Introductory material (continued 12)
Reading edition
Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church; Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH); Federation of Workers Trade Unions (FOS); Autonomous Haitian Workers (CATH); National Popular Assembly (APN); Papaye Peasants Movement (MPP)
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, Caricom (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Jean CASIMIR chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 through 4092 FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William Lacy SWING embassy : 5 Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 22-0354, 22-0368, 22-0200, 22-0612 FAX: [509] 23-1641
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
Economy
Economy - overview: About 75% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds of the economically active work force. The country has experienced little or no job creation since President PREVAL took office in February 1996. Failure to reach agreements with international sponsors have denied Haiti badly needed budget and development assistance. Meeting aid conditions in 1997 will be especially challenging in the face of mounting popular criticism of reforms.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.8 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 34.8% industry: 23% services: 42.2% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 18% (1996)
Labor force: total: 2.3 million by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9% note : shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1982)
Unemployment rate: 60% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues : $240 million (est.) expenditures: $250 million including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)
Industries: sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, tourism, light assembly industries based on imported parts
Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (1995 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 216,500 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 379 million kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 33 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood
Exports: total value: $123 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: light manufactures 65%, coffee 19%, other agriculture 8%, other 8% partners: US 73.5%, EU 19.4% (1995)
Imports: total value : $666 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machines and manufactures 34%, food and beverages 22%, petroleum products 14%, chemicals 10%, fats and oils 9% partners: US 65.0%, EU 13.9% (1995)
Debt - external: $827 million (September 1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: gourdes (G) per US$1 (end of period) - 16.260 (January 1997), 15.093 (1996), 16.160 (1995), 12.947 (1994), 12.805 (1993), 10.953 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
@Haiti:Communications
Telephones: 50,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: domestic facilities barely adequate, international facilities slightly better domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 33, FM 0, shortwave 2
Radios: 320,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)
@Haiti:Transportation
Railways: total: 40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line) - closed in early 1990's narrow gauge : 40 km 0.760-m gauge
Highways: total: 4,080 km paved: 987 km unpaved: 3,093 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: negligible; less than 100 km navigable
Ports and harbors: Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Cayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 11 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Haitian National Police (PNH) note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until/unless constitutionally abolished
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,430,855 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 774,835 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 71,003 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA; note - mainly for police and security activities
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claims US-administered Navassa Island
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana en route to the US and Europe ______________________________________________________________________
HEARD ISLAND AND MCDONALD ISLANDS McDonald Islands]
(territory of Australia)
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica
Geographic coordinates: 53 06 S, 72 31 E
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area: total : 412 sq km land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than 2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 101.9 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: antarctic
Terrain: Heard Island - bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands - small and rocky
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: primarily used for research stations
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:People
Population: uninhabited
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Data code: HM
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered by the Ministry for Sport, Territories, and Local Government
National capital: none; administered from Canberra, Australia
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY)
@Holy See (Vatican City):Geography
Location: Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 0.44 sq km land : 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
Terrain: low hill
Elevation extremes: lowest point : unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (urban area)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified : Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Geography - note: urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
@Holy See (Vatican City):People
Population: 850 (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.15% (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: none adjective: none
Ethnic groups: Italians, Swiss
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: Italian, Latin, various other languages
@Holy See (Vatican City):Government
Country name: conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Data code: VT
Government type: monarchical-sacerdotal state
National capital: Vatican City
Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope, 22 October (1978) (John Paul II) note: Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978
Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Executive branch: chief of state : Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYLA; since 16 October 1978) head of government: Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo Cardinal SODANO (since NA 1991) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by Pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope
Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission
Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
International organization participation: IAEA, ICFTU, Intelsat, IOM (observer), ITU, OAS (observer), OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Agostino CACCIAVILLAN chancery : 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond L. FLYNN embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via Delle Terme Deciane 26, Rome 00153 mailing address: PSC 59, APO AE 09624 telephone : [39] (6) 46741 FAX: [39] (6) 5758346, 57300682
Flag description: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band
Economy
Economy - overview: This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
Labor force: NA by occupation: dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside the Vatican
Budget: revenues : $175.5 million expenditures: $175 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)
Industries: printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
Electricity - capacity: 5,000 kW standby note : electricity supplied by Italy
Electricity - production: NA kWh note: electricity supplied by Italy
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Currency: 1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi
Exchange rates: Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1 - 1568.1 (January 1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Holy See (Vatican City):Communications
Telephones: 2,000
Telephone system: automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: uses Italian system
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: NA
@Holy See (Vatican City):Transportation
Railways: total: 862 meters; note - connects to Italy's network at Rome's Saint Peter's station narrow gauge: 862 meters 1.435-m gauge
Highways: none; all city streets
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to Vatican City
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
HONDURAS
@Honduras:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 86 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 112,090 sq km land : 111,890 sq km water: 200 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: total: 1,520 km border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km
Coastline: 820 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
Terrain: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish
Land use: arable land : 15% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 14% forests and woodland: 54% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 740 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast
Environment - current issues: urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of freshwater) with heavy metals as well as several rivers and streams
Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification
@Honduras:People
Population: 5,751,384 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years : 42% (male 1,237,549; female 1,194,598) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,549,400; female 1,574,075) 65 years and over: 4% (male 93,695; female 102,067) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.55% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 32.63 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.66 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population : 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 40.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 68.81 years male: 66.38 years female: 71.37 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.26 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority
Languages: Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.7% male : 72.6% female: 72.7% (1995 est.)
