Introductory material (continued 17)
Reading edition
Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $40.6 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $6.5 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $17 million
Currency: 1 kina (K) = 100 toea
Exchange rates: kina (K) per US$1 - 0.8565 (December 1994), 0.9950 (1994), 1.0221 (1993), 1.0367 (1992), 1.0504 (1991), 1.0467 (1990); note - the government floated the kina on 10 October 1994
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Papua New Guinea:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 19,200 km paved: 640 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, stabilized earth 10,960 km; unimproved earth 7,600 km
Inland waterways: 10,940 km
Ports: Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
Merchant marine: total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,565 GRT/27,071 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, combination ore/oil 5, container 1, roll-on/roll-off 1
Airports: total: 505 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 411 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 12 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 63
@Papua New Guinea:Communications
Telephone system: more than 70,000 telephones (1987); services are adequate and being improved; facilities provide radiobroadcast, radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radiocommunication services local: NA intercity: mostly radio telephone international: submarine cables extend to Australia and Guam; 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station; international radio communication service
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 2, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 2 (1987) televisions: NA
@Papua New Guinea:Defense Forces
Branches: Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,111,661; males fit for military service 618,696 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $55 million, 1.8% of GDP (1993 est.)
________________________________________________________________________
PARACEL ISLANDS
@Paracel Islands:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total area: NA sq km land area: NA sq km comparative area: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 518 km
Maritime claims: NA
International disputes: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
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: typhoons international agreements: NA
@Paracel Islands:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are scattered Chinese garrisons
@Paracel Islands:Government
Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Digraph: PF
@Paracel Islands:Economy
Overview: no economic activity
@Paracel Islands:Transportation
Ports: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded
Airports: total: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (on Woody Island)
@Paracel Islands:Communications
Telephone system: local: NA intercity: NA international: NA
Radio: broadcast stations: AM, FM, shortwave radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: NA televisions: NA
@Paracel Islands:Defense Forces
Note: occupied by China
________________________________________________________________________
PARAGUAY
@Paraguay:Geography
Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Map references: South America
Area: total area: 406,750 sq km land area: 397,300 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries: total 3,920 km, Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
International disputes: short section of the boundary with Brazil, just west of Salto del Guaira (Guaira Falls) on the Rio Parana, has not been determined
Climate: varies from temperate in east to semiarid in far west
Terrain: grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 39% forest and woodland: 35% other: 5%
Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: deforestation (an estimated 2 million hectares of forest land have been lost from 1958-1985); water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents natural hazards: local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Nuclear Test Ban
Note: landlocked; buffer between Argentina and Brazil
@Paraguay:People
Population: 5,358,198 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (female 1,077,284; male 1,123,776) 15-64 years: 55% (female 1,465,147; male 1,468,642) 65 years and over: 4% (female 120,776; male 102,573) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.71% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 31.48 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 4.38 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.58 years male: 72.06 years female: 75.18 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.22 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan
Ethnic divisions: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Indian) 95%, Caucasians plus Amerindians 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant denominations
Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 90% male: 92% female: 88%
Labor force: 1.692 million (1993 est.) by occupation: agriculture 45%
@Paraguay:Government
Names: conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay
Digraph: PA
Type: republic
Capital: Asuncion
Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Chaco, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Nueva Asuncion, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Independence: 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)
Constitution: promulgated 20 June 1992
Legal system: based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 60
Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Juan Carlos WASMOSY (since 15 August 1993); Vice President Roberto Angel SEIFART (since 15 August 1993); election last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held May 1998); results - Juan Carlos WASMOSY 40.09%, Domingo LAINO 32.06%, Guillermo CABALLERO VARGAS 23.04% cabinet: Council of Ministers; nominated by the president
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Congreso) Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores): elections last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held May 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (45 total) Colorado Party 20, PLRA 17, EN 8 Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados): elections last held on 9 May 1993 (next to be held by May 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (80 total) Colorado Party 38, PLRA 33, EN 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)
Political parties and leaders: Colorado Party, Eugenio SANABRIA CANTERO, president; Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA), Domingo LAINO; National Encounter (EN), Guillermo CABALLERO VARGAS (the EN party includes the following minor parties: Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Jose Angel BURRO; Febrerista Revolutionary Party (PRF), Euclides ACEVEDO; Popular Democratic Party (PDP), Hugo RICHER)
Other political or pressure groups: Confederation of Workers (CUT); Roman Catholic Church
Member of: AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, MERCOSUR, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge Genaro Andres PRIETO CONTI chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508 consulate(s) general: Miami, New Orleans, and New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert SERVICE embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Asuncion mailing address: C. P. 402, Asuncion; Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715 FAX: [595] (21) 213-728
Flag: three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
@Paraguay:Economy
Overview: Agriculture, including forestry, accounts for about 25% of GDP, employs about 45% of the labor force, and provides the bulk of exports, in which soybeans and cotton are the most important. Paraguay lacks substantial mineral or petroleum resources but possesses a large hydropower potential. In a major step to increase its economic activity in the region, Paraguay in March 1991 joined the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR), which includes Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. In 1992, the government, through an unorthodox approach, reduced external debt with both commercial and official creditors by purchasing a sizable amount of the delinquent commercial debt in the secondary market at a substantial discount. The government had paid 100% of remaining official debt arrears to the US, Germany, France, and Spain. All commercial debt arrears have been rescheduled. For the long run, the government must press forward with general, market-oriented economic reforms. Growth of 3.5% in 1993 was spurred by higher-than-expected agricultural output and rising international commodity prices. Inflation picked up steam in fourth quarter 1993 because of rises in public sector salaries and utility rates. GDP growth continued in 1994 at 3.5%. Although inflation declined a bit over 1993, increases in food prices, and crop and infrastructure damage from heavy rains at the end of the year, forced inflation to 18%, above the government's target of 15%. Paraguay reaffirmed its commitment to MERCOSUR on 1 January 1995 by implementing the organization's common external tariff.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $15.4 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 3.5% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $2,950 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 11.2% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.2 billion expenditures: $1.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $487 million (1992 est.)
Exports: $728 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: cotton, soybeans, timber, vegetable oils, meat products, coffee, tung oil partners: EC 37%, Brazil 25%, Argentina 10%, Chile 6%, US 6%
Imports: $1.38 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, raw materials, fuels partners: Brazil 30%, EC 20%, US 18%, Argentina 8%, Japan 7%
External debt: $1.4 billion (yearend 1993 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 3.6% (1993 est.); accounts for 20% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 6,530,000 kW production: 26.5 billion kWh (1992) consumption per capita: NA note: much of the electricity produced in Paraguay is exported to Brazil and domestic consumption cannot be determined
Industries: meat packing, oilseed crushing, milling, brewing, textiles, other light consumer goods, cement, construction
Agriculture: accounts for 26% of GDP; cash crops - cotton, sugarcane, soybeans; other crops - corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava, fruits, vegetables; animal products - beef, pork, eggs, milk; surplus producer of timber; self-sufficient in most foods
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; important transshipment point for Bolivian cocaine headed for the US and Europe
Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $172 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.1 billion
Currency: 1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: guaranies (G) per US$ - 1,949.6 (January 1995), 1,911.5 (1994), 1,744.3 (1993), 1,500.3 (1992), 1,325.2 (1991), 1,229.8 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Paraguay:Transportation
Railroads: total: 970 km standard gauge: 440 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge other: 470 km various gauges (privately owned)
Highways: total: 28,300 km paved: 2,600 km unpaved: gravel 500 km; earth 25,200 km
Inland waterways: 3,100 km
Ports: Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion
Merchant marine: total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,747 GRT/19,513 DWT ships by type: cargo 11, oil tanker 2 note: in addition, 1 naval cargo ship is sometimes used commercially
Airports: total: 929 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 578 with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 27 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 314
@Paraguay:Communications
Telephone system: 78,300 telephones; 16 telephones/1,000 persons; meager telephone service; principal switching center in Asuncion local: NA intercity: fair microwave radio relay network international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 40, FM 0, shortwave 7 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 5 televisions: NA
@Paraguay:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,290,894; males fit for military service 937,054; males reach military age (17) annually 55,551 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $100 million, 1.6% of GDP (1994 est.)
