P (continued 23)

Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 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: 5,223,590 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,062,758 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 199,196 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $719 million (1998)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 4.2% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: none

======================================================================

@Sudan ——-

Geography

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 2,505,810 sq km land: 2.376 million sq km water: 129,810 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 7,687 km border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Coastline: 853 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season (April to October)

Terrain: generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in east and west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Red Sea 0 m highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Natural resources: petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 19% other: 30% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 19,460 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms

Environment—current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification

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

Geography—note: largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

People

Population: 34,475,690 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 7,941,909; female 7,614,225) 15-64 years: 53% (male 9,094,712; female 9,061,194) 65 years and over: 2% (male 423,389; female 340,261) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.71% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 39.34 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.6 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.68 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 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.24 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 70.94 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 56.4 years male: 55.41 years female: 57.44 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.58 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Languages: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English note: program of Arabization in process

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.1% male: 57.7% female: 34.6% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan conventional short form: Sudan local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan local short form: As-Sudan former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Data code: SU

Government type: transitional—previously ruling military junta; presidential and National Assembly elections held in March 1996; new constitution drafted by Presidential Committee, went into effect on 30 June 1998 after being approved in nationwide referendum

Capital: Khartoum

Administrative divisions: 26 states (wilayat, singular—wilayah); A'ali an Nil, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrat, Al Jazirah, Al Khartum, Al Qadarif, Al Wahdah, An Nil al Abyad, An Nil al Azraq, Ash Shamaliyah, Bahr al Jabal, Gharb al Istiwa'iyah, Gharb Bahr al Ghazal, Gharb Darfur, Gharb Kurdufan, Janub Darfur, Janub Kurdufan, Junqali, Kassala, Nahr an Nil, Shamal Bahr al Ghazal, Shamal Darfur, Shamal Kurdufan, Sharq al Istiwa'iyah, Sinnar, Warab

Independence: 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Constitution: 12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998

Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. General Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President (Police) Maj. General George KONGOR AROP (since NA February 1994); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Lt. General Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President (Police) Maj. General George KONGOR AROP (since NA February 1994); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note—President al-BASHIR's government is dominated by members of Sudan's National Islamic Front (NIF), a fundamentalist political organization formed from the Muslim Brotherhood in 1986; in 1998, the NIF created the National Congress as its legal front; the National Congress/NIF dominates much of Khartoum's overall domestic and foreign policies; President al-BASHIR named a new cabinet on 20 April 1996 which includes members of the National Islamic Front, serving and retired military officers, and civilian technocrats; on 8 March 1998, he reshuffled the cabinet and brought in several former rebel and opposition members as ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 6-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR elected president; percent of vote—Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR 75.7%; note—about forty other candidates ran for president note: al-BASHIR, as chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation (RCC), assumed power on 30 June 1989 and served concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister, and minister of defense until 16 October 1993 when he was appointed president by the RCC; upon its dissolution on 16 October 1993, the RCC's executive and legislative powers were devolved to the president and the Transitional National Assembly (TNA), Sudan's appointed legislative body, which has since been replaced by the National Assembly which was elected in March 1996

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (400 seats; 275 elected by popular vote, 125 elected by a supraassembly of interest groups known as the National Congress) elections: last held 6-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: NA; the March 1996 elections were held on a nonparty basis; parties are banned in the new National Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts

Political parties and leaders: political parties were banned following 30 June 1989 coup, however, political "associations" are allowed under a new law drafted in 1998 and implemented on 1 January

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Islamic Front or its legal front)

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mahdi Ibrahim MAHAMMAD (recalled to Khartoum in August 1998) chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: US officials at the US Embassy in Khartoum were moved for security reasons in February 1996 and have been relocated to the US Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Cairo, Egypt; they visit Khartoum monthly, but the Sudanese Government has not allowed such visits since August 1998; the US Embassy in Khartoum (located on Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue; mailing employees; the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya is located temporarily in the USAID Building at The Crescent, Parkland, Nairobi; mailing address—P.O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831; Cairo, Egypt is located at (North Gate) 8, Kamel El-Din Salah Street, Garden City, Cairo; mailing address—Unit 64900, APO AE

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Economy

Economy—overview: Sudan is buffeted by civil war, chronic political instability, adverse weather, high inflation, a drop in remittances from abroad, and counterproductive economic policies. The private sector's main areas of activity are agriculture and trading, with most private industrial investment predating 1980. Agriculture employs 80% of the work force. Industry mainly processes agricultural items. Sluggish economic performance over the past decade, attributable largely to declining annual rainfall, has kept per capita income at low levels. A large foreign debt and huge arrears continue to cause difficulties. In 1990 the International Monetary Fund took the unusual step of declaring Sudan noncooperative because of its nonpayment of arrears to the Fund. After Sudan backtracked on promised reforms in 1992-93, the IMF threatened to expel Sudan from the Fund. To avoid expulsion, Khartoum agreed to make payments on its arrears to the Fund, liberalize exchange rates, and reduce subsidies, measures it has partially implemented. The government's continued prosecution of the civil war and its growing international isolation continued to inhibit growth in the nonagricultural sectors of the economy during 1998. Hyperinflation has raised consumer prices above the reach of most. In 1998, a top priority was to develop potentially lucrative oilfields in southcentral Sudan; the government is working with foreign partners to exploit the oil sector.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$31.2 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 6.1% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$930 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 33% industry: 17% services: 50% (1992 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 27% (mid-1997 est.)

