AFGHANISTAN (continued 22)
Reading edition
Electricity - consumption: 116 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish
Exports: $91 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities: fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)
Exports - partners: France, UK, Netherlands, Italy, China, Germany, Japan
Imports: $403 million (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products
Imports - partners: South Africa, UK, China, Singapore, France, Italy
Debt - external: $149 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $16.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1 - 5.3060 (September 1999), 5.2622 (1998), 5.0263 (1997), 4.9700 (1996), 4.7620 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Seychelles:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 17,844 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,249 (1997)
Telephone system: domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago international: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 42,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 11,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
@Seychelles:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 280 km paved: 176 km unpaved: 104 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Victoria
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 14 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 4 (1999 est.)
@Seychelles:Military
Military branches: Army, Coast Guard, Marines, air wing, National Guard, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 22,677 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 11,345 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $13 million (FY93)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.8% (FY93)
@Seychelles:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claims Chagos Archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory
______________________________________________________________________
SIERRA LEONE
@Sierra Leone:Introduction
Background: Since 1991, civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well over one-third of the population) many of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. A peace agreement, signed on 7 July 1999, offers hope that the country will be able to rebuild its devastated economy and infrastructure, but previous peace efforts have failed. As of late 1999, up to 6,000 UN peacekeepers were in the process of deploying to bolster the peace accord.
@Sierra Leone:Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 11 30 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 71,740 sq km land: 71,620 sq km water: 120 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
Coastline: 402 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
Terrain: coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
Natural resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 31% forests and woodland: 28% other: 33% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 290 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (November to May); sandstorms, dust storms
Environment - current issues: rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
@Sierra Leone:People
Population: 5,232,624 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.73% (male 1,148,264; female 1,192,533) 15-64 years: 52.16% (male 1,305,039; female 1,424,076) 65 years and over: 3.11% (male 81,291; female 81,421) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.67% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 45.63 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 19.58 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 10.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) note: by the end of 1999 refugees from Sierra Leone are assumed to be returning
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 148.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 45.25 years male: 42.37 years female: 48.21 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.08 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean
Ethnic groups: 20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-eighteenth century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians
Religions: Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
Languages: English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic total population: 31.4% male: 45.4% female: 18.2% (1995 est.)
@Sierra Leone:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone conventional short form: Sierra Leone
Data code: SL
Government type: constitutional democracy
Capital: Freetown
Administrative divisions: 3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*
Independence: 27 April 1961 (from UK)
National holiday: Republic Day, 27 April (1961)
Constitution: 1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times
Legal system: based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election held 26-27 February and 15 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); note - president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH elected president; percent of vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 59.5%, John Karefa-Smart (UNPP) 40.5%
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (80 seats - 68 elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 26-27 February 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 36.1%, UNPP 21.6%, PDP 15.3%, APC 5.7%, NUP 5.3%, DCP 4.8%, other 11.2%; seats by party - SLPP 27, UNPP 17, PDP 12, APC 5, NUP 4, DCP 3; note - first elections since the former House of Representatives was shut down by the military coup of 29 April 1992
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: All People's Congress or APC [Edward Mohammed TURAY, chairman]; Democratic Centre Party or DCP [Adu Aiah KOROMA]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA ; National Republican Party or NRP ; National Unity Party or NUP ; People's Democratic Party or PDP ; People's Progressive Party or PPP ; Revolutionary United Front Party or RUFP ; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP ; United National People's Party or UNPP [John KARIFA-SMART in exile, Raymond KAMARA, acting leader]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John Ernest LEIGH chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 939-9261 through 9263 FAX: (202) 483-1793
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph MELROSE embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (22) 226481 through 226485 FAX: (22) 225471
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue
@Sierra Leone:Economy
Economy - overview: Sierra Leone has substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Bauxite and rutile mines have been shut down by civil strife. The major source of hard currency is found in the mining of diamonds, the large majority of which are smuggled out of the country. The resurgence of internal warfare in 1999 brought another substantial drop in GDP. The fate of the economy in 2000 depends on the mid-1999 peace accord holding and the rebels reopening territory under their control.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -10% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $500 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 52% industry: 16% services: 32% (1996)
Population below poverty line: 68% (1989 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 30% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 1.369 million (1981 est.) note: only about 65,000 wage earners (1985)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $96 million expenditures: $150 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 235 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 219 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Exports: $41 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities: diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish
Exports - partners: Benelux 49%, Spain 10%, US 8%, UK 3% (1997)
Imports: $166 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals
Imports - partners: UK 24%, Cote d'Ivoire 14%, Benelux 10%, US 8% (1997)
Debt - external: $1.15 billion (1998)
Economic aid - recipient: $203.7 million (1995)
Currency: 1 leone (Le) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: leones (Le) per US$1 - 2,324.77 (January 2000), 1,804.20 (1999), 1,563.62 (1998), 981.48 (1997), 920.73 (1996), 755.22 (1995)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Sierra Leone:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 17,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: marginal telephone and telegraph service domestic: national microwave radio relay system made unserviceable by military activities international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios: 1.12 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1999)
Televisions: 53,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Sierra Leone:Transportation
Railways: total: 84 km used on a limited basis because the mine at Marampa is closed narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge
Highways: total: 11,300 km paved: 904 km unpaved: 10,396 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 800 km; 600 km navigable year round
Ports and harbors: Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel
Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,105 GRT/1,307 DWT ships by type: specialized tanker 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 10 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
@Sierra Leone:Military
Military branches: Army
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,119,540 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 543,124 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $46 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY96/97)
@Sierra Leone:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
SINGAPORE
@Singapore:Introduction
Background: Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, Singapore joined Malaysia in 1963, but withdrew two years later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries, with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita GDP above that of the leading nations of Western Europe.