________________________________________________________________________
PERU
@Peru:Geography
Location: Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador
Map references: South America
Area: total area: 1,285,220 sq km land area: 1.28 million sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries: total 6,940 km, Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 2,900 km, Ecuador 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,414 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm territorial sea: 200 nm
International disputes: three sections of the boundary with Ecuador are in dispute
Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west
Terrain: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Natural resources: copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 21% forest and woodland: 55% other: 21%
Irrigated land: 12,500 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: deforestation; overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Tropical Timber 94
Note: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia
@Peru:People
Population: 24,087,372 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 35% (female 4,152,520; male 4,296,293) 15-64 years: 61% (female 7,280,287; male 7,378,227) 65 years and over: 4% (female 535,156; male 444,889) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.8% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 24.88 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 6.84 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 52.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.07 years male: 63.86 years female: 68.38 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian
Ethnic divisions: Indian 45%, mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 82% male: 92% female: 74%
Labor force: 8 million (1992) by occupation: government and other services 44%, agriculture 37%, industry 19% (1988 est.)
@Peru:Government
Names: conventional long form: Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: Republica del Peru local short form: Peru
Digraph: PE
Type: republic
Capital: Lima
Administrative divisions: 24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali note: the 1979 Constitution mandated the creation of regions (regiones, singular - region) to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities; so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 of the 24 departments - Amazonas (from Loreto), Andres Avelino Caceres (from Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from Arequipa), Chavin (from Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca (from Cusco, Madre de Dios, Apurimac), La Libertad (from La Libertad), Los Libertadores-Huari (from Ica, Ayacucho, Huancavelica), Mariategui (from Moquegua, Tacna, Puno), Nor Oriental del Maranon (from Lambayeque, Cajamarca, Amazonas), San Martin (from San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali); formation of another region has been delayed by the reluctance of the constitutional province of Callao to merge with the department of Lima; because of inadequate funding from the central government and organizational and political difficulties, the regions have yet to assume major responsibilities; the 1993 Constitution retains the regions but limits their authority; the 1993 Constitution also reaffirms the roles of departmental and municipal governments.
Independence: 28 July 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 28 July (1821)
Constitution: 31 December 1993
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since 28 July 1990); election last held 9 April 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - Alberto FUJIMORI 64.42%, Javier PEREZ de CUELLAR 21.80%, Mercedes CABANILLAS 4.11%, other 9.67%
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president note: Prime Minister Efrain GOLDENBERG Schreiber (since NA February 1994) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president
Legislative branch: unicameral Congress: elections last held 9 April 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - C90/NM 52.1% of the total vote, UPP 14%, eleven other parties 33.9%; seats - (120 total, when installed on 28 July 1995) C90/NM 67, UPP 17, APRA 8, FIM 6, (CODE)-Pais Posible 5, AP 4, PPC 3, Renovacion 3, IU 2, OBRAS 2, MIA 1, FRENATRACA 1, (FREPAP) 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)
Political parties and leaders: Change 90-New Majority (C90/NM), Alberto FUJIMORI; Union for Peru (UPP), Javier PEREZ de CUELLAR; American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA), Agustin MANTILLA Campos; Independent Moralizing Front (FIM), Fernando OLIVERA Vega; Democratic Coordinator (CODE) - Pais Posible, Jose BARBA Caballero and Alejandro TOLEDO; Popular Action Party (AP), Raul DIEZ CANSECO; Popular Christian Party (PPC), Luis BEDOYA Reyes; Renovacion, Rafael REY Rey; Civic Works Movement (OBRAS), Ricardo BELMONT; United Left (IU), Agustin HAYA de la TORRE; Independent Agrarian Movement (MIA), Rolando SALVATERRIE; Peru 2000-National Front of Workers and Peasants (FRENATRACA), Roger CACARES; Popular Agricultural Front (FREPAP), Ezequiel ATAUCUSI
Other political or pressure groups: leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path, Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned); Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, Nestor SERPA and Victor POLAY (imprisoned)
Member of: AG, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG (suspended), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ricardo V. LUNA Mendoza chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869 FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Alvin P. ADAMS, Jr. embassy: corner of Avenida Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Avenida Espana, Lima mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031 telephone: [51] (14) 338000 FAX: [51] (14) 316682
Flag: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a llama, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath
@Peru:Economy
Overview: The Peruvian economy has become increasingly market-oriented, with major privatizations completed in 1994 in the mining and telecommunications industries. In the 1980s the economy suffered from hyperinflation, declining per capita output, and mounting external debt. Peru was shut off from IMF and World Bank support in the mid-1980s because of its huge debt arrears. An austerity program implemented shortly after the FUJIMORI government took office in July 1990 contributed to a third consecutive yearly contraction of economic activity, but the slide came to a halt late that year, and in 1991 output rose 2.4%. After a burst of inflation as the austerity program eliminated government price subsidies, monthly price increases eased to the single-digit level and by December 1991 dropped to the lowest increase since mid-1987. Lima obtained a financial rescue package from multilateral lenders in September 1991, although it faced $14 billion in arrears on its external debt. By working with the IMF and World Bank on new financial conditions and arrangements, the government succeeded in ending its arrears by March 1993. In 1992, GDP had fallen by 2.8%, in part because a warmer-than-usual El Nino current resulted in a 30% drop in the fish catch, but the economy rebounded as strong foreign investment helped push growth to 6% in 1993 and 8.6% in 1994.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $73.6 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 8.6% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $3,110 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 15%; extensive underemployment (1992 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2 billion expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $300 million (1992 est.)
Exports: $4.1 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: copper, zinc, fishmeal, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, refined silver, coffee, cotton partners: US 19%, Japan 9%, Italy, Germany
Imports: $5.1 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals partners: US 21%, Colombia, Argentina, Japan, Germany, Brazil
External debt: $22.4 billion (1994 est.)
