Introductory material (continued 2)
Reading edition
Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean
@American Samoa:People
Population: 61,819 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 3.72% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 35.23 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.01 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female total population : NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 18.78 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.91 years male: 71.03 years female: 74.85 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.16 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan
Ethnic groups: Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%
Religions: Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant denominations and other 30%
Languages: Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English note: most people are bilingual
Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.)
@American Samoa:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS
Data code: AQ
Dependency status: unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the US Department of Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs
Government type: NA
National capital: Pago Pago
Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)
Independence: none (territory of the US)
National holiday: Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Constitution: ratified 1966, in effect 1967
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state : President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997) and Lieutenant Governor Togiola Tulafono (since 3 January 1997) cabinet: NA elections: governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000) election results: Tauese P. SUNIA elected governor of American Samoa; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 51%, Peter REID (Independent) 49%
Legislative branch: bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs who serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998); Senate - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000) election results : House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate
Judicial branch: High Court, chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior
Political parties and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)
Flag description: blue with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club
Economy
Economy - overview: Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts the great bulk of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. The tuna canneries and the government are by far the two largest employers. Other economic activities include a slowly developing tourist industry. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. According to one observer, attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $128 million (1991 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1991 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA %
Labor force: total: 14,400 (1990) by occupation: government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1991)
Budget: revenues: $97 million ($43 million in local revenue and $54 million in grant revenue) expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90/91)
Industries: tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 33,000 kW (1993)
Electricity - production: 100 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,743 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy farming
Exports: total value: $306 million (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: canned tuna 93% partners : US 99.6%
Imports: total value: $360.3 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% partners : US 62%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Australia 11%, Fiji 4%, other 7%
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note : important financial support from the US
Currency: 1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
@American Samoa:Communications
Telephones: 9,000 (1994 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular phone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 8,000 (1993 est.)
@American Samoa:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total : 350 km paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km
Ports and harbors: Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 3 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
ANDORRA
@Andorra:Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
Geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 30 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total : 450 sq km land: 450 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 125 km border countries : France 60 km, Spain 65 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Terrain: rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Riu Valira 840 m highest point : Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
Natural resources: hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 56% forests and woodland: 22% other: 20% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: snowslides, avalanches
Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked
@Andorra:People
Population: 64,000 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 14% (male 4,788; female 4,452) 15-64 years : 74% (male 25,291; female 21,807) 65 years and over: 12% (male 3,903; female 3,759) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.72% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 10.67 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 83.45 years male : 80.53 years female: 86.53 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.21 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Andorran(s) adjective: Andorran
Ethnic groups: Spanish 61%, Andorran 30%, French 6%, other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic (predominant)
Languages: Catalan (official), French, Castilian
Literacy: NA
@Andorra:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form : Andorra
Data code: AN
Government type: parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by officials called veguers
National capital: Andorra la Vella
Administrative divisions: 7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Les Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Independence: 1278
National holiday: Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September
Constitution: Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; adopted 14 March 1993
Legal system: based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) and Spanish Episcopal Coprince Monseigneur Juan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January 1971); note - each coprince is represented by a veguer (current names NA) head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994) cabinet: Executive Council designated by the executive council president elections: executive council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces; election last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held February 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - UL 57%, AND 21%, IDN 7%, ND 7%, other 8%; seats by party - UL 16, AND 6, ND 2, IDN 2, UPO 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan (France) two civil judges appointed by the veguers, one appeals judge appointed by the coprinces alternately; Ecclesiastical Court of the Bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain); Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal des Cortes presided over by the two civil judges, one appeals judge, the veguers, and two members of the General Council
Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Group or AND [Oscar RIBAS Reig and Jordi FARRAS]; Liberal Union or UL [Francesc CERQUEDA]; New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU]; Andorran National Coalition or CNA [Antoni CERQUEDA]; National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vincenc MATEU]; Liberal Party of Andorra (Partit Liberal d'Andorra) or PLA [Marc FORNE]; Unio Parroquial d'Ordino or UDO note : there are two other small parties
International organization participation: CE, ECE, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, WIPO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Juli MINOVES-TRIQUELL (also Permanent Representative to the UN) chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (343) 280-2227; FAX: (343) 205-7705; note - Consul General Maurice S. PARKER makes periodic visits to Andorra
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad and Romania that do not have a national coat of arms in the center
Economy
Economy - overview: Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 10 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited by a scarcity of arable land, and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $18,000 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 0%
Budget: revenues : $138 million expenditures: $177 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993)
Industries: tourism (particularly skiing), sheep, timber, tobacco, banking
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 35,000 kW (1992)
Electricity - production: 140 million kWh (1992)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh; note - Andorra exports most of its electricity to France and Spain
Agriculture - products: small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep raising
Exports: total value : $47 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: electricity, tobacco products, furniture partners : France 49%, Spain 47%
Imports: total value: $1 billion (1995) commodities: consumer goods, food partners: France, Spain, US 4.2%
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes; 1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos; the French and Spanish currencies are used
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4169 (January 1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992); Spanish pesetas (Ptas) per US$1 - 134.77 (January 1997), 126.66 (1996), 124.69 (1995), 133.96 (1994), 127.26 (1993), 102.38 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Andorra:Communications
Telephones: 21,258 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: domestic : modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: landline circuits to France and Spain
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 10,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 7,000 (1991 est.)
