A (continued 19)

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 June 1990, previously President of Provisional Council of National Unity since 23 December 1989) was elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 27 September 1992, with runoff between top two candidates on 11 October 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Ion ILIESCU 61.4%, Emil CONSTANTINESCU 38.6% head of government: Prime Minister Nicolae VACAROIU (since NA November 1992) was appointed by the president cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament Senate (Senat): elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - PSDR 34.3%, CDR 18.2%, DP-FSN 12.6%, others 34.9%; seats - (143 total) PSDR 49, CDR 26, DP-FSN 18, PUNR 13, UDMR 12, PRM 6, PAC 6, PDAR 5, PSM 5, PL-93 2, other 1 House of Deputies (Adunarea Deputatilor): elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - PSDR 34.0%, CDR 16.4%, DP-FSN 12.3%, others 37.3%; seats - (341 total) PSDR 116, CDR 56, DP-FSN 42, PUNR 29, UDMR 27, PL-93 19, PRM 15, PSM 13, PAC 5, other 19

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice, judges are appointed by the president on recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party (DP-FSN), Petre ROMAN; Social Democratic Party of Romania (PSDR), Adrian NASTASE; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), Bela MARKO; National Liberal Party (PNL), Mircea IONESCU-QUINTUS; National Peasants' Christian and Democratic Party (PNTCD), Ion DIACONESCU; Romanian National Unity Party (PUNR), Gheorghe FUNAR; Socialist Labor Party (PSM), Ilie VERDET; Agrarian Democratic Party of Romania (PDAR), Victor SURDU; The Democratic Convention (CDR), Emil CONSTANTINESCU; Romania Mare Party (PRM), Corneliu Vadim TUDOR; Civic Alliance Party (PAC), Nicolae MANOLESCU, chairman; Liberal Party 1993 (PL-93) note: numerous other small parties exist but almost all failed to gain representation in the most recent election

Other political or pressure groups: various human rights and professional associations

International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarset, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mircea Dan GEOANA chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred H. MOSES embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Consulate General (Bucharest), Unit 1315, APO AE 09213-1315 telephone: [40] (1) 210 01 49, 210 40 42 FAX: [40] (1) 210 03 95 branch office: Cluj-Napoca

Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flags of Andorra and Chad

Economy ———-

Economic overview: Romania, one of the poorer East European countries moving away from the command economy, posted its third straight year of growth in 1995. Bucharest also was successful in reducing its inflation rate to 25% - less than half the 1994 rate - because of tight monetary and fiscal policies, while unemployment fell to 9% as the private sector hired more workers. Despite these successes on the economic front, Romania has lagged much of Central and Eastern Europe in the restructuring process. The private sector accounted for only 40% of GDP in 1995 with over 90% of industry remaining in state hands. Privatization is slated to pick up in 1996, but Bucharest faces other economic problems that could stall recovery, including a growing budget deficit, limited reform of the agricultural and energy sectors, and accumulated decay of the infrastructure.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $105.7 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 5.4% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $4,600 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 19.6% industry: 36.3% services: 44.1% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25% (1995)

Labor force: 11.3 million (1992) by occupation: industry 38%, agriculture 28%, other 34% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 8.9% (December 1995)

Budget: revenues: $5.35 billion expenditures: $6.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Industries: mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, machine building, food processing, petroleum production and refining

Industrial production growth rate: 3.3% (1994 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 22,180,000 kW production: 50.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,076 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; milk, eggs, meat

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine transiting the Balkan route

Exports: $6.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: textiles and footwear 23.8%, metals and metal products 17.3%, fuels and mineral products 11.6%, machinery and transport equipment 14.8%, chemicals 7.9%, food and agricultural goods 6.5%, other 18.1% (1994) partners: developing countries 30.3%, East and Central Europe 8.4%, Russia 3.4%, OECD 57.9% (EU 50%, US 3.1%) (1994)

Imports: $7.1 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: fuels and minerals 26.8%, machinery and transport equipment 25.1%, textiles and footwear 12.3%, food and agricultural goods 9.3%, chemicals 7.9%, other 18.6% (1994) partners: OECD 60% (EU 44.5%, US 6.5%), East and Central Europe 6.1%, developing countries 16.6%, Russia 13.8%, other 3.5% (1994)

External debt: $4.7 billion (1995)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $81 million (1993)

Currency: 1 leu (L) = 100 bani

Exchange rates: lei (L) per US$1 - 2,599.24 (January 1996), 2,033.28 (1995), 1,655.09 (1994), 760.05 (1993), 307.95 (1992), 76.39 (1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation ———————

Railways: total: 11,374 km broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 10,887 km 1.435-m gauge (3,866 km electrified; 3,060 km double track) narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (1994)

Highways: total: 153,014 km paved: 78,037 km (including 113 km of expressways) unpaved: 74,977 km (1992 est.)

Waterways: 1,724 km (1984)

Pipelines: crude oil 2,800 km; petroleum products 1,429 km; natural gas 6,400 km (1992)

Ports: Braila, Constanta, Galatz, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Merchant marine: total: 233 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,425,729 GRT/3,641,741 DWT ships by type: bulk 39, cargo 166, container 2, oil tanker 13, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 9 note: Romania owns an additional 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,078,490 DWT operating under the registries of Liberia, Malta, Cyprus, and The Bahamas (1995 est.)

Airports: total: 156 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 4 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 9 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 14 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 17 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 108 (1994 est.)

Communications ———————

Telephones: 2.3 million (1990 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: poor service; 89% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is microwave radio relay; roughly 3,300 villages with no service (February 1990 est.) international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; new digital international direct-dial exchanges are in Bucharest (1993 est.)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 5, shortwave 0

Radios: 4.64 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (1990 est.)

Televisions: 4.58 million (1992 est.)