Industrial production: NA
Electricity: capacity: 4,190,000 kW production: 11.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 448 kWh (1993)
Industries: mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal fabrication
Agriculture: accounts for 12% of GDP, about 35% of labor force; commercial crops - coffee, cotton, sugarcane; other crops - rice, wheat, potatoes, plantains, coca; animal products - poultry, red meats, dairy, wool; not self-sufficient in grain or vegetable oil; fish catch of 6.9 million metric tons (1990)
Illicit drugs: world's largest coca leaf producer with about 108,600 hectares under cultivation in 1994; source of supply for most of the world's coca paste and cocaine base; at least 85% of coca cultivation is for illicit production; most of cocaine base is shipped to Colombian drug dealers for processing into cocaine for the international drug market, but exports of finished cocaine are increasing
Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.7 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.3 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $577 million
Currency: 1 nuevo sol (S/.) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: nuevo sol (S/.) per US$1 - 2.20 (February 1995), 2.195 (1994),1.988 (1993), 1.245 (1992), 0.772 (1991), 0.187 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Peru:Transportation
Railroads: total: 1,801 km standard gauge: 1,501 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 300 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways: total: 69,942 km paved: 7,459 km unpaved: improved earth 13,538 km; unimproved earth 48,945 km
Inland waterways: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca
Pipelines: crude oil 800 km; natural gas and natural gas liquids 64 km
Ports: Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Iquitos, Matarani, Paita, Pucallpa, Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Yurimaguas note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries
Merchant marine: total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 90,501 GRT/144,913 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 6, refrigerated cargo 1 note: in addition, 4 naval tankers and 1 naval cargo are sometimes used commercially
Airports: total: 236 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 6 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 97 with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 21 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 77
@Peru:Communications
Telephone system: 544,000 telephones; fairly adequate for most requirements local: NA intercity: nationwide microwave radio relay system and 12 domestic satellite links international: 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 273, FM 0, shortwave 144 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 140 televisions: NA
@Peru:Defense Forces
Branches: Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru), National Police
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 6,369,157; males fit for military service 4,300,772; males reach military age (20) annually 251,798 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $810 million, about 2.7% of GDP (1994)
________________________________________________________________________
PHILIPPINES
@Philippines:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total area: 300,000 sq km land area: 298,170 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 36,289 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in breadth
International disputes: involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; claims Malaysian state of Sabah
Climate: tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
Natural resources: timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
Land use: arable land: 26% permanent crops: 11% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 40% other: 19%
Irrigated land: 16,200 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps which are important fish breeding grounds natural hazards: astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides, active volcanoes, destructive earthquakes, tsunamis international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands
@Philippines:People
Population: 73,265,584 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 38% (female 13,841,552; male 14,214,234) 15-64 years: 58% (female 21,603,818; male 20,923,307) 65 years and over: 4% (female 1,425,706; male 1,256,967) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.23% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 30.42 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 6.97 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 49.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.65 years male: 63.16 years female: 68.25 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.81 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Filipino(s) adjective: Philippine
Ethnic divisions: Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%
Languages: Pilipino (official; based on Tagalog), English (official)
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 94% male: 94% female: 93%
Labor force: 24.12 million by occupation: agriculture 46%, industry and commerce 16%, services 18.5%, government 10%, other 9.5% (1989)
@Philippines:Government
Names: conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines conventional short form: Philippines local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas local short form: Pilipinas
Digraph: RP
Type: republic
Capital: Manila
Administrative divisions: 72 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Angeles*, Antique, Aurora, Bacolod*, Bago*, Baguio*, Bais*, Basilan, Basilan City*, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Batangas City*, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Butuan*, Cabanatuan*, Cadiz*, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro*, Calbayog*, Caloocan*, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Canlaon*, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cavite City*, Cebu, Cebu City*, Cotabato*, Dagupan*, Danao*, Dapitan*, Davao City* Davao, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dipolog*, Dumaguete*, Eastern Samar, General Santos*, Gingoog*, Ifugao, Iligan*, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Iloilo City*, Iriga*, Isabela, Kalinga-Apayao, La Carlota*, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Laoag*, Lapu-Lapu*, La Union, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao, Mandaue*, Manila*, Marawi*, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Naga*, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*, Ozamis*, Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*, Puerto Princesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Roxas*, Samar, San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in Pangasinan), San Jose*, San Pablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao*, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*, Tagbilaran*, Tangub*, Tarlac, Tawitawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*, Zambales, Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur
Independence: 4 July 1946 (from US)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 June (1898) (from Spain)
Constitution: 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987
Legal system: based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992); Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); election last held 11 May 1992 (next to be held NA May 1998); results - Fidel Valdes RAMOS won 23.6% of the vote, a narrow plurality cabinet: Executive Secretary; appointed by the president with the consent of the Commission of Appointments
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Kongreso) Senate (Senado): elections last held 11 May 1992 (next to be held NA May 1995); results - LDP 66%, NPC 20%, Lakas/NUCD 8%, Liberal 6%; seats - (24 total) LDP 15, NPC 5, Lakas/NUCD 2, Liberal 1, independent 1 House of Representatives (Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan): elections last held 11 May 1992 (next to be held NA May 1995); results - LDP 43.5%; Lakas/NUCD 25%, NPC 23.5%, Liberal 5%, KBL 3%; seats - (200 total) LDP 87, NPC 45, Lakas/NUCD 41, Liberal 15, NP 6, KBL 3, independents 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipinas, LDP), Edgardo ESPIRITU; People Power-National Union of Christian Democrats (Lakas ng Edsa, NUCD and Partido Lakas Tao, Lakas/NUCD); Fidel V. RAMOS, President of the Republic, Raul MANGLAPUS, Jose DE VENECIA, secretary general; Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Eduardo COJUANGCO; Liberal Party, Jovito SALONGA; People's Reform Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO; New Society Movement (Kilusan Bagong Lipunan; KBL), Imelda MARCOS; Nacionalista Party (NP), Salvador H. LAUREL, president
Member of: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raul Chaves RABE chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): San Diego and San Jose (Saipan)
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador John D. NEGROPONTE embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000 mailing address: APO AP 96440 telephone: [63] (2) 521-71-16 FAX: [63] (2) 522-43-61 consulate(s): Cebu
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star
@Philippines:Economy
Overview: Domestic output in this primarily agricultural economy failed to grow in 1992 and rose only slightly in 1993. Drought and power supply problems hampered production, while inadequate revenues prevented government pump priming. Worker remittances helped to supplement GDP. A marked increase in capital goods imports, particularly power generating equipment, telecommunications equipment, and electronic data processors, contributed to 20% annual import growth in 1992-94. Provided the government can cope with the substantial trade deficit and meet the fiscal targets agreed to with the IMF, the Philippines should duplicate the strong growth performance of 1994 in 1995-96.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $161.4 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 4.3% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $2,310 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.1% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9% (1994)
Budget: revenues: $14 billion expenditures: $15.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)
Exports: $13.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: electronics, textiles, coconut products, copper, fish partners: US 39%, Japan 16%, Germany 5%, Hong Kong 5%, UK 4% (1993)
Imports: $21.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: raw materials 40%, capital goods 25%, petroleum products 10% partners: Japan 23%, US 20%, Taiwan 6%, Singapore 5%, South Korea 5% (1993)
External debt: $40 billion (1994 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 1.4% (1993); accounts for 28% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 6,770,000 kW production: 20.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 278 kWh (1993)
Industries: textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing
Agriculture: accounts for 22% of GDP and about 45% of labor force; major crops - rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangos; animal products - pork, eggs, beef; net exporter of farm products; fish catch of 2 million metric tons annually
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; growers are producing more and better quality cannabis despite government eradication efforts; transit point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for the US
Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.6 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $7.9 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $5 million; Communist countries (1975-89), $123 million
Currency: 1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Philippine pesos (P) per US$1 - 24.622 (January 1995), 26.417 (1994), 22.120 (1993), 25.512 (1992), 27.479 (1991), 24.311 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Philippines:Transportation
Railroads: total: 800 km (est.); note - including about 390 km in Luzon narrow gauge: 800 km 1.067-m gauge
Highways: total: 160,700 km paved: 29,000 km unpaved: 131,700 km
Inland waterways: 3,219 km; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels
Pipelines: petroleum products 357 km
Ports: Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga
Merchant marine: total: 552 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,748,083 GRT/14,373,730 DWT ships by type: bulk 237, cargo 134, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 1, container 10, liquefied gas tanker 6, livestock carrier 9, oil tanker 46, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 11, refrigerated cargo 24, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 17, vehicle carrier 29 note: a flag of convenience registry; Japan owns 13 ships, Norway 2, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 1, and South Korea 1
Airports: total: 269 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 32 with paved runways under 914 m: 133 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 4 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 67
@Philippines:Communications
Telephone system: 872,900 telephones; good international radio and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate local: NA intercity: 11 domestic satellite links international: submarine cables extended to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan; 3 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) earth stations
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 267 (including 6 US), FM 55, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 33 (including 4 US) televisions: NA
@Philippines:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 18,238,568; males fit for military service 12,876,771; males reach military age (20) annually 752,622 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $731 million, 1.4% of GNP (1992)
________________________________________________________________________
PITCAIRN ISLANDS
(dependent territory of the UK)
@Pitcairn Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Peru to New Zealand
Map references: Oceania
Area: total area: 47 sq km land area: 47 sq km comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 51 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical, hot, humid, modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
Terrain: rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
Natural resources: miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
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: deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement) natural hazards: typhoons (especially November to March) international agreements: NA
@Pitcairn Islands:People
Population: 73 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 2.8% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality: noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander
Ethnic divisions: descendants of the Bounty mutineers
Religions: Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
Languages: English (official), Tahitian/English dialect
Labor force: NA by occupation: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing
@Pitcairn Islands:Government
Names: conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands
Digraph: PC
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: Adamstown
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday in June)
Constitution: Local Government Ordinance of 1964
Legal system: local island by-laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (non-resident) of the Pitcairn Islands Robert John ALSTON (since NA); Commissioner (non-resident) G.D. HARRAWAY (since NA; is the liaison person between the governor and the Island Council) head of government: Island Magistrate and Chairman of the Island Council Jay WARREN (since NA)
Legislative branch: unicameral Island Council: elections take place each December; last held NA December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1995); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (11 total, 5 elected) all independents
Judicial branch: Island Court
Political parties and leaders: none
Other political or pressure groups: NA
Member of: SPC
Diplomatic representation in US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
US diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor
@Pitcairn Islands:Economy
Overview: The inhabitants exist on fishing and subsistence farming. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.