@Honduras:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Honduras local long form: Republica de Honduras local short form: Honduras
Data code: HO
Government type: republic
National capital: Tegucigalpa
Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) plus probable Central District (Tegucigalpa); Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982
Legal system: rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law; some influence of English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (since 27 January 1994); First Vice President General (Ret.) Walter LOPEZ; Second Vice President Juan DE LA CRUZ Avelar; Third Vice President Guadeloupe JEREZANO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (since 27 January 1994) First Vice President General (Ret.) Walter LOPEZ; Second Vice President Juan DE LA CRUZ Avelar; Third Vice President Guadeloupe JEREZANO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 28 November 1993 (next to be held NA November 1997) election results: Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez elected president; percent of vote - Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (PLH) 53%, Oswaldo RAMOS Soto (PNH) 41%, other 6%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (128 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : last held on 27 November 1993 (next to be held November 1997) election results: percent of vote by party - PNH 53%, PLH 41%, PDCH 1.0%, PINU-SD 2.5%, other 2.5%; seats by party - PLH 71, PNH 55, PINU-SD 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica), judges are elected for four-year terms by the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party (PLH), Carlos FLORES Facusse, president; National Party of Honduras (PNH), Oswaldo RAMOS Soto, president; National Innovation and Unity Party (PINU), Olban VALLADARES, president; Christian Democratic Party (PDCH), Efrain DIAZ Arrivillaga, president
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Association of Honduran Campesinos (ANACH); Honduran Council of Private Enterprise (COHEP); Confederation of Honduran Workers (CTH); National Union of Campesinos (UNC); General Workers Confederation (CGT); United Federation of Honduran Workers (FUTH); Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras (CODEH); Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations (CCOP)
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez chancery: 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702, 2604, 5008, 4596 FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 consulate(s) general : Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, and Jacksonville
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James Francis CREAGAN (29 July 1996) embassy : Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 36-9320, 38-5114 FAX: [504] 36-9037
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with five blue five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band
Economy
Economy - overview: Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Agriculture employs nearly two-thirds of the labor force and produces two-thirds of exports. Productivity remains low. Manufacturing, mining, and construction account for 30 % of GDP and generate 20% of exports. Basic problems include rapid population growth, high underemployment, inflation, a lack of basic services, a large and inefficient public sector, and the dependence of the export sector mostly on coffee and bananas, which are subject to sharp price fluctuations.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.5 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 28% industry: 30% services: 42% (1995)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 25.4% (1996)
Labor force: total: 1.3 million by occupation: agriculture 62%, services 20%, manufacturing 9%, construction 3%, other 6% (1985)
Unemployment rate: 15%; underemployed about 40% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $655 million expenditures: $850 million, including capital expenditures of $150 million (1997 est.)
Industries: sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1992 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 605,900 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 2.742 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 361 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp;
Exports: total value: $2.401 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber partners : US 65%, Germany 7%, Japan 7%, Spain 3%, Belgium 2%
Imports: total value: $3.133 billion (c.i.f. 1996) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs partners : US 50%, Guatemala 5%, Japan 5%, Mexico 3%, El Salvador 3%
Debt - external: $4.6 billion (1995)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: lempiras (L) per US$1 (end of period) - 13.0330 (January 1997), 12.8694 (1996), 10.3432 (1995), 9.4001 (1994), 7.2600 (1993), 5.8300 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Honduras:Communications
Telephones: 105,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: inadequate system domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System
Radio broadcast stations: AM 176, FM 0, shortwave 7
Radios: 2.115 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 28
Televisions: 400,000 (1992 est.)
@Honduras:Transportation
Railways: total: 595 km narrow gauge: 190 km 1.067-m gauge; 128 km 1.057-m gauge; 277 km 0.914-m gauge note: in 1993, there was a total of 988 km of track (1995)
Highways: total: 15,100 km paved: 3,050 km unpaved: 12,050 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 465 km navigable by small craft
Ports and harbors: La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto Lempira
Merchant marine: total: 251 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 714,755 GRT/1,066,043 DWT ships by type: bulk 28, cargo 153, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 5, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 3, oil tanker 21, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 22, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 8 ships, Vietnam 3, North Korea 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, Singapore 1, Iran 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 107 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 88 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m : 5 under 914 m: 78 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 19 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Public Security Forces (FUSEP)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,370,116 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 816,054 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males : 66,304 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $42.5 million (1997)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: about 1.5% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: land boundary dispute with El Salvador mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision; with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, ICJ referred to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; maritime boundary dispute with Nicaragua
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption ______________________________________________________________________
HONG KONG
(dependent territory of the UK)
@Hong Kong:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates: 22 15 N, 114 10 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 1,092 sq km land: 1,042 sq km water: 50 sq km
Area - comparative: six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 30 km border countries: China 30 km
Coastline: 733 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Terrain: hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland : 22% other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: more than 200 islands
@Hong Kong:People
Population: 6,547,189 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 629,981; female 584,807) 15-64 years: 71% (male 2,319,009; female 2,348,794) 65 years and over: 10% (male 299,503; female 365,095) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.59% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 12.72 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.79 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 18.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.71 years male: 75.98 years female: 81.62 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, other 5%
Religions: eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Languages: Chinese (Cantonese), English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population : 92.2% male: 96% female: 88.2% (1996 est.)
