Introductory material (continued 2)

________________________________________________________________________

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

@Antigua And Barbuda:Geography

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total area: 440 sq km land area: 440 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes Redonda

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 153 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher volcanic areas

Natural resources: negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use: arable land: 18% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 16% other: 59%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly

natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

@Antigua And Barbuda:People

Population: 65,176 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25% (female 8,062; male 8,390) 15-64 years: 69% (female 22,342; male 22,334) 65 years and over: 6% (female 2,231; male 1,817) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.68% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 17.08 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.35 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 17.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.4 years male: 71.32 years female: 75.57 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.68 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Ethnic divisions: black African, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Religions: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman Catholic

Languages: English (official), local dialects

Literacy: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling (1960) total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88%

Labor force: 30,000 by occupation: commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983)

@Antigua And Barbuda:Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Digraph: AC

Type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Saint John's

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip

Independence: 1 November 1981 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

Constitution: 1 November 1981

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE (since NA 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament Senate: 17 member body appointed by the governor general House of Representatives: elections last held 8 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (17 total) ALP 11, UPP 5, independent 1

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party (ALP), Lester Bryant BIRD; United Progressive Party (UPP), Baldwin SPENCER

Other political or pressure groups: United Progressive Party (UPP), headed by Baldwin SPENCER, a coalition of three opposition political parties - the United National Democratic Party (UNDP); the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement (ACLM); and the Progressive Labor Movement (PLM); Antigua Trades and Labor Union (ATLU), headed by William ROBINSON

Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick Albert LEWIS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5211, 5166, 5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami

US diplomatic representation: the post was closed 30 June 1994; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

Flag: red with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white with a yellow rising sun in the black band

@Antigua And Barbuda:Economy

Overview: The economy is primarily service oriented, with tourism the most important determinant of economic performance. In 1993, tourism made a direct contribution to GDP of about 17%, and also spurred growth in other sectors such as construction and transport. While only accounting for roughly 5% of GDP in 1993, agricultural production increased by 4%. Tourist arrivals remained strong in 1994.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $400 million (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate: 3.4% (1993)

National product per capita: $6,000 (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (1993)

Unemployment rate: 6% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues: $105 million expenditures: $161 million, including capital expenditures of $56 million (1992)

Exports: $54.7 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, food and live animals 4%, machinery and transport equipment 17% partners: OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and Tobago 2%, US 0.3%

Imports: $260.9 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil partners: US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%, other 50%

External debt: $250 million (1990 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate -4.9% (1993 est.); accounts for 6.5% of GDP

Electricity: capacity: 52,100 kW production: 95 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,242 kWh (1993)

Industries: tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)

Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP; expanding output of cotton, fruits, vegetables, and livestock; other crops - bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; not self-sufficient in food

Illicit drugs: a long-time but relatively minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe and recent transshipment point for heroin from Europe to the US; more significant as a drug money laundering center

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments (1985-88), $10 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $50 million

Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Antigua And Barbuda:Transportation

Railroads: total: 77 km narrow gauge: 64 km 0.760-m gauge; 13 km 0.610-m gauge (used almost exclusively for handling sugar cane)

Highways: total: 240 km paved: NA unpaved: NA

Ports: Saint John's

Merchant marine: total: 304 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,188,113 GRT/1,651,190 DWT ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 216, chemical tanker 8, container 48, liquefied gas tanker 3, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 10, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11 note: a flag of convenience registry

Airports: total: 3 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2

@Antigua And Barbuda:Communications

Telephone system: 6,700 telephones; good automatic telephone system local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station; tropospheric scatter links with Saba and Guadeloupe

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 2 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 2 televisions: NA

@Antigua And Barbuda:Defense Forces

Branches: Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (includes the Coast Guard)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.4 million, 1% of GDP (FY90/91)

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ARCTIC OCEAN

@Arctic Ocean:Geography

Location: body of water mostly north of the Arctic Circle

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total area: 14.056 million sq km comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of the US; smallest of the world's four oceans (after Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean) note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Coastline: 45,389 km

International disputes: some maritime disputes (see littoral states); Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute between Norway and Russia

Climate: polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Terrain: central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the ice pack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling land masses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonsov Ridge); maximum depth is 4,665 meters in the Fram Basin

Natural resources: sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)

Environment: current issues: endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage natural hazards: ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually icelocked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May international agreements: NA

Note: major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia, floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean and lasts about 10 months

@Arctic Ocean:Government

Digraph: XQ

@Arctic Ocean:Economy

Overview: Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

@Arctic Ocean:Transportation

Ports: Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Note: sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

@Arctic Ocean:Communications

Telephone system: international: no submarine cables

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ARGENTINA

@Argentina:Geography

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Map references: South America

Area: total area: 2,766,890 sq km land area: 2,736,690 sq km comparative area: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Land boundaries: total 9,665 km, Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Coastline: 4,989 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: short section of the boundary with Uruguay is in dispute; short section of the boundary with Chile is indefinite; claims British-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); claims British-administered South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica

Climate: mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border

Natural resources: fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 52% forest and woodland: 22% other: 13%

Irrigated land: 17,600 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: erosion results from inadequate flood controls and improper land use practices; irrigated soil degradation; desertification; air pollution in Buenos Aires and other major cites; water pollution in urban areas; rivers becoming polluted due to increased pesticide and fertilizer use natural hazards: Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

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

@Argentina:People

Population: 34,292,742 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (female 4,706,793; male 4,903,589) 15-64 years: 62% (female 10,680,074; male 10,689,728) 65 years and over: 10% (female 1,922,552; male 1,390,006) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.11% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 19.51 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 8.62 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 28.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.51 years male: 68.22 years female: 74.97 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.65 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine

Ethnic divisions: white 85%, mestizo, Indian, or other nonwhite groups 15%

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 90% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 6%

Languages: Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 95% male: 96% female: 95%

Labor force: 10.9 million by occupation: agriculture 12%, industry 31%, services 57% (1985 est.)