Labor force: 11 million (1996 est.) note: labor shortages for almost all categories of skilled employment (1983 est.)

Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 10%, government 6%

Unemployment rate: 30% (FY92/93 est.)

Budget: revenues: $482 million expenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $30 million (1996)

Industries: cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)

Electricity—production: 1.315 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 27.76% hydro: 72.24% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 1.315 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sesame; sheep

Exports: $594 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports—commodities: cotton 23%, sesame 22%, livestock/meat 13%, gum arabic 5% (1996)

Exports—partners: Saudi Arabia 20%, UK 14%, China 11%, Italy 8% (1996)

Imports: $1.42 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports—commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum products, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles (1996)

Imports—partners: Saudi Arabia 10%, South Korea 7%, Germany 6%, Egypt 6% (1996)

Debt—external: $20.3 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid—recipient: $254.4 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Sudanese pound (LSd) = 100 piastres

Exchange rates: Sudanese pounds (LSd) per US$1—1,819.70 (April 1998), 1,873.53 (2d Qtr 1998), 1,575.74 (1997), 1,250.79 (1996), 580.87 (1995), 289.61 (1994), 159.31 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year note: prior to July 1995, Sudan had a fiscal year that began on 1 July and ended on 30 June; as a transition to their new fiscal year, a six-month budget was implemented for 1 July-31 December 1995; the new calendar year (1 January-31 December) fiscal year became effective 1 January 1996

Communications

Telephones: 77,215 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: large, well-equipped system by African standards, but barely adequate and poorly maintained by modern standards domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth stations—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998 est.)

Radios: 5.75 million (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)

Televisions: 250,000 (1998 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 5,516 km narrow gauge: 4,800 km 1.067-m gauge; 716 km 1.6096-m gauge plantation line

Highways: total: 11,900 km paved: 4,320 km unpaved: 7,580 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 5,310 km navigable

Pipelines: refined products 815 km

Ports and harbors: Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan, Sawakin

Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 38,093 GRT/49,727 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1998 est.)

Airports: 63 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force Militia

Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 7,942,139 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,889,557 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 379,174 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $550 million (FY98/99)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: administrative boundary with Kenya does not coincide with international boundary; Egypt asserts its claim to the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km under partial Sudanese administration that is defined by an administrative boundary which supersedes the treaty boundary of 1899

======================================================================

@Suriname ————

Geography

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 163,270 sq km land: 161,470 sq km water: 1,800 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,707 km border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

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

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m highest point: Wilhelmina Gebergte 1,286 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 96% other: 4% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 600 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment—current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography—note: mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population, most of which lives along the coast

People

Population: 431,156 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33% (male 72,673; female 69,212) 15-64 years: 62% (male 135,573; female 130,700) 65 years and over: 5% (male 10,585; female 12,413) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.71% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 21.75 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.75 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.92 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 26.52 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.89 years male: 68.32 years female: 73.59 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.55 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Surinamer(s) adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups: Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15.3%, "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10.3%, Amerindian 2.6%, Chinese 1.7%, white 1%, other 1.1%

Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%

Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 95% female: 91% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Suriname conventional short form: Suriname local long form: Republiek Suriname local short form: Suriname former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Data code: NS

Government type: republic

Capital: Paramaribo

Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular—distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system: based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jules WIJDENBOSCH (since 14 September 1996); Vice President Pretaapnarian RADHAKISHUN (since 14 September 1996); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jules WIJDENBOSCH (since 14 September 1996); Vice President Pretaapnarian RADHAKISHUN (since 14 September 1996); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly note: First Advisor of State maintains significant power elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate receives a constitutional majority vote in the National Assembly after two votes, by the larger People's Assembly (869 representatives from the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms; election last held 23 May 1996; runoff election held 5 September 1996 (next to be held NA May 2001) election results: Jules WIJDENBOSCH elected president; percent of legislative vote—NA; National Assembly failed to elect president; results reflect votes cast by the People's Assembly—Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP) received 438 votes, Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) received 407 votes

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or National Assemblee (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 23 May 1996 (next to be held NA May 2001) election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—NDP 16, NF 14, BVD 5, KTPI 5, Pertjaja Luhur 4, The Progressive Development Alliance 3, DA '91 2, OPDA 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (justices nominated for life)

Political parties and leaders: The New Front or NF (a coalition Democratic Alternative '91 or DA '91 (a coalition of the AF and BEP, Development Alliance (a combination of two parties, HPP and PVF)

Political pressure groups and leaders: Union for Liberation and

International organization participation: ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arnold Theodoor HALFHIDE chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis K. HAYS embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: P. O. Box 1821, American Embassy Paramaribo, Department of State, Washington, DC, 20521-3390

Flag description: five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Economy

Economy—overview: The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. After assuming power in the fall of 1996, the WIJDENBOSCH government ended the structural adjustment program of the previous government, claiming it was unfair to the poorer elements of society. Tax revenues fell as old taxes lapsed and the government failed to implement new tax alternatives. By the end of 1997, the allocation of new Dutch development funds was frozen as Surinamese Government relations with the Netherlands deteriorated. Economic growth slowed in 1998, with decline in the mining, construction, and utility sectors. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on renewed commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$1.48 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 2% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,500 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 32% services: 58% (1996)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% (1998 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force—by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 20% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $393 million expenditures: $403 million, including capital expenditures of $34 million (1997 est.)