@Andorra:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 269 km paved: 198 km unpaved : 71 km (1991 est.)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
ANGOLA
Introduction
Current issues: Civil war has been the norm since independence from Portugal on 11 November 1975. A cease-fire lasted from 31 May 1991 until October 1992 when the insurgent National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) refused to accept its defeat in internationally monitored elections and fighting resumed throughout much of the countryside. The two sides signed another peace accord on 20 November 1994 and the cease-fire is generally holding, but military tensions persist and banditry is increasing. In order to bring armed insurgents under government control the peace accord of 20 November 1994 provided for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the Angolan armed forces. Military integration began in June 1996 and a Government of National Unity and Reconciliation was installed in April 1997. Efforts which began in May 1997 to extend government into UNITA-occupied areas are proceeding slowly. The original 7,200-man UN peacekeeping force began a phased drawdown in late 1996. All UN peacekeepers are scheduled to depart by September 1997 but a small UN military observer force will probably remain in Angola through 1998.
@Angola:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 18 30 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1,246,700 sq km land : 1,246,700 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 5,198 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km of which 220 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda province, Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km
Coastline: 1,600 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 20 nm
Climate: semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Terrain: narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m
Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 23% forests and woodland: 43% other : 32% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Environment - current issues: the overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements: party to: Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
Geography - note: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Congo (Kinshasa)
@Angola:People
Population: 10,548,847 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 2,393,009; female 2,327,186) 15-64 years: 52% (male 2,793,038; female 2,753,624) 65 years and over: 3% (male 131,720; female 150,270) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.06% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 44.11 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 17.24 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.69 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: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population : 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 135.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 47.32 years male: 45.12 years female: 49.64 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.27 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Angolan(s) adjective: Angolan
Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (est.)
Languages: Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42% male : 56% female: 28% (1990 est.)
@Angola:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Angola conventional short form: Angola local long form: Republica de Angola local short form: Angola former: People's Republic of Angola
Data code: AO
Government type: transitional government, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system
National capital: Luanda
Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire
Independence: 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
Constitution: 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992
Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979) head of government: Prime Minister Fernando Jose de Franca Vieira Dias VAN DUNEM (since 8 June 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: President DOS SANTOS originally elected without opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections in 28-29 September 1992, the last elections to be held, (next to be held NA); prime minister appointed by the president and answerable to the Assembly election results: DOS SANTOS received 49.6% of the total vote, making a run-off election necessary between him and second-place Jonas SAVIMBI; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) disputed the results of the first election; the civil war was resumed
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (223 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA) election results : percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%, others 12%; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal da Relacao, judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS], is the ruling party and has been in power since 1975; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Jonas SAVIMBI], is the largest opposition party and engaged in years of armed resistance to the government note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections but won few seats and have little influence in the National Assembly
Political pressure groups and leaders: Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC (observer), ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio dos Santos FRANCA "N'dalu" chancery: 1050 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 760, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 FAX : [1] (202) 785-1258
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald K. STEINBERG embassy: No. 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne, Miramar, Luanda mailing address: C.P. 6484, Luanda; American Embassy, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2550 (pouch) telephone : [244] (2) 345-481, 346-418 FAX: [244] (2) 346-924
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)
Economy
Economy - overview: Angola is an economy in disarray. Despite its abundant natural resources, output per capita is among the world's lowest. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80%-90% of the population but accounts for about 12% of GDP. Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 50% to GDP. Notwithstanding the signing of a peace accord in November 1994, sporadic violence continues, millions of land mines remain, and many farmers are reluctant to return to their fields. As a result, much of the country's food must still be imported. To take advantage of its rich resources - notably gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, arable land, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to observe the cease-fire, implement the peace agreement, and reform government policies. Despite the high inflation and political difficulties, total output grew an estimated 9% in 1996, largely due to increased oil production.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.3 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 9% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 56% services: 32% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1,700% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 2.783 million economically active by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry 15% (1985 est.)
Unemployment rate: extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $928 million expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million (1992 est.)
Industries: petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles;
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 620,000 kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 1.82 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 171 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish
Exports: total value: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: crude oil 90%, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton partners: US 70%, EU
Imports: total value : $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: capital equipment (machinery and electrical equipment), vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles and clothing; substantial military supplies partners : Portugal, Brazil, US, France, Spain
Debt - external: $12.5 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $451 million (1994)
Currency: 1 new kwanza (NKz) = 100 lwei
Exchange rates: new kwanza (NKz) per US$1 - 201,994 (November 1996), 900,000 (25 April 1995), 600,000 (10 January 1995), 90,000 (1 June 1994), 7,000 (16 December 1993), 3.884 (July 1993), 550 (April 1992) note: black market rates - new Kwanza (NKz) per US$1 - 1,900,000 (6 April 1995), 180,000 (1 June 1994), 50,000 (16 December 1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Angola:Communications
Telephones: 78,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: telephone service limited mostly to government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military links domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 13, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 6
Televisions: 50,000 (1993 est.)
@Angola:Transportation
Railways: total : 2,952 km limited trackage in use because of land mines still in place from the civil war) (1997 est.) narrow gauge: 2,798 km 1.067-m gauge; 154 km 0.600-m gauge
Highways: total: 72,626 km paved: 18,157 km unpaved: 54,469 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 1,295 km navigable
Pipelines: crude oil 179 km
Ports and harbors: Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malogo, Namibe, Porto Amboim, Soyo
Merchant marine: total : 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 55,255 GRT/86,886 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, oil tanker 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 144 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 67 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m : 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 40 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 77 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 48 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Police Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,412,445 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 1,213,988 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males : 102,712 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.1 billion (1993)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 31% (1993)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: increasingly used as a transshipment point for cocaine and heroin destined for Western Europe and other African states ______________________________________________________________________
ANGUILLA
(dependent territory of the UK)
@Anguilla:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 63 10 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 91 sq km land : 91 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 61 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds
Terrain: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m
Natural resources: salt, fish, lobster
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other : 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)
Environment - current issues: supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system
Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
@Anguilla:People
Population: 10,785 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (male 1,527; female 1,483) 15-64 years : 65% (male 3,563; female 3,407) 65 years and over: 7% (male 351; female 454) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.36% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 17.43 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.47 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 21.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 21.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.02 years male: 74.07 years female: 80.08 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan
Ethnic groups: black
Religions: Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%
Languages: English (official)
Literacy: definition: age 12 and over can read and write total population : 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.)
@Anguilla:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form : Anguilla
Data code: AV
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK
Government type: NA
National capital: The Valley
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Anguilla Day, 30 May
Constitution: Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Alan HOOLE (since 1 November 1995) head of government: Chief Minister Hubert HUGHES (since 16 March 1994) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed by the queen; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 16 March 1994 (next to be held March 1999) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANA 2, AUP 2, ADP 2, independent 1
Judicial branch: High Court, judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Anguilla National Alliance or ANA [Osbourne FLEMING]; Anguilla United Party or AUP [Hubert HUGHES]; Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP [Victor BANKS]
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), ECLAC (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below
Economy
Economy - overview: Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on high-class tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. Output growth had averaged about 7% in recent years, mainly as a result of a boom in tourism thanks to economic expansion in North America and the UK. The economy, and especially the tourism sector, suffered a setback in late 1995 due to the effects of Hurricane Luis in September. Agricultural output had only just begun to recover from a drought in 1994 when Luis hit. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financing sector. A comprehensive package of financial services legislation was enacted in late 1994. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend on the tourism sector and, therefore, on continuing income growth in the industrialized nations.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $52 million (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -4.3% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,400 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.6% (1995 est.)
Labor force: total: 4,400 (1992) by occupation: commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%
Unemployment rate: 7% (1992 est.)
Budget: revenues: $13.5 million (1993) expenditures: $17.6 million, including capital expenditures of $740,000 (1995 est.)
Industries: tourism, boat building, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: pigeon peas, corn, sweet potatoes; sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, poultry; fishing (including lobster)
Exports: total value : $1.3 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: lobster and salt partners : NA
Imports: total value: $39.8 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: NA partners: NA
Debt - external: $8.5 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (February 1997; fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Anguilla:Communications
Telephones: 890
Telephone system: domestic: modern internal telephone system international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 2,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: NA
@Anguilla:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 105 km paved: 65 km unpaved : 40 km (1992 est.)
Ports and harbors: Blowing Point, Road Bay
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m : 1 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
ANTARCTICA
@Antarctica:Geography
Location: continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle
Geographic coordinates: 90 00 S, 0 00 E
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area: total: 14 million sq km land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-covered) (est.) note : second-smallest continent (after Australia)
Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US
Land boundaries: 0 km note: see entry on International disputes
Coastline: 17,968 km
Maritime claims: none, but see entry on International disputes
Climate: severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing
Terrain: about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to about 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Vinson Massif 5,140 m
Natural resources: none presently exploited; iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small, uncommercial quantities
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other : 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak
Environment - current issues: in 1995 it was reported that the ozone shield, which protects the Earth's surface from harmful ultraviolet radiation, had dwindled to the lowest level recorded over Antarctica since 1975 when measurements were first taken
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: the coldest, windiest, highest, and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable
@Antarctica:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are seasonally staffed research stations; Summer (January) population - over 4,115 total; Argentina 207, Australia 268, Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Chile 256, China NA, Ecuador NA, Finland 11, France 78, Germany 32, Greenpeace 12, India 60, Italy 210, Japan 59, South Korea 14, Netherlands 10, NZ 264, Norway 23, Peru 39, Poland NA, South Africa 79, Spain 43, Sweden 10, UK 116, Uruguay NA, US 1,666, former USSR 565 (1989-90); Winter (July) population - over 1,046 total; Argentina 150, Australia 71, Brazil 12, Chile 73, China NA, France 33, Germany 19, Greenpeace 5, India 1, Japan 38, South Korea 14, NZ 11, Poland NA, South Africa 12, UK 69, Uruguay NA, US 225, former USSR 313 (1989-90); Year-round stations - 42 total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 3, China 2, Finland 1, France 1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 2, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Poland 1, South Africa 3, UK 5, Uruguay 1, US 3, former USSR 6 (1990-91); Summer-only stations - over 38 total; Argentina 7, Australia 3, Chile 5, Germany 3, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 4, NZ 2, Norway 1, Peru 1, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Sweden 2, UK 1, US numerous, former USSR 5 (1989-90); note - the disintegration of the former USSR has placed the status and future of its Antarctic facilities in doubt; stations may be subject to closings at any time because of ongoing economic difficulties
@Antarctica:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form : Antarctica
Data code: AY
Government type: Antarctic Treaty Summary - The Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica. Administration is carried out through consultative member meetings - the 18th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was in Japan in April 1993. Currently, there are 42 treaty member nations: 26 consultative and 16 acceding. Consultative (voting) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 19 nonclaimant nations. The US and some other nations that have made no claims have reserved the right to do so. The US does not recognize the claims of others. The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted to full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory. Claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), the US, and Russia. Acceding (nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Bulgaria (1978), Canada (1988), Colombia (1988), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), and Ukraine (1992). Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel in cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all activities and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; Other agreements - more than 170 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora (1964); Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but was subsequently rejected; in 1991 the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed and awaits ratification; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes on marine pollution, fauna, and flora, environmental impact assessments, waste management, and protected areas; it also prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; 21 parties have ratified Protocol as of April 1996
Legal system: US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such as murder, may apply to areas not under jurisdiction of other countries. Some US laws directly apply to Antarctica. For example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of statute: The taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected or scientific areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica. Violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and 1 year in prison. The Departments of Treasury, Commerce, Transportation, and Interior share enforcement responsibilities. Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans and Polar Affairs, Room 5801, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty. For more information contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230 (703) 306-1031.
Economy
Economy - overview: No economic activity at present except for fishing off the coast and small-scale tourism, both based abroad.
@Antarctica:Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA
@Antarctica:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage
Airports: 42 landing facilities at different locations operated by 16 national governments party to the Treaty; one additional air facility operated by commercial (non-governmental) tourist organization; helicopter pads at 32 of these locations; runways at 10 locations are gravel, sea ice, glacier ice, or compacted snow surface suitable for wheeled fixed-wing aircraft; no paved runways; 17 locations have snow-surface skiways limited to use by ski-equipped planes - 1 skiway greater than 3,000 m, 19 runways/skiways 1,000 to 3,000 m, 2 runways/skiways less than 1,000 m, and 5 of unspecified or variable length; airports generally subject to severe restrictions and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal and geographic conditions; airports do not meet ICAO standards; advance approval from the respective governmental or non-governmental operating organization required for landing (1996 est.)
Military
Military - note: the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature, such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary above); sections (some overlapping) claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France (Adelie Land), New Zealand (Ross Dependency), Norway (Queen Maud Land), and UK; the US and most other nations do not recognize the territorial claims of other nations and have made no claims themselves (the US reserves the right to do so); no formal claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west ______________________________________________________________________
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
@Antigua and Barbuda:Geography
Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 17 03 N, 61 48 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 440 sq km land: 440 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda
Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 153 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf : 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher volcanic areas
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m
Natural resources: negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism
Land use: arable land : 18% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 11% other: 62% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Desertification
@Antigua and Barbuda:People
Population: 63,739 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 26% (male 8,514; female 8,221) 15-64 years: 68% (male 21,499; female 21,891) 65 years and over : 6% (male 1,571; female 2,043) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.44% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 17.27 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.98 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.95 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: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.93 years male : 68.58 years female: 73.4 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan
Ethnic groups: black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian
Religions: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman Catholic
Languages: English (official), local dialects
Literacy: definition : age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88% (1960 est.)
@Antigua and Barbuda:Government
Country name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda
Data code: AC
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Saint John's
Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip
Independence: 1 November 1981 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 November (1981)
Constitution: 1 November 1981
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE (since NA 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general chosen by the queen on the advice of the prime minister; prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve 5-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 8 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ALP 11, UPP 5, independent 1
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia), one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER], a coalition of three opposition political parties - the United National Democratic Party or UNDP; the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM; and the Progressive Labor Movement or PLM
Political pressure groups and leaders: Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel Alexander HURST chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5211, 5166, 5122 FAX : [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda
Flag description: red with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white with a yellow rising sun in the black band
Economy
Economy - overview: Tourism continues to be by far the dominant activity in the economy but the combined share in GDP of transport and communications, trade, and public utilities has increased markedly in recent years. Tourism's direct contribution to output in 1994 was about 20%. In addition, increased tourist arrivals helped spur growth in the construction and transport sectors. The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for about half of all tourist arrivals.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $446 million (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,800 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 3.5% industry: 19.3% services: 77.2% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 4% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 30,000 by occupation : commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983)
Unemployment rate: 5%-10%(1995 est.)
Budget: revenues : $134 million expenditures: $135.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)
Industries: tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)
Industrial production growth rate: NA
Electricity - capacity: 54,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock
Exports: total value: $45 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, food and live animals 4%, machinery and transport equipment 17% partners: OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and Tobago 2%, US 0.3%
Imports: total value: $350.8 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil partners: US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%, other 50%
Debt - external: $435 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (February 1997; fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Antigua and Barbuda:Communications
Telephones: 6,700
Telephone system: domestic: good automatic telephone system international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 2
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2
Televisions: 28,000 (1993 est.)
@Antigua and Barbuda:Transportation
Railways: total: 77 km narrow gauge: 64 km 0.760-m gauge; 13 km 0.610-m gauge (used almost exclusively for handling sugarcane)
Highways: total: 245 km (1995 est.) paved : NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Saint John's
Merchant marine: total: 419 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,965,180 GRT/2,637,644 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 285, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk 1, container 83, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 19 note : a flag of convenience registry: Germany owns 13 ships, Slovenia 3, Croatia 1, Cyprus 1, and US 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 3 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m : 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (includes the Coast Guard)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: NA
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.4 million (FY90/91)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY90/91)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: considered a long-time but relatively minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe and recent transshipment point for heroin from Europe to the US; potentially more significant as a drug money-laundering center ______________________________________________________________________
ARCTIC OCEAN [Map of Arctic Ocean]
@Arctic Ocean:Geography
Location: body of water mostly north of the Arctic Circle
Geographic coordinates: 90 00 N, 0 00 E
Map references: Arctic Region
Area: total: 14.056 million sq km note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US; smallest of the world's four oceans (after Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean)
Coastline: 45,389 km
Climate: polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow
Terrain: central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling land masses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonsov Ridge)
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources: sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)
Natural hazards: ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually icelocked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May
Environment - current issues: endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage
Environment - international agreements: party to : none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia, floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months
@Arctic Ocean:Government
Data code: none; the US Government has not approved a standard for hydrographic codes - see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes appendix
Economy
Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.
@Arctic Ocean:Communications
Telephone system: international: no submarine cables
@Arctic Ocean:Transportation
Ports and harbors: Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)
Transportation - note: sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways
Military
:
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states); Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute between Norway and Russia ______________________________________________________________________
ARGENTINA
@Argentina:Geography
Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay
Geographic coordinates: 34 00 S, 64 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 2,766,890 sq km land: 2,736,690 sq km water : 30,200 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US
Land boundaries: total: 9,665 km border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km
Coastline: 4,989 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest
Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m
Natural resources: fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium
Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 52% forests and woodland: 19% other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 17,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding
Environment - current issues: erosion results from inadequate flood controls and improper land use practices; irrigated soil degradation; desertification; air pollution in Buenos Aires and other major cities; water pollution in urban areas; rivers becoming polluted due to increased pesticide and fertilizer use
Environment - international agreements: party to : Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)
@Argentina:People
Population: 35,797,985 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (male 5,042,521; female 4,855,874) 15-64 years : 62% (male 11,133,884; female 11,155,104) 65 years and over: 10% (male 1,499,538; female 2,111,064) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.3% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 20.01 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.68 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.67 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: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.31 years male: 70.67 years female: 78.12 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.69 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine
Ethnic groups: white 85%, mestizo, Amerindian, or other nonwhite groups 15%
Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 90% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 6%
Languages: Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male : 96.2% female: 96.2% (1995 est.)
@Argentina:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina
Data code: AR
Government type: republic
National capital: Buenos Aires
Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires; Catamarca; Chaco; Chubut; Cordoba; Corrientes; Distrito Federal*; Entre Rios; Formosa; Jujuy; La Pampa; La Rioja; Mendoza; Misiones; Neuquen; Rio Negro; Salta; San Juan; San Luis; Santa Cruz; Santa Fe; Santiago del Estero; Tierra del Fuego, Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur; Tucuman note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica
Independence: 9 July 1816 (from Spain)
National holiday: Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)
Constitution: 1 May 1853; revised August 1994
Legal system: mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state : President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President Carlos RUCKAUF (since 8 July 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President Carlos RUCKAUF (since 8 July 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 14 May 1995 (next to be held May 1999) election results : Carlos Saul MENEM reelected president; percent of vote - NA
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; three members appointed by each of the provincial legislatures, one-third of the members appointed every three years to a 9-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; one-half of the members elected every two years to four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA 1998); Chamber of Deputies - last held 14 May 1995; (next to be held NA October 1997) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PJ 38, others 34; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PJ 132, UCR 68, Frepaso 26, other 31
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval of the Senate
Political parties and leaders: Justicialist Party or PJ [Carlos Saul MENEM] (Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical Civic Union or UCR [Rodolfo TERRAGNO] (moderately left-of-center party); Union of the Democratic Center or UCD (conservative party); Dignity and Independence Political Party or MODIN [Aldo RICO] (right-wing party); Front for a Country in Solidarity or Frepaso (a four party coalition) [leader Carlos ALVAREZ]; several provincial parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: Peronist-dominated labor movement; General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business organizations; students; the Roman Catholic Church; the Armed Forces
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G- 6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MTCR, NSG (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Raul Enrique GRANILLO OCAMPO chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6400 through 6403 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171 consulate(s) general : Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James R. CHEEK has returned to Washington; replacement not yet appointed embassy: 4300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires mailing address : Unit 4334, APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (1) 777-4533, 4534 FAX : [54] (1) 777-0197
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May
Economy
Economy - overview: Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Nevertheless, following decades of mismanagement and statist policies, the economy in the late 1980s was plagued with huge external debts and recurring bouts of hyperinflation. Elected in 1989, in the depths of recession, President MENEM has implemented a comprehensive economic restructuring program that shows signs of putting Argentina on a path of stable, sustainable growth. Argentina's currency has traded at par with the US dollar since April 1991, and inflation has fallen to its lowest level in 50 years. Argentines have responded to price stability by repatriating capital and investing in domestic industry. Growth averaged more than 8% between 1991 and 1994, then fell to 4.6% in 1995, largely in reaction to the Mexican peso crisis. The economy grew at 4.4% in 1996, with the strongest growth occurring in the second half of the year. Unemployment increased slightly - to over 17% - and Buenos Aires was forced to renegotiate fiscal targets with the IMF. Although the economy is expected to grow by at least 5% in 1997, unemployment and fiscal concerns will continue to challenge the MENEM administration.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $296.9 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.4% (1996)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,600 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 29% services: 64% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 0.1% (yearend 1996)
Labor force: total: 14.5 million (1995 est.) by occupation : agriculture 12%, industry 31%, services 57% (1985 est.)
Unemployment rate: 17.3% (October 1996)
Budget: revenues: $50.3 billion expenditures : $51.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.2 billion (1995 est.)
Industries: food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 20.207 million kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 67.369 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,606 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets; livestock
Exports: total value: $23.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities : meat, wheat, corn, oilseed, manufactures, fuels partners: Brazil 26.1%, US 8.5%, Chile 7.0%, Netherlands 5.7%, Italy 3.5% (1995)
Imports: total value: $23.7 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, transport equipment, agricultural products partners: Brazil 20.8%, US 20.7%, Italy 6.3%, Germany 6.2%, France 5.2% (1995)
Debt - external: $95 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 nuevo peso argentino = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: pesos per US$1 - 0.99950 (January 1997), 0.99966 (1996), 0.99975 (1995), 0.99901 (1994), 0.99895 (1993), 0.99064 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Argentina:Communications
Telephones: 4.6 million (1990)
Telephone system: 12,000 public telephones; extensive modern system but many families do not have telephones; despite extensive use of microwave radio relay, the telephone system frequently grounds out during rainstorms, even in Buenos Aires domestic: microwave radio relay and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network international : satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 171, FM 0, shortwave 13
Radios: 22.3 million (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 231
Televisions: 7.165 million (1991 est.)
@Argentina:Transportation
Railways: total: 37,910 km broad gauge: 24,124 km 1.676-m gauge (142 km electrified) standard gauge: 2,765 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 11,021 km 1.000-m gauge (26 km electrified)
Highways: total : 216,100 km paved: 61,589 km (including 600 km of expressways) unpaved : 154,511 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 11,000 km navigable
Pipelines: crude oil 4,090 km; petroleum products 2,900 km; natural gas 9,918 km
Ports and harbors: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Necochea, Rio Gallegos, Rosario, Santa Fe, Ushuaia
Merchant marine: total: 36 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 263,266 GRT/385,211 DWT ships by type: cargo 11, chemical tanker 1, container 2, oil tanker 14, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 1,202 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 598 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 55 914 to 1,523 m : 44 under 914 m: 469 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 604 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m : 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 59 914 to 1,523 m: 542 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic, Argentine Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Argentine Naval Prefecture (Coast Guard only), National Aeronautical Police Force
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 8,932,491 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 7,244,682 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 321,345 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.6 billion (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.6% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: short section of the boundary with Chile is indefinite; claims British-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); claims British-administered South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica
Illicit drugs: increasing use as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and the US ______________________________________________________________________
ARMENIA
Introduction
Current issues: Armenia's leaders remain preoccupied by Armenia's nine-year old conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Although a cease-fire has been in effect since May 1994, the sides have not made substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. President TER-PETROSSIAN's latitude on the issue may be further constrained by his controversial reelection in September 1996. When supporters of the main opposition candidate stormed the parliament following the announcement of TER-PETROSSIAN's victory, MVD forces were called in to restore order. The subsequent political standoff between government and opposition supporters diminished in late 1996 as the government has gradually attempted reconciliation. Despite these political problems, the Armenian government has been pursuing its aggressive economic reform program, although implementation of its privatization program stalled in late 1996.