@Hong Kong:Government
Country name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Hong Kong abbreviation : HK
Data code: HK
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK; note - scheduled to revert to China on 1 July 1997
Government type: NA
National capital: Victoria
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK; the UK signed an agreement with China on 19 December 1984 to return Hong Kong to China on 1 July 1997; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Hong Kong's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 29 August (1945)
Constitution: the Letters Patent together with the Royal Instructions form the written constitution of Hong Kong; new Basic Law approved in March 1990 in preparation for scheduled reversion to China on 1 July 1997
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 professionals of electoral college and functional constituencies
Executive branch: chief of state : Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and President of the Executive Council Christopher Francis PATTEN (since 9 July 1992); Chief Secretary Anson CHAN Fang On-Sang (since 29 November 1993) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed by the queen
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (60 seats; 30 indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 20 elected by popular vote, and 10 elected by election committee; members serve four-year terms); note - the Legislative Council will be replaced by a provisional legislature on 1 July 1997 elections: indirect and direct elections last held 17 September 1995; note - elections for the first post-reversion Legislative Council are scheduled to be held in 1998 election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 21, Liberal Party 10, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong 6, other parties and independents 23; note - subsequent to the election, there has been a change in the distribution of seats; the new distribution is as follows - Democratic Party 19, Liberal Party 10, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong 6, other parties and independents 25
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party, Martin LEE, chairman; Liberal Party, Allen LEE, chairman; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, TSANG Yuk-shing, chairman; Hong Kong Democratic Foundation, Dr. Patrick SHIU Kin-ying, chairman
Political pressure groups and leaders: Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood (ADPL), Frederick FUNG Kin Kee, chairman; Liberal Democratic Federation, HU Fa-kuang, chairman; Federation of Trade Unions (pro-China), LEE Chark-tim, president; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy), LEE Cheuk-yan, chairman; Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, CHEUNG Man-kwong, president; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China, Szeto WAH, chairman
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BIS (pending member), CCC, ESCAP (associate), ICFTU, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General Richard A. BOUCHER consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 464, Box 30, FPO AP 96522-0002 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX : [852] 2845-1598
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with the Hong Kong coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a shield (bearing two junks below a crown) held by a lion (representing the UK) and a dragon (representing China) with another lion above the shield and a banner bearing the words HONG KONG below the shield note: to be replaced on 1 July 1997 by a red flag with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
Economy
Economy - overview: Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy with few tariffs or nontariff barriers. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Manufacturing and construction account for about 18% of GDP. Goods and services exports account for about 50% of GDP. Real GDP growth averaged a remarkable 8% in 1987-88, slowed to 3.0% in 1989-90, and picked up to 4.2% in 1991, 5.0% in 1992, 5.2% in 1993, 5.5% in 1994, 4.8% in 1995, and 4.7% in 1996. A shortage of labor continues to put upward pressure on prices and the cost of living. Prospects for 1997 remain bright so long as major trading partners continue to be reasonably prosperous and so long as investors feel China will support free market practices after the takeover on 1 July 1997.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $163.6 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $26,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 0.2% industry: 18.4% services: 81.4% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 6.5% (1996)
Labor force: total: 3.251 million (1996) by occupation: wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 34.4%, services 19.8%, manufacturing 14.2%, financing, insurance, and real estate 12.4%, transport and communications 5.1%, construction 2.1%, other 12% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 3.1% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $19 billion expenditures: $14.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $289 million (FY95/96 est.)
Industries: textiles, clothing, tourism, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Industrial production growth rate: -2.6% (1996)
Electricity - capacity: 10.32 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 25.14 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,716 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: fresh vegetables; poultry
Exports: total value : $197.2 billion (including reexports; f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: clothing, textiles, yarn and fabric, footwear, electrical appliances, watches and clocks, toys partners: China 33%, US 22%, Japan 6%, Germany 4%, UK 3%, Singapore 3% (1995)
Imports: total value: $217.2 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum; a large share is reexported partners: China 36%, Japan 15%, Taiwan 9%, US 8%, Singapore 5%, South Korea 5% (1995)
Debt - external: none (1996)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Hong Kong dollar (HK$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Hong Kong dollars (HK$) per US$ - 7.730 (1996), 7.800 (1995), 7.800 (1994), 7.800 (1993), 7.741 (1992); note - linked to the US dollar at the rate of about 7.8 HK$ per 1 US$
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Hong Kong:Communications
Telephones: 3.31 million (1996)
Telephone system: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: 3 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (British Broadcasting Corporation repeater 1; British Forces Broadcasting Service repeater 1)
Televisions: 1.75 million (1992 est.)
@Hong Kong:Transportation
Railways: total : 34 km standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (1996 est.) note: also has 43 km of metro with 38 stations
Highways: total: 1,717 km paved : 1,717 km unpaved: 0 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Hong Kong
Merchant marine: total: 221 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,908,237 GRT/13,580,012 DWT ships by type: bulk 124, cargo 31, combination bulk 4, combination ore/oil 2, container 38, liquefied gas tanker 2, multifunction large load carrier 2, oil tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 3 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 15 countries among which are UK 50, South Africa 12, Belgium 10, China 9, Japan 8, Bermuda 5, US 5, Israel 4, Germany 3, and Switzerland 3; Hong Kong owns an additional 498 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,810,794 DWT that operate under the registries of The Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Cyprus, Liberia, Malta, Panama, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Vanuatu
Airports: 2 (1996 est.) note: new international airport under construction and will open in 1998
Airports - with paved runways: total : 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Headquarters of British Forces, Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Police Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,884,488 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 1,427,567 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 46,601 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $207 million (FY92/93); note - this represents 65% of the total cost of defending the colony, the remainder being paid by the UK
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.2% (FY92/93)
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK until 1 July 1997, when China will assume command
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: a hub for Southeast Asian heroin trade; transshipment and money-laundering center; increasing indigenous amphetamine abuse ______________________________________________________________________
HOWLAND ISLAND
(territory of the US)
@Howland Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates: 0 48 N, 176 38 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 1.6 sq km land : 1.6 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 6.4 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 12 nm
Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point : unnamed location 3 m
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 5% other: 95%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements: party to : NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats
@Howland Island:People
Population: uninhabited note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators
@Howland Island:Government
Country name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Howland Island
Data code: HQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System
National capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Howland Island:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Airports: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan - they left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable
Transportation - note: Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
HUNGARY
@Hungary:Geography
Location: Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 93,030 sq km land: 92,340 sq km water: 690 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 2,009 km border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151 km (all with Serbia), Slovakia 515 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Tisza River 78 m highest point: Kekes 1,014 m
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils
Land use: arable land: 51% permanent crops : 2% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 19% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,060 sq km (1993 est.)
Environment - current issues: an early-1996 government study identified 179 areas that suffer from air pollution, 54 areas with polluted soil, and 32 areas with polluted underground water; the study estimated clean-up costs at $350 million, but the 1996 government budget allocated only about $7 million for this purpose
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin
@Hungary:People
Population: 10,232,404 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 924,864; female 881,728) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,419,485; female 3,541,823) 65 years and over: 14% (male 549,091; female 915,413) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.25% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 10.73 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 13.67 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.48 years male : 66.06 years female: 75.13 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun : Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian
Ethnic groups: Hungarian 89.9%, Gypsy 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%, Romanian 0.7%
Religions: Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other 7.5%
Languages: Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female : 98% (1980 est.)