National product: GDP $NA
National product real growth rate: NA%
National product per capita: $NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $430,000 expenditures: $429,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987 est.)
Exports: $NA commodities: fruits, vegetables, curios partners: NA
Imports: $NA commodities: fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs partners: NA
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: capacity: 110 kW production: 300,000 kWh consumption per capita: 5,360 kWh (1990)
Industries: postage stamps, handicrafts
Agriculture: based on subsistence fishing and farming; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; must import grain products
Economic aid: recipient: ODA bilateral commitments (1992-93), $84,000
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.5601 (January 1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992), 1.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Pitcairn Islands:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 6.4 km unpaved: earth 6.4 km
Ports: Bounty Bay
Merchant marine: none
Airports: none
@Pitcairn Islands:Communications
Telephone system: 24 telephones; party line telephone service on the island local: NA intercity: NA international: NA
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA
@Pitcairn Islands:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
________________________________________________________________________
POLAND
@Poland:Geography
Location: Central Europe, east of Germany
Map references: Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe
Area: total area: 312,680 sq km land area: 304,510 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than New Mexico
Land boundaries: total 3,114 km, Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 428 km
Coastline: 491 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Terrain: mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt
Land use: arable land: 46% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 13% forest and woodland: 28% other: 12%
Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: forest damage due to air pollution and resulting acid rain; improper means for disposal of large amounts of hazardous and industrial waste; severe water pollution from industrial and municipal sources; severe air pollution results from emissions of sulfur dioxide from coal-fired power plants, which also drifts into Germany and the Netherlands natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, 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-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Note: historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
@Poland:People
Population: 38,792,442 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (female 4,349,467; male 4,559,536) 15-64 years: 66% (female 12,849,300; male 12,698,179) 65 years and over: 11% (female 2,693,407; male 1,642,553) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.36% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 13.34 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 9.23 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.13 years male: 69.15 years female: 77.33 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.92 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Pole(s) adjective: Polish
Ethnic divisions: Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%, Byelorussian 0.5% (1990 est.)
Religions: Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%
Languages: Polish
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1978) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98%
Labor force: 17.321 million (1993 annual average) by occupation: industry and construction 32.0%, agriculture 27.6%, trade, transport, and communications 14.7%, government and other 25.7% (1992)
@Poland:Government
Names: conventional long form: Republic of Poland conventional short form: Poland local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska local short form: Polska
Digraph: PL
Type: democratic state
Capital: Warsaw
Administrative divisions: 49 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Biala Podlaska, Bialystok, Bielsko Biala, Bydgoszcz, Chelm, Ciechanow, Czestochowa, Elblag, Gdansk, Gorzow, Jelenia Gora, Kalisz, Katowice, Kielce, Konin, Koszalin, Krakow, Krosno, Legnica, Leszno, Lodz, Lomza, Lublin, Nowy Sacz, Olsztyn, Opole, Ostroleka, Pila, Piotrkow, Plock, Poznan, Przemysl, Radom, Rzeszow, Siedlce, Sieradz, Skierniewice, Slupsk, Suwalki, Szczecin, Tarnobrzeg, Tarnow, Torun, Walbrzych, Warszawa, Wloclawek, Wroclaw, Zamosc, Zielona Gora
Independence: 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Constitution: interim "small constitution" came into effect in December 1992 replacing the Communist-imposed constitution of 22 July 1952; new democratic constitution being drafted
Legal system: mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Lech WALESA (since 22 December 1990); election first round held 25 November 1990, second round held 9 December 1990 (next to be held NA November 1995); results - second round Lech WALESA 74.7%, Stanislaw TYMINSKI 25.3% head of government: Prime Minister Jozef OLEKSY (since 6 March 1995); Deputy Prime Ministers Roman JAGIELINSKI, Grzegorz KOLODKO, and Aleksander LUCZAK (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers; responsible to the president and the Sejm
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Zgromadzenie Narodowe) Senate (Senat): elections last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held no later than NA October 1997); seats - (100 total) Communist origin or linked (PSL 34, SLD 37), post-Solidarity parties (UW 6, NSZZ 12, BBWR 2), non-Communist, non-Solidarity (independents 7, unaffiliated 1, vacant 1) Diet (Sejm): elections last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held no later than NA October 1997); seats - (460 total) Communist origin or linked (SLD 171, PSL 132), post-Solidarity parties (UW 74, UP 41, BBWR 16), non-Communist, non-Solidarity (KPN 22) note: 4 seats are constitutionally assigned to ethnic German parties
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: post-Solidarity parties: Freedom Union (UW; Democratic Union and Liberal Democratic Congress merged to form Freedom Union), Leszek BALCEROWICZ; Christian-National Union (ZCHN), Ryszard CZARNECKI; Centrum (PC), Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI; Peasant Alliance (PL), Gabriel JANOWSKI; Solidarity Trade Union (NSZZ), Marian KRZAKLEWSKI; Union of Labor (UP), Ryszard BUGAJ; Christian-Democratic Party (PCHD), Pawel LACZKOWSKI; Conservative Party, Alexander HALL; Nonparty Bloc for the Support of the Reforms (BBWR) non-Communist, non-Solidarity: Confederation for an Independent Poland (KPN), Leszek MOCZULSKI; Polish Economic Program (PPG), Janusz REWINSKI; Christian Democrats (CHD), Andrzej OWSINSKI; German Minority (MN), Henryk KROL; Union of Real Politics (UPR), Janusz KORWIN-MIKKE; Democratic Party (SD), Antoni MACKIEWICZ Communist origin: Polish Peasant Party (PSL), Waldemar PAWLAK; Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI
Other political or pressure groups: powerful Roman Catholic Church; Solidarity (trade union); All Poland Trade Union Alliance (OPZZ), populist program
Member of: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jerzy KOZMINSKI chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802 FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas Andrew REY embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, Warsaw mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, Box 5010, Unit 1340, APO AE 09213-1340 telephone: [48] (2) 628-30-41 FAX: [48] (2) 628-82-98 consulate(s) general: Krakow, Poznan
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white
@Poland:Economy
Overview: Poland continues to make good progress in the difficult transition to a market economy that began on 1 January 1990, when the new democratic government instituted "shock therapy" by decontrolling prices, slashing subsidies, and drastically reducing import barriers. Real GDP fell sharply in 1990 and 1991, but in 1992 Poland became the first country in the region to resume economic growth with a 2.6% increase. Growth increased to 3.8% in 1993 and 5.5% in 1994 - the highest rate in Europe except for Albania. All of the growth since 1991 has come from the booming private sector, which now accounts for at least 55% of GDP, even though privatization of the state-owned enterprises is proceeding slowly and most industry remains in state hands. Industrial production increased 12% in 1994 - led by 50% jumps in the output of motor vehicles, radios and televisions, and pulp and paper - and is now well above the 1990 level. Inflation, which had approached 1,200% annually in early 1990, was down to about 30% in 1994, as the government held the budget deficit to 1.5% of GDP. After five years of steady increases, unemployment has leveled off at about 16% nationwide, although it approaches 30% in some regions. The trade deficit was sharply reduced in 1994, due mainly to increased exports to Western Europe, Poland's main customer. The leftist government elected in September 1993 gets generally good marks from foreign observers for its management of the budget but is often criticized for not moving faster on privatization.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $191.1 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 5.5% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $4,920 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 30% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 16.1% (November 1994)
Budget: revenues: $27.1 billion expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)
Exports: $16.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: intermediate goods 26.5%, machinery and transport equipment 18.1%, miscellaneous manufactures 16.7%, foodstuffs 9.4%, fuels 8.4% (1993) partners: Germany 33.4%, Russia 10.2%, Italy 5.3%, UK 4.3% (1993)
Imports: $18.1 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 29.6%, intermediate goods 18.5%, chemicals 13.3%, fuels 12.5%, miscellaneous manufactures 10.1% partners: Germany 35.8%, Italy 9.2%, Russia 8.5%, UK 6.6% (1993)
External debt: $47 billion (1993); note - Poland's Western government creditors promised in 1991 to forgive 30% of Warsaw's $35 billion official debt immediately and to forgive another 20% in 1994; foreign banks agreed in early 1994 to forgive 45% of their $12 billion debt claim
