Introductory material (continued 30)

Military Syria

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

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,715,386 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,629,148 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 210,941 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.9% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Syria

Disputes - international: Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; Lebanon claims Shaba'a farms in Golan Heights; Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon since October 1976; Syria protests Turkish hydrological projects regulating upper Euphrates waters; Turkey is quick to rebuff any perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province

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

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Taiwan

Introduction Taiwan

Background: In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. It reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the native population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Geography Taiwan

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

Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

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

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,566.3 km

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

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

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

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

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

Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% other: 75%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons

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

Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status

Geography - note: strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait

People Taiwan

Population: 22,603,001 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.1% (male 2,366,560; female 2,175,886) 15-64 years: 70.6% (male 8,095,741; female 7,871,954) 65 years and over: 9.3% (male 1,074,112; female 1,018,747) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 33.2 years male: 32.9 years female: 33.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.65% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 12.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

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

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 6.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 7.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.87 years male: 74.12 years female: 79.88 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.57 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: Chinese/Taiwanese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese/Taiwanese

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

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

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

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86% male: 93% female: 79% (1980) note: literacy for the total population has reportedly increased to 94% (1998)

Government Taiwan

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

Government type: multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected president and unicameral legislature

Capital: Taipei

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

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

Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 1999

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

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000) election results: CHEN Shui-bian elected president; percent of vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 39.3%, James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu) (PFP) 36.84%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 23.1%, HSU Hsin-liang (independent) 0.63%, LEE Ao (CNP) 0.13% elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 18 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) YU Shyi-kun (since 1 February 2002) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) LIN Hsin-yi (since 1 February 2002) cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected by popular vote among the aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional representation within three months of a Legislative Yuan call to amend the Constitution, impeach the president, or change national borders) elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 8 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2004); note - the National Assembly is a nonstanding body and is called into session election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP 39%, KMT 30%, PFP 20%, TSU 6%, independents and other parties 5%; seats by party - DPP 87, KMT 68, PFP 46, TSU 13, independents and other parties 11

Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly; note - beginning in 2003, justices will be appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [CHEN Shui-bian, chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan, chairman]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu), chairman]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [HUANG Chu-wen, chairman]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or CNP

Political pressure groups and leaders: Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental groups note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IFRCS, IOC, WCL, WTrO

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office located at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices located at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2709-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2702-7675; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kao-hsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX: [886] (7) 223-8237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162

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

Economy Taiwan

Economy - overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Agriculture contributes 2% to GDP, down from 32% in 1952. While Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia, China has become the largest destination for investment and has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market. Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998. The global economic downturn, combined with problems in policy coordination by the administration and bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first year of negative growth ever recorded. Unemployment also reached record levels. Output recovered moderately in 2002 in the face of continued global slowdown, fragile consumer confidence, and bad bank loans. Growing economic ties with China are a dominant long-term factor. Exports to China - mainly parts and equipment for the assembly of goods for export to developed countries - drove Taiwan's economic recovery in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $406 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $18,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 31% services: 67% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 1% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 6.4% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32.6 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 10 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: services 58%, industry 35%, agriculture 7% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.2% (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $36 billion expenditures: $36.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Industries: electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2002)

Electricity - production: 151.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 22.6%

Electricity - consumption: 140.5 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 1,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 988,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 2 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production: 750 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 6.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 410 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 6.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 38.23 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish

Exports: $130 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 54%, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals (2002)

Exports - partners: Hong Kong 23.9%, US 20.8%, Japan 9.3%, China 7.7% (2002)

Imports: $113 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002)

Imports - partners: Japan 24.3%, US 16.1%, China 7.1%, South Korea 6.9% (2002)

Debt - external: $24.7 billion (2002)

Currency: new Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Currency code: TWD

Exchange rates: 34.88 (2002), 34.74 (2001), 33.09 (2000), 31.6 (1999)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)

Communications Taiwan

Telephones - main lines in use: 12.49 million (September 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 16 million (September 2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Radios: 16 million (1994)

Television broadcast stations: 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 8.8 million (1998)

Internet country code: .tw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000)

Internet users: 11.6 million (2001)