@Singapore:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 1 22 N, 103 48 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 647.5 sq km land: 637.5 sq km water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 193 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy; no pronounced rainy or dry seasons; thunderstorms occur on 40% of all days (67% of days in April)
Terrain: lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 5% other: 87% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
@Singapore:People
Population: 4,151,264 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 390,352; female 365,730) 15-64 years: 75% (male 1,520,875; female 1,590,355) 65 years and over: 7% (male 124,413; female 159,539) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.54% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 12.79 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 26.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 3.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.05 years male: 77.1 years female: 83.23 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.16 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore
Ethnic groups: Chinese 77%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.6%, other 1.4%
Religions: Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist
Languages: Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.1% male: 95.9% female: 86.3% (1995 est.)
@Singapore:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Singapore
Data code: SN
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Singapore
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)
National holiday: National Day, 9 August (1965)
Constitution: 3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution)
Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990) and Tony TAN Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held NA August 2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president unopposed
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 2 January 1997 (next to be held by 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 65% (in contested constituencies), other 35%; seats by party - PAP 81, WP 1, SPP 1; note - subsequent to the election, there was a change in the distribution of seats, the new distribution is as follows: PAP 80, WP 1, SPP 1, vacant 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice; Court of Appeals
Political parties and leaders: National Solidarity Party or NSP [C. K. TAN]; People's Action Party or PAP - the governing party; Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore People's Party or SPP ; Workers' Party or WP
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, Australia Group (observer), BIS, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 537-3100 FAX: (202) 537-0876 consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Steven J. GREEN embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507 telephone: 476-9100 FAX: 476-9340
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
@Singapore:Economy
Economy - overview: Singapore is blessed with a highly developed and successful free-market economy, a remarkably open and corruption-free business environment, stable prices, and the fifth highest per capita GDP in the world. Exports, particularly in electronics and chemicals, and services are the main drivers of the economy. The government promotes high levels of savings and investment through a mandatory savings scheme and spends heavily in education and technology. It also owns government-linked companies (GLCs) - particularly in manufacturing - that operate as commercial entities and account for 60% of GDP. As Singapore looks to a future increasingly marked by globalization, the country is positioning itself as the region's financial and high-tech hub.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $98 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,800 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NEGL% industry: 28% services: 72%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.4% (1999)
Labor force: 1.932 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation: financial, business, and other services 38%, manufacturing 21.6%, commerce 21.4%, construction 7%, other 12%
Unemployment rate: 3.2% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $13.9 billion expenditures: $16.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $8.1 billion (FY98/99 est.)
