Introductory material (continued 23)
Reading edition
Total fertility rate: 1.34 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Slovak(s) adjective: Slovak
Ethnic groups: Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.7%, Gypsy 1.5% (the 1992 census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which could reach 500,000 or more), Czech 1%, Ruthenian 0.3%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.3%
Religions: Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%
Languages: Slovak (official), Hungarian
Literacy: NA
@Slovakia:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Slovak Republic conventional short form: Slovakia local long form: Slovenska Republika local short form: Slovensko
Data code: LO
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Bratislava
Administrative divisions: 4 departments (kraje, singular - kraj) Bratislava, Zapadoslovensky, Stredoslovensky, Vychodoslovensky note: an article in the Slovakian press mentions there are 8 departments named Bratislava, Banska Bystrica, Kosice, Nitra, Presov, Trnava, Trencin, and Zilina
Independence: 1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)
National holiday: Slovak Constitution Day, 1 September (1992); Anniversary of Slovak National Uprising, 29 August (1944)
Constitution: ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993
Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Michal KOVAC (since 8 February 1993) head of government : Prime Minister Vladimir MECIAR (since 12 December 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by National Council for a five-year term; election last held 8 February 1993 (next to be held March 1998); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Michal KOVAC elected president; percent of parliamentary vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovensky Repubiky (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 30 September-1 October 1994 (next to be held by October 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS 35%, SDL 10.4%, Hungarian coalition (Hungarian Christian Democrats, Hungarian Civic Party, Coexistence) 10.2%, KDH 10.1%, DU 8.6%, ZRS 7.3%, SNS 5.4%; seats by party - governing coalition 83 (HZDS 61, ZRS 13, SNS 9), opposition 67 (SDL 18, Hungarian coalition 17, KDH 17, DU 15)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are elected by the National Parliament
Political parties and leaders: Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or HZDS [Vladimir MECIAR, chairman]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Jozef MIGAS, chairman]; Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement or MKDH [Vojtech BUGAR]; Hungarian Civic Party or MOS [Laszlo A. NAGY, president]; Coexistence [Miklos DURAY, chairman]; Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Jan CARNOGURSKY, chairman]; Democratic Union or DU [Jozef MORAVCIK, chairman]; Association of Slovak Workers or ZRS [Jan LUPTAK, chairman]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA, chairman]; Slovak Green Alternative or SZA [Zora LAZAROVA, chairwoman]; Farmers' Party of Slovakia or RSS [Pavel DELINGA, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Slovakia or SSDS [Jaroslav WOLF, chairman]; Party of Greens in Slovakia or SZS [Jozef POKORNY, chaiman]; Democratic Party or DS [Jan LANGOS, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Party of Entrepreneurs and Businessmen of Slovakia; Christian Social Union; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG; Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE (guest), CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NACC, NSG, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTAES, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Branislav LICHARDUS chancery: (temporary) Suite 250, 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone : [1] (202) 965-5160 FAX: [1] (202) 965-5166
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph R. JOHNSON embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [42] (7) 533-0861, 533-3338 FAX: [42] (7) 533-5439
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue
Economy
Economy - overview: Since the establishment of the Slovak Republic on 1 January 1993, Slovakia has continued the difficult transformation from a centrally controlled economy to a modern market-oriented economy. Macroeconomic performance improved steadily in 1994-96, but privatization progressed only in fits and starts. Strong export performance boosted GDP growth to 4.8% in 1994 after a four-year decline. GDP surged to 7.4% growth in 1995 and should be only slightly less in 1996, the fastest growth in Central and Eastern Europe. Unemployment fell to about 12% in 1996 and inflation dropped from 26% in 1993 to 5.5% in 1996, the lowest in the region. Foreign debt of $4.6 billion also is the lowest in the region and the second lowest per capita. Private activity now makes up roughly two-thirds of GDP. Positive international financial performance has led Standard & Poor's to raise its rating of the National Bank of Slovakia's foreign currency debt to just one step below investment grade. Although Slovak economic performance continues to be impressive, many warning signs of possible danger ahead have been raised. Aggregate demand has surged in the form of increased personal and government consumption. At the same time that the budget deficit is growing, the money supply has been rapidly increasing, which could apply upward pressure on inflation. The trade and current account deficits both are mounting as imports soar and exports sag. Perhaps most troubling, Slovakia continues to have difficulty attracting foreign investment because of perceived political problems and halting progress on restructuring and privatization. The government projects 6.4% growth in 1997 and 5% in 1998. Continuing economic recovery in western Europe should boost exports and production, but Slovakia's image with foreign creditors and investors could suffer setbacks in 1997 if progress on privatization and restructuring stalls.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $42.8 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.4% industry: 39.9% services: 54.7% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 5.5% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 2.538 million by occupation : industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8.0%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $5.3 billion expenditures : $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)
Industries: metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, and nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products
Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 7.12 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 23.6 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 4,400 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; hogs, cattle, poultry; forest products
Exports: total value: $8.1 billion (January-November 1996) commodities : machinery and transport equipment 18.7%; chemicals 13.4%; miscellaneous manufactured goods 13.1%; raw materials 5.0% (1995) partners: EU 37.4%, Central Europe Free Trade Agreement 44.3% (Czech Republic 35.2%), FSU 7.1% (1995)
Imports: total value : $9.6 billion (f.o.b., January-November 1996) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 29.0%; fuels 18.0%; intermediate manufactured goods 17.6%; miscellaneous manufactured goods 8.0% (1995) partners: EU 34.7%, Central Europe Free Trade Agreement 32.9% (Czech Republic 27.5%), FSU 19.5% (1995)
Debt - external: $4.6 billion hard currency indebtedness (1995 est.)
Economic aid: NA
Currency: 1 koruna (Sk) = 100 halierov
Exchange rates: koruny (Sk) per US$1 - 31.50 (January 1997), 30.654 (1996), 29.713 (1995), 32.045 (1994), 30.770 (1993), 28.26 (1992), 29.53 (1991); note - values before 1993 reflect Czechoslovak exchange rate
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Slovakia:Communications
Telephones: 1,362,178 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note - there are 22 private broadcast stations and 1 public (state) broadcast station
Radios: 915,000 (1995 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 56 private broadcast stations, 1 public (state) broadcast station (1995 est.)