Defense ———-

Branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Paramilitary Forces, Civil Defense

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 5,572,383 males fit for military service: 4,693,376 males reach military age (20) annually: 198,125 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $885 million, 3.0% of GDP (1995)

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997). ======================================================================

@Russia ———

Map —-

Location: 60 00 N, 100 00 E — Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean

Flag ——

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

Geography ————-

Location: Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total area: 17,075,200 sq km land area: 16,995,800 sq km comparative area: slightly more than 1.8 times the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 19,913 km border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 290 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 167 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576 km

Coastline: 37,653 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: inherited disputes from former USSR including sections of the boundary with China; islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; maritime dispute with Norway over portion of the Barents Sea; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined; potential dispute with Ukraine over Crimea; Estonia claims over 2,000 sq km of Russian territory in the Narva and Pechora regions; the Abrene section of the border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944; has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation

Climate: ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast

Terrain: broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Mount El'brus 5,633 m

Natural resources: wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources

Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: NEGL% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 45% other: 42%

Irrigated land: 56,000 sq km (1992)

Environment: current issues: air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and sea coasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination natural hazards: permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture

People ———

Population: 148,178,487 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 15,792,573; female 15,213,854) 15-64 years: 67% (male 48,145,679; female 51,125,902) 65 years and over: 12% (male 5,403,066; female 12,497,413) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.07% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 10.15 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 16.34 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.43 male(s)/female all ages: 0.88 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.24 years male: 56.51 years female: 70.31 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.42 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Russian(s) adjective: Russian

Ethnic divisions: Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir 0.9%, Byelorussian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1%

Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Languages: Russian, other

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.) total population: 98% male: 100% female: 97%

Government —————

Name of country: conventional long form: Russian Federation conventional short form: Russia local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya local short form: Rossiya former: Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Data code: RS

Type of government: federation

Capital: Moscow

Administrative divisions: 21 autonomous republics (avtomnykh respublik, singular - avtomnaya respublika); Adygea (Maykop), Bashkortostan (Ufa), Buryatia (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashia (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Gorno-Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Ingushetia (Nazran'), Kabardino-Balkaria (Nal'chik), Kalmykia (Elista), Karachay-Cherkessia (Cherkessk), Karelia (Petrozavodsk), Khakassia (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mari El (Yoshkar-Ola), Mordovia (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tuva (Kyzyl), Udmurtia (Izhevsk), Yakutia - also known as Sakha (Yakutsk); 49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast'); Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orel, Orenburg, Penza, Perm', Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl'; 6 krays (krayev, singular - kray); Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol'; 10 autonomous okrugs; Aga (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'), Evenkia (Tura), Khantia-Mansia (Khanty-Mansiysk), Koryakia (Palana), Nenetsia (Nar'yan-Mar), Permyakia (Kudymkar), Taymyria (Dudinka), Ust'-Onda (Ust'-Ordynskiy), Yamalia (Salekhard); 1 autonomous oblast (avtomnykh oblast'); Birobijan note: the autonomous republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia were formerly the autonomous republic of Checheno-Ingushetia (the boundary between Chechnya and Ingushetia has yet to be determined); the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg are federal cities; an administrative division has the same name as its administrative center (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, June 12 (1990)

Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Boris Nikolayevich YEL'TSIN (since 12 June 1991) was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage under the constitution of 12 December 1993, but subsequent presidents, beginning with the 16 June 1996 election, will serve a four-year term; election last held 12 June 1991 (next to be held 16 June 1996); results - percent of vote NA; note - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns, the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president until a new presidential election is held, which must be within three months head of government: Premier and Chairman of the Russian Federation Government Viktor Stepanovich CHERNOMYRDIN (since 14 December 1992), First Deputy Premiers and First Deputy Chairmen of the Government Oleg SOSKOVETS (since 30 April 1993) and Vladimir KADANNIKOV (since 25 January 1996) were appointed by the president on approval of the Dumas Security Council: originally established as a presidential advisory body in June 1991, but restructured in March 1992, with responsibility for managing individual and state security Presidential Administration: drafts presidential edicts and provides staff and policy support to the entire executive branch cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" was appointed by the president Group of Assistants: schedules president's appointments, processes presidential edicts and other official documents, and houses the president's press service and primary speechwriters Council of Heads of Republics: includes the leaders of the 21 ethnic-based Republics Council of Heads of Administrations: includes the leaders of the 66 autonomous territories and regions, and the mayors of Moscow and St. Petersburg Presidential Council: prepares policy papers for the president

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly Federation Council: 178 seats, filled ex-officio by the top executive and legislative officials in each of the 89 federal administrative units (oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg) State Duma: elections last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held NA December 1999); results - percent of vote received by parties clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of the 225 party list seats: Communist Party of the Russian Federation 22.3%, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia 11.2%, Our Home Is Russia 10.1%, Yabloko Bloc 6.9%; seats - (450 total - half elected in single-member districts and half elected from national party lists) Communist Party of the Russian Federation 157, Independents 78, Our Home Is Russia 55, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia 51, Yabloko Bloc 45, Agrarian Party of Russia 20, Russia's Democratic Choice 9, Power To the People 9, Congress of Russian Communities 5, Forward, Russia! 3, Women of Russia 3, other parties 15

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are appointed by the Federation Council on recommendation of the president; Supreme Court (highest court for criminal, civil, and administrative cases), judges are appointed by the Federation Council on recommendation of the president; Superior Court of Arbitration (highest court that resolves economic disputes), judges are appointed by the Federation Council on recommendation of the president

Political parties and leaders: pro-market democrats: Our Home Is Russia, Viktor CHERNOMYRDIN; Yabloko Bloc, Grigoriy YAVLINSKIY; Russia's Democratic Choice Party, Yegor GAYDAR; Forward, Russia!, Boris FEDOROV centrists/special interest parties: Congress of Russian Communities, Yuriy SKOKOV; Women of Russia, Alevtina FEDULOVA and Yekaterina LAKHOVA anti-market and/or ultranationalist parties: Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Gennadiy ZYUGANOV; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, Vladimir ZHIRINOVSKIY; Agrarian Party, Mikhail LAPSHIN; Power To the People, Nikolay RYZHKOV and Sergey BABURIN; Russian Communist Workers' Party, Viktor ANPILOV and Viktor TYULKIN note: some 269 political parties, blocs, and associations tried to gather enough signatures to run slates of candidates in the 17 December 1995 Duma elections; 43 succeeded

Other political or pressure groups: NA

International organization participation: BSEC, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarset, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant), ZC

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuliy Mikhaylovich VORONTSOV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700 through 5704 FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco, and Seattle

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas R. PICKERING embassy: Novinskiy Bul'var 19/23, Moscow mailing address: APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (095) 252-24-51 through 59 FAX: [7] (095) 956-42-61 consulate(s) general: St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

