P (continued 18)
Reading edition
GDP: purchasing power parity—$2.4 billion (1997 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: -1.8% (1997)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$11,500 (1997 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (1997)
Labor force: 89,000
Labor force—by occupation: government 65%, industry and commerce 28% (1983)
Unemployment rate: 14.9% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $710.8 million expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 1.4 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 1.4 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Exports: $268.2 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports—commodities: petroleum products 98% (1993)
Exports—partners: US 28.6%, Honduras 6.4%, Belgium-Luxembourg 6%, Italy 4.9%, Guatemala 4.5%, Costa Rica 4% (1996)
Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports—commodities: crude petroleum 64%, food, manufactures (1993)
Imports—partners: Venezuela 34%, US 16.4%, Mexico 15.5%, Netherlands 5%, Italy 3.5%, Brazil 2.8% (1996)
Debt—external: $1.35 billion (1996)
Economic aid—recipient: $NA; note?the Netherlands provided a $97 million aid package in 1996
Currency: 1 Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (NAf.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Netherlands Antillean guilders, gulden, or florins (NAf.) per US$1—1.790 (fixed rate since 1989)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 205,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (in addition, there is a cable service which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks) (1997)
Televisions: 64,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 600 km paved: 300 km unpaved: 300 km (1992 est.)
Ports and harbors: Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad
Merchant marine: total: 95 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 811,782 GRT/1,045,989 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 26, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 10, liquefied gas tanker 4, multifunction large-load carrier 19, oil tanker 4, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 18, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Belgium owns 9 ships, Germany 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police Force
Military manpower—military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-47: 53,285 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 29,888 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 1,457 (1999 est.)
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
Illicit drugs: money-laundering center; transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe
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@New Caledonia ——————-
Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 2,254 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 12% forests and woodland: 39% other: 49% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons most frequent from November to March
Environment—current issues: NA
Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
People
Population: 197,361 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 29% (male 29,610; female 28,485) 15-64 years: 65% (male 64,552; female 63,229) 65 years and over: 6% (male 5,443; female 6,042) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.59% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 20.68 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 4.82 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.35 years male: 72.1 years female: 78.77 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.43 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian
Ethnic groups: Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Languages: French, 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92% female: 90% (1976 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
Data code: NC
Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1956
Government type: NA
Capital: Noumea
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud
Independence: none (overseas territory of France); note—a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Dominque BUR (since NA August 1995) head of government: President of the Territorial Congress Simon LOUECKHOTE (since NA 1998) cabinet: Consultative Committee elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Congress elected by the members of the congress
Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: last held 9 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 2001) election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—RPR 22, FLNKS 12, UNCT 9, UNI 5, DEPCA 2, FN 2, RCF 2, and other 2 note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001); results—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—RPR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—RPR 2
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Progressive Melanesian Union or POSTIC]; Union des Synicates de Travailleurs Kanaks Exploites or Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR is a coalition of 5 parties: Union
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description: three horizontal bands, blue (top), red, and green, with a yellow disk enclosing a black symbol centered to the hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions
Economy
Economy—overview: New Caledonia has more than 20% of the world's known nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export earnings. Only a negligible amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 25% of imports. In addition to nickel, financial support from France and tourism are key to the health of the economy. Performance in 1998 was hampered by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower expected prices for nickel.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$2.1 billion (1996 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: NA%
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$11,400 (1996 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 25% services: 72% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (1996 est.)
Labor force: 70,044 (1988)
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 20%, industry 16%, services 60%, mining 4% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1994)
Budget: revenues: $755.6 million expenditures: $755.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries: nickel mining and smelting
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 1.145 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 69.87% hydro: 30.13% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 1.145 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: vegetables; beef, other livestock products
Exports: $500 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports—commodities: ferronickels, nickel ore
Exports—partners: Japan 31%, France 29%, US 12%, Australia 7%, Taiwan 6% (1996 est.)
Imports: $845 million (c.i.f., 1996)
Imports—commodities: foods, transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals
Imports—partners: France 45%, Australia 18%, Singapore 7%, New Zealand 6%, Japan 4% (1996 est.)
Debt—external: $NA
Economic aid—recipient: $446.3 million (1995); note?about $50 million yearly support from France for government operations
Currency: 1 Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1—102.72 (January 1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.93 (1994); note—linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 38,748 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 97,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (in addition, there are 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 47,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 5,562 km paved: 975 km unpaved: 4,587 km (1993)
Ports and harbors: Mueo, Noumea, Thio
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 27 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 7 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: French Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: Matthew and Hunter Islands claimed by France and Vanuatu
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@New Zealand —————-
Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 41 00 S, 174 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 268,680 sq km land: 268,670 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Area—comparative: about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 15,134 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Terrain: predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Cook 3,764 m
Natural resources: natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 50% forests and woodland: 28% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,850 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
Environment—current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside
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, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Geography—note: about 80% of the population lives in cities
People
Population: 3,662,265 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 430,105; female 409,302) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,202,762; female 1,195,006) 65 years and over: 12% (male 184,048; female 241,042) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.99% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 14.42 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 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: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.22 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.82 years male: 74.55 years female: 81.27 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand
Ethnic groups: New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%
Religions: Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986)
Languages: English (official), Maori
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ
Data code: NZ
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Wellington
Administrative divisions: 93 counties, 9 districts*, and 3 town districts**; Akaroa, Amuri, Ashburton, Bay of Islands, Bruce, Buller, Chatham Islands, Cheviot, Clifton, Clutha, Cook, Dannevirke, Egmont, Eketahuna, Ellesmere, Eltham, Eyre, Featherston, Franklin, Golden Bay, Great Barrier Island, Grey, Hauraki Plains, Hawera*, Hawke's Bay, Heathcote, Hikurangi**, Hobson, Hokianga, Horowhenua, Hurunui, Hutt, Inangahua, Inglewood, Kaikoura, Kairanga, Kiwitea, Lake, Mackenzie, Malvern, Manaia**, Manawatu, Mangonui, Maniototo, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata, Mount Herbert, Ohinemuri, Opotiki, Oroua, Otamatea, Otorohanga*, Oxford, Pahiatua, Paparua, Patea, Piako, Pohangina, Raglan, Rangiora*, Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua*, Runanga, Saint Kilda, Silverpeaks, Southland, Stewart Island, Stratford, Strathallan, Taranaki, Taumarunui, Taupo, Tauranga, Thames-Coromandel*, Tuapeka, Vincent, Waiapu, Waiheke, Waihemo, Waikato, Waikohu, Waimairi, Waimarino, Waimate, Waimate West, Waimea, Waipa, Waipawa*, Waipukurau*, Wairarapa South, Wairewa, Wairoa, Waitaki, Waitomo*, Waitotara, Wallace, Wanganui, Waverley**, Westland, Whakatane*, Whangarei, Whangaroa, Woodville note: there may be a new administrative structure of 16 regions (Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wanganui-Manawatu, Wellington, West Coast) that are subdivided into 57 districts and 16 cities* (Ashburton, Auckland*, Banks Peninsula, Buller, Carterton, Central Hawke's Bay, Central Otago, Christchurch*, Clutha, Dunedin*, Far North, Franklin, Gisborne, Gore, Grey, Hamilton*, Hastings, Hauraki, Horowhenua, Hurunui, Hutt*, Invercargill*, Kaikoura, Kaipara, Kapiti Coast, Kawerau, Mackenzie, Manawatu, Manukau*, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata Piako, Napier*, Nelson*, New Plymouth, North Shore*, Opotiki, Otorohanga, Palmerston North*, Papakura*, Porirua*, Queenstown Lakes, Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua, Ruapehu, Selwyn, Southland, South Taranaki, South Waikato, South Wairarapa, Stratford, Tararua, Tasman, Taupo, Tauranga, Thames Coromandel, Timaru, Upper Hutt*, Waikato, Waimakariri, Waimate, Waipa, Wairoa, Waitakere*, Waitaki, Waitomo, Wanganui, Wellington*, Western Bay of Plenty, Westland, Whakatane, Whangarei)
Dependent areas: Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK)
National holiday: Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty)
Constitution: no formal, written constitution; consists of various documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments; Constitution Act 1986 was to have come into force 1 January 1987, but has not been enacted
Legal system: based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Michael HARDIE BOYS (since 21 March 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Jenny SHIPLEY (since 8 December 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Wyatt CREECH (since NA August 1998); note—the coalition government of the National Party and the New Zealand First Party was dissolved on 18 August 1998 cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives—commonly called Parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 12 October 1996 (next must be called by October 1999) election results: percent of vote by party—NP 34.1%, NZLP 28.3%, NZFP 13.1%, Alliance 10.1%, ACT 6.17%, UNZ 0.91%; seats by party—NP 44, NZLP 37, NZFP 17, Alliance 13, ACT 8, UNZ 1
Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: National Party or NP [Jenny coalition of the Christian Democrats and Christian Heritage Party)
International organization participation: ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOP, UNOMSIL, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James Brendan BOLGER chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, FPO AP 96531-1001 consulate(s) general: Auckland
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation
Economy
Economy—overview: Since 1984 the government has accomplished major economic restructuring, moving an agrarian economy dependent on a concessionary British market access toward a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes, broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. Inflation remains among the lowest in the industrial world. Per capita GDP has been moving up toward the levels of the big West European economies. New Zealand's heavy dependence on trade leaves its growth prospects vulnerable to economic performance in Asia, Europe, and the US. The slump in demand in Asian markets largely explains the slight drop in GDP in 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$61.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: -0.2% (1998)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$17,000 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 25% services: 66% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.1% (1998)
Labor force: 1.86 million (1998)
Labor force—by occupation: services 65.1%, industry 25.1%, agriculture 9.8% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 7.6% (1998)
Budget: revenues: $24.9 billion expenditures: $23.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)
Industries: food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 35.534 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 18.72% hydro: 75.67% nuclear: 0% other: 5.61% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 35.534 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef, dairy products; fish
Exports: $12.9 billion (1998 est.)