Televisions: 1.2 million (1995 est.)
@Slovakia:Transportation
Railways: total: 3,660 km broad gauge: 102 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge : 3,507 km 1.435-m gauge (1424 km electrified) narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (1995)
Highways: total: 17,868 km paved: 17,654 km (including 198 km of expressways) unpaved: 214 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 172 km on the Danube
Pipelines: petroleum products NA km; natural gas 2,700 km
Ports and harbors: Bratislava, Komarno
Merchant marine: total: 4 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,010 GRT/22,039 DWT (1996 est.)
Airports: 37 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m : 10 under 914 m: 11 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Reserve Force (Home Guards)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,462,052 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 1,118,955 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 48,245 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $423 million (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.7% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Hungary; unresolved property issues with Czech Republic over redistribution of former Czechoslovak federal property
Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish bound for Western Europe ______________________________________________________________________
SLOVENIA
@Slovenia:Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia
Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 15 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total : 20,256 sq km land: 20,256 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: total: 1,334 km border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km, Hungary 102 km
Coastline: 46.6 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east
Terrain: a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy, mixed mountain and valleys with numerous rivers to the east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Triglav 2,864 m
Natural resources: lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver
Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops : 3% permanent pastures: 28% forests and woodland: 51% other: 6% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding and earthquakes
Environment - current issues: Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94
@Slovenia:People
Population: 1,973,096 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (male 173,932; female 165,167) 15-64 years : 70% (male 690,309; female 686,440) 65 years and over: 13% (male 92,926; female 164,322) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.06% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 8.91 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 9.54 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.93 years male: 71.24 years female: 78.84 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.22 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Slovene(s) adjective: Slovenian
Ethnic groups: Slovene 91%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Muslim 1%, other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic 70.8% (including 2% Uniate), Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%, other 27.2%
Languages: Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3%
Literacy: definition: NA total population : 99% male: NA% female: NA%
@Slovenia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia conventional short form : Slovenia local long form: Republika Slovenije local short form: Slovenija
Data code: SI
Government type: emerging democracy
National capital: Ljubljana
Administrative divisions: 136 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban municipalities* (obcine mestne, singular - obcina mestna) Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Bled, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova-Tisina, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik-Trnovska Vas, Divaca, Dobrepolje, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grosuplje, Hodos Salovci, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola, Jesenice, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Koper*, Kozje, Kranj*, Kranjska Gora, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Maribor*, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mislinja, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podvelka-Ribnica, Postojna, Preddvor, Ptuj*, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne-Prevalje, Ribnica, Rogasevci, Rogaska Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Semic, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob Paki, Sostanj, Starse Store, Sveti Jurij, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trzic, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velike Lasce, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice Vojnik, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Ziri, Zrece
Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday: National Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)
Constitution: adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Executive branch: chief of state: President Milan KUCAN (since 22 April 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Janez DRNOVSEK (since 14 May 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly elections : president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 6 December 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly; election last held NA November 1996 (next to be held NA November 2000) election results: Milan KUCAN elected president; percent of vote - 63.9%; Janez DRNOVSEK elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 51%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats, 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected on a proportional basis; note - the numbers of directly elected and proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : National Assembly - last held 10 November 1996 (next to be held Fall 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - LDS 27.01%, SLS 19.38%, SDS 16.13%, SKD 9.62%, ZLDS 9.03%, DeSUS 4.32%, SNS 3.22%; seats by party - LDS 25, SLS 19, SDS 16, SKD 10, ZLSD 9, DeSUS 5, SNS 4, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1; note - seating as of January 1997 is as follows: LDS 25, SLS 19, SDS 16, SKD 9, ZLSD 9, DeSUS 5, SNS 4, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1, independents 1 note: the National Council or Drzavni Svet is an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws and ask to review any National Assembly decisions; in the election of 6 December 1992, 40 members were elected to represent local, professional, and socioeconomic interests (next election to be held in the fall of 1997)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are elected by the National Assembly on recommendation of the Judicial Council; Constitutional Court, judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and nominated by the president
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic or LDS [Janez DRNOVSEK, chairman]; Slovene Christian Democrats or SKD [Lozje PETERLE, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS [Janez JANSA, chairman]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Marjan PODOBNIK, chairman]; United List (former Communists and allies) or ZLSD [Janez KOCIJANCIC, chairman]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC, chairman]; Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Joze GLOBACNIK]
Political pressure groups and leaders: none
International organization participation: CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC (observer), NAM (guest), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Ernest PETRIC chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363 FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Victor JACKOVICH embassy: address NA, Ljubljana mailing address: P.O. Box 254, Prazakova 4, 61000 Ljubljana; American Embassy, Ljubljana, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone : [386] (61) 301-427, 472, 485 FAX: [386] (61) 301-401
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center, beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and above it, there are three six-sided stars arranged in an inverted triangle which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands
Economy
Economy - overview: Slovenia appears to be making a solid economic recovery, fulfilling the promise it showed at the time of Yugoslavia's breakup. Its per capita GDP is now the highest in Central and Eastern Europe and comparable to the levels in the poorer West European countries. Slovenia has benefited from strong ties to Western Europe and suffered comparatively small physical damage during Yugoslavia's breakup. The beginning was difficult, however. Real GDP fell 15% in 1991-92, while inflation soared to 200% in 1992. The turning point came in 1993, when real GDP grew 1%, unemployment leveled off, and inflation slowed dramatically. In 1994, real GDP rose 5.5%, tapering off to an estimated 3.5% in 1995 and an estimated 3% in 1996. The government gets good marks from foreign observers for fiscal policy - the budget deficit has not exceeded 1% of GDP in any year since 1991, and the current account balance has remained in surplus throughout the transition period, with the exception of 1995-96. The Slovene privatization program, which began in 1994, involves about 1,400 firms, but less than half have been privatized. Growth in the near term depends largely on economic revitalization in Western Europe which buys 70% of Slovenia's exports. Slovenia itself must press on with privatization, restructuring, the encouragement of foreign investment, and the maintenance of a stable tolar.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $24 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $12,300 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.8% industry: 33.2% services : 62% (1996)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 8.8% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total : 857,400 by occupation: NA%
Unemployment rate: 13% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues : $8.48 billion expenditures: $8.53 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: ferrous metallurgy and rolling mill products, aluminum reduction and rolled products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools
Industrial production growth rate: -1% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 2.361 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 12 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 5,362 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry
Exports: total value: $8.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities : machinery and transport equipment 31.4%, manufactured goods 50.7%, chemicals 10.5%, food 3.8% (1995) partners: Germany 28.9%, former Yugoslavia 16.5%, Italy 13.6%, France 8.6%, Austria 6.4%, US 3.3% (January-July 1996 est.)