Industries: bauxite and gold mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity—production: 1.62 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 19.75% hydro: 80.25% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 1.62 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp

Exports: $548.84 million (1997)

Exports—commodities: alumina, aluminum, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports—partners: Norway 24%, Netherlands 22%, US 22%, France 9.5%, Japan 7.6%, UK 6.5% (1997)

Imports: $551.8 million (1997)

Imports—commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports—partners: US 48%, Netherlands 21.2%, UK 5.1%, Japan 4% (1997)

Debt—external: $216 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid—recipient: $76.4 million (1995); note?the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996

Currency: 1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1—850 (January 1999); central bank midpoint rate: 401.00 (1998), 401.00 (1997), 401.26 (1996), 442.23 (1995), 134.12 (1994); parallel rate: 800 (December 1998), 412 (December 1995), 510 (December 1994) note: beginning July 1994, the central bank midpoint exchange rate was unified and became market determined; during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 43,522 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: international facilities good domestic: microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 32, shortwave 1

Radios: 290,256 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (in addition, there are seven repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 59,598 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 166 km (single track) standard gauge: 80 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 86 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways: total: 4,530 km paved: 1,178 km unpaved: 3,352 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 1,200 km; most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways

Ports and harbors: Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen

Airports: 46 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 41 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 34 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements), Civil Police

Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 118,686 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 69,842 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $8.5 million (1997 est.)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.6% (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: claims area in French Guiana between Litani Rivier and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa Rivier); claims area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined mostly for Europe

======================================================================

@Svalbard ————

Geography

Location: Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates: 78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 62,049 sq km land: 62,049 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Area—comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,587 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia territorial sea: 4 nm

Climate: arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain: wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Natural resources: coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (no trees and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: ice floes often block up the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Environment—current issues: NA

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

Geography—note: northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

People

Population: 2,503 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: -3.55% (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 years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

Ethnic groups: Russian and Ukrainian 62%, Norwegian 38%, other NEGL% (1994)

Languages: Russian, Norwegian

Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen)

Data code: SV

Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered by the Ministry of Industry, Oslo, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was given to Norway

Government type: NA

Capital: Longyearbyen

Independence: none (territory of Norway)

National holiday: NA

Legal system: NA

Executive branch: chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991) head of government: Governor Ann-Kristin OLSEN (since NA) and Assistant Governor Jan-Atle HANSEN (since NA September 1993) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice

International organization participation: none

Flag description: the flag of Norway is used

Economy

Economy—overview: Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some trapping of seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus.

GDP: $NA

GDP—real growth rate: NA%

GDP—per capita: $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: NA

Budget: revenues: $11.7 million expenditures: $11.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

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

Exports: $NA

Imports: $NA

Economic aid—recipient: $8.7 million from Norway (1997)

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)

Communications

Telephones: NA

Telephone system: domestic: local telephone service international: satellite earth station—1 of NA type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1 (repeaters 2), shortwave 0 note: there are five meteorological/radio stations

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

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

Ports and harbors: Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 4 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 3 under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Military

Military—note: demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia

======================================================================

@Swaziland ————-

Geography

Location: Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 17,360 sq km land: 17,200 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources: asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 62% forests and woodland: 7% other: 20% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment—current issues: limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion

Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geography—note: landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People

Population: 985,335 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 227,675; female 228,733) 15-64 years: 51% (male 243,853; female 259,950) 65 years and over: 3% (male 9,866; female 15,258) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.91% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 40.8 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 21.72 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 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 101.87 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 38.11 years male: 36.86 years female: 39.4 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.92 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups: African 97%, European 3%

Religions: Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%

Languages: English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.7% male: 78% female: 75.6% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form: Swaziland

Data code: WZ

Government type: monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital: Mbabane; note—Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital

Administrative divisions: 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence: 6 September 1968 (from UK)

National holiday: Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution: none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines for a constitution have been compiled but so far none have been accepted

Legal system: based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: NA; note—no suffrage before September 1993; 55 of the 65 seats in the House of Assembly were filled by popular vote in the elections of September and October 1993; of a population of less than 1 million, the electorate numbered 283,693

Executive branch: chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas DLAMINI (since 9 August 1996) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (20 seats—10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 10 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats—10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly—last held NA September and NA October 1998 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: House of Assembly—balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Judicial branch: High Court, judges are appointed by the monarch; Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the monarch

Political parties and leaders: note: political parties are banned by the constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978; illegal parties are prohibited from holding large public gatherings illegal parties: People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA chancery: Suite 3M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alan R. McKEE embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane

Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Economy

Economy—overview: In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 60% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978, and health concerns have cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar and wood pulp are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives nearly all of its imports and to which it sends more than half of its exports. Remittances from Swazi workers in South African mines supplement domestically earned income by as much as 20%. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, and drought persist as problems for the future.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$4 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 2.6% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$4,200 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 42% 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): 8% (1998)

Labor force: NA

Labor force—by occupation: private sector about 70%, public sector about 30%

Unemployment rate: 22% (1995 est.)

Budget: revenues: $400 million expenditures: $450 million, including capital expenditures of $115 million (FY96/97)

Industries: mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates

Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (FY95/96)

Electricity—production: 415 million kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 49.4% hydro: 50.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 986 million kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 571 million kWh (1996) note: imports about 60% of its electricity from South Africa

Agriculture—products: sugarcane, cotton, maize, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, corn, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Exports: $972 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports—commodities: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, citrus and canned fruit (1996)

Exports—partners: South Africa 58%, EU 17%, Mozambique, North Korea (1995)

Imports: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports—commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals (1996)

Imports—partners: South Africa 96%, Japan, UK, Singapore (FY95/96)

Debt—external: $175 million (1998)

Economic aid—recipient: $55 million (1995)

Currency: 1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: emalangeni (E) per US$1—5.9812 (January 1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997), 4.2706 (1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490 (1994); note—the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand

Fiscal year: 1 April—31 March

Communications

Telephones: NA; 45,000 cellular telephone subscribers (1993 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios: 200,000 (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (in addition, there are seven repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 20,000 (1998 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 297 km; note—includes 71 km which are not in use narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways: total: 3,810 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 18 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force

Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 221,199 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 128,806 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $23 million (FY95/96)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY95/96)

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom

======================================================================

@Sweden ———

Introduction

Background: Having long lost its military prowess of the 17th century, Sweden has evolved into a prosperous and peaceful constitutional monarchy with a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements. As the 20th century comes to an end, this long successful formula is being undermined by high unemployment; the rising cost of a "cradle to the grave" welfare state; the decline of Sweden's competitive position in world markets; and indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe. A member of the European Union, Sweden chose not to participate in the introduction of the euro on 1 January 1999.

Geography

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 449,964 sq km land: 410,928 sq km water: 39,036 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 2,205 km border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline: 3,218 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas)

Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain: mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources: zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 68% other: 24% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,150 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment—current issues: acid rain damaging soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

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: strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

People

Population: 8,911,296 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 856,819; female 812,958) 15-64 years: 64% (male 2,896,383; female 2,802,571) 65 years and over: 17% (male 651,549; female 891,016) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.29% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.77 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.68 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: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.91 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.29 years male: 76.61 years female: 82.11 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Swede(s) adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups: white, Lapp (Sami), foreign-born or first-generation immigrants 12% (Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks)

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 94%, Roman Catholic 1.5%, Pentecostal 1%, other 3.5% (1987)

Languages: Swedish note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1979 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige

Data code: SW

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Stockholm

Administrative divisions: 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar, Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane, Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens, Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king); 6 June 1809 (constitutional monarchy was established)

National holiday: Day of the Swedish Flag, 6 June

Constitution: 1 January 1975

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977) head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister elected by the Parliament; election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote—131 votes out of 349

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2002) election results: percent of vote by party—Social Democrats 36.5%, Moderates 22.7%, Left Party 12%, Christian Democrats 11.8%, Center Party 5.1%, Liberal Party 4.7%, Greens 4.5%; seats by party—Social Democrats 131, Moderates 82, Left Party 43, Christian Democrats 42, Center Party 18, Liberal Party 17, Greens 16

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen, judges are appointed by the government (prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party [Goran formal leader but party spokesperson is Briger SCHLAUG]

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rolf EKEUS chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lyndon Lowell OLSON, Jr. embassy: Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch)

Flag description: blue with a yellow cross 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: Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole twentieth century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and 2% of the jobs. In recent years, however, this extraordinarily favorable picture has been clouded by budgetary difficulties, inflation, high unemployment, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. Sweden has harmonized its economic policies with those of the EU, which it joined at the start of 1995. Sweden decided not to join the euro system at its outset in January 1999 but plans to hold a referendum in 2000 on whether to join. Annual GDP growth is forecast for 2.2% and 2.6% in 1999 and 2000 respectively. Budgetary problems and shaky business confidence will constrain government plans to reduce unemployment.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$175 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 2.9% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$19,700 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 30.5% services: 67.3% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 4.552 million (1992)

Labor force—by occupation: community, social and personal services 38.3%, mining and manufacturing 21.2%, commerce, hotels, and restaurants 14.1%, banking, insurance 9%, communications 7.2%, construction 7%, agriculture, fishing, and forestry 3.2% (1991)

Unemployment rate: 6.3% plus about 5% in training programs (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $109.4 billion expenditures: $146.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)

Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (1998)

Electricity—production: 135.192 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 9.75% hydro: 37.52% nuclear: 52.62% other: 0.11% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 141.392 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 9.7 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 15.9 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: grains, sugar beets, potatoes; meat, milk

Exports: $85.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports—commodities: machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals

Exports—partners: EU 55% (Germany 11%, UK 9%, Denmark 6%, Finland 5%), Norway 8%, US 8% (1994)

Imports: $66.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports—commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing

Imports—partners: EU 68% (Germany 19%, UK 10%, Denmark 8%, France 6%), Norway 8%, US 6% (1997)

Debt—external: $66.5 billion (1994)

Economic aid—donor: ODA, $1.7 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1—7.8193 (January 1999), 7.9499 (1998), 7.6349 (1997), 6.7060 (1996), 7.1333 (1995), 7.7160 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 13 million (1996 est.)