Industries: electronics, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, biotechnology
Industrial production growth rate: 14% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 26.586 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 24.725 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables; poultry, eggs, fish, vegetables, orchids, ornamental fish
Exports: $114 billion (1999)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment (including electronics) 63%, chemicals, mineral fuels (1998)
Exports - partners: US 19%, Malaysia 17%, Hong Kong 8%, Japan 7%, Taiwan 5%, Thailand 4%, UK 4%, China 3%, Germany 3% (1998)
Imports: $111 billion (1999)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 57%, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs (1998)
Imports - partners: US 17%, Japan 17%, Malaysia 16%, Thailand 5%, China 5%, Taiwan 4%, Germany, Saudi Arabia (1998)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.6733 (January 2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Singapore:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 54.6 million (including 46.62 million that serve facsimile machines, computers, and other communication devices) (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.02 million (1998)
Telephone system: good domestic facilities; good international service domestic: NA international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios: 2.55 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1997)
Televisions: 1.33 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (1999)
@Singapore:Transportation
Railways: total: 38.6 km narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge note: there is a 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations
Highways: total: 3,122 km paved: 3,038 km (including 150 km of expressways) unpaved: 84 km (1998)
Ports and harbors: Singapore
Merchant marine: total: 891 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,808,813 GRT/34,783,544 DWT ships by type: bulk 140, cargo 121, chemical tanker 66, combination bulk 6, combination ore/oil 6, container 162, liquified gas 26, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 3, petroleum tanker 294, refrigerated cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off 10, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 36 (1999 est.) note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 22 countries among which are Japan 41, Denmark 35, Sweden 28, Thailand 28, Hong Kong 26, Germany 19, Taiwan 19, and Indonesia 11 (1998 est.)
Airports: 9 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
@Singapore:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,278,525 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 932,978 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.4 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.9% (FY98/99)
@Singapore:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: two islands in dispute with Malaysia
Illicit drugs: transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to North America, Western Europe, and the Third World; also a money-laundering center
______________________________________________________________________
SLOVAKIA
@Slovakia:Introduction
Background: In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia has experienced more difficulty than the Czech Republic in developing a modern market economy.
@Slovakia:Geography
Location: Central Europe, south of Poland
Geographic coordinates: 48 40 N, 19 30 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 48,845 sq km land: 48,800 sq km water: 45 sq km
Area - comparative: about twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries: total: 1,355 km border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 515 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 90 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain: rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m highest point: Gerlachovka 2,655 m
Natural resources: brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land
Land use: arable land: 31% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 17% forests and woodland: 41% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests
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, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: landlocked
@Slovakia:People
Population: 5,407,956 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 538,780; female 514,427) 15-64 years: 69% (male 1,854,779; female 1,880,584) 65 years and over: 12% (male 236,072; female 383,314) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.12% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 10 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 9.29 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.74 years male: 69.71 years female: 77.98 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.25 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Slovak(s) adjective: Slovak
Ethnic groups: Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Gypsy 1.6% (the 1992 census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000), Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German 0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)
Religions: Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%
Languages: Slovak (official), Hungarian
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
@Slovakia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Slovak Republic conventional short form: Slovakia local long form: Slovenska Republika local short form: Slovensko
Data code: LO
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Bratislava
Administrative divisions: 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech and Slovak Republics)
National holiday: Slovak Constitution Day, 1 September (1992); Anniversary of Slovak National Uprising, 29 August (1944)
Constitution: ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president
Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15 June 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October 1998) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 30 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); note - following the National Council elections in September 1998, the Constitution was changed to allow direct election of the president; following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Rudolf SCHUSTER won the first direct popular election with 57% of the vote note: government coalition - SDK, SDL, SMK, SOP
Legislative branch: unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25-26 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS 27%, SDK 26.3%, SDL 14.7%, SMK 9.1%, SNS 9.1%, SOP 8%; seats by party - governing coalition 93 (SDK 42, SDL 23, SMK 15, SOP 13), opposition 57 (HZDS 43, SNS 14)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are elected by the National Council; Constitutional Court, judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the parliament
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH ; Coexistence ; Democratic Party or DS ; Democratic Union or DU ; Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement or MKDH ; Hungarian Civic Party or MOS ; Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or HZDS ; Party of Civic Understanding or SOP [Pavol HAMZIK]; Party of Greens in Slovakia or SZS ; Party of the Democratic Center or SDS ; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL ; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK (includes MKDH, MOS, and Coexistence) ; Slovak Democratic Coalition or SDK (includes KDH, DS, DU, SSDS, SZS) [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS ; Social Democratic Party of Slovakia or SSDS ; SMER [Robert FICO]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Christian Social Union; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG; Party of Entrepreneurs and Businessmen of Slovakia
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin BUTORA chancery: (temporary) Suite 250, 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: (202) 965-5161 FAX: (202) 965-5166
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas HENGEL embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (7) 5443-0861, 5443-3338 FAX: (7) 5441-5148
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue
@Slovakia:Economy
Economy - overview: Slovakia continues the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. It started 1999 faced with a sharp slowdown in GDP growth, large budget and current account deficits, fast-growing external debt, and persisting corruption, but made considerable progress toward achieving macroeconomic stabilization later in the year. Tough austerity measures implemented in May cut the overall fiscal deficit from 6% in 1998 to under 4% of GDP, and the current account deficit was halved to an estimated 5% of GDP. Slovakia was invited by the EU in December to begin accession negotiations early in 2000. Foreign investor interest, although rising, has not yet led to actual deals; several credit rating agencies have upgraded their outlook for the country. However, Slovakia's fiscal position remains weak; inflation and unemployment remain high; and the government is only now addressing the structural problems inherited from the MECIAR period, such as large inefficient enterprises, an insolvent banking sector and high inter-company debts, and declining tax and social support payments. Furthermore, the government faces considerable public discontent over the government's austerity package, persistent high unemployment - which reached an all-time high of 20% in December 1999 - rising consumer prices, reduced social benefits, and declining living standards. Real GDP is forecast to stagnate in 2000; inflationary pressures will remain strong due to further price liberalization; and little scope exists for further fiscal consolidation in the 2000 budget, which is based on rosier assumptions than nearly all private forecasts.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $45.9 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.9% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,500 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 33% services: 62% (1998)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 3.32 million (1997)
Labor force - by occupation: industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 20% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $5.4 billion expenditures: $5.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Industries: metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products
Industrial production growth rate: 0.9% (1998)
Electricity - production: 20.035 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 24% hydro: 20% nuclear: 56% other: 0% (1999 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 23.3 billion kWh (1999 est.)
Electricity - exports: 920 million kWh (1999 est.)
Electricity - imports: 840 million kWh (1999 est.)
Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products
Exports: $10.1 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 37%; intermediate manufactured goods 30%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%; chemicals 9%; raw materials 4% (1998)
Exports - partners: EU 56% (Germany 29%, Austria 7%), Czech Republic 20%, Poland 7% (1998)
Imports: $11.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 40%; intermediate manufactured goods 18%; fuels 11%; chemicals 11%; miscellaneous manufactured goods 10% (1998)
Imports - partners: EU 50% (Germany 26%, Italy 6%), Czech Republic 18%, Russia 10% (1998)
Debt - external: $10.6 billion (1999)
Economic aid - recipient: $421.9 million (1995)
Currency: 1 koruna (Sk) = 100 halierov
Exchange rates: koruny (Sk) per US$1 - 42.059 (January 2000), 41.363 (1999), 35.233 (1998), 33.616 (1997), 30.654 (1996), 29.713 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Slovakia:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 1.557 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 641,000 (1998)
Telephone system: domestic: predominantly an analog system which is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been added international: 3 international exchanges, 1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica, are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects which will increase the availability of external services
Radio broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 3.12 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 41 (1998)
Televisions: 2.62 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (1999)
@Slovakia:Transportation
Railways: total: 3,660 km broad gauge: 102 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 3,507 km 1.435-m gauge (1505 km electrified; 1,011 km double track) narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (1998)
Highways: total: 17,710 km paved: 17,533 km (including 288 km of expressways) unpaved: 177 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 172 km on the Danube
Pipelines: petroleum products NA km; natural gas 2,700 km
Ports and harbors: Bratislava, Komarno
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,041 GRT/19,517 DWT ships by type: cargo 3 (1999 est.)
Airports: 36 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 8 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 8 (1999 est.)
@Slovakia:Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, Civil Defense Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,484,567 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,134,751 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 45,605 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $332 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.7% (FY99)
@Slovakia:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: ongoing Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Hungary; agreement with Czech Republic signed 24 November 1998 resolves issues of redistribution of former Czechoslovak federal property - approval by both parliaments is expected in 2000
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe
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SLOVENIA COUNTRY FLAG OF SLOVENIA
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SOLOMON ISLANDS
@Solomon Islands:Introduction
Background: The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control.
@Solomon Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 5,313 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 88% other: 9% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
@Solomon Islands:People
Population: 466,194 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 105,024; female 101,065) 15-64 years: 53% (male 124,627; female 121,358) 65 years and over: 3% (male 6,935; female 7,185) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.04% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 34.79 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 4.35 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 25.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.28 years male: 68.86 years female: 73.81 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.8 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander
Ethnic groups: Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Religions: Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%
Languages: Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population note: 120 indigenous languages
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
@Solomon Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands
Data code: BP
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Honiara
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western note: there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished
Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Constitution: 7 July 1978
Legal system: English common law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Father John LAPLI (since NA 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU (since 27 August 1997); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Baddeley DEVESI (since 27 August 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: characterized by fluid coalitions; Christian Fellowship ; Group for National Unity and Reconciliation or GNUR ; Labor Party or LP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Liberal Party ; National Action Party of Solomon Islands or NAPSI ; National Party [leader NA]; Nationalist Front for Progress or NFP ; People's Alliance Party or PAP ; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP ; Solomon Islands National Unity, Reconciliation, and Progressive Party or SINURP (leader of opposition); United Party or UP
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Rex HOROI (represents the country as both the permanent representative to the UN and the ambassador to the US) chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017 telephone: (212) 599-6192, 6193 FAX: (212) 661-8925
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Flag description: divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
@Solomon Islands:Economy
Economy - overview: The bulk of the population depend on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. Economic troubles in Southeast Asia led to a steep downturn in the timber industry, and economic output declined by about 10% in 1998. The government instituted public service pay cuts and other retrenchments. The economy partially recovered in 1999 on the strength of rising international gold prices and the first full year of the Gold Ridge mining operation. However, the closure of the country's major palm oil plantation in mid-year cast a shadow over future prospects.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.21 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,650 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 3.5% services: 46.5% (1995)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 26,842
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $147 million expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: fish (tuna), mining, timber
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 30 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 28 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Exports: $142 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports - commodities: timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra
Exports - partners: Japan 50%, Spain 16%, UK, Thailand 5% (1996)
Imports: $160 million (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports - commodities: plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuel
Imports - partners: Australia 42%, Japan 10%, Singapore 9%, NZ 8%, US 5% (1996)
Debt - external: $135 million (1997)
Economic aid - recipient: $46.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1 - 5.0745 (January 2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.5664 (1997), 3.4059 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Solomon Islands:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 7,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 230 (1995)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 57,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Televisions: 3,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Solomon Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 33 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 21 (1999 est.)
@Solomon Islands:Military
Military branches: no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
@Solomon Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
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SOMALIA
@Somalia:Introduction
Background: Intermittent civil war has been a fact of life in Somalia since 1977. In 1991, the northern portion of the country declared its independence as Somaliland; although de facto independent and relatively stable compared to the tumultuous south, it has not been recognized by any foreign government. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored.
@Somalia:Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 637,657 sq km land: 627,337 sq km water: 10,320 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 2,366 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km
Coastline: 3,025 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 69% forests and woodland: 26% other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season
Environment - current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
@Somalia:People
Population: 7,253,137 note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 1,610,945; female 1,608,209) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,938,263; female 1,892,752) 65 years and over: 3% (male 90,717; female 112,251) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.9% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 47.7 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 18.69 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 125.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 46.23 years male: 44.66 years female: 47.85 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.18 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Somali(s) adjective: Somali
Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu, Arabs 30,000
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 24% male: 36% female: 14% (1990 est.)
@Somalia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Somalia former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic
Data code: SO
Government type: none
Capital: Mogadishu
Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
National holiday: NA
Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: Somalia has no functioning government; the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Major General Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the present political situation is one of anarchy, marked by interclan fighting and random banditry
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga note: not functioning
Judicial branch: (not functioning); note - following the breakdown of national government, most regions have reverted to Islamic law with a provision for appeal of all sentences
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi at Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mail address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: (2) 334141; FAX (2) 340838
Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)
Government - note: While chaos and clan fighting continue in most of Somalia, some orderly government has been established in the northern part. In May 1991, the elders of clans in former British Somaliland established the independent Republic of Somaliland, which, although not recognized by any government, maintains a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of the ruling clan and the economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. Neighboring Puntland has also made strides towards reconstructing legitimate, representative government. In February 1996, the EU agreed to finance the reconstruction of the port of Berbera; since then, other aid projects have been assumed by the EU and by a non-governmental Italian organization.
@Somalia:Economy
Economy - overview: One of the world's poorest and least developed countries, Somalia has few resources. Moreover, much of the economy has been devastated by the civil war. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. After livestock, bananas are the principal export; sugar, sorghum, corn, and fish are products for the domestic market. The small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, accounts for 10% of GDP; most facilities have been shut down because of the civil strife. Moreover, in 1999, ongoing civil disturbances in Mogadishu and outlying areas interfered with any substantial economic advance and with international aid arrangements.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.3 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $600 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 59% industry: 10% services: 31% (1995 est.)
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: 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)(1993 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: a few small industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 265 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 246 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: bananas, sorghum, corn, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish
Exports: $187 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports - commodities: livestock, bananas, hides, fish (1997)
Exports - partners: Saudi Arabia 57%, UAE 15%, Italy 12%, Yemen 8% (1997)
Imports: $327 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports - commodities: manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials (1995)
Imports - partners: Djibouti 20%, Kenya 11%, Belarus 11%, India 10%, Saudi Arabia 9%, Brazil 9% (1997)
Debt - external: $2.6 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $191.5 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Somali shilling (So. Sh.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1 - 2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995), 2,616 (1 July 1993), 4,200 (December 1992) note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling (So. Sh.)
Fiscal year: NA
@Somalia:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: NA
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: the public telecommunications system was completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; all relief organizations depend on their own private systems domestic: recently, local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers international: international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 4 (1988)
Radios: 470,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 135,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Somalia:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 22,100 km paved: 2,608 km unpaved: 19,492 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 15 km
Ports and harbors: Bender Cassim (Boosaaso), Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 61 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 54 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 10 (1999 est.)
@Somalia:Military
Military branches: no functioning central government military forces; clan militias continue to battle for control of key economic or political prizes
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,772,631 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 984,103 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
@Somalia:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: most of the southern half of the boundary with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden
______________________________________________________________________
SOUTH AFRICA
@South Africa:Introduction
Background: After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.
@South Africa:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Geographic coordinates: 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1,219,912 sq km land: 1,219,912 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 4,750 km border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Coastline: 2,798 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 67% forests and woodland: 7% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: prolonged droughts
Environment - current issues: lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
@South Africa:People
Population: 43,421,021 note: South Africa took a census October 1996 which showed a population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8% underenumeration based on a post-enumeration survey); estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.46% (male 7,094,756; female 6,999,009) 15-64 years: 62.76% (male 13,111,457; female 14,139,372) 65 years and over: 4.78% (male 782,397; female 1,294,030) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.5% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 24.56 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 14.69 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 58.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.1 years male: 50.41 years female: 51.81 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.47 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: South African(s) adjective: South African
Ethnic groups: black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Religions: Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%
Languages: 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.8% male: 81.9% female: 81.7% (1995 est.)
@South Africa:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of South Africa conventional short form: South Africa abbreviation: RSA
Data code: SF
Government type: republic
Capital: Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province, Western Cape
Independence: 31 May 1910 (from UK)
National holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Constitution: 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled for sometime between May and July 2004) election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation) note: ANC-IFP governing coalition
Legislative branch: bicameral parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NP 6.9%, UDM 3.4, FF 0.8%, other 4.3%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NP 28, UDM 14, FF 3, other 17; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders: African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP ; African National Congress or ANC ; Democratic Party or DP [Tony LEON, president]; Freedom Front or FF ; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP ; National Party (now the New National Party) or NP [Marthinus VAN SCHALKWYK, executive director]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC ; United Democratic Movement or UDM
Political pressure groups and leaders: Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU ; South African Communist Party or SACP ; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Makate Sheila SISULU chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 232-4400 FAX: (202) 265-1607 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Delano E. LEWIS embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Arcadia 0083 mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001 telephone: (12) 342-1048 FAX: (12) 342-2244 consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
Flag description: two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes note: prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in one - three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands, which has three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags are a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side
@South Africa:Economy
Economy - overview: South Africa is a middle-income, developing country with an abundant supply of resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to cut into the 30% unemployment, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially the problems of poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. Other problems are crime, corruption, and HIV/AIDS. At the start of 2000, President MBEKI vowed to promote economic growth and foreign investment by relaxing restrictive labor laws, stepping up the pace of privatization, and cutting unneeded governmental spending. His policies face strong opposition from organized labor.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $296.1 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0.6% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,900 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 35% services: 60% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 47.3% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.5% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 15 million economically active (1997)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 30% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $30.5 billion expenditures: $38 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (FY94/95 est.)
Industries: mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Industrial production growth rate: -5% (1998 est.)
Electricity - production: 192.015 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 92.09% hydro: 0.83% nuclear: 7.08% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 174.486 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 4.093 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 5 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Exports: $28 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: gold, diamonds, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
Exports - partners: UK, Italy, Japan, US, Germany (1997)
Imports: $26 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments
Imports - partners: Germany, US, UK, Japan
Debt - external: $25.7 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $676.3 million
Currency: 1 rand (R) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: rand (R) per US$1 - 6.12439 (January 2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996), 3.62709 (1995)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@South Africa:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 5.075 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: over 2,000,000 (1999)
Telephone system: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 13.75 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 5.2 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 58 (1999)
@South Africa:Transportation
Railways: total: 21,431 km narrow gauge: 20,995 km 1.067-m gauge (9,087 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 534,131 km paved: 63,027 km (including 2,032 km of expressways) unpaved: 471,104 km (1998 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km
Ports and harbors: Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Merchant marine: total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 274,797 GRT/270,837 DWT ships by type: container 6, petroleum tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 744 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 143 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 46 914 to 1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 11 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 601 1,524 to 2,437 m: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 303 under 914 m: 265 (1999 est.)