Exports—commodities: wool, lamb, mutton, beef, fish, cheese, chemicals, forestry products, fruits and vegetables, manufactures, dairy products, wood
Exports—partners: Australia 20%, Japan 15%, US 10%, UK 6% (1997)
Imports: $13 billion (1998 est.)
Imports—commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, consumer goods, plastics
Imports—partners: Australia 27%, US 19%, Japan 12%, UK 6% (1997)
Debt—external: $53.2 billion (March 1998)
Economic aid—donor: ODA, $123 million (1995)
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1—1.85 (February 1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 July—30 June
Communications
Telephones: 1.7 million (1986 est.)
Telephone system: excellent international and domestic systems domestic: NA international: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 64, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.215 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 41 (in addition, there are 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.53 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 3,973 km narrow gauge: 3,973 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified)
Highways: total: 92,200 km paved: 53,568 km (including at least 144 km of expressways) unpaved: 38,632 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 1,609 km; of little importance to transportation
Pipelines: petroleum products 160 km; natural gas 1,000 km; liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 150 km
Ports and harbors: Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington
Merchant marine: total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 138,687 GRT/183,372 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 1, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 3, railcar carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4 (1998 est.)
Airports: 111 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 67 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 43 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Military manpower—military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 943,624 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 793,814 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 26,046 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $562 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.05% (FY97/98)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)
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@Nicaragua ————-
Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 85 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 129,494 sq km land: 120,254 sq km water: 9,240 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than the state of New York
Land boundaries: total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Coastline: 910 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 25-nm security zone continental shelf: natural prolongation territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Terrain: extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m
Natural resources: gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 27% other: 17% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 880 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasionally severe hurricanes
Environment—current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; Hurricane Mitch damage
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
People
Population: 4,717,132 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 1,037,269; female 1,018,909) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,236,326; female 1,297,356) 65 years and over: 2% (male 54,706; female 72,566) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.84% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 35.04 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.6 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 40.47 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.08 years male: 64.7 years female: 69.56 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.14 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%
Languages: Spanish (official) note: English- and Amerindian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 65.7% male: 64.6% female: 66.6% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua
Data code: NU
Government type: republic
Capital: Managua
Administrative divisions: 15 departments (departamentos, singular—departamento), 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular—region autonomista); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 9 January 1987
Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997); Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997); note—the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997); Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997); note—the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20 October 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); note—in July 1995 the term of the office of the president was amended to five years party]—includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 51.03%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 37.75%, Guillermo OSORNO (PCCN) 4.10%, Noel VIDAURRE (PCN) 2.26%, Benjamin LANZAS (PRONAL) 0.53%, other (18 other candidates) remaining 4.33%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 October 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party—Liberal Alliance (ruling party—includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party—Liberal Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PNC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 Alliance 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), 12 judges elected for seven-year terms by the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ]; Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC Saavedra]
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions: Sandinista Workers Central or CST; Farm Workers Association or ATC; Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD; National Union of Employees or UNE; National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN; Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN; Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO; and the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions: Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS; Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A; Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I; and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of business groups
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco AGUIRRE Sacasa chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lino GUTIERREZ embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: APO AA 34021 666026, 666027, 666032, 666033
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
Economy
Economy—overview: Prior to Hurricane Mitch in the fall of 1998, Nicaragua had been pursuing a number of impressive economic reforms and had begun to shed the legacy of a decade of civil war and economic mismanagement by posting strong annual growth numbers. The storm has put the reform effort on hold and has changed economic forecasts for the foreseeable future—Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America was one of the hardest hit by the hurricane. Nicaragua sustained approximately $1 billion in damages and will probably see GDP growth slow by at least one percentage point in 1999. Hardest hit was the all-important agriculture sector, which is responsible for the majority of exports. As a result, the trade deficit is likely to balloon in 1999 to roughly $900 million. Significant aid and relief have helped to stabilize the country. In addition, the Paris Club and other creditors have offered substantial debt relief. Nevertheless, additional financing will be needed to restore the economy to its pre-Mitch condition.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$11.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 4% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,500 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 32% industry: 24% services: 44% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 50.3% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 39.8% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 1.5 million
Labor force—by occupation: services 54%, agriculture 31%, industry 15% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 14%; underemployment 36% (1997 est.)
Budget: revenues: $389 million expenditures: $551 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: food processing, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear
Industrial production growth rate: 1.4% (1994 est.)