Imports: total value : $9.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 33.8%, manufactured goods 30.4%, chemicals 12.1%, fuels and lubricants 6.6%, food 8.4% (1995) partners: Germany 22.3%, Italy 17.1%, former Yugoslavia 7.4%, France 9.2%, Austria 9.1%, US 3.2% (January-July 1996 est.)
Debt - external: $4.3 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $5 million (1993)
Currency: 1 tolar (SlT) = 100 stotins
Exchange rates: tolars (SlT) per US$1 - 141.15 (December 1996), 135.36 (1996), 118.52 (1995), 128.81 (1994), 113.24 (1993), 81.29 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Slovenia:Communications
Telephones: 527,800 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 0 note: there are more than 20 regional and local radio broadcast stations
Radios: 596,100 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 7 note: there are more than 20 local cable television broadcast stations
Televisions: 454,400 (1993 est.)
@Slovenia:Transportation
Railways: total : 1,201 km standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 499 km) (1994)
Highways: total: 14,760 km paved: 11,808 km (including 218 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,952 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: NA
Pipelines: crude oil 290 km; natural gas 305 km
Ports and harbors: Izola, Koper, Piran
Merchant marine: total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 217,629 GRT/389,779 DWT (controlled by Slovenian owners) ships by type : bulk 9, cargo 5 note: ships operate under the flags of Antigua and Barbuda, Liberia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Singapore; no ships remain under the Slovenian flag (1996 est.)
Airports: 14 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m : 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Slovene Defense Forces
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 531,797 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 423,918 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 15,572 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $298 million (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% to 1.7% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: maritime border dispute with Croatia over direct access to the sea in the Adriatic; the border issue is currently under negotiation; Italy is negotiating with Slovenia over property and minority rights issues dating from World War II
Illicit drugs: transit point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe and for precursor chemicals ______________________________________________________________________
SOLOMON ISLANDS
@Solomon Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 5,313 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 88% other : 9% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified : Law of the Sea
@Solomon Islands:People
Population: 426,855 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 98,797; female 95,162) 15-64 years : 52% (male 111,702; female 108,505) 65 years and over: 3% (male 6,345; female 6,344) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.3% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 37.3 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.45 years male: 68.96 years female: 74.07 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.27 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander
Ethnic groups: Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Religions: Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, traditional beliefs 4%
Languages: Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population note: 120 indigenous languages
Literacy: NA
@Solomon Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands
Data code: BP
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Honiara
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western note: there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished
Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Constitution: 7 July 1978
Legal system: common law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Moses PITAKAKA (since 10 June 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Solomon MAMALONI (since 7 November 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Francis SAEMALA (since NA February 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament elections : none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (47 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 26 May 1993 (next to be held 6 August 1997) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leaders: National Unity and Reconciliation Group (GNUR), Solomon MAMALONI; People's Alliance Party (PAP); National Action Party (NAPSI), leader NA; Solomon Islands Labor Party (SILP), leader NA; United Party (UP), leader NA; Nationalist Front for Progress (NFP), Andrew NORI; Labor Party (LP), Joses TUHANUKU; Christian Fellowship, leader NA
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Rex HOROI (represents the country as both the Permanent Representative to the UN and the ambassador to the US) chancery: Permanent Mission of the Solomon Islands to the UN, 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800, New York, NY 10017 telephone : [1] (212) 599-6193 FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Flag description: divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
Economy
Economy - overview: The bulk of the population depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. The Government of the Solomon Islands is nearing financial insolvency. In mid-1995 the central bank suspended interest and principal payments on government bonds and treasury bills held by financial institutions and the general public. The government so far has taken no steps to restrain expenditure or address the deficit, which is expected to be considerably higher than the $20 million forecasted in the 1996 budget.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 10.4% (1996)
Labor force: total: 26,842 by occupation: services 41.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 23.7%, commerce, transport, and finance 21.7%, construction, manufacturing, and mining 13.1% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $147 million expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: copra, fish (tuna)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 20,000 kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 55 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Exports: total value: $170 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra partners : Japan 39%, UK 23%, Thailand 9%, Australia 5%, US 2% (1991)
Imports: total value: $152 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: plant and machinery, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuel partners: Australia 34%, Japan 16%, Singapore 14%, NZ 9%
Debt - external: $100 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $8.625 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $3.3 million from NZ (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1 - 3.7900 (November 1996), 3.4059 (1995), 3.2914 (1994), 3.1877 (1993), 2.9281 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Solomon Islands:Communications
Telephones: 5,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 38,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 2,000 (1992 est.)