@Argentina:Government

Names: conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina

Digraph: AR

Type: republic

Capital: Buenos Aires

Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires; Catamarca; Chaco; Chubut; Cordoba; Corrientes; Distrito Federal*; Entre Rios; Formosa; Jujuy; La Pampa; La Rioja; Mendoza; Misiones; Neuquen; Rio Negro; Salta; San Juan; San Luis; Santa Cruz; Santa Fe; Santiago del Estero; Tierra del Fuego, Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur; Tucuman note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica or Argentina's claims to the Falkland Islands

Independence: 9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Constitution: 1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Legal system: mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President (position vacant); election last held 14 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1999); results - Carlos Saul MENEM was reelected cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) Senate: elections last held May 1989, but provincial elections in late 1991 set the stage for indirect elections by provincial senators for one-third of 48 seats in the national senate in May 1992; seats (48 total) - PJ 29, UCR 11, others 7, vacant 1 Chamber of Deputies: elections last held 3 October 1993 ( next to be held October 1995); elections are held every two years and half of the total membership is elected each time for four year terms; seats - (257 total) PJ 122, UCR 83, MODIN 7, UCD 5, other 40

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Political parties and leaders: Justicialist Party (PJ), Carlos Saul MENEM, Peronist umbrella political organization; Radical Civic Union (UCR),Raul ALFONSIN, moderately left-of-center party; Union of the Democratic Center (UCD), Jorge AGUADO, conservative party; Dignity and Independence Political Party (MODIN), Aldo RICO, right-wing party; Grand Front (Frente Grande), Carlos ALVAREZ, center-left coalition; several provincial parties

Other political or pressure groups: Peronist-dominated labor movement; General Confederation of Labor (CGT; Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business organizations; students; the Roman Catholic Church; the Armed Forces

Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G- 6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, MERCOSUR, MINURSO, MTCR, NSG (observer), OAS, ONUSAL, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raul Enrique GRANILLO OCAMPO chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6400 through 6403 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador James R. CHEEK embassy: 4300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires mailing address: Unit 4334; APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (1) 777-4533, 4534 FAX: [54] (1) 777-0197

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

@Argentina:Economy

Overview: Argentina, rich in natural resources, benefits also from a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Nevertheless, following decades of mismanagement and statist policies, the economy in the late 1980s was plagued with huge external debts and recurring bouts of hyperinflation. Elected in 1989, in the depths of recession, President MENEM has implemented a comprehensive economic restructuring program that shows signs of putting Argentina on a path of stable, sustainable growth. Argentina's currency has traded at par with the US dollar since April 1991, and inflation has fallen to its lowest level in 20 years. Argentines have responded to the relative price stability by repatriating flight capital and investing in domestic industry. The economy registered an impressive 6% advance in 1994, fueled largely by inflows of foreign capital and strong domestic consumption spending. The government's major short term objective is encouraging exports, e.g., by reducing domestic costs of production. At the start of 1995, the government had to deal with the spillover from international financial movements associated with the devaluation of the Mexican peso. In addition, unemployment had become a serious issue for the government. Despite average annual 7% growth in 1991-94, unemployment surprisingly has doubled - due mostly to layoffs in government bureaus and in privatized industrial firms and utilities and, to a lesser degree, to illegal immigration. Much remains to be done in the 1990s in dismantling the old statist barriers to growth, extending the recent economic gains, and bringing down the rate of unemployment.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $270.8 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 6% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $7,990 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $48.46 billion expenditures: $46.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.5 billion (1994 est.)

Exports: $15.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: meat, wheat, corn, oilseed, manufactures partners: US 12%, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Netherlands

Imports: $21.4 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, fuels and lubricants, agricultural products partners: US 22%, Brazil, Germany, Bolivia, Japan, Italy, Netherlands

External debt: $73 billion (April 1994)

Industrial production: growth rate 12.5% accounts for 31% of GDP (1994 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 17,330,000 kW production: 54.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,610 kWh (1993)

Industries: food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Agriculture: accounts for 8% of GDP (including fishing); produces abundant food for both domestic consumption and exports; among world's top five exporters of grain and beef; principal crops - wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets

Illicit drugs: increasing use as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for the US and Europe

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.4 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $718 million

Currency: 1 nuevo peso argentino = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: pesos per US$1 - 0.99870 (December 1994), 0.99901 (1994), 0.99895 (1993), 0.99064 (1992), 0.95355 (1991), 0.48759 (1990)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Argentina:Transportation

Railroads: total: 34,572 km broad gauge: NA km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge: NA km 1.435-m narrow gauge: 400 km 0.750-m gauge; NA km 1.000-m gauge (209 km electrified)

Highways: total: 208,350 km paved: 57,000 km unpaved: gravel 39,500 km; improved/unimproved earth 111,850 km

Inland waterways: 11,000 km navigable

Pipelines: crude oil 4,090 km; petroleum products 2,900 km; natural gas 9,918 km

Ports: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Necochea, Rio Gallegos, Rosario, Santa Fe, Ushuaia

Merchant marine: total: 44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 434,525 GRT/667,501 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 21, chemical tanker 1, container 4, oil tanker 8, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1

Airports: total: 1,602 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 55 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 48 with paved runways under 914 m: 703 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: 70 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 693

@Argentina:Communications

Telephone system: 2,650,000 telephones; 12,000 public telephones; 78 telephones/1,000 persons; extensive modern system but many families do not have telephones; microwave widely used; however, during rainstorms, the telephone system frequently grounds out, even in Buenos Aires local: NA intercity: microwave radio relay and domestic satellite network with 40 earth stations international: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 171, FM 0, shortwave 13 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 231 televisions: NA

@Argentina:Defense Forces

Branches: Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic, Argentine Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Argentine Naval Prefecture (Coast Guard only), National Aeronautical Police Force

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 8,573,780; males fit for military service 6,954,584; males reach military age (20) annually 301,166 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

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ARMENIA

@Armenia:Geography

Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States - European States

Area: total area: 29,800 sq km land area: 28,400 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total 1,254 km, Azerbaijan (east) 566 km, Azerbaijan (south) 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: supports ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh in their separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani government; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided

Climate: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Terrain: high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 0% other: 60%

Irrigated land: 3,050 sq km (1990)

Environment: current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; energy blockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan, has led to deforestation as citizens scavenge for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich, a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Note: landlocked

@Armenia:People

Population: 3,557,284 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31% (female 542,664; male 570,998) 15-64 years: 61% (female 1,103,171; male 1,076,226) 65 years and over: 8% (female 154,784; male 109,441) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.94% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 22.79 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6.66 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 26 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.36 years male: 68.94 years female: 75.95 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.06 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian

Ethnic divisions: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989) note: as of the end of 1994, most Azeris had emigrated from Armenia

Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94%

Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98%

Labor force: 1.578 million by occupation: industry and construction 34%, agriculture and forestry 31%, other 35% (1992)

@Armenia:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic

Digraph: AM

Type: republic

Capital: Yerevan

Administrative divisions: 37 regions (shrjanner, singular - shrjan) and 23 cities* (kaghakner, singular - kaghak); Abovyan*, Akhuryani Shrjan, Alaverdi*, Amasiayi Shrjan, Anii Shrjan, Aparani Shrjan, Aragatsi Shrjan, Ararat*, Ararati Shrjan, Armaviri Shrjan, Artashat*, Artashati Shrjan, Art'ik*, Art'iki Shrjan, Ashots'k'i Shrjan, Ashtarak*, Ashtaraki Shrjan, Baghramyani Shrjan, Ch'arents'avan*, Dilijan*, Ejmiatsin*, Ejmiatsni Shrjan, Goris*, Gorisi Shrjan, Gugark'i Shrjan, Gyumri*, Hoktemberyan*, Hrazdan*, Hrazdani Shrjan, Ijevan*, Ijevani Shrjan, Jermuk*, Kamo*, Kamoyi Shrjan, Kapan*, Kapani Shrjan, Kotayk'i Shrjan, Krasnoselski Shrjan, Martunu Shrjan, Masisi Shrjan, Meghru Shrjan, Metsamor*, Nairii Shrjan, Noyemberyani Shrjan, Sevan*, Sevani Shrjan, Sisiani Shrjan, Spitak*, Spitaki Shrjan, Step'anavan*, Step'anavani Shrjan, T'alini Shrjan, Tashiri Shrjan, Taushi Shrjan, T'umanyani Shrjan, Vanadzor*, Vardenisi Shrjan, Vayk'i Shrjan, Yeghegnadzori Shrjan, Yerevan*