Electricity—production: 1.665 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 48.95% hydro: 21.02% nuclear: 0% other: 30.03% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 1.665 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, cassava (tapioca), citrus, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products
Exports: $704 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports—commodities: coffee, seafood, meat, sugar, gold, bananas
Exports—partners: US, Central America, Germany, Canada
Imports: $1.45 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports—commodities: consumer goods, machinery and equipment, petroleum products
Imports—partners: Central America, US, Venezuela, Japan
Debt—external: $6 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $839.9 million (1995)
Currency: 1 gold cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: gold cordobas (C$) per US$1—11.14 (December 1998), 10.58 (1998), 9.45 (1997), 8.44 (1996), 7.55 (1995), 6.72 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 66,810 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System domestic: wire and microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations—1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 45, FM 0, shortwave 3
Radios: 1.037 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (in addition, there are seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 260,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Highways: total: 16,382 km paved: 1,818 km unpaved: 14,564 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 2,220 km, including 2 large lakes
Pipelines: crude oil 56 km
Ports and harbors: Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 184 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 13 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: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 171 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 143 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 1,108,146 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 681,495 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 53,508 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $26 million (1998)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.2% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; with respect to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) referred the disputants to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; maritime boundary dispute with Honduras
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US
======================================================================
@Niger ——-
Geography
Location: Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1.267 million sq km land: 1,266,700 sq km water: 300 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 5,697 km border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
Terrain: predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Niger River 200 m highest point: Mont Greboun 1,944 m
Natural resources: uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 2% other: 88% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 660 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts
Environment—current issues: overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography—note: landlocked
People
Population: 9,962,242 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (male 2,445,536; female 2,346,844) 15-64 years: 50% (male 2,421,971; female 2,518,248) 65 years and over: 2% (male 121,253; female 108,390) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.95% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 52.31 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 22.78 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 112.79 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 41.96 years male: 42.22 years female: 41.7 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.24 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien
Ethnic groups: Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French expatriates
Religions: Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians
Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 13.6% male: 20.9% female: 6.6% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Niger conventional short form: Niger local long form: Republique du Niger local short form: Niger
Data code: NG
Government type: republic
Capital: Niamey
Administrative divisions: 7 departments (departements, singular—departement), and 1 capital district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder
Independence: 3 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
Constitution: the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national referendum on 12 May 1996
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January 1996); note—the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January 1996); note—Ibrahim MAYAKI (since 27 November 1997) was appointed prime minister by the president but does not exercise any executive authority and is only the implementor of the president's programs; the president is both chief of state and head of government note: President Ibrahim BARE was assasinated on the 9 April 1999 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; last held 7-8 July 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); note—Ibrahim BARE Mainassara initially became president when he ousted President Mahamane OUSMANE in a coup on 27 January 1996 and subsequently defeated him in the flawed election of July 1996 election results: percent of vote—Ibrahim BARE Mainassara 52.22%, Mahamane OUSMANE 19.75%, Tandja MAMADOU 15.65%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 7.60%, Moumouni AMADOU Djermakoye 4.77%
Legislative branch: two-chamber National Assembly; one chamber with 83 seats (members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); selection process for second chamber not established elections: last held 23 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—UNIRD 59, ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 8, UDPS-Amana 3, coalition of independents 3, MDP-Alkwali 1, UPDP-Shamuwa 4, DARAJA 3, PMT-Albarka 2
Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and TALBA, chairman]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or MAMADOU, chairman]; National Union of Independents for Democratic Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya Patriots, Democrats, and Progressives-Shamuwa or UPDP-Shamuwa NA]
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles O. CECIL embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band
Economy
Economy—overview: Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, its major export since the 1970s. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January 1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral and multilateral aid for operating expenses and public investment and is strongly induced to adhere to structural adjustment programs designed by the IMF and the World Bank. Short-term prospects depend largely on upcoming negotiations on debt relief and extended aid.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$9.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 4.5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$970 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 18% services: 42% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 29.3% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.8% (1998)
Labor force: 70,000 receive regular wages or salaries
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $370 million (including $160 million from foreign sources) expenditures: $370 million, including capital expenditures of $186 million (1998 est.)
Industries: cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses, and a few other small light industries; uranium mining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 170 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 365 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 195 million kWh (1996) note: imports electricity from Nigeria
Agriculture—products: cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry
Exports: $269 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports—commodities: uranium ore 50%, livestock products 20%, cowpeas, onions (1996 est.)
Exports—partners: Greece 21%, Canada 18%, France 12%, Nigeria 7% (1996 est.)
Imports: $295 million (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports—commodities: consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
Imports—partners: France 17%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, US 5%, Belgium-Luxembourg 4%, Nigeria (1996 est.)
Debt—external: $1.2 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $222 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1—560.01 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 14,000 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: small system of wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in southwestern area domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: 620,000 (1995 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 10 (in addition, there are seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 105,000 (1995 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 10,100 km paved: 798 km unpaved: 9,302 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: Niger river is navigable 300 km from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 27 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Police
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 2,117,868 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,143,355 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 102,762 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $20 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY96/97)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger; delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
======================================================================
@Nigeria ———-
Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 923,770 sq km land: 910,770 sq km water: 13,000 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total: 4,047 km border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km
Coastline: 853 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 30 nm
Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
Natural resources: petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 33% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 44% forests and woodland: 12% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 9,570 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Environment—current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; desertification; recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 113,828,587 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 25,613,974; female 25,397,166) 15-64 years: 52% (male 30,272,539; female 29,197,611) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,678,732; female 1,668,565) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.92% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 41.84 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 12.98 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 69.46 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 53.3 years male: 52.55 years female: 54.06 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.02 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups: Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv
Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.1% male: 67.3% female: 47.3% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria
Data code: NI
Government type: republic transitioning from military to civilian rule
Capital: Abuja note: on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially moved from Lagos to Abuja; many government offices remain in Lagos pending completion of facilities in Abuja
Administrative divisions: 30 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Federal Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe note: the government has announced the creation of six additional states named Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nassarawa, and Zamfara as part of the process of transition to a civilian government
Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960)
Constitution: 1979 constitution still partially in force
Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Abdulsalami ABUBAKAR (since 9 June 1998) will remain chief of state and head of government until 29 May 1999 when President-elect Olusegun OBASANJO will be inaugurated head of government: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Abdulsalami ABUBAKAR (since 9 June 1998) will remain chief of state and head of government until 29 May 1999 when President-elect Olusegun OBASANJO will be inaugurated cabinet: Federal Executive Council elections: the president is elected by popular vote for no more than two four-year terms; election last held 27 February 1999 (next election to be held NA 2003) election results: Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) won the election with NA% of the vote, Olu FALAE (APP-AD) NA%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats, three from each state and one from the Federal Capital Territory; members elected by popular vote to serve seven-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve seven-year terms) elections: Senate—last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); House of Representatives—last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—PDP 61, APP 24, AD 20, other 4; House of Representives—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—PDP 206, APP 74, AD 68, others 12 note: the National Assembly was suspended by the military government following the military takeover on 17 November 1993; the new civilian government which was elected on 20 February 1999 is expected to be inaugurated on 29 May 1999
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the Provisional Ruling Council; Federal Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee
Political parties and leaders: political parties, suppressed by the military government, were allowed to form in July 1998; three parties were registered by the Provisional Ruling Council for participation in local, state and national elections; All People's
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C (suspended), CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wakili Hassan ADAMU chancery: 1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William H. TWADDELL embassy: 2 Eleke Crescent, Lagos mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green
Economy
Economy—overview: The oil-rich Nigerian economy continues to be hobbled by political instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management. Nigeria's unpopular military rulers have failed to make significant progress in diversifying the economy away from overdependence on the capital intensive oil sector which provides 30% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 80% of budgetary revenues. The government's resistance to initiating greater transparency and accountability in managing the country's multibillion dollar oil earnings continues to limit economic growth and prevent an agreement with the IMF and bilateral creditors on a staff-monitored program and debt relief. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Growth in 1999 may become negative because of continued low oil prices and persistent inefficiencies in the system.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$106.2 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 1.6% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$960 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 33% industry: 42% services: 25% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 34.1% (1992-93 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 31.4% (1992-93)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 42.844 million
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 15%
Unemployment rate: 28% (1992 est.)
Budget: revenues: $13.9 billion (1998 est.) expenditures: $13.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (1998 est.)
Industries: crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel
Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1996)
Electricity—production: 13.78 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 60.94% hydro: 39.06% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 13.74 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 50 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish
Exports: $9.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
Exports—partners: US 35%, Spain 11%, Italy 6%, France 6% (1997 est.)
Imports: $9.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports—commodities: machinery, chemicals, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food and animals
Imports—partners: US 14%, UK 11%, Germany 10%, France 8%, Netherlands 5% (1997 est.)
Debt—external: $32 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $39.2 million (1995)
Currency: 1 naira (N) = 100 kobo
Exchange rates: nairas (N) per US$1—21.886 (December 1998), 21.886 (1998), 21.886 (1997), 21.895 (1995), 21.996 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 405,100 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: average system limited by poor maintenance; major expansion in progress domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, cellular network, and a domestic communications satellite system with 20 earth stations international: satellite earth stations—3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 1 coaxial submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 82, FM 32, shortwave 10 (1998 est.)
Radios: 17.2 million (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (government-controlled)
Televisions: 6.1 million (1998 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 3,557 km narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (1995) note: years of neglect of both the rolling stock and the right-of-way have seriously reduced the capacity and utility of the system; a project to restore Nigeria's railways is now underway
Highways: total: 51,000 km paved: 26,000 km (including 2,044 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,000 km (1998 est.) note: many of the roads reported as paved may be graveled; because of poor maintenance and years of heavy freight traffic (in part the result of the failure of the railroad system), much of the road system is barely useable
Waterways: 8,575 km consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks
Pipelines: crude oil 2,042 km; petroleum products 3,000 km; natural gas 500 km
Ports and harbors: Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri
Merchant marine: total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 371,499 GRT/631,425 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 13, chemical tanker 3, oil tanker 20, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 72 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 18 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 25,967,281 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 14,890,337 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 1,201,738 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $236 million (1999)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 0.7% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Cameroon over land and maritime boundaries around the Bakasi Peninsula is currently before the International Court of Justice; maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed jurisdiction over oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea
Illicit drugs: facilitates movement of heroin en route from Southeast and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and North America; increasingly a transit route for cocaine from South America intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets
======================================================================
@Niue ——
Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga
Geographic coordinates: 19 02 S, 169 52 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 260 sq km land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 64 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
Terrain: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m
Natural resources: fish, arable land
Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 19% other: 50% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons
Environment—current issues: traditional methods of burning brush and trees to clear land for agriculture have threatened soil supplies which are not naturally very abundant
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography—note: one of world's largest coral islands
People
Population: 2,103 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 0.5% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality: noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean
Ethnic groups: Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)
Religions: Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church) 75%—a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Languages: Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue
Data code: NE
Dependency status: self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs
Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy
Capital: Alofi
Administrative divisions: none; note—there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages each with its own village council whose members are elected and serve three-year terms
Independence: on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand
National holiday: Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty)
Constitution: 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
Legal system: English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Warren SEARELL (since NA August 1993) head of government: Premier Frank Fakaotimanava LUI (since 12 March 1993) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999) election results: Frank Fakaotimanava LUI elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote—NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives) elections: last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999) election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—NPP 9, independents 11
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue
Political parties and leaders: Niue People's Action Party or NPP
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
Flag description: yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars—a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross
Economy
Economy—overview: The economy is heavily dependent on aid and remittances from New Zealand as Niue has no indigenous export products. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by grants from New Zealand which are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration of Niueans to New Zealand.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$2.4 million (1993 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: NA%
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,200 (1993 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1992)
Labor force: 450 (1992 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $5.5 million expenditures: $6.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985 est.)
Industries: tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 3 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 3 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle
Exports: $117,500 (f.o.b., 1989)
Exports—commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion fruit products, pawpaw, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts
Exports—partners: NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia
Imports: $4.1 million (c.i.f., 1989)
Imports—commodities: food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs
Imports—partners: NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Samoa, Australia, US
Debt—external: $NA
Economic aid—recipient: $8.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1—1.8560 (January 1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5082 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 April—31 March
Communications
Telephones: 276 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1987 est.)
Radios: 1,000
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 312 (1991 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 234 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 234 km
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Police Force
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
======================================================================
@Norfolk Island ———————
Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 29 02 S, 167 57 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 34.6 sq km land: 34.6 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 32 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: NA% other: 75% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (especially May to July)
Environment—current issues: NA
Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
People
Population: 1,905 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: -0.71% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality: noun: Norfolk Islander(s) adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)
Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians
Religions: Anglican 39%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia 16.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4.4%, none 9.2%, unknown 16.9%, other 2.4% (1986)
Languages: English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island conventional short form: Norfolk Island
Data code: NF
Dependency status: territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport and Territories
Government type: NA
Capital: Kingston
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
National holiday: Pitcairners Arrival Day Anniversary, 8 June (1856)
Constitution: Norfolk Island Act of 1979
Legal system: based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and Australia are represented by Administrator A. J. MESSNER (since 4 August 1997) head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister George Charles Smith (since 30 April 1997) cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the Administrator elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years; election last held 30 April 1997 (next to be held by May 2000) election results: George Charles Smith elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote—NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held 30 April 1997 (next to be held by May 2000) election results: percent of vote—NA; seats—independents 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)
Flag description: three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band
Economy
Economy—overview: Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. Revenues from tourism have helped the agricultural sector to become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.
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%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 1,395 (1991 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $4.6 million expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)
Industries: tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: NA kWh
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Electricity—consumption: NA kWh
Electricity—exports: NA kWh
Electricity—imports: NA kWh
Agriculture—products: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Exports: $1.5 million (f.o.b., FY91/92)
Exports—commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados
Exports—partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
Imports: $17.9 million (c.i.f., FY91/92)
Imports—commodities: NA
Imports—partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
Debt—external: $NA
Economic aid—recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1—1.5853 (January 1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 July—30 June
Communications
Telephones: 1,087 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 2,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (local programming station; in addition, there are two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998)
Televisions: 1,500 (1995 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km
Ports and harbors: none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
======================================================================
@Northern Mariana Islands ————————————
Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Area—comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,482 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October
Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
Natural resources: arable land, fish
Land use: arable land: 21% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 19% forests and woodland: 0% other: 60%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
Environment—current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development
Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography—note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
People
Population: 69,398 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (male 8,459; female 8,197) 15-64 years: 74% (male 24,651; female 26,949) 65 years and over: 2% (male 550; female 592) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.99% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 22.19 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 2.42 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 20.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.36 years male: 72.19 years female: 78.72 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA
Ethnic groups: Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean
Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Languages: English, Chamorro, Carolinian note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
Data code: CQ
Dependency status: commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs
Government type: commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
Capital: Saipan
Administrative divisions: none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian
Independence: none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
National holiday: Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Constitution: Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978
Legal system: based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch: chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Pedro P. TENORIO (since NA January 1998) and Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. SABLAN (since NA January 1998) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held in NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001) election results: Pedro P. TENORIO elected governor in a three-way race; percent of vote—Pedro P. TENORIO (Republican) 47%
Legislative branch: bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate—last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 1999); House of Representatives—last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 1999) election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—Republicans 8, Democrats 1; House of Representatives—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—Republicans 13, Democrats 5 note: the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party—Republican 1 (Juan N. BABAUTA)
Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court
Political parties and leaders: Republican Party [Benigno R.