@Solomon Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total : 2,100 km paved: 32 km unpaved: 2,068 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 29 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m : 17 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: NA
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
SOMALIA
@Somalia:Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 637,660 sq km land: 627,340 sq km water: 10,320 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 2,366 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km
Coastline: 3,025 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,450 m
Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 69% forests and woodland: 26% other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer
Environment - current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
@Somalia:People
Population: 6,590,325 (July 1997 est.) note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1987 by the Somali Government with the cooperation of the UN and the US Bureau of the Census; population estimates are updated year by year between census years by factoring growth rates into them and by taking account of refugee movements and of losses due to famine; lower estimates of Somalia's population in mid-1996 (on the order of 6.0 million to 6.5 million) have been made by aid and relief agencies, based on the number of persons being fed; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large numbers of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 1,449,037; female 1,452,171) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,777,131; female 1,718,389) 65 years and over: 3% (male 89,346; female 104,251) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.03% (1997 est.) (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 45.49 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 18.34 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.) under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population : 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 125.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 46.23 years male: 44.66 years female: 47.85 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.76 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Somali(s) adjective : Somali
Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu, Arabs 30,000
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 24% male: 36% female: 14% (1990 est.)
@Somalia:Government
Country name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Somalia former: Somali Republic
Data code: SO
Government type: none
National capital: Mogadishu
Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
National holiday: NA
Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: Somalia has no functioning government; the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Major General Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the present political situation is one of anarchy, marked by interclan fighting and random banditry
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga note: the Golaha Shacbiga is not functioning
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (not functioning)
Political parties and leaders: the United Somali Congress or USC ousted the former regime on 27 January 1991; formerly the only party was the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party or SRSP, headed by former President and Commander in Chief of the Army Major General Mohamed SIAD Barre
Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi at Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mail address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 334141; FAX [254] (2) 340838
Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)
Economy
Economy - overview: One of the world's poorest and least developed countries, Somalia has few resources. Moreover, much of the economy has been devastated by the civil war. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and seminomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Crop production generates only 10% of GDP and employs about 20% of the work force. The main export crop is bananas; sugar, sorghum, and corn are grown for the domestic market. The small industrial sector is based on the processing of agricultural products and accounts for less than 10% of GDP; most facilities have been shut down because of the civil strife. The greatly increased political turmoil of 1991-93 resulted in a substantial drop in agricultural output, with widespread famine. In 1994 economic conditions stabilized in the countryside, followed in 1995 by slight improvements. However, ongoing civil strife in Mogadishu and outlying areas is interfering with any substantial recovery.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.6 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $500 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 65.5% industry: 8.7% services: 25.8% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA
Labor force: total: 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)(1993 est.) by occupation: agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: a few small industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 144,000 kW prior to the civil war, but now largely shut down due to war damage; some localities operate their own generating plants, providing limited municipal power; note - UN and relief organizations use their own portable power systems
Electricity - production: 60 million kWh (1991)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: bananas, sorghum, corn, mangoes, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, goats; fishing potential largely unexploited
Exports: total value: $130 million (1994 est.) commodities: bananas, live animals, fish, hides (1995) partners: Saudi Arabia 57%, Yemen 14%, Italy 13%, US (bananas) (1995 est.)
Imports: total value: $269 million (1994 est.) commodities : manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials (1995) partners: Kenya 24%, Djibouti 18%, Pakistan 6% (1995 est.)
Debt - external: $2.6 billion (1994 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Somali shilling (So. Sh.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1 - 4,100 (November 1996 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995), 2,616 (1 July 1993), 4,200 (December 1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Somalia:Communications
Telephones: 9,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: the public telecommunications system was completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; all relief organizations depend on their own private systems domestic: recently, local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers international : international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (there are at least five radio broadcast stations of NA type)
Radios: 350,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (Somalia's only TV station was demolished during the civil strife, sometime in 1991)
Televisions: 113,000 (1992 est.)
@Somalia:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 18,000 km paved: 2,700 km unpaved: 15,300 km (1993 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 15 km
Ports and harbors: Bender Cassim (Boosaaso), Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu
Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,529 GRT/6,892 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 47 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m : 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 36 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 19 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: NA; note - no functioning central government military forces; clan militias continue to battle for control of key economic or political prizes
Military manpower - military age: males: 1,615,598 years of age (1997 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,408,639 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 901,827 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: most of the southern half of the boundary with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden ______________________________________________________________________
SOUTH AFRICA
@South Africa:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Geographic coordinates: 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1,219,912 sq km land: 1,219,912 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total : 4,750 km border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Coastline: 2,798 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point : Njesuthi 3,408 m
Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops : 1% permanent pastures: 67% forests and woodland: 7% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: prolonged droughts
Environment - current issues: lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
@South Africa:People
Population: 42,327,458 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 35% (male 7,470,444; female 7,340,734) 15-64 years: 61% (male 12,729,753; female 12,891,969) 65 years and over : 4% (male 762,041; female 1,132,517) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.51% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 26.89 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 11.89 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 53.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 56.29 years male: 54.4 years female: 58.23 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.22 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: South African(s) adjective: South African
Ethnic groups: black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Religions: Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), traditional and animistic 28.5%
Languages: 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.8% male : 81.9% female: 81.7% (1995 est.)
@South Africa:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of South Africa conventional short form: South Africa abbreviation : RSA
Data code: SF
Government type: republic
National capital: Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative); Bloemfontein (judicial)
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province, Western Cape
Independence: 31 May 1910 (from UK)
National holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Constitution: 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994); Deputy Executive President Thabo MBEKI (since 10 May 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994); Deputy Executive President Thabo MBEKI (since 10 May 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and deputy executive presidents elected by the National Assembly; election last held 9 May 1994 (next to be held in April 1999) election results: Nelson MANDELA elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation); Thabo MBEKI and Frederik W. DE KLERK elected deputy executive presidents; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation) note: the initial governing coalition, made up of the ANC, the IFP, and the NP, which constituted a Government of National Unity or GNU, no longer includes the NP which was withdrawn by DE KLERK on 30 June 1996 when he voluntarily gave up his position as deputy executive president and distanced himself from the programs of the ANC
Legislative branch: bicameral parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, ten members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution elections: National Assembly and Senate - last held 26-29 April 1994 (next to be held NA April 1999); note - the Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces on 6 February 1997 election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 62.6%, NP 20.4%, IFP 10.5%, FF 2.2%, DP 1.7%, PAC 1.2%, ACDP 0.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ANC 252, NP 82, IFP 43, FF 9, DP 7, PAC 5, ACDP 2; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders: African National Congress or ANC [Nelson MANDELA, president]; National Party or NP [Frederik W. DE KLERK, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; Democratic Party or DP [Tony LEON, president]; Freedom Front or FF [Constand VILJOEN, president]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president] note: in addition to these seven parties which received seats in the National Assembly, 11 other parties won votes in the national elections in April 1994
Political pressure groups and leaders: South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [John GOMONO, president]; note - both SANCO and COSATU, as well as the South African Communist Party, are in a formal alliance with the ANC
International organization participation: AfDB, BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Franklin SONN chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607 consulate(s) general: Beverly Hills (California), Chicago, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador James A. JOSEPH embassy: 877 Pretorius St., Arcadia 0083 mailing address: P.O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001 telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048 FAX : [27] (12) 342-2244 consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
Flag description: two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side, embracing a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes note: prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in one - three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands, which has three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags are a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side
Economy
Economy - overview: Despite the efforts of South Africa's first majority-run government, income inequality remains among the world's most extreme. Many of the white one-seventh of the South African population enjoy incomes, material comforts, and health and educational standards equal to those of Western Europe. In contrast, most of the remaining population suffers from the poverty patterns of the Third World, including unemployment, lack of job skills, and bleak living conditions. The main strength of the economy lies in its rich mineral resources, which provide two-thirds of exports. Economic developments for the remainder of the 1990s will be driven largely by the new government's attempts to improve black living standards, to set the country on a steady export-led growth path, and to cut back the enormous numbers of unemployed. The economy in recent years has absorbed less than 5% of the more than 300,000 workers entering the labor force annually. Local economists estimate that the economy must grow at least 5% in real terms annually to absorb all of the new entrants, much less reduce the accumulated total.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $227 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,400 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 5% industry: 37% services : 58% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 9% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 14.2 million economically active (1996) by occupation: services 35%, agriculture 30%, industry 20%, mining 9%, other 6%
Unemployment rate: 34% (1996 est.); note - an additional 11% of the workforce is underemployed
Budget: revenues : $30.5 billion expenditures: $38 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (FY94/95 est.)
Industries: mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemical, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 34.57 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 158.78 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,305 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Exports: total value: $29.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: gold 27%, other minerals and metals 20%-25%, food 5%, chemicals 3% (1994) partners: Italy, Japan, US, Germany, UK, other EU countries, Hong Kong
Imports: total value : $26.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery 32%, transport equipment 15%, chemicals 11%, petroleum products, textiles, scientific instruments (1994) partners: Germany, US, Japan, UK, Italy
Debt - external: $30 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note: current aid pledges include US $600 million over three years, 1994-96; UK $150 million over three years; Australia $21 million over three years; Japan $1.3 billion over two years ending in 1996; EU $833 million over five years
Currency: 1 rand (R) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: rand (R) per US$1 - 4.6410 (January 1997), 4.2706 (1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@South Africa:Communications
Telephones: 5,206,235 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: the system is the best developed, most modern, and has the highest capacity in Africa domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, and radiotelephone communication stations; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria international : 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 286, shortwave 0
Radios: 12.1 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 67 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 3.45 million (1990 est.)
@South Africa:Transportation
Railways: total: 21,431 km narrow gauge: 20,995 km 1.067-m gauge (9,087 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 182,329 km paved : 55,428 km (including 2,040 km of expressways) unpaved: 126,901 km (1991 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km
Ports and harbors: Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 270,848 GRT/266,029 DWT ships by type: container 6, oil tanker 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 662 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 351 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m : 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 43 914 to 1,523 m: 74 under 914 m: 220 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 311 1,524 to 2,437 m : 33 914 to 1,523 m: 278 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: South African National Defense Force or SANDF (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service or SAPS
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 10,972,813 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 6,672,760 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 435,972 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.9 billion (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY95/96)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
Illicit drugs: transshipment center for heroin and cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana ______________________________________________________________________
SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE Sandwich Islands]
(dependent territory of the UK)
@South Georgia and the:Geography
Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America
Geographic coordinates: 54 30 S, 37 00 W
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area: total : 4,066 sq km land: 4,066 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Clerke Rocks, Bird Island
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: NA km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year, interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow
Terrain: most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget 2,915 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland : 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to : NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in this century, live on South Georgia
@South Georgia and the:People
Population: no indigenous population note: there is a small military garrison on South Georgia, and the British Antarctic Survey has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited
@South Georgia and the:Government
Country name: conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none
Data code: SX
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK; administered by a civil commissioner based in the Falkland Islands
National capital: none; Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town
Flag description: the flag of the UK is used
Economy
Economy - overview: Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting fin fish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK.
Budget: revenues: $291,777 expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
@South Georgia and the:Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: NA
@South Georgia and the:Transportation
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Grytviken
Airports: none
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina ______________________________________________________________________
SPAIN
@Spain:Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, and North Atlantic Ocean, southwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 4 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 504,750 sq km land: 499,400 sq km water: 5,350 sq km note: includes Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Land boundaries: total: 1,919.1 km border countries: Andorra 65 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km
Coastline: 4,964 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean) territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point : Pico de Teide on Canary Islands 3,718 m
Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 30% permanent crops : 9% permanent pastures: 21% forests and woodland: 32% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 34,530 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
@Spain:People
Population: 39,107,912 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 15% (male 3,121,625; female 2,942,492) 15-64 years: 69% (male 13,396,398; female 13,400,728) 65 years and over: 16% (male 2,592,692; female 3,653,977) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.06% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 9.94 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 9.54 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 77.39 years male: 73.59 years female: 81.46 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.18 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish
Ethnic groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
Languages: Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 98% female: 94% (1986 est.)