Independence: 28 May 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Referendum Day, 21 September

Constitution: adopted NA April 1978; referendum on new constitution to be held 5 July 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN (since October 1991) election last held 16 October 1991 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN 86%; radical nationalists about 7%; note - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN was elected Chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet 4 August 1990 before becoming president head of government: Prime Minister Hrant BAGRATYAN (since 16 February 1993); First Deputy Prime Minister Vigen CHITECHYAN (since 16 February 1993) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Soviet: elections last held 20 May 1990 (next to be held 5 July 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (260 total) non-aligned 136, ANM 52, DPA 17, Democratic Liberal Party 17, ARF 12, NDU 9, Christian Democratic Party 1, Constitutional Rights Union 1, ONS 1, Republican Party 1, Nagorno-Karabakh representatives 13

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Movement (ANM), Ter-Husik LAZARYAN, chairman; National Democratic Union (NDU), David VARTANYAN, chairman; Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun); note - banned until reorganized; Democratic Party of Armenia (DPA; Communist Party), Aram SARKISYAN, chairman; Christian Democratic Party, Azat ARSHAKYAN, chairman; Greens Party, Hakob SANASARIAN, chairman; Democratic Liberal Party, Rouben MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman; Republican Party, Ashot NAVARSARDYAN, chairman; Union for Self-Determination (ONS), Paruir AIRIKYAN, chairman

Member of: BSEC, CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, NACC, NAM (observer), OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ruben SHUGARIAN chancery: Suite 210, 1660 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 628-5766 FAX: [1] (202) 628-5769

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Harry J. GILMORE embassy: 18 Gen Bagramian, Yerevan mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (8852) 151-144, 524-661 FAX: [7] (8852) 151-138

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold

@Armenia:Economy

Overview: Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a more modern industrial sector, supplying machine building equipment, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy resources. Armenia is a large food importer and its mineral deposits (gold, bauxite) are small. The economic decline in recent years (1991-94) has been particularly severe due to the ongoing conflict over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan and Turkey have blockaded pipeline and railroad traffic to Armenia for its support of the Karabakh Armenians. This has left Armenia with chronic energy shortages because of a lack of capacity and frequent disruptions of natural gas deliveries through unstable Georgia, as well as difficulties in obtaining other types of fuel. In addition, bread is strictly rationed and there are shortages of other goods. In 1994, the economy seemed to bottom out. The government has managed to increase its financial and budgetary discipline, bringing inflation down from around 40% per month in first half 1994 to single digits in second half 1994 and the first quarter of 1995. A full economic recovery cannot be expected until the conflict is settled and the blockade lifted.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $8.1 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)

National product real growth rate: -2% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $2,290 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 27% per month average (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.5% of officially registered unemployed but large numbers of underemployed (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exports: $43 million to countries outside the FSU (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: gold and jewelry, aluminum, transport equipment, electrical equipment partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia

Imports: $120 million from countries outside the FSU (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: grain, other foods, fuel, other energy partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia, US, EU

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate 7% (1994 est.); accounts for 41% of GDP

Electricity: capacity: 4,620,000 kW production: 5.7 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,620 kWh (1994)

Industries: traditionally diverse, including (as a percent of output of former USSR) metalcutting machine tools (5.5%), forging-pressing machines (1.9%), electric motors (9%), tires (1.5%), knitted wear (4.4%), hosiery (3.0%), shoes (2.2%), silk fabric (0.8%), washing machines (2.0%), chemicals, trucks, watches, instruments, and microelectronics (1990); currently, much of industry is shut down

Agriculture: only 17% of land area is arable; employs 31% of labor force as residents increasingly turn to subsistence agriculture; fruits (especially grapes) and vegetable farming, minor livestock sector; vineyards near Yerevan are famous for brandy and other liqueurs

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Economic aid: recipient: considerable humanitarian aid, mostly food and energy products, from US and EU; Russia granted 60 billion rubles in technical credits in late 1994 and approved a 110 billion ruble credit almost half of which was to go toward the restart of the Metsamor nuclear power plant

Currency: 1 dram = 100 luma (introduced new currency in November 1993)

Exchange rates: dram per US$1 - 406 (end December 1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Armenia:Transportation

Railroads: total: 840 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 840 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

Highways: total: 11,300 km paved: 10,500 km unpaved: earth 800 km (1990)

Inland waterways: NA km

Pipelines: natural gas 900 km (1991)

Ports: none

Airports: total: 11 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 1

@Armenia:Communications

Telephone system: about 650,000 telephones; 177 telephones/1,000 persons; progress on installation of fiber optic cable and construction of facilities for mobile cellular phone service remains in the negotiation phase for joint venture agreement local: NA intercity: NA international: international connections to other former republics of the USSR are by landline or microwave and to other countries by satellite and by leased connection through the Moscow international gateway switch; 1 INTELSAT satellite link

Radio: broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: NA; note - 100% of population receives Armenian and Russian TV programs televisions: NA

@Armenia:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 877,414; males fit for military service 699,167; males reach military age (18) annually 28,634 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: 250 million rubles, NA% of GDP (1992 est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

________________________________________________________________________

ARUBA

(part of the Dutch realm)

@Aruba:Geography

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total area: 193 sq km land area: 193 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 68.5 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Natural resources: negligible; white sandy beaches

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt international agreements: NA

@Aruba:People

Population: 65,974 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (female 7,377; male 7,726) 15-64 years: 69% (female 24,269; male 21,141) 65 years and over: 8% (female 3,223; male 2,238) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.65% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 14.6 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6.17 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.56 years male: 72.89 years female: 80.42 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban

Ethnic divisions: mixed European/Caribbean Indian 80%

Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish

Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish

Literacy: NA%

Labor force: NA by occupation: most employment is in the tourist industry (1995)

@Aruba:Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba

Digraph: AA

Type: part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles

Capital: Oranjestad

Administrative divisions: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

Independence: none (part of the Dutch realm; in 1990, Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996)

National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March

Constitution: 1 January 1986

Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Jan (Henny) H. EMAN (since 29 July 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed with the advice and approval of the legislature

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (Staten): elections last held 29 July 1994 (next to be held by NA July 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) AVP 10, MEP 9, OLA 2

Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders: Electoral Movement Party (MEP), Nelson ODUBER; Aruban People's Party (AVP), Jan (Henny) H. EMAN; National Democratic Action (ADN), Pedro Charro KELLY; New Patriotic Party (PPN), Eddy WERLEMEN; Aruban Patriotic Party (PPA), Benny NISBET; Aruban Democratic Party (PDA), Leo BERLINSKI; Democratic Action '86 (AD '86), Arturo ODUBER; Organization for Aruban Liberty (OLA), Glenbert CROES note: governing coalition includes the MEP, PPA, and ADN

Member of: ECLAC (associate), INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WTO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in US: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

US diplomatic representation: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

Flag: blue with two narrow horizontal yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner

@Aruba:Economy

Overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. Additionally, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and less than 1% unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate: 5% (1993 est.)

National product per capita: $17,000 (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 0.6% (1992)

Budget: revenues: $145 million expenditures: $185 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1988)

Exports: $1.3 billion (including oil re-exports) (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: mostly refined petroleum products partners: US 64%, EC

Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products, crude oil for refining and re-export partners: US 8%, EC

External debt: $81 million (1987)

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: capacity: 90,000 kW production: 330 million kWh consumption per capita: 4,761 kWh (1993)

Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Agriculture: poor quality soils and low rainfall limit agricultural activity to the cultivation of aloes, some livestock, and fishing

Illicit drugs: drug money laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe

Economic aid: recipient: Western (non-US) countries ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $220 million

Currency: 1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1 - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Aruba:Transportation

Railroads: 0 km

Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA

Ports: Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

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 note: government-owned airport east of Oranjestad accepts transatlantic flights

@Aruba:Communications

Telephone system: 72,168 telephones; 1,100 telephones/1,000 persons; more than adequate local: NA intercity: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 4, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

@Aruba:Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands

________________________________________________________________________

ASHMORE AND CARTIER ISLANDS

(territory of Australia)

@Ashmore And Cartier Islands:Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total area: 5 sq km land area: 5 sq km comparative area: about 8.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 74.1 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical

Terrain: low with sand and coral

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: surrounded by shoals and reefs which can pose maritime hazards international agreements: NA

Note: Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983

@Ashmore And Cartier Islands:People

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

@Ashmore And Cartier Islands:Government

Names: conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Digraph: AT

Type: territory of Australia administered by the Australian Ministry for the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Capital: none; administered from Canberra, Australia

Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)

Independence: none (territory of Australia)

Legal system: relevant laws of the Northern Territory of Australia

Diplomatic representation in US: none (territory of Australia)

US diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)

@Ashmore And Cartier Islands:Economy

Overview: no economic activity

@Ashmore And Cartier Islands:Transportation

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

@Ashmore And Cartier Islands:Defense Forces

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

________________________________________________________________________

ATLANTIC OCEAN

@Atlantic Ocean:Geography

Location: body of water between Africa, Antarctica, and the Western Hemisphere

Map references: World

Area: total area: 82.217 million sq km comparative area: slightly less than nine times the size of the US; second-largest of the world's four oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than Indian Ocean or Arctic Ocean) note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Coastline: 111,866 km

International disputes: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Climate: tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent from August to November

Terrain: surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin; maximum depth is 8,605 meters in the Puerto Rico Trench

Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones

Environment: current issues: endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; driftnet fishing is exacerbating declining fish stocks and contributing to international disputes; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea natural hazards: icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; icebergs from Antarctica occur in the extreme southern Atlantic Ocean; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May and extreme southern Atlantic from May to October; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September international agreements: NA

Note: major choke points include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

@Atlantic Ocean:Government

Digraph: ZH

@Atlantic Ocean:Economy

Overview: The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, the dredging of aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

@Atlantic Ocean:Transportation

Ports: Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Note: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways

@Atlantic Ocean:Communications

Telephone system: international: numerous submarine cables with most between continental Europe and the UK, North America and the UK, and in the Mediterranean; numerous direct links across Atlantic via INTELSAT satellite network

________________________________________________________________________

AUSTRALIA

@Australia:Geography

Location: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean

Map references: Oceania

Area: total area: 7,686,850 sq km land area: 7,617,930 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than the US note: includes Macquarie Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 25,760 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory)

Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north

Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 58% forest and woodland: 14% other: 22%

Irrigated land: 18,800 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Note: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer

@Australia:People

Population: 18,322,231 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (female 1,929,366; male 2,032,238) 15-64 years: 67% (female 6,017,362; male 6,181,887) 65 years and over: 11% (female 1,227,004; male 934,374) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.31% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 14.13 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 7.37 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 6.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.78 years male: 74.67 years female: 81.04 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian

Ethnic divisions: Caucasian 95%, Asian 4%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%

Languages: English, native languages

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Labor force: 8.63 million (September 1991) by occupation: finance and services 33.8%, public and community services 22.3%, wholesale and retail trade 20.1%, manufacturing and industry 16.2%, agriculture 6.1% (1987)

@Australia:Government

Names: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia

Digraph: AS

Type: federal parliamentary state

Capital: Canberra

Administrative divisions: 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Dependent areas: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island

Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General William George HAYDEN (since 16 February 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Paul John KEATING (since 20 December 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Brian HOWE (since 4 June 1991) cabinet: Cabinet; prime minister selects his cabinet from members of the House and Senate

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament Senate: elections last held 13 March 1993 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (76 total) Liberal-National 36, Labor 30, Australian Democrats 7, Greens 2, independents 1 House of Representatives: elections last held 13 March 1993 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (147 total) Labor 80, Liberal-National 65, independent 2

Judicial branch: High Court

Political parties and leaders: government: Australian Labor Party, Paul John KEATING opposition: Liberal Party, John HOWARD; National Party, Timothy FISCHER; Australian Democratic Party, Cheryl KERNOT; Green Party, leader NA

Other political or pressure groups: Australian Democratic Labor Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group)

Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 8, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, PCA, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOSOM, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald Eric RUSSELL chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Edward J. PERKINS embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (6) 270-5000 FAX: [61] (6) 270-5970 consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney consulate(s): Brisbane

Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars

@Australia:Economy

Overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP comparable to levels in industrialized West European countries. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Primary products account for more than 60% of the value of total exports, so that, as in 1983-84, a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. Australia has suffered from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the early 1990s. In 1992-93 the economy recovered slowly from the prolonged recession of 1990-91, a major restraining factor being weak world demand for Australia's exports. Growth picked up so strongly in 1994 that the government felt the need for fiscal and monetary tightening by yearend. Australia's GDP grew 6.4% in 1994, largely due to increases in industrial output and business investment. A severe drought in 1994 is expected to reduce the value of Australia's net farm production by $825 million in the twelve months through June 1995, but rising world commodity prices are likely to boost rural exports by 7.7% to $14.5 billion in 1995/96, according to government statistics.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $374.6 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 6.4% (1994)

National product per capita: $20,720 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1994)

Unemployment rate: 8.9% (December 1994)

Budget: revenues: $83.8 billion expenditures: $92.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93/94)

Exports: $50.4 billion (1994) commodities: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment partners: Japan 25%, US 11%, South Korea 6%, NZ 5.7%, UK, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong (1992)

Imports: $51.1 billion (1994) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, crude oil and petroleum products partners: US 23%, Japan 18%, UK 6%, Germany 5.7%, NZ 4% (1992)

External debt: $147.2 billion (1994)

Industrial production: growth rate 3.9% (FY93/94); accounts for 32% of GDP

Electricity: capacity: 34,540,000 kW production: 155 billion kWh consumption per capita: 8,021 kWh (1993)

Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel

Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP and over 30% of export revenues; world's largest exporter of beef and wool, second-largest for mutton, and among top wheat exporters; major crops - wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruit; livestock - cattle, sheep, poultry

Illicit drugs: Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

Economic aid: donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $10.4 billion

Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3058 (January 1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Australia:Transportation

Railroads: total: 40,478 km (1,130 km electrified; 183 km dual gauge) broad gauge: 7,970 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 16,201 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 16,307 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways: total: 837,872 km paved: 243,750 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, stabilized earth 228,396 km; unimproved earth 365,726 km

Inland waterways: 8,368 km; mainly by small, shallow-draft craft

Pipelines: crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km

Ports: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport, Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceton (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville

Merchant marine: total: 81 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,620,536 GRT/3,801,970 DWT ships by type: bulk 30, cargo 7, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 2, container 7, liquefied gas tanker 6, oil tanker 18, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7, short-sea passenger 1

Airports: total: 480 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 9 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 128 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 125 with paved runways under 914 m: 31 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 23 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 149

@Australia:Communications

Telephone system: 8,700,000 telephones; good international and domestic service local: NA intercity: domestic satellite service international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; 10 INTELSAT (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean) earth stations

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 258, FM 67, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 134 televisions: NA

@Australia:Defense Forces

Branches: Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 4,934,175; males fit for military service 4,274,900; males reach military age (17) annually 131,852 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $7.2 billion, 2.2% of GDP (FY94/95)

________________________________________________________________________

AUSTRIA

@Austria:Geography

Location: Central Europe, north of Italy

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 83,850 sq km land area: 82,730 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries: total 2,496 km, Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 262 km, Switzerland 164 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: none

Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers

Terrain: in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Natural resources: iron ore, petroleum, timber, magnesite, aluminum, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 24% forest and woodland: 39% other: 19%

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1989)

Environment: current issues: some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulpher 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Whaling

Note: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

@Austria:People

Population: 7,986,664 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (female 681,087; male 711,127) 15-64 years: 67% (female 2,672,554; male 2,677,100) 65 years and over: 16% (female 791,762; male 453,034) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.35% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 11.21 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 10.27 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.9 years male: 73.7 years female: 80.27 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian

Ethnic divisions: German 99.4%, Croatian 0.3%, Slovene 0.2%, other 0.1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 6%, other 9%

Languages: German

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1974 est.) total population: 99%

Labor force: 3.47 million (1989) by occupation: services 56.4%, industry and crafts 35.4%, agriculture and forestry 8.1% note: an estimated 200,000 Austrians are employed in other European countries; foreign laborers in Austria number 177,840, about 5% of labor force (1988)

@Austria:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich

Digraph: AU

Type: federal republic

Capital: Vienna

Administrative divisions: 9 states (bundeslaender, singular - bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien

Independence: 12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)

National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955)

Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Legal system: civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by a Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Executive branch: chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992); election last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 1996); results of second ballot - Thomas KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43% head of government: Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986); Vice Chancellor Erhard BUSEK (since 2 July 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung) Federal Council (Bundesrat): consists of 63 members representing each of the provinces on the basis of population, but with each province having at least 3 representatives National Council (Nationalrat): elections last held 9 October 1994 (next to be held October 1998); results - SPOE 34.9%, OEVP 27.7%, FPOE 22.5%, Greens 7.3%, LF 6.0% other 1.6%; seats - (183 total) SPOE 65, OEVP 52, FPOE 42, Greens 13, LF 11

Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for civil and criminal cases, Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) for bureaucratic cases, Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) for constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPOE), Franz VRANITZKY, chairman; Austrian People's Party (OEVP), Erhard BUSEK, chairman; Freedom Movement (F) (was the Freedom Party of Austria, FPOE), Joerg HAIDER, chairman; Communist Party (KPOE), Walter SILBERMAYER, chairman; The Greens, Madeleine PETROVIC; Liberal Forum (LF), Heide SCHMIDT

Other political or pressure groups: Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist); three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party (OEVP) representing business, labor, and farmers; OEVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action

Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUSAL, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIH, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Helmut TUERK chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Swanee G. HUNT chancery: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Vienna mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [43] (1) 313-39 FAX: [43] (1) 310-0682 consulate(s) general: none (Salzburg closed September 1993)

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

@Austria:Economy

Overview: Austria boasts a prosperous and stable market economy with a sizable but falling proportion of nationalized industry and with extensive welfare benefits. Thanks to its raw material endowment, a technically skilled labor force, and strong links to German industrial firms, Austria occupies specialized niches in European industry and services (tourism, banking) and produces almost enough food to feed itself with only 8% of the labor force in agriculture. After 11 consecutive years of growth, the Austrian economy experienced a mild recession in 1993, but growth resumed in 1994. Unemployment is 4.3% and will likely stay at that level as companies adjust to the competition of EU membership beginning 1 January 1995. To prepare for EU membership, Austria's government has taken measures to open the economy by introducing a major tax reform, privatizing state-owned firms, and liberalizing cross-border capital movements. Problems for the 1990s include an aging population, the high level of industrial subsidies, and the struggle to keep welfare benefits within budgetary capabilities - the deficit climbed to over 4% of GDP in 1994.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $139.3 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 2.5% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $17,500 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1994)

Unemployment rate: 4.3% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $52.2 billion expenditures: $60.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)

Exports: $44.1 billion (1994 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles, paper products, chemicals partners: EC 63.5% (Germany 38.9%), EFTA 9.0%, Eastern Europe/FSU 12.3%, Japan 1.5%, US 3.4% (1993)

Imports: $53.8 billion (1994 est.) commodities: petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals partners: EC 66.8% (Germany 41.3%), EFTA 6.7%, Eastern Europe/FSU 7.5%, Japan 4.4%, US 4.4% (1993)

External debt: $21.5 billion (1994 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 2.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 17,230,000 kW production: 50.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,824 kWh (1993)

Industries: foods, iron and steel, machines, textiles, chemicals, electrical, paper and pulp, tourism, mining, motor vehicles

Agriculture: accounts for 3.2% of GDP (including forestry); principal crops and animals - grains, fruit, potatoes, sugar beets, sawn wood, cattle, pigs, poultry; 80%-90% self-sufficient in food

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and Eastern Europe

Economic aid: donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $2.4 billion

Currency: 1 Austrian schilling (S) = 100 groschen

Exchange rates: Austrian schillings (S) per US$1 - 10.774 (January 1995), 11.422 (1994), 11.632 (1993), 10.989 (1992), 11.676 (1991), 11.370 (1990)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Austria:Transportation

Railroads: total: 5,624 km standard gauge: 5,269 km 1.435-m gauge (3,162 km electrified) narrow gauge: 355 km 1.000-m and 0.760-m gauge (84 km electrified) (1994)

Highways: total: 110,000 km paved: 35,000 km (including 1,554 km of autobahn) unpaved: mostly gravel and earth 75,000 km (1992)

Inland waterways: 446 km

Pipelines: crude oil 554 km; petroleum products 171 km; natural gas 2,611 km

Ports: Linz, Vienna

Merchant marine: total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 152,885 GRT/235,719 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 25, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1

Airports: total: 55 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 41 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4

@Austria:Communications

Telephone system: 4,014,000 telephones; highly developed and efficient

local: NA intercity: NA international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), and EUTELSAT earth stations

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 21 (repeaters 545), shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 47 (repeaters 870) televisions: NA

@Austria:Defense Forces

Branches: Army (includes Flying Division)

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,026,567; males fit for military service 1,695,879; males reach military age (19) annually 46,821 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - about $1.8 billion, 0.9% of GDP (1994)

________________________________________________________________________

AZERBAIJAN

Note—Azerbaijan continues to be plagued by an unresolved seven-year-old conflict with Armenian separatists over its Nagorno-Karabakh region. The Karabakh Armenians have declared independence and seized almost 20% of the country's territory, creating almost 1 million Azeri displaced persons in the process. Both sides have generally observed a Russian-mediated cease-fire in place since May 1994, and support the OSCE-mediated peace process, now entering its fourth year. Nevertheless, Baku and Xankandi (Stepanakert) remain far apart on most substantive issues from the placement and composition of a peacekeeping force to the enclave's ultimate political status, and prospects for a negotiated settlement remain dim.

@Azerbaijan:Geography

Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States - European States

Area: total area: 86,600 sq km land area: 86,100 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maine note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991

Land boundaries: total 2,013 km, Armenia (west) 566 km, Armenia (southwest) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran (south) 432 km, Iran (southwest) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) note: Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800 km, est.)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: violent and longstanding dispute with ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh over its status; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined

Climate: dry, semiarid steppe

Terrain: large, flat Kur-Araz Lowland (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag (Karabakh) Upland in west; Baku lies on Abseron (Apsheron) Peninsula that juts into Caspian Sea

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina

Land use: arable land: 18% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 25% forest and woodland: 0% other: 53%

Irrigated land: 14,010 sq km (1990)

Environment: current issues: local scientists consider the Abseron (Apsheron) Peninsula (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe air, water, and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of DDT as a pesticide and also from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton natural hazards: droughts; some lowland areas threatened by rising levels of the Caspian Sea international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Note: landlocked

@Azerbaijan:People

Population: 7,789,886 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33% (female 1,241,952; male 1,315,313) 15-64 years: 61% (female 2,437,810; male 2,307,496) 65 years and over: 6% (female 303,926; male 183,389) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.32% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 22.05 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6.56 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 33.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.09 years male: 67.4 years female: 74.97 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.64 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Azerbaijani(s) adjective: Azerbaijani

Ethnic divisions: Azeri 90%, Dagestani Peoples 3.2%, Russian 2.5%, Armenian 2.3%, other 2% (1995 est.) note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region

Religions: Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.) note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; actual practicing adherents are much lower

Languages: Azeri 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 97% male: 99% female: 96%

Labor force: 2.789 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 32%, industry and construction 26%, other 42% (1990)

@Azerbaijan:Government

Names: conventional long form: Azerbaijani Republic conventional short form: Azerbaijan local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi local short form: none former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Digraph: AJ

Type: republic

Capital: Baku (Baki)

Administrative divisions: 59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities* (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar respublika); Abscron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, AliBayramli Sahari*, Astara Rayonu, Baki Sahari*, Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu, Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu, Gadabay Rayonu, Ganca Sahari*, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu, Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu, Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lankaran Sahari*, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu, Mingacevir Sahari*, Naftalan Sahari*, Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi**, Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Saki Sahari*, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Sumqayit Sahari*, Susa Rayonu, Susa Sahari*, Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xankandi Sahari*, Xanlar Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimb Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Yevlax Sahari*, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu

Independence: 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 May

Constitution: adopted NA April 1978; writing a new constitution

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Heydar ALIYEV (since 18 June 1993); election last held 3 October 1993 (next to be held NA); results - Heydar ALIYEV won 97% of vote head of government: Acting Prime Minister Fuad QULIYEV (since 9 October 1994); First Deputy Prime Ministers Abbas ABBASOV, Samed SADYKOV, Vahid AKHMEDOV (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president and confirmed by the Mejlis

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Milli Mejlis): elections last held 30 September and 14 October 1990 for the Supreme Soviet (next expected to be held September 1995 for the National Assembly); seats for Supreme Soviet - (360 total) Communists 280, Democratic Bloc 45 (grouping of opposition parties), other 15, vacant 20; note - on 19 May 1992 the Supreme Soviet was prorogued in favor of a Popular Front-dominated National Council; seats - (50 total) Popular Front 25, opposition elements 25 note: since June 1993 ALIYEV has rotated in several supporters to replace Popular Front adherents

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Azerbaijan Popular Front (APF), Ebulfez ELCIBEY, chairman; Musavat Party, Isa GAMBAR, chairman; National Independence Party, Etibar MAMEDOV, chairman; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Araz ALIZADE, chairman; Communist Party, Ramiz AKHMEDOV, chairman; People's Freedom Party, Yunus OGUZ, chairman; Independent Social Democratic Party, Arif YUNUSOV and Leila YUNOSOVA, cochairmen; New Azerbaijan Party, Heydar ALIYEV, chairman; Boz Gurd Party, Iskander HAMIDOV, chairman; Azerbaijan Democratic Independence Party, Qabil HUSEYNLI, chairman; Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, Ali Akram, chairman; Ana Veten Party, Fazail AGAMALIYEV; Azerbaijan Democratic Party, Sardar Jalaloglu MAMEDOV; Azerbaijan Democratic Party of Proprietors (DPOP), Makhmud MAMEDOV; Azerbaijan Patriotic Solidarity Party, Sabir RUSTAMHANLI; Azerbaijan Republic Reform Party, Fuad ASADOV; Communist Party of Azerbaijan (unregistered), Sayad SAYADOV; Equality of the Peoples Party, Faukhraddin AYDAYEV; Independent Azerbaijan Party, Nizami SULEYMANOV; Labor Party of Azerbaijan, Sabutai HAJIYEV; Liberal-Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, Lyudmila NIKOLAYEVNA; National Enlightenment Party, Hajy Osman EFENDIYEV; National Liberation Party, Panak SHAKHSEVEV; Peasant Party, Firuz MUSTAFAYEV; Radical Party of Azerbaijan, Malik SHARIFOV; United Azerbaijan Party, Kerrar ABILOV; Vetan Adzhagy Party, Zakir TAGIYEV

Other political or pressure groups: self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement

Member of: BSEC, CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz Mir Jalal PASHAYEV chancery: (temporary) Suite 700, 927 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 842-0001 FAX: [1] (202) 842-0004

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard D. KAUZLARICH embassy: Azadliq Prospect 83, Baku mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [9] (9412) 96-00-19, 98-03-37 FAX: [9] (9412) 98-37-55

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

@Azerbaijan:Economy

Overview: Azerbaijan is less developed industrially than either Armenia or Georgia, the other Transcaucasian states. It resembles the Central Asian states in its majority nominally Muslim population, high structural unemployment, and low standard of living. The economy's most prominent products are oil, cotton, and gas. Production from the Caspian oil and gas field has been in decline for several years, but the November 1994 ratification of the $7.5 billion oil deal with a consortium of Western companies should generate the funds needed to spur future industrial development. Azerbaijan accounted for 1.5% to 2% of the capital stock and output of the former Soviet Union. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the ex-Soviet republics in making the transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its long-term prospects. Baku has only recently begun making progress on economic reform, and old economic ties and structures have yet to be replaced.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $13.8 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)

National product real growth rate: -22% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $1,790 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 28% monthly average (1994)

Unemployment rate: 0.9% includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of other unemployed and underemployed workers (December 1994)

Budget: revenues: $167.5 million expenditures: $234.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)

Exports: $366 million to non-FSU countries (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: oil and gas, chemicals, oilfield equipment, textiles, cotton (1991) partners: mostly CIS and European countries

Imports: $296 million from non-FSU countries (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: machinery and parts, consumer durables, foodstuffs, textiles (1991) partners: European countries

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate -25% (1994)

Electricity: capacity: 4,900,000 kW production: 17.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,270 kWh (1994)

Industries: petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles

Agriculture: cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep and goats

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Economic aid: recipient: wheat from Turkey

Currency: 1 manat = 100 gopik

Exchange rates: manats per US$1 - 4500 (April 1995), 4168 (end of December 1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Azerbaijan:Transportation

Railroads: total: 2,090 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 2,090 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

Highways: total: 36,700 km paved or graveled: 31,800 km unpaved: earth 4,900 km (1990)

Pipelines: crude oil 1,130 km; petroleum products 630 km; natural gas 1,240 km

Ports: Baku (Baki)

Airports: total: 69 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 7 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 33

@Azerbaijan:Communications

Telephone system: 710,000 telephones; 90 telephones/1,000 persons (1991); 202,000 persons waiting for telephone installations (January 1991); domestic telephone service is of poor quality and inadequate local: a joint venture to establish a cellular telephone system (Bakcel) in the Baku area is supposed to become operational in 1994 intercity: NA international: connections to other former USSR republics by cable and microwave and to other countries via the Moscow international gateway switch; INTELSAT link installed in late 1992 in Baku with Turkish financial assistance with access to 200 countries through Turkey; since August 1993 an earth station near Baku has provided direct communications with New York through Russia's Stationar-11 satellite

Radio: broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: NA; domestic and Russian TV programs are received locally and Turkish and Iranian TV is received from an INTELSAT satellite through a receive-only earth station televisions: NA

@Azerbaijan:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air Force, Navy, Maritime Border Guard, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,927,955; males fit for military service 1,553,736; males reach military age (18) annually 68,407 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: 70.5 billion rubles, 10% of GDP (1993 budget allocation); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

________________________________________________________________________

THE BAHAMAS

@The Bahamas:Geography

Location: Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total area: 13,940 sq km land area: 10,070 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,542 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 32% other: 67%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: coral reef decay natural hazards: hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

Note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain

@The Bahamas:People

Population: 256,616 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (female 35,924; male 36,504) 15-64 years: 66% (female 87,868; male 82,780) 65 years and over: 6% (female 8,247; male 5,293) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.09% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 19.23 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.79 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.12 years male: 67.37 years female: 76.97 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic divisions: black 85%, white 15%

Religions: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%

Languages: English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literary not available (1963 est.) total population: 90% male: 90% female: 89%

Labor force: 136,900 (1993) by occupation: government 30%, hotels and restaurants 25%, business services 10%, agriculture 5% (1989)

@The Bahamas:Government

Names: conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas

Digraph: BF

Type: commonwealth

Capital: Nassau

Administrative divisions: 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nicholls Town and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay

Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution: 10 July 1973

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford DARLING (since 2 January 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor on the prime minister's recommendation

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament Senate: a 16-member body appointed by the governor general House of Assembly: elections last held 19 August 1992 (next to be held by August 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (49 total) FNM 32, PLP 17

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Sir Lynden O. PINDLING; Free National Movement (FNM), Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM;

Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy Baswell DONALDSON chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Sidney WILLIAMS embassy: Mosmar Building, Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau telephone: [1] (809) 322-1181, 328-2206 FAX: [1] (809) 328-7838

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

@The Bahamas:Economy

Overview: The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation whose economy is based primarily on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone provides about 50% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs about 50,000 people or 40% of the local work force. The economy has slackened in recent years, as the annual increase in the number of tourists slowed. Nonetheless, per capita GDP is one of the highest in the region.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 3.5% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $15,900 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (1994)

Unemployment rate: 13.1% (1993)

Budget: revenues: $696 million expenditures: $756 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95)

Exports: $257 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products partners: US 51%, UK 7%, Norway 7%, France 6%, Italy 5%

Imports: $1.15 billion (f.o.b,,1993 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, electronics partners: US 55%, Japan 17%, Nigeria 12%, Denmark 7%, Norway 6%

External debt: $455 million (December 1993)

Industrial production: growth rate 3% (1990); accounts for 15% of GDP

Electricity: capacity: 424,000 kW production: 929 million kWh consumption per capita: 3,200 kWh (1993)

Industries: tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt production, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral welded steel pipe

Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP; dominated by small-scale producers; principal products - citrus fruit, vegetables, poultry; large net importer of food

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; also a money-laundering center

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $1 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $345 million

Currency: 1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1 - 1.00 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@The Bahamas:Transportation

Railroads: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,400 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: gravel 1,050 km