@Armenia:Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 45 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area: total : 29,800 sq km land: 28,400 sq km water: 1,400 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 1,254 km border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters
Terrain: high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point: Aragats Lerr 4,095 m
Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina
Land use: arable land : 17% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland: 15% other: 41% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,870 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
Environment - current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; energy blockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan, has led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich, a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant without adequate (IAEA-recommended) safety and backup systems
Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification
Geography - note: landlocked
@Armenia:People
Population: 3,433,629 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 27% (male 476,375; female 456,723) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,088,103; female 1,134,649) 65 years and over: 8% (male 115,135; female 162,644) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.33% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 13.59 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -8.32 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: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 40.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.9 years male: 62.69 years female: 71.32 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian
Ethnic groups: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989) note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from Armenia
Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94%
Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female : 98% (1989 est.)
@Armenia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form : Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former : Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic
Data code: AM
Government type: republic
National capital: Yerevan
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (marzer, singular - marz) and 1 city* (k'aghak'ner, singular - k'aghak'); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan*
Independence: 28 May 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Referendum Day, 21 September
Constitution: adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state : President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN (since NA October 1991); note - prior to becoming Armenia's first president, TER-PETROSSIAN was chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet since 4 August 1990 head of government: Prime Minister Robert KOCHARIAN (since 20 March 1997) cabinet : Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held NA September 2001); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN elected president; percent of vote - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN 52%, Vazgen MANUKYAN 41%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Azgayin Zhoghov (190 seats; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 5 July 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Bloc 159 (ANM 63, DLP-Hanrapetutyun Bloc 6, Republic Party 4, CDU 3, Intellectual Armenia 3, Social Democratic Party 2, independents 78), SWM 8, ACP 7, NDU 5, NSDU 3, DLP 1, ARF 1, other 4, vacant 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders: Republic Bloc (Hanrapetoutioun): Armenian National Movement or ANM [Husik LAZARIAN, chairman]; Democratic Liberal Party [Orthosis GYONJIAN, chairman]; Republican Party [Ashot NAVARSARDIAN, chairman]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Azat ARSHAKIAN, chairman]; Intellectual Armenia [H. TOKMAJIAN]; Social Democratic (Hnchakian) Party [Yeghia NAJARIAN] opposition parties: Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM [Shoger MATEVOSIAN]; Armenian Communist Party or ACP [Sergey BADALYAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Davit VARDANIAN and Vasgen MANUKIAN]; Union of National Self-Determination or NSDU [Paruir HAIRIKIAN, chairman]; Democratic Liberal Party or DLP [Rouben MIRZAKHANIAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation or ARF [Rouben HAKOBIAN, chairman]
International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CIS, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, NAM (observer), OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ruben SHUGARIAN chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976 FAX : [1] (202) 319-2982 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TOMSEN embassy: 18 Gen Bagramian, Yerevan mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [374] (2) 151-144, 524-661 FAX: [374] (2) 151-550
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold
Economy
Economy - overview: Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine building tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet area. The privatization of industry has been at a much slower pace. Armenia is a food importer and its mineral deposits (gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the embargoes imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic program that has resulted in positive growth rates in 1995 and 1996. Armenia also managed to slash inflation and to privatize most small and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in recent years has been partially offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor, which in 1996 supplied about 40% of the country's energy needs, according to the Armenian Government. Moreover, Armenia is expanding its energy imports from Iran.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,800 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 35% services : 30% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 5.7% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total : 1.6 million (1996) by occupation: industry and construction 23%, agriculture 38%, services 37%, other 2%
Unemployment rate: 7.4% officially registered unemployed, but large numbers of underemployed (December 1996)
Budget: revenues : $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: much of industry is shut down; metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, washing machines, chemicals, trucks, watches, instruments, microelectronics
Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 2.77 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 6.3 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,462 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; vineyards near Yerevan are famous for brandy and other liqueurs; minor livestock sector
Exports: total value : $273 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: gold and jewelry, aluminum, transport equipment, electrical equipment, scrap metal partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia
Imports: total value : $830 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: grain, other foods, fuel, other energy partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia, US, EU
Debt - external: $850 million (of which $75 million to Russia) (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note: commitments (excluding Russia), $1,385 million ($675 million in disbursements) (1992-95)
Currency: 1 dram = 100 luma (introduced new currency in November 1993)
Exchange rates: dram per US$1 - 443 (December 1996), 401.8 (end December 1995), 406 (end December 1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Armenia:Communications
Telephones: 650,000
Telephone system: joint venture agreement to install fiber-optic cable and construct facilities for cellular telephone service is in the implementation phase domestic: NA international : international connections to other former Soviet republics are by landline or microwave radio relay and to other countries by satellite and by leased connection through the Moscow international gateway switch; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 3, shortwave NA (1991)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 note: 100% of population receives Armenian and Russian TV programs
Televisions: NA
@Armenia:Transportation
Railways: total: 825 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 825 km 1.520-m gauge (1992)
Highways: total : 7,720 km paved: 7,496 km unpaved: 224 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: NA km
Pipelines: natural gas 900 km (1991)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 11 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m : 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 907,579 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 722,715 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 30,942 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $75 million (1992)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Armenia supports ethnic Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in the longstanding, separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani Government; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided
Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe and the US ______________________________________________________________________
ARUBA
(part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
@Aruba:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 12 30 N, 69 58 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 193 sq km land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 68.5 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
Natural resources: negligible; white sandy beaches
Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 89% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
@Aruba:People
Population: 68,031 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years : 22% (male 7,814; female 7,127) 15-64 years: 69% (male 22,544; female 24,656) 65 years and over: 9% (male 2,433; female 3,457) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.39% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 14.2 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 6.32 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.8 years male: 73.11 years female : 80.68 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun : Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban
Ethnic groups: mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%
Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish
Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Literacy: NA
@Aruba:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba
Data code: AA
Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles
Government type: NA
National capital: Oranjestad
Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; in 1990, Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996)
National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March
Constitution: 1 January 1986
Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Jan (Henny) H. EMAN (since 29 July 1994) and Deputy Prime Minister Glenbert F. CROES cabinet : Council of Ministers elected by the Staten elections: the queen is a constitutional monarch; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the queen; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for a four-year term; election last held 29 July 1994 (next to be held by July 1998) election results : Jan (Henny) H. EMAN elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA; Glenbert F. CROES elected deputy prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote and serve four-year terms) elections: last held 29 July 1994 (next to be held by NA July 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AVP 10, MEP 9, OLA 2
Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders: Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson ODUBER]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY]; New Patriotic Party or PPN [Eddy WERLEMEN]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Democratic Action '86 or AD '86 [Arturo ODUBER]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert CROES] note: governing coalition includes the AVP and OLA
International organization participation: ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Flag description: blue with two narrow horizontal yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner
Economy
Economy - overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and less than 1% unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.4 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 3.5% (1996)
Labor force: NA by occupation: most employment is in the tourist industry (1996)
Unemployment rate: 0.5% (1994)
Budget: revenues: $145 million expenditures : $185 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1988)
Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: aloes; livestock; fishing
Exports: total value: $1.3 billion (including oil re-exports) (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: mostly refined petroleum products partners: US 64%, EU
Imports: total value: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products, crude oil for refining and reexport partners: US 8%, EU
Debt - external: $669 million (December 1995)
Economic aid: the Netherlands provided a 1996 aid package of $224 million to Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, and Suriname
Currency: 1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1 - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Aruba:Communications
Telephones: 22,922 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: more than adequate international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 19,000 (1993 est.)
@Aruba:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: NA km paved : NA km unpaved: NA km note : most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior
Ports and harbors: Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Merchant marine: total : 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,274 GRT/ 10,130 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3 (1996 est.)
Airports: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: drug money-laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; added to the US list of major drug producing or drug transit countries in December 1996 ______________________________________________________________________
ASHMORE AND CARTIER ISLANDS Islands]
(territory of Australia)
@Ashmore and Cartier Islands:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 12 14 S, 123 05 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island
Area - comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 74.1 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone : 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: low with sand and coral
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to : NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983
@Ashmore and Cartier Islands:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are only seasonal caretakers
@Ashmore and Cartier Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands conventional short form : Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Data code: AT
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Ministry for Sport, Territories, and Local Government
National capital: none; administered from Canberra, Australia
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
Legal system: relevant laws of the Northern Territory of Australia
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Ashmore and Cartier Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
ATLANTIC OCEAN [Map of Argentina]
@Atlantic Ocean:Geography
Location: body of water between Africa, Europe, Antarctica, and the Western Hemisphere
Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 W
Map references: World
Area: total: 82.217 million sq km note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative: slightly less than nine times the size of the US; second-largest of the world's four oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than Indian Ocean or Arctic Ocean)
Coastline: 111,866 km
Climate: tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent from August to November
Terrain: surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m highest point : sea level 0 m
Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones
Natural hazards: icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; icebergs from Antarctica occur in the extreme southern Atlantic Ocean; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May and extreme southern Atlantic from May to October; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September
Environment - current issues: endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea
Environment - international agreements: party to : none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: major choke points include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean
@Atlantic Ocean:Government
Data code: none; the US Government has not approved a standard for hydrographic codes - see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes appendix
Economy
Economy - overview: The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, the dredging of aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).
@Atlantic Ocean:Communications
Telephone system: international: numerous submarine cables with most between continental Europe and the UK, between North America and the UK, and in the Mediterranean; numerous direct links across Atlantic via satellite networks
@Atlantic Ocean:Transportation
Ports and harbors: Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)
Transportation - note: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states) ______________________________________________________________________
AUSTRALIA
@Australia:Geography
Location: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 27 00 S, 133 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 7,686,850 sq km land: 7,617,930 sq km water : 68,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 25,760 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m highest point: Mount Kosciusko 2,229 m
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 54% forests and woodland: 19% other : 21% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 21,070 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts