Introductory material (continued 21)

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 7 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election on NA June 2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: FZ

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Mayotte

Economy - overview: Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $85 million (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $600 (1998 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 48,800 (2000)

Unemployment rate: 38% (1999)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)

Industries: newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Exports: $3.44 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities: ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon

Exports - partners: France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000)

Imports: $141.3 million f.o.b. (1997)

Imports - commodities: food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals

Imports - partners: France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (1995)

Currency: euro (EUR)

Currency code: EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mayotte

Telephones - main lines in use: 12,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 3 (2001)

Televisions: 3,500 (1994)

Internet country code: .yt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation Mayotte

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Dzaoudzi

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Mayotte

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French forces stationed on the island

Transnational Issues Mayotte

Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Mexico

Introduction Mexico

Background: The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000 as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Geography Mexico

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US

Geographic coordinates: 23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references: North America

Area: total: 1,972,550 sq km land: 1,923,040 sq km water: 49,510 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Coastline: 9,330 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate: varies from tropical to desert

Terrain: high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 13.2% permanent crops: 1.1% other: 85.7% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 65,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Environment - current issues: scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion note: the government considers the lack of clean water and deforestation national security issues

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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: strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico

People Mexico

Population: 104,907,991 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.3% (male 17,298,964; female 16,617,728) 15-64 years: 63.1% (male 32,217,513; female 33,932,603) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 2,145,252; female 2,695,931) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 23.8 years male: 22.9 years female: 24.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.43% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 21.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 26.78 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.3 years male: 69.26 years female: 75.49 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 150,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,200 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mexican(s) adjective: Mexican

Ethnic groups: mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Languages: Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.2% male: 94% female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Government Mexico

Country name: conventional long form: United Mexican States conventional short form: Mexico local short form: Mexico local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Administrative divisions: 31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave, Yucatan, Zacatecas

Independence: 16 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution: 5 February 1917

Legal system: mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government election results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent of vote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa (PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74% elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of attorney general requires consent of the Senate head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote, also for three-year terms) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 15, PVEM 5, PT 1, CD 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 224, PAN 153, PRD 95, other 28 elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders: Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro]; Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Dulce Maria SAURI Riancho]; Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO Mena]; Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Amalia GARCIA Medina]; Party of the Nationalist Society or PSN [Gustavo RIOJAS Santana]; Social Alliance Party or PAS [Guillermo CALDERON Dominguez]; Workers Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; National Union of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC; Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation: APEC, BCIE, BIS, Caricom (observer), CDB, CE (observer), EBRD, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Jose BREMER Martino FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698 consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico (California), Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Saint Louis, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona) consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico) chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900 telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000 FAX: [52] (55) 5080-2005, 5080-2834 consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) is centered in the white band

Economy Mexico

Economy - overview: Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity, natural gas distribution, and airports. Income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Following 6.9% growth in 2000, real GDP fell 0.3% in 2001, recovering to only a plus 1% in 2002, with the US slowdown the principal cause. Mexico implemented free trade agreements with Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and the European Free Trade Area in 2001, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. Foreign direct investment reached $25 billion in 2001, of which $12.5 billion came from the purchase of Mexico's second-largest bank, Banamex, by Citigroup.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $924.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 26% services: 69% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 41.1% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 53.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 39.8 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 20%, industry 24%, services 56% (1998)

Unemployment rate: urban - 3% plus considerable underemployment (2002)

Budget: revenues: $136 billion expenditures: $140 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 4.9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production: 198.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.7% hydro: 14.2% other: 2.9% (2001) nuclear: 4.2%

Electricity - consumption: 186.7 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 77 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 2.068 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 3.59 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 1.507 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: 1.881 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: 374,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 25.03 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production: 36.87 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 38.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 254 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 2.967 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 969.2 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Exports: $158.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners: US 82.7%, Canada 5.4%, Japan 1.1% (2002)

Imports: $168.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities: metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners: US 70.6%, Germany 3.5%, Japan 2.7% (2002)

Debt - external: $150 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $1.166 billion (1995)

Currency: Mexican peso (MXN)

Currency code: MXN

Exchange rates: Mexican pesos per US dollar - 9.66 (2002), 9.34 (2001), 9.46 (2000), 9.56 (1999), 9.14 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mexico

Telephones - main lines in use: 12.332 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.02 million (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: low telephone density with about 12 main lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile cellular service international: satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 851, FM 598, shortwave 16 (2000)

Radios: 31 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 25.6 million (1997)

Internet country code: .mx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 51 (2000)

Internet users: 3.5 million (2002)

Transportation Mexico

Railways: total: 19,510 km standard gauge: 19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 329,532 km paved: 108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways) unpaved: 221,445 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 2,900 km note: navigable rivers and coastal canals

Pipelines: crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km

Ports and harbors: Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas, La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Merchant marine: total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 636,271 GRT/933,686 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 26, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Canada 2, Denmark 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 1,823 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 231 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 82 under 914 m: 27 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 83

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,592 under 914 m: 1,067 (2002) over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 454 1,524 to 2,437 m: 69

Heliports: 2 (2002)

Military Mexico

Military branches: National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) (including Army and Air Force), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age note: starting in 2000, females were allowed to volunteer for military service (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 27,751,539 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 20,123,970 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,093,752 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Mexico

Disputes - international: prolonged regional drought in the border region with the US has strained water-sharing arrangements

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 - 4,400 hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America; major drug syndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; growing producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Micronesia, Federated States of

Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of

Background: In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Geography Micronesia, Federated States of

Location: Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 15 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 702 sq km note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie) water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) land: 702 sq km

Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 6,112 km

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

Climate: tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

Terrain: islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Natural resources: forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Land use: arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 45.71% other: 48.58% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues: overfishing, climate change, pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People Micronesia, Federated States of

Population: 108,143 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.4% (male 21,163; female 20,335) 15-64 years: 58.5% (male 31,746; female 31,477) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 1,558; female 1,864) (2003 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.04% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 26.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -20.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 32.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 35.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 28.97 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.13 years male: 67.39 years female: 70.95 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Ethnic groups: nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

Languages: English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.)

Government Micronesia, Federated States of

Country name: conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none abbreviation: FSM former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986; economic provisions of the Compact are being renegotiated

Capital: Palikir

Administrative divisions: 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Independence: 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution: 10 May 1979

Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral Congress (14 seats; members elected by popular vote; four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms; and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: no formal parties

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IMF, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam) FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry M. DINGER embassy: address NA, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186

Flag description: light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern

Economy Micronesia, Federated States of

Economy - overview: Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. In November 2002, the country experienced a further reduction in future revenues from the Compact of Free Association - the agreement with the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion in financial and technical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $277 million note: $277 million $277 million GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 4% services: 46% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 26.7%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2002 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: two-thirds are government employees

Unemployment rate: 16% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% hydro: 0%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens

Exports: $22 million (f.o.b.) (FY 99/00 est.)

Exports - commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Exports - partners: Japan, US, Guam (2000)

Imports: $149 million f.o.b. (FY 99/00 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Imports - partners: US, Australia, Japan (2000)

Debt - external: $53.1 million (FY 02/03 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used 1

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Micronesia, Federated States of

Telephones - main lines in use: 11,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: newly installed in Pohnpei and Yap

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 9,400 (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 2,800 (1999)

Internet country code: .fm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 2,000 (2000)

Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen

Merchant marine: none note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: US 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 7 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Micronesia, Federated States of

Military - note: Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense

Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Midway Islands

Introduction Midway Islands

Background: The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a national wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to the public. It is now temporarily closed.

Geography Midway Islands

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Geographic coordinates: 28 13 N, 177 22 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 6.2 sq km note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island water: 0 sq km land: 6.2 sq km

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15 km

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

Climate: subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain: low, nearly level

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for reorganization at present (2003)

People Midway Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services cooperator living at the atoll (July 2003 est.)

Government Midway Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationally closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October 1996, through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Midway Islands

Economy - overview: The economy is based on providing support services for the national wildlife refuge activities located on the islands. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Transportation Midway Islands

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

Waterways: none

Pipelines: 7.8 km

Ports and harbors: Sand Island

Airports: 2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Military Midway Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Midway Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Moldova

Introduction Moldova

Background: Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001.