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC
Flag description: blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath
Economy
Economy—overview: The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. An agreement for the years 1986 to 1992 entitled the islands to $228 million for capital development, government operations, and special programs. Since 1992, funding has been extended one year at a time. The commonwealth received $27.7 million from FY93/94 through FY95/96. For FY96/97 through FY02/03, funding of $11 million will be provided for infrastructure, with an equal local match. A rapidly growing chief source of income is the tourist industry, which now employs about 50% of the work force. Japanese tourists predominate. The agricultural sector is of minor importance and is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is the fastest growing industry with employment of 12,000 mostly Chinese workers and shipments of $1 billion to the US in 1998 under duty and quota exemptions.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$524 million (1996 est.) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending
GDP—real growth rate: NA%
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$9,300 (1996 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (1995)
Labor force—by occupation: managerial 20.5%, technical, sales 16.4%, services 19.3%, farming 3.1%, precision production 13.8%, operators, fabricators 26.9%
Unemployment rate: 14% (residents)
Budget: revenues: $221 million expenditures: $213 million, including capital expenditures of $17.7 million (1996)
Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: NA kWh
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Electricity—consumption: NA kWh
Electricity—exports: NA kWh
Electricity—imports: NA kWh
Agriculture—products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Exports: $1 billion (1998)
Exports—commodities: garments
Exports—partners: US
Imports: $NA
Imports—commodities: food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products
Imports—partners: US, Japan
Debt—external: $NA
Economic aid—recipient: $21.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October—30 September
Communications
Telephones: 13,618 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3
Radios: 15,460 (1995 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable stations on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)
Televisions: 15,460 (1995 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 362 km (1991 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Saipan, Tinian
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
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@Norway ———
Introduction
Background: Norway gained its independence from Sweden in 1905. As a separate realm, Norway stayed free of World War I but suffered German occupation in World War II. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s gave a strong boost to Norway's economic fortunes. Norway is planning for the time when its oil and gas reserves are depleted and is focusing on containing spending on its extensive welfare system. It has decided at this time not to join the European Union and the new euro currency regime.
Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 324,220 sq km land: 307,860 sq km water: 16,360 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries: total: 2,515 km border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km
Coastline: 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km)
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior; rainy year-round on west coast
Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Glittertinden 2,472 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 27% other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 970 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment—current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions
Environment—international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, 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, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography—note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world; Norway is the only NATO member having a land boundary with Russia
People
Population: 4,438,547 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 447,607; female 423,844) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,462,906; female 1,415,992) 65 years and over: 15% (male 286,339; female 401,859) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.4% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 12.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.12 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.36 years male: 75.55 years female: 81.35 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian
Ethnic groups: Germanic (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Lapps (Sami) 20,000
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 87.8% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3.8%, none 3.2%, unknown 5.2% (1980)
Languages: Norwegian (official) note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1976 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge
Data code: NO
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Oslo
Administrative divisions: 19 provinces (fylker, singular—fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold
Dependent areas: Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
Independence: 26 October 1905 (from Sweden)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)
Constitution: 17 May 1814, modified in 1884
Legal system: mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973) head of government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 15 October 1997) cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of the Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the Parliament
Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting which, for certain purposes, divides itself into two chambers (165 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 September 1997 (next to be held NA September 2001) election results: percent of vote by party—Labor 35%, Center Party 7.9%, Conservatives 14.3%, Christian People's 13.7%, Socialist Left 6%, Progress 15.3%, Liberal Party 4.4%, other parties 1.6%; seats by party—Labor 65, Center Party 11, Conservatives 23, Christian People's 25, Socialist Left 9, Progress 25, Liberal Party 6, other parties 1 note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett, justices appointed by the monarch
Political parties and leaders: Labor Party [Thorbjorn JAGLAND];
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tom Erik VRAALSON chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David B. HERMELIN embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
Flag description: red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy
Economy—overview: Norway is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism. The economy consists of a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises), and extensively subsidizes agriculture, fishing, and areas with sparse resources. Norway maintains an extensive welfare system that helps propel public sector expenditures to more than 50% of GDP and results in one of the highest average tax levels in the world. A major shipping nation, with a high dependence on international trade, Norway is basically an exporter of raw materials and semiprocessed goods. The country is richly endowed with natural resources—petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals—and is highly dependent on its oil production and international oil prices. Only Saudi Arabia exports more oil than Norway. Norway imports more than half its food needs. Oslo opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. Economic growth in 1999 should drop to about 1%. Despite their high per capita income and generous welfare benefits, Norwegians worry about that time in the 21st century when the oil and gas run out.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$109 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 2.4% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$24,700 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 30% services: 68% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 21.2% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 2.3 million (1998 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: services 71%, industry 23%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 6% (1993)
Unemployment rate: 2.6% (yearend 1997)
Budget: revenues: $48.6 billion expenditures: $53 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)
Industries: petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: 2.7% (1998 est.)