@Spain:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local short form: Espana
Data code: SP
Government type: parliamentary monarchy
National capital: Madrid
Administrative divisions: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Canarias, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencian, Extremadura, Galicia, Islas Baleares, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco note: there are five places of sovereignty on and off the coast of Morocco (Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera) with administrative status unknown
Independence: 1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)
National holiday: National Day, 12 October
Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975) head of government : President of the Government Jose Maria AZNAR (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President Francisco ALVAREZ-CASCOS FERNANDEZ (since 5 May 1996) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Rodrigo RATO FIGAREDO (since 5 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president note : there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government elections: the king is a hereditary monarch; president proposed by the king and elected by the National Assembly following legislative elections; election last held 3 March 1996 (next to be held by NA 2000) election results: Jose Maria AZNAR elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA
Legislative branch: bicameral The General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (256 seats; 208 members are directly elected by popular vote and the other 48 were appointed by the regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 3 March 1996 (next to be held by March 2000); Congress of Deputies - last held 3 March 1996 (next to be held by March 2000) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PP 132, PSOE 96, CiU 11, PNV 6, IU 2, others 9; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PP 38.9%, PSOE 37.5%, IU 10.7%, CiU 4.6%; seats by party - PP 156, PSOE 141, IU 21, CiU 16, other 16
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo
Political parties and leaders: principal national parties, from right to left: Popular Party or PP [Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Felipe GONZALEZ Marquez, secretary general]; Spanish Communist Party or PCE [Julio ANGUITA Gonzalez]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small parties) [Julio ANGUITA Gonzalez] chief regional parties: Convergence and Union or CiU [Jordi PUJOL, secretary general] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Pere ESTEVE] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN LLEIDA]); Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Xabier ARZALLUS Antia and Jose Antonio ARDANZA]; Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties)
Political pressure groups and leaders: on the extreme left, the Basque Fatherland and Liberty or ETA and the First of October Antifascist Resistance Group or GRAPO use terrorism to oppose the government; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); Workers Confederation or CC.OO; the Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; business and landowning interests; the Catholic Church; Opus Dei; university students
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 8, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio de OYARZABAL MARCHESI chancery : 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340 FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 consulate(s) general: Boston, 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 Richard N. GARDNER embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid mailing address : APO AE 09642 telephone: [34] (1) 587-2200 FAX: [34] (1) 587-2303 consulate(s) general: Barcelona
Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar
Economy
Economy - overview: Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP three-fourths that of the four leading West European economies. Its center-right government has staked much on gaining admission to the first group of countries to implement the European single currency by developing an austere 1997 budget - including a wage freeze for public-sector employees - in hopes of meeting the Maastricht monetary convergence criteria. The government slashed spending by $1.6 billion in mid-1996 to ensure that Spain's deficit did not exceed its target of 4.4% of GDP for the year; the government forecasts a deficit of 3% for 1997. The AZNAR administration advocates liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy, and has introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment, nevertheless, remains the highest in the EU at about 22%, but the government, for political reasons, has made only limited progress in changing labor laws or reforming pension schemes, which are key to the sustainability of Spain's economic advances.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $593 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,300 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.6% industry: 33.6% services: 62.8% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 3.7% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 12.475 million by occupation: services 62%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 29%, agriculture 9% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 22% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $113 billion expenditures : $139 billion, including capital expenditures of $15 billion (1995)
Industries: textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 39.58 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 163.7 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,752 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish catch of 866,831 metric tons in 1993
Exports: total value: $94.5 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: cars and trucks, semifinished manufactured goods, foodstuffs, machinery (1994) partners : EU 72.1%, US 4.2%, other developed countries 7.9% (1996)
Imports: total value : $118.3 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, fuels, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals (1994) partners: EU 65.6%, US 6.6%, other developed countries 11.5%, Middle East 6.2% (1996)
Debt - external: $90 billion (1993 est.)
Economic aid: donor: ODA, $1.213 billion (1993)
Currency: 1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: 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
@Spain:Communications
Telephones: 12.6 million (1990 est.)
Telephone system: generally adequate, modern facilities domestic: NA international: 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat, NA Inmarsat, and NA Marecs; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries
Radio broadcast stations: AM 190, FM 406 (repeaters 134), shortwave 0
Radios: 12 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 100 (repeaters 1,297)
Televisions: 15.7 million (1992 est.)
@Spain:Transportation
Railways: total: 14,343 km broad gauge: 12,139 km 1.668-m gauge (6,510 km electrified; 2,295 km double track) standard gauge: 488 km 1.435-m gauge (488 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,716 km (privately owned: 1,669 km 1.000-m gauge, 489 km electrified; 28 km 0.914-m gauge, 28 km electrified; government owned: 19 km 1.000-m gauge, all electrified)
Highways: total: 343,197 km paved: 339,765 km (including 7,747 km of expressways) unpaved : 3,432 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 1,045 km, but of minor economic importance
Pipelines: crude oil 265 km; petroleum products 1,794 km; natural gas 1,666 km
Ports and harbors: Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo
Merchant marine: total: 141 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 888,815 GRT/1,396,541 DWT ships by type : bulk 9, cargo 33, chemical tanker 10, combination ore/oil 1, container 9, liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 26, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 9, roll-on/roll-off cargo 31, short-sea passenger 6, specialized tanker 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 96 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 82 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m : 15 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 28 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m : 2 914 to 1,523 m: 12 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police, Coastal Civil Guard
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 10,387,353 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 8,381,141 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 333,758 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6.3 billion (1995)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Gibraltar question with UK; Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas
Illicit drugs: key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin ______________________________________________________________________
SPRATLY ISLANDS
@Spratly Islands:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of reefs in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 8 38 N, 111 55 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total : less than 5 sq km land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over the South China Sea
Area - comparative: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 926 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: tropical
Terrain: flat
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point : unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Land use: arable land : 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
@Spratly Islands:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons
@Spratly Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands
Data code: PG
Economy
Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.
Industries: none
@Spratly Islands:Communications
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA
@Spratly Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 4 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military - note: about 50 small islands or reefs are occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive economic zone, which encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed the island ______________________________________________________________________
SRI LANKA
@Sri Lanka:Geography
Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total : 65,610 sq km land: 64,740 sq km water: 870 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,340 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 monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay
Land use: arable land: 14% permanent crops: 15% permanent pastures : 7% forests and woodland: 32% other: 32% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 5,500 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
@Sri Lanka:People
Population: 18,721,178 (July 1997 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of late 1996, 63,068 were housed in refugee camps in south India, another 30,000-40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought political asylum in the West
Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (male 2,698,852; female 2,581,476) 15-64 years : 66% (male 6,019,140; female 6,266,311) 65 years and over: 6% (male 565,671; female 589,728) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.14% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 18.64 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.9 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.37 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: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 16.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.42 years male: 69.75 years female: 75.23 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.15 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan
Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%
Religions: Buddhist 69%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 8%
Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken by about 10% of the population
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.2% male: 93.4% female: 87.2% (1995 est.)
@Sri Lanka:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka conventional short form: Sri Lanka former: Ceylon
Data code: CE
Government type: republic
National capital: Colombo
Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western
Independence: 4 February 1948 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence and National Day, 4 February (1948)
Constitution: adopted 16 August 1978
Legal system: a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister elections : president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 9 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 2000) election results : Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA elected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (People's Alliance) 62%, Srima DISSANAYAKE (United National Party) 37%, other 1%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system to serve six-year terms) elections: last held 16 August 1994 (next to be held by August 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - PA 49.0%, UNP 44.0%, SLMC 1.8%, TULF 1.7%, SLPF 1.1%, EPDP 0.3%, UPF 0.3%, PLOTE 0.1%, other 1.7%; seats by party - PA 105, UNP 94, EPDP 9, SLMC 7, TULF 5, PLOTE 3, SLPF 1, UPF 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission; Court of Appeals
Political parties and leaders: All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), C. G. Kumar PONNAMBALAM; Ceylon Workers Congress (CLDC), S. THONDAMAN; Communist Party, K. P. SILVA; Communist Party/Beijing (CP/B), N. SHANMUGATHASAN; Democratic People's Liberation Front (DPLF), leader NA; Democratic United National Front (DUNF), G. M. PREMACHANDRA; Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), Douglas DEVANANDA; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRL), Suresh PREMACHANDRAN; Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students (EROS), Shankar RAJI; Lanka Socialist Party/Trotskyite (LSSP, or Lanka Sama Samaja Party), Colin R. DE SILVA; Liberal Party (LP), Chanaka AMARATUNGA; New Socialist Party (NSSP, or Nava Sama Samaja Party), Vasudeva NANAYAKKARA; People's Alliance (PA), Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Dharmalingam SIDARTHAN; People's United Front (MEP, or Mahajana Eksath Peramuna), Dinesh GUNAWARDENE; Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), M. H. M. ASHRAFF; Sri Lanka People's Party (SLMP, or Sri Lanka Mahajana Party), Ossie ABEYGUNASEKERA; Sri Lanka Progressive Front (SLPF), leader NA; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO), leader NA; Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), M. SIVASITHAMBARAM; United National Party (UNP), Dingiri Banda WIJETUNGA; Upcountry People's Front (UPF), leader NA; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either parliament or provincial councils note: the United Socialist Alliance (USA), which was formed in 1987 and included the NSSP, LSSP, SLMP, CP/M, and CP/B, was defunct as of 1993, following the formation of the People's Alliance Party (PA)
Political pressure groups and leaders: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and other smaller Tamil separatist groups; other radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups; Buddhist clergy; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups; labor unions
International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Geetha DE SILVA chancery : 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 through 4028 FAX : [1] (202) 232-7181 consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador A. Peter BURLEIGH embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3 mailing address : P. O. Box 106, Colombo telephone: [94] (1) 448007 FAX: [94] (1) 437345, 446013
Flag description: yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border that goes around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
Economy
Economy - overview: Industry - dominated by the fast-growing apparel industry - has surpassed agriculture as the main source of export earnings. The economy has been plagued by high rates of unemployment since the late 1970s. Economic growth accelerated in 1991-95 as domestic conditions began to improve and conditions for foreign investment brightened. In 1996, however, a drought, slow economic reform, and civil war exacted a heavy economic toll. Insufficient monsoon rains caused power cuts that hurt industrial and agricultural production, and the stepped-up Tamil insurgency reduced foreign investment and tourism - two key sources of foreign exchange. Meanwhile, Colombo's counterinsurgency efforts caused defense expenditures to overshoot budget targets by 42%. In 1997, agricultural production should recover from the effects of last year's drought, but industry will still be hampered by high real interest rates, slow improvement in foreign investment inflows, and stalled progress on privatization. The government's main challenge this year will be to curb defense and social welfare spending to cut the budget deficit as a percentage of GDP in half by 1998, as stipulated in its deficit reduction program.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $69.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.7% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,760 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.8% industry: 24.7% services : 51.5% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 15.9% (1996)
Labor force: total: 6.2 million (1994) by occupation: agriculture 42%, services 40%, industry 18% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 13.1% (1994)
Budget: revenues : $3 billion expenditures: $4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1 billion (1997)
Industries: processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: 6.2% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 1.56 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 4.33 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 236 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, roots, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, meat
Exports: total value: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: textiles and apparel, tea, petroleum products, diamonds, other gems, rubber products (1994) partners : US 34.8%, UK 8.9%, Germany 6.9%, Belgium-Luxembourg 5.9% (1994)
Imports: total value: $5 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: textiles, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, petroleum, building materials, sugar (1994) partners: Japan 11.0%, India 8.5%, South Korea 6.8%, Hong Kong 6.6%, Taiwan 5.2%, Singapore 4.9% (1994)
Debt - external: $9.6 billion (1995)
Economic aid: recipient : ODA, $602 million (1995 est.)
Currency: 1 Sri Lankan rupee (SLRe) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Sri Lankan rupees (SLRes) per US$1 - 56.921 (January 1997), 55.271 (1996), 51.252 (1995), 49.415 (1994), 48.322 (1993), 43.830 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Sri Lanka:Communications
Telephones: 175,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: very inadequate domestic service, good international service domestic: NA international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 5, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.525 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 5
Televisions: 865,000 (1992 est.)
@Sri Lanka:Transportation
Railways: total: 1,484 km broad gauge: 1,459 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 25 km 0.762-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 98,642 km paved: 37,484 km unpaved: 61,158 km (1993 est.)
Waterways: 430 km; navigable by shallow-draft craft
Pipelines: crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987)
Ports and harbors: Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee
Merchant marine: total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 220,660 GRT/329,365 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 13, container 1, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 8 (1996 est.)
Airports: 13 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,066,744 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 3,946,315 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 184,619 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $736 million (1997)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.7% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
SUDAN
@Sudan:Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 2,505,810 sq km land: 2.376 million sq km water : 129,810 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US
Land boundaries: total : 7,687 km border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km
Coastline: 853 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone : 18 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season (April to October)
Terrain: generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in east and west
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Red Sea 0 m highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m
Natural resources: petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold
Land use: arable land : 5% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 19% other: 30% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 19,460 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dust storms
Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries
@Sudan:People
Population: 32,594,128 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 7,584,401; female 7,271,175) 15-64 years: 52% (male 8,536,476; female 8,492,043) 65 years and over : 2% (male 398,591; female 311,442) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.06% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 40.54 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 11.16 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.17 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: 1.28 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 74.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 55.54 years male: 54.6 years female: 56.53 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.79 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Sudanese (singular and plural) adjective: Sudanese
Ethnic groups: black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)
Languages: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English note: program of Arabization in process
Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.1% male: 57.7% female: 34.6% (1995 est.)
@Sudan:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan conventional short form: Sudan local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan local short form: As-Sudan former : Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Data code: SU
Government type: transitional - previously ruling military junta; presidential and National Assembly elections held in March 1996; new constitution to be drafted by the National Assembly
National capital: Khartoum
Administrative divisions: 26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayat or wilayah*); A'ali an Nil, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrat, Al Jazirah, Al Khartum, Al Qadarif, Al Wahdah, An Nil al Abyad, An Nil al Azraq, Ash Shamaliyah*, Bahr al Jabal, Gharb al Istiwa'iyah, Gharb Bahr al Ghazal, Gharb Darfur, Gharb Kurdufan, Janub Darfur, Janub Kurdufan, Junqali, Kassala, Nahr an Nil, Shamal Bahr al Ghazal, Shamal Darfur, Shamal Kurdufan, Sharq al Istiwa'iyah, Sinnar, Warab
Independence: 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1956)
Constitution: 12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989; new constitution to be drafted following national elections held in March 1996
Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal, but noncompulsory
Executive branch: chief of state : President Lt. General Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Major General al-Zubayr Muhammad SALIH (since 19 October 1993), Second Vice President (Police) Maj. General George KONGOR AROP (since NA February 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government : President Lt. General Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Major General al-Zubayr Muhammad SALIH (since 19 October 1993), Second Vice President (Police) Maj. General George KONGOR AROP (since NA February 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the president; note - President al-BASHIR's government is dominated by members of Sudan's National Islamic Front, a fundamentalist political organization formed from the Muslim Brotherhood in 1986; front leader Hasan al-TURABI dominates much of Khartoum's overall domestic and foreign policies; President al-BASHIR named a new cabinet on 20 April 1996 which includes members of the National Islamic Front, serving and retired military offficers, and civilian technocrats elections : president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 6-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR elected president; percent of vote - Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR 75.7%; note - about forty other candidates ran for president note : al-BASHIR, as chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation (RCC), assumed power on 30 June 1989 and served concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister, and minister of defense until 16 October 1993 when he was appointed president by the RCC; upon its dissolution on 16 October 1993, the RCC's executive and legislative powers were devolved to the president and the Transitional National Assembly (TNA), Sudan's appointed legislative body, which has since been replaced by the National Assembly which was elected in March 1996
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (400 seats; 275 elected by popular vote, 125 elected by a supraassembly of interest groups known as the National Congress; members serve four-year terms) elections : last held 6-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: NA; the March 1996 elections were held on a nonparty basis; parties are banned in the new National Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts
Political parties and leaders: none; banned following 30 June 1989 coup
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Islamic Front, Hasan al-TURABI
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mahdi Ibrahim MOHAMED chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565 through 8570 FAX : [1] (202) 667-2406 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: operations in Khartoum were suspended in February 1996; Ambassador to Sudan Timothy M. CARNEY and several members of the mission have relocated to Nairobi, Kenya and operate out of the US Embassy there; the embassy is located at the corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 334141; FAX: [254] (2) 340838
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
Economy
Economy - overview: Sudan is buffeted by civil war, chronic political instability, adverse weather, high inflation, a drop in remittances from abroad, and counterproductive economic policies. The private sector's main areas of activity are agriculture and trading, with most private industrial investment predating 1980. Agriculture employs 80% of the work force. Industry mainly processes agricultural items. Sluggish economic performance over the past decade, attributable largely to declining annual rainfall, has kept per capita income at low levels. A large foreign debt and huge arrearages continue to cause difficulties. In 1990 the International Monetary Fund took the unusual step of declaring Sudan noncooperative because of its nonpayment of arrearages to the Fund. After Sudan backtracked on promised reforms in 1992-93, the IMF threatened to expel Sudan from the Fund. To avoid expulsion, Khartoum agreed to make payments on its arrears to the Fund, liberalize exchange rates, and reduce subsidies, measures it has partially implemented. The government's continued prosecution of the civil war and its growing international isolation continued to inhibit growth in the nonagricultural sectors of the economy during 1996. Hyperinflation has raised consumer prices above the reach of most. Popular unrest erupted several times in 1996 in reaction to unpopular government economic decisions.