Geography Moldova

Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 33,843 sq km water: 472 sq km land: 33,371 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Land use: arable land: 54.08% permanent crops: 12.1% other: 33.82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Environment - current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note: landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

People Moldova

Population: 4,439,502 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.1% (male 477,063; female 459,992) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 1,465,248; female 1,584,402) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 168,068; female 284,729) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 32 years male: 29.8 years female: 34.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.13% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 14.31 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 12.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 38.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 44.81 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.88 years male: 60.63 years female: 69.35 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 300 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups: Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.) note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Religions: Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

Languages: Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.6% female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Government Moldova

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local short form: none former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia local long form: Republica Moldova

Government type: republic

Capital: Chisinau

Administrative divisions: 9 counties (judetele, singular - judetul), 1 municipality* (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei, Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni

Independence: 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Constitution: new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979

Legal system: based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since NA 2002), Deputy Prime Minister Stefan ODAGIU (since NA 2002) cabinet: selected by prime minister, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note - presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July 2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's failure to chose a new president in December 2000 led to early parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001 election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CHRISTEA 3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs, as well as independent candidates, elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 50.1%, Braghis Alliance 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCM 71, Braghis Alliance 19, PPCD 11

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)

Political parties and leaders: Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Social Democratic Union (composed of Braghis Alliance and the Democratic Party of Moldova) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela Hyde SMITH embassy: 103 Alexei Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72 FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44

Flag description: same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Economy Moldova

Economy - overview: Moldova remains a very poor country despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth, of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 5.3% in 2003. Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.51 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 23% services: 49% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.6 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 1.7 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $536 million expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production: 3.394 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 3.216 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 60 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Exports: $590 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners: Russia 35%, Italy 11.7%, Germany 8.8%, Ukraine 8.5%, Romania 5.7%, US 5.2%, Belarus 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (2002)

Imports: $980 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000)

Imports - partners: Russia 23.9%, Ukraine 13.4%, Germany 12.6%, Italy 8.3%, Romania 8.2% (2002)

Debt - external: $1.3 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient: $100 million (2000)

Currency: Moldovan leu (MDL)

Currency code: MDL

Exchange rates: lei per US dollar - NA (2002), 12.87 (2001), 12.43 (2000), 10.52 (1999), 5.37 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Moldova

Telephones - main lines in use: 627,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,200 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced international: service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 3.22 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.26 million (1997)

Internet country code: .md

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)

Internet users: 15,000 (2000)

Transportation Moldova

Railways: total: 1,300 km broad gauge: 1,300 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 12,657 km paved: 11,012 km unpaved: 1,645 km (1999)

Waterways: 424 km (1994)

Pipelines: gas 606 km (2003)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 36 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 28 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Military Moldova

Military branches: Ground Forces (includes Air and Air Defense Forces), Republic Security Forces (includes paramilitary Internal Troops and Border Troops)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,180,874 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 936,629 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 44,084 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6.4 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Moldova

Disputes - international: difficulties with the Transnistria region complicate border crossing and customs with Ukraine, facilitating smuggling, arms transfers, and other illegal activities

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Monaco

Introduction Monaco

Background: Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center.

Geography Monaco

Location: Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 24 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 1.95 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1.95 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km

Coastline: 4.1 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain: hilly, rugged, rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban

People Monaco

Population: 32,130 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,551; female 2,445) 15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,814; female 10,130) 65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,937; female 4,253) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 45 years male: 43 years female: 47 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.44% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 9.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 12.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 7.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.27 years male: 75.37 years female: 83.37 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s) adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups: French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%

Languages: French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Monaco

Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Monaco conventional short form: Monaco local short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Monaco

Administrative divisions: none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Independence: 1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National holiday: National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Constitution: 17 December 1962

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

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch (born 14 March 1958) elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERCQ (since 5 January 2000)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16 members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional representation; to serve five-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UNAM 21, UND 3 elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held NA February 2008)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders: National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ECE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Monaco does not have an embassy in the US consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red

Economy Monaco

Economy - overview: Monaco, situated on the French Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In 2001, a major new construction project will extend the pier used by cruise ships in the main harbor. The principality has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates below are extremely rough.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 30,540 (January 1994)

Unemployment rate: 3.1% (1998)

Budget: revenues: $518 million expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Industries: tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

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

Agriculture - products: none

Exports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

Imports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: euro (EUR)

Currency code: EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Monaco

Telephones - main lines in use: 31,027 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: modern automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios: 34,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1998)

Televisions: 25,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Monaco

Railways: total: 1.7 km standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Monaco

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: none; linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter service (2002)

Heliports: 1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice, France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2002)

Military Monaco

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Monaco

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Mongolia

Introduction Mongolia

Background: The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Genghis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Over the next four years, the DUC put forward a number of key reforms to modernize the economy and to democratize the political system. The former Communists were a strong opposition that stalled additional restructuring and made implementation difficult. In 2000, the MPRP won an overwhelming victory in the legislature - with 72 of the 76 seats - and completely reshuffled the government. While it continues many of the reform policies, the MPRP has focused on social welfare and public order priorities.

Geography Mongolia

Location: Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 1.565 million sq km water: 9,600 sq km land: 1,555,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 8,162 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,485 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain: vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources: oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate

Land use: arable land: 0.84% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.16% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 840 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud", which is harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on the environment

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

People Mongolia

Population: 2,712,315 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.7% (male 423,081; female 408,119) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 890,482; female 892,140) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 42,292; female 56,201) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 23.5 years male: 23.2 years female: 23.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.42% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 21.39 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 57.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 53.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 60.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.81 years male: 61.63 years female: 66.09 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups: Mongol (predominantly Khalkha) 85%, Turkic (of which Kazakh is the largest group) 7%, Tungusic 4.6%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 3.4% (1998)

Religions: Tibetan Buddhist Lamaism 96%, Muslim (primarily in the southwest), Shamanism, and Christian 4% (1998)

Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.2% female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Mongolia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Mongolia local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia local long form: none

Government type: parliamentary

Capital: Ulaanbaatar

Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Independence: 11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday: Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution: 12 February 1992

Legal system: blend of Soviet, German, and US systems of law that combines aspects of a parliamentary system with some aspects of a presidential system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 26 July 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation with the president elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural; election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president; percent of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 58.13%, Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ (DP) 36.58%, Luvsandamba DASHNYAM (CWP) 3.54%, other 1.75%; Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected prime minister by a vote in the State Great Hural of 68 to 3

Legislative branch: unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MPRP 72, other 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts for approval by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Citizens' Will Party or CWP (also called Civil Will Party or Civil Courage Party) [Sanjaasurengyn OYUN]; Democratic Party or DP [D. DORLIGJAN]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or MNSDP [B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIHAN] note: the MPRP is the ruling party

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP (provisional), EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. Slutz embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13 mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [976] (11) 329095 FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Flag description: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)

Economy Mongolia

Economy - overview: Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits; copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990-1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was driven into deep recession, prolonged by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious economic reform. The Democratic Coalition (DC) government embraced free-market economics, eased price controls, liberalized domestic and international trade, and attempted to restructure the banking system and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization programs were undertaken, as well as the fostering of foreign investment through international tender of the oil distribution company, a leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back by the ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability brought about through four successive governments under the DC. Economic growth picked up in 1997-1999 after stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper and cashmere. In August and September 1999, the economy suffered from a temporary Russian ban on exports of oil and oil products, and Mongolia remains vulnerable in this sector. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor community pledged over $300 million per year at the Consultative Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999. The MPRP government, elected in July 2000, is anxious to improve the investment climate; it must also deal with a heavy burden of external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly primary sector exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and adverse effects of weather on agriculture in early 2000 and 2001 restrained real GDP growth in 2000-2001. Despite drought problems in 2002, GDP rose 4.0%, followed by a solid 5.0% increase in 2003. The first applications under the land privatization law have been marked by a number of disputes over particular sites. Russia claims Mongolia owes it $11 billion from the old Soviet period; any settlement could substantially increase Mongolia's foreign debt burden.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.06 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32% industry: 23% services: 45% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 24.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 33.2 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 1.4 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: primarily herding/agricultural

Unemployment rate: 20% (2000)

Budget: revenues: $386 million expenditures: $427 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Industries: construction materials, mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages, processing of animal products

Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production: 2.225 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.194 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 25 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 196 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses

Exports: $501 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Exports - partners: China 43.8%, US 33.6%, Russia 9.6% (2002)

Imports: $659 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Imports - partners: Russia 32%, China 19.4%, South Korea 12.1%, US 9.1%, Germany 4.7%, Japan 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external: $913 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $208.7 million (1999 est.)

Currency: togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Currency code: MNT

Exchange rates: togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,134 (2002), 1,097.7 (2001), 1,076.67 (2000), 1,021.87 (1999), 840.83 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mongolia

Telephones - main lines in use: 104,100 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 110,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each thousand persons domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios: 155,900 (1999)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions: 168,800 (1999)

Internet country code: .mn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 40,000 (2002)

Transportation Mongolia

Railways: 1,815 km broad gauge: 1,815 km 1.524-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 49,250 km paved: 1,724 km unpaved: 47,526 km (2000)

Waterways: 400 km (1999)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 50 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 40 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Military Mongolia

Military branches: Mongolian Armed Forces (includes General Purpose Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense Troops); note - Border Troops are under Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs in peacetime

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 796,449 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 516,502 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 32,529 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $23.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mongolia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Montserrat

Introduction Montserrat

Background: Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995.

Geography Montserrat

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 62 12 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 102 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)

Environment - current issues: land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geography - note: the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes

People Montserrat

Population: 8,995 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.4% (male 1,062; female 1,041) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 2,805; female 3,066) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 537; female 484) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 27.8 years male: 27.7 years female: 27.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 4.5% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 17.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 7.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 34.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.36 years male: 76.24 years female: 80.59 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups: black, white

Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

Languages: English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.)

Government Montserrat

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

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)

Administrative divisions: 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution: present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Legal system: English common law and statutory law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Anthony LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held NA April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court)

Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross

Economy Montserrat

Economy - overview: Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.4% industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity

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

Unemployment rate: 6% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)

Industries: tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 2.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.325 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products

Exports: $700,000 (2001)

Exports - commodities: electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle

Exports - partners: US, Antigua and Barbuda

Imports: $17 million (2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Imports - partners: US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada

Debt - external: $8.9 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient: Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Montserrat

Telephones - main lines in use: 4,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 70 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 3,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ms

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Montserrat

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 227 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: none; only airport was destroyed by volcanic activity; a helicopter service to Antigua is used (2002)

Military Montserrat

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Montserrat

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Morocco

Introduction Morocco

Background: Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997.

Geography Morocco

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 446,550 sq km land: 446,300 sq km water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 2,017.9 km border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline: 1,835 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Terrain: northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use: arable land: 20.12% permanent crops: 2.05% other: 77.83% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 12,910 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

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

Geography - note: strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People Morocco

Population: 31,689,265 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.2% (male 5,360,666; female 5,162,168) 15-64 years: 62% (male 9,766,222; female 9,876,647) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 676,357; female 847,205) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 23 years male: 22.5 years female: 23.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.64% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 44.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 48.76 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.04 years male: 67.77 years female: 72.41 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan

Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51.7% male: 64.1% female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Government Morocco

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco conventional short form: Morocco local short form: Al Maghrib local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Rabat

Administrative divisions: 37 provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi, Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit; three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan and Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara note: as part of a 1997 decentralization/regionalization law passed by the legislature 16 new regions (provided below) were created although full details and scope of the reorganization are limited : Casablanca, Chaouia-Ourdigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulmane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate

Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday: Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999)

Constitution: 10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996

Legal system: based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Executive branch: chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2003); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, FFD 12, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, MDS 7, PSD 6, Al Ahd 5, ADL 4, GSU 3, PML 3, PRD 3, FC 2, PDI 2, PED 2, CNI 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party (formerly the Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement) or PJD [Abdelkrim EL KHATIB]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI, chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abderrahman EL-YOUSSOUFI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982 chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ms. Margaret TUTWILER embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 90718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag description: red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional color of Islam

Economy Morocco

Economy - overview: Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries - restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic growth. Following structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is now fully convertible for current account transactions, and reforms of the financial sector have been implemented. Droughts depressed activity in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy in 1999 and 2000. During that time, however, Morocco reported large foreign exchange inflows from the sale of a mobile telephone license and partial privatization of the state-owned telecommunications company. Favorable rainfall in 2001 led to a growth of 6.5%. Good harvest conditions continued to support GDP growth in 2002. Formidable long-term challenges include: servicing the external debt; modernizing the industrial sector; preparing the economy for freer trade with the EU and US; and improving education and attracting foreign investment to boost living standards and job prospects for Morocco's youth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $121.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 33% services: 52% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 19% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 39.5 (1998-99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 11 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 50%, services 35%, industry 15% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 19% (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $13.8 billion expenditures: $14.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1 billion (2001 est.)

Industries: phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 13.35 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.4% hydro: 4.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 14.61 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 2.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 167,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 900,000 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production: 50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 665.4 million cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Exports: $7.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits, vegetables

Exports - partners: France 26.5%, Spain 14.3%, UK 7.9%, Germany 5.8%, Italy 5.6%, US 4.8% (2002)

Imports: $10.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Imports - partners: France 20.9%, Spain 12.6%, Italy 6.3%, Germany 5.5%, US 4.6%, UK 4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external: $17.7 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $565.6 million (1995)

Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code: MAD

Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.02 (2002), 11.3 (2001), 10.63 (2000), 9.8 (1999), 9.6 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Morocco

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.391 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 116,645 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each 100 persons domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay international: 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios: 6.64 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ma

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000)

Internet users: 400,000 (2002)

Transportation Morocco

Railways: total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2002)

Highways: total: 57,707 km paved: 32,547 km (including 481 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,160 km (2000)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2003)

Ports and harbors: Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and Melilla

Merchant marine: total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 247,591 GRT/268,356 DWT ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 7, container 6, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Hong Kong 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 63 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 37 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 14

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Morocco

Military branches: Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 8,595,797 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,411,846 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 351,671 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.4 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Morocco

Disputes - international: claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected other proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of hashish; trafficking increasing for both domestic and international drug markets; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Mozambique

Introduction Mozambique

Background: Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement with rebel forces ended the fighting in 1992. Heavy flooding in both 1999 and 2000 severely hurt the economy. Political stability and sound economic policies have encouraged recent foreign investment.

Geography Mozambique

Location: South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 S, 35 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 801,590 sq km water: 17,500 sq km land: 784,090 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,571 km border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Coastline: 2,470 km

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

Climate: tropical to subtropical

Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Natural resources: coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

Land use: arable land: 3.98% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 95.73% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central and southern provinces

Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem

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

Geography - note: the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country

People Mozambique

Population: 17,479,266 note: 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; the 1997 Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.1% (male 3,634,173; female 3,725,396) 15-64 years: 55.3% (male 4,712,891; female 4,945,123) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 189,778; female 271,905) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 19 years male: 18.7 years female: 19.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.82% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 38.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 30.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 199 deaths/1,000 live births female: 180.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 216.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 31.3 years male: 30.98 years female: 31.63 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.87 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 13% 12.6 to 16.4%, estimates vary (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.1 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 60,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mozambican(s) adjective: Mozambican

Ethnic groups: indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe, Manyika, Sena, Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages: Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.8% male: 63.5% female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mozambique

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: Mozambique local short form: Mocambique former: Portuguese East Africa local long form: Republica de Mocambique

Government type: republic

Capital: Maputo

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Maputo City*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Independence: 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Constitution: 30 November 1990

Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6 November 1986); note - before being popularly elected, CHISSANO was elected president by Frelimo's Central Committee on 4 November 1986 (reelected by the Committee 30 July 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since 17 December 1994) cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO reelected president; percent of vote - Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO 52.29%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 47.71%