Electricity—production: 103.374 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 0.76% hydro: 99.23% nuclear: 0% other: 0.01% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 112.374 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 4.2 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 13.2 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: oats, other grains; beef, milk; fish
Exports: $39.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 55%, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish (1997)
Exports—partners: EU 76% (UK 19%, Germany 10%, Netherlands 11%, Sweden 9%, France 8%), US 6% (1997)
Imports: $37.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports—commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs
Imports—partners: EU 68% (Sweden 16%, Germany 14%, UK 9%, Denmark 7%, Netherlands 4%), US 6%, Japan 4%(1997)
Debt—external: none?Norway is a net external creditor
Economic aid—donor: ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)
Currency: 1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1—7.4524 (January 1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997), 6.4498 (1996), 6.3352 (1995), 7.0576 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2.39 million (1994 est.); 470,000 cellular telephone subscribers (1994)
Telephone system: high-quality domestic and international telephone, telegraph, and telex services domestic: NA domestic satellite earth stations international: 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations—NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note—Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 46, FM 493 (350 private and 143 government), shortwave 0
Radios: 3.3 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 209 (1997)
Televisions: 1.5 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 4,012 km standard gauge: 4,012 km 1.435-m gauge (2,422 km electrified; 96 km double track) (1996)
Highways: total: 91,180 km paved: 67,473 km (including 109 km of expressways) unpaved: 23,707 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 1,577 km along west coast; navigable by 2.4 m draft vessels maximum
Pipelines: refined petroleum products 53 km
Ports and harbors: Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund, Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim
Merchant marine: total: 788 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,200,416 GRT/33,642,888 DWT ships by type: bulk 106, cargo 150, chemical tanker 99, combination bulk 8, combination ore/oil 39, container 19, liquefied gas tanker 86, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 143, passenger 12, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off cargo 52, short-sea passenger 22, vehicle carrier 36 note: the government has created an internal register, the Norwegian International Ship register (NIS), as a subset of the Norwegian register; ships on the NIS enjoy many benefits of flags of convenience and do not have to be crewed by Norwegians (1998 est.)
Airports: 103 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 29 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 32 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (includes Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard
Military manpower—military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 1,103,738 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 917,244 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 27,448 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: NA
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2.2% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land); Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia
Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for drugs shipped via the CIS and Baltic states for the European market; increasing domestic consumption of cannabis and amphetamines
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@Oman ——
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N, 57 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Coastline: 2,092 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
Terrain: vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: NA% other: 95% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 580 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
Environment—current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography—note: strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
People
Population: 2,446,645 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (male 508,681; female 489,453) 15-64 years: 57% (male 856,062; female 535,123) 65 years and over: 2% (male 30,083; female 27,243) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.45% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 37.98 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 4.29 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.6 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female total population: 1.33 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.71 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.3 years male: 69.31 years female: 73.39 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.11 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani
Ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African
Religions: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Literacy: definition: NA total population: approaching 80% male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman
Data code: MU
Government type: monarchy
Capital: Muscat
Administrative divisions: 6 regions (mintaqat, singular—mintaqah) and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*
Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
National holiday: National Day, 18 November (1940)
Constitution: none; note—on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral Omani council, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens
Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: limited to approximately 50,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura
Executive branch: chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note—the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note—the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch: bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis ad-Dawla (41 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis ash-Shura (82 seats; members elected by limited suffrage, however, the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held NA October 1997 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: NA
Judicial branch: none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system, administered by region
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John D. CRAIG embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: international: P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat Qaboos, Muscat
Flag description: three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered at the top of the vertical band
Economy
Economy—overview: Economic performance is closely tied to the fortunes of the oil industry. Petroleum accounts for 75% of export earnings and government revenues and for roughly 40% of GDP. Oman has proved oil reserves of 4 billion barrels, equivalent to about 20 years' production at the current rate of extraction. Agriculture is carried on at a subsistence level and the general population depends on imported food. The government is encouraging private investment, both domestic and foreign, as a prime force for further economic development. In 1998-99 the economy is suffering from weak world oil prices.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$18.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: -8.5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$7,900 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 50% services: 48% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.2% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 850,000 (1997 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $4 billion expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 budget est.)
Industries: crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper
Industrial production growth rate: 2% (1997 est.)
Electricity—production: 8 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 8 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
Exports: $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports—commodities: petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
Exports—partners: Japan 26%, China 19%, Thailand 19%, South Korea 14%, US 4% (1997)
Imports: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Imports—commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Imports—partners: UAE 23% (largely reexports), Japan 16%, UK 14%, US 8%, Germany 5% (1997)
Debt—external: $3 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $76.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza
Exchange rates: Omani rials (RO) per US$1—0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 150,000 (1994 est.)
Telephone system: modern system consisting of open wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: open wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1
Radios: 1.043 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 13 (in addition, there are 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.195 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 32,800 km paved: 9,840 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 22,960 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km
Ports and harbors: Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,306 GRT/8,210 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 143 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 137 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 58 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Royal Oman Police)
Military manpower—military age: 14 years of age
Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 752,637 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 420,361 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: NA
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $1.672 billion (1998)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 11.1% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: southern boundary with the United Arab Emirates has not been bilaterally defined; northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary
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@Pacific Ocean ——————-
Geography
Location: body of water between Antarctica, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere
Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 160 00 W
Map references: World
Area: total: 165.384 million sq km note: includes Bali Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Flores Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Java Sea, Philippine Sea, Ross Sea, Savu Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Area—comparative: about 18 times the size of the US; the largest ocean (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean); covers about one-third of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world
Coastline: 135,663 km
Climate: planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal—a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December