@Hungary:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Hungary conventional short form: Hungary local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag local short form: Magyarorszag
Data code: HU
Government type: republic
National capital: Budapest
Administrative divisions: 19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties* (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city** (fovaros); Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba*, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Budapest**, Csongrad, Debrecen*, Dunaujvaros*, Eger*, Fejer, Gyor*, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Hodmezovasarhely*, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar*, Kecskemet*, Komarom-Esztergom, Miskolc*, Nagykanizsa*, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza*, Pecs*, Pest, Somogy, Sopron*, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged*, Szekesfehervar*, Szolnok*, Szombathely*, Tatabanya*, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Veszprem*, Zala, Zalaegerszeg*
Independence: 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
National holiday: St. Stephen's Day (National Day), 20 August (commemorates the coronation of King Stephen in 1000 AD)
Constitution: 18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight
Legal system: in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based on Western model
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously interim president since 2 May 1990) head of government : Prime Minister Gyula HORN (since 15 July 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a four-year term; election last held 19 June 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president election results: Arpad GONCZ elected president; a total of 335 votes were cast by the National Assembly, Arpad GONCZ received 259; Gyula HORN elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and direct representation to serve four-year terms) elections : last held on 8 and 29 May 1994 (next to be held May 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MSzP 209, SzDSz 70, MDF 37, FKgP 26, KDNP 22, FiDeSz 20, other 2
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Sandor LEZSAK, chairman]; Independent Smallholders or FKgP [Jozsef TORGYAN, president]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Gyula HORN, president]; Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Gyorgy GICZY, president]; Federation of Young Democrats or FiDeSz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Ivan SZABO, chairman] note: the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party or MSzMP renounced Communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP in October 1989; there is still a small MMP (Communist Party); the MDNP was formed in March 1996 by breakaway members of the Hungarian Democratic Forum
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gyorgy BANLAKI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 FAX : [1] (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald M. BLINKEN embassy: V. Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest mailing address: American Embassy Budapest, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone : [36] (1) 267-4400, 269-9331 FAX: [36] (1) 269-9326
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green
Economy
Economy - overview: Hungary probably had the most Western-oriented economy in East Europe before the transition to a market system began in 1990, and Budapest made good progress in the initial years of transition. The reform process slowed in 1993-94, however, in part because of the May 1994 elections and the resulting change in government. By 1994 the privatization of state firms had ground to a halt, while both the budget and current account deficits soared to unsustainable levels - about 8% and 10% of GDP, respectively. The situation improved sharply in 1995: an austerity program introduced in March reduced both deficits; and a renewed privatization effort later in the year resulted in more than $3 billion worth of sales of state firms to foreign investors - money used mostly to reduce Hungary's large foreign debt. Real GDP increased 2.9% in 1994 - following several years of steep decline - and about 1.5% in 1995 and only 0.5% in 1996. Unemployment reached 14% in early 1993 before gradually falling back to 11% in 1996. Inflation has oscillated; it reached 40% in mid-1991, dropped to 17% in early 1994, jumped back to 31% by mid-1995, and settled at 20% in 1996. Prospects for 1997 and 1998 are good compared with the situation earlier. Most forecasters expect 2% to 3% GDP growth in 1997 and slightly higher growth in 1998. Inflation and unemployment are edging down. With the government still committed to reform, both the budget and current account deficits are at IMF target levels - about 4% of GDP. Budapest also is making good progress in restructuring the pension, health, tax, education, and other systems as part of the effort to decrease the role of government. This dramatic shift in economic policy was rewarded in 1996 by the IMF, which finally signed the standby agreement Budapest had sought, and by the OECD, which welcomed Hungary as a member.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $74.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,500 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.3% industry : 31.9% services: 60.8% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 20% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 6.2 million (1996) by occupation: services 58.7%, industry 34.7%, agriculture 6.6 (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 11% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $10.2 billion expenditures : $11 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)
Industries: mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: 2% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 6.98 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 31.63 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,200 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products
Exports: total value: $14.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: raw materials 39.5%, consumer goods 25.0%, agriculture and food products 21.8%, machinery and equipment 11.3%, fuels and electricity 2.4% (1995) partners : EU 63.3% (Germany 28.8%, Austria 10.0%), Eastern Europe 19.7%, Russia 10.7% (1995)
Imports: total value : $16.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: raw materials 42.3%, consumer goods 20.9%, machinery and equipment 20.1%, fuels and electricity 10.8%, agricultural and food products 5.9% (1995) partners: EU 61.6% (Germany 23.6%, Austria 11.9%), Eastern Europe 22.2%, Russia 14.7% (1995)
Debt - external: $27.5 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $136 million (1993) note : assistance received from OECD countries and international organizations, $3,700 million (1990-93)
Currency: 1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler
Exchange rates: forints per US$1 - 166.100 (January 1997), 152.647 (1996), 125.681 (1995),105.160 (1994), 91.933 (1993), 78.988 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Hungary:Communications
Telephones: 2.16 million (1 January 1996) - there are 21.1 per 100 inhabitants, 54.1 per 100 households; mobile telephone services are used by 267,000 subscribers
Telephone system: 14,213 telex lines; automatic telephone network based on microwave radio relay system; the average waiting time for telephones is expected to drop to one year by the end of 1997 (down from over 10 years in the early 1990's); note - the former state-owned telecommunications firm MATAV - now privatized and managed by a US/German consortium - has ambitious plans to upgrade the inadequate system, including a contract with the German firm Siemens and the Swedish firm Ericsson to provide 600,000 new phone lines during 1996-98 domestic : microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 32, FM 15, shortwave 0
Radios: 6 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 41 (Russian repeaters 8)
Televisions: 4.38 million (1993 est.)
@Hungary:Transportation
Railways: total: 7,619 km broad gauge: 35 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,408 km 1.435-m gauge (2,216 km electrified; 1,236 km double track) narrow gauge : 176 km 0.760-m gauge (1995) note: Hungry and Austria jointly manage the cross-border standard-gauge railway between Gyor, Sopron, Ebenfurti, and Vasut, a distance of about 100 km
Highways: total: 158,633 km paved: 69,957 km (including 378 km of expressways) unpaved: 88,676 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 1,622 km (1988)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,204 km; natural gas 4,387 km (1991)
Ports and harbors: Budapest, Dunaujvaros
Merchant marine: total: 11 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 51,076 GRT/67,498 DWT (1996 est.)