Telephone system: excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cable carry most voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay network carries some additional telephone channels international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note—Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 360 (mostly repeaters), shortwave 0

Radios: 7.272 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 163 (1997)

Televisions: 3.5 million

Transportation

Railways: total: 13,415 km (includes 3,594 km of privately-owned railways) standard gauge: 13,415 km 1.435-m gauge (7,917 km electrified and 1,152 km double track) (1996)

Highways: total: 138,000 km paved: 105,018 km (including 1,330 km of expressways) unpaved: 32,982 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges

Pipelines: natural gas 84 km

Ports and harbors: Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall

Merchant marine: total: 154 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,894,783 GRT/1,528,077 DWT ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 28, chemical tanker 28, combination ore/oil 4, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 24, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 39, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 13 (1998 est.)

Airports: 255 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways: total: 145 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 82 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 24 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 110 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 105 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force

Military manpower—military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 2,076,903 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,817,554 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 52,486 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $4.9 billion (FY97/98)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY97/98)

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: none

Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for and consumer of narcotics shipped via the CIS and Baltic states; increasing consumer of European amphetamines

======================================================================

@Switzerland —————-

Introduction

Background: Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland did not participate in either World War I or II. The political and economic integration of Europe since World War II may be rendering obsolete Switzerland's concern for neutrality.

Geography

Location: Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 41,290 sq km land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 28% forests and woodland: 32% other: 28% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Environment—current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

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 Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography—note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe

People

Population: 7,275,467 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (male 639,970; female 611,876) 15-64 years: 68% (male 2,509,988; female 2,417,580) 65 years and over: 15% (male 444,482; female 651,571) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.2% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 10.53 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.06 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.49 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.87 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.99 years male: 75.83 years female: 82.32 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.46 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Religions: Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, no religion 8.9% (1990)

Languages: German 63.7%, French 19.2%, Italian 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9%

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: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian) local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian)

Data code: SZ

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Bern

Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons, singular—canton in French; cantoni, singular—cantone in Italian; kantone, singular—kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence: 1 August 1291

National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution: 29 May 1874

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1999); Vice President Adolf OGI (since 1 January 1999); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1999); Vice President Adolf OGI (since 1 January 1999); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly from among its own members for a four-year term elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held NA December 1998 (next to be held NA December 1999) election results: Ruth DREIFUSS elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote—Ruth DREIFUSS 75%; Adolf OGI elected vice president; percent of legislative vote —NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats—members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats—members are elected by popular vote on a basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Council of States—last held throughout 1997 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council—last held 20 October 1995 (next to be held probably 24 October 1999) election results: Council of States—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—FDP 17, CVP 16, SVP 5, SPS 5, LPS 2, LdU 1; National Council—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—FDP 45, SPS 54, CVP 34, SVP 29, Greens 9, LPS 7, FPS 7, LdU 3, EVP 2, SD 3, PdAdS 3, Ticino League 1, EDU 1, FRAP 1, CSP 1

Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court, judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida (Landesring der Unabhaengigen or LdU, Alliance des Independants or Party (Schweizer Demokraten or SD, Democrates Suisses or DS, Democratici Svizzeri or DS), Liberal Party (Liberale Partei der Schweiz or LPS, Parti Liberal Suisse or PLS, Partito Liberale Svizzero or PLS), Workers' Party (Parti Suisse du Travail or PST, Partei der Arbeit der Schweiz or PdAdS, Partito Svizzero del Lavoro or PSdL), Evangelical People's Party (Evangelische Volkspartei der Schweiz or EVP, Parti Evangelique Suisse or PEV, Partito Evangelico Svizzero or PEV), and the Union of Federal Democrats (Eidgenossisch-Demokratische Union or EDU, Union Democratique Federale or UDF, Unione Democratica Federale or UDF)

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred DEFAGO chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Madeleine May KUNIN embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address

Flag description: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

Economy

Economy—overview: Switzerland, a fundamentally prosperous and stable modern economy with a per capita GDP 15%-20% above that of the big West European economies, experienced an export-driven upturn in its economy in 1998. The downturn in the global economy, however, will have a cooling effect on the 1998 boom in the Swiss export sector, including financial services, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and special-purpose machines. A major downturn in the Swiss economy should still be avoided, as consumer and capital spending have picked up and will keep the economy moving in 1999. GDP growth in 1999 is expected to come in around 1.4%. The growing political and economic union of Europe suggests that Switzerland's time-honored neutral separation is becoming increasingly obsolete. Thus, when the surrounding trade partners launched the euro on 1 January 1999, their firms began prodding Swiss exporters and importers to keep their accounts in euros.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$191.8 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 2% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$26,400 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 31.1% services: 66.1% (1995)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1982)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0% (1998)

Labor force: 3.8 million (850,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian)

Labor force—by occupation: services 67%, manufacturing and construction 29%, agriculture and forestry 4% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 3.6% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $32.66 billion expenditures: $34.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion (1998 est.)

Industries: machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1998 est.)

Electricity—production: 54.815 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 3.99% hydro: 52.73% nuclear: 43.27% other: 0.01% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 53.765 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 24.2 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 23.15 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Exports: $94.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports—commodities: machinery 29%, chemicals 28%, metals, watches, agricultural products (1997)

Exports—partners: EU 61% (Germany 23%, France 9%, Italy 8%, UK 6%, Austria 3%), US 10%, Japan 4% (1997)

Imports: $95.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports—commodities: machinery 22%, chemicals 16%, vehicles, metals, agricultural products, textiles (1997)

Imports—partners: EU 79% (Germany 32%, France 12%, Italy 10%, Netherlands 5%, UK 5%),, US 7%, Japan 3% (1997)

Debt—external: $NA

Economic aid—donor: ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SFR) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi

Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SFR) per US$1—1.3837 (January 1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 5.24 million (1996 est.); 307,000 cellular telephone subscribers (1994 est.)