Transportation Taiwan

Railways: total: 1,108 km narrow gauge: 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified) note: there also are 1,255 km of 1.067-m gauge routes belonging to the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used to haul products and limited numbers of passengers (2002)

Highways: total: 35,931 km paved: 31,583 km (including 608 km of expressways) unpaved: 4,348 km (2000)

Waterways: NA

Pipelines: condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2003)

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

Merchant marine: total: 142 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,973,958 GRT/6,306,361 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Hong Kong 3, Japan 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 41, cargo 22, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 3, container 45, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 2

Airports: 39 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Heliports: 3 (2002)

Military Taiwan

Military branches: Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,583,604 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,019,268 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 189,967 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $7.574 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Taiwan

Disputes - international: involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does China

Illicit drugs: regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Tajikistan

Introduction Tajikistan

Background: Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government and a five-year civil war since it gained independence in 1991 from the USSR. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997, and implemented in 2000. The central government's less than total control over some areas of the country has forced it to compromise and forge alliances among factions. Attention by the international community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought increased economic development assistance, which could create jobs and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Geography Tajikistan

Location: Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references: Asia

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

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin

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

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

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

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

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Natural resources: hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Land use: arable land: 5.41% permanent crops: 0.92% other: 93.67% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes and floods

Environment - current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

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

Geography - note: landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR

People Tajikistan

Population: 6,863,752 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.8% (male 1,376,244; female 1,353,108) 15-64 years: 55.5% (male 1,896,509; female 1,915,334) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 140,993; female 181,564) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 19.3 years male: 19 years female: 19.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 2.13% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 32.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 8.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.06 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: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 113.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 99.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 126.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.37 years male: 61.39 years female: 67.5 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.17 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 200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani

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

Religions: Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%

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

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.6% female: 99.1% (2003 est.)

Government Tajikistan

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local short form: Tojikiston former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston

Government type: republic

Capital: Dushanbe

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence: 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Constitution: 6 November 1994

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2% elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister appointed by the president; Tajikistan held a constitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things, set a term limit of two seven-year terms for the president

Legislative branch: bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33 seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms) election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 65%, Communist Party 20%, Islamic Rebirth Party 7.5%, other 7.5%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA elections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assembly of Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 for the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV, chairman]; Islamic Revival Party [Said Abdullo NURI, chairman]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Sherali KENJAYEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders: there are two unregistered political parties with 1,000 or more members: Progressive Party [Suton QUVVATOV]; Unity Party [Hikmatuko SAIDOV]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Khamrokhon ZARIPOV chancery: 1725 K Sreet NW, Suite 409, Washington, DC 20006 FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091 telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND embassy: 10 Pavlova Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734003; note - the embassy in Dushanbe is not yet fully operational; most business is still handled in Almaty at 531 Sayfullin Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan, telephone 7-3272-58-79-61, FAX 7-3272-58-79-68 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [992] (372) 21-03-48 (Dushanbe) FAX: [992] (372) 21-03-62

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

Economy Tajikistan

Economy - overview: Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the 15 former Soviet republics. Only 8% to 10% of the land area is arable. Cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. Even though 60% of its people continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan has experienced steady economic growth since 1997. Continued privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises will further increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation, however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the external debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002, including an interest rate of 4%, a 3-year grace period, and a US $49.8 million credit to the Central Bank of Tajikistan.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.476 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 9.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19% industry: 26% services: 55% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 60% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 34.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.187 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 40% (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $502 million expenditures: $520 million, including capital expenditures of $86 million (2002 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 10.3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 14.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.9% hydro: 98.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 14.52 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 3.909 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 5.242 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

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

Natural gas - consumption: 1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - imports: 1.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Exports: $710 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles

Exports - partners: Netherlands 29.4%, Turkey 16.1%, Russia 11.9%, Uzbekistan 9.9%, Switzerland 9.3%, Hungary 5.4%, Latvia 4.2% (2002)

Imports: $830 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Russia 22.7%, Uzbekistan 18.4%, Ukraine 11.2%, Kazakhstan 10%, Turkmenistan 6.5%, Azerbaijan 5.7%, India 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external: $1 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $60.7 million from US (2001)

Currency: somoni

Currency code: TJS

Exchange rates: Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.37 (2001), 2.08 (2000), 1.24 (1999), 0.78 (1998) note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000, with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Tajikistan

Telephones - main lines in use: 363,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,500 (1997)

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

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Radios: 1.291 million (1991)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (2001)

Televisions: 820,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2002)

Internet users: 5,000 (2002)

Transportation Tajikistan

Railways: total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 27,767 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (2000)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: gas 540 km; oil 38 km (2003)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 66 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 53 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 36 (2002)

Military Tajikistan

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

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

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,704,457 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,397,188 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 82,490 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $35.4 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Tajikistan

Disputes - international: prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; boundary agreements signed in 2002 cede 1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China in return for China relinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km of Tajikistani lands; negotiations with China resolved the longstanding boundary dispute; talks have begun with Uzbekistan to demine and delimit border; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Kyrgyzstan

Illicit drugs: major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistan seizes roughly 80 percent of all drugs captured in Central Asia and stands third world-wide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Tanzania

Introduction Tanzania

Background: Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities.

Geography Tanzania

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

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 945,087 sq km note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar water: 59,050 sq km land: 886,037 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 3,861 km border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline: 1,424 km

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

Climate: varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 4.24% permanent crops: 1.02% other: 94.74% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,550 sq km (1998 est.)

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

Environment - current issues: soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory

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

Geography - note: Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

People Tanzania

Population: 35,922,454 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 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.3% (male 7,988,898; female 7,938,979) 15-64 years: 53.1% (male 9,429,959; female 9,634,102) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 405,803; female 524,713) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 17.5 years male: 17.2 years female: 17.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.72% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 39.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 17.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 103.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 93.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 113.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 44.56 years male: 43.33 years female: 45.83 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 7.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.5 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 140,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Tanzanian(s) adjective: Tanzanian

Ethnic groups: mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African

Religions: mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Languages: Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic total population: 78.2% male: 85.9% female: 70.7% (2003 est.)

Government Tanzania

Country name: conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania conventional short form: Tanzania former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Government type: republic

Capital: Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets there on regular basis

Administrative divisions: 25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West

Independence: 26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

National holiday: Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Constitution: 25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was elected to that office on 29 October 2000 cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly election results: Benjamin William MKAPA reelected president; percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 71.7%, Ibrahim Haruna LIPUMBA 16.3%, Augustine Lyatonga MREME 7.8%, John Momose CHEYO 4.2% elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232 elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, five to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by universal suffrage to serve five-year terms) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2, Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16 elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005)

Judicial branch: Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court (consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts; Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the higher courts)

Political parties and leaders: Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party (unregistered) [Christopher MTIKLA]; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine Lyatonga MREMA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert V. ROYALL embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015 FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501

Flag description: divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue

Economy Tanzania

Economy - overview: Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured the processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date economic infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Growth in 1991-2002 featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Oil and gas exploration and development played an important role in this growth. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and investment. Continued donor support and solid macroeconomic policies should support continued real GDP growth of 5% in 2003.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $20.42 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.1% (2002 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 48.1% industry: 15.4% services: 36.5% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 38.2 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 13.495 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $1.01 billion expenditures: $1.38 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 00/01 est.)

Industries: agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer, salt

Industrial production growth rate: 8.4% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 2.906 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 18.9% hydro: 81.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.752 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 50 million kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 11.33 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports: $863 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities: gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Exports - partners: India 15.2%, Japan 12.4%, Netherlands 9.2%, UK 6.8%, Belgium 6.5%, Kenya 5.9%, Germany 4.8% (2002)

Imports: $1.67 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities: consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil

Imports - partners: South Africa 12.7%, China 7.9%, Kenya 6.6%, India 6.3%, UK 6%, Japan 4.5%, US 4%, Australia 4% (2002)

Debt - external: $6.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $963 million (1997)

Currency: Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Currency code: TZS

Exchange rates: Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - NA (2002), 876.41 (2001), 800.41 (2000), 744.76 (1999), 664.67 (1998)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Tanzania

