $3 billion. The government hopes that economic recovery in Western Europe in 1994 will boost exports, lower the trade deficit, and help jump-start the economy. The budget, however, is likely to remain a serious concern; depressed tax revenue pushed up the budget deficit in 1993. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $57 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: -1% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $5,500 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 23% (1993 est.) Unemployment rate: 13% (1993) Budget: revenues: $10.2 billion expenditures: $12.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.) Exports: $8.9 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: raw materials, semi-finished goods, chemicals 39.6%, machinery 14.5%, consumer goods 22.3%, food and agriculture 20.0%, fuels and energy 3.6% (January-June 1993) partners: EC 49.8% (Germany 27.8%, Italy 9.5%), Austria 10.7%, the FSU 13.1%, Eastern Europe 9.8% (1992) Imports: $12.5 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: fuels and energy 13.9%, raw materials, semi-finished goods, chemicals 35.9%, machinery 22.4%, consumer goods 21.8%, food and agriculture 6.0% (January-June 1993) partners: EC 42.8% (Germany 23.6%, Italy 6.3%), Austria 14.4%, the FSU 16.8%, Eastern Europe 9.2% External debt: $24.7 billion (November 1993) Industrial production: growth rate 4% (1993 est.) Electricity: capacity: 7,200,000 kW production: 30 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,000 kWh (1992) Industries: mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), buses, automobiles Agriculture: including forestry, accounts for 15% of GDP and 16% of employment; highly diversified crop and livestock farming; principal crops - wheat, corn, sunflowers, potatoes, sugar beets; livestock - hogs, cattle, poultry, dairy products; self-sufficient in food output Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southeast Asia heroin transiting the Balkan route Economic aid: recipient: assistance pledged by OECD countries since 1989 about $9 billion Currency: 1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler Exchange rates: forints per US$1 - 93.46 (September 1993), 92.5 (1993), 78.99 (1992), 74.74 (1991), 63.21 (1990), 59.07 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year

@Hungary, Communications

Railroads: 7,765 km total; 7,508 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 222 km narrow gauge (mostly 0.760-meter), 35 km 1.520-meter broad gauge; 1,236 km double track, 2,249 km electrified; all government owned (1990) Highways: total: 130,224 km paved: 61,948 km unpaved: 68,276 km (1988) Inland waterways: 1,622 km (1988) Pipelines: crude oil 1,204 km; natural gas 4,387 km (1991) Ports: Budapest and Dunaujvaros are river ports on the Danube; coastal outlets are Rostock (Germany), Gdansk (Poland), Gdynia (Poland), Szczecin (Poland), Galati (Romania), and Braila (Romania) Merchant marine: 10 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) and 1 bulk totaling 46,121 GRT/61,613 DWT Airports: total: 126 usable: 65 with permanent-surface runways: 12 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 18 with runways 1,060-2,439 m: 31 note: a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip Telecommunications: automatic telephone network based on microwave radio relay system; 1,128,800 phones (1991); telephone density is at 19.4 per 100 inhabitants; 49% of all phones are in Budapest; 608,000 telephones on order (1991); 12-15 year wait for a phone; 14,213 telex lines (1991); broadcast stations - 32 AM, 15 FM, 41 TV (8 Soviet TV repeaters); 4.2 million TVs (1990); 1 satellite ground station using INTELSAT and Intersputnik

@Hungary, Defense Forces

Branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, Territorial Defense Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,636,888; fit for military service 2,105,628; reach military age (18) annually 90,134 (1994 est.) Defense expenditures: 66.5 billion forints, NA% of GNP (1993 est.); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

@Iceland, Geography

Location: Nordic State, Northern Europe, in the North Atlantic Ocean, between Greenland and Norway Map references: Arctic Region, Europe, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 103,000 sq km land area: 100,250 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Kentucky Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 4,988 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area) Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 1% other: 78% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment natural hazards: subject to earthquakes and volcanic activity international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation Note: strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe

@Iceland, People

Population: 263,599 (July 1994 est.) note: population data estimates based on average growth rate may differ slightly from official population data because of volatile migration rates Population growth rate: 0.9% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 16.41 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 6.72 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.83 years male: 76.57 years female: 81.21 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.11 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic Ethnic divisions: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 96%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, none 1% (1988) Languages: Icelandic Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1976 est.) total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: 127,900 by occupation: commerce, transportation, and services 60.0%, manufacturing 12.5%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, construction 10.8%, agriculture 4.0% (1990)

@Iceland, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lyoveldio Island local short form: Island Digraph: IC Type: republic Capital: Reykjavik Administrative divisions: 23 counties (syslar, singular - sysla) and 14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla, Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla Independence: 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) National holiday: Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June (1944) Constitution: 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR (since 1 August 1980); election last held on 29 June 1988 (next scheduled for June 1996); results - there was no election in 1992 as President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR was unopposed head of government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Althing): elections last held on 20 April 1991 (next to be held by April 1995); results - Independence Party 38.6%, Progressive Party 18.9%, Social Democratic Party 15.5%, People's Alliance 14.4%, Womens List 8.3%, Liberals 1.2%, other 3.1%; seats - (63 total) Independence 26, Progressive 13, Social Democratic 10, People's Alliance 9, Womens List 5 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Haestirettur) Political parties and leaders: Independence Party (conservative), David ODDSSON; Progressive Party, Steingrimur HERMANNSSON; Social Democratic Party, Jon Baldvin HANNIBALSSON; People's Alliance (left socialist), Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON; Women's List Member of: Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Einar BENEDIKTSSON chancery: 2022 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 265-6653 through 6655 FAX: (202) 265-6656 consulate(s) general: New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Parker W. BORG embassy: Laufasvegur 21, Box 40, Reykjavik mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, Reykjavik; FPO AE 09728-0340 telephone: [354] (1) 629100 FAX: [354] (1) 629139 Flag: blue with a red cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

@Iceland, Economy

Overview: Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, but with an extensive welfare system, relatively low unemployment, and comparatively even distribution of income. The economy is heavily dependent on the fishing industry, which provides nearly 75% of export earnings and employs 12% of the workforce. In the absence of other natural resources - except energy - Iceland's economy is vulnerable to changing world fish prices. Iceland's economy has been in recession since 1988. The recession continued in 1993 due to a third year of cutbacks in fishing quotas as well as falling world prices for the country's main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Real GDP declined 3.3% in 1992 and rose slightly, by 0.4%, in 1993. The center-right government's economic goals include reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. The recession has led to a wave of bankruptcies and mergers throughout the economy, as well as the highest unemployment of the post-World War II period. Inflation, previously a serious problem, declined from double digit rates in the 1980s to only 3.7% in 1992-93. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $4.2 billion (1993) National product real growth rate: 0.4% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $16,000 (1993) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1993) Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1993 est.) Budget: revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $191 million (1992) Exports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: fish and fish products, animal products, aluminum, ferrosilicon, diatomite partners: EC 68% (UK 25%, FRG 12%), US 11%, Japan 8% (1992) Imports: $1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles partners: EC 53% (Germany 14%, Denmark 10%, UK 9%), Norway 14%, US 9% (1992) External debt: $3.9 billion (1992 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 1.75% (1991 est.) Electricity: capacity: 1,063,000 kW production: 5.165 billion kWh consumption per capita: 19,940 kWh (1992) Industries: fish processing, aluminum smelting, ferro-silicon production, geothermal power Agriculture: accounts for about 15% of GDP; fishing is most important economic activity, contributing nearly 75% to export earnings; principal crops - potatoes, turnips; livestock - cattle, sheep; self-sufficient in crops; fish catch of about 1.1 million metric tons in 1992 Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $19.1 million Currency: 1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar Exchange rates: Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1 - 72.971 (January 1994), 67.603 (1993), 57.546 (1992), 58.996 (1991), 58.284 (1990), 57.042 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year

@Iceland, Communications

Highways: total: 12,537 km paved: 2,690 km unpaved: gravel, earth 9,847 km Ports: Reykjavik, Akureyri, Hafnarfjordhur, Keflavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Siglufjordhur, Vestmannaeyjar Merchant marine: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 33,212 GRT/47,359 DWT, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 Airports: total: 90 usable: 84 with permanent-surface runways: 9 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 12 Telecommunications: adequate domestic service; coaxial and fiber-optical cables and microwave radio relay for trunk network; 140,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 147 (transmitters and repeaters) FM, 202 (transmitters and repeaters) TV; 2 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station carries all international traffic; a second INTELSAT earth station is scheduled to be operational in 1993

@Iceland, Defense Forces

Branches: Police, Coast Guard note: no armed forces, Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik Manpower availability: males age 15-49 70,074; fit for military service 62,197 Defense expenditures: none

@India, Geography

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Pakistan Map references: Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 3,287,590 km2 land area: 2,973,190 km2 comparative area: slightly more than one-third the size of the US Land boundaries: total 14,103 km, Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km Coastline: 7,000 km 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: boundaries with Bangladesh and China; status of Kashmir with Pakistan; water-sharing problems with downstream riparians, Bangladesh over the Ganges and Pakistan over the Indus Climate: varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north Terrain: upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north Natural resources: coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone Land use: arable land: 55% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 23% other: 17% Irrigated land: 430,390 sq km (1989) Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; huge and rapidly growing population is overstraining natural resources natural hazards: droughts, flash floods, severe thunderstorms common; subject to earthquakes (a quake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale occurred near Hyderabad killing several thousand people and causing extensive damage in late September 1993) international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea Note: dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes

@India, People

Population: 919,903,056 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.82% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 28.45 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 10.29 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 78.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 58.58 years male: 58.09 years female: 59.09 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.48 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Indian(s) adjective: Indian Ethnic divisions: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% Religions: Hindu 80%, Muslim 14%, Christian 2.4%, Sikh 2%, Buddhist 0.7%, Jains 0.5%, other 0.4% Languages: English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication, Hindi the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people, Bengali (official), Telugu (official), Marathi (official), Tamil (official), Urdu (official), Gujarati (official), Malayalam (official), Kannada (official), Oriya (official), Punjabi (official), Assamese (official), Kashmiri (official), Sindhi (official), Sanskrit (official), Hindustani a popular variant of Hindu/Urdu, is spoken widely throughout northern India note: 24 languages each spoken by a million or more persons; numerous other languages and dialects, for the most part mutually unintelligible Literacy: age 7 and over can read and write (1991 est.) total population: 52.11% male: 63.86% female: 39.42% Labor force: 314.751 million (1990) by occupation: agriculture 65% (1993 est.)

@India, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of India conventional short form: India Digraph: IN Type: federal republic Capital: New Delhi Administrative divisions: 25 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal Independence: 15 August 1947 (from UK) National holiday: Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 26 January (1950) Constitution: 26 January 1950 Legal system: based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Shankar Dayal SHARMA (since 25 July 1992); Vice President Kicheril Raman NARAYANAN (since 21 August 1992) head of government: Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha RAO (since 21 June 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Sansad) Council of States (Rajya Sabha): body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to 12 appointed by the president, the remainder chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies People's Assembly (Lok Sabha): elections last held 21 May, 12 and 15 June 1991 (next to be held by November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (545 total, 543 elected, 2 appointed) Congress (I) Party 245, Bharatiya Janata Party 119, Janata Dal Party 39, Janata Dal (Ajit Singh) 20, CPI/M 35, CPI 14, Telugu Desam 13, AIADMK 11, Samajwadi Janata Party 5, Shiv Sena 4, RSP 4, BSP 1, Congress (S) Party 1, other 23, vacant 9 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Congress (I) Party, P. V. Narasimha RAO, president; Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), L.K. ADVANI; Janata Dal Party, Chandra SHEKHAR; Janata Dal (Ajit Singh), Ajit SINGH; Communist Party of India/Marxist (CPI/M), Harkishan Singh SURJEET; Communist Party of India (CPI), Indrajit GUPTA; Telugu Desam (a regional party in Andhra Pradesh), N. T. Rama RAO; All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK; a regional party in Tamil Nadu), Jayaram JAYALALITHA; Samajwadi Party (SP, formerly Samajwadi Janata Party), Mulayam Singh YADAV (President), Om Prakash CHAUTALA, Devi LAL; Shiv Sena, Bal THACKERAY; Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Tridip CHOWDHURY; Bahujana Samaj Party (BSP), Kanshi RAM; Congress (S) Party, leader NA; Communist Party of India/Marxist-Leninist (CPI/ML), Vinod MISHRA; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (a regional party in Tamil Nadu), M. KARUNANIDHI; Akali Dal factions representing Sikh religious community in the Punjab; National Conference (NC; a regional party in Jammu and Kashmir), Farooq ABDULLAH Other political or pressure groups: various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy; numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations, including Adam Sena, Ananda Marg, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Member of: AG (observer), AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-19, AfDB, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUSAL, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Siddhartha Shankar RAY chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 939-7000 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, and San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Frank WISNER embassy: Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri 110021, New Delhi mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [91] (11) 600651 FAX: [91] (11) 687-2028 consulate(s) general: Bombay, Calcutta, Madras Flag: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band