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

Economy ———-

Economic overview: Russia, a vast country with a wealth of natural resources, a well-educated population, and a diverse industrial base, continues to experience formidable difficulties in moving from its old centrally planned economy to a modern-market economy. The break-up of the USSR into 15 successor states in late 1991 destroyed major economic links that have been only partially replaced. As a result of these dislocations and the failure of the government to implement a rigorous and consistent reform program, output in Russia has dropped by one-third since 1990 (instead of the one-half previously estimated). On the one hand, President YEL'TSIN's government has made substantial strides in converting to a market economy since launching its economic reform program in January 1992 by freeing nearly all prices, slashing defense spending, eliminating the old centralized distribution system, completing an ambitious voucher privatization program in 1994, establishing private financial institutions, and decentralizing foreign trade. On the other hand, Russia has made little progress in a number of key areas that are needed to provide a solid foundation for the transition to a market economy; and the strong showing of the communists and nationalists in the Duma elections in December 1995 casts a shadow over prospects for further reforms. In 1995, the new cash privatization program went slower than planned. The state claims that the nonstate sector produced approximately 70% of GDP in 1995, up from 62% in 1994, although these figures apparently include many enterprises that have only nominally moved out of state control. Moscow has been slow to develop the legal framework necessary to fully support a market economy and to encourage foreign investment. Stockholder rights remain ill-defined and the Duma has yet to adopt a land code that would allow development of land markets as sources of needed capital. Russia's securities market remains largely unregulated and suffers from the lack of a comprehensive securities law. In addition, Moscow has yet to develop a social safety net that would allow faster restructuring by relieving enterprises of the burden of providing social benefits for their workers. Most rank-and-file Russians perceive they are worse off because of growing crime and health problems, the drop in real wages, the great rise in wage arrears, and the widespread threat of unemployment. The number of Russians living below the official poverty level rose by 10% to 36.6 million people, or 25% of the population. The decline in output slowed during 1995, and some sectors showed signs of a turnaround; analysts forecast the resumption of growth in 1996 - at a low rate. Russian official data, which fail to capture a considerable portion of private sector output and employment, show that GDP declined by 4% in 1995, as compared with a 15% decline in 1994. Despite continued declines in agricultural and industrial production, unemployment climbed only slowly to about 8% of the work force by yearend because government policies aimed at softening the impact of reforms have created incentives for enterprises to keep workers on the rolls even as production slowed to a crawl. Moscow renewed tightened financial policies in early 1995 and succeeded in reducing monthly consumer price inflation from 18% in January to about 3% in December, the lowest monthly rate since the beginning of reform. According to official trade statistics, Russia ran a $19.9 billion trade surplus for 1995, up from $15.9 billion in 1994. It continued to shift its trade away from the other former Soviet republics toward the West, with the CIS countries' share of Russian trade falling to 22% in 1995. Russia made good progress with official and commercial creditors in 1995 in resolving the issue of its $105 billion in Soviet-era debts. When completed, these Paris Club and London Club rescheduling agreements will reduce Russia's repayment liabilities from $20 billion to less than $5 billion annually through the end of the decade. Capital flight reportedly continued to be a problem in 1995, with billions of additional dollars in assets being moved abroad, primarily to bank accounts in Europe.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $796 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP real growth rate: -4% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $5,300 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 41% services: 53%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% monthly average (1995 est.)

Labor force: 85 million (1993) by occupation: production and economic services 83.9%, government 16.1%

Unemployment rate: 8.2% (December 1995) with considerable additional underemployment

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

Industries: complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: -3% (1995 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 213,100,000 kW production: 876 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,800 kWh (1994)

Agriculture: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits (because of its northern location does not grow citrus, cotton, tea, and other warm climate products); meat, milk

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for domestic consumption; government has active eradication program; used as transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe and Latin America

Exports: $77.8 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and military manufactures partners: Europe, North America, Japan, Third World countries, Cuba

Imports: $57.9 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, grain, sugar, semifinished metal products partners: Europe, North America, Japan, Third World countries, Cuba

External debt: $130 billion (yearend 1995)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $2.8 billion (1993) note: US commitments, including Ex-Im (1990-95), $14 billion (1990-95); other countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1990-95), $125 billion

Currency: 1 ruble (R) = 100 kopeks

Exchange rates: rubles per US$1 - 4,640 (29 December 1995), 3,550 (29 December 1994), 1,247 (27 December 1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation ———————

Railways: total: 154,000 km; note - 87,000 km in common carrier service (38,000 km electrified); 67,000 km serve specific industries and are not available for common carrier use broad gauge: 154,000 km 1.520-m gauge (1 January 1994)

Highways: total: 934,000 km (including 445,000 km which serve specific industries or farms and are not available for common carrier use) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1994 est.)

Waterways: total navigable routes in general use 101,000 km; routes with navigation guides serving the Russian River Fleet 95,900 km; routes with night navigational aids 60,400 km; man-made navigable routes 16,900 km (1 January 1994)

Pipelines: crude oil 48,000 km; petroleum products 15,000 km; natural gas 140,000 km (30 June 1993)

Ports: Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Kaliningrad, Kazan', Khabarovsk, Kholmsk, Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Petropavlovsk, St. Petersburg, Rostov, Sochi, Tuapse, Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg

Merchant marine: total: 745 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,730,178 GRT/9,385,565 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 25, cargo 406, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 17, container 31, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil tanker 134, passenger 4, passenger-cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 19, roll-on/roll-off cargo 54, short-sea passenger 16, specialized tanker 2 note: Russia owns an additional 163 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,276,829 DWT operating under the registries of Malta, Cyprus, Liberia, Panama, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Honduras, The Bahamas, and Vanuatu (1995 est.)

Airports: total: 2,517 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 54 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 202 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 108 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 115 with paved runways under 914 m: 151 with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 25 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 45 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 134 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 291 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 1,392 (1994 est.)

Communications ———————

Telephones: 25.4 million (1993 est.)

Telephone system: total pay phones for long distant calls 34,100; enlisting foreign help, by means of joint ventures, to speed up the modernization of its telecommunications system; in 1992, only 661,000 new telephones were installed compared with 855,000 in 1991, and in 1992 the number of unsatisfied applications for telephones reached 11,000,000; expanded access to international electronic mail service available via Sprint network; the inadequacy of Russian telecommunications is a severe handicap to the economy, especially with respect to international connections domestic: NMT-450 analog cellular telephone networks are operational and growing in Moscow and St. Petersburg; intercity fiber-optic cable installation remains limited international: international traffic is inadequately handled by a system of satellites, landlines, microwave radio relay, and outdated submarine cables; much of this traffic passes through the international gateway switch in Moscow which carries most of the international traffic for the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States; a new Russian Intersputnik satellite will link Moscow and St. Petersburg with Rome from whence calls will be relayed to destinations in Europe and overseas; satellite earth stations - NA Intelsat, 4 Intersputnik (2 Atlantic Ocean Region and 2 Indian Ocean Region), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean Region), and NA Orbita

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note - there are about 1,050 (including AM, FM, and shortwave) radio broadcast stations throughout the country

Radios: 50 million (1993 est.)(radio receivers with multiple speaker systems for program diffusion 74,300,000)

Television broadcast stations: 7,183

Televisions: 54.85 million (1992 est.)