Telephone system: excellent domestic and international services domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 1 (1997)

Radios: 2.8 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 108 (1997)

Televisions: 2.647 million licenses (1996)

Transportation

Railways: total: 4,479 km (1,564 km double track) standard gauge: 3,304 km 1.435-m gauge (3,288 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,165 km 1.000-m gauge (1,057 km electrified); 10 km 0.750-m or 0.800-m gauge (1996)

Highways: total: 71,048 km (including 1,613 km of expressways) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12 navigable lakes

Pipelines: crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km

Ports and harbors: Basel

Merchant marine: total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 412,459 GRT/724,995 DWT ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 1, chemical tanker 5, oil tanker 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 67 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 15 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 25 under 914 m: 25 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards

Military manpower—military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 1,867,290 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,592,696 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 41,204 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $3.1 billion (1999)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.2% (1999)

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: none

Illicit drugs: because of more stringent government regulations, used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

======================================================================

@Syria ——-

Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 185,180 sq km land: 184,050 sq km water: 1,130 sq km note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Area—comparative: slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries: total: 2,253 km border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline: 193 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 41 nm territorial sea: 35 nm

Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically hitting Damascus

Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 28% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 43% forests and woodland: 3% other: 22% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 9,060 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms

Environment—current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography—note: there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1998 est.)

People

Population: 17,213,871 (July 1999 est.) note: in addition, there are about 37,200 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights—18,200 Arabs (16,500 Druze and 1,700 Alawites) and about 19,000 Israeli settlers (August 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 4,032,620; female 3,840,431) 15-64 years: 51% (male 4,515,274; female 4,322,415) 65 years and over: 3% (male 246,812; female 256,319) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.15% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 36.95 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.4 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 36.42 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.09 years male: 66.75 years female: 69.48 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.37 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian

Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages: Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.8% male: 85.7% female: 55.8% (1997 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic conventional short form: Syria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah local short form: Suriyah former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Data code: SY

Government type: republic under military regime since March 1963

Capital: Damascus

Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Independence: 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

National holiday: National Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution: 13 March 1973

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971); note—President ASAD seized power in the November 1970 coup, assumed presidential powers 22 February 1971, and was confirmed as president in the 12 March 1971 national elections; Vice Presidents 'Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984) head of government: Prime Minister Mahmud ZUBI (since 1 November 1987), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Dr. Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981), and Rashid AKHTARINI (since 4 July 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 8 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Hafiz al-ASAD reelected president; percent of vote—Hafiz al-ASAD 99%

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party—NPF 67%, non-NPF 33%; seats by party—NPF 167, independents 83; note—the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receive one-half of the seats

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court, justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president; High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts

Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Front (NPF) includes: the ruling Arab Socialist secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National

Political pressure groups and leaders: non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence; Communist party ineffective; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen)

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Walid MUALEM chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Economy

Economy—overview: Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a shaky footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive economic reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the great distance between major water supplies and population centers poses serious distribution problems. The water problem is exacerbated by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the agricultural, energy, and export sectors. Oil production is leveling off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded technological base, and weak educational system make it vulnerable to future shocks and hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and Israel.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$41.7 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 2% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,500 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 26% industry: 21% services: 53% (1997)

Population below poverty line: 15%-25%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15%-20% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 4.7 million (1998 est.)

Labor force—by occupation: services 40%, agriculture 40%, industry 20% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12%-15% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $3.5 billion expenditures: $4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Industries: petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining

Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (1996 est.)

Electricity—production: 19.3 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 63.73% hydro: 36.27% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 19.3 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Exports: $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports—commodities: petroleum 65%, textiles 16%, food and live animals 13%, manufactures 6% (1997 est.)

Exports—partners: Italy 18%, Germany 13%, France 12%, Turkey 10%, Lebanon 7%, Spain 6% (1997 est.)

Imports: $5.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports—commodities: machinery and equipment 40%, foodstuffs/animals 15%, metal and metal products 15%, textiles 10%, chemicals 10%, consumer goods 5% (1997 est.)

Imports—partners: Ukraine 14%, Italy 7%, Germany 6%, Turkey 5%, France 4%, South Korea 4%, Japan 4%, US 3% (1997 est.)

Debt—external: $22 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid—recipient: $327.3 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Syrian pound (LS) = 100 piastres

Exchange rates: Syrian pounds (LS) per US$1—46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997); official fixed rate 11.225

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 541,465 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations—1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: 3.392 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 54 (of which 36 are low-power stations and repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 700,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 1,998 km broad gauge: 1,766 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 232 km 1.050-m gauge

Highways: total: 41,451 km paved: 9,575 km (including 877 km of expressways) unpaved: 31,876 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 870 km; minimal economic importance

Pipelines: crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km

Ports and harbors: Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Merchant marine: total: 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 401,407 GRT/578,081 DWT ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 115, livestock carrier 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 104 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 80 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 63 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force

Military manpower—military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 4,060,995 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,271,539 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 188,546 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $800 million-$1 billion (1997 est.); note—based on official budget data that understate actual spending

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 8% (1995 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976

Illicit drugs: a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets

======================================================================

@Taiwan ———

Introduction

Background: In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan, however it reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government that over five decades has gradually democratized and incorporated native Taiwanese within its structure. Throughout this period, the island has prospered as one of East Asia's economic tigers. The dominant political issue continues to be the relationship between Taiwan and Mainland China and the question of eventual reunification.