Airports: 78 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 14 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 64 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m : 34 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, Territorial Defense
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,631,781 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 2,099,109 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 78,828 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $550 million (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Slovakia
Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and transit point for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamines and methamphetamines ______________________________________________________________________
ICELAND
@Iceland:Geography
Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Geographic coordinates: 65 00 N, 18 00 W
Map references: Arctic Region
Area: total: 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4,988 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m
Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 23% forests and woodland: 1% other: 76% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe
@Iceland:People
Population: 269,697 (July 1997 est.) note: population data estimates based on average growth rate may differ slightly from official population data because of volatile migration rates
Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (male 32,931; female 31,390) 15-64 years: 64% (male 87,993; female 86,107) 65 years and over: 12% (male 14,107; female 17,169) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.47% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 15.35 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 6.93 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.73 years male: 76.68 years female: 80.9 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic
Ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 96%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, none 1% (1988)
Languages: Icelandic
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% (1976 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
@Iceland:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form : Lyoveldio Island local short form: Island
Data code: IC
Government type: constitutional republic
National capital: Reykjavik
Administrative divisions: 23 counties (syslar, singular - sysla) and 14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla, Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla
Independence: 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June (1944)
Constitution: 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944
Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991) cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results : Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON elected president; percent of vote - 41.4%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : last held on 8 April 1995 (next to be held by April 1999) election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 37.1%, Progressive Party 23.3%, Social Democratic Party 11.4%, Socialists 14.3%, People's Movement 7.2%, Women's Party 4.9%; seats by party - Independence 25, Progressive 15, Social Democratic 7, Socialists 9, People's Movement 4, Women's Party 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Haestirettur, justices are appointed for life by the president
Political parties and leaders: Independence Party (conservative) or IP [David ODDSSON]; Progressive Party (liberal) or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Sighvatur BJORGVINSSON]; People's Alliance (left socialist) or PA [Margret FRIMANNSDOTTIR]; Women's Party or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR]; People's Movement (centrist); National Awakening (People's Revival Party) or PR [Johanna SIGURDARDOTTIR]
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Einar BENEDIKTSSON chancery : Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 through 6655 FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Day Olin MOUNT (22 August 1996) embassy: Laufasvegur 21, Reykjavik mailing address : US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340 telephone: [354] 5629100 FAX: [354] 5629118
Flag description: blue with a red cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy
Economy - overview: Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system, low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. The economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 75% of export earnings and employs 12% of the work force. In the absence of other natural resources - except energy - Iceland's economy is vulnerable to changing world fish prices. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to drops in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. The center-right government plans to continue its policies of reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.3 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $19,800 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.6% industry: 22.1% services: 68.3% (1991)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.5% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 145,000 (1994) by occupation: commerce, transportation, and services 60.0%, manufacturing 12.5%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, construction 10.8%, agriculture 4.0%, other 0.9% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 5% (1996)
Budget: revenues: $1.9 billion expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $297 million (1994 est.)
Industries: fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 1.75% (1991 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 1.1 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 5 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 17,181 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep; fish catch of about 1.1 million metric tons in 1992
Exports: total value: $1.67 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: fish and fish products 75%, animal products, aluminum, ferrosilicon, diatomite partners: UK 19%, Germany 14%, US 12%, Japan 11%, Denmark 8%, France 7% (1995)
Imports: total value: $1.62 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles partners: Germany 11%, Norway 10%, UK 10%, Denmark 9%, US 8%, Sweden 7% (1995)
Debt - external: $2.5 billion (1993 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar
Exchange rates: Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1 - 68.330 (January 1997), 66.500 (1996), 64.692 (1995), 69.944 (1994), 67.603 (1993), 57.546 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Iceland:Communications
Telephones: 143,600 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: adequate domestic service domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 147 (transmitters and repeaters), shortwave 0
Radios: 91,500 licensed (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 202 (transmitters and repeaters)
Televisions: 96,100 licensed (1993 est.)
@Iceland:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 12,378 km paved: 3,070 km unpaved : 9,308 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Akureyri, Hornafjordur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vestmannaeyjar
Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,041 GRT/21,531 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 1, container 1, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 84 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 60 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 50 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 21 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard; note - Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 70,833 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 62,601 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: none
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area) ______________________________________________________________________
INDIA
@India:Geography
Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 3,287,590 sq km land: 2,973,190 sq km water: 314,400 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Land boundaries: total: 14,103 km border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Coastline: 7,000 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Terrain: upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m
Natural resources: coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone
Land use: arable land: 56% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures : 4% forests and woodland: 23% other: 16% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 480,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: droughts, flash floods, severe thunderstorms common; earthquakes
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and rapidly growing population is overstraining natural resources
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified : none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes
@India:People
Population: 966,783,171 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 35% (male 173,420,822; female 163,433,648) 15-64 years: 61% (male 304,048,569; female 281,625,342) 65 years and over: 4% (male 22,536,104; female 21,718,686) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.72% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 26.19 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 8.87 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female total population : 1.07 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 65.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.41 years male: 61.68 years female: 63.18 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.29 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Indian(s) adjective: Indian
Ethnic groups: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3%
Religions: Hindu 80%, Muslim 14%, Christian 2.4%, Sikh 2%, Buddhist 0.7%, Jains 0.5%, other 0.4%
Languages: English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication, Hindi the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people, Bengali (official), Telugu (official), Marathi (official), Tamil (official), Urdu (official), Gujarati (official), Malayalam (official), Kannada (official), Oriya (official), Punjabi (official), Assamese (official), Kashmiri (official), Sindhi (official), Sanskrit (official), Hindustani a popular variant of Hindu/Urdu, is spoken widely throughout northern India note : 24 languages each spoken by a million or more persons; numerous other languages and dialects, for the most part mutually unintelligible
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52% male: 65.5% female: 37.7% (1995 est.)
@India:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of India conventional short form: India
Data code: IN
Government type: federal republic
National capital: New Delhi
Administrative divisions: 25 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachel Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
Independence: 15 August 1947 (from UK)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 26 January (1950)
Constitution: 26 January 1950
Legal system: based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Shankar Dayal SHARMA (since 25 July 1992); Vice President Kicheril Raman NARAYANAN (since 21 August 1992) head of government: Prime Minister I.K. GUJRAL (since 21 April 1997) cabinet : Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term; vice president elected by both houses of Parliament; prime minister elected by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections election results: Shankar Dayal SHARMA elected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA; Kicheril Raman NARAYANAN elected vice president; percent of Parliament vote - NA; I.K. GUJRAL elected prime minister; percent of vote - NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to 12 of which are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms) elections: People's Assembly - last held 27 April through May 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results : People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BJP and allies 194, Congress I Party 140, Janata Dal Party 44, CPI/M 32, Tamil Maanila Congress 20, Dravida Munnetra Kazagham 17, SP 17, Teluga Desam (Naidu) 16, CPI 11, RSP 5, Asom Gana Parishad 5, Congress (Tiwari) 4, AIFB 3, Muslim League 2, Madhya Pradesh Vikas Congress 2, Karnataka Congress Party 1, independents and other regional parties 30
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), A. B. VAJPAYEE; Congress (I) Party, Sitaram KESRI, president; Janata Dal Party, Laloo Prasad YADAV; Janata Dal (Ajit), Ajit SINGH; Communist Party of India/Marxist (CPI/M), Harkishan Singh SURJEET; Tamil Maanila Congress, G. K. MOOPANAR; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (a regional party in Tamil Nadu), M. KARUNANIDHI; Samajwadi Party (SP), Mulayam Singh YADAV (president), Om Prakash CHAUTALA, Devi LAL; Telugu Desam (Naidu) (a regional party in Andhra Pradesh), Chandrababu NAIDU; Communist Party of India (CPI), Indrajit GUPTA; Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Tridip CHOWDHURY; Asom Gana Parishad, Prafulla Kumar MAHANTA; Congress (Tiwari), Arjun SINGH and N.D. TIWARI; All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), Prem Dutta PALIWAL (chairman), Chitta BASU (general secretary); Muslim League, G. M. BANATWALA; Madhya Pradesh Vikas Congress, Madhavro SCINDIA; Karnataka Congress Party, S. BANGARAPPA; Shiv Sena, Bal THACKERAY; Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Kanshi RAM; Communist Party of India/Marxist-Leninist (CPI/ML), Vinod MISHRA; Akali Dal factions representing Sikh religious community in the Punjab; National Conference (NC; a regional party in Jammu and Kashmir), Farooq ABDULLAH; Bihar Peoples Party, Lovely ANAND; Samata Party (formerly Janata Dal members), George FERNANDES; Indian National League, Suliaman SAIT; Kerala Congress (Mani faction), K. M. MANI note: subsequent to the election, the following parties were dissolved - Congress (Tiwari), Madhya Pradesh Vikas Congress, and Karnataka Congress Party
Political pressure groups and leaders: various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy; numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations, including Adam Sena, Ananda Marg, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, BIS (pending member), C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), PCA, SAARC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIH, UNOMIL, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Naresh CHANDRA chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Embassy located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000 FAX: [1] (202) 483-3972 consulate(s) general : Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Frank G. WISNER embassy: Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri 110021, New Delhi mailing address: use embassy street address telephone : [91] (11) 600651 FAX: [91] (11) 6872028 consulate(s) general: Bombay, Calcutta, Chennai (Madras), Mumbai
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band
Economy
Economy - overview: India's economy is a mixture of traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of support services. A large share of the population, perhaps as much as 40%, remains too poor to afford an adequate diet. The policy in the 1980s of fueling economic growth through high government expenditure proved unsustainable, however, and in the wake of an international payments crisis in 1991 India has been transforming its semi-socialist, insular economy into a more open, market-oriented economy. Production, trade, and investment reforms since 1991 have provided new opportunities for Indian businesspersons and an estimated 200 million plus middle class consumers. New Delhi has stimulated exports, attracted foreign investment, and revived confidence in India's economic prospects. GDP growth exceeded 6% in 1995 and in 1996. Most of the country's external fundamentals - including the current account balance and reserves (now about $19 billion) - are healthy. Even so, the Indian Government needs to restore the early momentum of reform, especially by continuing reductions in the extensive remaining government regulations. The government will also have to deal with rising government expenditures and higher debt servicing which could create a debt trap by the turn of the century. Even if a series of weak coalition governments come to power in the next few years and are unable to push reforms aggressively, parts of the economy that have already benefited from deregulation will continue to grow. Moreover, the country can build on other strengths, including its diverse industrial base, large scientific and technical pool, its well-developed legal system, and its large middle class.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.538 trillion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,600 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry : 28% services: 42% (1993/94)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 10.3% (1995)
Labor force: total: 370 million (1995 est.) by occupation: agriculture 65% or more, services 4%, manufacturing and construction 3%, communications and transport 3%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $34 billion expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)
Industries: textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery
Industrial production growth rate: 11.2% (1996)
Electricity - capacity: 83.288 million kW 1996)
Electricity - production: 380 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 419 kWh (1995)
Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish catch of about 3 million metric tons ranks India among the world's top 10 fishing nations
Exports: total value : $30.5 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: clothing, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures, cotton yarn, and fabric partners: US, Japan, Germany, UK, Hong Kong
Imports: total value: $34.5 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals partners: US, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UK, Belgium, Japan
Debt - external: $97.9 billion (March 1995)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $1.237 billion (1993); US ODA bilateral commitments $171 million; US Ex-Im bilateral commitments $680 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA bilateral commitments $2.48 billion; OPEC bilateral aid $200 million; World Bank (IBRD) multilateral commitments $2.8 billion; Asian Development Bank (AsDB) multilateral commitments $760 million; International Finance Corporation (IFC) multilateral commitments $200 million; other multilateral commitments $554 million (1995-96)
Currency: 1 Indian rupee (Re) = 100 paise
Exchange rates: Indian rupees (Rs) per US$1 - 35.872 (January 1997), 35.433 (1996), 32.427 (1995), 31.374 (1994), 30.493 (1993), 25.918 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@India:Communications
Telephones: 9.8 million (1995)
Telephone system: probably the least adequate telephone system of any of the industrializing countries; three of every four villages have no telephone service; only 5% of India's villages have long-distance service; poor telephone service significantly impedes commercial and industrial growth and penalizes India in global markets; slow improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private-public investors, but demand for communication services is also growing rapidly domestic : local service is provided mostly by open wire and obsolete electromechanical and manual switchboard systems; within the last 10 years a substantial amount of digital switch gear has been introduced for local service; long-distance traffic is carried mostly by open wire, coaxial cable, and low-capacity microwave radio relay; since 1985, however, significant trunk capacity has been added in the form of fiber-optic cable and a domestic satellite system with over 100 earth stations international : satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean Region); submarine cables to Malaysia and UAE
Radio broadcast stations: AM 96, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 70 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 274 (government controlled)
Televisions: 33 million (1992 est.)
@India:Transportation
Railways: total: 62,462 km (11,793 km electrified; 12,617 km double track) broad gauge: 37,824 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 20,653 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,985 km 0.762-m and 0.610-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways: total : 2,009,600 km paved: 1,006,810 km unpaved: 1,002,790 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 16,180 km; 3,631 km navigable by large vessels
Pipelines: crude oil 3,005 km; petroleum products 2,687 km; natural gas 1,700 km (1995)
Ports and harbors: Calcutta, Chennai (Madras), Cochin, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Mumbai (Bombay), Vishakhapatnam
Merchant marine: total : 306 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,832,647 GRT/11,376,028 DWT ships by type: bulk 132, cargo 59, chemical tanker 8, combination bulk 3, combination ore/oil 3, container 11, liquefied gas tanker 8, oil tanker 75, passenger-cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 290 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 249 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 48 1,524 to 2,437 m : 59 914 to 1,523 m: 68 under 914 m: 62 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 37 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 15 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, various security or paramilitary forces (includes Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, and Coast Guard)
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 258,172,895 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 151,693,072 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 10,465,427 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $8 billion (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.7% (FY95/96)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: boundaries with Bangladesh and China in dispute; status of Kashmir with Pakistan; water-sharing problems with downstream riparian Pakistan over the Indus (Wular Barrage); Bangladesh and India signed a treaty 12 December 1996 to share water from the Ganges
Illicit drugs: world's largest licit producer of opium for the pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; major transit country for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of hashish and methaqualone; produced 47 metric tons of illicit opium in 1996 ______________________________________________________________________
INDIAN OCEAN [Map of Indian Ocean]
@Indian Ocean:Geography
Location: body of water between Africa, Antarctica, Asia, and Australia
Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 80 00 E
Map references: World
Area: total : 73.6 million sq km note: includes Arabian Sea, Bass Straight, Bay of Bengal, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of Malacca, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative: slightly less than eight times the size of the US; third-largest ocean (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean)
Coastline: 66,526 km
Climate: northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean
Terrain: surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninety East Ridge
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules
Natural hazards: ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme south near Antarctica from May to October
Environment - current issues: endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea
Environment - international agreements: party to : none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait
@Indian Ocean:Government
Data code: none; the US Government has not approved a standard for hydrographic codes - see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Codes appendix
Economy
Economy - overview: The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
@Indian Ocean:Communications
Telephone system: international : submarine cables from India to UAE and Malaysia and from Sri Lanka to Djibouti and Indonesia
@Indian Ocean:Transportation
Ports and harbors: Calcutta (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Madras (India), Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richard's Bay (South Africa)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states) ______________________________________________________________________
INDONESIA
@Indonesia:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 5 00 S, 120 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total : 1,919,440 sq km land: 1,826,440 sq km water: 93,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 2,602 km border countries: Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km
Coastline: 54,716 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m
Natural resources: petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland : 62% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 45,970 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes
Environment - current issues: deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: archipelago of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean
@Indonesia:People
Population: 209,774,138 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years : 31% (male 33,313,149; female 32,367,905) 15-64 years: 65% (male 67,824,993; female 68,226,617) 65 years and over: 4% (male 3,557,886; female 4,483,588) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.51% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 23.39 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 8.3 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 61.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.06 years male: 59.89 years female: 64.34 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.66 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Indonesian(s) adjective: Indonesian
Ethnic groups: Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%, other 26%
Religions: Muslim 87%, Protestant 6%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1985)
Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78% (1995 est.)
@Indonesia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia conventional short form: Indonesia local long form : Republik Indonesia local short form: Indonesia former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies
Data code: ID
Government type: republic
National capital: Jakarta
Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Bengkulu, Irian Jaya, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Lampung, Maluku, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Timor Timur, Yogyakarta*
Independence: 17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)
National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1945)
Constitution: August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age
Executive branch: chief of state: President Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO (since 27 March 1968) and Vice President Gen. (Ret.) Try SUTRISNO (since 11 March 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO (since 27 March 1968) and Vice President Gen. (Ret.) Try SUTRISNO (since 11 March 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president and vice president elected by consensus by the People's Consultative Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 11 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998) election results : Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO elected president by consensus by the People's Consultative Assembly; Gen. (Ret.) Try SUTRISNO elected vice president by consensus by the People's Consultative Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (500 seats; 400 elected by popular vote, 100 are appointed military representatives; members serve five-year terms; note - beginning with the elections in May 1997, the composition of the DPR will change to 425 elected representatives and 75 appointed representatives) elections: last held 8 June 1992 (next scheduled for 29 May 1997) election results: percent of vote by party - Golkar 68%, PPP 17%, PDI 15%; seats by party - Golkar 282, PPP 62, PDI 56 note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) includes the DPR plus 500 indirectly selected members; it meets every five years to elect the president and vice president and to approve the broad outlines of national policy
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Mahkamah Agung), the judges are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Golkar (de facto ruling political party based on functional groups), HARMOKO, general chairman; Indonesia Democracy Party (PDI - federation of former Nationalist and Christian Parties), SOERJADI, chairman; Development Unity Party (PPP, federation of former Islamic parties), Ismail Hasan METAREUM, chairman
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arifin Mohamad SIREGAR chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200 FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365 consulate(s) general : Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador J. Stapleton ROY embassy: Medan Merdeka Selatan 5, Jakarta mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, APO AP 96520 telephone : [62] (21) 344-2211 FAX: [62] (21) 386-2259 consulate(s) general: Surabaya
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red
Economy
Economy - overview: Indonesia's sound macroeconomic management, combined with an emphasis on rapid deregulation and encouragement of private investment resulted in real GDP growth in 1991-96 averaging about 7%. This was impressive, but not sufficient to cut underemployment while absorbing the 2.3 million workers annually entering the labor force. Foreign investment has boosted manufacturing output and exports in recent years. The economy's growth is driven by continuing expansion of nonoil exports. Plantation crops - rubber and palm oil - and textiles and plywood are being encouraged for both export and job generation. Industrial output is based on diverse natural resources, including crude oil, natural gas, timber, metals, and coal. Japan remains Indonesia's most important customer and supplier of aid. Growth in 1996 was led by industry, transport, and tourism. Strong growth should continue in 1997 assuming no sharp rise in political uncertainty.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $779.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,770 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 17% industry: 42% services: 41% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 7% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 67 million by occupation: agriculture 55%, manufacturing 10%, construction 4%, transport and communications 3%, other 28% (1985 est.)
Unemployment rate: 3% official rate; underemployment 40% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $41.5 billion expenditures: $41.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $16 billion (FY97/98 est.)
Industries: petroleum and natural gas, textiles, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, food, rubber; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 13.9% (1995 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 16.27 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 58.31 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 276 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra, other tropical products; poultry, beef, pork, eggs
Exports: total value: $49.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: manufactures 51.9%, fuels 26.4%, foodstuffs 12.7%, raw materials 9.0% partners: Japan 27.1%, US 13.9%, Singapore 8.3%, South Korea 6.4%, Taiwan 3.9%, China 3.8%, Hong Kong 3.6% (1995)
Imports: total value : $42.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: manufactures 75.3%, raw materials 9.0%, foodstuffs 7.8%, fuels 7.7% partners: Japan 22.7%, US 11.7%, Germany 6.9%, South Korea 6.0%, Singapore 5.8%, Australia 5.0%, Taiwan 4.5% (1995)
Debt - external: $110 billion (yearend 1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $5.5 billion (FY97/98 est.)
Currency: Indonesian rupiah (Rp)
Exchange rates: Indonesian rupiahs (Rp) per US$1 - 2,393.0 (January 1997), 2,342.3 (1996), 2,248.6 (1995), 2,160.8 (1994), 2,087.1 (1993), 2,029.9 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Indonesia:Communications
Telephones: 1,276,600 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic service fair, international service good domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 618, FM 38, shortwave 0
Radios: 28.1 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 9
Televisions: 11.5 million (1992 est.)
@Indonesia:Transportation
Railways: total: 6,458 km narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (101 km electrified; 101 km double track); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total : 378,000 km paved: 171,990 km unpaved: 206,010 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 21,579 km total; Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460 km, Celebes 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km
Pipelines: crude oil 2,505 km; petroleum products 456 km; natural gas 1,703 km (1989)
Ports and harbors: Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Palembang, Semarang, Surabaya, Ujungpandang
Merchant marine: total: 465 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,185,353 GRT/3,191,792 DWT ships by type: bulk 30, cargo 267, chemical tanker 8, container 9, liquefied gas tanker 5, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 102, passenger 6, passenger-cargo 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea passenger 6, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 4 (1996 est.)
Airports: 413 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 386 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 36 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m : 297 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 23 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 4 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 58,556,503 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 34,439,340 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 2,295,832 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.3 billion (FY97/98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY97/98)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor Province) disputed with Portugal and not recognized by the UN; two islands in dispute with Malaysia
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; possible growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle heroin ______________________________________________________________________
IRAN
@Iran:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 53 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 1.648 million sq km land: 1.636 million sq km water: 12,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries: total: 5,440 km border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km
Coastline: 2,440 km note: Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements, or median lines in the Persian Gulf territorial sea : 12 nm
Climate: mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Terrain: rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point : Qolleh-ye Damavand 5,671 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Land use: arable land : 10% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures : 27% forests and woodland: 7% other: 55% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 94,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along the Western border
Environment - current issues: air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified : Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
@Iran:People
Population: 67,540,002 (July 1997 est.) note: includes 917,078 non-nationals (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 15,292,783; female 14,423,911) 15-64 years : 52% (male 17,880,617; female 17,254,711) 65 years and over: 4% (male 1,378,395; female 1,309,585) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.12% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 32.51 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 6.39 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 50.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.82 years male: 66.47 years female: 69.23 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.52 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Iranian(s) adjective: Iranian
Ethnic groups: Persian 51%, Azerbaijani 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
Religions: Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1%
Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.1% male: 78.4% female: 65.8% (1994 est.)
@Iran:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran conventional short form: Iran local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran local short form : Iran
Data code: IR
Government type: theocratic republic
National capital: Tehran
Administrative divisions: 25 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshahan, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmadi, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan note: there may be two new provinces named Qom and Qazvin
Independence: 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
National holiday: Islamic Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
Constitution: 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership
Legal system: the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government
Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: supreme leader (rahbar-e moazam) and functional chief of state - Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) head of government: President Ali Akbar HASHEMI-RAFSANJANI (since 3 August 1989); First Vice President Hasan Ebrahim HABIBI (since NA August 1989) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval elections: supreme leader appointed for life by the Council of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 11 June 1993 (next to be held 23 May 1997) election results: Ali Akbar HASHEMI-RAFSANJANI elected president; percent of vote - Ali Akbar HASHEMI-RAFSANJANI 63%
Legislative branch: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (270 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 8 March and 19 April 1996 (next to be held NA March 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Iran has no political parties; the most important political "groupings" are - Tehran Militant Clergy Association, Secretary General Ayatollah Mohammad EMAMI-KASHANI; Militant Clerics Association, Mehdi MAHDAVI-KARUBI and Mohammad Asqar MUSAVI-KHOINIHA; Servants of Reconstruction (G-6), Mohammad HASHEMI-RAFSANJANI, Hosein MARASHI
Political pressure groups and leaders: groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, and the Islamic Coalition Association; opposition groups include the Liberation Movement of Iran and the Nation of Iran party; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan; the Society for the Defense of Freedom
International organization participation: CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy, headed by Faramarz FATH-NEJAD; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990