Industrial production: growth rate 12% (1994 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 31,120,000 kW production: 124 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,908 kWh (1993)
Industries: machine building, iron and steel, extractive industries, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Agriculture: accounts for 7% of GDP; 75% of output from private farms, 25% from state farms; productivity remains low by European standards; leading European producer of rye, rapeseed, and potatoes; wide variety of other crops and livestock; major exporter of pork products; normally self-sufficient in food
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of opium for domestic consumption and amphetamines for the international market; transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe; producer of precursor chemicals
Economic aid: donor: bilateral aid to non-Communist less developed countries (1954-89), $2.2 billion recipient: Western governments and institutions have pledged $8 billion in grants and loans since 1989, but most of the money has not been disbursed
Currency: 1 zloty (Zl) = 100 groszy
Exchange rates: zlotych (Zl) per US$1 - 2.45 (January 1995; a currency reform on 1 January 1995 replaced 10,000 old zlotys with 1 new zloty), 22,723 (1994), 18,115 (1993), 13,626 (1992), 10,576 (1991), 9,500 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Poland:Transportation
Railroads: total: 25,528 km broad gauge: 659 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 23,014 km 1.435-m gauge (11,496 km electrified; 8,978 km double track) narrow gauge: 1,855 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m, 0.750-m, and 0.600-m (1994)
Highways: total: 367,000 km (excluding farm, factory and forest roads) paved: 235,247 km (257 km of which are limited access expressways) unpaved: 131,753 km (1992)
Inland waterways: 3,997 km navigable rivers and canals (1991)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,986 km; petroleum products 360 km; natural gas 4,600 km (1992)
Ports: Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wrocaw
Merchant marine: total: 152 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,186,405 GRT/3,270,914 DWT ships by type: bulk 89, cargo 38, chemical tanker 4, container 7, oil tanker 1, passenger 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea passenger 4
note: in addition, Poland owns 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 76,501 DWT that operate under Bahamian, Liberian, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Vanuatu, Panamanian, and Cypriot registry
Airports: total: 134 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 27 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 7 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 10 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 32 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 18
@Poland:Communications
Telephone system: 4.9 million telephones; 12.7 phones/100 residents (1994); severely underdeveloped and outmoded system; exchanges are 86% automatic (1991) local: NA intercity: cable, open wire, and microwave international: INTELSAT, EUTELSAT, INMARSAT, and Intersputnik earth stations
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 27, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 40 (Russian repeaters 5) televisions: 9.6 million
@Poland:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 10,181,069; males fit for military service 7,940,634; males reach military age (19) annually 323,133 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: 50.7 billion zlotych, NA% of GNP (1994 est.); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
________________________________________________________________________
PORTUGAL
@Portugal:Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Map references: Europe
Area: total area: 92,080 sq km land area: 91,640 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Land boundaries: total 1,214 km, Spain 1,214 km
Coastline: 1,793 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor Province) disputed with Indonesia
Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
Terrain: mountainous north of the Tagus, rolling plains in south
Natural resources: fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble
Land use: arable land: 32% permanent crops: 6% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 40% other: 16%
Irrigated land: 6,340 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Note: Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
@Portugal:People
Population: 10,562,388 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (female 943,412; male 1,000,971) 15-64 years: 68% (female 3,625,086; male 3,499,176) 65 years and over: 14% (female 889,142; male 604,601) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.36% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 11.72 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 9.65 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.53 years male: 72.11 years female: 79.16 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Portuguese (singular and plural) adjective: Portuguese
Ethnic divisions: homogeneous Mediterranean stock in mainland, Azores, Madeira Islands; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant denominations 1%, other 2%
Languages: Portuguese
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 85% male: 89% female: 82%
Labor force: 4.24 million (1994 est.) by occupation: services 54.5%, manufacturing 24.4%, agriculture, forestry, fisheries 11.2%, construction 8.3%, utilites 1.0%, mining 0.5% (1992)
@Portugal:Government
Names: conventional long form: Portuguese Republic conventional short form: Portugal local long form: Republica Portuguesa local short form: Portugal
Digraph: PO
Type: republic
Capital: Lisbon
Administrative divisions: 18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu
Dependent areas: Macau (scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China on 20 December 1999)
Independence: 1140 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)
National holiday: Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)
Constitution: 25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982 and 1 June 1989
Legal system: civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Dr. Mario Alberto Nobre Lopes SOARES (since 9 March 1986); election last held 13 February 1991 (next to be held NA February 1996); results - Dr. Mario Lopes SOARES 70%, Basilio HORTA 14%, Carlos CARVALHAS 13%, Carlos MARQUES 3%; note - SOARES is finishing his second term and by law cannot run for a third consecutive term head of government: Prime Minister Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 6 November 1985); note - will be replaced in the October 1995 elections Council of State: acts as a consultative body to the president cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica): elections last held 6 October 1991 (next to be held NA October 1995); results - PSD 50.4%, PS 29.3%, CDU 8.8%, CDS 4.4%, PSN 1.7%, PRD 0.6%, other 4.8%; seats - (230 total) PSD 136, PS 71, CDU 17, CDS 5, PSN 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justica)
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party (PSD), Fernando NOGUEIRA; Portuguese Socialist Party (PS), Antonio GUTERRES; Party of Democratic Renewal (PRD), Pedro CANAVARRO; Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Carlos CARVALHAS; Social Democratic Center (CDS), Manuel MONTEIRO; National Solidarity Party (PSN), Manuel SERGIO; Center Democratic Party (CDS); United Democratic Coalition (CDU; Communists)
Member of: AfDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, EC, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, FAO, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Jose Laco Treichler KNOPFLI chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726 consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San Francisco consulate(s): Los Angeles, New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island), and Washington, DC
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley BAGLEY embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600 Lisbon mailing address: PSC 83, Lisbon; APO AE 09726 telephone: [351] (1) 7266600, 7266659, 7268670, 7268880 FAX: [351] (1) 7269109 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)
Flag: two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line
@Portugal:Economy
Overview: Portugal's economy contracted 0.4% in 1993 but registered a 1.4% growth in 1994, with 3% growth expected in 1995 and 1996. This comeback rests on high levels of public investment, continuing strong export growth, and a gradual recovery in consumer spending. The government's long-run economic goal is the modernization of Portuguese markets, industry, infrastructure, and work force in order to catch up with productivity and income levels of the more advanced EU countries. Per capita income now equals only 55% of the EU average. Economic policy in 1994 focused on reducing inflationary pressures by lowering the fiscal deficit, maintaining a stable escudo, moderating wage increases, and encouraging increased competition. The government's medium-term objective is to be in the first tier of the EU countries eligible to join the economic and monetary union (EMU) as early as 1997. To this end, the 1995 budget posits a cut in total deficit to 5.8% of GDP.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $107.3 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 1.4% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $10,190 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.1% (May 1994)
Unemployment rate: 6.7% (May 1994)
Budget: revenues: $31 billion expenditures: $41 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)
Exports: $15.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: clothing and footwear, machinery, cork and paper products, hides and skins partners: EU 75.5%, other developed countries 12.4%, US 4.3% (1994)
Imports: $24.3 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, agricultural products, chemicals, petroleum, textiles partners: EC 72%, other developed countries 10.9%, less developed countries 12.9%, US 3.4%
External debt: $20 billion (1993 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 1.5% (1994 est.); accounts for 30.6% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 8,220,000 kW production: 29.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,642 kWh (1993)
Industries: textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism
Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP; small, inefficient farms; imports more than half of food needs; major crops - grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; livestock sector - sheep, cattle, goats, poultry, meat, dairy products
Illicit drugs: increasingly important gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe
Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.8 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.2 billion
Currency: 1 Portuguese escudo (Esc) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Portuguese escudos (Esc) per US$1 - 158.02 (January 1995), 165.99 (1994), 160.80 (1993), 135.00 (1992), 144.48 (1991), 142.55 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Portugal:Transportation
Railroads: total: 3,068 km broad gauge: 2,761 km 1.668-m gauge (439 km electrified; 426 km double track) narrow gauge: 307 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways: total: 70,176 km paved and graveled: 60,351 km (519 km of expressways) unpaved: earth 9,825 km
Inland waterways: 820 km navigable; relatively unimportant to national economy, used by shallow-draft craft limited to 300 metric-ton cargo capacity
Pipelines: crude oil 22 km; petroleum products 58 km
Ports: Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), Setubal, Viana do Castelo
Merchant marine: total: 65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 852,785 GRT/1,545,804 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 28, chemical tanker 5, container 4, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: Portugal has created a captive register on Madeira for Portuguese-owned ships; ships on the Madeira Register (MAR) will have taxation and crewing benefits of a flag of convenience; in addition, Portugal owns 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 155,776 DWT that operate under Panamanian and Maltese registry
Airports: total: 65 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 18 with paved runways under 914 m: 29 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2
@Portugal:Communications
Telephone system: 2,690,000 telephones local: NA intercity: generally adequate integrated network of coaxial cables, open wire and microwave radio relay, domestic satellite earth stations
international: 6 submarine cables; 3 INTELSAT (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), EUTELSAT earth stations; tropospheric link to Azores
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 57, FM 66 (repeaters 22), shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 66 (repeaters 23) televisions: NA
@Portugal:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National Republican Guard, Fiscal Guard, Public Security Police
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,747,357; males fit for military service 2,223,299; males reach military age (20) annually 90,402 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $2.4 billion, 2.9% of GDP (1994)
________________________________________________________________________
PUERTO RICO
(commonwealth associated with the US)
@Puerto Rico:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total area: 9,104 sq km land area: 8,959 sq km comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 501 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical marine, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas
Natural resources: some copper and nickel, potential for onshore and offshore crude oil
Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 9% meadows and pastures: 41% forest and woodland: 20% other: 22%
Irrigated land: 390 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: the recent drought has caused water levels in reservoirs to drop and prompted water rationing for more than one-half of the population natural hazards: periodic droughts international agreements: NA
Note: important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north
@Puerto Rico:People
Population: 3,812,569 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 25% (female 466,596; male 489,127) 15-64 years: 65% (female 1,274,765; male 1,195,785) 65 years and over: 10% (female 213,716; male 172,580) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.16% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 15.92 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 7.47 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.1 years male: 70.78 years female: 79.66 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.98 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens) adjective: Puerto Rican
Ethnic divisions: Hispanic
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%
Languages: Spanish, English
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88%
Labor force: 1.2 million (1993) by occupation: government 22%, manufacturing 17%, trade 20%, construction 6%, communications and transportation 5%, other 30% (1993)
@Puerto Rico:Government
Names: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico conventional short form: Puerto Rico
Digraph: RQ
Type: commonwealth associated with the US
Capital: San Juan
Administrative divisions: none (commonwealth associated with the US); note - there are 78 municipalities
Independence: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
National holiday: US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Constitution: ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952
Legal system: based on Spanish civil code
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch: chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since 2 January 1993); election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - Pedro ROSSELLO (PNP) 50%, Victoria MUNOZ (PPD) 46%, Fernando MARTIN (PIP) 4%
Legislative branch: bicameral Legislative Assembly Senate: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (29 total) PNP 20, PPD 8, PIP 1 House of Representatives: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (53 total) PNP 36, PPD 16, PIP 1 US House of Representatives: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) PNP 1 (Carlos Romero BARCELO); note - Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US House of Representatives
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Superior Courts, Municipal Courts
Political parties and leaders: National Republican Party of Puerto Rico, Luis FERRE; Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Hector ACEVEDO; New Progressive Party (PNP), Pedro ROSSELLO; Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP) has been disbanded (1994); Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), Ruben BERRIOS Martinez; Puerto Rican Communist Party (PCP), leader(s) unknown
Other political or pressure groups: Armed Forces for National Liberation (FALN); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros); Armed Forces of Popular Resistance
Member of: CARICOM (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WTO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in US: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
US diplomatic representation: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Flag: five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the US flag
@Puerto Rico:Economy
Overview: Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. Industry has surpassed agriculture as the primary sector of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Important industries include pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, petrochemicals, and processed foods. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income for the island, with estimated arrivals of nearly 3.9 million tourists in 1993.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $26.8 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 2.6% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $7,050 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 16% (1994)
Budget: revenues: $5.1 billion expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95)
Exports: $21.8 billion (1994) commodities: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment, instruments partners: US 86.2% (1993)
Imports: $16.7 billion (1994) commodities: chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products partners: US 69.2% (1993)
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate 5% (1994 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 4.230,000 kW production: 15.6 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,819 kWh (1993)
Industries: manufacturing accounts for 39.4% of GDP; manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, instruments; tourism
Agriculture: accounts for only 3% of labor force and just over 1% of GDP; crops - sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock - cattle, chickens; imports a large share of food needs (1993)
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Puerto Rico:Transportation
Railroads: total: 96 km rural narrow-gauge system for hauling sugarcane; note - no passenger railroads
Highways: total: 13,762 km paved: 13,762 km (1982)
Ports: Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Playa de Ponce, San Juan
Merchant marine: none
Airports: total: 31 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 3 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 9 with paved runways under 914 m: 14 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2
@Puerto Rico:Communications
Telephone system: NA telephones; modern system, integrated with that of the US by high capacity submarine cable and INTELSAT with high-speed data capability; digital telephone system with about 1 million lines; cellular telephone service (1990) local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT earth station and submarine cable
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 50, FM 63, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 9; note - cable television available with US programs (1990) televisions: NA
@Puerto Rico:Defense Forces
Branches: paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
________________________________________________________________________
QATAR
@Qatar:Geography
Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
Map references: Middle East
Area: total area: 11,000 sq km land area: 11,000 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries: total 60 km, Saudi Arabia 60 km
Coastline: 563 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain
Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer
Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 0% other: 95%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment: current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits
@Qatar:People
Population: 533,916 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (female 81,443; male 80,591) 15-64 years: 68% (female 104,921; male 258,135) 65 years and over: 2% (female 2,941; male 5,885) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.74% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 22.72 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 3.59 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 8.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 20.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.03 years male: 70.45 years female: 75.5 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.63 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari
Ethnic divisions: Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%
Religions: Muslim 95%
Languages: Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1986) total population: 76% male: 77% female: 72%
Labor force: NA
@Qatar:Government
Names: conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar
Digraph: QA
Type: traditional monarchy
Capital: Doha
Administrative divisions: 9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Salal
Independence: 3 September 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Constitution: provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970
Legal system: discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant in personal matters
Suffrage: none
Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: Amir and Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani (since 22 February 1972); Crown Prince HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (appointed 31 May 1977; son of Amir and Minister of Defense) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the amir
Legislative branch: unicameral Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura): constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held; seats - (30 total)
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: none
Member of: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador ABD AL-RAHMAN bin Saud bin Fahd Al Thani chancery: Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 338-0111
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Kenton W. KEITH embassy: 149 Ali Bin Ahmed St., Farig Bin Omran (opposite the television station), Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 864701 through 864703 FAX: [974] 861669
Flag: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side
@Qatar:Economy
Overview: Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 75% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.3 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for about 25 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to the leading West European industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of off-shore oil and the diversification of the economy.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $10.7 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: -1% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $20,820 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $440 million (1992 est.)
Exports: $3.13 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum products 75%, steel, fertilizers partners: Japan 57%, South Korea 9%, Brazil 4%, UAE 4%, Singapore 3% (1992)
Imports: $1.75 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals partners: Japan 16%, UK 11%, US 11%, Germany 7%, France 5% (1992)
External debt: $1.5 billion (1993 est.)
Industrial production: accounts for 50% of GDP, including oil
Electricity: capacity: 1,520,000 kW production: 4.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 8,415 kWh (1993)
Industries: crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel (rolls reinforcing bars for concrete construction), cement
Agriculture: farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP; agricultural area is small and government-owned; commercial fishing increasing in importance; most food imported
Economic aid: donor: pledged in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88), $2.7 billion
Currency: 1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Exchange rates: Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Qatar:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,190 km paved: 1,030 km unpaved: 160 km (1988 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km
Ports: Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id
Merchant marine: total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 463,227 GRT/763,507 DWT ships by type: combination ore/oil 1, container 3, cargo 11, oil tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1
Airports: total: 6 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3
@Qatar:Communications
Telephone system: 110,000 telephones; modern system centered in Doha local: NA intercity: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 3 televisions: NA
@Qatar:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 219,442; males fit for military service 115,103; males reach military age (18) annually 3,915 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA%, of GDP
________________________________________________________________________
REUNION
(overseas department of France)
@Reunion:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Map references: World
Area: total area: 2,510 sq km land area: 2,500 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 201 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical, but moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Natural resources: fish, arable land
Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 35% other: 39%
Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano international agreements: NA
@Reunion:People
Population: 666,067 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 32% (female 104,924; male 109,972) 15-64 years: 62% (female 210,762; male 203,774) 65 years and over: 6% (female 21,606; male 15,029) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.98% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 24.59 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 4.79 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.46 years male: 71.39 years female: 77.67 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Reunionese (singular and plural) adjective: Reunionese
Ethnic divisions: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian
Religions: Roman Catholic 94%
Languages: French (official), Creole widely used
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1982) total population: 79% male: 76% female: 80%
Labor force: NA by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 21%, services 49% (1981)
@Reunion:Government
Names: conventional long form: Department of Reunion conventional short form: Reunion local long form: none local short form: Ile de la Reunion
Digraph: RE
Type: overseas department of France
Capital: Saint-Denis
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981) head of government: Prefect of Reunion Island Hubert FOURNIER (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional Council General Council: elections last held March 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (47 total) PCR 12, PS 12, UDF 11, RPR 5, others 7 Regional Council: elections last held 25 June 1993 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (45 total) UPF 17, Free-Dom Movement 13, PCR 9, PS 6 French Senate: elections last held 24 September 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (3 total) RPR 1, FRA 1, independent 1 French National Assembly: elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (5 total) PS 1, PCR 1, UPF 1, RPR 1, UDF-CDS 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals (Cour d'Appel)
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic (RPR), Alain DEFAUD; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Gilbert GERARD; Communist Party of Reunion (PCR), Elie HOARAU;; France-Reunion Future (FRA), Andre THIEN AH KOON; Socialist Party (PS), Jean-Claude FRUTEAU; Social Democrats (CDS), leader NA; Union for France (UPF - including RPR and UDF); Free-Dom Movement, Marguerite SUDRE
Member of: FZ, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in US: none (overseas department of France)
US diplomatic representation: none (overseas department of France)
Flag: the flag of France is used
@Reunion:Economy
Overview: The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which recently amounted to one-third of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas indigenous groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate: NA%
National product per capita: $3,900 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: 35% (February 1991)
Budget: revenues: $358 million expenditures: $914 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986 est.)
Exports: $166 million (f.o.b., 1988) commodities: sugar 75%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 4%, lobster 3%, vanilla and tea 1% partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy
Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1988) commodities: manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%; about 25% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 180,000 kW production: 1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,454 kWh (1993)
Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, several small shops producing handicraft items
Agriculture: accounts for 30% of labor force; dominant sector of economy; cash crops - sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco; food crops - tropical fruits, vegetables, corn; imports large share of food needs
Economic aid: recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $14.8 billion
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.2943 (January 1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Reunion:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,800 km paved: 2,200 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, stabilized earth 600 km
Ports: Le Port, Pointe des Galets
Merchant marine: none
Airports: total: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
@Reunion:Communications
Telephone system: 85,900 telephones; adequate system; principal center Saint-Denis local: NA intercity: modern open-wire and microwave network international: radiocommunication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 13, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 1 (repeaters 18) televisions: NA
@Reunion:Defense Forces
Branches: French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 173,693; males fit for military service 89,438; males reach military age (18) annually 5,781 (1995 est.)