Geography

Location: Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 35,980 sq km land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,448 km

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

Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m

Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 55% other: 15%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons

Environment—current issues: air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Environment—international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People

Population: 22,113,250 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 2,515,398; female 2,338,506) 15-64 years: 70% (male 7,825,953; female 7,574,836) 65 years and over: 8% (male 989,040; female 869,517) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.93% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 14.63 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.32 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.01 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.49 years male: 74.38 years female: 80.85 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%

Religions: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% (1998 est.) male: 93% (1980 est.) female: 79% (1980 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan

Data code: TW

Government type: multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly elected president

Capital: Taipei

Administrative divisions: since in the past the authorities claimed to be the government of all China, the central administrative divisions include the provinces of Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); note—the more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province—16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization

National holiday: National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution)

Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, and 1997

Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President LEE Teng-hui (succeeded to the presidency following the death of President CHIANG Ching-kuo 13 January 1988, elected by the National Assembly 21 March 1990, elected by popular vote in the first-ever direct elections for president 23 March 1996); Vice President LIEN Chan (since 20 May 1996) head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Vincent SIEW (since 1 September 1997) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) LIU Chao-shiuan (since 10 December 1997) cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier election results: LEE Teng-hui elected president; percent of vote—LEE Teng-hui 54%, PENG Ming-min 21%, LIN Yang-kang 15%, and CHEN Li-an 10%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats—168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected by popular vote among the aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (334 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Legislative Yuan—last held 5 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2001); National Assembly—last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Legislative Yuan—percent of vote by party—KMT 46%, DPP 29%, CNP 7%, independents 10%, other parties 8%; seats by party—KMT 123, DPP 70, CNP 11, independents 15, other parties 6; National Assembly—percent of vote by party—KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%; seats by party—KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6

Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan, justices appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental groups note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the ruling party's traditional stand that the island will eventually reunify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, IOC, WCL, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through a private institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia offices in Taipei at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung

Flag description: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy

Economy—overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities and partial government ownership of some large banks and industrial firms. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 8.5% a year during the past three decades. Export growth has been even faster and has provided the impetus for industrialization. Inflation and unemployment are low, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Agriculture contributes less than 3% to GDP, down from 35% in 1952. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved off-shore and replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The tightening of labor markets has led to an influx of foreign workers, both legal and illegal. Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from "the Asian flu" in 1998.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$362 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 4.8% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$16,500 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 35.3% services: 62% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (1998)

Labor force: 9.4 million (1997)

Labor force—by occupation: services 52%, industry 38%, agriculture 10% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 2.7% (1998)

Budget: revenues: $40 billion expenditures: $55 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1997)

Electricity—production: 134.906 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 63.2% hydro: 7.1% nuclear: 29.7% other: 0% (1997)

Electricity—consumption: 134.906 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: rice, wheat, corn, soybeans, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish

Exports: $122.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports—commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 21.7%, electronic products 14.8%, information/communications 11.8%, textile products 11.6% (1997)

Exports—partners: US 24.2%, Hong Kong 23.5%, Europe 15.1%, Japan 9.6% (1997)

Imports: $114.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports—commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 16.5%, electronic products 16.3%, chemicals 10.0%, precision instrument 5.6% (1997)

Imports—partners: Japan 25.4%, US 20.3%, Europe 18.9%, Hong Kong 1.7% (1997)

Debt—external: $80 million (1997 est.)

Economic aid—recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: New Taiwan dollars per US$1—32.45 (yearend 1997), 27.5 (1996), 27.4 (1995), 26.2 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 July—30 June

Communications

Telephones: 11.526 million (1998 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: extensive microwave radio relay trunk system on east and west coasts international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Radio broadcast stations: AM 158, FM 48, shortwave 21

Radios: 8.62 million

Television broadcast stations: 29 (in addition, there are two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 10.8 million (1996 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 4,600 km (519 km electrified); note—1,108 km belongs to the Taiwan Railway Administration and the remaining 3,492 km is dedicated to industrial use narrow gauge: 4,600 km 1.067-m

Highways: total: 19,634 km paved: 17,171 km (including 548 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,463 km (1997)

Pipelines: petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km

Ports and harbors: Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Merchant marine: total: 180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,106,573 GRT/7,963,834 DWT ships by type: bulk 47, cargo 30, combination bulk 3, container 72, oil tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 9, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1998 est.)

Airports: 39 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces

Military manpower—military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 6,544,602 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,019,737 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 204,711 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $7.446 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2.8% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does China

Illicit drugs: considered an important heroin transit point; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamines and heroin

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@Tajikistan —————

Introduction

Background: Tajikistan has experienced three changes of government and a civil war since it gained independence in September 1991 when the USSR collapsed. A peace agreement was signed in June 1997, but implementation is progressing slowly. Russian-led peacekeeping troops are deployed throughout the country, and Russian-commanded border guards are stationed along the Tajikistani-Afghan border.