@South Africa:Military
Military branches: South African National Defense Force or SANDF (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service or SAPS
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 11,345,031 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 6,901,252 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 460,917 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2 billion (FY99/00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY99/00)
Military - note: the National Defense Force continues to integrate former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces
@South Africa:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
Illicit drugs: transshipment center for heroin and cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana
______________________________________________________________________
SOUTHERN OCEAN
@Southern Ocean:Introduction
Background: A spring 2000 decision by the International Hydrographic Organization delimited a fifth world ocean from the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The new ocean extends from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean is now the fourth-largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean but larger than the Arctic Ocean).
@Southern Ocean:Geography
Location: body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica
Geographic coordinates: 65 00 S, 0 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica, and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area: total: 20.327 million sq km note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of the US
Coastline: 17,968 km
Climate: sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Centigrade to -2 degrees Centigrade; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees Centigrade; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter
Terrain: the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep - its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133 meters); the Antarctic ice pack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million square kilometers in September, better than a sevenfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers
Elevation extremes: lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich Trench highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources: probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs, squid, whales, and seals - none exploited; krill, fishes
Natural hazards: huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue
Environment - current issues: increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries
Environment - international agreements: the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these agreements specific to the region: International Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (regulates fishing) note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the north
Geography - note: the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the very cold polar surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds
@Southern Ocean:Government
Data code: none; the US Government has not approved a standard for hydrographic codes - see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes appendix
@Southern Ocean:Economy
Economy - overview: Fisheries in 1998-1999 (1 July to 30 June) landed 119,898 metric tons, of which 85% was krill and 14% Patagonian toothfish. International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 1998-1999 season landed five to six times more Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery. In the 1998-1999 antarctic summer 10,013 tourists, most of them seaborne, visited the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, compared to 9,604 the previous year. Nearly 16,000 tourists are expected during the 1999-2000 season.
@Southern Ocean:Transportation
Ports and harbors: McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to short periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort; most antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60 degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treaty observers
Transportation - note: Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal
@Southern Ocean:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary in the Antarctica entry); sections (some overlapping) claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and UK; the US and most other nations do not recognize the maritime claims of other nations and have made no claims themselves (the US reserves the right to do so); no formal claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west
______________________________________________________________________
SOUTH GEORGIA
______________________________________________________________________
SPAIN
@Spain:Introduction
Background: Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating Civil War (1936-39). In the second half of the 20th century, it has played a catch-up role in the western international community. Continuing concerns are large-scale unemployment and the Basque separatist movement.
@Spain:Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 4 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 504,782 sq km land: 499,542 sq km water: 5,240 sq km note: includes Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - Ceuta, Melilla, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Land boundaries: total: 1,917.8 km border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km
Coastline: 4,964 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean) territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m
Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land
Land use: arable land: 30% permanent crops: 9% permanent pastures: 21% forests and woodland: 32% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 34,530 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
Geography - note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
@Spain:People
Population: 39,996,671 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 15% (male 3,046,379; female 2,866,712) 15-64 years: 68% (male 13,702,947; female 13,618,766) 65 years and over: 17% (male 2,830,607; female 3,931,260) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.11% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 9.22 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 9.03 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.79 years male: 75.32 years female: 82.49 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.15 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish
Ethnic groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
Languages: Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA%
@Spain:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local short form: Espana
Data code: SP
Government type: parliamentary monarchy
Capital: Madrid
Administrative divisions: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencian, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country) note: there are five places of sovereignty on and off the coast of Morocco: Ceuta and Melilla are administered as autonomous communities; Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera are under direct Spanish administration
Independence: 1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)
National holiday: National Day, 12 October
Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968 head of government: President of the Government Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President Francisco ALVAREZ CASCOS Fernandez (since 5 May 1996) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 5 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government elections: the monarch is hereditary; president proposed by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly following legislative elections; election last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA 2004); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on proposal of the president election results: Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (PP) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 44%
Legislative branch: bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); Congress of Deputies - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PP 127, PSOE 61, CiU 8, PNV 6, CC 5, PIL 1; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PP 44.5%, PSOE 34%, CiU 4.2%, IU 5.4%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1%, BNG 1.3%; seats by party - PP 183, PSOE 125, CiU 15, IU 8, PNV 7, CC 4, BNG 3, other 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo
Political parties and leaders: Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Xabier ARZALLUS Antia]; Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) ; Convergence and Union or CiU [Jordi PUJOL i Soley, secretary general] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC ); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG ; Party of Independents from Lanzarote or PIL ; Popular Party or PP ; Spanish Communist Party or PCE [Francisco FRUTOS]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Joaquin ALMUNIA Amann, secretary general]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small parties)
Political pressure groups and leaders: business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; Euskal Herritarok or EH ; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); on the extreme left, the Basque Fatherland and Liberty or ETA and the First of October Antifascist Resistance Group or GRAPO use terrorism to oppose the government; Opus Dei; Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; university students; Workers Confederation or CC.OO
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio OYARZABAL MARCHESI chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: (202) 452-0100, 728-2340 FAX: (202) 833-5670 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edward L. ROMERO embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid mailing address: APO AE 09642 telephone: (91) 587-2200 FAX: (91) 587-2303 consulate(s) general: Barcelona
Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar
@Spain:Economy
Economy - overview: Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is three-fourths that of the four leading West European economies. Its center-right government successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching the European single currency on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR administration has continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and has introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment, nonetheless, remains the highest in the EU at 16%. The government, for political reasons, has made only limited progress in changing labor laws or reforming pension schemes, which are key to the sustainability of both Spain's internal economic advances and its competitiveness in a single currency area. Adjustment to the monetary and other economic policies of an integrated Europe - and reducing the unacceptably high level of unemployment - will pose difficult challenges to Spain in the next few years.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $677.5 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.6% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,300 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.2% industry: 33.6% services: 63.2% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 16.2 million (1997 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 64%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 28%, agriculture 8% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 16% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $115 billion expenditures: $125 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 2.7% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 179.468 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 48.23% hydro: 19.16% nuclear: 31.23% other: 1.38% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 170.306 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 5.6 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 9 billion kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish
Exports: $112.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer goods
Exports - partners: EU 72% (France 20%, Germany 14%, Italy 9%, Portugal 9%, UK 8%), Latin America 7%, US 4% (1998)
Imports: $137.5 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods; foodstuffs, consumer goods (1997)
Imports - partners: EU 67% (France 18%, Germany 15%, Italy 10%, UK 8%, Benelux 8%), US 6%, OPEC 5%, Japan 3%, Latin America 4% (1998)
Debt - external: $90 billion (1993 est.)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.3 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999); pesetas (Ptas) per US$1 - 143.39 (January 1999), 149.40 (1998), 146.41 (1997), 126.66 (1996), 124.69 (1995) note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at a fixed rate of 166.386 pesetas per euro; the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Spain:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 17.336 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 8.394 million (1999)
Telephone system: generally adequate, modern facilities domestic: NA international: 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries
Radio broadcast stations: AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 13.1 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 228 (plus 2,112 repeaters); note - these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 89 repeaters in the Canary Islands (September 1995)
Televisions: 16.2 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 49 (1999)
@Spain:Transportation
Railways: total: 13,950 km broad gauge: 12,781 km 1.668-m gauge (6,358 km electrified; 2,295 km double track) standard gauge: 525 km 1.435-m gauge (525 km electrified) narrow gauge: 644 km 1.000-m gauge (438 km electrified) (1998)
Highways: total: 346,858 km paved: 343,389 km (including 9,063 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,469 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 1,045 km, but of minor economic importance
Pipelines: crude oil 265 km; petroleum products 1,794 km; natural gas 1,666 km
Ports and harbors: Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo
Merchant marine: total: 130 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,131,648 GRT/1,688,996 DWT ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 24, chemical tanker 9, container 9, liquified gas 2, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off 36, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 105 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 70 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 10 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 25 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1999 est.)
@Spain:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police, Coastal Civil Guard
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 10,569,785 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 8,481,690 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 295,335 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6 billion (FY97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY97)
@Spain:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Gibraltar issue with UK; Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas
Illicit drugs: key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin
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SPRATLY ISLANDS
@Spratly Islands:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 8 38 N, 111 55 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: less than 5 sq km land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea
Area - comparative: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 926 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: tropical
Terrain: flat
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
@Spratly Islands:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2000 est.)
@Spratly Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands
Data code: PG
@Spratly Islands:Economy
Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.
@Spratly Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 4 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)
@Spratly Islands:Military
Military - note: Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
@Spratly Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone, which encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands, but has not publicly claimed the island
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SRI LANKA
@Sri Lanka:Introduction
Background: Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.
@Sri Lanka:Geography
Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 65,610 sq km land: 64,740 sq km water: 870 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,340 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 14% permanent crops: 15% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 32% other: 32% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 5,500 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo