Front matter (continued 12)

Independence: 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

National holiday: Islamic Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

Constitution: 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership

Legal system: the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: supreme leader (rahbar-e moazam) and functional chief of state-Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) head of government: President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since 3 August 1997); First Vice President Hasan Ebrahim HABIBI (since NA August 1989) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval elections: supreme leader appointed for life by the Council of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 23 May 1997 (next to be held NA May 2001) election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani elected president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 69%

Legislative branch: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (270 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 8 March and 19 April 1996 (next to be held NA March 2000) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Iran has no political parties; the most important political "groupings" are-Tehran Militant Clergy Association, Secretary General Ayatollah Mohammad EMAMI-KASHANI; Militant Clerics Association, Mehdi MAHDAVI-KARUBI and Mohammad Asqar MUSAVI-KHOINIHA; Servants of Reconstruction (G-6), Mohammad HASHEMI-RAFSANJANI, Hosein MARASHI

Political pressure groups and leaders: groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, and the Islamic Coalition Association; opposition groups include the Liberation Movement of Iran and the Nation of Iran party; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan; the Society for the Defense of Freedom

International organization participation: CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note-Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy, headed by Faramarz FATH-NEJAD; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note-protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band

@Iran:Economy

Economy-overview: Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures. Newly elected President KHATAMI has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President RAFSANJANI and has indicated that he will pursue diversification of Iran's oil-reliant economy. In the early 1990s, Iran experienced a financial crisis and was forced to reschedule $15 billion in debt. The strong oil market in 1996 helped ease financial pressures on Iran and allowed for Tehran's timely debt service payments. Iran's financial situation tightened in 1997 and early 1998 because of lower oil prices. Iran may be forced to decrease imports and slow debt repayments if the oil market worsens further.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$371.2 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 3.2% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$5,500 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 21% industry: 37% services: 42% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 23% (1996)

Labor force: total: 15.4 million by occupation: agriculture 33%, manufacturing 21% (1988 est.) note: shortage of skilled labor

Unemployment rate: more than 30% (January 1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $34.6 billion expenditures: $34.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $11.8 billion (FY96/97)

Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments

Industrial production growth rate: 5.7% (FY95/96 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 25.117 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 79 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,222 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar

Exports: total value: $19 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: petroleum 80%, carpets, fruits, nuts, hides, iron, steel partners: Japan, US, UK, Germany, South Korea, UAE

Imports: total value: $15.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: machinery, military supplies, metal works, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, technical services, refined oil products partners: Germany, Italy, Japan, UAE, UK, Belgium

Debt-external: $21.9 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $40 million (1993)

Currency: 10 Iranian rials (IR) = 1 toman; note-domestic figures are generally referred to in terms of the toman

Exchange rates: Iranian rials (IR) per US$1-1,752.14 (January 1998), 1,750.76 (1996), 1,752.92 (1997), 1,747.93 (1995), 1,748.75 (1994), 1,267.77 (1993); black market rate: 4,600 rials per US$1 (March 1997); note-as of May 1995, the "official rate" of 1,750 rials per US$1 is used for imports of essential goods and services and for oil exports, whereas the "official export rate" of 3,000 rials per US$1 is used for non-oil exports and imports not covered by the official rate

Fiscal year: 21 March-20 March

Communications

Telephones: 3.02 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: microwave radio relay extends throughout country; system centered in Tehran international: satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE

Radio broadcast stations: AM 77, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 14.3 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 28

Televisions: 3.9 million (1992 est.)

@Iran:Transportation

Railways: total: 7,286 km broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge: 7,192 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (1996 est.)

Highways: total: 162,000 km paved: 81,000 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 81,000 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 904 km; the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use

Pipelines: crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 km

Ports and harbors: Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Khomeyni, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman, Chabahar (Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now Shahr

Merchant marine: total: 135 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,465,226 GRT/6,128,443 DWT ships by type: bulk 47, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 2, container 4, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 10, short-sea passenger 1 note: Iran owns an additional 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 245,742 DWT that operate under the registries of Cyprus, Honduras, and Panama (1997 est.)

Airports: 280 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 103 over 3,047 m: 36 2,438 to 3,047 m: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 177 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 124 under 914 m: 34 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 11 (1997 est.)

@Iran:Military

Military branches: Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces), Revolutionary Guards (includes Ground, Air, Navy, Qods, and Basij-mobilization-forces), Law Enforcement Forces

Military manpower-military age: 21 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 16,270,295 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 9,672,021 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 671,734 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: according to official Iranian data, Iran budgeted 8,283.9 billion rials for defense in 1997; note-conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using current exchange rates could produce misleading results

@Iran:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; Iran occupies two islands in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE: Lesser Tunb (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); it jointly administers with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)-over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control since 1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on the island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in the region in protesting these Iranian actions; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of opium poppy for the domestic and international drug trade; net opiate importer but also a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe

______________________________________________________________________

IRAQ

@Iraq:Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 437,072 sq km land: 432,162 sq km water: 4,910 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 3,631 km border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km

Coastline: 58 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq

Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Gundah Zhur 3,608 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 0% other: 79% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 25,500 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Environment-current issues: government water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Shi'a Muslims, who have inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salinization) and erosion; desertification

Environment-international agreements: party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

@Iraq:People

Population: 21,722,287 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 4,865,820; female 4,711,791) 15-64 years: 53% (male 5,794,336; female 5,662,163) 65 years and over: 3% (male 320,672; female 367,505) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.2% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 38.58 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 6.57 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 62.41 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.52 years male: 65.54 years female: 67.56 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.23 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi

Ethnic groups: Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 70.7% female: 45% (1995 est.)

@Iraq:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah local short form: Al Iraq

Data code: IZ

Government type: republic

National capital: Baghdad

Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (muhafazat, singular-muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Independence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 17 July (1968)

Constitution: 22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional Constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted

Legal system: based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974); Vice President Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991) head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since 29 May 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979); Deputy Prime Minister Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since NA May 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Hamza al-ZUBAYDI (since NA May 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers note: there is also a Revolutionary Command Council; Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri elections: president and vice presidents elected by a two-thirds majority of the Revolutionary Command Council; election last held 17 October 1995 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: SADDAM Husayn reelected president; percent of vote-99%; Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF and Taha Yasin RAMADAN elected vice presidents; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (250 seats; 30 appointed by SADDAM Husayn to represent the three northern provinces of Dahuk, Arbil, and As Sulaymaniyah; 220 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 24 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation

Political parties and leaders: Ba'th Party, SADDAM Husayn, central party leader

Political pressure groups and leaders: political parties and activity severely restricted; opposition to regime from disaffected members of the Ba'th Party, Army officers, tribes, and Shi'a religious and ethnic Kurdish dissidents; the Green Party (government-controlled)

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note-Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Dr. Khairi AL ZUBAYDI; address: Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500; FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note-the US has an Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad, which is in the Masbah Quarter (opposite the Foreign Ministry Club); address: P. O. Box 2447 Alwiyah, Baghdad; telephone: [964] (1) 719-6138, 719-6139, 718-1840, 719-3791; FAX: [964] (1) 718-9297

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic script-Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the left of the middle star-was added in January 1991 during the Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria that has two stars but no script and the flag of Yemen that has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt that has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

@Iraq:Economy

Economy-overview: The Ba'thist regime engages in extensive central planning and management of industrial production and foreign trade while leaving some small-scale industry and services and most agriculture to private enterprise. The economy has been dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the 1980s, financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran led the government to implement austerity measures and to borrow heavily and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic losses of at least $100 billion from the war. After the end of hostilities in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Agricultural development remained hampered by labor shortages, salinization, and dislocations caused by previous land reform and collectivization programs. The industrial sector, although accorded high priority by the government, also was under financial constraints. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic embargoes, and military action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically changed the economic picture. The UN-sponsored economic embargo has reduced exports and imports and has contributed to the sharp rise in prices. The Iraqi Government has been unwilling to abide by UN resolutions so that the economic embargo could be removed. The government's policies of supporting large military and internal security forces and of allocating resources to key supporters of the regime have exacerbated shortages. Industrial and transportation facilities, which suffered severe damage, have been partially restored. At current prices, oil exports are about one-third of their prewar level because of the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 986-the UN's oil-for-goods program-in December 1996. Shortages of spare parts continue. In accord with the oil-for-goods deal, Iraq is allowed to export $2 billion worth of oil in exchange for badly needed food and medicine. The first oil was pumped in December 1996, and the first supplies of food and medicine arrived in April 1997. Per capita output for 1995-97 and living standards are well below the 1989-90 level, but any estimates have a wide range of error.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$42.8 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 0% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,000 (1997 est.)

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%

Labor force: total: 4.4 million (1989) by occupation: services 48%, agriculture 30%, industry 22% note: severe labor shortage; expatriate labor force was about 1,600,000 (July 1990); since then, it has declined substantially

Unemployment rate: NA%

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

Industries: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 6.83 million kW (1996)

Electricity-production: 31.8 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,362 kWh (1996 est.)

Agriculture-products: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, other fruit, cotton; cattle, sheep

Exports: $NA commodities: crude oil partners: Jordan, Turkey (1996)

Imports: $NA commodities: manufactures, food partners: France, Turkey, Jordan, Vietnam, Australia (1996)

Debt-external: very heavy relative to GDP but amount unknown (1996)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils

Exchange rates: Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1-0.3109 (fixed official rate since 1982); black market rate-Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1-1,530 (December 1997), 3,000 (December 1995); subject to wide fluctuations

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 632,000 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began after the Gulf war; most damaged facilities have been rebuilt domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably nonoperational

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: 4.02 million (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 13

Televisions: 1 million (1992 est.)

@Iraq:Transportation

Railways: total: 2,032 km standard gauge: 2,032 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways: total: 47,400 km paved: 40,764 km unpaved: 6,636 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 1,015 km; Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 meters and is in use; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft watercraft; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Persian Gulf war

Pipelines: crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km

Ports and harbors: Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality

Merchant marine: total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 791,485 GRT/1,428,307 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, oil tanker 16, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1997 est.)

Airports: 111 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 76 over 3,047 m: 22 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 35 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 10 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 4 (1997 est.)

@Iraq:Military

Military branches: Army, Republican Guard and Special Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Internal Security Forces

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 5,247,809 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 2,941,014 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 253,504 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

@Iraq:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands; dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

______________________________________________________________________

IRELAND

@Ireland:Geography

Location: Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km

Coastline: 1,448 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time

Terrain: mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Carrauntoohill 1,041 m

Natural resources: zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 68% forests and woodland: 5% other: 14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment-current issues: water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff

Environment-international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Tropical Timber 94

Geography-note: strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 60 miles of Dublin

@Ireland:People

Population: 3,619,480 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 406,741; female 384,459) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,218,514; female 1,200,214) 65 years and over: 11% (male 173,978; female 235,574) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.36% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 13.49 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 8.51 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.04 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.19 years male: 73.44 years female: 79.11 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish

Ethnic groups: Celtic, English

Religions: Roman Catholic 93%, Anglican 3%, none 1%, unknown 2%, other 1% (1981)

Languages: Irish (Gaelic), spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard, English is the language generally used

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

@Ireland:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland

Data code: EI

Government type: republic

National capital: Dublin

Administrative divisions: 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

Independence: 6 December 1921 (from UK)

National holiday: Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Constitution: 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite

Legal system: based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 31 October 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote-Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats, 49 elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote and proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate-last held NA August 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); House of Representatives-last held 6 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA; House of Representatives-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Fianna Fail 77, Fine Gael 54, Labor Party 17, Progressive Democrats 4, Democratic Left 4, Greens 2, Sinn Fein 1, independents 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president on the advice of the government (prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Left [Proinsias DE ROSSA]; Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Labor Party [Ruairi QUINN]; Fine Gael [John BRUTON]; Communist Party of Ireland [Michael O'RIORDAN]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; The Workers' Party [Marion DONNELLY]; Green Alliance [Patricia HOWARD] note: Prime Minister AHERN heads a two-party coalition consisting of Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sean O'HUIGINN chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Kennedy SMITH embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 6688777 FAX: [353] (1) 6689946

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed-orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red

@Ireland:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy is small and trade dependent. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 38% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 27% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending and recovery in both construction and business investment. Since the 1980s, inflation has fallen sharply and chronic trade deficits have been transformed into annual surpluses. Unemployment remains a serious problem, however, and job creation is the main focus of government policy. To ease unemployment, Dublin aggressively courts foreign investors and recently created a new industrial development agency to aid small indigenous firms.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$59.9 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 6% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$18,600 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 8.5% industry: 38.3% services: 53.2% (1995)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.6% (1997)

Labor force: total: 1.52 million (1997 est.) by occupation: services 62.1%, manufacturing and construction 27.0%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10.0%, utilities 0.9% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 11.8% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $20.6 billion expenditures: $20.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.2 billion (1997)

Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal

Industrial production growth rate: 10.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 3.62 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 16.586 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 4,672 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; meat and dairy products

Exports: total value: $54.8 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products partners: EU 66% (UK 22%, Germany 13%, France 8%), US 6%

Imports: total value: $44.9 billion (c.i.f., 1997) commodities: food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing partners: EU 52% (UK 29%, Germany 10.2%, France 4%), US 12%

Debt-external: $14 billion (1996)

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

Currency: 1 Irish pound (£Ir) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: Irish pounds (£Ir) per US$1-0.7233 (January 1997), 0.6588 (1997), 0.6248 (1996), 0.6235 (1995), 0.6676 (1994), 0.6816 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 900,000 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0

Radios: 2.2 million (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 86 (1987 est.)

Televisions: 1.025 million (1990 est.)

@Ireland:Transportation

Railways: total: 1,947 km broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double track) (1996)

Highways: total: 92,500 km paved: 87,042 km (including 80 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,458 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: limited for commercial traffic

Pipelines: natural gas 225 km

Ports and harbors: Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford

Merchant marine: total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 116,059 GRT/149,149 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 30, chemical tanker 1, container 3, oil tanker 2, short-sea passenger 2 (1997 est.)

Airports: 44 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 25 (1997 est.)

@Ireland:Military

Military branches: Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana)

Military manpower-military age: 17 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 967,621 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 784,766 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 35,338 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $618 million (1994)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.3% (1994)

@Ireland:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: Northern Ireland question with the UK (historic peace agreement approved 10 April 1998); Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; transshipment point for heroin and cocaine

______________________________________________________________________

ISRAEL

(also see separate

Introduction

Current issues: The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the data below, unless otherwise noted. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations are being conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives, and Israel and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement between them. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace.

@Israel:Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon

Geographic coordinates: 31 30 N, 34 45 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 20,770 sq km land: 20,330 sq km water: 440 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,006 km border countries: Egypt 255 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Coastline: 273 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Natural resources: copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay, sand, sulfur, asphalt, manganese, small amounts of natural gas and crude oil

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 6% other: 66% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer

Environment-current issues: limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography-note: there are 207 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 24 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 1997 est.)

@Israel:People

Population: 5,643,966 (July 1998 est.) note: includes 155,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, 17,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 6,000 in the Gaza Strip, and 164,000 in East Jerusalem (August 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (male 814,558; female 776,630) 15-64 years: 62% (male 1,751,111; female 1,745,499) 65 years and over: 10% (male 239,658; female 316,510) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.91% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 19.99 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 6.19 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.02 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.41 years male: 76.52 years female: 80.39 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.71 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Israeli(s) adjective: Israeli

Ethnic groups: Jewish 82% (Israel-born 50%, Europe/Americas/Oceania-born 20%, Africa-born 7%, Asia-born 5%), non-Jewish 18% (mostly Arab) (1993 est.)

Religions: Judaism 82%, Islam 14% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2%, Druze and other 2%

Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 97% female: 93% (1992 est.)

@Israel:Government

Country name: conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local long form: Medinat Yisra'el local short form: Yisra'el

Data code: IS

Government type: republic

National capital: Jerusalem note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv

Administrative divisions: 6 districts (mehozot, singular-mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Independence: 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May 1948 (Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May)

Constitution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the basic laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law

Legal system: mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ezer WEIZMAN (since 13 May 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Binyamin NETANYAHU (since 18 June 1996) cabinet: Cabinet selected from and approved by the Knesset elections: president elected by the Knesset for a five-year term; election last held 4 March 1998 (next to be held NA March 2003); prime minister elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); note-in March 1992, the Knesset approved legislation, effective in 1996, which allowed for the direct election of the prime minister; under the new law, each voter casts two ballots-one for the direct election of the prime minister and one for the party in the Knesset; the candidate that receives the largest percentage of the popular vote then works to form a coalition with other parties to achieve a parliamentary majority of 61 seats; finally, the candidate must submit his or her cabinet to the Knesset for approval and this must be done within 45 days of the election; in contrast to the old system, under the new law, the prime minister's party need not be the single-largest party in the Knesset election results: Ezer WEIZMAN elected president by the Knesset with a total of 63 votes, other candidate, Shaul AMOR, received 49 votes (there were seven abstentions and one absence); Binyamin NETANYAHU elected prime minister; percent of vote - Binyamin NETANYAHU 50.4%, Shimon PERES 49.5%

Legislative branch: unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 29 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Labor Party 34, Likud Party 32, SHAS 10, MERETZ 9, National Religious Party 9, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya 7, Hadash-Balad 5, Third Way 4, United Arab List 4, United Jewish Torah 4, Moledet 2; note-Likud, Tzomet, and Gesher candidates ran on a joint list

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, appointed for life by the president

Political parties and leaders: government coalition: Likud Party, Prime Minister Binyamin NETANYAHU; Tzomet, Rafael EITAN; SHAS, Arieh DERI; National Religious Party, Yitzhak LEVI; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya, Natan SHARANSKY; United Jewish Torah, Meir PORUSH; Third Way, Avigdor KAHALANI opposition: Labor Party, Ehud BARAK; MERETZ, Yossi SARID; United Arab List, Abd al-Malik DAHAMSHAH; Hadash-Balad, Hashim MAHAMID other: Moledet, Rehavam ZEEVI; Gesher, David LEVI

Political pressure groups and leaders: Gush Emunim, Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and is critical of government's Lebanon policy

International organization participation: AG (observer), BSEC (observer), CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Zalman SHOVAL chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edward WALKER embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv mailing address: PSC 98, Box 100, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575 FAX: [972] (3) 517-3227 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note-an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government

Flag description: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

@Israel:Economy

Economy-overview: Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Manufacturing and construction employ about 28% of Israeli workers; agriculture, forestry, and fishing only 2.6%; and services the rest. Israel is largely self-sufficient in food production except for grains. Diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and military aid. To earn needed foreign exchange, Israel has been targeting high-technology niches in international markets, such as medical scanning equipment. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR topped 750,000 during the period 1989-97, bringing the population of Israel from the former Soviet Union to one million, or one-sixth of the total population. Initially this great influx increased unemployment, intensified housing problems, and strained the government budget. At the same time, the immigrants bring to the economy scientific and professional expertise of substantial value for the future.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$96.7 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 1.9% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$17,500 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 17% services: 81% (1997 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 9% (1997)

Labor force: total: 2.3 million (1997) by occupation: public services 31.3%, manufacturing 20.2%, finance and business 13.1%, commerce 12.8%, construction 7.5%, personal and other services 6.4%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 7.7% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $55 billion expenditures: $58 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: food processing, diamond cutting and polishing, textiles and apparel, chemicals, metal products, military equipment, transport equipment, electrical equipment, potash mining, high-technology electronics, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 5.4% (1996)

Electricity-capacity: 7.736 million kW (1996)

Electricity-production: 32.5 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 5,387 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: citrus and other fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Exports: total value: $20.7 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: machinery and equipment, cut diamonds, chemicals, textiles and apparel, agricultural products, metals partners: EU 32%, US 31%, Japan 7% (1996)

Imports: total value: $28.6 billion (c.i.f., 1997) commodities: military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, oil, consumer goods partners: EU 52%, US 20%, Japan (1996)

Debt-external: $18.7 billion (1997)

Economic aid: recipient: $1.2 billion (1997) from the US

Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1-3.5340 (December 1997), 3.4494 (1997), 3.1917 (1996), 3.0113 (1995), 3.0111 (1994), 2.8301 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

Communications

Telephones: 2.6 million (1996)

Telephone system: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0

Radios: 2.25 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 20

Televisions: 1.5 million (1993 est.)

@Israel:Transportation

Railways: total: 610 km standard gauge: 610 km 1.435-m gauge (1996)

Highways: total: 15,065 km paved: 15,065 km (including 56 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1996)

Pipelines: crude oil 708 km; petroleum products 290 km; natural gas 89 km

Ports and harbors: Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Merchant marine: total: 27 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 803,383 GRT/947,678 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, container 24, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Airports: 54 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 31 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 18 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1997 est.)

@Israel:Military

Military branches: Israel Defense Forces (includes ground, naval, and air components), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal), Frontier Guard, Chen (women); note-historically there have been no separate Israeli military services

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 1,446,634 females age 15-49: 1,414,898 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,183,989 females: 1,153,670 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 50,824 females: 48,661 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $9.3 billion (1997)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 9.5% (1997)

@Israel:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement-permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; Israeli troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982

Illicit drugs: increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse and trafficking

______________________________________________________________________

ITALY

@Italy:Geography

Location: Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Geographic coordinates: 42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 301,230 sq km land: 294,020 sq km water: 7,210 sq km note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Area-comparative: slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries: total: 1,932.2 km border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km

Coastline: 7,600 km

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

Climate: predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources: mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, dwindling natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal

Land use: arable land: 31% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 23% other: 21% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 27,100 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Environment-current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Environment-international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Tropical Timber 94

Geography-note: strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

@Italy:People

Population: 56,782,748 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 14% (male 4,192,662; female 3,955,857) 15-64 years: 68% (male 19,265,714; female 19,369,554) 65 years and over: 18% (male 4,098,526; female 5,900,435) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.08% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 9.13 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 10.18 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.38 years male: 75.26 years female: 81.7 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.19 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Italian(s) adjective: Italian

Ethnic groups: Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)

Religions: Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%

Languages: Italian, German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 96% (1990 est.)