Geography

Location: Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area: total: 143,100 sq km land: 142,700 sq km water: 400 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries: total: 3,651 km border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Terrain: Pamir and Alay mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Syrdariya 300 m highest point: Qullai Kommunizm 7,495 m

Natural resources: significant hydropower potential, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 4% other: 65% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 6,390 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment—current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides; part of the basin of the shrinking Aral Sea suffers from severe overutilization of available water for irrigation and associated pollution

Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography—note: landlocked

People

Population: 6,102,854 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (male 1,250,344; female 1,224,355) 15-64 years: 55% (male 1,661,488; female 1,681,839) 65 years and over: 4% (male 122,065; female 162,763) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.43% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 27.46 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 7.85 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 114.78 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.28 years male: 61.15 years female: 67.57 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.48 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani

Ethnic groups: Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of emigration), other 6.6%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 5%

Languages: Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston local short form: none former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: TI

Government type: republic

Capital: Dushanbe

Administrative divisions: 2 oblasts (viloyatho, singular—viloyat) and one autonomous oblast* (viloyati mukhtori); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshoni* (Khorugh—formerly Khorog), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa—formerly Kurgan-Tyube), Viloyati Leninobod (Khujand—formerly Leninabad) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence: 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: National Day, 9 September (1991)

Constitution: 6 November 1994

Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Yahyo AZIMOV (since 8 February 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly for approval elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 6 November 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of vote—Emomali RAHMONOV 58%, Abdumalik ABDULLOJANOV 40%

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli (181 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 26 February and 12 March 1995 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: percent of vote by party—NA; estimated seats by party—Communist Party and affiliates 100, People's Party 10, Party of People's Unity 6, Party of Economic and Political Renewal 1, other 64

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: Tajik Communist Party or CPT from the People's Party and Party of People's Unity; United Tajik

International organization participation: CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM, ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Tajikistan does not have an embassy in the US, but has a mission at the UN: address—136 East ALIMOV

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert FINN embassy: temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in Almaty mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: NA FAX: NA

Flag description: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven five-pointed gold stars is located in the center of the white stripe

Economy

Economy—overview: Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the former Soviet republics. Agriculture dominates the economy, with cotton the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The Tajikistani economy has been gravely weakened by five years of civil conflict and by the loss of subsidies from Moscow and of markets for its products. Tajikistan thus depends on aid from Russia and Uzbekistan and on international humanitarian assistance for much of its basic subsistence needs. Even if the peace agreement of June 1997 is honored, the country faces major problems in integrating refugees and former combatants into the economy. Moreover, constant political turmoil and the continued dominance by former communist officials have impeded the introduction of meaningful economic reforms. Still in a post-conflict status, the future of Tajikistan's economy and the potential for attracting foreign investment depend upon stability and progress in the peace process.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$6 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 5.3% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$990 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 35% services: 40% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 46.3% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 1.9 million (1996)

Labor force—by occupation: agriculture and forestry 52%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 17%, services 31% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 5.7% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers and unregistered unemployed people (December 1998)

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

Industries: aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (1998 est.)

Electricity—production: 13.555 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 4.09% hydro: 95.91% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 12.555 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 3.8 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 2.8 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports: $740 million (1998 est.)

Exports—commodities: cotton, aluminum, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles

Exports—partners: FSU 78%, Netherlands (1994)

Imports: $810 million (1998 est.)

Imports—commodities: fuel, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, textiles, foodstuffs

Imports—partners: FSU 55%, Switzerland, UK (1994)

Debt—external: $1 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid—recipient: $64.7 million (1995)

Currency: the Tajikistani ruble (TJR) = 100 tanga

Exchange rates: Tajikistani rubles (TJR) per US$1—998 (January 1999), 350 (January 1997), 284 (January 1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 303,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network domestic: cable and microwave radio relay international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics, and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations—1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: 1 state-owned radio broadcast station of NA type

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 0 (there are, however, repeaters that relay programs from Russia, Iran, and Turkey) (1997)

Televisions: NA

Transportation

Railways: total: 480 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines (1990)

Highways: total: 13,700 km paved: 11,330 km (note—these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced) unpaved: 2,370 km (1996 est.)

Pipelines: natural gas 400 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 59 (1994 est.)

Airports—with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1994 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 45 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 36 (1994 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Presidential National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower—availability: males age 15-49: 1,478,551 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,211,514 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—reaching military age annually: males: 65,001 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $19.3 million (1997)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.8% (1997)

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: most of the boundary with China in dispute; territorial dispute with Kyrgyzstan on northern boundary in Isfara Valley area

Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivation of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption; opium poppy cultivation negligible in 1998 because of government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe

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@Tanzania ————

Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 945,090 sq km land: 886,040 sq km water: 59,050 sq km note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Area—comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 3,402 km border countries: Burundi 451 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline: 1,424 km

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

Climate: varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain: plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources: hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 40% forests and woodland: 38% other: 18% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,500 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: the tsetse fly; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

Environment—current issues: soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture

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

Geography—note: Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa

People

Population: 31,270,820 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 6,926,149; female 6,967,416) 15-64 years: 53% (male 8,030,141; female 8,437,978) 65 years and over: 3% (male 415,074; female 494,062) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.14% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 40.37 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 16.75 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 95.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)