Ports: Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Merchant marine: total: 936 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,815,474 GRT/35,253,416 DWT ships by type: bulk 162, cargo 181, chemical tanker 39, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 19, container 52, liquefied gas tanker 20, oil tanker 182, passenger 55, refrigerated cargo 146, roll-on/roll-off cargo 43, short-sea passenger 16, vehicle carrier 12 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes 46 countries among which are UK 158 ships, Norway 125, Greece 100, US 94, Denmark 80, Netherlands 53, France 36, Finland 35, Japan 35, Sweden 25

Airports: total: 60 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 11 with paved runways under 914 m: 22 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 8

@The Bahamas:Communications

Telephone system: 99,000 telephones; totally automatic system; highly developed local: NA intercity: NA international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable links to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

@The Bahamas:Defense Forces

Branches: Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $65 million, 2.7% of GDP (1990)

________________________________________________________________________

BAHRAIN

@Bahrain:Geography

Location: Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia

Map references: Middle East

Area: total area: 620 sq km land area: 620 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 161 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Qatar

Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 0% other: 90%

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; no natural fresh water resources so that groundwater and sea water are the only sources for all water needs natural hazards: periodic droughts; dust storms international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

Note: close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf through which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

@Bahrain:People

Population: 575,925 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31% (female 87,398; male 89,976) 15-64 years: 67% (female 152,363; male 231,586) 65 years and over: 2% (female 7,051; male 7,551) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.58% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 24.12 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 3.31 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 18 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.94 years male: 71.46 years female: 76.49 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.12 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini

Ethnic divisions: Bahraini 63%, Asian 13%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%, other 6%

Religions: Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%

Languages: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1991) total population: 84% male: 89% female: 77%

Labor force: 140,000 by occupation: industry and commerce 85%, agriculture 5%, services 5%, government 3% (1982) note: 42% of labor force is Bahraini

@Bahrain:Government

Names: conventional long form: State of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Dawlat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn

Digraph: BA

Type: traditional monarchy

Capital: Manama

Administrative divisions: 12 districts (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa'wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Mintaqat Juzur Hawar, Sitrah

Independence: 15 August 1971 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 December (1961)

Constitution: 26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973

Legal system: based on Islamic law and English common law

Suffrage: none

Executive branch: chief of state: Amir ISA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 2 November 1961); Heir Apparent HAMAD bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (son of the Amir, born 28 January 1950) head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 19 January 1970) cabinet: Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly was dissolved 26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet; appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992

Judicial branch: High Civil Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active

Member of: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad ABD AL-GHAFFAR al-Abdallah chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741, 342-0742 consulate(s) general: New York

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador David M. RANSOM embassy: Building No. 979, Road 3119 (next to Ahli Sports Club), Zinj District, Manama mailing address: FPO AE 09834-5100; P.O. Box 26431, Manama (International Mail) telephone: [973] 273300; afterhours [973] 275-126 FAX: [973] 272594

Flag: red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side

@Bahrain:Economy

Overview: Tiny in area, Bahrain is well-to-do in economic resources and per capita income. Petroleum production and processing account for about 80% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. Economic conditions have fluctuated with the changing fortunes of oil since 1985, for example, during and following the Gulf crisis of 1990-91. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude. Prospects for 1995 are good, with private enterprise the main driving force, e.g., in banking and construction. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $7.1 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 2.2% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $12,100 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1991 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.2 billion (1989) expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992)

Exports: $3.69 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 80%, aluminum 7% partners: Japan 11%, UAE 5%, South Korea 4%, India 4%, Saudi Arabia 3% (1992)

Imports: $3.83 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% partners: Saudi Arabia 47%, UK 7%, Japan 7%, US 6%, Germany 5% (1992)

External debt: $2.6 billion (1993)

Industrial production: growth rate 13% (1992); accounts for 38% of GDP, including petroleum

Electricity: capacity: 1,050,000 kW production: 3.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,453 kWh (1993)

Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing

Agriculture: including fishing, accounts for less than 2% of GDP; not self-sufficient in food production; heavily subsidized sector produces fruit, vegetables, poultry, dairy products, shrimp, fish

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $24 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $45 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.8 billion

Currency: 1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils

Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1 - 0.3760 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Bahrain:Transportation

Railroads: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,670 km paved: 2,010 km unpaved: 660 km (1991 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km

Ports: Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 79,949 GRT/120,900 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1

Airports: total: 4 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1

@Bahrain:Communications

Telephone system: 98,000 telephones; 170 telephones/1,000 persons; modern system; good domestic services; excellent international connections local: NA intercity: NA international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station; tropospheric scatter to Qatar, UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: 60 million

Television: broadcast stations: 2 televisions: 21 million

@Bahrain:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, Coast Guard, Police Force

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 210,725; males fit for military service 117,414; males reach military age (15) annually 4,346 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $247 million, 5.5% of GDP (1994)

________________________________________________________________________

BAKER ISLAND

(territory of the US)

@Baker Island:Geography

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Map references: Oceania

Area: total area: 1.4 sq km land area: 1.4 sq km comparative area: about 2.3 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4.8 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain: low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891)

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Environment: current issues: no natural fresh water resources natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard international agreements: NA

Note: treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

@Baker Island:People

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

@Baker Island:Government

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

Digraph: FQ

Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC

@Baker Island:Economy

Overview: no economic activity

@Baker Island:Transportation

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports: 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m

Note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

@Baker Island:Defense Forces

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

________________________________________________________________________

BANGLADESH

@Bangladesh:Geography

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Map references: Asia

Area: total area: 144,000 sq km land area: 133,910 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries: total 4,246 km, Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Coastline: 580 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: a portion of the boundary with India is in dispute; water-sharing problems with upstream riparian India over the Ganges

Climate: tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber

Land use: arable land: 67% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 16% other: 11%

Irrigated land: 27,380 sq km (1989)

Environment: current issues: many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; limited access to potable water; water-borne diseases prevalent; water pollution especially of fishing areas results from the use of commercial pesticides; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation; deforestation; severe overpopulation natural hazards: droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

@Bangladesh:People

Population: 128,094,948 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (female 25,195,262; male 26,352,299) 15-64 years: 57% (female 34,862,105; male 37,867,705) 65 years and over: 3% (female 1,761,336; male 2,056,241) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.32% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 34.62 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 11.43 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 104.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 55.46 years male: 55.69 years female: 55.22 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.39 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh

Ethnic divisions: Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, tribals less than 1 million

Religions: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, other

Languages: Bangla (official), English

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 35% male: 47% female: 22%

Labor force: 50.1 million by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 21%, industry and mining 14% (1989) note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)

@Bangladesh:Government

Names: conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh former: East Pakistan

Digraph: BG

Type: republic

Capital: Dhaka

Administrative divisions: 4 divisions; Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi

Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)

Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991); election last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by NA October 1996); results - Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN (since 20 March 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president