Defense ———-

Branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Forces, Air Defense Forces, Strategic Rocket Forces

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 38,673,991 males fit for military service: 30,224,738 males reach military age (18) annually: 1,105,004 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP note: the Intelligence Community estimates that defense spending in Russia fell by about 20% in real terms in 1995, reducing Russian defense outlays to about one-fifth of peak Soviet levels in the late 1980s

======================================================================

@Rwanda ———

Map —-

Location: 2 00 S, 30 00 E — Central Africa, east of Zaire

Flag ——

Description: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green with a large black letter R centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Guinea, which has a plain yellow band

Geography ————-

Location: Central Africa, east of Zaire

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 26,340 sq km land area: 24,950 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 893 km border countries: Burundi 290 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km, Zaire 217 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: none

Climate: temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Terrain: mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), natural gas, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 11% meadows and pastures: 18% forest and woodland: 10% other: 32%

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion natural hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Zaire international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: landlocked; predominantly rural population

People ———

Population: 6,853,359 (July 1996 est.) note: genocide and civil war in 1994 killed more than 1 million Rwandans and forced more than 2 million to flee to neighboring countries

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 1,582,928; female 1,573,536) 15-64 years: 51% (male 1,734,716; female 1,772,722) 65 years and over: 3% (male 78,854; female 110,603) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 16.49% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 38.83 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 20.33 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 146.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.) note: since April 1994, more than two million refugees have fled the civil strife between the Hutu and Tutsi factions in Rwanda and crossed into Zaire, Burundi, and Tanzania; close to 800,000 Rwandan Tutsis who fled civil strife in earlier years have returned to Rwanda, and 90,000 of the Hutu refugees are going home despite the perceived danger of doing so; the ethnic violence continues and in 1996 could produce further refugee flows as well as discourage returns

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 118.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.12 years male: 39.72 years female: 40.53 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.99 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Rwandan(s) adjective: Rwandan

Ethnic divisions: Hutu 80%, Tutsi 19%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 1%, indigenous beliefs and other 25%

Languages: Kinyarwanda (official), French (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 60.5% male: 69.8% female: 51.6%

Government —————

Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda conventional short form: Rwanda local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda local short form: Rwanda

Data code: RW

Type of government: republic; presidential system

Capital: Kigali

Administrative divisions: 10 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture in French; plural - NA, singular - prefegitura in Kinyarwanda); Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali, Ruhengeri

Independence: 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution: 18 June 1991

Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Pasteur BIZIMUNGU (since 19 July 1994); installed by force by the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front; no date set for elections; president is normally elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; Vice President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (since NA) head of government: Prime Minister Celestin RWIGEMA (since NA September 1995) was appointed by the president cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): sworn in on 25 November 1994; seats - (70 total) RPF 19, MDR 13, PSD 13, PL 13, PDC 6, PSR 2, PDI 2, other 2

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, consists of the Court of Cassation and the Council of State in joint session

Political parties and leaders: significant parties include: Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), Alexis KANYARENGWE, chairman; Democratic Republican Movement (MDR); Liberal Party (PL); Democratic and Socialist Party (PSD); Christian Democratic Party (PDC); Islamic Democratic Party (PDI); Rwandan Socialist Party (PSR); National Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND), former ruling party

Other political or pressure groups: Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA), the RPF military wing, Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME, commander; Rally for the Democracy and Return (RDR)

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Theogene RUDASINGWA chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert GRIBBIN III embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 756 01 through 03, 721 26, 771 47 FAX: [250] 721 28

Flag: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green with a large black letter R centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Guinea, which has a plain yellow band

Economy ———-

Economic overview: Rwanda is a poor African nation suffering bitterly from ethnic-based civil war. The agricultural sector dominates the economy; coffee and tea normally make up 80%-90% of total exports. The amount of fertile land is limited, however, and deforestation and soil erosion continue to create problems. Manufacturing focuses mainly on the processing of agricultural products. Weak international prices since 1986 have caused the economy to contract and per capita GDP to decline. A structural adjustment program with the World Bank began in October 1990. Ethnic-based insurgency since 1990 has devastated wide areas, especially in the north, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. A peace accord in mid-1993 temporarily ended most of the fighting, but resumption of large-scale civil warfare in April 1994 in the capital city Kigali and elsewhere has been taking thousands of lives and severely affecting short-term economic prospects. The economy suffers massively from failure to maintain the infrastructure, looting, neglect of important cash crops, and lack of health care facilities. GDP in 1994 may have dropped by as much as half. The further decline of GDP in 1995 was much smaller and was more than offset by aid from the outside. Because of the severe damage to real property and the decline in public discipline, recovery of domestic production toward previous levels is proceeding slowly.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: -2.7% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $400 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 52% industry: 13% services: 35% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 64% (1994 est.)

Labor force: 3.6 million by occupation: agriculture 93%, government and services 5%, industry and commerce 2%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Industries: mining of cassiterite (tin ore) and wolframite (tungsten ore), tin, cement, agricultural processing, small-scale beverage production, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate: -50% (1994 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 60,000 kW production: 190 million kWh consumption per capita: 23 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Exports: $52 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: coffee 63%, tea, cassiterite, wolframite, pyrethrum partners: Germany, Belgium, Italy, Uganda, UK, France, US

Imports: $37 million (1994 est.) commodities: textiles, foodstuffs, machines and equipment, capital goods, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material partners: US, Belgium, Germany, Kenya, Japan

External debt: $873 million (1993 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note: in October 1990 Rwanda launched a Structural Adjustment Program with the IMF; since September 1991, the EC has given $46 million and the US $25 million in support of this program (1993)

Currency: 1 Rwandan franc (RF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Rwandan francs (RF) per US$1 - 401.27 (2nd quarter 1994), 168.20 (1993), 133.35 (1992), 125.14 (1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation ———————

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 13,173 km paved: 1,186 km unpaved: 11,987 km (1990 est.)

Waterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft

Ports: Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Airports: total: 7 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 3 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications ———————

Telephones: 6,400 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: telephone system does not provide service to the general public but is intended for business and government use domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the prefectures by microwave radio relay; the remainder of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone international: international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: 630,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1

Televisions: NA

Defense ———-

Branches: Army, Gendarmerie

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 1,582,656 males fit for military service: 805,722 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $112.5 million, 7% of GDP (1992)

======================================================================

@Saint Helena ——————

(dependent territory of the UK)

Map —-

Location: 15 56 S, 5 42 W — Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, west of Angola, about two-thirds of the way from South America to Africa

Flag ——

Description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

Geography ————-

Location: Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, west of Angola, about two-thirds of the way from South America to Africa

Geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 42 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 410 sq km land area: 410 sq km comparative area: nearly two times the size of Washington, DC note: includes Ascension, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Island, and Tristan da Cunha

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 60 km

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

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds

Terrain: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak 2,060 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 3% other: 83%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha international agreements: NA

Geographic note: Napoleon Bonaparte's place of exile and burial (his remains were taken to Paris in 1840); harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns

People ———

Population: 6,782 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 0.31% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 9.39 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 6.33 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female all ages: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: 35.14 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.34 years male: 73.28 years female: 77.16 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.12 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian

Ethnic divisions: NA

Religions: Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic

Languages: English

Literacy: age 20 and over can read and write (1987 est.) total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98%

Government —————

Name of country: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Data code: SH

Type of government: dependent territory of the UK

Capital: Jamestown

Administrative divisions: 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen, 10 June 1989 (second Saturday in June)

Constitution: 1 January 1989

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: NA years of age

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (of the UK since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David Leslie SMALLMAN (since NA 1995) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative Council

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council: elections last held NA July 1993 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (15 total, 12 elected) independents 15

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: ICFTU

Diplomatic representation in US: none (dependent territory of the UK)

US diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

Economy ———-

Economic overview: The economy depends primarily on financial assistance from the UK. The local population earns some income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP real growth rate: NA%

GDP per capita: $NA

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 2,416 (1991 est.) by occupation: professional, technical, and related workers 8.7%, managerial, administrative, and clerical 12.8%, sales people 8.1%, farmer, fishermen, etc. 5.4%, craftspersons, production process workers 14.7%, others 50.3% (1987) note: a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $11.2 million expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)

Industries: crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity: capacity: 9,800 kW production: 10 million kWh consumption per capita: NA kWh (1993)

Agriculture: maize, potatoes, vegetables; timber production being developed; crawfishing on Tristan da Cunha

Exports: $27,400 (f.o.b., FY92/93) commodities: fish (frozen and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), handicrafts partners: South Africa, UK

Imports: $9.8 million (c.i.f., FY92/93) commodities: food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts partners: UK, South Africa

External debt: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Saint Helenian pound (LS) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: Saint Helenian pounds (LS) per US$1 - 0.6535 (January 1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Transportation ———————

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km (mainland 118 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km) paved: 180.7 km (mainland 98 km, Ascension 80 km, Tristan da Cunha 2.70 km) unpaved: NA km (mainland 20 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km)

Ports: Georgetown, Jamestown

Merchant marine: none

Airports: total: 1 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications ———————

Telephones: 550

Telephone system: domestic: automatic network; HF radiotelephone to Ascension, then into worldwide submarine cable and satellite networks international: major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK at Ascension; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 2,500 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: NA

Defense ———-

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

======================================================================

@Saint Kitts and Nevis ——————————-

Map —-

Location: 17 20 N, 62 45 W — Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Flag ——

Description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red

Geography ————-

Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 17 20 N, 62 45 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total area: 269 sq km land area: 269 sq km comparative area: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 135 km

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

International disputes: none

Climate: subtropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain: volcanic with mountainous interiors lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 22% permanent crops: 17% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 17% other: 41%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: hurricanes (July to October) international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

People ———

Population: 41,369 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 35% (male 7,371; female 7,026) 15-64 years: 58% (male 12,090; female 12,057) 65 years and over: 7% (male 1,162; female 1,663) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.98% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 23.28 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 9.21 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female all ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.86 years male: 63.84 years female: 70.06 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.52 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Kittsian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittsian, Nevisian

Ethnic divisions: black African

Religions: Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic

Languages: English

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1980 est.) total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98%

Government —————

Name of country: conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Data code: SC

Type of government: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Basseterre

Administrative divisions: 14 parishs; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capisterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capisterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point

Independence: 19 September 1983 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Constitution: 19 September 1983

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), a hereditary monarch, is represented by Governor General Dr. Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996), previously Governor General of the West Indies Associated States (since NA November 1981) head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995) were appointed by the governor general cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly: elections last held 3 July 1995 (next to be held by July 2000); results - SKLNP 58%, PAM 41%; seats - (14 total, 11 elected) SKNLP 7, PAM 1, NRP 1, CCM 2

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia)

Political parties and leaders: People's Action Movement (PAM), Dr. Kennedy SIMMONDS; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party (SKNLP), Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS; Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Joseph PARRY; Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), Vance AMORY

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, IMF, Interpol, IOC, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Erstein Mallet EDWARDS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740

US diplomatic representation: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; US interests are monitored by the embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados

Flag: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red

Economy ———-

Economic overview: The economy has traditionally depended on the growing and processing of sugarcane; decreasing world prices have hurt the industry in recent years. Tourism and export-oriented manufacturing have begun to assume larger roles. Most food is imported. The newly elected government has undertaken a program designed to revitalize the faltering sugar sector. It is also working to improve revenue collection in order to better fund social programs.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $220 million (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 3% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $5,380 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 6.2% industry: 35.7% services: 58.1% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.9% (1995)

Labor force: 18,172 (June 1995); by occupation - services 69%, manufacturing 31%

Unemployment rate: 4.3% (May 1995)

Budget: revenues: $100.2 million expenditures: $100.1 million, including capital expenditures of $41.4 million (1996 est.)

Industries: sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: 5.9% (1992 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 15,800 kW production: 45 million kWh consumption per capita: 990 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fishing potential not fully exploited

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US

Exports: $35.4 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery, food, electronics, beverages and tobacco partners: US 46.6%, UK 26.4%, Caricom nations 9.8% (1994)

Imports: $112.4 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery, manufactures, food, fuels partners: US 45%, Caricom nations 18.8%, UK 12.5%, Canada 4.2%, Japan 4.2%, (1994)

External debt: $45.3 million (1994 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

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

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation ———————

Railways: total: 58 km narrow gauge: 58 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations (1995)

Highways: total: 300 km paved: 125 km unpaved: 175 km

Ports: Basseterre, Charlestown

Merchant marine: none

Airports: total: 2 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications ———————

Telephones: 3,800 (1986 est.)

Telephone system: good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone connections and international link via Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) domestic: interisland links are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone international: international calls are carried by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and from there switched to submarine cable or to Intelsat, or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 25,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 4

Televisions: 9,500 (1993 est.)