Telephones - main lines in use: 127,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 30,000 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: fair system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture terminal) system under construction domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 8.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (1999)

Televisions: 103,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 300,000 (2002)

Transportation Tanzania

Railways: total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge; 969 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 88,200 km paved: 3,704 km unpaved: 84,496 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: note: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa are principal avenues of commerce between Tanzania and its neighbors on those lakes

Pipelines: gas 5 km; oil 866 km (2003)

Ports and harbors: Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar

Merchant marine: total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,781 GRT/33,805 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 123 (2002)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 112 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Military Tanzania

Military branches: Tanzanian People's Defense Force (including Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit (including Police Marine Unit and Police Air Wing), territorial militia

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 8,477,193 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,911,235 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $19.68 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Tanzania

Disputes - international: disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Illicit drugs: growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for South African, European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for Southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Thailand

Introduction Thailand

Background: A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict.

Geography Thailand

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 514,000 sq km water: 2,230 sq km land: 511,770 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 4,863 km border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km

Coastline: 3,219 km

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

Climate: tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid

Terrain: central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Natural resources: tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Land use: arable land: 32.88% permanent crops: 7% other: 60.12% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 47,490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts

Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

People Thailand

Population: 64,265,276 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 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.2% (male 7,955,597; female 7,604,652) 15-64 years: 68.8% (male 21,819,445; female 22,362,085) 65 years and over: 7% (male 2,081,768; female 2,441,729) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 30.1 years male: 29.4 years female: 30.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.95% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 16.37 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 6.86 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: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 23.17 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.24 years male: 69.07 years female: 73.53 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 670,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 55,000 (2001 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Religions: Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6% (1991)

Languages: Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97.5% female: 94.6% (2003 est.)

Government Thailand

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand conventional short form: Thailand former: Siam

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Bangkok

Administrative divisions: 76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Independence: 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

National holiday: Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)

Constitution: new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997

Legal system: based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946) note: there is also a Privy Council head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9 February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gen. (Ret.) CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut, KON Thappharansi, SUWIT Khunkitti, CHATURON Chaisaeng, VISHANU Krua-ngam, and PROMMIN Lertsuridej (since 18 February 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister is designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following national elections for the House of Representatives, the leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the king

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and 22 July 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); House of Representatives - last held 6 January 2001 (next to be held NA January 2005) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - TRT 248, DP 128, TNP 41, NDP 29, other 54

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [BANTADTAN Banyat]; National Development Party or NDP (Chat Phattana) [KORN Dabbaransi]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BANHAN Sinlapa-acha]; Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMISET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador SAKTHIP Krairiksh consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611 telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Darryl N. JOHNSON embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok mailing address: APO AP 96546 telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000 FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131 consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Flag description: five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red

Economy Thailand

Economy - overview: Thailand has a free enterprise economy and welcomes foreign investment. Exports feature computers and electrical appliances. After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 - averaging almost 9% annually - increased speculative pressure on Thailand's currency in 1997 led to a crisis that uncovered financial sector weaknesses and forced the government to float the baht. Long pegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached its lowest point of 56 to the dollar in January 1998, and the economy contracted by 10.2% that same year. Thailand then entered a recovery stage, expanding by 4.2% in 1999 and 4.4% in 2000, largely due to strong exports. An ailing financial sector and the slow pace of corporate debt restructuring, combined with a softening of global demand, slowed growth to 1.4% in 2001. Increased consumption and investment spending pushed GDP growth up to 5.2% in 2002 despite a sluggish global economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $445.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 40% services: 49% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 12.5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 41.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 33.4 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry 15%, services 31% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.9% (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $19 billion expenditures: $21 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism; textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing, such as jewelry; electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics; world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 97.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.3% hydro: 6.4% other: 2.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 90.91 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 200 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 350 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 173,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 785,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 551.5 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production: 18.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 23.93 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - imports: 5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 368.2 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Exports: $67.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: computers, transistors, seafood, clothing, rice (2000)

Exports - partners: US 19.6%, Japan 14.5%, Singapore 8.1%, Hong Kong 5.4%, China 5.2%, Malaysia 4.1% (2002)

Imports: $58.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels (2000)

Imports - partners: Japan 23%, US 9.6%, China 7.6%, Malaysia 5.6%, Singapore 4.5%, Taiwan 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external: $62.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $131.5 million (1998 est.)

Currency: baht (THB)

Currency code: THB

Exchange rates: baht per US dollar - 42.96 (2002), 44.43 (2001), 40.11 (2000), 37.81 (1999), 41.36 (1998)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Thailand

Telephones - main lines in use: 5.6 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3.1 million (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios: 13.96 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 15.19 million (1997)

Internet country code: .th

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 15 (2000)

Internet users: 1.2 million (2001)

Transportation Thailand

Railways: total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 64,600 km paved: 62,985 km unpaved: 1,615 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 4,000 km note: 3,701 km are navigable throughout the year by boats with drafts up to 0.9 meters; numerous minor waterways serve shallow-draft native craft

Pipelines: gas 3,066 km; refined products 265 km (2003)

Ports and harbors: Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla

Merchant marine: total: 317 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,744,103 GRT/2,657,666 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Greece 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 1, Norway 24, Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 33, cargo 136, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 17, liquefied gas 21, multi-functional large-load carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 74, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 1

Airports: 111 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 62 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 5 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 49 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Heliports: 2 (2002)

Military Thailand

Military branches: Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes the Border Patrol Police [including Police Aerial Reinforcement Unit], Thahan Phran, Special Action Forces, Police Aviation Division, Thai Marine Police, and the Volunteer Defense Corps)

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

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 17,904,298 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 10,724,565 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 520,472 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.775 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Thailand

Disputes - international: completion of boundary demarcation with Cambodia hampered by accusations of moving and destroying boundary markers, encroachments, initiating border incidents, and sealing off Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; demarcation complete except for a 1 kilometer segment at the mouth of the Kolok River in dispute with Malaysia; demarcation with Laos complete except for certain Mekong River islets and complaints of Thai squatters; despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain with Burma over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities

Illicit drugs: a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transit point for heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in amphetamine production for regional consumption; increasing indigenous abuse of methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Togo

Introduction Togo

Background: French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted in the early 1990s, the government continues to be dominated by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power almost continually since 1967. In addition, Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. Most bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen.

Geography Togo

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 1 10 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 56,785 sq km water: 2,400 sq km land: 54,385 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Coastline: 56 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 30 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain: gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Natural resources: phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Land use: arable land: 41.37% permanent crops: 1.84% other: 56.79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 70 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

People Togo

Population: 5,429,299 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 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.5% (male 1,211,252; female 1,203,564) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,404,763; female 1,473,360) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 57,535; female 78,825) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 17.3 years male: 16.9 years female: 17.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 2.37% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 35.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 11.51 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: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 68.73 deaths/1,000 live births female: 60.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 76.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 53.43 years male: 51.47 years female: 55.45 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.97 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 6% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 12,000 (2001 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Languages: French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60.9% male: 75.4% female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Government Togo

Country name: conventional long form: Togolese Republic conventional short form: Togo local short form: none former: French Togoland local long form: Republique Togolaise

Government type: republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Capital: Lome

Administrative divisions: 5 regions (regions, singular - region); De La Kara, Des Plateaux, Des Savanes, Centrale, Maritime

Independence: 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Constitution: multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Legal system: French-based court system

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14 April 1967) head of government: Prime Minister Koffi SAMA (since 29 June 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 1 June 2003 (next to be held NA June 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent of vote - Gnassingbe EYADEMA 57.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 34.1%, Yawovi AGBOYIBO 5.2%, Maurice Dahuku PERE 2.3%, Edem KODJO 1.0%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next NA 2007) note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of the Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewal election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPT 72, RSD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP [leader NA]; Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Hanay OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [President Gnassingbe EYADEMA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU] note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President EYADEMA, was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was legalized 12 April 1991

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory ENGLE embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94 FAX: [228] 221 79 52

Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Togo

Economy - overview: This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export earnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate, but production fell an estimated 22% in 2002 due to power shortages and the cost of developing new deposits. The government's decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on following through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.594 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 21% services: 37% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 32% (1989 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 1.74 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $232 million expenditures: $252 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Industries: phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts, textiles, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 101.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.7% hydro: 1.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 614.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 520 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Exports: $449 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities: reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Exports - partners: Ghana 17.7%, Benin 13.3%, Burkina Faso 8.2%, Philippines 4.9%, Niger 4.1% (2002)

Imports: $561 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners: France 21.3%, China 17%, Netherlands 6.5%, Germany 5.3%, UK 4.8%, Italy 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external: $1.4 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA $80 million (2000 est.)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code: XOF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Togo

Telephones - main lines in use: 25,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,995 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile cellular system domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 73,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2001)

Internet users: 50,000 (2002)

Transportation Togo

Railways: total: 525 km narrow gauge: 525 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 7,520 km paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 50 km (Mono river)

Ports and harbors: Kpeme, Lome

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 9 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Togo

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,270,146 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 666,132 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $23.72 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Togo

Disputes - international: in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission presently resurveying the boundary

Illicit drugs: transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money laundering not a significant problem

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Tokelau

Introduction Tokelau

Background: Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.

Geography Tokelau

Location: Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 9 00 S, 172 00 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 10 sq km

Area - comparative: about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 101 km

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

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Terrain: low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile) permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Environment - current issues: very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Geography - note: consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three meters above sea level

People Tokelau

Population: 1,418 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% 15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.01% (2003 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio: NA (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: 68 years female: 70 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: NA 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: Tokelauan(s) adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian

Religions: Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2% note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Languages: Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Literacy: NA

Government Tokelau

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

Dependency status: self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are drafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand

Government type: NA

Capital: none; each atoll has its own administrative center

Administrative divisions: none (territory of New Zealand)

Independence: none (territory of New Zealand)

National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution: administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970

Legal system: New Zealand and local statutes

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Lindsay WATT (since NA March 1993) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term head of government: Aliki Faipule Pio TUIA (since NA 2002) cabinet: the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders - one from each atoll - functions as a cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral General Fono (48 seats; members chosen by each atoll's Council of Elders or Taupulega to serve three-year terms); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono

Judicial branch: Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: SPC, UNESCO (associate), WHO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of New Zealand)

Flag description: the flag of New Zealand is used

Economy Tokelau

Economy - overview: Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $430,830 expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.)

Industries: small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

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

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats

Exports: $98,000 f.o.b. (1983)

Exports - commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts

Exports - partners: NZ (2000)

Imports: $323,000 c.i.f. (1983)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Imports - partners: NZ (2000)

Debt - external: $0

Economic aid - recipient: from New Zealand about $4 million annually

Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code: NZD

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.154 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Tokelau

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of unknown type that broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998)

Radios: 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Tokelau

Railways: 0 km

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

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2002)

Military Tokelau

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Tokelau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Tonga

Introduction Tonga

Background: The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Geography Tonga

Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 175 00 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 748 sq km water: 30 sq km land: 718 sq km

Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 419 km

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

Climate: tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)

Terrain: most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Natural resources: fish, fertile soil

Land use: arable land: 23.61% permanent crops: 43.06% other: 33.33% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou

Environment - current issues: deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations

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

Geography - note: archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

People Tonga

Population: 108,141 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.2% (male 21,085; female 20,265) 15-64 years: 57.6% (male 30,785; female 31,532) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,973; female 2,501) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 19.8 years male: 19.3 years female: 20.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.9% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 24.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 5.54 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: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.88 years male: 66.43 years female: 71.44 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3 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: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Religions: Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Languages: Tongan, English

Literacy: definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.)

Government Tonga

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands

Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital: Nuku'alofa

Administrative divisions: 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Independence: 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution: 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Legal system: based on English law

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the Cabinet, and two governors elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU (since NA January 2001)

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 70%; seats - pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA, president]

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1136 consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Flag description: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy Tonga

Economy - overview: Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $236 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 26% industry: 12% services: 62% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 33,908 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13.3% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $39.9 million expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY 99/00 est.)

Industries: tourism, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 8.6% (FY 98/99)

Electricity - production: 27.27 million kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption: 25.36 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Exports: $8.9 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports - partners: Japan 43.2%, US 41.2%, Greece 4% (2002)

Imports: $70 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners: New Zealand 30.8%, Fiji 20.7%, US 14.2%, Australia 13.2%, China 6.1% (2002)

Debt - external: $57.5 million (June 2001)

Economic aid - recipient: Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)

Currency: pa'anga (TOP)

Currency code: TOP

Exchange rates: pa'anga per US dollar NA (2002), 2.12 (2001), 1.76 (2000), 1.6 (1999), 1.49 (1998)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Tonga

Telephones - main lines in use: 8,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 302 (1996)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios: 61,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (2001)

Televisions: 2,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .to

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 1,000 (2000)

Transportation Tonga

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Merchant marine: total: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 250,020 GRT/350,055 DWT ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 44, chemical tanker 4, container 1, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 2, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 1, Australia 4, Austria 1, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 1, Djibouti 1, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Lebanon 2, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2, Morocco 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 1, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 5, Ukraine 1, UAE 16, US 4 (2002 est.)

Airports: 6 (2002)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Tonga

Military branches: Tonga Defense Services (made up of three operational command components and two support elements, including the Royal Marines, Royal Guards, Maritime Force, a support/logistics group, and a training group), Police; note - a new air wing that will be subordinate to the Ministry of Defense is being developed

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Tonga

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction Trinidad and Tobago

Background: The islands came under British control in the 19th century; independence was granted in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean, thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.

Geography Trinidad and Tobago

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 61 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 5,128 sq km land: 5,128 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 362 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Land use: arable land: 14.62% permanent crops: 9.16% other: 76.22% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

People Trinidad and Tobago

Population: 1,104,209 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.2% (male 125,470; female 119,270) 15-64 years: 70% (male 402,137; female 370,600) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 38,928; female 47,804) (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 29.9 years male: 29.5 years female: 30.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate: -0.68% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 12.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 8.71 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -10.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 24.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 26.93 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.59 years male: 67.07 years female: 72.23 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.78 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 17,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,200 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Ethnic groups: black 39.5%, East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants from northern India) 40.3%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%, Chinese and other 1.2%

Religions: Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%

Languages: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 99.1% female: 98% (2003 est.)

Government Trinidad and Tobago

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Port-of-Spain

Administrative divisions: 8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**; Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria

Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Constitution: 1 August 1976

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term; election last held 14 February 2003 (next to be held NA 2008); the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 43%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; members appointed by the president for a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next to be held by October 2007) note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 members serving four-year terms election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Court of Appeals the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London

Political parties and leaders: National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Hochoy CHARLES]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [leader NA]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or TUN [Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Jamaat-al Musilmeen [Yasin BAKR]

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette VALERE (as of February 2003) chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone: [1] (868) 622-6372 through 6376, 622-6176 FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

Flag description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side

Economy Trinidad and Tobago

Economy - overview: Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. A leading performer the past four years has been the booming natural gas sector. Tourism is a growing sector, although not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from low inflation and a trade surplus. The year 2002 was marked by solid growth in the oil sector, offset in part by domestic political uncertainty.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.07 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.6% industry: 43.2% services: 55.2% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 21% (1992 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 564,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: construction and utilities 12.4%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 9.5%, services 64.1% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10.8% (2002)

Budget: revenues: $1.54 billion expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $117.3 million (1998)

Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 2.6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production: 5.315 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0% other: 0.2% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 4.943 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 125,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

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

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 716 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production: 15.19 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 11.54 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 3.65 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - proved reserves: 610.6 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Exports: $4.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Exports - partners: US 56.9%, Jamaica 7.3%, France 4.4% (2002)

Imports: $3.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals

Imports - partners: US 42%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.5%, UK 5%, Japan 4.5%, Brazil 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external: $2.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $24 million (1999 est.)

Currency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Currency code: TTD

Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.24 (2002), 6.23 (2001), 6.3 (2000), 6.3 (1999), 6.3 (1998)