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
________________________________________________________________________
ROMANIA
@Romania:Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
Map references: Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe
Area: total area: 237,500 sq km land area: 230,340 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: total 2,508 km, Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km (all with Serbia), Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (south) 169 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: certain territory of Moldova and Ukraine - including Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina - are considered by Bucharest as historically a part of Romania; this territory was incorporated into the former Soviet Union following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1940
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Terrain: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Natural resources: petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt
Land use: arable land: 43% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 19% forest and woodland: 28% other: 7%
Irrigated land: 34,500 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands natural hazards: earthquakes most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
Note: controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
@Romania:People
Population: 23,198,330 (July 1995 est.) note: the Romanian census of January 1992 gives the population for that date as 22.749 million; the government estimates that population declined in 1993 by 0.3%
Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (female 2,413,933; male 2,534,019) 15-64 years: 67% (female 7,737,531; male 7,732,038) 65 years and over: 12% (female 1,604,210; male 1,176,599) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.09% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 13.71 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 9.93 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.24 years male: 69.31 years female: 75.35 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian
Ethnic divisions: Romanian 89.1%, Hungarian 8.9%, German 0.4%, Ukrainian, Serb, Croat, Russian, Turk, and Gypsy 1.6%
Religions: Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 6% (of which 3% are Uniate), Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%
Languages: Romanian, Hungarian, German
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992) total population: 97% male: 98% female: 95%
Labor force: 11.3 million (1992) by occupation: industry 38%, agriculture 28%, other 34% (1989)
@Romania:Government
Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Romania local long form: none local short form: Romania
Digraph: RO
Type: republic
Capital: Bucharest
Administrative divisions: 40 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea
Independence: 1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)
National holiday: National Day of Romania, 1 December (1990)
Constitution: 8 December 1991
Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and Communist legal theory; is now based on the Constitution of France's Fifth Republic
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 June 1990, previously President of Provisional Council of National Unity since 23 December 1989); election last held 27 September 1992, with runoff between top two candidates on 11 October 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Ion ILIESCU 61.4%, Emil CONSTANTINESCU 38.6% head of government: Prime Minister Nicolae VACAROIU (since November 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament Senate (Senat): elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - PSDR 34.3%, CDR 18.2%, DP-FSN 12.6%, others 34.9%; seats - (143 total) PSDR 49, CDR 26, DP-FSN 18, PUNR 13, UDMR 12, PRM 6, PAC 6, PDAR 5, PSM 5, PL-93 2 other 1 House of Deputies (Adunarea Deputatilor): elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - PSDR 34.0%, CDR 16,4%, DP-FSN 12.3%, others 37.3%; seats - (341 total) PSDR 116, CDR 56, DP-FSN 42, PUNR 29, UDMR 27, PL-93 19, PRM 15, PSM 13, PAC 5, other 19
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice, Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party (DP-FSN), Petre ROMAN; Social Democratic Party of Romania (PSDR), Adrian NASTASE; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), Bela MARKO; National Liberal Party (PNL), Mircea IONESCU-QUINTUS; National Peasants' Christian and Democratic Party (PNTCD), Corneliu COPOSU; Romanian National Unity Party (PUNR), Gheorghe FUNAR; Socialist Labor Party (PSM), Ilie VERDET; Agrarian Democratic Party of Romania (PDAR), Victor SURDU; The Democratic Convention (CDR), Emil CONSTANTINESCU; Romania Mare Party (PRM), Corneliu Vadim TUDOR; Civic Alliance Party (PAC), Nicolae MANOLESCU, chairman note: numerous other small parties exist but almost all failed to gain representation in the most recent election
Other political or pressure groups: various human rights and professional associations
Member of: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI (associate members), EBRD, ECE, FAO, G- 9, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mihai Horia BOTEZ chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred H. MOSES embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Consulate General (Bucharest), Unit 1315, Bucharest; APO AE 09213-1315 telephone: [40] (1) 210 01 49, 210 40 42 FAX: [40] (1) 210 03 95 branch office: Cluj-Napoca
Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flags of Andorra and Chad
@Romania:Economy
Overview: Despite the continuing difficulties in moving away from the former command system, the Romanian economy seems to have bottomed out in 1993-94. Market oriented reforms have been introduced fitfully since the downfall of CEAUSESCU in December 1989, with the result a growing private sector, especially in services. The slow pace of structural reform, however, has exacerbated Romania's high inflation rate and eroded real wages. Agricultural production rebounded in 1993 from the drought-reduced harvest of 1992. The economy continued its recovery in 1994, further gains being realized in agriculture, construction, services, and trade. Food supplies are adequate but expensive. Romania's infrastructure had deteriorated over the last five years due to reduced levels of public investment. Residents of the capital reported frequent disruptions of heating and water services. The slow and painful process of conversion to a more open economy will continue in 1995.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $64.7 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 3.4% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $2,790 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 62% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 10.9% (December 1994)
Budget: revenues: $8.3 billion expenditures: $9.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Exports: $6 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: metals and metal products 17.6%, mineral products 11.9%, textiles 18.5%, electric machines and equipment 8.4%, transport materials 6.5% (1994) partners: EC 36.1%, developing countries 27.4%, East and Central Europe 14.9%, EFTA 5.1%, Russia 5%, Japan 1.4%, US 1.3% (1993)
Imports: $6.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: minerals 21.1%, machinery and equipment 19.7%, textiles 11.5%, agricultural goods 9.2% (1994) partners: EC 45.8%, East and Central Europe 8.6%, developing countries 22.6%, Russia 11%, EFTA 6.2%, US 5.0%, Japan 0.8% (1993)
External debt: $4.4 billion (1994)
Industrial production: growth rate -1% (1993 est.); accounts for 45% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 22,180,000 kW production: 50.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,076 kWh (1993)
Industries: mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, machine building, food processing, petroleum production and refining
Agriculture: accounts for 18% of GDP and 28% of labor force; major wheat and corn producer; other products - sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, milk, eggs, meat, grapes
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine transiting the Balkan route
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 leu (L) = 100 bani
Exchange rates: lei (L) per US$1 - 1,776.00 (January 1995), 1,655.09 (1994), 760.05 (1993), 307.95 (1992), 76.39 (1991), 22.432 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Romania:Transportation
Railroads: total: 11,365 km broad gauge: 45 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 10,893 km 1.435-m gauge (3,723 km electrified; 3,060 km double track) narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (1994)
Highways: total: 461,880 km paved: 235,559 km (113 km of expressways) unpaved: 226,321 km (1992)
Inland waterways: 1,724 km (1984)
Pipelines: crude oil 2,800 km; petroleum products 1,429 km; natural gas 6,400 km (1992)
Ports: Braila, Constanta, Galatz, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea
Merchant marine: total: 238 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,528,971 GRT/3,849,943 DWT ships by type: bulk 46, cargo 167, container 2, oil tanker 14, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7 note: in addition, Romania owns 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,207,388 DWT that operate under Liberian, Maltese, Cypriot, and Bahamian registry
Airports: total: 156 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 4 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 17 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 108
@Romania:Communications
Telephone system: about 2.3 million telephones; 99 telephones/1,000 persons; 89% of phone network is automatic; poor service; cable and open wire local: NA intercity: trunk network is microwave; roughly 3,300 villages with no service (February 1990) international: 1 INTELSAT earth station; new digital international direct dial exchanges are in Bucharest (1993)
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 5, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 13 (1990) televisions: NA
@Romania:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Paramilitary Forces, Civil Defense
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 5,934,524; males fit for military service 5,002,287; males reach military age (20) annually 196,587 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: 1,260 billion lei, 3% of GDP (1994); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
________________________________________________________________________
RUSSIA
@Russia:Geography
Location: Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean
Map references: Asia
Area: total area: 17,075,200 sq km land area: 16,995,800 sq km comparative area: slightly more than 1.8 times the size of the US
Land boundaries: total 20,139 km, Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 290 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 167 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Ukraine 1,576 km