Defense ———-

Branches: Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: NA males fit for military service: NA

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

======================================================================

@Saint Lucia —————-

Map —-

Location: 13 53 N, 60 68 W — Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Flag ——

Description: blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Geography ————-

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 13 53 N, 60 68 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total area: 620 sq km land area: 610 sq km comparative area: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 158 km

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

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August

Terrain: volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 20% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 13% other: 54%

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region natural hazards: hurricanes and volcanic activity international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

People ———

Population: 157,862 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (male 27,068; female 26,491) 15-64 years: 61% (male 47,470; female 48,612) 65 years and over: 5% (male 3,136; female 5,085) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.14% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 22.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 6.02 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.09 years male: 66.52 years female: 73.91 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.31 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Ethnic divisions: African descent 90.3%, mixed 5.5%, East Indian 3.2%, white 0.8%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1980 est.) total population: 67% male: 65% female: 69%

Government —————

Name of country: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Data code: ST

Type of government: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Castries

Administrative divisions: 11 quarters; Anse La Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux Fort

Independence: 22 February 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution: 22 February 1979

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), a hereditary monarch, is represented by Governor General Sir Stanislaus Anthony JAMES (since 10 October 1988) head of government: Prime Minister John George Melvin COMPTON (since 3 May 1982) was appointed by the governor general cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament Senate: consists of an 11-member body, six appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups House of Assembly: elections last held 27 April 1992 (next to be held by April 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (17 total) UWP 11, SLP 6

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, jurisdiction extends to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Political parties and leaders: United Workers' Party (UWP), Vaughn LEWIS; Saint Lucia Labor Party (SLP), Julian HUNTE; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), Jon ODLUM; Citizen's Democratic Party (CDP) Calixte GEORGE

International organization participation: ACCT (associate), ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), NAM, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Joseph Edsel EDMUNDS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6728 consulate(s) general: New York

US diplomatic representation: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the Ambassador to Saint Lucia resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

Flag: blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Economy ———-

Economic overview: Though foreign investment in manufacturing and information processing in recent years has increased Saint Lucia's industrial base, the economy remains vulnerable due to its heavy dependence on banana production, which is subject to periodic droughts and tropical storms. Indeed, the destructive effect of Tropical Storm Iris in mid-1995 caused the loss of 20% of the year's banana crop. Increased competition from Latin American bananas will probably further reduce market prices, exacerbating Saint Lucia's need to diversify its economy in coming years, e.g., by expanding tourism, manufacturing, and construction.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $640 million (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 2% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $4,080 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 13.8% industry: 17.4% services: 68.8% (1992 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.8% (1993)

Labor force: 43,800 by occupation: agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)

Unemployment rate: 25% (1993 est.)

Budget: revenues: $121 million expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $104 million (1992 est.)

Industries: clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (1990 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 20,000 kW production: 112 million kWh consumption per capita: 693 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Illicit drugs: transit country for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

Exports: $122.8 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: bananas 60%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil partners: UK 56%, US 22%, Caricom countries19% (1991)

Imports: $276 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 21%, food and live animals, chemicals, fuels partners: US 34%, Caricom countries 17%, UK 14%, Japan 7%, Canada 4% (1991)

External debt: $222.7 million (1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

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

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Transportation ———————

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 760 km paved: 500 km unpaved: 260 km

Ports: Castries, Vieux Fort

Merchant marine: none

Airports: total: 3 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications ———————

Telephones: 26,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: system is automatically switched international: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: 104,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 cable

Televisions: 26,000 (1992 est.)

Defense ———-

Branches: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Coast Guard

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: NA males fit for military service: NA

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $5.0 million, 2.0% of GDP (1991); note - for police forces

======================================================================

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon ————————————-

(territorial collectivity of France)

Map —-

Location: 46 50 N, 56 20 E — Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)

Flag ——

Description: a yellow sailing ship rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the square into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one on top of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Geography ————-

Location: Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)

Geographic coordinates: 46 50 N, 56 20 E

Map references: North America

Area: total area: 242 sq km land area: 242 sq km comparative area: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 120 km

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

International disputes: focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France; in 1992 an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone area of 12,348 sq km to settle the dispute

Climate: cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy

Terrain: mostly barren rock lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 4% other: 83%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard international agreements: NA

Geographic note: vegetation scanty

People ———

Population: 6,809 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 0.77% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 12.82 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.7 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female all ages: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.34 years male: 74.76 years female: 78.25 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French

Ethnic divisions: Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Religions: Roman Catholic 99%

Languages: French

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99%

Government —————

Name of country: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Data code: SB

Type of government: territorial collectivity of France

Capital: Saint-Pierre

Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) represented by Prefect Rene MAURICE (since NA) who was appointed by the French Ministry of the Interior head of government: President of the General Council Gerard GRIGNON (since NA)

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council: elections last held NA April 1994 (next to be held NA April 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (19 total, 15 from Saint Pierre, 4 from Miquelon) Socialist Party (PS) holds majority of seats French Senate: elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) RPR 1 French National Assembly: elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA June 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) UDF 1

Judicial branch: Superior Tribunal of Appeals (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)

Political parties and leaders: Socialist Party (PS); Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR); Union pour la Democratie Francaise (UDF)

International organization participation: FZ, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

US diplomatic representation: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag: a yellow sailing ship rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the square into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one on top of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy ———-

Economic overview: The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre has dropped steadily over the years. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France. Imports come primarily from Canada and France.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $68 million (1994 est.)

GDP real growth rate: NA%

GDP per capita: $10,000 (1994 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 2,980 (1994) by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 9.6% (1994)

Budget: revenues: $28 million expenditures: $28 million, including capital expenditures of $7.8 million (1992 est.)

Industries: fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity: capacity: 10,000 kW production: 50 million kWh consumption per capita: 6,013 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs; fish catch of 20,500 metric tons (1989)

Exports: $13.74 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: fish and fish products, fox and mink pelts partners: US 58%, France 17%, UK 11%, Canada, Portugal (1990)

Imports: $42 million (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials partners: Canada, France, US, Netherlands, UK

External debt: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation ———————

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 120 km paved: 60 km unpaved: 60 km (1985 est.)

Ports: Saint Pierre

Merchant marine: none

Airports: total: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2 note: new airport to open June 1996 (1995 est.)

Communications ———————

Telephones: 3,300 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 6,300 (1990 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: 2,000 (1992 est.)