@Italy:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Italian Republic conventional short form: Italy local long form: Repubblica Italiana local short form: Italia former: Kingdom of Italy

Data code: IT

Government type: republic

National capital: Rome

Administrative divisions: 20 regions (regioni, singular-regione); Abruzzi, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto

Independence: 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Republic, 2 June (1946)

Constitution: 1 January 1948

Legal system: based on civil law system, with ecclesiastical law influence; appeals treated as trials de novo; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Oscar Luigi SCALFARO (since 28 May 1992) head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the president of the Council of Ministers) Romano PRODI (since 18 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term; election last held 25 May 1992 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Oscar Luigi SCALFARO elected president; percent of electoral college vote-NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (326 seats, 315 popularly elected of which 232 are directly elected and 83 by regional proportional representation, 11 appointed senators-for-life; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional proportional representation; members serve five-year terms) elections: Senate-last held 21 April 1996 (next to be held by NA April 2001); Chamber of Deputies-last held 21 April 1996 (next to be held by NA April 2001) election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Olive Tree 157, Freedom Alliance 116, Northern League 27, Refounded Communists 10, regional lists 3, Social Movement-Tricolor Flames 1, Panella Reformers 1; Chamber of Deputies-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Olive Tree 284, Freedom Alliance 246, Northern League 59, Refounded Communists 35, Southern Tyrol List 3, Autonomous List 2, other 1

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale, composed of 15 judges (one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative supreme courts)

Political parties and leaders: Olive Tree (Ulivo): Democratic Party of the Left or PDS [Massimo D'ALEMA]; Greens (Verdi) [Luigi MANCONI]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; Italian Popular Party or PPI [Franco MARINI-elected 12 January 1997] Freedom Pole: Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Christian Democratic Center or CCD [Clemente MASTELLA]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Rocco BUTTIGLIONE] other: Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Communism Refoundation or RC [Fausto BERTINOTTI]; Italian Social Movement-Tricolor Flame or MSI-Fiamma Tricolore [Pino RAUTI]; Pannella-Sgarbi's List (Lista Pannella-Sgarbi) [Marco PANNELLA]; Italian Socialists or SI (also called Radical Party or PR) [Ottaviano DEL TURCO]; Autonomous List (a group of minor parties); Southern Tyrols List or SVP (German speakers)

Political pressure groups and leaders: the Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL which is PDS-dominated, Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL which is centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL which is center-right); Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura)

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CE (observer), CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINUGUA, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ferdinando SALLEO chancery: 1601 Fuller Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 and 2700 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 328-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 483-2187 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco consulate(s): Detroit and New Orleans

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas M. FOGLIETTA embassy: Via Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (6) 46741 FAX: [39] (6) 488-2672 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed-orange (hoist side), white, and green

@Italy:Economy

Economy-overview: Since World War II, the Italian economy has changed from one based on agriculture into a ranking industrial economy, with approximately the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This basically capitalistic economy is still divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed agricultural south, with large public enterprises and more than 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and over 75% of energy requirements must be imported. In the second half of 1992, Rome became unsettled by the prospect of not qualifying to participate in EU plans for economic and monetary union later in the decade; thus, it finally began to address its huge fiscal imbalances. Subsequently, the government has adopted fairly stringent budgets, abandoned its inflationary wage indexation system, and started to scale back its generous social welfare programs, including pension and health care benefits. In November 1996 the lire rejoined the European monetary system, which it had left in September 1992 when under extreme pressure in currency markets. Italy faces the problem of restructuring its economy to meet Maastricht criteria for inclusion in the EMU, together with other problems of refurbishing a tottering communications system, curbing industrial pollution, and adjusting to new EU and global competitive forces.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.24 trillion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 1.5% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$21,500 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry: 33% services: 63.7% (1994)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.9% (1997 est.)

Labor force: total: 22.851 million by occupation: services 61%, industry 32%, agriculture 7% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 12.2% (December 1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $416 billion expenditures: $506 billion, including capital expenditures of $47 billion (1996 est.)

Industries: tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (1996 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 57.186 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 225.179 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 4,509 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; meat and dairy products; fish catch of 525,000 metric tons in 1990

Exports: total value: $250.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: metals, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transportation equipment, chemicals partners: EU 53.4%, US 7.8%, OPEC 3.8%

Imports: total value: $190 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: industrial machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, petroleum, metals, food, agricultural products partners: EU 45.5%, OPEC 4.8%, US 4.3%

Debt-external: $45 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: donor: ODA, $3.043 billion (1993)

Currency: 1 Italian lira (Lit) = 100 centesimi

Exchange rates: Italian lire (Lit) per US$1-1,787.7 (January 1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 25.6 million (1996 est.)

Telephone system: modern, well-developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks international: satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 135, FM 28 (repeaters 1,840), shortwave 0

Radios: 45.7 million (1996 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 83 (repeaters 1,000)

Televisions: 17 million (1996 est.)

@Italy:Transportation

Railways: total: 19,437 km standard gauge: 18,103 km 1.435-m gauge; Italian Railways (FS) operates 15,942 km of the total standard gauge routes (11,299 km electrified) narrow gauge: 56 km 1.000-m gauge (56 km electrified); 1,278 km 0.950-m gauge (19 km electrified) (1996)

Highways: total: 317,000 km paved: 317,000 km (including 9,500 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 2,400 km for various types of commercial traffic, although of limited overall value

Pipelines: crude oil 1,703 km; petroleum products 2,148 km; natural gas 19,400 km

Ports and harbors: Ancona, Augusta (Sicily), Bari, Cagliari (Sardinia), Catania (Sicily), Gaeta, Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Naples, Oristano (Sardinia), Palermo (Sicily), Piombino, Porto Torres (Sardinia), Ravenna, Savona, Trieste, Venice

Merchant marine: total: 365 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,032,728 GRT/7,076,307 DWT ships by type: bulk 29, cargo 47, chemical tanker 39, combination ore/oil 2, container 15, liquefied gas tanker 30, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 98, passenger 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 51, short-sea passenger 30, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 7 (1997 est.)

Airports: 136 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 12 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 40 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 18 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 3 (1997 est.)

@Italy:Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 14,249,145 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 12,314,086 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 324,437 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $20.4 billion (1995)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.9% (1995)

@Italy:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: Italy is negotiating with Slovenia over property and minority rights issues dating from World War II; Croatia and Italy made progress toward resolving a bilateral issue dating from WWII over property and ethnic minority rights

Illicit drugs: important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market

______________________________________________________________________

JAMAICA

@Jamaica:Geography

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 10,990 sq km land: 10,830 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,022 km

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

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use: arable land: 14% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland: 17% other: 39% (1993 est.) note: irrigated land-3% (350 sq km)(1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 350 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes (especially July to November)

Environment-current issues: deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography-note: strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal

@Jamaica:People

Population: 2,634,678 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32% (male 425,233; female 406,529) 15-64 years: 62% (male 806,846; female 817,145) 65 years and over: 6% (male 79,125; female 99,800) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.7% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 20.91 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.45 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.47 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.37 years male: 73.01 years female: 77.84 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.33 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic groups: black 90.4%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.6%

Religions: Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican 5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other, including some spiritual cults 34.7%

Languages: English, Creole

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 85% male: 80.8% female: 89.1% (1995 est.)

@Jamaica:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica

Data code: JM

Government type: parliamentary democracy

National capital: Kingston

Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

Independence: 6 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (first Monday in August) (1962)

Constitution: 6 August 1962

Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1 August 1991) head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since NA 1993) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party 13 seats, opposition 8 seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PNP 50, JLP 10

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders: People's National Party (PNP), P. J. PATTERSON; Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), Edward SEAGA; National Democratic Movement (NDM), Bruce GOLDING

Political pressure groups and leaders: Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists); New Beginnings Movement (NBM)

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Leighton BERNAL chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660 FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stanley Louis MCLELLAND embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [1] (809) 929-4850 through 4859 FAX: [1] (809) 926-6743

Flag description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles-green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

@Jamaica:Economy

Economy-overview: Key sectors in this island economy are bauxite (alumina and bauxite account for more than half of exports) and tourism. Since assuming office in 1992, Prime Minister PATTERSON has eliminated most price controls, streamlined tax schedules, and privatized government enterprises. Continued tight monetary and fiscal policies have helped slow inflation and stabilize the exchange rate, but have resulted in the slow-down of economic growth (moving from 1.5% in 1992 to 0.5% in 1995. In 1996, GDP was in negative growth (-1.4%) and remained so in 1997. Serious problems include: high interest rates; increased foreign competition; the weak financial condition of business in general resulting in receiverships or closures and downsizings of companies; the shift in investment portfolios to non-productive, short-term high yield instruments; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise trade deficit; and a growing internal debt for government bailouts to various ailing sectors of the economy. Jamaica's medium-term prospects will depend upon encouraging investment in the productive sectors, maintaining a competitive exchange rate, stabilizing the labor environment, and implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$9.5 billion (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: -1.4% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,660 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 37% services: 55% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 17% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total: 1.14 million (1996) by occupation: services 41%, agriculture 22.5%, industry 19%, unemployed 17.5% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 16% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $3 billion expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.163 billion (FY97/98 est.)

Industries: tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light manufactures

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 1.182 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 3.87 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,503 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk

Exports: total value: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum partners: US 37%, UK 13%, Canada 12%, Netherlands 9%, Norway 7%

Imports: total value: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals partners: US 52%, Trinidad and Tobago 8%, Japan 6%, UK 4%, Canada 3%

Debt-external: $3.2 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $306 million (1996)

Currency: 1 Jamaican dollar (J$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Jamaican dollars (J$) per US$1-36.051 (November 1997), 37.120 (1996), 35.142 (1995), 33.086 (1994), 24.949 (1993)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Telephones: 350,000 (1997 est.)

Telephone system: fully automatic domestic telephone network domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1997)

Radios: 1.973 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 8

Televisions: 330,000 (1992 est.)

@Jamaica:Transportation

Railways: total: 370 km standard gauge: 370 km 1.435-m gauge; note-207 km belong to the Jamaica Railway Corporation in common carrier service, but are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned and used to transport bauxite

Highways: total: 18,700 km paved: 13,100 km unpaved: 5,600 km (gravel 3,200 km; improved earth 2,400 km) (1997 est.)

Pipelines: petroleum products 10 km

Ports and harbors: Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Longswharf

Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,931 GRT/10,545 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Airports: 36 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 23 (1997 est.)

@Jamaica:Military

Military branches: Jamaica Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 703,697 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 496,276 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 25,525 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $47.9 million (FY97/98 est.)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

@Jamaica:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine from Central and South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program

______________________________________________________________________

JAN MAYEN

(territory of Norway)

@Jan Mayen:Geography

Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland

Geographic coordinates: 71 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 373 sq km land: 373 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 124.1 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 4 nm

Climate: arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Terrain: volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Natural resources: none

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

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: dominated by the volcano Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970

Environment-current issues: NA

Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography-note: barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

@Jan Mayen:People

Population: no permanent inhabitants note: there are personnel who operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran) C base and the weather and coastal services radio station

@Jan Mayen:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Data code: JN

Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered from Oslo through a governor (sysselmann) resident in Longyearbyen (Svalbard); however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service

Legal system: NA

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Norway)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Norway)

Flag description: the flag of Norway is used

@Jan Mayen:Economy

Economy-overview: Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on the island.

Communications

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: radio and meteorological station

@Jan Mayen:Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Jan Mayen:Military

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

@Jan Mayen:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

______________________________________________________________________

JAPAN

@Japan:Geography

Location: Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Geographic coordinates: 36 00 N, 138 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 377,835 sq km land: 374,744 sq km water: 3,091 sq km note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 29,751 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm; 3 nm in the international straits-La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait

Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point: Fujiyama 3,776 m

Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland: 67% other: 19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 27,820 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis

Environment-current issues: air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan's appetite for fish and tropical timber is contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere

Environment-international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geography-note: strategic location in northeast Asia

@Japan:People

Population: 125,931,533 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15% (male 9,802,921; female 9,342,254) 15-64 years: 69% (male 43,486,840; female 43,135,979) 65 years and over: 16% (male 8,388,242; female 11,775,297) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.2% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 10.26 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 7.94 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80 years male: 76.91 years female: 83.25 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.46 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: Japanese 99.4%, other 0.6% (mostly Korean)

Religions: observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)

Languages: Japanese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1970 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

@Japan:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan

Data code: JA

Government type: constitutional monarchy

National capital: Tokyo

Administrative divisions: 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Independence: 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)

National holiday: Birthday of the Emperor, 23 December (1933)

Constitution: 3 May 1947

Legal system: modeled after European civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Ryutaro HASHIMOTO (since 11 January 1996); note-an acting prime minister-determined upon a rotational basis-serves when Prime Minister HASHIMOTO is out of the country cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: none; the emperor is a constitutional monarch; the Diet designates the prime minister; the constitution requires that the prime minister must command a parliamentary majority, therefore, following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (252 seats; one-half of the members elected every three years-76 seats of which are elected from the 47 multi-seat prefectural districts and 50 of which are elected from a single nationwide list with voters casting ballots by party; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (500 seats-200 of which are elected from 11 regional blocks on a proportional representation basis and 300 of which are elected from 300 single-seat districts; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: House of Councillors-last held 23 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 1998); House of Representatives-last held 20 October 1996 (next to be held by October 2000) election results: House of Councillors-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party - LDP 110, NFP 56, SDP 38, JCP 14, Sakigake 3, others 19, independents 12; note-the distribution of seats as of April 1998 is as follows-LDP 118, DPJ 41, Komei 24, SDP 21, JCP 14, Liberal Party 12, Sakigake 3, Reform Club 3, others 14, vacancies 2; House of Representatives-percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party-LDP 240, NFP 142, DPJ 52, JCP 26, SDP 15, Sun Party 10, others 15; note-the distribution of seats as of April 1998 is as follows - LDP 261, DPJ 93, Liberal Party 40, New Peace Party 37, JCP 26, SDP 15, Reform Club 9, Sakigake 2, others 17

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the emperor after designation by the cabinet, all other justices are appointed by the cabinet

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Ryutaro HASHIMOTO, president, Koichi KATO, secretary general; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Takako DOI, chairperson, Tadatoshi AKIBA, secretary general; Sakigake (Harbinger), Akiko DOMOTO, chairperson, Hiroyuki SONODA, secretary general; Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), Naoto KAN, leader, Tsutomu HATA, secretary general; Japan Communist Party (JCP), Tetsuzo FUWA, chairman, Kazuo SHII, secretary general; Komei, Toshiko HAMAYOTSU, chief; Liberal Party, Ichiro OZAWA, president, Takeshi NODA, secretary general; New Peace Party, Takenori KANZAKI, leader, Tetsuzo FUYUBASHI, secretary general; Reform Club, Tatsuo OZAWA, leader, Katsuyuki ISHIDA, secretary general note: subsequent to the last legislative elections, the New Frontier Party (NFP) disbanded; the Sun Party was formed by former NFP members, but later disbanded; the DPJ was formed by former members of the SDP and Sakigake and, in April 1998, was joined by three additional parties which had formed after the NFP disbanded; Reform Club, New Peace Party, and Liberal Party were formed in January 1998 after the NFP disbanded

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 2, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kunihiko SAITO chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas S. FOLEY embassy: 10-5, Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku (107), Tokyo mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-0001 telephone: [81] (3) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (3) 3505-1862 consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Flag description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center

@Japan:Economy

Economy-overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (roughly 1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most powerful economy in the world. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force; this guarantee is eroding. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in 1992-95 largely because of the aftereffects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Growth picked up to 3.9% in 1996, largely a reflection of stimulative fiscal and monetary policies as well as low rates of inflation. But in 1997 growth fell back to 1%. As a result of the expansionary fiscal policies and declining tax revenues due to the recession, Japan has one of the largest budget deficits as a percent of GDP among the industrialized countries. The crowding of habitable land area and the aging of the population are two other major long-run problems.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$3.08 trillion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 0.9% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$24,500 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 41.5% services: 56.5% (1995)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.7% (1997)

Labor force: total: 67.23 million (March 1997) by occupation: trade and services 50%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 33%, utilities and communication 7%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 6%, government 3% (1994)

Unemployment rate: 3.4% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $497 billion expenditures: $621 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of about $72 billion (FY98/99 est.)

Industries: among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of steel and nonferrous metallurgy, heavy electrical equipment, construction and mining equipment, motor vehicles and parts, electronic and telecommunication equipment, machine tools, automated production systems, locomotives and railroad rolling stock, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods

Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (1997)

Electricity-capacity: 199.878 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 930.55 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 7,414 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; world's largest fish catch of 10 million metric tons in 1991

Exports: total value: $421 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: manufactures 96% (including machinery 50%, motor vehicles 19%, consumer electronics 3%) partners: US 27%, Southeast Asia 17%, EU 15%, China 5%

Imports: total value: $339 billion (c.i.f., 1997) commodities: manufactures 54%, foodstuffs and raw materials 28%, fossil fuels 16% partners: US 22%, Southeast Asia 15%, EU 14%, China 12%

Debt-external: $NA

Economic aid: donor: ODA, $8.3 billion (1998 est.) note: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-94), $174 billion

Currency: yen (¥)

Exchange rates: yen (¥) per US$1-129.45 (January 1998), 120.99 (1997), 108.78 (1996), 94.06 (1995), 102.21 (1994), 111.20 (1993)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Telephones: 64 million (1987 est.)

Telephone system: excellent domestic and international service domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations-5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 318, FM 58, shortwave 0

Radios: 97 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 12,350 (1 kW or greater 196)

Televisions: 100 million (1993 est.)

@Japan:Transportation

Railways: total: 23,670.7 km standard gauge: 2,893.1 km 1.435-m gauge (entirely electrified) narrow gauge: 89.8 km 1.372-m gauge (89.8 km electrified); 20,656.8 km 1.067-m gauge (10,383.6 km electrified); 31 km 0.762-m gauge (3.6 km electrified) (1994)

Highways: total: 1.16 million km paved: 859,560 km (including 6,070 km of expressways) unpaved: 300,440 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas

Pipelines: crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas 1,800 km

Ports and harbors: Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai

Merchant marine: total: 738 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 14,323,766 GRT/20,709,738 DWT ships by type: bulk 169, cargo 55, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk 11, combination ore/oil 6, container 32, liquefied gas tanker 39, oil tanker 244, passenger 7, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 34, roll-on/roll-off cargo 46, short-sea passenger 16, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 70 note: Japan owns an additional 1,534 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 54,985,374 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Burma, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Honduras, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, and Vanuatu (1997 est.)

Airports: 167 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 137 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 31 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 28 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 14 (1997 est.)

@Japan:Military

Military branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force)

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 31,105,541 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 26,778,356 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 808,846 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $48.5 billion (FY96/97)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1% (FY96/97)

@Japan:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) disputed with South Korea; Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands) claimed by China and Taiwan

______________________________________________________________________

JARVIS ISLAND

(territory of the US)

@Jarvis Island:Geography

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to the Cook Islands

Geographic coordinates: 0 22 S, 160 03 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 4.5 sq km land: 4.5 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 8 km

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

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

Terrain: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 23 m

Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)

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: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

Environment-current issues: no natural fresh water resources

Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography-note: sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats

@Jarvis Island:People

Population: uninhabited note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators

@Jarvis Island:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jarvis Island

Data code: DQ

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system: NA

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

@Jarvis Island:Economy

Economy-overview: no economic activity

@Jarvis Island:Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note-there is one boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island

Transportation-note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

@Jarvis Island:Military

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

@Jarvis Island:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

______________________________________________________________________

JERSEY

(British crown dependency)

@Jersey:Geography

Location: Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 49 15 N, 2 10 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 116 sq km land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 70 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Natural resources: agricultural land

Land use: arable land: 66% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 34%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment-current issues: NA

Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography-note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier

@Jersey:People

Population: 89,136 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 8,160; female 7,567) 15-64 years: 68% (male 30,106; female 30,639) 65 years and over: 14% (male 5,243; female 7,421) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.68% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 12.27 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 9.12 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.67 years male: 75.93 years female: 81.71 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent

Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian

Languages: English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Literacy: NA

@Jersey:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Jersey

Data code: JE

Dependency status: British crown dependency

Government type: NA

National capital: Saint Helier

Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)

Independence: none (British crown dependency)

National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system: English law and local statute

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Sir Michael WILKES (since NA 1995) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA 1995) cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the queen

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States (57 seats, 53 elected including 12 senators popularly elected for six-year terms, half retiring every third year, 12 constables popularly elected triennially, and 29 deputies popularly elected triennially) elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 52

Judicial branch: Royal Court, judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff

Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)

Flag description: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag

@Jersey:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy is based largely on financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. In 1986 the finance sector overtook tourism as the main contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of the island's output. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light tax and death duties make the island a popular tax haven.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$NA

GDP-real growth rate: NA%

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$NA

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $643.7 million expenditures: $597.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 50,000 kW standby note: electricity supplied by France

Electricity-production: NA kWh note: electricity supplied by France

Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)

Agriculture-products: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; meat, dairy products

Exports: $NA commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles partners: UK

Imports: $NA commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals partners: UK

Debt-external: $NA

Economic aid: none

Currency: 1 Jersey pound (£J) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (£J) per US$1-0.6115 (January 1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Telephones: 61,447 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables

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

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1

Televisions: NA

@Jersey:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

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

Ports and harbors: Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Jersey:Military

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

@Jersey:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

______________________________________________________________________

JOHNSTON ATOLL

(territory of the US)

@Johnston Atoll:Geography

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 169 30 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 2.8 sq km land: 2.8 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 10 km

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

Climate: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Summit Peak 5 m

Natural resources: NA; guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890

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: NA

Environment-current issues: no natural fresh water resources

Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography-note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to the public; former US nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some low-growing vegetation

@Johnston Atoll:People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are 1,200 US military and civilian contractor personnel (January 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: -6.41% (1998 est.)

@Johnston Atoll:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Johnston Atoll

Data code: JQ

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the US Defense Special Weapons Agency (DSWA) and managed cooperatively by DSWA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system: NA

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

@Johnston Atoll:Economy

Economy-overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Electricity-capacity: NA kW note: electricity supplied by the base operating support contractor

Electricity-production: six 25,000 kWh generators note: electricity supplied by the base operating support contractor

Communications

Telephone system: 13 outgoing and 10 incoming commercial lines; adequate telecommunications domestic: 60-channel submarine cable, 22 DSN circuits by satellite, Autodin with standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), UHF/VHF air-ground radio, a link to the Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network (PCTN) satellite international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 5 channels; also 1 local volunteer FM radio station;, shortwave NA; 1 amateur station, call sign KJ6BZ

Television broadcast stations: commercial satellite television system, 16 channels

@Johnston Atoll:Transportation

Ports and harbors: Johnston Island

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Johnston Atoll:Military

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US

@Johnston Atoll:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

______________________________________________________________________

JORDAN

@Jordan:Geography

Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 89,213 sq km land: 88,884 sq km water: 329 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,619 km border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline: 26 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Jabal Ram 1,754 m

Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 1% other: 85% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 630 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment-current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

@Jordan:People

Population: 4,434,978 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 985,211; female 935,982) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,224,595; female 1,160,915) 65 years and over: 3% (male 64,406; female 63,869) (July 1998 est.)