Defense ———-

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of France

======================================================================

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ————————————————

Map —-

Location: 13 15 N, 61 12 W — Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Flag ——

Description: three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

Geography ————-

Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total area: 340 sq km land area: 340 sq km comparative area: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 84 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 38% permanent crops: 12% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 41% other: 3%

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive natural hazards: hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

People ———

Population: 118,344 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33% (male 19,742; female 19,106) 15-64 years: 62% (male 36,576; female 36,381) 65 years and over: 5% (male 2,702; female 3,837) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.64% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 19.36 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.4 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -7.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.94 years male: 71.43 years female: 74.49 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.04 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s) adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Ethnic divisions: African descent, white, East Indian, Carib Indian

Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages: English, French patois

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.) total population: 96% male: 96% female: 96%

Government —————

Name of country: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Data code: VC

Type of government: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Kingstown

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Independence: 27 October 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution: 27 October 1979

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), a hereditary monarch, represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989) head of government: Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984); the governor general appoints the leader of the majority party to the position of prime minister; Deputy Prime Minister Carlyle DOUGAN (since 17 September 1995) was appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly: elections last held 21 February 1994 (next to be held NA July 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators) NDP 12, ULP 3

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia)

Political parties and leaders: New Democratic Party (NDP), James F. MITCHELL; United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian SAUNDERS; National Reform Party (NRP), Joel MIGUEL; Unity Labor Party (ULP),Vincent BEACHE - formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party (SVLP) and the Movement for National Unity (MNU)

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE chancery: 1717 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 102, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7806, 7846 FAX: [1] (202) 462-7807

US diplomatic representation: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Ambassador to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

Flag: three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

Economy ———-

Economic overview: Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of the economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and high unemployment rates of 35%-40% continue. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development; tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $240 million (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 0.4% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $2,060 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 33.1% services: 42.9% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.2% (1995)

Labor force: 67,000 (1984 est.) by occupation: agriculture, industry, services, other (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate: 35%-40% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $80 million expenditures: $118 million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1996 est.)

Industries: food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity: capacity: 16,600 kW production: 50 million kWh consumption per capita: 436 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; small fish catch used locally

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

Exports: $57.1 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets partners: UK 54%, Caricom countries 34%, US 10%

Imports: $134.6 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels partners: US 36%, Caricom countries 21%, UK 18%, Trinidad and Tobago 13%

External debt: $74.9 million (1993)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

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

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation ———————

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,100 km paved: 330 km unpaved: 770 km

Ports: Kingstown

Merchant marine: total: 611 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,690,104 GRT/9,367,014 DWT ships by type: bulk 106, cargo 305, chemical tanker 20, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 4, container 33, liquefied gas tanker 4, livestock carrier 5, oil tanker 58, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 35, roll-on/roll-off cargo 25, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 2 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 24 countries among which are Croatia 42, Russia 14, Slovenia 9, China 9, Germany 2, Serbia 2, Hong Kong 2, Latvia 1, Ukraine 1, and Poland 1 (1995 est.)

Airports: total: 6 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 4 (1995 est.)

Communications ———————

Telephones: 6,189 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines international: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 76,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 cable

Televisions: 20,600 (1992 est.)

Defense ———-

Branches: Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: NA males fit for military service: NA

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

======================================================================

@San Marino —————

Map —-

Location: 43 46 N, 12 25 E — Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Flag ——

Description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)

Geography ————-

Location: Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Geographic coordinates: 43 46 N, 12 25 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 60 sq km land area: 60 sq km comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 39 km border country: Italy 39 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: none

Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Terrain: rugged mountains lowest point: Fiume Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 749 m

Natural resources: building stone

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 83%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution

Geographic note: landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

People ———

Population: 24,521 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16% (male 1,978; female 1,967) 15-64 years: 68% (male 8,401; female 8,249) 65 years and over: 16% (male 1,648; female 2,278) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.82% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 10.81 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 7.79 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 81.32 years male: 77.34 years female: 85.3 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.52 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural) adjective: Sammarinese

Ethnic divisions: Sammarinese, Italian

Religions: Roman Catholic

Languages: Italian

Literacy: age 10 and over can read and write (1976 est.) total population: 96% male: 97% female: 95%

Government —————

Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of San Marino conventional short form: San Marino local long form: Repubblica di San Marino local short form: San Marino

Data code: SM

Type of government: republic

Capital: San Marino

Administrative divisions: 9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Monte Giardino, San Marino, Serravalle

Independence: 301 AD (by tradition)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Foundation of the Republic, 3 September

Constitution: 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution

Legal system: based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: co-chiefs of state: Captain Regent Piero Paolo GASPERONI and Captain Regent Pietro BUGLI (for the period 1 April-30 September 1996) were elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Gabriele GATTI (since NA July 1986) was elected for a five-year term by the Great and General Council; election last held NA 1993 (next to be held NA 1998) cabinet: Congress of State was elected for a five-year term by the Great and General Council note: the popularly elected parliament (Great and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (Co-Chiefs of State) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Great and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State) which has ten other members, all selected by the Great and General Council; assisting the Captains Regent are three Secretaries of State - Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, and Finance - and several additional secretaries; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has assumed many of the prerogatives of a prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Great and General Council: (Consiglio Grande e Generale) elections last held 30 May 1993 (next to be held by NA May 1998); results - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 23.7%, PDP 18.6%, AP 7.7%, MD 5.3%, RC 3.3%; seats - (60 total) PDCS 26, PSS 14, PDP 11, AP 4, MD 3, RC 2

Judicial branch: Council of Twelve (Consiglio dei XII)

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party (PDCS), Cesare GASPERONI, secretary general; Democratic Progressive Party (PDP - formerly San Marino Communist Party (PSS)), Stefano MACINA, secretary general; San Marino Socialist Party (PSS), Maurizio RATTINI, secretary general; Democratic Movement (MD), Massimo TONTI; Popular Alliance (AP), Tito MASI; Communist Refoundation (RC), Paolo GIOVAGNOLI

International organization participation: CE, ECE, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in US: San Marino does not have an embassy in the US honorary consulate(s) general: Washington and New York honorary consulate(s): Detroit

US diplomatic representation: the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino

Flag: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)

Economy ———-

Economic overview: The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 1993 more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $380 million (1993 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 2.4% (1993 est.)

GDP per capita: $15,800 (1993 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.5% (1993)

Labor force: 14,874 (1993 est.) by occupation: industry 40%, agriculture 2%

Unemployment rate: 4.9% (December 1993)

Budget: revenues: $320 million expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Industries: tourism, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity: supplied by Italy

Agriculture: wheat, grapes, maize, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, meat, cheese, hides

Exports: trade data are included with the statistics for Italy; commodities: building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, and ceramics

Imports: trade data are included with the statistics for Italy; commodities: wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

External debt: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Italian lire (Lit) = 100 centesimi; note - also mints its own coins

Exchange rates: Italian lire (Lit) per US$1 - 1,583.8 (January 1996), 1,629.2 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992), 1,240.6 (1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation ———————

Railways: 0 km; note - there is a 1.5 km cable railway connecting the city of San Marino to Borgo Maggiore

Highways: total: 220 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports: none

Airports: none

Communications ———————

Telephones: 22,300 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system international: microwave radio relay and cable connections to Italian network; no satellite earth stations

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (1 private radio broadcast station)

Radios: 12,535 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1991 est.) note: receives broadcasts from Italy

Televisions: 7,500 (1992 est.)

Defense ———-

Branches: Voluntary Military Force, Police Force

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: NA males fit for military service: NA

Defense expenditures: $3.7 million (1% of GDP) (1992 est.)

======================================================================

@Sao Tome and Principe ——————————-

Map —-

Location: 1 00 N, 7 00 E — Western Africa, island in the Atlantic Ocean, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

Flag ——

Description: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Geography ————-

Location: Western Africa, island in the Atlantic Ocean, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 7 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 960 sq km land area: 960 sq km comparative area: more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 209 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 20% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 75% other: 3%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification

People ———

Population: 144,128 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (male 29,103; female 28,633) 15-64 years: 55% (male 39,749; female 39,960) 65 years and over: 5% (male 2,973; female 3,710) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.58% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 34.39 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 8.55 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female all ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.87 years male: 61.95 years female: 65.83 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.33 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean

Ethnic divisions: mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Religions: Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages: Portuguese (official)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.) total population: 73% male: 85% female: 62%

Government —————

Name of country: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Data code: TP

Type of government: republic

Capital: Sao Tome

Administrative divisions: 2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Principe, Sao Tome

Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution: approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990

Legal system: based on Portuguese law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991) was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 3 March 1991 (next to be held 30 June 1996); results - Miguel TROVOADA was elected without opposition in Sao Tome's first multiparty presidential election head of government: Prime Minister Armindo UAZ de ALMEIDA (since 29 December 1995) was appointed by the president cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly: (Assembleia Popular Nacional) parliament dissolved by President TROVOADA in July 1994; early elections held 2 October 1994 (next to be held NA); results - MLSTP 27%, PCD-GR 25.5%, ADI 25.5%; seats - (55 total) MLSTP 27, PCD-GR 14, ADI 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the National Peoples Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group (PCD-GR), Daniel Lima Dos Santos DAIO, secretary general; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe (MLSTP), Carlos da GRACA; Christian Democratic Front (FDC), Alphonse Dos SANTOS; Democratic Opposition Coalition (CODO), leader NA; Independent Democratic Action (ADI), Patrice TROVOADA; other small parties

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in US: Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos AUGUSTO Ferreira, located at 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 10168, telephone [1] (212) 697-4211

US diplomatic representation: the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Flag: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy ———-

Economic overview: This small poor island economy has remained dependent on cocoa since independence 20 years ago. Since then, however, cocoa production has gradually declined because of drought and mismanagement, so that by 1987 annual output had fallen from 10,000 tons to 3,900 tons. As a result, a shortage of cocoa for export has created a serious balance-of-payments problem. Production of less important crops, such as coffee, copra, and palm kernels, has also declined. The value of imports generally exceeds that of exports by a ratio of 3 to 1 or more. The emphasis on cocoa production at the expense of other food crops has meant that Sao Tome has to import 90% of food needs. It also has to import all fuels and most manufactured goods. Over the years, Sao Tome has been unable to service its external debt and has had to depend on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies and to encourage market-based mechanisms, e.g., to facilitate the distribution of imported food. Annual GDP growth has hovered around 1.5% since 1991.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $138 million (1994 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 1.5% (1994 est.)

GDP per capita: $1,000 (1994 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 14% services: 58% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 38% (1994 est.)

Labor force: most of population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of plantation labor and of skilled workers

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $58 million expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.)

Industries: light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1991)

Electricity: capacity: 5,000 kW production: 17 million kWh consumption per capita: 105 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papaya, beans; poultry; fish

Exports: $7.1 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: cocoa 85%-90%, copra, coffee, palm oil partners: Netherlands, Germany, China, Portugal

Imports: $23.8 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum partners: France, Belgium, Japan, Angola, Italy, US

External debt: $250 million (1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 dobra (Db) = 100 centimos

Exchange rates: dobras (Db) per US$1 - 1,610 (May 1995), 129.59 (1 July 1993), 230 (1992), 260.0 (November 1991), 122.48 (December 1988), 72.827 (1987)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation ———————

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 298 km paved: 198 km unpaved: 100 km (1987 est.) note: roads on Principe are mostly unpaved and in need of repair

Ports: Santo Antonio, Sao Tome

Merchant marine: total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,096 GRT/1,105 DWT (1995 est.)

Airports: total: 2 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications ———————

Telephones: 2,200 (1986 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: minimal system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios: 33,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1992 est.)

Televisions: NA

Defense ———-

Branches: Army, Navy, Security Police

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 34,986 males fit for military service: 18,343 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

======================================================================

@Saudi Arabia ——————

Map —-

Location: 25 00 N, 45 00 E — Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen

Flag ——

Description: green with large white Arabic script (that may be translated as There is no God but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God) above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); green is the traditional color of Islam

Geography ————-

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen

Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total area: 1,960,582 sq km land area: 1,960,582 sq km comparative area: slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 4,415 km border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 728 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline: 2,640 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: large section of boundary with Yemen not defined; location and status of boundary with UAE is not final, defacto boundary reflects 1974 agreement; Kuwaiti ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim islands is disputed by Saudi Arabia; 1965 boundary with Qatar, renegotiated and revised in 1992, but not official depiction

Climate: harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature

Terrain: mostly uninhabited, sandy desert lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 39% forest and woodland: 1% other: 59%

Irrigated land: 4,350 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Geographic note: extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

People ———

Population: 19,409,058 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 4,228,660; female 4,103,622) 15-64 years: 55% (male 6,393,384; female 4,240,535) 65 years and over: 2% (male 227,789; female 215,068) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.45% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 38.32 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female all ages: 1.27 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 46.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69 years male: 67.25 years female: 70.84 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.45 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Ethnic divisions: Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Religions: Muslim 100%

Languages: Arabic

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 62.8% male: 71.5% female: 50.2%

Government —————

Name of country: conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conventional short form: Saudi Arabia local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah